Resort Dilemma: Need Honesty

[surfsupdon]

Family of 4 vacationing 12/26--1/4 two parents, me and my sis both upper teens

We have reservations at both Caribbean Beach and WDW Dolphin currently. We have stayed 11 times previous at CB (as you can tell form my numerous prior posts of how we LOVE it there and everyone should try it) and have stayed at the Dolphin once before. We are going at Christmastime, (Holiday Rates!!) so rooms at CB are 260/night while rooms at the Dolphin with the teacher discount are 129/night. Obviously my parents will be saving beaucoup money at Dolphin, but none of us know what we want to do yet. We all want and prefer CB, but we have been there plenty of times before; we prefer the Disney Resort feel to the hotel feel of Dolphin. Granted the Dolphin has walkways to Epcot and MGM, and they have a weightroom, but we would miss staying at CB.

You think we should suck it up and stay at Dolphin with their whimsical freakish themeing, or pay it up and go for CB for the sentimentality and beautiful themeing, but worse location?

Its a win win either way, dont get me wrong, but I need a good kick in the butt! Thanks all!!:xmas:

 

[rokcandy]

Just remember that you can visit CB whenever you feel like (by car or bus hopping) and get to 2 resorts and 2 theme parks very quickly, while saving 130 bucks a night. And this is coming from a CB fanatic like yourself.

 

[Bagheera]

Originally posted by LivefortheMouse
well in my oppinion i would never stay at dolphin just because of the fact that though its in disney property its really owned by sheraton.

Actually, it's OWNED by the Tishman Hotel Corporation, and OPERATED by STARWOOD HOTELS & RESORTS. The Dolphin used to be Sheraton and the Swan used to be Westin, and both chains were bought by Starwood.

 

[epcotisbest]

Originally posted by Stefffe

however.....if we were offered an upgrade to AKL.... (for a difference of about $100 over the course of the stay)...would any of you choose to go to AKL?...or stay in Riverside at PO. and .....if you could think like a 6 yr old when you answer this...i would be quite thankful

~stefffe~

Hi again steffe,
Having stayed at both places, I can honestly say both are great places but if the difference in the stay amounts to only $100.00 over the entire stay, I would pick the AKL. It is a wonderful place with great views and resturants. Children will love the pool area and being able to see the animals. This is not as difficult a choice as one that has over $1000.00 difference in costs. Riverside at PO has the better, more central location, and if that matters, pick it.

Now, thinkiing like a six year old...."wow mom did you see the giraffe over there?....look! an elephant....what kind of animal is that?....this place is so cool!"

 

[Ijones88]

:wave: Hey Surfsupdon!! I know you might not be able to change your vacation days, but this is what we did last Christmas. We booked CS Dec.24-Jan 2, that way we got the cheaper rate for the room. It was $129/ngt compared to $259/ngt or something like that. But we didnt actually plan on arriving til Dec. 26th. So I hopped the cheap flt to orl on Dec. 24th checked in to the hotel, put some Christmas presents in the room for the wife and kids, did some Disney shopping then flew back home that afternoon. It was a crazy idea but it did save us lots of bucks. We actually drove down on the 26th and our room was ready to go. The kids couldnt figure out how the presents got in the room!! it was so funny!! Anyway, it might be something to think about next time, it worked well for us.

By the way, if anyone else has tried something crazy like this, let me know... I'd like to hear other stories!!!

 

[Stefffe]

Originally posted by epcotisbest
Hi again steffe,
Having stayed at both places, I can honestly say both are great places but if the difference in the stay amounts to only $100.00 over the entire stay, I would pick the AKL. It is a wonderful place with great views and resturants. Children will love the pool area and being able to see the animals. This is not as difficult a choice as one that has over $1000.00 difference in costs. Riverside at PO has the better, more central location, and if that matters, pick it.

