Please help-stuck on resort choices!

[Cole'sMom]

Hi everyone! We are planning our annual trip for May. We're very excited since our son will be a little older. The concern is, where to stay. The first 2 years we were at ASM; the following years we have been at AKL. It is our favorite resort by far-we love animals (I work with them) and see the resort as a large treat. I am not working due to having the baby. We are torn as to what to do. I really need a relaxing vacation and have found AKL to be immensely serene and just what the doctor ordered. I am always relaxed at WDW, but AKL is quiet, not too crowded and is just amazing. Disney isn't offering any great deals on packages, so the trip would be $2400. I don't want to resort hop since packing up the baby will be a pain. I don't want to book a value or moderate and find out that we are spending a lot of time there due to Cole napping, with nothing to do. Values have little entertainment. We are trying to decide between AKL, Pop and maybe POFQ/POR. Please help. Any input would be very much appreciated. Also if there are any deals out there, please mention them. I think we will end up at AKL, but it just seems so expensive now---oh the joys of being a parent! Thank you.

Katie

 

[wannabeBelle]

Hey Katie, I think you are right on with your idea of splitting the difference and staying at one of the Moderates. I happen to love the Port Orleans resorts with Riverside being my favorite!! The location comparitively to the parks is pretty central and Downtown Disney is a lovely boatride away! I find the landscaping and the overall feel of Port Orleans Riverside to be very calming and relaxing. It certainly doesnt have the beauty of wild animals such as AKL does but it has won awards for the horticulture around the resort. There are a few quiet pools located around the resort and one island for the main themed pool area named Ol' Man Island. There is a choice of a food court ( which will be completely and newly refurbished when you are there, they are doing that right now) and a lovely sit down restaurant that has an AMAZING sit down breakfast menu. Some Banana Stuffed French Toast or Sweet Potato Pancakes can get you set to take on any of the parks. At Night there is a piano player in the lounge named Bob. He is great family fun without being too far from your room!!!!
To give you some idea on the visuals, check out this website with soem pics of this lovely resort. :
http://home.comcast.net/~candisfl/wsb/html/view.cgi-photos.html-.html
These are pictures from someone else who gave me permission to send the link to other people to view. They are not my pics but I can tell you some of mine look very much like this and this is without any retouching!!!
If you have any other questions, please post them and I will do my best to answer. If it is a little more personal, please feel free to e mail me at the address listed below! Belle

 

[dixiegirl]

Hey Katie, I think you are right on with your idea of splitting the difference and staying at one of the Moderates. I happen to love the Port Orleans resorts with Riverside being my favorite!! The location comparitively to the parks is pretty central and Downtown Disney is a lovely boatride away! I find the landscaping and the overall feel of Port Orleans Riverside to be very calming and relaxing. It certainly doesnt have the beauty of wild animals such as AKL does but it has won awards for the horticulture around the resort. There are a few quiet pools located around the resort and one island for the main themed pool area named Ol' Man Island. There is a choice of a food court ( which will be completely and newly refurbished when you are there, they are doing that right now) and a lovely sit down restaurant that has an AMAZING sit down breakfast menu. Some Banana Stuffed French Toast or Sweet Potato Pancakes can get you set to take on any of the parks. At Night there is a piano player in the lounge named Bob. He is great family fun without being too far from your room!!!!
To give you some idea on the visuals, check out this website with soem pics of this lovely resort. :
http://home.comcast.net/~candisfl/wsb/html/view.cgi-photos.html-.html
These are pictures from someone else who gave me permission to send the link to other people to view. They are not my pics but I can tell you some of mine look very much like this and this is without any retouching!!!
If you have any other questions, please post them and I will do my best to answer. If it is a little more personal, please feel free to e mail me at the address listed below! Belle

Once again Belle you took the words out of my mouth!!!!!lol..POR is such a favorite of mine as well!!

 

[MPitzen]

Have you tried calling and seeing if you have a pin/code in your profile for a discount? I got a savannah view for $129 a night doing this... for 8 nights with tickets & dining plan it was just over 2 grand.

When are you planning on going?

 

[MPitzen]

Never mind the last question... I see that you have it in your post and I just missed it.

 

[wannabeBelle]

Once again Belle you took the words out of my mouth!!!!!lol..POR is such a favorite of mine as well!!

Hi there Dixiegirl!!!! Thanks, but throw in some of your favorite things there as well!! All of my trips there have been so wonderful. Then again it is Disney it is tough NOT to be wonderful! I do find that I keep ending up back at Riverside at least once a year and sometimes more!!! It is definitely my favorite out of this level for sure. Belle