Please help with my hotel decision :-)

[tdonald]

I'm going to WDW next June and want to stay on property for around 4 or 5 nights. There will be four of us, all young adult men (who would prefer not to share beds but realize we will probably have to because we can't spend that much $$$). I have been to WDW many many times (and I actually just got an AP on a recent trip I took). The other three in my group have never to WDW, but have all been to DLR many times, so I'm excited to show them the vastness of WDW.
Currently, the options I'm thinking are...
Two (hopefully adjoining) rooms at pop century
Port orleans (I like FQ better but thought it might be a good idea to have the trundle bed at RS. Thoughts?)
Coronado (love the pool and more adult atmosphere, hate how spread out it is)
Or we could splurge a bit more and go for AK lodge or W lodge.
Keep in mind this trip is trying to spend as little $$$ as possible... the only reason we can consider a deluxe is that we'd share it four ways. Should I consider AoA suites? Or swan or dolphin? And lastly does anyone have some knowledge about to expect the room discounts to be like for that time of year (third week of June). Many thanks to any help! I know you guys all know what's up!

 

[Disneydreamer23]

I would get a joining rooms with queen beds, every one gets their own bed! If you are trying to save don't splurge go with what you can any where you stay will be a great time!

 

[rob0519]

Just draw up a rotation and take turns sleeping on the floor. Use the bedspreads as a sleeping bag type mattress and ask housekeeping for extra blankets. They got my friend's son and his other boys from their high school band through three trips to WDW. Honestly though, find the least expensive rooms you can so each of you get their own bed.

 

[UnhealthilyObsessed]

Price out two adjoining Pop Century rooms vs. an AoA suite and go with the cheaper one. Everybody gets their own place to sleep for the least money. Right?

 

[erstwo]

I think it will all depend on what you value most - more 'luxury' or more value? No doubt AKL will feel more of deluxe vacation and the larger room would allow for more floor sleeping if needed. But 2 rooms at Pop or an All Star certainly is inexpensive. And 2 rooms at Pop or All Star is always less expensive than AoA suites plus you'll get4 beds and 2 bathrooms at Pop as opposed to 3 beds and / bathrooms at AoA suite.
Wilderness Lodge does have bunk rooms which will get you three beds. I seem to remember the Poly having two queens and a day bed? Maybe I made that up. I have vague memories of the Beach Club having a day bed as well, but those might have been more suited for a child than an adult.

 

[bchbm2022]

Depending on cost I'd say 2 rooms at Pop Century or a Family Suite at All Star Music cause its got the a regular and pull out bed, pull out chair, and a pull out bed in the ottoman. I may be wrong but i think theres 2 bathrooms as well. With the 4 of you chipping in it wouldn't be bad and everyone gets a bed. Maybe the one in the queen bed pays more or everyone just rotates each night. There is also AoA as already mentioned but i think All Star Music family suites are cheaper. Again I'm not sure tho.

 

[Nemo14]

I'd suggest you contact a travel agent who would have the most up-to-date information for you and will get you any discounts whenever they become available. @Kingdom Konsultant is a sponsor of this site and has an excellent reputation.

 

[tdonald]

Thanks for all the info! Much appreciated!
Can anyone tell me roughly what to expect the discounts to be like? Or what might be likely to be sold out by the time discounts come out?
I'm thinking maybe first choice would be a moderate (regardless of discount), then either two rooms at Pop (they usually only get %15 or %20 off right?), or one of the lodges if they're %30 off or so. Will all of these options still be available when the discounts are released?

 

[Weather_Lady]

If you're wary of sharing beds, but looking to save money by staying together, go for one of the moderates, which (except for CBR) have queen-sized beds and a larger-sized room (along with an in-room coffee maker if anyone in your group is a coffee drinker) and slightly larger storage space for your things. In a moderate resort, you'll also get double sinks and a privacy curtain between the sink area and bedroom, which will be useful for a group. (However, it's a good idea to poll the group ahead of time to make sure all-in-one-room is a good idea. Do you all plan to have a similar daily schedule as far as waking/sleeping? Does anyone snore badly? Take 40-minute showers every morning? Require lots of light (or no light at all) at night? If there are any major concerns, you might be better off with 2 rooms at a value -- even if it costs a little more -- than a single room at a moderate -- in the name of keeping the peace and ensuring that everyone is well-rested.)

Also, although I recommend PORS in general and Alligator Bayou in particular, don't assume you'll be able to make good use of the Murphy bed. They are not a full twin-size: if you have someone in your party who is 5' tall or shorter, it would be great for them -- but anyone taller than that would find the Murphy bed a little too short for comfort. Also, in exchange for that bed, you sacrifice some of the dresser storage space you'd otherwise be getting in that spot.

Finally, I'd avoid AoA suites or any of the deluxe resorts. Even at a discount, they're not going to be a good value (in comparison to the other 2 scenarios you suggest) for four budget-conscious young people.

You can watch the WDW website to see when new discounts come out. Check the historical discount information at http://www.mousesavers.com/historical-information-on-walt-disney-world-resort-discounts/ to get a good idea of what kind of discounts you might anticipate for your dates, and when you can look for them to be released. As you probably already know, if you've already booked your trip and a discount comes out later for your dates/room, you can call WDW (ASAP after the discount is released) and have it applied to your reservation, so you'll get credited back the difference.

