How much time to you "really" spend at the resorts?

[~msminniemouse~]

You can add me to the "Go to Disney to do Disney!" We use to stay off grounds when we first started to go, then we tried the ASmovies and loved it the kids were younger,then tried POP and really liked it, next we upgraded our package to a moderate one time and really enjoyed the POR, but went back to staying at the POP, it suits all of us. We are up and gone early and arrive back late. So we just need a place to lay our poor old worn out heads......:snore::snore::snore:

 

[Erika]

When we went in the past it was always without young kids and your assumption would be correct for us- most of our time was spent at the parks or checking out the other resorts, DTD, etc. Next time we go I can already see it will be a different story. We'll have to slow our pace quite a bit and I'm thinking it might be worth it to spend a few extra bucks for a better room.

 

[Phonedave]

We (My two kids and I) somtimes spend almost no time awake at the resort, and at other times spend a couple of hours at the resort.

Regardless of if I am spending loads of time at the resort or not, I like the deluxe resorts. Thats why I bought into the DVC.

Is it a waste of money from the sense that I could do it cheaper - sure it is. However I do enjoy the deluxe resorts. I enjoy the better themeing, the bigger rooms, the less of a "Motel 6" feel, the nicer pools, the dining options that don't make me feel like I am back in my college dining hall.

I dont't spend my money carelessly. I cook most meals at home, brown bag lunch at work, still drive my 2001 car, etc. When I do choose to spend money, as Miss M said, I want to do it right. It's all a matter of trade offs. I used to be a Pop Century, bring food for breakfast in the room, fly at odd hours for cheapest rates, kind of guy. Now, if the one big trip that my kids and I take to WDW each year costs me an extra $400 or so, but we have a much more relxing time - an actual vacation (As Tigsmom said, if I want to feel stressed, rushed, an on a schedule/deadline, I'll go to work) and come back all the happier for having spent that money.

-dave

 

[jonnyc]

When we go we spend quite a bit of time at the resort, after a full day we are pretty beat, AKL is our favourite and just has great surroundings.

Although saying that, i'm only 18 and my rents have payed for every trip ive been on to the world. I'm sure when i have pay i might have a different view .

 

[Atomicmickey]

Last time we were there, it was cool, so no pool for us.
We basically slept at the resort, ate breakfast and left. However, it was so nice
to just get on the bus and get dropped off at Port Orleans,
beautiful grounds.

Every night, I'd go into the general store, buy a delicious FIVE DOLLAR
bottle of BUDWEISER, :brick:, and take a leisurely stroll out to our room.

Yup, the Disney Magic really works, if it can get me to pay five
bucks for a Bud, which I would normally not even touch, lol.

Anyway, the point is, we didn't spend much time there. But we loved
it, anyway.

 

[Ajleone]

What's the point of spending all that money if you're not going to be there or only just for sleeping?:snore:

I spend the money for comfort. I find that with the values I feel so cramped that I can't relax and we just seem to tripping over each other especially when getting ready. Also I love going to the hot tub every night.

 

[mouselvrmom]

We used to be go, go, go on our trips. But lately we have been trying to slow down a bit and enjoy the scenery around us. On our last trip in October, we actually spent a bit of time at our resort. We spent quite a few days at the pool, and took some time to walk around the resort and walk to DTD. It was actually really nice.

 

[trav1921]

There are definate arguments to both sides. Me on the other hand have seen just about all you can see at the parks. Last year in sept we spent more time around the resorts and dtd and had more fun than we usually do. I think its because when we used to go it was open and close the park everyday for 5 or six days straight but wonder why we would hit a wall around day 3.5 to 4. Taking our time is def much more enjoyable in my eyes.

 

[jen2009]

Every trip we take, we say we are going to spend one day just relaxing by the pool. Tons of trips later, we still have not spent a single day at the resort. we vow to do this on our trip in December. So, we have never actually spent a day at the resort.

 

[magicmaya]

9 hours each day.........for sleeping :wave::wave:

 

[Susan Savia]

We spend very little time in the resort. Our normal plan is to go the the park with EEH, so we're at the bus stop by 7:30 at the latest, then do not return until the parks close. No return for naps or swims. We're at Disney to do Disney. Naps and swims I can do at home.

That is the reason we do not stay onsite at a Disney Resort! We believe in going at rope drop (9am) and we normally do not leave until after the fireworks to go back to our motel which is just outside the parks. Yes, they are long days, but thats what we paid all that money for. Napping and swimming are things we can do anytime at home. We dont need all the theming in a motel room and having our car parked right outside out door is great. The $ we save by Not staying on property allows us to take several other trips each year.

 

[stonehill1968]

We're fortunate enough to be able to stay deluxe when we go, and we feel it's worth it for several reasons. We usually split our stays between Beach Club and AKL. Being able to "walk home" to BC from our Epcot and Studios days is great, and with the great pool at Yacht and Beach, we do try a "resort day" there. We love the immersion; we don't rent a car, preferring a town car for airport transportation - we leave the real world behind totally. For us, Animal Kingdom is a 2-3 day park (being animal people, plus we do Sunrise Safari and Behind the Scenes tours) so we move to AKL for our time there, and wrap up our stay with one or two more days at MK while based at AKL.

