How Important Are The Resorts To You?

[DVC Dave]

How much of your Disney World enjoyment comes from the resort hotels? Is staying at a WDW resort (and visiting other WDW resorts) an important part of your experience, or do you view your lodging as just a place to sleep and shower between park hopping?

For our family, staying on property is very important. The service and atmospherre you get at a Disney run hotel, to us, is so much better than anything else. We always say our vacation starts when we pull into the front of the Disney resort we are staying at. We do normally stay longer than 7 days so its nice to have a place to go back to that if we need a break from the parks we can still have some fun.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

As long as I have the money I would never stay of site again, well that and we joined the DVC. That said we stay at the Hard Rock hotel for a few days while we visit Universal and again I would find it hard to stay anywhere else, I even prefer it to Disney resorts

 

[BRER DAD]

I have stayed off site before and didnt like it. It didnt feel like I was at Disney at all. I love staying at the Disney resorts, even the value resorts are not to bad. Staying at the Disney resorts is the only way to do Disney for me.

 

[disney lover2]

If i could afford to stay on site i would love to, but can some one tell me after the parks are closed does everyone go to bed or do the hotels have entertainment all night.. We have always had villas but this June we are staying in Lake Beuna Vista in the comfort Inn.... cheap and comfortable... as Disney is the place to be.

Realy cant wait 62 days to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:lol: Yippee

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

If i could afford to stay on site i would love to, but can some one tell me after the parks are closed does everyone go to bed or do the hotels have entertainment all night.. We have always had villas but this June we are staying in Lake Beuna Vista in the comfort Inn.... cheap and comfortable... as Disney is the place to be.

Realy cant wait 62 days to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:lol: Yippee

I have never stayed in that area but its not far from a lot of aresa if you have transport.

Downtown Disney and Pleasure Island are evening entertainment districts with things for most tastes. I tend to be a themepark junky so its early starts and dont leaver till the parks close so I tend not to be looking for party style entertainment.

There are some pretty good crazy golf courses in that area, and several good places to eat.

 

[Laura]

In 2005, my friend and I were doing a "cheap" trip down. We already had Annual Passes, so we didn't have to worry about admission costs. My parents had a timeshare week banked in the RCI network that was "use-it-or-lose-it", so they gave it to me. We traded into a condo at Orange Lake Country Club, which is just west of WDW. (The new Western Beltway actually runs through the OLCC property)

That's where I'm staying in December and I can't wait! :wave:

I've stayed on site about 10 times and off-site in condos about 10 times. I like both, but I've found that my vacations where I've stayed in the condos and was able to sprawl out and be comfortable and eat breakfast at my kitchen table in my pajamas were the most relaxing.

 

[bgraham34]

For me it is very important. If I am not at the Lodge I am so sad. It just adds so much more magic for us. I think a lot has to do with the proximity to the Magic Kingdom which is our favorite park.

 

[k.hunter30]

honestly, some of my favorite Disney memories is waking up in my WDW resort room, walking outside with the charming Disney melodies in the background, filling up my refillable mug with coffee in the main building and strolling back to the room to get ready for a busy day at the park... Ahhh... I can't wait!

 

[ryguy]

To me the resorts are what make WDW different than most theme parks in the world. I love how each resort is themed. Basically I can travel all over the world, just by visiting all the different themed hotels. It truly is a unique experience.

 

[ToTBellHop]

the resorts are vital to my vacation. The few times I have tried staying off-site have been a real pain and drawn away from the magic so much. Only on-site for me in the future. Over at Disneyland, I feel differently--maybe if they add some heavily-themed resorts in the future, I'll feel obliged to stay exclusively on property, but for now, and unthemed Paradise Pier Hotel at deluxe resort prices is not good enough.

 

[diddy_mouse]

Muy importante...

Refillable mugs... the piped-in background music loops, the pool bars, the park maps in the lobby, the "Walt Disney Resorts" ballpoint pens and stationery...

...enjoying the bus ride back 'round park closing, with the lights off, a baby crying in the back, a dim, almost silent roar everywhere else... driving through the resort gate and buying a last-minute box of Mickey-embossed squares of mint milk chocolate in the resort gift shop, about to call it a day...

...yeah...

Couldn't agree more with this!

There is just something about coming back to your resort after a full day of doing whatever. I keep telling my DH: "Just think about when we take the boat from MK back to the WL at night...." It's that feeling of being totally emmersed in WDW. We like being able to escape the "norm" and for us that starts when we check into our resort.

Oooh! 1001 posts!!!!

 

[Joece]

A vacation to Disney without the Wilderness Lodge would not be a vacation to Disney, it's the icing on the cake. The distance to MK, plus the boat ride, which we find a lot more relaxing than the monorail, is great. We also love being able to spend an entire day out on Bay Lake on the Boston Whaler or Speed Racer boats, than being able to hop back into the pool. We also like the seclusion of the Lodge, and the safety of it. For a resort so close to MK, you feel like it is your own little world.

We like the Hyatt Grand Cypress for a mostly Universal vacation, which does not happen now of days, so we are always onsite and at the Lodge

If not the Lodge, we like the Beach and Yacht Club a ton also.

