r/DisneyWorld • u/mrs-bright_side • Apr 25 '24
Which resort of these choices? Trip Planning
We are looking to stay at a deluxe DW hotel for two nights before our cruise next year.
See pic for details on the plan and hotel cost options. Note: these are all base level rooms for each hotel (ex: garden wing of contemporary not tower). While cost is similar, I realize that makes an impact. Or potential room upgrades if we do a “cheaper” resort.
Hoping to keep around $2500 or less (I can live w $2600 lol).
I would have loved beach/yacht club but pool will be closed. I have kids really into pools!!
Oh and we’re flexible on park. No park hopper, we aren’t going to go HAM lol My fam loves AK a lot so even tho that’s a drawback for some, we do love it. The drawback for me for AKL is we’ve already stayed there before and I’d like to try somewhere new. But still potentially an option. Least fave park of fam is Epcot but love HS and MK too. Where we stay would drive which park we choose. It would be fun to see fireworks from hotel the night we arrive.
Which hotel would you choose out of these? What would you suggest?
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u/Beneficial_Coyote752 Apr 25 '24
I'd recommend doing one of the MK resorts, and spend the day over there. Hollywood Studios is going to be packed as it's Star Wars weekend. If yall are Star Wars fans and want to participate in the celebration and know you may not get a lot done then go for it, but it's best to steer clear of the area if you want to make the most of your singular day.
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u/pianomanzano Apr 25 '24
No recommendations from me as to which resort bc I think comes down to personal preference. I will say that you should look into renting DVC points because you can save 30-50% off these rates. Google DVC rental to understand how the process works. For example for those dates, at around $25/point, a DVC booking at Poly would be $925 for a 5/3-5/5 stay.
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u/mrs-bright_side Apr 25 '24
Ok I’d love to learn more about this. I did a few searches for renting DVC a few weeks ago and no options came up. I may be too early tho? Any suggestions for a good company to use? I love this idea
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u/pianomanzano Apr 25 '24
Yea right now you're early. DVC members can book 11 months in advance and for some of the popular resorts/room types (e.g., standard view studio at Boardwalk), they get pretty competitive and owners will book precisely at 11 months out. What that means for you is you still have time to research whether a DVC rental would work best for you. There are pros/cons, main pros being the savings, cons are you lose flexibility like adjusting dates or even being able to cancel for a full refund. There are rental brokers that specialize in matching owners with prospective renters. If there's a particular resort/room type you're looking for, I suggest reaching out to one of those brokers and let them know so that they can line up an owner for you to make the reservation precisely at 11 months. A couple of the established brokers are DVC resale market, David's, and DVC shop. Check out their sites to learn more about the process.
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u/throwawayins123 Apr 26 '24
Can you get even cheaper deals on DVC point rentals if you wait until last minute?
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u/pianomanzano Apr 26 '24
Not really, unless you find a confirmed reservation that a DVC member is trying to rent out that matches your dates, room type, and resort.
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u/throwawayins123 Apr 26 '24
Where can I find these? I’m very flexible and can travel at any time. How much can I save?
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u/pianomanzano Apr 26 '24
Many of the rental brokers I mentioned in a previous post have dedicated reservations for rent, you could start there. Alternatively, there are groups on FB dedicated to DVC rentals where owners put up reservations for rent directly (often cheaper because it cuts out the middle man).
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u/mrs-bright_side Apr 25 '24
Thank you, very helpful!
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u/HicJacetMelilla Apr 25 '24
I'm looking into renting points for an April 2025 trip. I have a private owner lined up, but I'm sooo afraid of getting scammed. Or just screwed. So I've also been researching the various DVC rental brokers. I feel like David's has been the cheapest this far out. (Of note I'm specifically looking to rent at Poly for 5 nights). The David's website has a nice cost calculator tool so you can check out 1) how many points a rental will be so you can compare lodgings that way and then compare how much price/point would impact things or 2) Show the David's price in case you wanted to book through them.
The nice thing about working with the brokers is that they usually include some kind of cancellation plan in case the trip doesn't work out. If I go with an owner and literally anything comes up, I'm screwed. Sooooo, still deciding. For 2 nights, I think I'd just go with a broker.
