Opinions wanted: Newport Bay vs. Sequoia Lodge

[YawningDodo]

With my preliminary budget completed, it's looking like I'm able to afford my pick of hotels (excluding the Disneyland Hotel, which is wildly outside my budget, and Hotel New York, which is not available during my dates -- I would guess because of the Marvel renovations). I'd originally been considering Hotel Cheyenne and would still listen to arguments in its favor, but I've gotten the impression that Sequoia Lodge is a pretty noticeable step up in terms of quality. Is Newport Bay another step up in quality, or is the price difference just based on theming and/or park proximity? I've looked at pictures of both and they both look very nice. Western Americana and national parks themes are a bit redundant for me since I live in the American West, within a day's drive of two national parks, so...yeah. Cowboys and so on are nothing very exciting for me (although...I say that and yet I definitely intend to go to the Wild West Show one evening, haha). I'm just not sure that switching to a New England/nautical theme is worth $100 to me.

I've briefly checked a few other countries' sites (UK, France, Germany) and so far (surprisingly!) the American site is winning for best deal on a four-night stay in November, even once I take the half board meal plan included in the German deal into account. It's been a bit of a pain; my browser keeps redirecting to the American site while I'm searching if I have multiple tabs open.

Edit: If it makes any difference, I just now noticed that the Sequoia Lodge price I was looking at was for a Montana room, and the Newport Bay price at about $100 more is for a standard room.

 

[olafLover]

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[YawningDodo]

I've stayed at both and loved both. The swimming pool in Newport Bay is a bit better, but for us the feel of Sequoia Lodge is better. For the $100 more, see if you can get a golden forest club room, that's definitely worth it! We stayed at club level in both hotels and love the breakfast (even when it was still included, it's much more relaxed at club level) and the afternoon snacks. We'd go back each afternoon to enjoy a little break. Of course it depends on how many days you're staying if that is worth it for you, we were annual pass holders, so we knew the park and loved the slower pace.

I'm struggling to figure out how to look for Golden Forest rooms on the website. I didn't see an option for it in the dropdown menu for choosing your resort, and it's not popping up in the search results when I search for Sequoia Lodge in general. Am I missing something, or would I need to call in order to book club level?

I'm planning to book what seems to me like a long stay: four nights. I want to be able to really take my time and explore thoroughly since I may not do another DLP trip (at least not for a very long time). I've never been one to spend a lot of time in my hotel room, but I do plan to probably take afternoon breaks and a more relaxed breakfast would be welcome. I'm glad to hear your opinions...since I realized I'd accidentally priced out a Montana room instead of comparing standard to standard, right now I'm leaning toward Sequoia Lodge. It just makes sense to pay a hundred dollars less for a more conveniently located room; I think that upgrading at Newport Bay would start to stretch my budget a little bit.

 

[olafLover]

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[YawningDodo]

When you search the results will show the cheapest available room. I just, checked, because they changed that, click continue and then it shows the room options available, if it's available, club level will be visible. If it isn't, it doesn't mean it's completely booked though, it could mean the current promotion doesn't have club level rooms available anymore, if you check a different country, they might be available (yes, annoying!).

Ah, then I think that's what's happening. I'm thinking I should do a more thorough job of checking other countries' sites anyway; it's a bit of a pain but if it ends up that I can get into club level for not much more it'll be worth it. I would think the difference in food costs would help make up for it as long as the price difference isn't too outrageous, now that breakfast isn't included with standard anymore (also I've been reading reviews that claim you can grab cans of soda and bottles of water from the club room to take with you, which would be nice).

I heart complaints of New Port Bay being to big, if you're unlucky (we weren't, so this isn't from my own experience) it can be quite a walk inside the hotel to get to the entrance/exit, because the highest levels are the club level rooms, I'm not sure booking club level would prevent you from experiencing this. It's all one building. Sequoia Lodge has multiple buildings, the cheapest rooms aren't in the main building, the club level rooms are always in the main building, so it's never a long walk (but the swimming pool is in one of the other buildings).

