The Single Best Resort from All the Moderate and Deluxe Resorts???

[Crush Dude!]

Hi folks heading to the world in bwt 10 days for 3 weeks staying at Pop Century! When i was 12 i stayd at All Star Music with my uncle and last year i started my own trips after 10 years and stayd at All Star Movies with my DGF and her DD and only switchd to Pop Century coz d bus shared way too much last year 4 my liking and pop had hundreds of dem in comparison! Anyway, on to my point, next year wev sum work to do with our house and were completely changing our garden so beyond a miracle it will be 2011 before we return to the world (hopefully for wdw 40th birthday celebrations) and given a 2 year break im pretty sure we will be able to afford a minimum of 3 weeks at a mod or a deluxe and in my opinion u guys are brill for info and uv all had sum great trips to d world (loving disneygirl76 trip report of the Grand Floridian) and prob more than i will ever get 2 have in my lifetime so i want to hear everyones opinion on what the best mod or deluxe is out of all the resorts in The World????? Your opinions/reviews will be greatly appreciated and will influence my choice, thanx very much in advance for any and all opinions!!

 

[Crush Dude!]

I've stayed at all the moderates except POFQ and I would pick POR. It's so nice and relaxed, great pool, good table service place and great food court,

The deluxes are harder to pick from I think. I've done WL, Poly, Contemporary, and AKL. I think I would pick the Poly because it has both great theming and location. The location of the Contemporary (and so fabulos CMs) can not be beat and the theming and enviroment at AKL is out of this world but it is so far away. So I would chose the Poly.

The Polynesian, just seems to have an aura about it, im looking 4ward to dining at ohana and the kona cafe this year, maybe il see what all the fuss is about :sohappy:

 

[elisatonks]

My faves are wilderness lodge and Beach.

AKL would be my favorite if it wasn't so out of the way.

 

[Crush Dude!]

My faves are wilderness lodge and Beach.

AKL would be my favorite if it wasn't so out of the way.

Is it a big thing that its so far out of the way?? Or is it worth it for the amazing theme???

 

[elisatonks]

Is it a big thing that its so far out of the way?? Or is it worth it for the amazing theme???

the theme is amazing, but i found the novelty wears off after a couple of nights and a very long bus journey back from all the parks except AK late at night is last thing i want when i want to get in bed!!!

Plus i might as well go home nowadays rather than going there as its only another 5 min away. lol

 

[Crush Dude!]

the theme is amazing, but i found the novelty wears off after a couple of nights and a very long bus journey back from all the parks except AK late at night is last thing i want when i want to get in bed!!!

Plus i might as well go home nowadays rather than going there as its only another 5 min away. lol

Ha lucky you, im only 9 and a half hours away by plane
Such a hard decision, disneys resorts are all so amazing

 

[elisatonks]

Ha lucky you, im only 9 and a half hours away by plane
Such a hard decision, disneys resorts are all so amazing

I used to be that far away, i'm originally from manchester, england. I stayed there whilst still living in England - i think the problem for me partly is the fact i've strolled back to the beach club after epcot (my fav park!) and it doesn't take that long from MK or DHS either, before switching to the AKl for the second week.

 

[Chrononymous]

I have stayed at a lot of the resorts and visited all of them. If I had to choose a favorite Deluxe, then the Boardwalk just edges out the Wilderness for me.

The Boardwalk is elegant without being stuffy, fun and playful, but still makes you feel special. The theming is super, and the boardwalk itself it a great bonus feature.

Of the moderates...I still love the Coronado Springs. It is long and sprawling, but always seems peaceful (even with several conventions going on!) Has a nice beach, fabulous pool, and great restaurant.

 

[1DisneyDad]

WL. It makes me feel so welcome. Plus, my family has had some great times at WL.

 

[worldfanatic]

Boardwalk-physical center of WDW
Boardwalk-restaurant options galore
Boardwalk-walk or boat to 2 parks
Boardwalk-mini golf and other fun activities close
Boardwalk-outstanding pool area with killer slide
Boardwalk-great balcony views in all categories
Boardwalk-late night action in Atlantic dance & Jellyrolls
Boardwalk-very relaxing, comfortable feel
Boardwalk-best resort at Disney

Sorry, lost my train of thought..................................what was the question?

