Second resort stay - looking for advice!

[fizzymint]

Hey all! I just had my honeymoon at WDW last month and we had such a good time that we're already planning our next trip in January of 2019. It was my first time staying on-site and it was just an incredible experience all-around. We're looking to see some of the things we missed last time around, and will have five days of park time (probably two days at Epcot, two days at MK, and a day at AK -- might swap an extra MK day to HS depending on how we feel). We're bringing a friend with us this time, but it's still going to be all adults.

We stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge, which we liked, but would prefer to try something new this time around. We stayed in a standard room (though we got upgraded to a pool view, which was awesome!) because we decided a bit impromptu to go to WDW for our honeymoon and didn't have time to save for a savanna view. Since we're planning a year out and don't have to pay for a wedding anymore (whew), we can splurge a little bit.

We found the AKL room to be a bit dated. We liked it, but there were some inconveniences, like only one plug by the bed (which had to be taken up by my cpap machine).

I don't need anything state of the art, and am honestly fine with a similar room, but I am hoping for something a bit more convenient this time. We're considering the following:

• Polynesian (my first choice, but every time I seem to look up "test dates" during off peak times, it still appears unavailable!)
• Contemporary (Tower Room, after reading great reviews about it compared to the Garden)
• Wilderness Lodge
• Yacht/Beach Club (lowest preference, but the lazy river looks so cool, and walking to Epcot sounds neat)

What are your favorites out of this list and why? Do you have any recommendations? Food is a big plus for us -- we LOVED the food options at AKL and ate at Jiko, Sanaa, and the Mara multiple times. We'd love to have great food available.

Thank you so much for any help and advice!

 

[KenHutch]

I have been trying for years to get my daughter to stay on the Contemporary but she thinks it is so cold. Me I like the thought of watching the monorail from outside my room. I love the Wilderness Lodge but remember it was built by the man who designed AKL. But it is beautiful on the inside. You should do a You-Tube on it and it is more affordable than the others that you are looking at. As to the Yacht Club I can't comment its on our never list because of the snobby way I was treated by a CM when doing a tour of the hotels to figure out where we would be staying next.

 

[LilDisHelper]

Hi !
My favorite is the beach club becouse it is sooooo nize and you have too walk maybe 150 meters (I’m German ) to go too epcot this is really great because for example ,one time we want to “France” to eat breakfast and it took us maybe like 45 minutes too go there and back to the hotel . So you can go there reallly early and for example go back to the hotel to spend some time in the pool and then go there back in the afternoon . I personally really like epcot and staying at BC makes it really asy to just go there in no time .

2.
Of course the pool is really great the slide is awesome ad the sand bottom and lazyriver are great.
(3.)
Just little reminder :
BC and JC are great but the difference is that beach club is more like party , and yacht club is really quiet and peacefull.

 

[kniquy]

If you don't mind moving you could do a split stay and pick your 2 favorite resorts. So when you stay at Poly or Cont make those your MK days and when you are at the Yacht / beach club (has one of the best pools) that could be an easy walk to Epcot. Moving really isn't a big deal because they will pick up your luggage and deliver it to your new resort - so you get up in the morning - send off your bags w/ bell services and then just arrive at your new resort for check-in in the evening.

I agree - look at some videos of each resort - I think price wise they are all in the same ball park. So the videos and reviews will maybe help you. Maybe make a pro/con list of each - like from WL you pretty much have to bus everywhere - but at poly you can monorail and from the Cont you can walk to the MK. Each one will have its perks.

 

[fizzymint]

Me I like the thought of watching the monorail from outside my room.

Me too! I think that + the convenience and views really make it an exciting resort, despite less theming.

Hi !
My favorite is the beach club becouse it is sooooo nize and you have too walk maybe 150 meters (I’m German ) to go too epcot this is really great because for example ,one time we want to “France” to eat breakfast and it took us maybe like 45 minutes too go there and back to the hotel . So you can go there reallly early and for example go back to the hotel to spend some time in the pool and then go there back in the afternoon . I personally really like epcot and staying at BC makes it really asy to just go there in no time .

2.
Of course the pool is really great the slide is awesome ad the sand bottom and lazyriver are great.
(3.)
Just little reminder :
BC and JC are great but the difference is that beach club is more like party , and yacht club is really quiet and peacefull.

This is definitely selling me ... especially on Yacht Club. It sounds like it would be nice to have a more peaceful respite that's still so convenient, amidst all the chaos.

If you don't mind moving you could do a split stay and pick your 2 favorite resorts. So when you stay at Poly or Cont make those your MK days and when you are at the Yacht / beach club (has one of the best pools) that could be an easy walk to Epcot. Moving really isn't a big deal because they will pick up your luggage and deliver it to your new resort - so you get up in the morning - send off your bags w/ bell services and then just arrive at your new resort for check-in in the evening.

I've seen some folks posting about split stays but it sounded incredibly inconvenient. I had no idea it was so easy. For split stays, is there an option to do that on the website or should I be using a Disney TA?

