What are your all-time top favorite Disney resorts?

[hhisc16]

I am curious from all of the responses about how AKL is listed as a favorite and yet the resale of this resort is one of the lowest on the market. I also absolutely love this resort but can't understand why it is undervalued.

Favorite resort depends on the time of year:
-CCV in December for the amazing Christmas vibe.
-PVB in the spring
-AKL during the summer
-BWV in the fall with the ability to walk to food and wine fest and drink part way around the world.

That is a interesting perspective to do it by season!
Winter/Christmas-WL/BRV/CCV
Spring- AKL
Summer- HHI
Fall- Monorail resort (BLT/PVB/VGF) (close to MK for fall decorations/parties)

 

[UrsulaTime]

Love this topic! Although, I also loved the never-again thread. Basically - I love to talk Disney World resorts. On my recent four-night trip I stayed at three different resorts on purpose.

I stayed at CSR in the casitas (2 nights), then Fort Wilderness in a cabin (1 night), and finally POP (1 night). Resorts from previous trips are in my signature.

All-time favorites? Art of Animation and Wilderness Lodge. We really enjoyed the quick service at both -- the food quality and convenience. And of course, the theming (I'll never forget the first time I saw a picture of the LM shower...someday I'd like to shake the hand of its creator) is unparalleled in my experience (admittedly I've been to beautiful National Park lodges and properties, but that was after driving for days and days and let's be honest, real geysers often smell bad). Besides those tangible qualities, there was an emotional pull, too.

I was wowed by CSR, and I paid less than $300 for the first night - a fact I tried to focus on when I started to feel a little queasy about other costs on the trip. Ha! BOTH resort AND room were beautiful and welcoming...and at that rate I also benefited from "this is a good deal!" dopamine release. I was alone for the two days here, and I think that's why it had less of an emotional impact. In any case...I didn't want to leave! The Barcelona Lounge nitro coffee as a lunchtime pick-me-up was perfect. And the bus service was no problem! I used bus stop #2 (a fair hike from my room) and the stop in front of the tower, and making an extra stop or two around the resort took less than five minutes, tops. I need to go back!

 

[jimmalru80]

Beach Club

 

[loves to dive]

Favorite deluxe: YC, I love being so close to HS and Epcot. I love the adult feel of the resort and if I can get a water view (although I won't pay for it) all the better. I like all the Epcot resorts but if money were no object, it would always be YC. Lately, I've been staying at Swan/Dolphin because, well, money is an object. Favorite MK deluxe: GF. I've stayed all three monorail resorts and even stayed at Shades of Green before it was a military resort and GF won for me hands down. I'm probably going to stay at WL for split stay splurge with my beloved YC this coming August. AKL is great but I don't see me staying there an entire trip, I have stayed during a split stay.

Favorite moderate: CSR, I love the southwest theme and the slight upscale vibe over the other moderate resorts. I love the various food choices. Again, if given a choice and I have to stay at a moderate, it will be CSR every time, especially if it's not a split stay but an entire trip stay. It's not always available in my time frame or if I'm doing a split stay with a deluxe I'll stay at whichever is less.

Favorite value: Don't really have one. So far I've stayed at all of them except AoA (refuse to pay moderate prices for a value resort). I only stay at them for a night or two on a split stay so I always just pick whichever one is the least expensive at the time I'm booking. I won't say never about AoA though because I have a grand daughter now and I can see me booking a suite there (or ASMu) for the family.

 

[LittleStinkerbelle]

I have so many favorites for different reasons:

BWI - love the Boardwalk area, it feels so peaceful and relaxing to me. Being able to walk to EPCOT and HS is also huge for me. It's also a sentimental favorite for me because we've spent several anniversaries there, stayed there for our Vow Renewal and it was where we stayed for our first trip back after many cancelled (due to the pandemic) trips.

Polynesian - just love the vibe here and being at a Monorail resort just feels special!

GF - I dreamt of staying here for years so it was a definite bucket list resort for me. The lobby feels like a destination and I love the shopping, dining, music, people watching.

POFQ - love the theming and compact size and proximity to DS. A sentimental favorite because it is where DH and I stayed on our first visit together.

All Stars Movies - love the renovated rooms and another sentimental fave because it was where I stayed on my first solo trip.