 

[Stellajack]

Ok...on to my opinion: I LOVE LOVE LOVE Port Orleans Riverside. I've stayed there several times over many years. I even stayed there when it was called Dixie Landings.

SAME here! Port Orleans is my favorite and this is where we have stayed on most of our trips, also staying when it was Dixie Landings.

We also like AKL and this will be our third visit to that resort. Sitting on the balcony sipping Kenya AA coffee (our favorite and we have to bring it) while the giraffes eat breakfast below your balcony is an incredible experience.

If you leave your patio door open at night, you can hear the animals out on the savanna moving around. It's so neat.

The entire resort is awesome. The thing about AKL is this: it is home for the animals, so it is very different from ALL other deluxe resorts. It is quiet, relaxing, and very very soothing, especially after a wild day in the parks. Someone here spoke of the long ride on the bus. I have never even noticed a difference in the length of travel, and as a matter of fact when you stay at this resort, your wait time at park close for an AKL resort bus is much shorter than for a moderate or value resort.

I hope you'll try both of my favorites--so plan two trips!:sohappy:

 

[Crush Dude!]

SAME here! Port Orleans is my favorite and this is where we have stayed on most of our trips, also staying when it was Dixie Landings.

We also like AKL and this will be our third visit to that resort. Sitting on the balcony sipping Kenya AA coffee (our favorite and we have to bring it) while the giraffes eat breakfast below your balcony is an incredible experience.

If you leave your patio door open at night, you can hear the animals out on the savanna moving around. It's so neat.

The entire resort is awesome. The thing about AKL is this: it is home for the animals, so it is very different from ALL other deluxe resorts. It is quiet, relaxing, and very very soothing, especially after a wild day in the parks. Someone here spoke of the long ride on the bus. I have never even noticed a difference in the length of travel, and as a matter of fact when you stay at this resort, your wait time at park close for an AKL resort bus is much shorter than for a moderate or value resort.

I hope you'll try both of my favorites--so plan two trips!:sohappy:

Haha i will eventually :sohappy: But i really love the sound of The Animal Kingdom Lodge, and you make it sound even more amazing :wave:

 

[Crush Dude!]

Anyone got anymore thoughts/ opinions/ reviews???

 

[juan]

I would say Animal Kingdom Lodge as the best Deluxe. It's literally like staying in the park, so much to see and do.

 

[Crush Dude!]

I would say Animal Kingdom Lodge as the best Deluxe. It's literally like staying in the park, so much to see and do.

Have you stayed there?? Could you give me some details on it??? thanx :wave:

 

[Ceekling]

We've not stayed at any of the moderates, but have stayed at the Poly and the Beach Club and, nothing against the Poly at all, but the Beach Club was fabulous! We had a room in the building closest to Epcot (which we loved) and the pool is phenomenal. Not to mention, movies on the "Beach" each night!

But we are going to AKL in a few weeks and I have heard wonderful things about that too, so I'm looking forward to it a lot. I'll let you know my impression when I get back.

 

[Crush Dude!]

We've not stayed at any of the moderates, but have stayed at the Poly and the Beach Club and, nothing against the Poly at all, but the Beach Club was fabulous! We had a room in the building closest to Epcot (which we loved) and the pool is phenomenal. Not to mention, movies on the "Beach" each night!

But we are going to AKL in a few weeks and I have heard wonderful things about that too, so I'm looking forward to it a lot. I'll let you know my impression when I get back.

Please do, it would be greatly appreciated, as the AKL is the one im leaning to at the moment :wave:

 

[SMRT-1Michael]

Wilderness Lodge, Beach Club, Polynesian, Contemporary, BoardWalk, Grand Floridian are the best Disney Resorts ever

 

[dxwwf3]

I've visited every resort and have stayed at over half of them, but none are as good as Animal Kingdom Lodge for me. It is a resort that you are under shade/cover from the time you leave your room, walk out the lobby, and to the bus stop and vice versa. Going in the summer, this can be a huge advantage when dealing with heat, rain, and thunder storms.

