How do you choose your WDW resort?

[DisneyJunkie]

Obviously, for most people, $$$ is a primary concern in determining where they'll stay on their WDW trip. But let's say you've saved up for some time so that you have your pick of places to stay. How do you choose your resort? Are you partial to Value, Moderate, or Deluxe? Are you partial to a resort in a particular area of WDW property? Or do you stick with your favorite place(s)?

For us, it's kind of a combination of the last 3 questions. We're definitely partial to the Deluxe resorts.....and in particular in the MK area.....and we've stuck mainly either to the Poly or WL. I'd love to have a stay in the Contemporary sometime, and have no desire to stay in the GF. I've stayed in a Moderate (Caribbean Beach) and didn't like it at all, and in an Epcot area Deluxe (Boardwalk) and it was just too far out for our liking. And we have no desire at all to stay in a "Motel 6"-ish Value resort.

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

For us £££ is a big factor - especially when we have to travel at peak times and the airlines fleece you for every penny you've got.
We've stayed at POFQ twice, firstly on the recommendation of a friend and we returned because we loved the place. We split our last visit between the Deluxe Resorts of AKL and GF. We chose AKL because its such a unique place, and GF because its probably the best of all the resorts.
The physical location of a Resort within WDW plays no part in our decision making - Disney transportation will get us anywhere.
I have no desire to stay in any of the Value Resorts

 

[Courtney6682]

The biggest factor for me is if we can swing it that year we ALWAYS chose a monorail hotel. The convenience is soooo worth it for us!

 

[mickey2008.1]

For us its size, as we are a party of five. Values are not worth the price of two rooms at a mod, meaning a suite, as the suite is way more money. Deluxe is great, as we have done, but whoa! The money. So we have picked the mod with room for five, POR. But this year, CBR has a new room for five, soon to be opened. Money no object, deluxe all the way!

 

[TXDisney]

Location and what I'm there for.
Lie got married at the Grand Floridian in January, so I stayed there. Going for the food and wine festival next week so staying at the boardwalk.

 

[NeedMoreMickey]

Where ever my sister can get in with her DVC. But we prefer a resort new Epcot.

 

[Chernaboggles]

Upcoming trip will be our first time staying on property and I picked POFQ for small size and general theme. It seemed like the quietest and most relaxing of the moderates.

 

[75disney]

Part of the fun for us is staying at a different resort each time. We have now stayed at all of the MK resorts except the Fort Wilderness cabins (CR is our favorite) and all of the moderates (CSR is our favorite). Next time we will stay at either BC or AKL. Although we have our favorites, we have never been disappointed with the mods or deluxes. I will never stay at a Value resort again; they are garish, cramped, too loud, and too busy.

 

[Mr Toad]

I choose a hotel based on my needs. My current need is for a hotel within walking distance to Epcot.

 

[Disneydreamer23]

Factor for me was always money now that my daughter will be enjoying it since she's getting older I'll be picking resorts I think she will like the best.

 

[Allygator]

Last visit we stayed at PO-FQ. I would really love to stay at Riverside but the week we are going they aren't offering any military room discounts for Riverside. They pretty much limited many of the resort choices so it's all-star movies for us.

 

[Demeter Tess]

I typically place a cap on the amount of money I want to spend on accommodations for a particular trip. Additionally, we prefer to rent DVC points and many of the DVC resorts seem to be consistently sold out of studio units. Between the money cap and the room availability, we typically don't have too many options. If we do have a choice, we like trying out new resorts. Eventually we'd like to be able to say we've stayed at them all!

 

[stevehousse]

We don't really care too much where we stay on property. I have stayed at all tiers. I now usually let my kids decide where we want to stay as long as we have the money for it.

 

[zurgandfriend]

We always do a deluxe and we always stay on the monorail or at least in the Magic Kingdom resort area so that cuts down our options. DW wants the Grand Floridian and DS wants the Contemporary I'm happy with the Wilderness Lodge so we usually take turns picking.

 

[sxeensweet]

We always stayed in Deluxe or Deluxe Villas even before we joined DVC last year! So I am spoiled and do this on other trips as well not at Disney. My DH is now spoiled too!
Location never was a factor for us because no matter what we are at a Disney Resort so you are still close to everything. We have stayed at SSR, Boardwalk, AKV Kidani(our home resort), and Grand Floridian Villas (this is currently our fave!). We will try Bay Lake, Wilderness Lodge, and Poly (once DVC is finished).
Now granted we have no kiddos so money is not as much of a concern but we probably should have not always stayed Deluxe so we could save some money. But once we did we never could stay at Value or Mod now as we are way too spoiled wherever we travel we stay at 4-5 star if one is available in the area of the cities we visit.

On another note we are very blessed and we know that, and know not everyone can do the same and frankly one day we may not be able too either. DVC gives us peace of mind that we do not have to worry at least at Disney not being able to stay where we love even with price increases every year.

 

[EOD K9]

Before I joined DVC I would would keep flipping a coin until I got the result I wanted.

 

[acishere]

I aim to save up enough for a mod, then when it is time to book I base my decision on pricing within the mod category as well as any certain feature that would interest us the most to do during that particular trip. I also prefer the quiet pools so that has me leaning more towards POR and CSR. I'm holding off on CBR until the renovation adding queen beds is finished. If I'm going to sleep in a double bed I'd save the $ and stay in a value.

So that leaves my choice to be between CSR and POR. I'll narrow it down more when we actually have a date in mind for the next trip.

 

[WDWoptmist]

Obviously $$$ is a big part of it but all things being equal I just think of what Im planning to do on my trip. If it's F&W Festival time then we will more than likely stay in the Epcot Area Resorts. If we are planning on spending most of our time at MK then we will more than likely stay at a Monorail Loop Resort and if we just want to have a relaxing trip without spending as much time in the parks we like to stay at AKL or WL! All depends on what your plans are and what would be most convenient

 

[RandomPrincess]

Price! Several years now we have talked big in our planning doing Deluxe but we always ended up in a Value just due to money and the time we spend in the room/resort is really just sleeping. My DH wants to do the Dopey Challenge in 2016 so we might finally do monorail so he can catch a ride to and from Epcot each day.

 

[JiminyandTink]

Price (although OP said not to consider this)
Size (it has to fit everyone)
Theme (love the boardwalk and poly's themes in particular)
Location (a monorail or walk to the park would be nice)