Another factor that we like with deluxe is that - and I don't mean anything perjorative here - we don't have to deal with hordes of tour group, football, or cheerleader munchkins at the resort. We're all in it together at the parks, but when we settle down for the night, it's great to be in more quiet surroundings, and for us, that is part of the magic. We also tend to do some room service breakfasts to get fueled for an early start.

 

[Beccone]

when we go without the kids about 3 hours to sleep and half an hour for breakfast.

add an hour for sleep and another half hour with the kids

we go with the moderates and nothing below for the simple fact its a more pleasant experience and cleaner and overall better class of people

I'm sorry I just have to ask, what do you mean by a better class of people?

 

[dsnyfreak]

well i really think that would depend on if you are bringing kids with you or not. Or even extended family. If i was to bring my parents or even my grandparents they , like me and my dh, would want to sleep in and have a nice breakfast and relax with a cup of coffee on the patio of balcony, but if i was to bring my kids no time for coffee on the patio watching boats or birds or the like. "go go go go go go now i wanna go now!!! When can we go? I wanna leave now. I wanna ride something!!" blah blah blah you guys know how it goes!!!:d

 

[macsmom]

I'm sorry I just have to ask, what do you mean by a better class of people?

Thank you for being the one who asked. I actually had to step away from the computer when I read that.

I stay at the POP - a value resort - simply because if I want to go, I have to save my money all year long. That does not put me in a lower class than someone who stays at a deluxe.

danna

P.S. I get up with the EMH, have a good breakfast and spend hours at the park. But, I have learned to go back to the resort and take a nap or swim in the middle of the afternoon then go back and spend my time at the parks til the end.

 

[DisneyChik17]

We don't plan too too much of our trips anymore, and I love it that way. I like to be up for AM-EMH and love staying through the PM-EMH, but if anyone is sleepy, they go back and go to sleep. We tend to start the day together, but we sleep until we wake up. When we get to the parks, we are leisurely. No running or rushing, it's just unneeded in our trips. So, our time there varies, but it's never "Let's take the day and sit around here."

I LOVE the POP Century because it is so adorable. We may come back to the room before a nicer dinner, or a dinner at another resort and shower/change, then walk the huge loop around the POP and head out. I love reading the signs, taking pictures of the buildings, and just enjoying the place, but never for a whole day. I would be bored to tears!

 

[macsmom]

This past trip - the beginning of this month - I was surprised at how short the lines were for the attractions. So many were walk-ons or 5-10 minutes. The crowds were very manageable and I actually spent more time at POP than I have my past 2 trips. I am famous among my friends for naps and they served me well this trip. I did more in the parks and spent more time at the resort. I am thinking that going at the end of April/beginning of May is a good time.

danna

 

[balletgirl2]

Every year is a little bit different for me with the amount of time that I spend at the resort. "Doing Disney" for me includes the resort. Yes the parks are a large part of it, but I go on vacation to relax too. So I really do enjoy spending time at the resort and pretending it is "home" even though it is just for a week. I definitely do more than just sleep there. I enjoy meandering around a taking a ton of pictures. It gives my husband and I some time to just chill out in a really peaceful and beautiful place that really relaxes us. You have fun at the parks, but do not really relax. I have done Disney in the "go go go " mode and I then come back home more tired than when I left. I need to relax on vacation and the deluxe resorts do this for me. This year I am going to the Grand Floridian so I will probably spend more time at the resort than usual because it is the Grand Floridian.

 

[LoriMistress]

DH and I would love to stay at a moderate or a deluxe resort, but it's the price that's holding us back. But we honestly don't mind staying at a value resort. DH and I love POP!!! We used the resort to our fullest. DH used the pool, while I enjoyed taking naps during the early afternoon after visiting the parks in the morning, freshen up, and head either to DTD/PI, visiting another park, or visiting a deluxe resort for a nice dinner. Plus, we enjoy the refillable mugs.

 

[Chrononymous]

On every trip...not only do we spend a few hours a day just hanging out at our hotel, but we also spend a few hours at all the other hotels as well!

I have mostly stayed at Moderates. But there are some pretty wonderful things at all the hotels.

Love just relaxing and watching the water wheel at Port Orleans Riverside
Love morning tea in the Boardwalk
Love the public restrooms at the Grand Floridian (I know...I'm weird)
Love the sound and smell of all the waterfalls in the Poly
Love dashing through the Yacht and Beach during rainstorms
Love just sitting at the little lobby fountain in the Coronado
Love rocking by the fire in the Wilderness
Love the incredible veiw in the AK Lodge

Well...you get the idea...

The resorts are always a highlight of our trips.

Even if we have only a few days, sometimes we would rather take a hotel detour than wait around for a ride we have experienced a dozen times.