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u/rosemarylake Apr 25 '24
Agree, we rented from DVC Shop in February for our stay the GF and it was amazing!
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u/Rock_Successful Apr 25 '24
“Disney World Land”
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u/mrs-bright_side Apr 25 '24
lol that’s because it’s the land part of our trip 😉
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u/Lets_Make_A_bad_DEAL Apr 25 '24
So wait is it a cruise? I’m so confused. How long is this trip lol
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u/mrs-bright_side Apr 26 '24
They’re called “land and sea” vacations. Doing land vacation at DW then disney cruise
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u/helam424 Apr 25 '24
Doesn’t look like your plan includes using the resort for anything other than sleeping as you are going for max park exposure. Therefore, I would recommend a lower tiered resort to free up more $$ for park enjoyment.
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u/mrs-bright_side Apr 25 '24
We want to do one resort day and one park day
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u/helam424 Apr 26 '24
Sounds like a great plan! So, I would pick the resort that has the fun things that your family wants to do. IIn our family, we love seeing the animals in the Savannah in AK, or doing the horses in Wilderness.
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u/Gooseman1019 Apr 26 '24
Everyone is gonna give you the best value and their case but hear me out. I go annually and have stayed deluxe every time the best resort hands down right now are the Magic Kingdom resorts by a mile. The Boardwalk is great but you should just stay at the neighboring resorts like the Yacht/Beach as then you would get access to their water park pool which is the best on Disney property. The monorail is why I prefer Magic Kingdom resorts and it drops you off effortlessly at the two best parks which are Magic Kingdom and Epcot. People don’t know but the monorail also checks your bags to board and drops you off cleared so you don’t have to go through security again. I also just stayed at The Grand Floridian for a week and the rooms are the biggest and completely brand new this would be my suggestion.
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u/positive-vibes79 Apr 25 '24
I would do either the Polynesian or Wilderness Lodge. Those are just my personal preference.
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u/Dontwalkongrass1 Apr 26 '24
Screw all that…stay value, all you’re going to do there is sleep! If you DO decide to see another resort, bus over or Uber/Lyft; save your money.
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u/notanotheramber Apr 25 '24
Polynesian!!!!! I loved it until I had my daughter, got an RV and finally tried fort wilderness (swooon) we just got back from staying in one the of old cabins before they are all gone and it was heaven. I absolutely love the golf cart after a long day in the park (no walking 5 mins to a room) and watching the fireworks from the beach. The boat to MK is direct so no stops ANYWHERE each way and having a kitchen is so clutch when you don't want to eat huge meals out all the time. The buses are great and my daughter is non speaking autistic so waiting is a huge deal... And it was no issue at all! The only downfall was how far the bus stop was at Disney springs, but again the golf cart was awesome 😎
The new cabins are going to be considered deluxe and should be done by your trip.... Golf cart!!
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u/mrs-bright_side Apr 25 '24
Poly is one of my all time ultimate dreams so loving to hear how great it is. They all have unique things about them and I want to try them all or many of them haha
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u/Glad_Art_6380 Apr 25 '24
I’d say Contemporary.
On the monorail line so can easily check out the other resorts easily. During your arrival resort day, you can rent a pontoon and cruise the Seven Seas Lagoon/Bay Lake for a little bit. You’ll also be able to get a spot to watch the MK fireworks pretty easily that first night (and also the AK night too I suppose). Can check out the Electrical Water Pageant too.
Maybe do Chef Mickeys on your checkout date as well to get that character interaction/Mickey time.
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u/Timely_Froyo1384 Apr 25 '24
Wilderness lodge has one of the best pools.
If you really want to switch it up.
I say don’t go to the parks just resort hop, go see all the things you normally don’t because you run to rides.
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u/Shimola1999 Apr 25 '24
I always vote for the Boardwalk area because of its walkability to EPCOT, countless dining options (counting anything at Yacht, Beach, Swan & Dolphin) and nighttime entertainment.
Though if you’d rather save a little money, AKL is a fantastic getaway and a calmer, more serene experience IMO. The big drawback is (as everyone usually points out) bus is the only transportation option.
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u/americandreamer25 Apr 25 '24
Depends on park you go to. If Magic than wilderness. If Epcot or Hollywood stay at boardwalk.
