Yet another pick my resort for me thread!

[TheDailyMoo]

I'll keep the background info to a minimum. Used to go a lot, haven't been since 2017. Going for first time with toddler so very excited for that even though I'm fully aware services and so much more greatly diminished from last I was there. Staying over a week spanning the 4th of July. So with that said:

Choice 1: Coronado Springs GD Tower room - CS was the first resort we ever stayed at years ago. Have a soft spot for it. Only interested in it for the tower room though as that gives great bang for buck room wise. Love the pool area and the theming is great for a toddler. Cons of course include size of resort and longer transportation times which altho I never cared about when going as a couple now I feel will need faster transportation.

Choice 2: Caribbean Beach Pirate room - Son is a huge fan of pirates and I always loved the theming of these rooms from pictures. However just recently stayed at a fully themed legoland pirate room and just comparing it with the pictures I feel legoland blows CB away room wise. The pool area seems fun but it is a larger resort so I'm assuming buses take a bit longer to get to you. I really like that it's centrally located with the skyliner which takes care of two major parks. Sebastians seems like a great place to grab a bite.Although I've never visited I've always thought of it as another Coronado Springs in spirit.

Choice 3: The Dolphin - Have always heard great things about the Swan and Dolphin but obviously the major drawback as far as I can tell is less theming and it feels more like a "regular" hotel. I'm sure it's a very nice property but we've always stayed in a Disney resort and love being in the "bubble". Does the Dolphin really give you that feel? The major advantage would be the ability to walk to two of the major parks. Is the walking easy though or is it still a bit of a hike? Again with a toddler he'd be in a stroller for that part more than likely but he's not a fan and if he decides he wants to walk is it too far?

Assume all three are basically the same price because they are close. Dolphin actually a much better deal that the other two (even with the ridiculous resort fee they charge). So where would you stay for a first trip back.

 

[roller99]

I would do Caribbean Beach for the skyliner access.

 

[Marthasor]

I'll keep the background info to a minimum. Used to go a lot, haven't been since 2017. Going for first time with toddler so very excited for that even though I'm fully aware services and so much more greatly diminished from last I was there. Staying over a week spanning the 4th of July. So with that said:

Choice 1: Coronado Springs GD Tower room - CS was the first resort we ever stayed at years ago. Have a soft spot for it. Only interested in it for the tower room though as that gives great bang for buck room wise. Love the pool area and the theming is great for a toddler. Cons of course include size of resort and longer transportation times which altho I never cared about when going as a couple now I feel will need faster transportation.

Choice 2: Caribbean Beach Pirate room - Son is a huge fan of pirates and I always loved the theming of these rooms from pictures. However just recently stayed at a fully themed legoland pirate room and just comparing it with the pictures I feel legoland blows CB away room wise. The pool area seems fun but it is a larger resort so I'm assuming buses take a bit longer to get to you. I really like that it's centrally located with the skyliner which takes care of two major parks. Sebastians seems like a great place to grab a bite.Although I've never visited I've always thought of it as another Coronado Springs in spirit.

Choice 3: The Dolphin - Have always heard great things about the Swan and Dolphin but obviously the major drawback as far as I can tell is less theming and it feels more like a "regular" hotel. I'm sure it's a very nice property but we've always stayed in a Disney resort and love being in the "bubble". Does the Dolphin really give you that feel? The major advantage would be the ability to walk to two of the major parks. Is the walking easy though or is it still a bit of a hike? Again with a toddler he'd be in a stroller for that part more than likely but he's not a fan and if he decides he wants to walk is it too far?

Assume all three are basically the same price because they are close. Dolphin actually a much better deal that the other two (even with the ridiculous resort fee they charge). So where would you stay for a first trip back.

First, I would take CBR Pirate room out of the equation. The pirate rooms are quite far from the resort transportation and amenities and the beds are not queens.