Thanks all, this is so helpful!!

 

[ktlm]

We've stayed at the Poly and YC- the Contemporary has never appealed that much to me. You can not go wrong with either. They are both absolutely wonderful choices. You can walk to the TTC from the Poly to get an express monorail to EPCOT or MK, which means quick access to 2 parks. You have Trader Sams there, which is a fun place. As far as food options, you can hop the resort monorail so you have easy access to Poly, GF, or the Contemporary.

From YC, you can walk to EPCOT and DHS. That means 2 parks where you do not have to rely on Disney transportation at all. YC has the best pool on property, BUT in January, you may not be using that pool at all. It depends on the weather which is unpredictable this time of year. For us, part of what gives YC the edge would be that pool area, so for a January trip- we might lean towards the Poly.

When you talk about having great food available. If you have hoppers- YC basically gives you all of WS in EPCOT. We typically go during Food and Wine, so there were times that we might run in to EPCOT just to grab something to eat or drink from one of the booths. As far as CS- you basically do have to walk over to BC (the resorts are attached so really it is like one big resort). The Yachtsman Steakhouse was the best meal we have ever had at WDW. Beaches and Cream is fun. There is also the whole Boardwalk area within walking distance.

We do prefer YC to BC. They pipe a scent into the BC lobby to which I am very allergic. The first time we stayed in that area we stayed at BC and it was not pretty. We moved to YC and much prefer it there.

We have stayed at Poly, GF, BC, YC, WL, AKL and POR. Poly and YC are probably our 2 favorites, mostly because of the ease of transportation to at least 2 parks from each.

 

[fizzymint]

Incredible feedback about YC. Yachtsman Steakhouse wasn't even on my radar. It may move up into our number two slot if we have trouble booking the Poly, or really look hard at doing the split stay thing. Thank you!

 

[patsfan101]

A few things about Poly...

One of the oldest resorts so the rooms tend to be bigger
I like that the themeing is all real rocks and plants - not as much plastic/fake scenery.
It's great to walk along the path towards the Wedding Pavilion/GF in the mornings - AK has no place to walk really

We've never stayed at WL but I hear is very like the AKL inside, and it is cheaper than other Deluxe resorts.

I do enjoy Boardwalk area with all the restaurants and shops, but since we live in a New England seaside town, we usually look for different themed areas when we visit WDW Never been to Yachtsman Steakhouse, hear it's fabulous; but we really enjoy Flying Fish and go there when we are in that general area.

All that being said, our last trip and upcoming trip (4 weeks - yay!) we are staying at AKL - DH just loves Jiko and balconies overlooking the savanah.

Whatever you decide, you really can't go wrong - it probably won't be your last visit, and you can try something else next time!

Enjoy!

 

[loves to dive]

I've stayed at GF, Poly, CR, BW, BC, YC, AKL, Swan/Dolphin, OKW as far as deluxe resorts go and YC is my all time favorite and go to resort. I like the adult feel of it, I like being able to walk to two parks. Lately we do split stays with a day or two at a moderate then move over to one of the Epcot resorts. Because I've stayed in all of them many times, I just go with whatever is less. I don't stay in the MK resorts any more, Epcot is our favorite park and MK is a half day park for us and I hate having to rely on the monorail to get to Epcot. I would consider doing a split stay with a MK resort for a few days and moving to an Epcot resort.

 

[AllieBoo]

We love the Contemporary! The short walk to MK is awesome! No having to fool with buses or the monorail, plus you have your own security checkpoint. We also like YC - the pool and lazy river are awesome, and being able to walk to Epcot and take the bus to DHS is great.

 

[OneinThree]

Having stayed at both Poly and CR, I would say that it probably comes down to personal tastes. As a kid, I was in awe of the monorail passing through that A-frame and wanted to stay there any chance I got. These days, the atmosphere and themeing of Poly is just unbeatable to us. The view of, and proximity to MK is just priceless.

 

[Disneytam]

We have stayed at almost all of the deluxe resorts and by far our favorite is the BWI. It just seems like it has a little bit more of an adult feel to it. There are children of course but it has a laid back feel to it. Any of the Epcot resorts are just perfect due to the location. If you have an AP or park hopper tickets it's so nice to start your day with an early breakfast at the France pavilion, or finish your evening with a drink and a stroll around the world showcase. The lake around the Epcot resorts is a wonderful place to spend some romantic time as well in the evening. You can walk over to the miniature golf course or spend a night at Jellyrolls.

We also do split stays with a MK resort so that we don't have to depend on the monorail. When at a MK resort we of course do the MK but also do the AK park as well. We generally take a cab to the AK lodge for an early breakfast at Boma and then take a bus to the AK park for the day. Disney will move your luggage for free from one resort to the other but after having done this many times we find it to be easier to take a cab and our luggage from one resort to the other. If our room isn't ready yet we will leave our luggage with bell services. Luckily for us our room has almost always been ready when we arrive. Good luck and have fun with your planning.