I love the lobby and having that as your welcome back to the resort every time you get back from the parks. I think The Mara is the best of the deluxe resort food courts and rarely has a huge crowd. The room layout is also perfect to me, especially the restroom layout. At the Polynesian the sinks and and shower/toilet area are all in the same room. So when someone is taking a shower, it steams up the room and makes the mirrors above the sinks unusable.

The AKL doesn't have HDTV's in the rooms which is a big advantage because the Polynesian doesn't feature HDTV channels on those TV's. When you're watching standard def TV on an HDTV it looks a lot worse than on a standard TV. On this last trip we stayed at French Quarter for a couple of days then went to the Polynesian and I missed our TV at the French Quarter because it looked so bad on the HDTV at the Poly. Now most of the time TV isn't that big of a deal, but if you're staying at a deluxe resort you want to spend more time there to relax.

The bus transportation at the AKL has been fantastic in my experience. Buses usually flow through there more frequently than what I've seen at any other resort I've stayed at. Also you don't have to worry about sharing buses with any other resort. Kidani Village is an added stop now, but it's so close, it is almost negligible. It took us 45 minutes to get back from the Animal Kingdom to the Polynesian this trip. We went to Blizzard Beach then the Contemporary and then finally to the Polynesian. Having the TTC close to the Poly is very nice if you are in Rapa Nui or Tahiti (which we did), but a lot of the rooms at the Poly are a big hike away from the TTC and that's the only way to get to Epcot.

I know I'm comparing the AKL and Poly a lot, but those are the two Deluxe resorts I've actually stayed at. If the Poly and AKL were the same price, I would always choose the AKL.

Notice I didn't mention the animals once. They are nice, but it is far from being the most important aspect of the resort. I would NEVER pay more for a Savannah view room there. There are a ton of viewing spots all over the resort. I think the prices they charge for the Savannah view rooms are one of the biggest rip offs at WDW, but I can see why they do it. If you don't know any better, you would think it is the only reason to stay there.

If I couldn't stay at the AKL, the Boardwalk would probably be my 2nd choice.

 

[Crush Dude!]

I've visited every resort and have stayed at over half of them, but none are as good as Animal Kingdom Lodge for me. It is a resort that you are under shade/cover from the time you leave your room, walk out the lobby, and to the bus stop and vice versa. Going in the summer, this can be a huge advantage when dealing with heat, rain, and thunder storms.

I love the lobby and having that as your welcome back to the resort every time you get back from the parks. I think The Mara is the best of the deluxe resort food courts and rarely has a huge crowd. The room layout is also perfect to me, especially the restroom layout. At the Polynesian the sinks and and shower/toilet area are all in the same room. So when someone is taking a shower, it steams up the room and makes the mirrors above the sinks unusable.

The AKL doesn't have HDTV's in the rooms which is a big advantage because the Polynesian doesn't feature HDTV channels on those TV's. When you're watching standard def TV on an HDTV it looks a lot worse than on a standard TV. On this last trip we stayed at French Quarter for a couple of days then went to the Polynesian and I missed our TV at the French Quarter because it looked so bad on the HDTV at the Poly. Now most of the time TV isn't that big of a deal, but if you're staying at a deluxe resort you want to spend more time there to relax.

The bus transportation at the AKL has been fantastic in my experience. Buses usually flow through there more frequently than what I've seen at any other resort I've stayed at. Also you don't have to worry about sharing buses with any other resort. Kidani Village is an added stop now, but it's so close, it is almost negligible. It took us 45 minutes to get back from the Animal Kingdom to the Polynesian this trip. We went to Blizzard Beach then the Contemporary and then finally to the Polynesian. Having the TTC close to the Poly is very nice if you are in Rapa Nui or Tahiti (which we did), but a lot of the rooms at the Poly are a big hike away from the TTC and that's the only way to get to Epcot.

I know I'm comparing the AKL and Poly a lot, but those are the two Deluxe resorts I've actually stayed at. If the Poly and AKL were the same price, I would always choose the AKL.

