Which Resort would you choose?

[milmore104]

Okay I have finally gotten my DH to try new things. he is the kind of guy that always wants to stay at the same hotel. Well ever since we stayed at the AKL (and he loved it so) now he wants to stay at different places everytime we go. I'm actually having a hard time picking! So I know all my fellow DISers will help me out. If you could tell me which hotel you would choose and why? That would be great. We are traveling with Me, DH, DD (will be 3 when we go) and MIL.

1- Poly
2-Contp
3-GF
4-CS
5-CBR
6-Boardwalk
7-AKL (again)

 

[JulesMom]

I LOVE YC/BC so I chose Boardwalk. I love the area. There is so much to do.

You should consider YC/BC. The pool is amazing. Great restaurants very near by.

 

[cinmell]

We love the Contemporary. The walk to the Magic Kingdom is just under 10 minutes. Leaving the MK you are the first stop on the monorail. It's great being able to walk from the MK to the Contemporary after parades and fireworks because you don't have the hassel of dealing with transporation crowds. The rooms at the Contemporary are a bit larger than at other resorts and they are bright and have always been very clean.

There is a huge arcade, 2 pools and a playground. The restaurants are very good and this resort has a fun atmosphere. I also like being able to take the monorail to Epcot because it cuts down on the amount of time we spend on buses. We enjoy being able to take the boat to Ft. Wilderness to eat at Trails End and to the Wilderness Lodge to eat at Whispering Canyons.

 

[MOQ3424]

I think GF is the best resort at of all and it would be freazt for your family!

 

[Terry S]

Did you rule out Beach Club for some reason? That would be my vote!

 

[A1A1]

I, too, absolutely loved AKL. I didn't expect to, but I did. I like to try new things, but am afraid that I will be disappointed.

I cast my vote based on your child's age, your mother-in-law going with you and the age I assumed she would be, and the possibility that we have similar taste, since I loved AKL, also. I have a small child (dd 5) who has traveled with me to WDW for the past five years. So I am going on my experiences with her.

I voted for GF. The reasons: your mother is probably close to my mother's age, and she loved it there. She really felt pampered and special. She loved the victorian styling. I did, too. I had my honeymoon there, and it was beautiful. The resort is so pretty. The lobby has a band that plays each evening. A waitress will bring you a drink while you listen. The shops are nice and a little different. The landscaping is very pretty. There are now two pools. The views of the lake, Poly, and Castle are breathtaking. The monorail is very convenient for little ones who fall asleep in your arms or in their strollers at the end of the day. It is also convenient for us adults who want to get home quickly. The boat transportation is also convenient. The restaurants are great. They offer a lot of variety. There is a 24-hour quick service restaurant at GF also.

This resort is very relaxed and beautiful. It feels very luxurious while being only a heartbeat away from the action. You can walk to Poly from there, too. The decor of the Poly doesn't appeal to me. I have tried to like it, but just don't. When I visit other websites with pictures of the rooms, I just can't get into it.
I don't think CR is my cup of tea either. It seems very noisy to me. I like places that are quieter, but on the edge of the action. CR is right in the middle of the action. It is not relaxing to me in decor or location.

I stayed at CSR and liked that as well. I would stay there for a moderate, but I like to have the amenities and comfort of the deluxes. To me, the mattresses are a little fluffier. I like to have room service. I like the soaps. I like turndown service. I like the rooms to be a little bigger. I spend a good deal of time at the resort, so I am willing to pay more for it. To me, the resort makes the vacation. There are many people who just sleep there---not me.

I have not stayed at CBR, but I don't like the decor. I love Boardwalk. That would have been my second choice for you (or me).

 

[mikey'smom]

Of those you listed I would pick the Poly. We stayed there for a small part of our trip last summer and it is wonderful. The themeing is great. The transportation is IMHO the best on property. You can boat or Monorail to the MK and the TTC is right there so you can walk over to the Epcot Monorail or catch the buses. We only ate at Captain Cook's which is fast food but it was good. I have heard nothing but rave reviews on Ohana's and Kona Cafe.