 

[kniquy]

I've seen some folks posting about split stays but it sounded incredibly inconvenient. I had no idea it was so easy. For split stays, is there an option to do that on the website or should I be using a Disney TA?

Yes you can do it yourself online or calling to book. You just book 2 reservations - so you would need to pay the deposit for each reservation and then you would technically have 2 days for making your dining reservations, but not a big issue. You would just make sure your park tickets are linked to your first reservation so that you will get the earliest option for booking your FP.

Our upcoming trip is a party of 7 - 4 adults and 3 kids. I had AKL booked for our whole trip, but (I'm a DVC owner) my 7 month booking window opened i had to book a few nights at Poly. So a little minor inconvenience of packing up our bags will make our trip feel like 2 trips in one. On our transfer day we will have our bags packed and picked up by 7:30am - we will then just head to AK park, at 4pm we will head over to check into our room and have dinner at the resort. There really is no wrong way to handle your transfer day.

So if you are going for 7 nights then you can do 4 Cont then 3 BC -- on your transfer day - in the morning send off your bags say at 9am then take a bus over to Epcot. At 4pm (or whenever you get your room ready text) just walk out the international gateway and walk over to your room - your bags should be at the resort by then (likely at bell service, freshen up and then head back to the park for the evening.

You only have to keep any very essentials with you (meds) that you might need during the day.

 

[fizzymint]

Thank you all for the incredible advice! I'm really happy to hear how easy it is to both book a split stay and have the transfer easily taken care of. Now for the painful wait until the dates open up on the website!

 

[heidijanesmith]

Sounds like you have some great advice already, I will just put my two cents in.

The Poly is one of our favorite resorts!! The location, theme, rooms size, decor are fantastic!

We now enjoy staying at the EPCOT resorts, as we have older children and sometimes it's just DH and I. We have stayed at the YCx2 and the BWI and BWV x4.

The YC is very relaxing and never felt busy, even during the busy summer. A wonderful place to take a break from the craziness of the parks. SAB is an amazing pool, but it does get crowded.

We have been staying at the BWV recently and really love the location, pool and the entertainment around the BW. It's nice to be in the thick of it and have a great relaxing room to retreat to.

 

[RustManFan]

I had a one night stay at WL when I couldn't get a moderate for that night of my trip. I loved it! Location was awesome and I took the boat to MK and took the boat to catch the monorail to Epcot too.

It was very relaxing and cooler there by the water. I had a room that looked out to the path to the dock. Those rooms in that configuration don't exist anymore I don't believe.

Would stay here again in a heartbeat if I could afford it..... I don't really care about high end hotels but glad I could experience a deluxe resort!

 

[jacknsally19]

I've stayed at all those resorts.... my favorite is definitely B&YC. I think it has good food and if you have a hopper its easy to head over to Epcot for dinner. Also, the pool is amazing but maybe not a huge selling point in Jan.

Personally, I really like the Contemporary but I like the Garden rooms. I find the Tower rooms are incredibly noisy.

I must be the only WDW fan that says this but I really don't care for the Poly. I have had terrible luck with cleanliness and staff at that resort. I have stayed there 3x so its not like it was a one off. Plus, I think its annoying that the rooms don't all have balconies.

 

[klacey1]

I've stayed at all those resorts.... my favorite is definitely B&YC. I think it has good food and if you have a hopper its easy to head over to Epcot for dinner. Also, the pool is amazing but maybe not a huge selling point in Jan.

Personally, I really like the Contemporary but I like the Garden rooms. I find the Tower rooms are incredibly noisy.

I must be the only WDW fan that says this but I really don't care for the Poly. I have had terrible luck with cleanliness and staff at that resort. I have stayed there 3x so its not like it was a one off. Plus, I think its annoying that the rooms don't all have balconies.

I'll be there with you and say I didn't really like the Poly either. It was my ultimate DREAM resort and I was so excited to stay there. Sadly, our room was incredibly dirty and the themeing just seemed...cheap. My SO, who was with me, has been to Hawaii many times and thought the Poly was a cheap imitation of the vibe and resorts there. I was so, so sad because I wanted to love it so much. In terms of convenience, though...we didn't go to the MK on that trip and the Epcot monorail was down (this was when the chunk of the monorail randomly fell off...), BUT I definitely think the Poly is the most convenient of the monorail resorts. Being 7 minutes from the MK and walking distance to the TTC so you only have to ride one monorail to Epcot is GOLDEN!

However. I'd much, much prefer to stay at the WL or BC again. Both are impeccably themed, and if you're planning two days at Epcot, there is NOTHING like being able to walk to Epcot.

 

[clapton]

I'm with the two previous posters in regards to the Poly. Definitely not my favorite! I just don't get why so many people love that resort. I would pick BC over Poly any day!

 

[DisneyChristmas]

Do you plan to use the pool every day? If you stay at the Contemporary Tower, you’ll need to walk through the retail/dining area in your swim wear to get the Garden Wing area for the pool. All of the others that you’re considering have easier access to their pools.