 

[MJMcBride]

I love staying on property, but it doesn't really matter where. The Boardwalk is my favorite, but as long as I have a bed and park tickets, I'm OK

 

[lilclerk]

I stayed offsite when I went in high school. I thought it was great. But this year, I went with my boyfriend and our friend, we stayed at ASMovies, and it was... amazing. I mean, yes it was a value resort, but that's all we need. I loved the mornings that they slept in and I would take our mugs to get us coffee/hot chocolate, walking by the Dalmations buildings in the muggy Florida air (I'm crazy, I love humidity) and singing the Kanine Krunchies song. Nevermind relaxing after a long day of walking by watching Disney Resort TV.
It just made me feel like I was really THERE, even though I knew I was.
Last night, my 10 year old nephew and I were watching a video of the monorail going through the Contemporary, and he was completely amazed. He's never been to the world and I decided that when I take him next year I'll splurge on our last night and we'll stay at the Contemp.
Can't wait :sohappy:

 

[EMThompsen]

If you're not into all things Disney- can you imagine- then staying off site can be a good thing & easier on the wallet. But staying at the resorts makes the Disney experience so much more enjoyable. Not having to find a parking spot and rembemering where you parked the car for one thing. Dealing with Disney transporation can be just as bad come to think of it. But being able to go back to the room to relax a bit before going to another park or getting ready for dinner is great. There's also something about being able to sit on the balcony of your room. Perhaps watching the fireworks and tuning the TV to the station that plays the music that goes with the fireworks.Or late at night unwinding after a day of fun...watching the colors change on the castle at the Magic Kingdom...and watching the moon over Seven Seas Lake...just taking in WDW ...It's magic!!!!

 

[KaliSplash]

When I first went to Disney, there was only the Contemporary, the Polynesian, the Disney Inn (now Shades of Green) and Fort Wilderness.

So we always stayed offsite. After they built the Carribean Beach Resort (which offered rooms for like $75, we tried it. Haven't been off-site since.

The Contemporary, the Grand Floridian, the Wilderness Lodge, All Star Music and All Star Sports, enjoyed them all.

But especiallyt he Wilderness Lodge!

For all the reasons every has mentioned above

 

[mousebymarriage]

We have stayed both off site and on-site many times and I think for us on-site is really part of the Disney experience. The kids love the fact that we are staying on Disney property and just the themimg all around us 24 hours a day really makes it feel like vacation!

 

[durangojim]

I agree that for those of us who aren't as cocerned about "value", on site resorts are the only way to go. There's just something too darn cool about taking a boat from the MK to your hotel or walking from Epcot to your room. It definately keeps the magic going and makes for a much more relaxing experience.

 

[slappy magoo]

If i could afford to stay on site i would love to, but can some one tell me after the parks are closed does everyone go to bed or do the hotels have entertainment all night.. We have always had villas but this June we are staying in Lake Beuna Vista in the comfort Inn.... cheap and comfortable... as Disney is the place to be.

Realy cant wait 62 days to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:lol: Yippee

Each resort has varying degrees of entertainment, plus some resorts are close enough to other resorts or entertanining venues to make it all feel somehow more-connected. For instance, Wilderness Lodge is a Deluxe resort with 2 restaurants, a fast-food joint, lounges, sweetly themed pool, a view for the Water Pageant, plus water craft rental and arcades, etc. But it's also a short walk or bus ride over to Fort Wilderness, where you have the nightly campfires, outdoor movies, hayrides, carriage rides, HoopDeDoo Musical Revue and dinner, Mickey's BBQ, and all their amenities.

If you're in a monorail resort, you have access to three resorts worth of resturants, lounges, arcades, the Poly Luau, pools, spas, and other amenities. Staying at Shades of Green, it's only a short walk to the Poly, and then you have access to the other monorail resorts as well.

Staying in Yacht Club, Beach Club, Swan or Dolphin means you're walking distance from the Boardwalk (as well as to each of the other said resorts). The Boardwalk has dance clubs, piano bars, plenty of restaurants, games and nightly entertainment. Swan has karaoke. Beach Club has one of the best burger joints anywhere in Beaches & Cream.

And if you're in the Port Orleans, Old Key West or Saratoga Springs resorts, you're a boat ride away from Downtown Disney/Pleasure Island/La Nouba. Granted, all of the resorts can access Downtown Disney by bus, but the boat ride is pretty sweet.

CBR, Cornoado Springs and the Values is where you might feel short changed in regards to on-site entertainment options, especially at night. But the poolside bars are open to (I think) 11 or so, and the mods have nice relaxing indoor lounges and more amenities. Coronado also has a gym.

Granted, it's not like characters and jugglers and parades are happening everywhere you look wherever you are, but there are plenty of things to do. And at the very least, bus service to Pleasure Island insures grownups can drink without worrying about driving back to their resort, fighting for a cab, etc. And while at Downtown Disney, whole families can enjoy shopping, movies, La Nouba, the restaurants with their own in-house entertainment, Disney Quest and the two show-based Pleasure Island clubs, Comedy Warehouse & Adventurer's Club. Even if Mom and/or Dad don't get drunk, if they're too TIRED to drive...buses. Pleasure Island closes at 2 am, plenty of nighttime entertainment.

 

[bayoutinkbelle]

They're fine, maybe for a family of 2 or 3. But from experience, squeezing 4 into one of those itty bitty rooms is just too claustrophobic for me. And like I said, I'm paying less per night to stay in a top of the line 2 bedroom condo around the corner, so to me that is a lot more "magical".

Four people in a room at Pop for five days or so? I'd be ready for some breathing room after that. It's only been two to a room in my experiences, which is just right.