You know, I'd seen pictures of both and read about both and for some reason it just hadn't clicked in my mind that NPB is one big building! I keep operating under this assumption that all Disney resorts are multiple buildings because I've only ever stayed in values and moderates in WDW. Too bad about the swimming pool at Sequoia being in another building; I'm afraid it might be chilly outside and going between them to swim probably won't be the nicest thing in the world. I don't think I'm going to make tons of use of the swimming pool since I don't enjoy swimming as much when I'm alone, but I'll be wanting to try it out at least once.

Thank you for your help! I think this has given me the nudge I needed to settle on Sequoia Lodge, and it's feeling right to me. I think room location is more important to me than theme, and even if I don't manage to get into a Golden Forest room I can easily fit a Montana room into my budget. Also, I don't have a problem with the SL theme -- I think it actually looks really nice and cozy, and I actually really like the movie Bambi and think the Bambi-themed art I've seen pictures of is a nice touch. It's just a bit funny to me to fly all the way to France to stay in a National Parks-style lodge when I could drive four hours to one of the real ones. Or to fly all the way to France for a Montana room when, well, I live in Montana.

 

[olafLover]

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[YawningDodo]

I'm so excited! Doubly excited because I just talked to my boss a minute ago and got her blessing to take that chunk of time off, so now I can get serious about finalizing my dates and making my reservations!

 

[YawningDodo]

And booked! Took longer than I'd hoped to get the official absence request granted, but got it today and got all my transportation and accommodations booked. No big changes to availability or prices on DLP since I last checked, so a Montana room in Sequoia Lodge it is! The only downside is that airline awards travel availability did shift on me, and now I won't get into Paris until 1:30 in the afternoon instead of early in the morning. I was planning to spend that morning at the Louvre, but since I'm arriving that late in the day I may just go straight to DLP. I don't know; maybe there's still enough time to make it worthwhile. I won't be going back to Paris afterward; I'm traveling straight to London for the week following my DLP stay.

 

[meggiebeth]

If it appeals, I would check to see how much it is to upgrade from Sequoia Lodge in the Montana room to Newport Bay’s Compass Club, which is Newport Bay’s equivalent to Golden Forest (breakfast, drinks and afternoon tea are all served in a private lounge)

 

[YawningDodo]

If it appeals, I would check to see how much it is to upgrade from Sequoia Lodge in the Montana room to Newport Bay’s Compass Club, which is Newport Bay’s equivalent to Golden Forest (breakfast, drinks and afternoon tea are all served in a private lounge)

I think it'd be out of my range -- a standard at NPB was pretty close to the maximum already. Anyway, I already booked used the remaining money to upgrade to a better hotel for most of my stay in London the next week. Thank you, though!

 

[4everluvDisney]

If it appeals, I would check to see how much it is to upgrade from Sequoia Lodge in the Montana room to Newport Bay’s Compass Club, which is Newport Bay’s equivalent to Golden Forest (breakfast, drinks and afternoon tea are all served in a private lounge)

I am in the process of pricing out a DLP trip for 4 from Canada for July/August 2019. Looking at both Sequoia Lodge and Newport Bay.
Wondering what the differences are between Golden Forest and Compass Club and why you suggested CC and not GF?

 

[meggiebeth]

I am in the process of pricing out a DLP trip for 4 from Canada for July/August 2019. Looking at both Sequoia Lodge and Newport Bay.
Wondering what the differences are between Golden Forest and Compass Club and why you suggested CC and not GF?

Hi there! I didn’t suggest Golden Forest as I think it was mentioned in another thread that it was sold out for those dates- in which case Compass Club would be a good alternative. Personally, I feel Compass Club is much nicer, just because the lounge is smarter and has a better atmosphere, and the afternoon tea offerings have, in my experience, been much better in Compass Club. (During our stay at GF, food was on one small table whereas at CC, the offerings were extensive enough to fill the whole breakfast buffet area in the lounge.) Obviously whether or not CC is worth the extra I’d say depends on how much extra it is. In other respects what each one offers is largely the same. I just personally feel Compass Club is that bit nicer- but for the right price, Golden Forest is great too!

I should also add that we used afternoon tea instead of lunch at Compass Club which saved us quite a bit as a family of five. It starts at 4pm I believe, but not completely sure. We’d get there bang on the dot and then have dinner at 8-9pm, depending on when the parks closed that might vary.

Desserts at Compass Club included both savoury and sweet- there were lots of little desserts, pastries and cakes on one side and then on the other things like hors d’oeuvres, mini sandwiches, tomato and mozzarella, etc.