Have fun,
mikey'smom

 

[InstImpres]

I think Boardwalk has a great advantage with stroller children - you can walk to or take the boat (and not fold the stroller) to Epcot and MGM. The resort itself is also amazing.

 

[Bella2000]

I also was curious with BC missing especially with SAB. When are you going? Since BC is not an option I go with MK resorts (I'm basing it on your DD's age which is the same as ours) and I'd chose the Polynesian. We stayed at the Polynesian last year (twice) with MIL the last trip and she loved it. The Polynesian also has a few more transportation options as the TTC is walking distance also so it's easier Epcot connection. Our next trip will be at the GF but I can't comment on it as a choice as we have not stayed there yet. We are only "deserting" the Polynesian to try something new. In either case I'd stay on the monorail.

 

[jaysue]

With the 3yr old, I would stay at Poly and concur on the excellent monorail links both direct to MK via TTC or via GF indirect. Also to Epcot via TTC.

Ideally you would go for a lagoon view

Being from Canada with a lower dollar ($1.50 CAD = $1.00 US so in essence my costs are 50% higher), we cannot afford the Poly or GF and it has been difficult this year to book CR North/South due to SOG renovations

As such, we have stayed and are staying again at WL - the boat service is great and we see it is a the best possible "middle way" of staying near the MK and in a deluxe without blowing our wallet entirely. We have a 3 1/2 year old.

But I would stay at the Poly or CR given my choice and if I had US dollars to spend!

Have a great trip!

Thanks
Jason

 

[milmore104]

Thanks for all the great replies. I know a lot of people go through this every trip. I just want to make the right choice to show my MIL the best time. this will be her first and last trip to WDW. SO I really want to show her a good time and why we keep going bak every year!
For those wondering my MIL is 60 and not a real "flashy" person.
And the Beach and Yacht Clubs were left out because they weren't in our top 7 choices. We never really think about staying there.
A quick question about Y&B club. Their pools is their a big ship or something in one of them?

 

[jaysue]

This might tilt my opinion on where you should stay.....

Thanks
Jason

 

[dbail2]

We have stayed in all the deluxe hotels and liked them all so you can't go wrong with any of them. The one we liked the best was the BWI. It has many places to eat right there on the boardwalk. The pool was alot of fun. To get to Epcot was a short walk and to get to MGM was on the boat. My children are 8, 13, and 15. They also liked the BWI the most choosing the Poly second.

 

[Terry S]

The pool at Y&B Club (Stormalong Bay) is basically a mini-water park, the entire pool has sand at the bottom. There is a ship in the lagoon across the walkway from the pool and there is a slide that goes from the ship into the pool. The pool has something for both the little kids and the big kids. For the younger kids like yours, there is a whole section that is only about 18 inches deep where kids sit and make sand castles with buckets and shovels.

 

[A1A1]

I think you should access some of the pictures of WDW resort rooms to help you make your decision. The decor may help you decide. I know lots love Poly, but I find their neutral color scheme with lots of tans and earth tones to be very dull. I like the nice light and bright rooms at GF to be lovely. Since your MIL is 60, I think this theming will appeal to her.

I will try to place links below:

Deb's Unofficial Guide to WDW Accommodations

I was going to add another link, but this site says they are under construction. Try the official Disney site. I think it's at:

Disney site

 

[A1A1]

Just checked out the GF pics on Deb's site. The rooms displayed in the photos were much more colorful than either of the rooms I stayed in. The rooms I was in were peach and white and lighter in mood and color. There must be different decor depending on which building you are assigned.

 

[Liv2CdWorld]

It's not listed, but my pic would be WL. My DS4 absolutely LOVES it there (the boat ride, feeding the ducks, the geyser, etc). I could go on and on how much I love this place.

Our last trip (Christmas 2001), we went with MIL and she too loved it.