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Best Resort for the money
- Thread starter LilWalt
- Start date
IMHO Port Orleans Riverside and French Quarter provide the best bang for the buck. They have great immerse theming without the price tag of a deluxe, the rooms are slightly larger than a value, and the resort layouts are better than the other moderates.
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happymom52003
Active Member
Which category of resorts are you considering? If deluxe, I'd say Wilderness Lodge. It and AKL are the least expensive of the Deluxe resorts, but in my opinion it is the most beautiful and well themed of all the resorts (although that is really just a matter of personal taste). You also have easy access to the MK by boat and great restaurants.
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Glasgow
Well-Known Member
There are so many answers here iso t is difficult to come up with one recommendation (due to your likes/dislikes, budget, space rqts, etc) so my advice would be to first set a budget and research the class of hotel that fits for you. Also, order a disney planning dvd which will really give you a nice overview of the resorts. Alternatively, you can look through the Resort section of this site to get some good info. Good luck!
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Best value for Money:
Swan and Dolphin on one of our special rates over around $129 - $199.
Gaylord Palms on one of our special rates of $99 - $159.
http://www.wdwmagic.com/specialoffers.htm
The above are both deluxe resorts, comparible to the Contemporary and Polynesian.
Swan and Dolphin on one of our special rates over around $129 - $199.
Gaylord Palms on one of our special rates of $99 - $159.
http://www.wdwmagic.com/specialoffers.htm
The above are both deluxe resorts, comparible to the Contemporary and Polynesian.
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Sloan
Well-Known Member
Category?
As happymom suggested / inquired, it would be helpful to know what category you have in mind.
For Deluxe, I agree that AKL and WL are the best 'values', and that Port Orleans is best in the Moderates.
I assumed that you meant a Disney resort on property - if that does not matter, then WDWMAGIC's suggestions are excellent. The location of the Swan / Dolphin is really, really nice (being able to use the International Gateway). Note that the reviews you can find on this site are very helpful.
As happymom suggested / inquired, it would be helpful to know what category you have in mind.
For Deluxe, I agree that AKL and WL are the best 'values', and that Port Orleans is best in the Moderates.
I assumed that you meant a Disney resort on property - if that does not matter, then WDWMAGIC's suggestions are excellent. The location of the Swan / Dolphin is really, really nice (being able to use the International Gateway). Note that the reviews you can find on this site are very helpful.
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Yes, no doubt that Swan and Dophin probably offer the best hotels for the money when you factor in that you also get access to Extra Magic Hours, and free parking at the Parks(probably the two biggest perks of staying on property, IMHO). They stack up very well to the Deluxe Disney Resorts in amenities, but don't have particularly good theming. That isn't to say that they are ugly, they just seem to me to be more Vegas then Disney. Price wise the Swan and Dolphin are about the same price as a Disney Moderate Resort and even sometimes cheaper than moderate resorts.
So all that said you should really determine what it is that you see as value. Price is one part of it, but what about theming, amenities, EMHs, free parking, Dinsey Magical Express (airport transportation service which is only available to Disney Resorts), being able to use your room key to make purchases at the parks, Disney Transportation etc.
For me, I do like to feel immersed in Disney and really enjoy the theming. It's the reason why I'm there. If I just wanted a nice hotel room, I could easily stay off resort, but pretty hotel rooms with fancy amenities don't impress me. Give me a nice place to lay my head and I'm happy - just make sure that while I'm there I feel like I'm still experiencing something special. You can get that feeling at a value resort, but the theming is really just some big statues of things stuck to large rectangular buildings. Don't get me wrong I've stayed there and really been comfortable and happy with my choice, but for my money, the step up in theming of the moderate resorts are worth it when I have a few extra bucks kicking around (if I don't i go with a value resort). I am partial to POR and POFQ at the moderate level and Pop Century for value.
Again, the things which matter to me most are theming, Extra magic hours and free parking. So I try to balance value for money when considering those things.
I think one of the most important questions you should ask yourself is how much time do you plan on spending at your resort. Do you plan to eat there? Swim? Use the gym? Shop? Get spa treatments? etc. then ask How often? If the answer is a lot of "no"s to these questions, or a few "yes"s but you won't do it often, then you should put more value on price than amenities like restaurants, pools, etc.
Good luck and enjoy the excitement of planning your trip, it can honestly be almost as much fun as the trip itself.
So all that said you should really determine what it is that you see as value. Price is one part of it, but what about theming, amenities, EMHs, free parking, Dinsey Magical Express (airport transportation service which is only available to Disney Resorts), being able to use your room key to make purchases at the parks, Disney Transportation etc.
