Which resort would you recommend

[osufeth24]

So ignore everything that could be an issue in regards to the virus.

I am playing a birthday trip for my bday in Feb. I live in Orlando and never stayed on property (was supposed to stay at AoA for first time during star wars run). So my friends are gonna come down and we're gonna use the money we were gonna spend on the run toward a nicer resort.

I have some places that I wanna stay at bad, but may end up being out of price range (we're all ap holders, so gonna try to get an ap price). There's going to be anywhere between 4 to 8 of us. Mostly 4 or 5. We're all in our early 30s

I know if we get up to 6 probably need to go 2 rooms.

Boardwalk has been a places I've always wanted to stay, but could be out of range. Caribbean could be an option, having the skyliner right there is a huge plus (we'd be Goin to HS the most).

Hoping to get rt other people's opinions

 

[DisneyLifePapioNe]

So ignore everything that could be an issue in regards to the virus.

I am playing a birthday trip for my bday in Feb. I live in Orlando and never stayed on property (was supposed to stay at AoA for first time during star wars run). So my friends are gonna come down and we're gonna use the money we were gonna spend on the run toward a nicer resort.

I have some places that I wanna stay at bad, but may end up being out of price range (we're all ap holders, so gonna try to get an ap price). There's going to be anywhere between 4 to 8 of us. Mostly 4 or 5. We're all in our early 30s

I know if we get up to 6 probably need to go 2 rooms.

Boardwalk has been a places I've always wanted to stay, but could be out of range. Caribbean could be an option, having the skyliner right there is a huge plus (we'd be Goin to HS the most).

Hoping to get rt other people's opinions

Well Port Orleans resorts are great, Boardwalk is a personal favorite as is Yacht and Beach (technically our 2nd and 3rd homes) aside from our Universal Resorts, then I’d say Poly and the new Coronado Tower has been getting great reviews but have not stayed at the tower just in the other preferred rooms at Coronado.

 

[shoegal9]

I’m in my 30s and my BF and I are DVC members. You should look into renting DVC points. It can be pretty affordable at places like Saratoga Springs for Disney Springs proximity. We also love PO French Quarter and Coronado Springs for moderates. Coronado has some amazing new lounges and bars ( Three Bridges, Barcelona and Dahlia) and we stayed in the tower in August and LOVED IT- transportation is the Only negative. We also love Boardwalk and Polynesian if you’re looking to splurge. Nothing better than Trader Sams and a monorail crawl!

 

[maxiesmom]

Swan or Dolphin. And the perks of being at the Boardwalk area, for a lot less than a Disney resort. And if you are planning on spending the most time at the Hollywood Studios, you can't beat taking a boat, or even walking, to that park. Much nicer than a bus or even the skyliner, imho.

 

[sav627]

I would say CBR for sure. Having the skyliner will make getting to Hollywood and Epcot such a breeze! You can also sometimes find good deals for CBR as well. Remember you can book and if it suddenly becomes cheaper you can call and switch rates!

 

[NicoleLarson]

Definitely look into the swan or dolphin, they're on Priceline Express deals all of the time, although I dont think they currently are. You can also call the hotel and ask about a cove suite. They're essentially 2 rooms connected but you only have to pay 1 resort fee because it is technically just 1 room. These are not online, you have to call the hotel.
If you want a disney hotel but dont have a budget for a deluxe then POFQ is a great choice. I've taken many girls trips with my best friends and we've stayed at BWI, BC, GF, CBR and everyone's favorite ended up to be POFQ.

 

[suemom2kay]

CBR, Swan or Dolphin. S&D have discounts for AAA, Nurses, First Responders, and Teachers.

 

[KenHutch]

French Quarter is my favorite but you might try what we are planning. I have already saved the cash for our next vacation, its in the bank. So we are going in June 2021 and I have told the girls the budget is 20K. We will wait for things to settle down and they get to choose the hotel based on the budget (2 girls with different tastes so they argue)

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I agree with the PPs - I would check out BWI, Swan/Dolphin and CBR. For your age group, I think the EP resort area is really a great choice - there is so much to do within walking distance. If Swan/Dolphin appeals to you, I've found you can typically get rooms there in the same price range as a WDW mod.

 

[osufeth24]

I wouldn't mind doing swan/dolphin, but since this would be first time staying on property, I kind of want it to be a Disney resort. I want the magic that comes with it.

I've also really want to stay at AKL with Savanah view.

 

[nkereina]

Based on your description, I think CBR is the best option. Its on the Skyliner, which will give you easy access to DHS as well as the Boardwalk, YC/BC, Swan/Dolphin resorts and evening entertainment.

That said, I don't think CBR has any rooms that fit 5 adults. IMO, squeezing 4 adults in a room at CBR would be uncomfortable. I would do two rooms for everyone's comfort, and also the extra bathroom which will save time in the mornings when you're trying to get to the park.

Another option would be CSR resort, which is more adult oriented. More bars, amenities. Lots of business travelers so the resort caters more to adults. Its a quick bus ride to DHS, and there are a few suite style rooms, but I can't speak to how many adults they would hold. Again, I would not put 4 adults in a standard CSR room.

 

[maxiesmom]

I wouldn't mind doing swan/dolphin, but since this would be first time staying on property, I kind of want it to be a Disney resort. I want the magic that comes with it.

