Will I be missing out on this room?

[Merandab4]

Thanks for all you who are following my plans and offer advice!
I feel like a pain posting all the time, but I guess thats why you guys read the boards right?
So here's my situation now...Right now I have reservations at the GF for 3 nights garden view and 3 nights lagoon veiw. (shh, DH thinks we are staying three nights at POP and three nights lagoon veiw) That was my original plan to keep costs moderate, but I switched it the other day..... Anyway..... ......... I was thinking about changing the reservation again and making it 6 nights garden veiw. (and asking for a WP view if possible).

I know everyone just loves lagoon veiws, for viewing Wishes on their balcony, and for the view of the MK (if they can get it).

But I am thinking this.....We are not going to be at our room everynight to see Wishes anyway. One night we will watch them from inside the MK, (thats a must). One night we will be watching them over dinner reservations (hopefully). One night we will be watching Illuminations. Well, theres three nights right there. I think I would much rather have a veiw where I can see people walking and doing stuff, (yes, I don't mind being a people watcher) rather then just looking at the water, (although watching the boats would be nice too.)

So my question is this.....
1. Is it worth upgrading to a Lagoon view if you are not going to utilize the balcony everynight to watch Wishes? Do you think I willbe missing out on something very special if I give up my ressie for this room?

2. From what I know, the only Building at the GF with a veiw of the WP would be Big Pine and that is a smoking building. this causes a problem because we would need a non-smoking room. If you are in a smoking building, can you smell the smoke? Last year we were in Magnolia Bend at POR and were in a non-smoking building, but the room smeeld awful. We had to have housekeeping come spray the room, and that didn't work, so I had her change the bed linned as our bedspreads smelled bad.

Anyway, how do I always seemed to get so long winded when asking simple questions...Sorry.
..

 

[Merandab4]

bump....Anyone ever stay in lagoon view?

 

[TinyToonThor]

the lagoon view looks out onto the water

 

[Kim&Chris]

I can't really answer your question directly, but if you don't mind, I want to offer you a piece of advice:

Based on my experiences, switching rooms/resorts mid-stay is a large pain in the butt. Time spent re-packing could be time spent by the pool or in the park.

Choose a view you're comfortable & happy with and stick with that choice. Just my opinion

 

[DisneyFan0304]

As far as I'm concerned, I've stayed at the GF lagoon view twice, and both times wound up with the view of the wedding pavillion and the Polynesian. Not quite what I had in mind.

I figure since it's such a long shot to get a MK view, I'm not going to pay the extra money for a lagoon view. The garden views at the GF are beautiful. I really enjoyed sitting on the balcony watching what was going on around the grounds.

If you want to see the water pageant or Wishes, you can just go outside to the beach or by the marina and watch from there.

 

[TammiMcMan]

I'm guessing WP means water parade? If so, then you can see it from a lagoon view room at Conch Key, Boca Chica or Big Pine Key. It's cute, but you can watch it any night from the boat dock or the beach and you'd be fine.

If you crunch the numbers and look at your itinerary, maybe instead you can do 4 or 5 nights in a garden room and 1 or 2 in Sugar Loaf concierge. Based on rack rates, your budget might look like this:

3 nights garden ($349/night) + 3 nights lagoon ($410/night) = $2277
4 nights garden ($349/night) + 2 nights lodge concierge ($460/night) = $2316
6 nights garden ($349/night) = $2094

So many options, so little vacation time.

Tammi

 

[Nolcrest]

I'd stay 6 nights garden view. I just don't see the sense in switching to another room in the same resort. That's just me though.

 

[ReggieB]

I wouldn't want to switch rooms either. We were lucky with our lagoon view room, we had a great view for the fireworks. The balcony was used every night. However as another poster mentioned a lagoon view is not an automatic MK view. You can always catch the fireworks from the beach area (and the water parade), so if your only wish for a balcony is for the fireworks maybe once or twice...I would go for the garden view. By the way we saw the water parade from our lagoon view room balcony and it was a non-smoking building, which was Boca Chica. Big Pine would possibly not have many MK or fireworks views. Trust me, if you are a non-smoker and get a smokers room you will notice the difference, it's just depends on the person as to how much it would bother you..personally I can't tolerate it, makes me all sniffly, allergy I guess.

 

[Merandab4]

In my post WP ment wedding Pavilion, although some may use WP to mean water pagent, (I never thought of that)

I don't really want to switch rooms halfway through our stay either, but I also can not afford to stay lagoon veiw the whole time. I do understand that I may not get a MK veiw. Is the MK veiw anything more than just seeing the top of the castle? I may just switch to garden veiw and then just chance it when we get there. If we are unsatisfied with our room, (which I highly doubt we would be), I can always ask what else is availabe.

 

[colleen costello]

We often switch mid-trip but it is a pain. We have DVC but often start out at another resort (cash) to save points. In my opinion no view is worth the trouble of moving. You have to re-pack and unpack and if room #2 isn't ready you lose time. Ick!

Second, I had a beautiful room recently at the Wilderness Lodge Villas where I rarely enjoyed either of TWO beautiful balconies because I was surrounded by neighbors constantly smoking. No view is worth it if your balcony is being surrounded by clouds of stinking tobacco. You'll enjoy your room much more if you are in a completely NS building.

My advice to you is to get a garden view room away from the smokers and stay put. If your hubby is expecting POP he'll be thrilled with the GF and you'll save stress and a few bucks all at the same time. The gounds of this resort are gorgeous and you can see all the views form the gorgeous beach. Have fun!

 

[Sammie]

I agree with Colleen.

Some of the garden views are better in my opinion than some lagoon views. And as stated all lagoon views do not have a MK view.

The things you wish to see can be seen from many very beautiful locations throughout the resort and you can take the extra money for some nice meals.

 

[lynr]

I have stayed in Lagoonview at the GF twice and both times had big trees in my view of the Magic Kingdom. We have since stayed in Gardenview and that way I knew what I was getting and wasn't dissapointed.

Lyn

 

[kmermaid]

I would go with GV for the 6 nights. We had LV in April. They first gave us facing the wedding pavilion, I nixed that. Then they gave us 1st floor Boca Chica with a view of MK. We took that. It was nice, but we had to hop the railing in order to see wishes because a tree was in the way. I said the next time I would go with GV for less $$ because some nights we were to tired to stay awake for wishes anyway!

 

[scanne]

I've stayed at the GF twice. Once on our on honeymoon in a LV room in Sago Cay in a dormer room with a king bed. Our lagoon view was nice but because we were in a dormer, we couldn't see the castle from our room if we were sitting. But when sitting/standing on the balcony, we could see the castle and the Contemporary. This was nice for the 4th of July fireworks. Definitely worth it!

We stayed in a GV room in Conch Key and had a view of the marina. I hated this view - not because it wasn't nice looking at the marina, Sago Cay and the monorail, but all of the seagulls that pooped all over our balcony. And this was only because people fed the birds at the marina, so of course, what goes in must come out.

I would have preferred a GV room in Boca Chica or Big Pine.

OK, now I'm getting long winded. I think if you're in a GV in Boca Chica or Big Pine you will be able to people watch. Of course looking at the WP and the Polynesian would be lovely, but IMHO, it's not worth paying LV prices for. Just thought I'd share. Hope it helps.

BTW - you wouldn't be able to see Wishes from a room that overlooks the WP anyway. Maybe this is your deciding factor?

 

[BunnieGene]

My first visit to the GF was a LV room and a view of the MK...it was heavenly. My next visit was a LV room with a view of a tree.I was more than a little disappointed. I haven't reserved a LV room since, and I've been perfectly satisfied with GV rooms.