Notice I didn't mention the animals once. They are nice, but it is far from being the most important aspect of the resort. I would NEVER pay more for a Savannah view room there. There are a ton of viewing spots all over the resort. I think the prices they charge for the Savannah view rooms are one of the biggest rip offs at WDW, but I can see why they do it. If you don't know any better, you would think it is the only reason to stay there.

If I couldn't stay at the AKL, the Boardwalk would probably be my 2nd choice.

wow thanx for the info, you make a great case for the AKL, esp seeing as i was also considering the polynesian, it always seems to be an amazing resort and like you say if u dont go for a savannah view room its great value, the polynsian in comparisson is quite dear!
Im hoping for 3 weeks minimum in 2 years so that should be plenty time to save :sohappy:
Any more info or pics u can share with me will be greatly appreciated :wave:

 

[worldfanatic]

I've visited every resort and have stayed at over half of them, but none are as good as Animal Kingdom Lodge for me. It is a resort that you are under shade/cover from the time you leave your room, walk out the lobby, and to the bus stop and vice versa. Going in the summer, this can be a huge advantage when dealing with heat, rain, and thunder storms.

I love the lobby and having that as your welcome back to the resort every time you get back from the parks. I think The Mara is the best of the deluxe resort food courts and rarely has a huge crowd. The room layout is also perfect to me, especially the restroom layout. At the Polynesian the sinks and and shower/toilet area are all in the same room. So when someone is taking a shower, it steams up the room and makes the mirrors above the sinks unusable.

The AKL doesn't have HDTV's in the rooms which is a big advantage because the Polynesian doesn't feature HDTV channels on those TV's. When you're watching standard def TV on an HDTV it looks a lot worse than on a standard TV. On this last trip we stayed at French Quarter for a couple of days then went to the Polynesian and I missed our TV at the French Quarter because it looked so bad on the HDTV at the Poly. Now most of the time TV isn't that big of a deal, but if you're staying at a deluxe resort you want to spend more time there to relax.

The bus transportation at the AKL has been fantastic in my experience. Buses usually flow through there more frequently than what I've seen at any other resort I've stayed at. Also you don't have to worry about sharing buses with any other resort. Kidani Village is an added stop now, but it's so close, it is almost negligible. It took us 45 minutes to get back from the Animal Kingdom to the Polynesian this trip. We went to Blizzard Beach then the Contemporary and then finally to the Polynesian. Having the TTC close to the Poly is very nice if you are in Rapa Nui or Tahiti (which we did), but a lot of the rooms at the Poly are a big hike away from the TTC and that's the only way to get to Epcot.

I know I'm comparing the AKL and Poly a lot, but those are the two Deluxe resorts I've actually stayed at. If the Poly and AKL were the same price, I would always choose the AKL.

Notice I didn't mention the animals once. They are nice, but it is far from being the most important aspect of the resort. I would NEVER pay more for a Savannah view room there. There are a ton of viewing spots all over the resort. I think the prices they charge for the Savannah view rooms are one of the biggest rip offs at WDW, but I can see why they do it. If you don't know any better, you would think it is the only reason to stay there.

If I couldn't stay at the AKL, the Boardwalk would probably be my 2nd choice.

You've got me extra excited for my AKL trip this September. Thanks!
However, I must question your theory on Savanna room being a huge rip off. We're staying on DVC points, so the price difference for Savanna view is fairly unimportant to us.
But I've read many, many posters talk about how wonderful it was to go out on your balcony and enjoy the view.
Personally, I'm not the type to go to a public viewing area to stare at the animals. So, with a regular room, I would'nt see much of the wildlife.

However, I guarantee I'll spend countless hours on my balcony. Just lounging, reading, drinking or just staring at the savanna.
So it's worth it to me and others who'll really use the balcony often. If you'll never use it, you're right, it's a waste.
I love your point that this resort is awesome, even without the animals. Pretty encouraging!!

Boardwalk's my favorite. Can't wait to see how Animal Kingdom Lodge compares after actually staying there.