Help me decide on a resort for our wedding trip!

[ktink]

I know you don't want a split stay but that would be the route I would go. Maybe start out at CBR or POFQ & then switch over to BWI. We now travel as 2 adults. Our kids are grown. BWI is one of our favorite resorts. We LOVE the Boardwalk area & convenience!

 

[Marthasor]

I would choose between POFQ or Saratoga. POFQ is lovely, quiet and compact. The only drawback is no balcony and the pool is a bit juvenile. Honestly, I would probably go SSR for this one. See if you can swing a 1-bedroom - I think that has everything you are looking for.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I agree with this. Also check for discounts as you get closer to your dates. There will most likely be some sort of discount, General public, Disney Visa, Disney+. Stalk the website and these boards for discounts because you have to book quickly once they are released.

Discounts are nice but a straight 2 week stay is going to be harder to find availability on than a split stay.

OP, something else to consider with regards to a split stay is your room would be fully cleaned. 2 weeks in one hotel room, even a Disney hotel room could be a bit much. Disney mods get every other day housekeeping- in theory, see this is DISNEY housekeeping. Maybe they show, maybe they don’t, the schedules are more like guidelines…

 

[SharonZ]

I've stayed at moderates, deluxes, and DVC - they all have advantages/disadvantages. Before you driver yourself nuts, set a budget and go from there.

 

[Shellyred8]

If your budget allows, I would go for a 1br at Saratoga. In addition to the kitchen, there is also a washer and dryer in the unit. This might help save on how much you need to pack for the trip. It's super handy to be able to throw a load of laundry in the machine in the morning before you leave for the day and then throw it in the dryer when you get back later in the day/evening.
I also love the location for it's proximity to DS.
The grounds are pretty and it's a low-key vibe for sure. You could definitely get some great wedding (pre or post) pics around this resort.

My other recommendations would be as some of the others have mentioned: POFQ or Coronado Springs.

 

[carlyannek]

We just had an incredible stay at Coronado Springs. I know everyone raves about the tower, but we had a standard room in Casitas and WOW - it was beautiful. They put us about halfway between El Centro and the bus stop. For the entire 2 week trip, I think we waited 20 minutes for a bus once, otherwise we'd walk up to the stop and our bus would either be there waiting or would be pulling up. We loved the food options, and the resort is just stunning to walk around. My entire camera roll is filled with pics of fountains around the grounds. There were more adult couples and groups than kids. It was the perfect respite away from the parks and cannot wait to stay again. For those who say the transportation is a pain - I waited WAY longer for monorails and boats at the MK resorts, and the bus service at my recent stay at Beach Club was laughable. Seriously - Coronado wins my vote over deluxe resorts.

 

[CharissaOKC]

Just throwing my two cents in here. I agree with a spilt stay for a trip that long. Disney will move all your bags and it has always been really smooth for us. I agree that you might have a hard time finding a resort to book for 2 weeks straight especially if you are booking on a discount. I would book a moderate first then deluxe. It does seem like SSR fits what you are looking for and the rooms are very well done. It is a quiet and beautiful resort.

You can usually get SSR on a discount from Disney that is close to the price of renting points so I would keep that in mind and double check prices for both.

 

[yaksack]

I read about cottages at the Boardwalk, if they are in your price range. I have never seen one.

 

[cruising spud]

Although it is handy to have a washer and dryer in your hotel room, all of the resorts do have laundry rooms.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I’m going to echo @SharonZ

OP you need to set a real budget and go from there. You started with deluxes are not in your price range and you need a mod. You theorized you can afford a dvc studio by renting points- but are not really comfortable with the idea of renting points. The lack of a budget guideline now has people recommending deluxes, 1 bedroom dvc and even the BWI garden cottages which were completely off your budget table in the first post.

1. Set your budget
2. Stick to your budget

 

[zanzibar138]

Thank you all for your input. We had a call with Disney weddings the other night and it turns out it could very well be worth doing a room block for us. Just with our own stay we'd qualify for one night free, which we could use at any Disney resort! There is also a group discount available. We're not able to talk to anyone about a room block until we book our wedding, but it sounds like it's probably the way to go for us. At this stage we're probably also leaning towards POR as it really is a more comfortable price for us than deluxe/DVC - we would really prefer to factor in a bit of a buffer in case the AUD takes a dive! We'll still consider SSR if we can get it at enough of a discount (after doing a bit more research, it does seem like it's likely to be offered at a more significant discount).