For me, I do like to feel immersed in Disney and really enjoy the theming. It's the reason why I'm there. If I just wanted a nice hotel room, I could easily stay off resort, but pretty hotel rooms with fancy amenities don't impress me. Give me a nice place to lay my head and I'm happy - just make sure that while I'm there I feel like I'm still experiencing something special. You can get that feeling at a value resort, but the theming is really just some big statues of things stuck to large rectangular buildings. Don't get me wrong I've stayed there and really been comfortable and happy with my choice, but for my money, the step up in theming of the moderate resorts are worth it when I have a few extra bucks kicking around (if I don't i go with a value resort). I am partial to POR and POFQ at the moderate level and Pop Century for value.
Again, the things which matter to me most are theming, Extra magic hours and free parking. So I try to balance value for money when considering those things.
I think one of the most important questions you should ask yourself is how much time do you plan on spending at your resort. Do you plan to eat there? Swim? Use the gym? Shop? Get spa treatments? etc. then ask How often? If the answer is a lot of "no"s to these questions, or a few "yes"s but you won't do it often, then you should put more value on price than amenities like restaurants, pools, etc.
Good luck and enjoy the excitement of planning your trip, it can honestly be almost as much fun as the trip itself.
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Mr.Skunkape
Well-Known Member
To me if you are going to spend a fair amount of time at your resort a moderate resort is nice compaired to the cost of a deluxe. Now if you plan to spend all day in the parks from open to close and only use your resort for sleeping go with a value resort
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slappy magoo
Well-Known Member
Best for the money is just too vague a term, as everyone else is intimating.
Swan and Dolphin are bad-a$$, especially with those rates. Granted, the theming is nothing like Disney, and for some people, they feel less like "Disney." Another thing to consider at those resorts is that, while parking at the parks may be free if you stay at Swan or Dolphin, parking at those resorts is not. And the fee is per 24-hour period. Keep that in mind when pricing.
Sometimes, during off-seasons, Disney will offer incredibly low prices on staying in Studio rooms at Old Key West or Saratoga Springs. Even though these resorts are Disney Vacation Resorts, the price will not force you to sit through a sales shpiel (though you're welcome to take a tour if you want). I think it often winds up being 160 or so a night for rooms that often go for 100 more than that. Something to keep an eye on.
Now, barring all that, if I had to stay in a Value, I'd choose Pop, for the better bus line and the fact that, when large tour groups are put in Value resorts, it's usually one of the All-Stars. None of the Values intrigues me, however.
Out of the moderates, POFQ is the smallest, but there are fewer amenities and things to do without going to the sister resort, POR. I'd choose POR or Coronado. There are more quiet pools at Riverside, if that makes a difference.
Values, probably Wilderness Lodge, there are a lot of nice things to do onsite, and you're a boat ride away from the MK. Plus there's boats, buses and walking paths to Fort Wilderness. So, you're talking fun things to do onsite and good access to other resorts. I love Animal Kingdom Lodge, and the onsite savannah is a unique experience anywhere except in place with actual savannahs. But in exchange, you are pretty isolated.
Swan and Dolphin are bad-a$$, especially with those rates. Granted, the theming is nothing like Disney, and for some people, they feel less like "Disney." Another thing to consider at those resorts is that, while parking at the parks may be free if you stay at Swan or Dolphin, parking at those resorts is not. And the fee is per 24-hour period. Keep that in mind when pricing.
Sometimes, during off-seasons, Disney will offer incredibly low prices on staying in Studio rooms at Old Key West or Saratoga Springs. Even though these resorts are Disney Vacation Resorts, the price will not force you to sit through a sales shpiel (though you're welcome to take a tour if you want). I think it often winds up being 160 or so a night for rooms that often go for 100 more than that. Something to keep an eye on.
Now, barring all that, if I had to stay in a Value, I'd choose Pop, for the better bus line and the fact that, when large tour groups are put in Value resorts, it's usually one of the All-Stars. None of the Values intrigues me, however.
Out of the moderates, POFQ is the smallest, but there are fewer amenities and things to do without going to the sister resort, POR. I'd choose POR or Coronado. There are more quiet pools at Riverside, if that makes a difference.
Values, probably Wilderness Lodge, there are a lot of nice things to do onsite, and you're a boat ride away from the MK. Plus there's boats, buses and walking paths to Fort Wilderness. So, you're talking fun things to do onsite and good access to other resorts. I love Animal Kingdom Lodge, and the onsite savannah is a unique experience anywhere except in place with actual savannahs. But in exchange, you are pretty isolated.
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