 

[ratherbeinwdw]

We had connecting rooms at POP in June. It worked well for us. As for the discount, with my AP the room was 109 on weekdays and 122 on the weekend. They have a bigger bathroom and a larger safe than the mods we've stayed in.

 

[Tinkerbell397]

I would not recommend a "bunk" room at The WL...... My husband and I went to Disney last September and for some strange reason they gave us a bunk room. Bunk rooms are very crowded and the bunks very small not to mention the fact that tops and bottoms have rails and you have to literally crawl into them. The head room for the bottom bunk is...well....claustrophobic to say the least. They are made for children...not adults. I would never recommend those bunks for an adult over 5' tall. My choice, if you do not want to sleep together would be a value or moderate resort with adjoining rooms. Have a Magical Trip!

 

[PigletIsMyCat]

if you're really budget conscious, i'd forget about the deluxe rooms - you're just sleeping there. the nice thing about having two rooms is having two bathrooms - no waiting for EVERYONE to shower or get ready or whatever. the good thing about getting two value rooms is that they'll probably cost the least. they'll also be the smallest and tend to have the busiest bus service. i would really NOT recommend putting four adults in ONE value room, even if all you'll be doing is sleeping there.

however, if you think you can all share a bathroom without issue, go for a moderate - the room will be bigger. i believe riverside now has 'murphy beds' instead of trundles, but you may be able to ask about a cot as well and rotate - two guys get the big boy beds one night, the other two get them the following night, etc. or you can just share beds because in reality you're just sleeping there and you're all adults and good friends. probably not going to be as weird as you think it is, as long as you don't MAKE it weird.

if i were you, seriously price out TWO value rooms versus ONE moderate for your stay. you may find that the cost is very close, and it might be worth it to go for two value rooms if you don't want to share.

 

[officialtom]

We stayed one night at AoA in a Lion King family suite back in March when we had to leave Atlantic Canada a day early to avoid a snow storm, and AoA was the cheapest option available for the one extra night. They actually upgraded us to the fam suite when we checked in. The thing was HUGE. Two bathrooms (the master ensuite had a big gorgeous tiled shower), a very nice queen bed in the master, plus a double-sized murphy bed and a double pull-out couch. I have a few pics in my TR here (scroll down to Day -1 and Day 1): http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/...canadians-march-27-april-3-2014.881727/page-2

If you can get a good price on it, go for it. I mean, AoA is definitely more of a young family resort, but if you're not planning to spend a lot of time laying around anyway, and want to hang out mostly at the parks, it would definitely make sense for you.

That all said, we love POR and have stayed there 3 times. It's relaxed, spacious, calm, and the service is always A++++.

 

[Nemo14]

if you're really budget conscious, i'd forget about the deluxe rooms - you're just sleeping there. the nice thing about having two rooms is having two bathrooms - no waiting for EVERYONE to shower or get ready or whatever. the good thing about getting two value rooms is that they'll probably cost the least. they'll also be the smallest and tend to have the busiest bus service. i would really NOT recommend putting four adults in ONE value room, even if all you'll be doing is sleeping there.

however, if you think you can all share a bathroom without issue, go for a moderate - the room will be bigger. i believe riverside now has 'murphy beds' instead of trundles, but you may be able to ask about a cot as well and rotate - two guys get the big boy beds one night, the other two get them the following night, etc. or you can just share beds because in reality you're just sleeping there and you're all adults and good friends. probably not going to be as weird as you think it is, as long as you don't MAKE it weird.

if i were you, seriously price out TWO value rooms versus ONE moderate for your stay. you may find that the cost is very close, and it might be worth it to go for two value rooms if you don't want to share.

Another thing to factor into that cost is that you will pay an additional $30 ($15 each at the mods)for the 3rd and 4th adult in the room should you try to squeeze into one room.

 

[bchbm2022]

Theres a bunch of great info on here so just do as much research as you on prices, what you are looking for in a resort, and what your friends want to do. Personally with my family we like to enjoy the amenities that the resorts offer and not just use the hotel as a place to sleep, such as pool days, renting boats, and just exploring. Therefore when we are able to we go for a moderate or when we have enough of our dvc points saved, we get a 1 bedroom villa. Like i said use the tips people gave here, do research, maybe even speak with a travel agent with the disney travel company or someone else who has a lot knowledge on all your questions, and then discuss with your friends what you want to do.

 

[KCheatle]

The only reason we splurge on Deluxe hotels is because my kids are young and we spend about as much time at the hotel sleeping or swimming as we do in the parks. When they get older, we will be in the parks all day, so there's no reason to have a nice hotel.

Since you are 4 adults, I say save the money from the Deluxe hotel and share beds at a Value. All you do there is sleep. You will not regret the savings. Maybe consider a moderate? But, from my perspective, the Pop is the same as the Coronado except that the Coronado has a slide at the pool. Otherwise, the walking distances were the same, the amount of people was the same, the inconvenience of the buses was the same. So, I'd rather just save the money and stay at Pop.

 

[gooftroop5]

As a family of 5 we are always looking for max beds/space and min $$.

A couple of suggestions.......Cabins at Fort Wilderness actually have FOUR beds. They are technically in the moderate category, but are a little more than a moderate. We have booked them in the summer for 20-25% discount. The cabins are usually cheaper than AoA suites.

Renting DVC points is another suggestion, but you're not going to get FOUR beds unless you splurge on a 2 bedroom. I also think OKW is the only studio with 2 beds. Those will both cost you more money.

Otherwise.....yup......go with connecting rooms at a value.