I'm currently holding reservations at both hotels. I am traveling for a six night 5-day quick Trip in June. Yes, I know it'll be hotter than surface of the Sun. This is not my choice. It is for nephew's graduation. This is what he wants to do and he wants me there so I will be there. In any event, the rest of my family is staying at the boardwalk which is completely out of my budget. I have booked both the CBR and akl. It's about 800 or difference. I've always kind of wanted to stay. I am jealous because they will get those two extra hours at least two nights we are there and it's kind of killing me that I will have to leave when they're all whooping it up. My question is, is it worth it to pay that extra money to be able to get those extra hours? Can you really do a lot during that time? And what is the transportation really like from AKL? I love the Caribbean because I love the skyliner. It is so quick and so easy.
I know it'd actually be cheaper for me too. Just book the extra hour events that 3-hour ones but they won't be doing that so I'd be there by myself. What say you?
1. I often go to WDW in summer. To me, it is hot, but low 90's mostly feels like summer to me. At least that is why I choose to visit in summer. I strongly encourage you to try to acclimate yourself to summer heat as much as possible. Years ago, I found spending lots of time outdoors ahead of my vacation made the heat even less of an issue. There is a good deal of science to back this up.
2. To answer your question about the extra PM hours, they are a toss-up. If itis a nice night, your group feels up to it, and the park is not crowded, then the extra hours can be fun, and a good opportunity to hit rides like 7D.
On the other hand, if rides are down, you are tired, or the weather doesn't cooperate, they are - fairly often- somewhat of a bust. Storms are common in June, and during storms many rides, like Test Track, stop running. These days, even without storms, it is very common for rides to go down. The last time I was at WDW, and tried to do the extra hours, GoG and TT were down in Epcot. Though both re-opened around 10pm. We had one hour to hit both. During the MK late night, Space Mtn was down.
3. Another option you might want to consider is the Swan/Dolphin/Swan Reserve. While the other resorts you list are lovely, IMO, being close to the Boardwalk will make meeting up easier for your party, and you will also get the benefit of the extra PM hours. As others have suggested, it might pay to keep looking. BUT- if you book one of the WDW hotels as a tentative hold a "room Only" reservation (1-night deposit at WDW) will offer you much more cancelation flexibility than a "package" booking (held w a $200 deposit).
4. I usually have a car when I visit WDW. Getting around via bus is a bit slower. If you opt for the S/DSR, you will be able to walk or take a shuttle boat to your hotel from both Epcot and HS. It has been a while since I took a bus from AKL to the parks, but the speed depends much on the timing. If you get lucky, you don't wait. If you just miss a bus, you wait, and that can eat into rope drop and evening extra hours. We once missed an hour to the extra PM hours, just because it took a long time to get to the park and through the gate.