I've also really want to stay at AKL with Savanah view.

As Disney has been redoing their rooms, they are not as Disney as they used to be. I get wanting to be on site, but the difference between a real Disney resort and the Swan and Dolphin is teeny tiny. I've been going to WDW for 20+ years now, and love being on site. Having said that, once I stayed at the Swan, it is hard going back to a real Disney resort. Unless you want to pay for a boardwalk area Disney resort, I would go with the Swan or Dolphin.

 

[osufeth24]

I’m in my 30s and my BF and I are DVC members. You should look into renting DVC points. It can be pretty affordable at places like Saratoga Springs for Disney Springs proximity. We also love PO French Quarter and Coronado Springs for moderates. Coronado has some amazing new lounges and bars ( Three Bridges, Barcelona and Dahlia) and we stayed in the tower in August and LOVED IT- transportation is the Only negative. We also love Boardwalk and Polynesian if you’re looking to splurge. Nothing better than Trader Sams and a monorail crawl!

I'm gonna start researching into renting dvc points, cause I think I'd love to stay at beach club (we're willing to splurge a little bit). Is there a good place on how it goes and what it'd cost?

 

[nkereina]

I'm gonna start researching into renting dvc points, cause I think I'd love to stay at beach club (we're willing to splurge a little bit). Is there a good place on how it goes and what it'd cost?

The current environment is taking a toll on DVC rentals, so proceed with caution. There's a lot of uncertainty with the status of the DVC point brokers, which is typically where I would point a first time renter because there's a lot to be aware of when renting points. I personally would not be comfortable with renting DVC points until we see how the parks re-open and what things look like, because its a non-refundable transaction. The downside is that if you wait a few months to see how things will play out, its very likely DVC availability will be limited when you try to book for February.

I would recommend reaching out to DVC Rental Store or David's DVC Rentals. I'm not sure how they're currently handing new booking inquiries because they've been bogged down with sorting out all the closures and cancellations, which has created quite a mess for them. Some even speculate the situation will put them out of business. In addition to that, I would expect DVC availability to be difficult to come by for the next year or so. DVC owners will be trying to use their points by their deadlines and make up for this time lost. I've seen several reports that say Fall DVC availability is still pretty much booked up, even with the way things have been this year. Lastly, in a normal year, Beach Club Villas are among the hardest to secure points for because its a smaller DVC resort and very popular. I would have a solid backup plan in place, just in case.

All of this aside, in normal times, its recommended to secure DVC rentals 7-11 months in advance. They are typically non-refundable and payment is typically required at time of booking. You also do not receive daily housekeeping. If you decide you want to go for it, its recommended to be very flexible with room type, room location, resort, and dates. Saratoga Springs, Old Key West, and Animal Kingdom Villas tend to be the easiest resorts to secure what you want. I believe David's DVC has a calculator on their web site that will give you a sense of the cost.

Lastly, there is a DVC forum here that can provide more insight and will help in your research. Hopefully this helps - I'm not trying to be discouraging, but its a weird time for DVC rentals and its risky business for someone doing it for the first time.

 

[osufeth24]

Didn't think about that.

May go back to original plan of coming up with a list I want to stay at, and just see what prices are like through Disney (and hopefully ap prices)

 

[BellaBeast787]

I wouldn't mind doing swan/dolphin, but since this would be first time staying on property, I kind of want it to be a Disney resort. I want the magic that comes with it.

I've also really want to stay at AKL with Savanah view.

The Savanna view rooms usually have a deep discount- I think its almost like $180 off a night depending on the season. Also, we stay in the standard room and request a partial savanna view! another great option.

 

[shoegal9]

I'm gonna start researching into renting dvc points, cause I think I'd love to stay at beach club (we're willing to splurge a little bit). Is there a good place on how it goes and what it'd cost?

There are quite a few rental sites, one is DVC rental store And there’s David’s. If you just google DVC rental sites you should fine a few options. The price is generally around $20 per point. You would have to look up the point charts and see how many points the night(s) you want at Beach Club is. Then you put in a request and they try to match you with an owner who can Book that villa for you. It can save a lot of money. And with 5 or 6 people you can probably do a one bedroom villa.

 

[Medic1850]

Looking forward to animal kingdom lodge

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

So ignore everything that could be an issue in regards to the virus.

I am playing a birthday trip for my bday in Feb. I live in Orlando and never stayed on property (was supposed to stay at AoA for first time during star wars run). So my friends are gonna come down and we're gonna use the money we were gonna spend on the run toward a nicer resort.

I have some places that I wanna stay at bad, but may end up being out of price range (we're all ap holders, so gonna try to get an ap price). There's going to be anywhere between 4 to 8 of us. Mostly 4 or 5. We're all in our early 30s

I know if we get up to 6 probably need to go 2 rooms.

Boardwalk has been a places I've always wanted to stay, but could be out of range. Caribbean could be an option, having the skyliner right there is a huge plus (we'd be Goin to HS the most).

Hoping to get rt other people's opinions

I would highly recommend BWI, it's great for activities outside of the park and ease of getting to DHS/Epcot. CBR is also nice but as far as fun and activities nearby for adults, BWI is preferred with the boardwalk restaurants and entertainment. Also, if you stay at Boardwalk, you have a skyliner station nearby at the entrance of Epcot. Boardwalk and the other epcot area resorts would be my preference over CBR.