Honorable mention to AKL - love being able to see the animals and it is unique to any other place we've stayed. For me it's more of a place to stay if we're doing a less park intensive trip.

 

[Mynamewastaken]

Poly and Yacht Club. We were lucky enough to get upgraded to the Admiral's Suite at YC and to the TPV rooms at Poly.

 

[Day-al]

My favorite resort always seems to be the one I stayed at most recently. The resorts I’ve stayed at are WL, POR, YC, and CBR. There are things I love (and don’t love) about each but post-stay each resort occupied the “favorite” spot. My wish list of resorts: Poly, Riviera, Coronado (prob next up), Contemporary theme park view, AK (friggin’) savannah view

 

[DoryGirl1963]

So far we've only stayed at 2 - POFQ & All Star Sports. LOVE Sports & have stayed multiple times. Don't care to ever return to POFQ - one & done for us.

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

Favorite deluxe: YC, I love being so close to HS and Epcot. I love the adult feel of the resort and if I can get a water view (although I won't pay for it) all the better. I like all the Epcot resorts but if money were no object, it would always be YC. Lately, I've been staying at Swan/Dolphin because, well, money is an object.

Looks like YC is getting a lot of love in this thread. Glad to see it! I thought I was the only one!

My favorite resort always seems to be the one I stayed at most recently. The resorts I’ve stayed at are WL, POR, YC, and CBR. There are things I love (and don’t love) about each but post-stay each resort occupied the “favorite” spot. My wish list of resorts: Poly, Riviera, Coronado (prob next up), Contemporary theme park view, AK (friggin’) savannah view

Awesome wishlist, I hope it all happens!

 

[Smugpugmug]

I absolutely LOVE Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge and Grand Californian over at Disneyland. All 3 have amazing theming and with Grand Californian, you really can't beat the location in terms of access to California Adventure - even walking distance to Disneyland is amazing. I am staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge for the first time in May so I am SUPER excited, I have only visited and I was super impressed with how beautiful the lobby over at Jambo House is. Wilderness Lodge has the most gorgeous lobby on property in my opinion, Geyser Point is my favorite lounge at WDW and the Copper Creek cabins are spectacular, I'll never be able to afford them again but I'm so grateful I got to stay in them once with my family.

Polynesian used to be my favorite but ever since they changed the lobby it's just not the same for me - the lobby doesn't have that amazing smell it used to have and I miss it SO bad.

 

[Jabroniville]

I am curious from all of the responses about how AKL is listed as a favorite and yet the resale of this resort is one of the lowest on the market. I also absolutely love this resort but can't understand why it is undervalued.

Favorite resort depends on the time of year:
-CCV in December for the amazing Christmas vibe.
-PVB in the spring
-AKL during the summer
-BWV in the fall with the ability to walk to food and wine fest and drink part way around the world.

I'm curious about that, too... but it's VERY expensive, is it not?

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

I am curious from all of the responses about how AKL is listed as a favorite and yet the resale of this resort is one of the lowest on the market. I also absolutely love this resort but can't understand why it is undervalued.

A few interrelated observations:

• Loving AKL may not necessarily translate to wanting to own AKV DVC contracts. Many people who like to stay in the hotel may have no interest in DVC if they're happy enough paying the cash rate.
• Given that AKL is usually priced lower than the other deluxe resorts, the break even point would be higher if DVC contracts were priced high.
• AKV is very large. Lots of points are constantly hitting the market. Big supply gives buyers choice, so likely factors in depressing the price.
• Since it's large, there is usually good availability for non-AKV points to book there, which probably decreases the number of buyers who feel they have to own there.
• The dues are comparatively high and over time this is the bulk of the cost of DVC ownership. If considering dues, then the overall price is not low and the buy-in price can't be too high in order to attract buyers.
• The direct price is among the lowest and was under $200 pp for a long time. The delta between direct and resale tends to affect resale price.
• No non-bus transportation to the parks

So I think there are a lot of factors that may be contributing to a comparatively lower resale price. I don't own points there, for instance, even though I like to stay a night or two every other trip or so, because I can use my SSR to book there. I, too, love the resort, and yet am not a likely buyer driving up demand.

I'm curious about that, too... but it's VERY expensive, is it not?