I would choose between Dolphin and CSR GDT. I've stayed at both and, personally, my choice would come down to what you value more - Disney theming or proximity to parks. I stayed at CSR GDT in December and loved it - the tower seemed very "deluxe" to me - loved the rooms, the QS and other dining options, etc. I feel like I could spend a day just enjoying the resort. I didn't find transportation to be much of an issue - yes, sometimes the bus went all around the resort after pick-up or we were the last stop coming back from a park, but it wasn't that bad. The downside is you will have to rely on a bus for every park. Dolphin is great, but it does not feel like you are in the Disney bubble, IMHO. The rooms are very comfortable, staff is helpful, they have some of the best restaurants on property and, yes, the proximity to EP and DHS is incredible - you can walk or boat to EP (it's a fairly short walk) and walk/boat/Skyliner to DHS - we prefer the boat as it's the last stop going to DHS and first stop coming back - very convenient. The one downside is the bus to MK and AK is not great - at MK, the Dolphin bus stops at TTC, so you have to ferry or monorail to MK. I would recommend using the YC or the BWI as an alternative to the Dolphin bus for MK and AK.

 

[TheDailyMoo]

First, I would take CBR Pirate room out of the equation. The pirate rooms are quite far from the resort transportation and amenities and the beds are not queens.

I would choose between Dolphin and CSR GDT. I've stayed at both and, personally, my choice would come down to what you value more - Disney theming or proximity to parks. I stayed at CSR GDT in December and loved it - the tower seemed very "deluxe" to me - loved the rooms, the QS and other dining options, etc. I feel like I could spend a day just enjoying the resort. I didn't find transportation to be much of an issue - yes, sometimes the bus went all around the resort after pick-up or we were the last stop coming back from a park, but it wasn't that bad. The downside is you will have to rely on a bus for every park. Dolphin is great, but it does not feel like you are in the Disney bubble, IMHO. The rooms are very comfortable, staff is helpful, they have some of the best restaurants on property and, yes, the proximity to EP and DHS is incredible - you can walk or boat to EP (it's a fairly short walk) and walk/boat/Skyliner to DHS - we prefer the boat as it's the last stop going to DHS and first stop coming back - very convenient. The one downside is the bus to MK and AK is not great - at MK, the Dolphin bus stops at TTC, so you have to ferry or monorail to MK. I would recommend using the YC or the BWI as an alternative to the Dolphin bus for MK and AK.

So you're hitting upon all the pros and cons that I've been tossing around my head. One thing you mentioned that I keep forgetting is that Dolphin drop off at MK is the TC. That might not be so great with a toddler. But the Dolphin also gets deluxe style extra magic hours no? Not that we would be out that late anyway unless I just decide to go back after everyone is asleep lol! But yeah I wish the dolphin was themed more like a typical Disney hotel. That walking to the two parks is such a huge convenience. But as a hotel I've heard such great things about the GDT. And you're right it's a better hotel if we're just hanging out as we might do. Appreciate the ideas.

 

[CynBeth]

We did not stay in a pirate room but were at CBR in November. We had a preferred room so were in Martinique which was right by the food court. After breakfast on our Epcot and HS days took the internal bus from the Old Port Royale stop to the Skyliner. We found the buses to the parks to be pretty good as well as the internal bus and loved the Skyliner. Right after we made our Genie+ selections did mobile ordering for breakfast and would immediately select I am here and most days on our way over or just arrived and got the alert it was ready and that was even with a few allergy selections.

 

[TheDailyMoo]

We did not stay in a pirate room but were at CBR in November. We had a preferred room so were in Martinique which was right by the food court. After breakfast on our Epcot and HS days took the internal bus from the Old Port Royale stop to the Skyliner. We found the buses to the parks to be pretty good as well as the internal bus and loved the Skyliner. Right after we made our Genie+ selections did mobile ordering for breakfast and would immediately select I am here and most days on our way over or just arrived and got the alert it was ready and that was even with a few allergy selections.

Oh boy I can already tell this thread is just going to make my decision harder not easier lol. How did you go about getting the preferred rooms? Is it mostly just luck?

 

[CynBeth]

Oh boy I can already tell this thread is just going to make my decision harder not easier lol. How did you go about getting the preferred rooms? Is it mostly just luck?

