Which resort? POR, Swan/Dolphin, or WL?

[Octoberbaby]

We just returned home and I am already thinking about another trip...typical lol. We stayed off site for the first time ever in a house and actually liked it a lot more than we thought. We enjoyed having a larger space, our own pool, and a full size kitchen with washer and dryer, but we also missed being inside the Disney bubble. I know which resorts I absolutely love...Polynesian and YC, but rack rate is not my cup of tea and even if a discount is available later, I'm unsure if I want to pay that now seeing what we can get renting a home. With that said I'm narrowing it down to POR, Swan or Dolphin, or possibly WL. We have stayed at POR and WL in the past, and didn't care for the bus situation at POR or the size of rooms for price at WL. We will have a car though this time so busses won't be an issue. I love WL, but the rooms really don't seem bigger than a moderate. We haven't stayed at the Swan or Dolphin though, so I really have no idea if we would like it or not, but it would put us in the Epcot vicinity like YC would. So...I'm stuck. We don't have dates set in stone but will more than likely go late Sept. or Oct. Out of those choices which should we go with? TIA

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Maybe give the Dolphin a try, since you’ve stayed at the other two. It’s one of our favorites. Just remember, there is a resort fee, plus parking fees. But the food options are good, some restaurants have an AAA discount, the pools are nice, there is a Spa, etc.

 

[JCornell]

WL, POR, and Swan are three of our favorites. You can save big at WL by renting DVC points, and you can get AP discounts at Swan (not always big but it's something). We choose Swan over Dolphin since it's queen beds vs. doubles. They all have the advantage of some non-bus transportation which is a big plus but your off-site option is also a good one.

 

[gatour]

I would say Dolphin/Swan since price seems to be a concern. I find their prices are generally lower than any of the Deluxes but with a similar quality. Sometimes they are even cheaper than the moderates.

If you decide on POR, I would choose the French Quarter. There is only one bus stops, while big, the layout is compact so you don't have to walk very far to get anywhere.

 

[Octoberbaby]

I'm leaning towards the Swan/Dolphin especially since the food and wine festival will more than like be going on during our dates. I checked availability at the Swan for late Sept. just for the heck of it, and the cost really isn't much more than POR...like maybe $700 more for a resort view room with balcony. So...hopefully I can make a decision by the time I figure out dates.

If I do go with POR we would have a boat to DS and car for the parks. My husband just figured out that he prefers driving after having a rental a few weeks ago. He hates riding the busses and using Uber.