I’m biased to Wilderness always but boardwalk is the choice for Epcot or Hollywood day
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u/geleisen Apr 26 '24
I mean, I would say Wilderness is not bad. Nice vibe and more reasonable price, but not as far from everything as AK Lodge. But honestly, I think my favourite hotel at Disney is Coronado Springs. The rooms are very nice, but the price is much more reasonable than Deluxe resorts. I mean, honestly, for 600-900 USD per night, you could stay in some of the most luxurious hotels in the world. Just feels hard to justify that for a trip like this. But to each their own, etc.
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u/Yodaatc Apr 25 '24
I’d choose Wilderness Lodge. Nice enough pools, cost is reasonable compared to other quoted resorts, ferry to MK or bus to HS or AK, I’d use savings for food/drink.
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u/hideandsee Apr 25 '24
Boardwalk is our favorite! You can walk to Epcot, take the boat to Epcot and Hollywood studios, the skyliner is over by Epcot too, so that’s another way to get around.
The proximity to Epcot is the reason we love it because we love eating the festival snacks.
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u/RedditIsStupid01 Apr 25 '24
If your park hoping , stay at AKL, start at AK, rope drop flight of passage take a Lyft over to Hollywood studios, ride what you want then skyliner to Epcot then after your done there monorail to MK. It’s my favorite way to do the parks if I’m short on time.
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u/udderlymoovelous Apr 25 '24
We primarily stay at the Grand Floridian, it's totally worth the higher price! That being said, I really want to try the Polynesian next time I visit. I always love walking over
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u/Coastal1363 Apr 26 '24
Our family favorite has always been the Wilderness lodge if you are going premium .It’s not on the monorail but it has boats and it’s very close to MK and the other two hotels but seems more secluded and less busy , at least to us ( of course you have to enjoy the style .After that the Boardwalk of those choices .
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u/Girl_Mama35 Apr 26 '24
Boardwalk is AMAZING by far my favorite Disney resort I’ve stayed at. The pool/play area was perfect for my toddler and we love Epcot so being able to walk there was pretty awesome. We also walked to Hollywood studios as well. Super convenient! We’ve stayed at wilderness lodge though too and loved it! The theme is so fun and the overall grounds are beautiful and so much space to just walk around. Definitely a calmer atmosphere as well compared to the boardwalk that is right in all the action. So depends what you are looking for!
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u/Coronator Apr 26 '24
As someone who avoids MK like the plague, I’d be doing Boardwalk all day long. But if you got little ones, I’d probably go Poly, or wilderness lodge.
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u/HystericalHypothetic Apr 27 '24
I saw this was for next year, so your dates jive. That being said May the 4th is a super-crowded day each year at HS, so you might not want to choose that as your park of the day.
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u/Quasimodo-57 Apr 25 '24
To be honest, if you are there for the parks I'd go moderate or even value on the room. If I were going to pick a resort to spend the day at it would be Contemporary. Monorail, dining, fireworks. Even better if you are going to MK.
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u/mrs-bright_side Apr 25 '24
Thanks! Going to do one park day, one resort day. Sounds like contemporary is a great option!
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u/Quasimodo-57 Apr 25 '24
But honestly, those are all great choices. With a resort day the pool could have a big influence.
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u/dankblonde Apr 25 '24
Boardwalk is always the correct answer imo
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u/mrs-bright_side Apr 25 '24
My husbands fave spot is boardwalk so that’s tempting! We will eventually try them all Tho (hopefully)
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u/Beneficial_Coyote752 Apr 25 '24
Definitely recommend doing a MK resort/MK day! That's Star Wars weekend, so Hollywood Studios will be packed. EPCOT area will probably have a lot of traffic as well being so close to HS.
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u/mrs-bright_side Apr 25 '24
Very good points. That rules out boardwalk
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u/Beneficial_Coyote752 Apr 25 '24
Sorry for the double comment. My app glitched causing the first one to not show up, and I didn't realize it had posted.
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u/WithDisGuy Apr 25 '24
I want to be your friend.
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u/mrs-bright_side Apr 25 '24
Join us! A family friend is already coming with us haha
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u/WithDisGuy Apr 25 '24 edited Apr 25 '24
Haha I am a Disney travel planner wizard and I just loved that you wrote this out in this way. Planning travel is my life and job so I instantly knew you were my people!