No it is a booking category to select. There are 2 areas that have preferred rooms Martinique on one side of Old Port Royal and I believe it is Trinidad North on the other side of it.

 

[brockash]

I'll keep the background info to a minimum. Used to go a lot, haven't been since 2017. Going for first time with toddler so very excited for that even though I'm fully aware services and so much more greatly diminished from last I was there. Staying over a week spanning the 4th of July. So with that said:

Choice 1: Coronado Springs GD Tower room - CS was the first resort we ever stayed at years ago. Have a soft spot for it. Only interested in it for the tower room though as that gives great bang for buck room wise. Love the pool area and the theming is great for a toddler. Cons of course include size of resort and longer transportation times which altho I never cared about when going as a couple now I feel will need faster transportation.

Choice 2: Caribbean Beach Pirate room - Son is a huge fan of pirates and I always loved the theming of these rooms from pictures. However just recently stayed at a fully themed legoland pirate room and just comparing it with the pictures I feel legoland blows CB away room wise. The pool area seems fun but it is a larger resort so I'm assuming buses take a bit longer to get to you. I really like that it's centrally located with the skyliner which takes care of two major parks. Sebastians seems like a great place to grab a bite.Although I've never visited I've always thought of it as another Coronado Springs in spirit.

Choice 3: The Dolphin - Have always heard great things about the Swan and Dolphin but obviously the major drawback as far as I can tell is less theming and it feels more like a "regular" hotel. I'm sure it's a very nice property but we've always stayed in a Disney resort and love being in the "bubble". Does the Dolphin really give you that feel? The major advantage would be the ability to walk to two of the major parks. Is the walking easy though or is it still a bit of a hike? Again with a toddler he'd be in a stroller for that part more than likely but he's not a fan and if he decides he wants to walk is it too far?

Assume all three are basically the same price because they are close. Dolphin actually a much better deal that the other two (even with the ridiculous resort fee they charge). So where would you stay for a first trip back.

Dolphinb100% Much easier transportation, especially with a stroller. Pirate rooms at CBR are furthest from main pool and lobby. The other issue with CBR in the summer is storms and the skyliner. When the skyliner is working flawlessly it's great...when it shuts down due to weather it can be a real PITA.

I would not use Dolphin bus to MK. I'd walk over to YC or Boardwalk...not too far.

Dolphin also gets Deluxe magic hrs.

 

[Dug720]

Being in the Tower takes away some of the “sprawl” of CSR - though that is the last stop for the parks. The stop at Casitas is the first.

CBR…the Pirate rooms are only double beds. And if there is lightning or severe weather in the area the Skyliner will go down and there will be LONG waits while they redistribute the busses.

I’m not a fan of Marriott (super bad customer service experience at a Marriott before) so I refuse to consider those properties.

I would go with CSR. (But would consider a Preferred room which would be in Casitas as well as the Tower).

 

[TheDailyMoo]

CBR…the Pirate rooms are only double beds. And if there is lightning or severe weather in the area the Skyliner will go down and there will be LONG waits while they redistribute the busses.

You know what...the double bed thing may just be too much of an issue. And I didn't think of the skyliner being down around that time with all the storms. I might have to cross this one off and choose between CS tower and the Dolphin. I understand what you're saying about Marriott but the walking distance keeps it in the running for now. But thank you for the advice!

I would not use Dolphin bus to MK. I'd walk over to YC or Boardwalk...not too far.

Assuming the farthest walk with a stroller, how far would you say this is...or how long rather. Actually assume walking too for a 4 year old as he isn't into strollers any more and might refuse and want to walk.

 

[brockash]

You know what...the double bed thing may just be too much of an issue. And I didn't think of the skyliner being down around that time with all the storms. I might have to cross this one off and choose between CS tower and the Dolphin. I understand what you're saying about Marriott but the walking distance keeps it in the running for now. But thank you for the advice!



Assuming the farthest walk with a stroller, how far would you say this is...or how long rather. Actually assume walking too for a 4 year old as he isn't into strollers any more and might refuse and want to walk.

I'd say at most a .5 mile...someone on here can probably come on with a fancy map to give us more exact distances. I'm assuming you're talking about to one of the Disney bus stops...to the parks it's further.