 

[Grace&Carolinesmom]

In considering your budget requirements, I would definitely stick to a moderate resort. Going value resort is too small and too loud and hectic.

POFQ - Our favorite moderate resort. It has a small footprint, great theming that really comes alive at night, great food, and the resort always seems quiet. You have the boat to Disney Springs and you can take a stroll over to POR to use their amenities including pools. I prefer POFQ to POR because it is smaller in footprint and has less rooms/people and has the one central bus stop.

Now, POR and POFQ have not been refurbished recently. There is some indication (rumor) that POFQ may start a complete room remodel sometime in 2024 but nothing official. Someone can correct me if I am wrong....but I believe POR remodels usually follow POFQ which means 2025 could be the year POR is in transition.

Caribbean Beach - Just completed a remodel (Trinidad only) and a refurbishment of all of the other villages. Given you are staying for 2 weeks, this resort may actually be a better fit for you. WHY? You are looking for quiet. CBR village buildings are spread out and it is a very large resort. It is very quiet. Each village has it's own quiet pool and you may find no one using them because they are all at the feature pool. CBR laundry rooms are located at each quiet pool so it's easy to swim and do laundry at the same time! I specifically suggest you book a preferred room requesting Martinique section. It is sandwiched (no pun intended....LOL) in between OPR and the Riviera Resort for easy and varied food options. It is the first bus stop and an OK walk to the skyliner at RIV for easy access to EP and DHS. You will only need to bus to MK, AK and DS. (and waterparks) Being in Martinique, you would also not be "under" the skyliner route thus avoiding any rooms that have some noise from that line.

While Swan/Dolphin could also fit your budget, there is no Disney Magic, IMO, and I don't think you want to stay in a tower-like hotel as you mentioned earlier.

DVC - I would not. Renting points for 2 weeks is a huge monetary commitment that must be done WAY in advance and you cannot change your accommodations if needed. I would leave this to people with more DVC experience and shorter stays.

 

[zanzibar138]

In considering your budget requirements, I would definitely stick to a moderate resort. Going value resort is too small and too loud and hectic.

POFQ - Our favorite moderate resort. It has a small footprint, great theming that really comes alive at night, great food, and the resort always seems quiet. You have the boat to Disney Springs and you can take a stroll over to POR to use their amenities including pools. I prefer POFQ to POR because it is smaller in footprint and has less rooms/people and has the one central bus stop.

Now, POR and POFQ have not been refurbished recently. There is some indication (rumor) that POFQ may start a complete room remodel sometime in 2024 but nothing official. Someone can correct me if I am wrong....but I believe POR remodels usually follow POFQ which means 2025 could be the year POR is in transition.

Caribbean Beach - Just completed a remodel (Trinidad only) and a refurbishment of all of the other villages. Given you are staying for 2 weeks, this resort may actually be a better fit for you. WHY? You are looking for quiet. CBR village buildings are spread out and it is a very large resort. It is very quiet. Each village has it's own quiet pool and you may find no one using them because they are all at the feature pool. CBR laundry rooms are located at each quiet pool so it's easy to swim and do laundry at the same time! I specifically suggest you book a preferred room requesting Martinique section. It is sandwiched (no pun intended....LOL) in between OPR and the Riviera Resort for easy and varied food options. It is the first bus stop and an OK walk to the skyliner at RIV for easy access to EP and DHS. You will only need to bus to MK, AK and DS. (and waterparks) Being in Martinique, you would also not be "under" the skyliner route thus avoiding any rooms that have some noise from that line.

While Swan/Dolphin could also fit your budget, there is no Disney Magic, IMO, and I don't think you want to stay in a tower-like hotel as you mentioned earlier.

DVC - I would not. Renting points for 2 weeks is a huge monetary commitment that must be done WAY in advance and you cannot change your accommodations if needed. I would leave this to people with more DVC experience and shorter stays.

Thanks for your input. We haven't been leaning towards Caribbean Beach as neither of us are really into tropical theming, but perhaps it is worth considering given the recent refurbishment, location and potential for quiet. At this stage, we will probably wait until we can book our room block and see what the costs are at the time and where the exchange rate is at.