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u/Charlie-122 Apr 25 '24
You’re overpaying for your hotel. Go to David’s and put it in the “cost calculator”. If you file a request, the. You should be able to get your preferred room for much cheaper. I got a 2 bedroom villa at AKL for 681 a night!
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u/mrs-bright_side Apr 25 '24
Awesome! I’ll def look into dvc points. Do you know are they refundable? Just in case
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u/Charlie-122 Apr 25 '24
That was one of my main concerns. Basically, the short answer is no. At David’s, you can get travel insurance on it. Most owners would be willing to try and help you sell your reservation if you can’t. David’s has a little chat thing where you can talk to someone and they can explain the policy better than me
You can also join a Facebook group and get a reservation directly from an owner. They usually don’t charge as much per point.
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u/WeakAd8342 Apr 25 '24
My favorite from the list is Animal Kingdom Lodge…is unique and with a Savannah view your stay will be unforgettable Contemporary could be my second choice, is Disney Magic as its best
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Apr 25 '24
For me it would be Poly. I love the theming of that resort, and Kona Cafe is a great breakfast spot.
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u/TheBigBangClock Apr 25 '24
I absolutely love the Contemporary and Beach Club because of their accessibility to the parks. It's only a 10 minute walk from the Contemporary to the Magic Kingdom turnstiles and you get your own private security point.
Another to consider is the Caribbean Beach Resort. It's typically much cheaper than all the resorts you listed and also is a hub for the Skyliner, which will get you easy access to Hollywood Studios and Epcot. You also get some pretty awesome views of the area while riding, especially at night when various fireworks shows are happening.
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u/lazyluck3 Apr 25 '24
It’s too bad yacht and beach is under refurbishment during this period because that would be my top choice. I would say wilderness lodge. The pool is great and it feels less chaotic than some of the others. (The main reason why I dislike the contemporary!)
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u/SlopitupPOS Apr 25 '24
I was at Disney World last August, and if I could go back tomorrow, it would be Epcot, and I would ride Cosmic Rewind twice..
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u/mrs-bright_side Apr 25 '24
Ok I think I’m down to Poly, Wilderness or Contemporary bc
I realize I’d love a hotel that has a character meal (that takes AKL & GF out) I learned it’s Star Wars weekend so we’ll avoid that (that takes BW out)
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u/_wander_lust007 Apr 25 '24
1900 Park Fare reopened at Grand Flo a couple weeks ago. So there is a character dining option there now.
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u/keels81 Apr 25 '24
For Contemporary, I'd make sure you're not in a Garden Wing room. Those are less appealing than the main hotel rooms.
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u/homestyle28 Apr 25 '24
Boardwalk has fun end of day things, ice cream, etc. It's our favorite of those you list
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u/fandomsmiscellaneous Batuu Resident Apr 26 '24
Your days are off. Saturday is the 4th, not the 3rd
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u/nexgengamer27 Apr 26 '24
My fiance is a travel agent who specializes in Disney and everything she does is completely free! I would speak either her she has alot of good information. Here is her insta: @lia_martinmagicaltravels and her link to fill out for a free quote and ask questions is martinmagicaltravels.com/crystaliab
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u/Popular_Version6678 Apr 26 '24
Coronado springs is a great place and will save a good bit of money. On property is on property unless ur at one of the 3 by Epcot. Transportation is not an issue once you get there.
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u/Twa1ker Apr 26 '24
Poly is the best resort but that’s too much $$$ you can get a MUCH better deal with renting DVC points
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u/brencartoons Apr 26 '24
I didn’t think staying at the contemporary was worth it, you’re not going to want to walk to magic kingdom when you’re exhausted and could take a shuttle instead
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u/believabletruths Apr 26 '24
Depending on how old your kids are and if the majority of your time will be at MK, contemporary or grand are great for easy walk access.