I'm not sure what you're referring to, a DVC purchase or the cash rate at AKL? Either way, I would say yes, it's relatively expensive, BUT, not as expensive as most of the other deluxe cash rates/DVC contracts.

Anyway, AKL/AKV is great and everyone should give it a try, especially if spending a good amount of time at the resort to enjoy the great food, decor, and the friggin savanna!

 

[Sarahslay]

BWI-I know the rooms need a refresh (so happy they are getting them), but I love the location and the vibe of the resort, and the CMs there are top notch, if anything bad happens they handle it perfectly.
Riviera- gorgeous resort, feel like we're getting away from it all when we go back to our room, and especially in the cooler and dryer months when the skyliner is less likely to be shut down for weather it's super convenient. We also love the QS, and the little coffee place.
WL- just gorgeous, especially at Christmas, lovely atmosphere and fun places to eat with good food. A little out of the way, and the rooms are a bit small, but the rest makes up for it.
ASMovies- for a short and cheaper trip I love this one, since the room refurb it's a favorite. I'll take it over Pop any day, even if it doesn't have the skyliner, it's smaller and I usually try and stay there when there isn't some kind of sports thing going on so there aren't teams/youth groups so it's a bit less chaotic.

 

[redboat45]

POR is a favorite and has been since it opened as Dixie Landings. The grounds are beautiful and the main pool is nice. It's just so peaceful.

BLT was a surprise hit for me. We stayed there last year and it was a favorite despite not having EPCOT monorail at the time. Love everything about it.

AKV- the rooms are so nice with extra bathrooms. The pools are fun and the atmosphere can't be beat. Just wish they had a quick serve at Kidani.

 

[LuvLDM]

POR is my favorite, my first on-site stay 1992 when it was still Dixie Landings. I love the grounds & generally feel nostalgic about this property!
BC, my first deluxe stay. Proximity to Epcot can not be beat.

 

[Disneylvr1971]

Deluxe- AKV you can't beat the peacefulness of the resort after a long day at the parks. Beautiful theming and always pleasant CM's.
Mod- POFQ love the atmosphere, beignets and small footprint of the resort.
Value- POP was our 1st onsite stay (and several subsequent stays). It just has such an upbeat vibe and now the addition of the skyliner and access to AOA makes it even better.

 

[SwanVT2]

My wife and I have traveled to WDW every year since 2009. We go for the purpose to escape the world we live in and to insert ourselves into the Magic that only Disney can deliver. We are both now in our late 60's and we love the whole experience that Disney can offer. Because of that, we stay at All Star Music for these simple reasons. 1, the All Stars are values and for that purpose families tend to use them. We love lounging around the pool every afternoon and watching the kids enjoy the planned activities, the music at the pool, the sight of so many families enjoying themselves. 2, since we go there every year we have come to know much of the staff. We have had the same people serve us our breakfast, sell us our snacks and t-shirts, check us in when we arrive for years now. When we arrive we have staff waiting at the door to welcome us by name. We keep in touch with these people by email and letters because we feel like family. 3, the rooms have always been clean and believe it or not quiet. We have stayed during football, cheerleader, dance teams etc., and never had any problems. AS Music may not be posh, it may not have spa treatment. We know that. We love AS Music because we feel like we are surrounded by friends and family and we just love this place.

Have you ever stayed in the suites?

 

[SwanVT2]

I love the Boardwalk. If money was no issue I would stay there every time.

Ditto

 

[Cheburashka]

Animal Kingdom Lodge at Jambo House is my favorite Disney resort. It's beautiful, the lobby is stunning yet low-key, with freshly renovated rooms that are still well-themed, with wonderful animal views. Where else in America can you watch a giraffe from your balcony? It has two feature swimming pools for guests to use, one at Jambo and the other a pleasant walk away at Kidani. Between Jambo and Kidani, AKL also offers the best dining options of any Disney resort.

 

[Pmlocke]

Have you ever stayed in the suites?

As a matter of fact, before covid struck which was our last trip (February-2021), we spent a week in the Suites at Music. Just my wife and myself. She says the beds were the most comfortable she ever had and slept like a baby. It was nice having the two bathrooms and all the extra room. There may only be the two of us but we are planning our next February trip in 2023 and we are going to get the suite again.