Now, thinkiing like a six year old...."wow mom did you see the giraffe over there?....look! an elephant....what kind of animal is that?....this place is so cool!"

well it looks like it will be Riverside

and a bit later than we had thought.....since the October dates we wanted were full.....we have bumped it back a bit into the first week of november. i tell ya...these fairytale packages are wonderful....and to think that i get to take my little girl to WDW and actually be able to afford to stay exactly where we wanted to ....if everyone out there doesnt take advantage of these rates then you are really missing out

now the big question .....how do i keep it a secret from her for 4 months without just bursting???? agony.......... :animwink:

Chasing the mouse....

:sohappy:
~stefffe~

 

[Married@WDW]

Originally posted by Bagheera
Actually, it's OWNED by the Tishman Hotel Corporation, and OPERATED by STARWOOD HOTELS & RESORTS. The Dolphin used to be Sheraton and the Swan used to be Westin, and both chains were bought by Starwood.

Technically speaking, aren't they owned by Disney and leased to Tishman/Starwood? They do have many Disney guidelines they need to follow.

While we haven't stayed at D&S, we went for a visit on our most recent trip, had a FANTASTIC meal at Palio and truly enjoyed the whole experience.

 

[figmentmom]

Don - go for the Dolphin stay! I don't think you can possible lose. You'll be VERY close to the magic of EPCOT and the Boardwalk, and everything else will be a short hop away on Disney transportation. Spend the extra $$ on something special everyone will always remember - reservations somewhere extravagant will work!

 

[timoteo]

If you really love Carribean beach then it is probably the Themeing, building scale, color, texture and landscaping. If that is what you like then from an architect's point of view (me). I would suggest you consider. Riverside, and maybe Coronado. Also Old Key West Resort has a similar feel to CB. I do not think you will be ahppy at the Swan or Dolphin. The scale of theose hotels is just the opposite.

 

[Dwarful]

while I did vote for saving the money for some other use, a splurge you never usually do perhaps, or a future repeat trip maybe, you must really decide what will make you happy. for us just getting to go makes us happy, we spend very little time at the resorts and right now, the kids are young and they love All Stars (movies is their fav.). But honestly, can you really be all that "unhappy" when you get to go to WDW, esp. that time of the year?

 

[Bagheera]

Originally posted by Married@WDW
Technically speaking, aren't they owned by Disney and leased to Tishman/Starwood? They do have many Disney guidelines they need to follow.

While we haven't stayed at D&S, we went for a visit on our most recent trip, had a FANTASTIC meal at Palio and truly enjoyed the whole experience.

As far as I know, the land is owned by Disney, the hotels are owned by Tishman and operated by Starwood. Part of the deal, I believe.

 

[DisneyPhD]

Originally posted by surfsupdon
We have stayed at both CB and Dolphin during Christmastime so have seen the decorations. Both are beautiful. My mom and I are okay with Dolphin, my dad and sister are gung-ho for Caribbean Beach. Honestly, for Dolphin being a 4star deluxe, the rooms were nothing at all special!!!! CB rooms are much more preferable!!

We've stayed at Dixie Landings too, POR, and it was a great place, glad we tried. And we went back to CB next year. So we know we'll be going back to Disney within a year or 2, so I think we can def stay at Dolphin again and pass on CB only to return during an un-peak rate time. I mean, a "moderate" for 250/night!!

Thank you all for your great input, and if you have anymore, let me know, b/c i will be coaxing my dad for Dolphin I think. Though money does talk, we needs more reason than that.:xmas:

Youre all the best
-Don

That sounds like a good plan, I mean it just aint right to spend that kind of money at CB, that is one of the things that makes CB so great (and other mods too) the moderate price. 260 a night is not a moderate amount. Espcailly when you can do it another time and pay 150 a night (not sure what the mod prices are going for now a days, it was 119 when we started going in March 1996) I mean we got Poly for 189 a night Dec 13 to 22 2001.

Have a great trip and make sure your dad spends some of saved money on you!!!!!!

Mrs. PhD

 

[Ijones88]

I think thats what

 

[rokcandy]

Whoo I'm glad I found this post because now my parents are interested in S&D (my mom's a teacher). Since we usually go to CB during post-Christmas and New Year's or Spring Break, w/ the holiday rates. Helps me out a lot...