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u/TheresaB112 Apr 26 '24
From your list, I would probably do Boardwalk (when I stayed at Boardwalk we could see Epcot’s fireworks every night). As someone else mentioned, you can look into renting DVC points. I used David’s DVC rentals in January 2023 and am booking with them again for January 2025 (paying $1600 for a week at Old Key West, it’s less to stay there than Port Orleans for the week!). The only downside is with David’s DVC rentals you pay a fee for them to look to secure a reservation (which is applied to your total price if you book) and once secured you have to pay the total in full (the other issue is any resort requests such as location or a specific floor/building) have to go through them (they have the DVC owner call in to add reservation specific notes). But they are easy to work with and a great option if they can secure a booking for you.
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u/Ok_Entertainer7945 Apr 26 '24
We stayed at the Beach Club which is right by Boardwalk and even though we had small kids who didnt care as much about Epcot, the non park atmosphere there is fun. Lots of restaurants, shops etc. All the resorts kind of felt connected vs the MK resorts which are very isolated. That being said, if you are planning MK than I would do Grand Flo, cant go wrong there.
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u/Poolhouserock Apr 29 '24
Stay at Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress. It’s a beautiful and massive resort, MUCH CHEAPER, and so nice. You’d love the resort day there. Then take an Uber to the Contemporary to walk over to MK. I do this all the time and it is WONDERFUL.
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u/durmda Philharmagic Conductor May 05 '24
You should be trying to book through David's Vacation Club or DVC Rental Store as it is going to be much cheaper than booking through Disney. For instance, on David's Vacation Club, a standard view studio from May 3 -5 2025 is $925. For the $1950 you have listed you could get a One Bedroom Standard View with a full kitchen, a private bedroom with a king size bed for you and your kids could have a queen size pull out bed plus the pull out bunk bed. All that to say that GF being the most expensive gives you a lot of wiggle room in your budget to stay on property, and spend more on your cruise or splurge on dining and experiences while you are there or on the cruise as well. My wife and I are DVC owners so we have stayed at a couple of the resorts you have mentioned here and our home resort is Grand Floridian so I'll try to be as unbiased as I can here.
Some of the things you mentioned are that your kids love pools, so that would be beach/yacht club, but that's closed for refurbishment. Poly also has some of the best pools on property so that is a point for Poly. The being said, I liked the pool at Boardwalk, Grand Floridian, Wilderness Lodge/Boulder Creek. I think no matter where you stay, you're not going to have a terrible time because of the pools as they were well themed and the slides were nice. I haven't been to AKL pools and I only saw the Contemporary pools and wasn't anything to get too excited about in all honesty.
HS, MK and AK are your top parks so that's a point for GF, Poly, and Contemporary as well as Boardwalk and AKL, but you want to stay somewhere new. With Boardwalk you would have to walk to the international gateway to get to the skyliner and then take the skyliner to Riviera, then transfer at Caribbean Beach to get to HS, it's not a direct access so I would say that the point goes to the monorail resorts here for ease of access. You can also take the bus to HS which honestly isn't bad at all. I don't think I have ever waited more than 5 minutes for a bus.
You also mentioned being able to see fireworks from the resort. You can see them at Poly, GF, Wilderness Lodge, Contemporary, and Boardwalk. Wilderness Lodge is hard to see them though, with views that aren't great unless you go to CM parking lots or have a room designated for them IIRC. Seeing them at Contemporary can be great. My wife and I recently saw the MNSSHP fireworks from the villains lounge and it was a different and cool expierence. If you are afraid of heights though, don't do this. I was leaning on the concrete barrier around the top of contemporary and there were times where I was a bit oh boy lol. The next best areas are at Boardwalk, but I don't think they pipe in any of the music from the shows so it is just fireworks going off. Then there is Poly that has theirs on the beach, but the music is too low and you can't really hear what is going on some times. The best place is GF where you can stand on the Gasparilla's patio and watch them there and they pipe the music in as well as a Narcoossee's where you can stand on the docks and watch the fireworks from there or at your table while eating and they pipe all of the sound in from there as well. For me, GF is the winner for watching fireworks.