 

[Tiggerish]

Assuming the farthest walk with a stroller, how far would you say this is...or how long rather. Actually assume walking too for a 4 year old as he isn't into strollers any more and might refuse and want to walk.

It is .9 miles to walk to Hollywood Studios and 1 mile to walk to EPCOT.

 

[loves to dive]

I've stayed at all three and was at Dolphin in Sept. with a 5 month old, so stroller. My son (father of the baby) loved the Dolphin buses since you put the stroller underneath and the seats are more comfy. I stay at Swan/Dolphin often, not all the time it depends on cost, but often. As far as the lack of Disney theming, you are at Disney so you are going to be themed left right and sideways in the parks. I find the fact that it is not in your face at the resort a positive, I like a little less themed place to relax in.

I love CS, It is by far my favorite moderate resort. I was there in December on a solo trip and stayed in Casitas #5. I opted not to stay in the tower because it actually costed more than the Dolphin and if I was paying that much, I would have stayed where I could walk to two parks. I didn't have any issues with the buses and there were times that while it did stop at the other stops, it was a very fast stop since no one needed to get on or off. It is a beautiful resort but it really isn't in your face Disney either since it's a convention resort.

 

[TheDailyMoo]

I've stayed at all three and was at Dolphin in Sept. with a 5 month old, so stroller. My son (father of the baby) loved the Dolphin buses since you put the stroller underneath and the seats are more comfy. I stay at Swan/Dolphin often, not all the time it depends on cost, but often. As far as the lack of Disney theming, you are at Disney so you are going to be themed left right and sideways in the parks. I find the fact that it is not in your face at the resort a positive, I like a little less themed place to relax in.

I love CS, It is by far my favorite moderate resort. I was there in December on a solo trip and stayed in Casitas #5. I opted not to stay in the tower because it actually costed more than the Dolphin and if I was paying that much, I would have stayed where I could walk to two parks. I didn't have any issues with the buses and there were times that while it did stop at the other stops, it was a very fast stop since no one needed to get on or off. It is a beautiful resort but it really isn't in your face Disney either since it's a convention resort.

Oh wow you make a compelling case for both but maybe a bit more for Dolphin. Is the Dolphin nice overall just as a hotel? Is the pool area just as nice as CS, especially for a 4 year old? I'm also assuming Dolphin would be better if somehow I wanted to head to one of the two parks by myself after the family has settled in early for the night?

I know CS tower is like getting a deluxe at moderate pricing and I do love staying at nice fresh new hotels but if Dolphin isn't too far off the feel of the tower then I think I'm leaning Dolphin as of now.

And just as a side question, I know 4th of July will be nuts...would you even consider taking a 4 year old (who would be staying up way passed his bedtime) to the fireworks that night or is it just going to be insane. I heard MK does the same show on the 3rd and I heard all the parks do something on the 4th.
Much appreciated so far!

 

[Eastern]

And just as a side question, I know 4th of July will be nuts...would you even consider taking a 4 year old (who would be staying up way passed his bedtime) to the fireworks that night or is it just going to be insane. I heard MK does the same show on the 3rd and I heard all the parks do something on the 4th.
Much appreciated so far!

I would not go to MK with a 4yo for fireworks on July 4, but fireworks are not that important to me. Maybe book a fireworks event for guaranteed access. It is going to be wall to wall people and not just for the immediate timeframe: people start staking out spots hours before. We were at MK on the 50th and we left before the fireworks started. People were camped out in the alleyway areas behind all the Main St shops. Behind, not on Main St itself. It was insane.

You could not even leave the park via Main St. You had to exit on the road behind the shops. It was just so crowded.

 

[Meglen]

Oh wow you make a compelling case for both but maybe a bit more for Dolphin. Is the Dolphin nice overall just as a hotel? Is the pool area just as nice as CS, especially for a 4 year old? I'm also assuming Dolphin would be better if somehow I wanted to head to one of the two parks by myself after the family has settled in early for the night?