 

[4everluvDisney]

Hi there! I didn’t suggest Golden Forest as I think it was mentioned in another thread that it was sold out for those dates- in which case Compass Club would be a good alternative. Personally, I feel Compass Club is much nicer, just because the lounge is smarter and has a better atmosphere, and the afternoon tea offerings have, in my experience, been much better in Compass Club. (During our stay at GF, food was on one small table whereas at CC, the offerings were extensive enough to fill the whole breakfast buffet area in the lounge.) Obviously whether or not CC is worth the extra I’d say depends on how much extra it is. In other respects what each one offers is largely the same. I just personally feel Compass Club is that bit nicer- but for the right price, Golden Forest is great too!

I should also add that we used afternoon tea instead of lunch at Compass Club which saved us quite a bit as a family of five. It starts at 4pm I believe, but not completely sure. We’d get there bang on the dot and then have dinner at 8-9pm, depending on when the parks closed that might vary.

Desserts at Compass Club included both savoury and sweet- there were lots of little desserts, pastries and cakes on one side and then on the other things like hors d’oeuvres, mini sandwiches, tomato and mozzarella, etc.

 

[4everluvDisney]

Thanks for your input. We are still deciding what to do....

 

[meggiebeth]

Thanks for your input. We are still deciding what to do....

How much are each coming out at? And what time of year are you looking to visit?

 

[4everluvDisney]

How much are each coming out at? And what time of year are you looking to visit?

We are looking at summer 2019.
GF= $2172 for 4 and CC= $2526 for 4

 

[meggiebeth]

We are looking at summer 2019.
GF= $2172 for 4 and CC= $2526 for 4

How many nights is that? I’m guessing all sharing one room? I’m not sure if that price includes an offer since it is for so far away- but a little closer to the time, a free half board meal plan is usually offered. If you’re paying full price, I might hold off.
I’d say $300 is quite a difference between the two. Have you looked at photos? Do you have a gut feeling of which you prefer the look of?
The other thing I’d advise is to look into suites at either hotel. They are a little more, or quite a bit more, depending on the ages of guests (some only sleep two adults and two children) but include all the perks of GF and CC with the additional (invaluable) VIP FastPass, which allows unlimited access into all FastPass queues- so a real perk compared to the States’ Disney parks. People have managed to get suites previously for only a few hundred dollars extra, so if a suite at Sequoia were the same price as a standard room Newport Bay Compass Club, Sequoia would be more worthwhile, I’d say personally.

 

[4everluvDisney]

How many nights is that? I’m guessing all sharing one room? I’m not sure if that price includes an offer since it is for so far away- but a little closer to the time, a free half board meal plan is usually offered. If you’re paying full price, I might hold off.
I’d say $300 is quite a difference between the two. Have you looked at photos? Do you have a gut feeling of which you prefer the look of?
The other thing I’d advise is to look into suites at either hotel. They are a little more, or quite a bit more, depending on the ages of guests (some only sleep two adults and two children) but include all the perks of GF and CC with the additional (invaluable) VIP FastPass, which allows unlimited access into all FastPass queues- so a real perk compared to the States’ Disney parks. People have managed to get suites previously for only a few hundred dollars extra, so if a suite at Sequoia were the same price as a standard room Newport Bay Compass Club, Sequoia would be more worthwhile, I’d say personally.

Thanks to all for your help. I think we are going to pass. Those prices were for 2 adults, 2 juniors for 4N/5D. It was a special, pay for 2N get 2N free, but it is in US $ and we have to add 31-32% exchange rate to that. On top of unknown airfare prices and food and things it was going way over my budget of $10K. Maybe another time...one can always dream.

 

[YawningDodo]

Thanks to all for your help. I think we are going to pass. Those prices were for 2 adults, 2 juniors for 4N/5D. It was a special, pay for 2N get 2N free, but it is in US $ and we have to add 31-32% exchange rate to that. On top of unknown airfare prices and food and things it was going way over my budget of $10K. Maybe another time...one can always dream.

Where is the 31-32% exchange rate coming from?

 

[4everluvDisney]

Where is the 31-32% exchange rate coming from?

That is the exchange rate to change our Canadian $s to US $s.