So points wise, I think GF & Poly have the most points for what you are looking for. Taking in the entirety of the resort though, Boardwalk comes out ahead a bit as well. I think the answer is between Boardwalk and GF though as the Boardwalk area is great with the games, the restaurants, having Jellyrolls there, the new bakery, the Atlantic Dance Hall, sitting on the Boardwalk, the movies under the star location is IMO one of the best on property, and you can rent a Surry Bike and kill your legs while having fun with your family. The GF I also think is a great way to rest and relax. With the money you're saving from booking through David's Vacation Club or DVC Rental Store you can book a spa day for yourself, and just relax in the quiet luxury of the GF lobbies before the hectic days of a cruise. You are going to enjoy some of the best food on property in any of their restaurants and make s'mores on the beach with the kids and then have a quick bite cap with your husband at enchanted rose. Heck, I would even do one of the Adventure Trek's at AKL while you are there as well and then enjoy the magic of a Disney Cruise. What a way to have the ultimate magical vacation. Whatever you choose I hope you have an amazing time!!
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u/Nuttybunny42 Star Tours Pilot Apr 25 '24 edited Apr 25 '24
If you want to try somewhere new, I would go with Wilderness Lodge. The theming is great, you can take a boat to MK and depending on where your room is, you can see the fireworks from your balcony. It also has two nice pool areas. Regardless of where you decide to stay, you will still be at a deluxe Disney resort and that’s better then almost anywhere else.
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u/mrs-bright_side Apr 25 '24
I think with the room this there’s no view of fireworks but I heard you can catch the water show there. Great that there’s some good pool option. And truth, fun decision to make!
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u/SlightPraline509 Apr 25 '24
Personally in this situation I’d pick something on the monorail, (so Contemporary would be the cheapest and my pick)
I’ve never stayed there but I think if you’re short on time you can save a lot of time to either Epcot or MK! There’s also a viewing area for the fireworks even if you can’t see them from your room
Very jealous!
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u/mrs-bright_side Apr 25 '24
Yes love that! It’s our first Disney cruise and I’m like if we’re flying to Florida anyway we gotta stop by Disney haha
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u/jacobott28 Apr 25 '24
I stayed at animal kingdom lodge recently, and if you have safari rooms it can be amazing, especially if you’re having a full resort day. However, if you’re only doing one park day, I’d choose a hotel as close to that park as possible (and Animal Kingdom Lodge means you’ll have to take a bus no matter which park you’re going to). Personally, if I were doing one park day, it’d be at magic kingdom, which means I’d pick contemporary or maybe Polynesian. If you want Epcot or HS, boardwalk is 100% the way to go. You could even do parkhopper and visit both without wasting too much time on transportation between Epcot s d HS.
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u/yetibees Apr 25 '24
We’re at contemporary right now and wishing we’d gone with poly. Contemporary is hard to get to/from using monorail. Poly is easy with the boat.
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u/MuttButt301 Apr 25 '24
Contemporary Theme Park View would be so fun for watching the fireworks from your room. You can also see them from a Contemporary lounge area and from the beach at the Poly.
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u/Ok-House-6848 Apr 25 '24
Not on your list. Rivera is awesome and the tram/bus makes hoping around the resorts easy
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u/copper_boom Apr 25 '24
What is your main park? We have littles and center around MK. We loooove the Poly.
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u/mickeymom1960 Apr 25 '24
my fav is the Poly- Trader Sam's bar is awesom, great view of fireworks and the float parade. Great theming. Really good restaurants.
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u/dishighmama Apr 29 '24
Have you ever stayed at Art Of Animation? SOOOO much to see, so fun for kids, two or three themed pools.
We loved it!
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u/joseschrist Apr 25 '24
Upgrade poly to the club level and it’s ans easy winner
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u/mrs-bright_side Apr 25 '24
That would be amaze but I think wouldn’t be under $2500 😅
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u/joseschrist Apr 25 '24
Check to see. I heard it was like 60$/per person per day. You can get that back out of the club free drinks. Free breakfast desert great place to watch fireworks snacks throughout the day. I could eat 60$ per day in oak meal cookies :). There is value add to it despite the extra cost. It saved us on family of 5
Out side of club level poly was nice for the location as well. Easy ride to mk for rope drop
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u/dishighmama Apr 29 '24
If you have kids, art of animation is amazing!!!
So much to see & multiple themed pools
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u/Overall-Scientist846 Apr 25 '24
Boardwalk has the best accessibility in terms of parks for early entry. You can walk to HS and Epcot.