I know CS tower is like getting a deluxe at moderate pricing and I do love staying at nice fresh new hotels but if Dolphin isn't too far off the feel of the tower then I think I'm leaning Dolphin as of now.

And just as a side question, I know 4th of July will be nuts...would you even consider taking a 4 year old (who would be staying up way passed his bedtime) to the fireworks that night or is it just going to be insane. I heard MK does the same show on the 3rd and I heard all the parks do something on the 4th.
Much appreciated so far!

If you want convenience with a toddler my vote would be dolphin all day everyday. The boats and walking alone are better than waiting 20+ for a bus and have to struggle with a stroller. The pool at dolphin is amazing. Huge waterfall, slide, a sandy park. My family loved it.

Walk to Disney resorts to take the mk bus, but the AK bus actually drops you off closer to AK than Disney.

Theme is lacking for sure but I feel like being able to walk outside and see boats and ToT/Epcot ball is just fantastic.

 

[parkbr]

We really like CBR and the skyliner was a 'ride' itself when we went with our 5-year-old daughter. She didn't wanna get off!
Having said that, we had stayed in CBR twice - non-pirate room and visited other hotels. We were told pirate rooms are not worth it, so we always chose standard rooms.
We did not like the ambiance of CS - other than the pool, we thought it was not as much fun and more adult-oriented and we actually did not like Dolphin for lacking the disney feel.
I haven't been to CS for a long time, so I am not sure, but we also did not like the bus rides there either.
CBR has many stops and it is painful, but with skyliner, I rather wait a little bit more and start the day with a fun ride.
As for Dolphin, we liked the proximity to the parks. It seemed easy, but we found the bus to the park was not as good as other resort hotels.

Lastly, we're big on fireworks- but our DD panicked when she first saw it (age almost 3). She was crying whole time and we had forgotten her noise reducer ear thingy (can't remember the exact name) in the hotel. But when we went back the year after, she quite enjoyed it. (age 4)
The year after, this was a must for her. (age 5)
I'd check what your son likes and decide based on that.

 

[TheDailyMoo]

I would not go to MK with a 4yo for fireworks on July 4, but fireworks are not that important to me. Maybe book a fireworks event for guaranteed access. It is going to be wall to wall people and not just for the immediate timeframe: people start staking out spots hours before. We were at MK on the 50th and we left before the fireworks started. People were camped out in the alleyway areas behind all the Main St shops. Behind, not on Main St itself. It was insane.

You could not even leave the park via Main St. You had to exit on the road behind the shops. It was just so crowded.

Honestly fireworks are way passed his bedtime anyway so will probably skip out. Although wife might let me just head back to park and watch! I'm wondering if HS does anything just as special which might be a little less crowded.

 

[TheDailyMoo]

If you want convenience with a toddler my vote would be dolphin all day everyday. The boats and walking alone are better than waiting 20+ for a bus and have to struggle with a stroller. The pool at dolphin is amazing. Huge waterfall, slide, a sandy park. My family loved it.

Walk to Disney resorts to take the mk bus, but the AK bus actually drops you off closer to AK than Disney.

Theme is lacking for sure but I feel like being able to walk outside and see boats and ToT/Epcot ball is just fantastic.

The scale is definitely tipping towards Dolphin right now!

Lastly, we're big on fireworks- but our DD panicked when she first saw it (age almost 3). She was crying whole time and we had forgotten her noise reducer ear thingy (can't remember the exact name) in the hotel. But when we went back the year after, she quite enjoyed it. (age 4)
The year after, this was a must for her. (age 5)
I'd check what your son likes and decide based on that.

It may be that the shows are too late anyway for him being that his bedtime in the summer is before it's completely dark but yes great idea about trying out slowly and see if he can handle it. And the ear noise reducers! At age 4 was it ridiculously hard or did you take it slower? When me and my wife went all those years we would be go go go from morning till night but we are fully aware it's going to be a much slower pace this time around.

 

[Kalamazoo2]

I'm pretty sure the Dolphin has only rooms with 2 double beds (not queen) or rooms with 1 king bed, You indicated earlier that double beds might be a deal breaker for CBR. Maybe the CSR tower room is really your only choice.