Time to upgrade to moderates suggestions?

[Mainahman]

There is a reason for this.

I would honestly stay at a value before putting down the money to stay at Caribbean Beach. The resort is very spread out...more so than even Coronado, transportation is not good and the dining and entertainment options are just plain meh.

We have been staying at POP and it i very spread out as we all know, got put in the 90s this last trip and it was a bit of a hike to a bus, plus a bit of crowding. Ive been doing a bit of research on FQ because they have the carriage rides. its going to be our 10th anniversary so ill want to inject some romantic items to make it even more special. My wife often looks just at the $$$ vs the over all experience, and i think she finally realized this past week. As much as we love POP, its the go to place for alot of groups and such, which can lead to over crowded busses, and less than magical moments. We often like to come back from a park, go get cocoa, look at the gift shop, my wife have a cigarette, and back to the room, wed like to not have to hire a Sherpa for the long trip to the main building.

I would really look into renting DVC points and making the jump to Deluxe's. If you can rent points for a studio you will pay about the same prices as a Moderate. If your looking moderate though however I would highly suggest French Quarter, great pool, boat access to Disney Springs, and it is beautiful and quiet!

I do not suggest Coronado (one resort we would not return) and would not currently suggest Caribbean Beach just due to construction, it really is a mess, once construction is done and gondolas are in place however it should again be a great resort.

How does renting points factor into a package booking with disney and dining park hopping etc?

 

[Master Yoda]

We have been staying at POP and it i very spread out as we all know, got put in the 90s this last trip and it was a bit of a hike to a bus, plus a bit of crowding. Ive been doing a bit of research on FQ because they have the carriage rides. its going to be our 10th anniversary so ill want to inject some romantic items to make it even more special. My wife often looks just at the $$$ vs the over all experience, and i think she finally realized this past week. As much as we love POP, its the go to place for alot of groups and such, which can lead to over crowded busses, and less than magical moments. We often like to come back from a park, go get cocoa, look at the gift shop, my wife have a cigarette, and back to the room, wed like to not have to hire a Sherpa for the long trip to the main building.

How does renting points factor into a package booking with disney and dining park hopping etc?

The moderates are really where you transition from a hotel to a resort. IMHO, they are the best bang for your Disney resort buck.

While French Quarter is my favorite, staying at Riverside is really just as good. The resorts are connected so you can walk from one to the other and enjoy what both have to offer.

This site will give you a ton of info on both resorts. http://www.portorleans.org/

 

[Mainahman]

The moderates are really where you transition from a hotel to a resort. IMHO, they are the best bang for your Disney resort buck.

While French Quarter is my favorite, staying at Riverside is really just as good. The resorts are connected so you can walk from one to the other and enjoy what both have to offer.

This site will give you a ton of info on both resorts. http://www.portorleans.org/

Thank you! The last 2 trips have been the 3 of us, and were sudo "budget" trips in the case that we dont spend alot of time at the resorts, but i feel like a resort day for my wfe and I would be nice. I hate to say it, even if we would of done that last trip, the resort was far too crowded to make it at all enjoyable. We slept well is about it haha!

 

[Master Yoda]

Thank you! The last 2 trips have been the 3 of us, and were sudo "budget" trips in the case that we dont spend alot of time at the resorts, but i feel like a resort day for my wfe and I would be nice. I hate to say it, even if we would of done that last trip, the resort was far too crowded to make it at all enjoyable. We slept well is about it haha!

One last thing about the Port Orleans resorts...The live entertainment is very good.

French Quarter will have live music in the Scat Club and Riverside has the legendary Ye Haa Bob. Ye Haa Bob is not to be missed. The dude is an absolute hoot and it is a very family friendly show if you have kids. http://yehaabob.com/

 

[Mainahman]

One last thing about the Port Orleans resorts...The live entertainment is very good.

French Quarter will have live music in the Scat Club and Riverside has the legendary Ye Haa Bob. Ye Haa Bob is not to be missed. The dude is an absolute hoot and it is a very family friendly show if you have kids. http://yehaabob.com/

I kind of wished i would of upgraded this past trip now that its over just for that! The girls would of loved it. This was actually the last family vacation. My daughter is 18 now, and my wife let her know this was the last vacation she was getting for free. If she wants to travel with us, she can, but will just have to pay her way. As shes getting ready to graduate Hair school and get her self settled into a first real job, id say the next few trips will be my wife and I. September of 2019 is our 10 year anniversary, and im suggesting a week at the world as our celebration. we never did take a honeymoon, so why not! ha!

 

[slappy magoo]

How does renting points factor into a package booking with disney and dining park hopping etc?

Well, if you rent points through a reputable dealer they will help facilitate, in as safe a way as possible, getting your credit card information to the person whose points you're renting; they will have to add on the dining plan for you. I can understand someone not wanting to do that.

Renting DVC points will indeed save you money compared to rack rates or even many discounted rates for a room. But it is possible a promotional package, like free dining, will save you money. And once you rent DVC points, you're pretty much locked into the rental, whereas with a traditional reservation, you have time to cancel if need be, or modify it if a promotional opffer comes around after your initial booking.

You might be better off comparing prices when you're close to ready to book the room. But just for chucks and giggles, I went to David's DVC Rentals website, and checked out prices for 1 night, this year on May 1, just for the sake of comparison. Now, WDW has a room discount in many of their resorts for that same time period. But even with their discount in the resorts where the discount is offered, the price of renting points in a standard studio was at least 40% cheaper. Example, a Garden View room at the Grand Floridian, with WDW's "Sun and Run" room offer, was still about $565 for the night once tax is included. David's charges $336 for a standard view at the Villas at Grand Floridian. That is, of course, assuming the resort isn't totally booked; David's cost calculator only tells you what a room will cost, you then have to request a reservation before they can see if there's a room available for the dates you requested.

 

[Mainahman]

Disney for two is wonderful! As for resorts, POFQ is beautiful, and good food. Plus, easy boat ride to Disney Springs. But... it is so popular that it never gets any discounts. Much of what you can enjoy at POFQ you can experience even if staying at another resort. On our last trip, we took the boat from DS to POFQ, enjoyed some beignets, then walked to POR to ride the surrey bikes, then back to DS. Fun side trip on a non-park day.

After 2 trips of go go go facilitated by me, i feel like it might be fun to have a non resort day where we just ride the monorails to all the deluxe resorts, have a drink, and cap the night with Ohana or something.

 

[Mainahman]

Yes! We did this, too, but we were there the first week of December, and wanted to see all of the Christmas decor. Remember that when you visit the Poly, you can get a Dole Whip there.

OH dole Whip my dole whip! Actually POP has it too now, but its not pour your own. The food court was always so crowded that i just waited until we were at MK to Gorge myself in the frozen treat. We never travel around the holidays, as im not sure we could handle those crowd levels haha! however i would love seeing all that decor too!

 

[Mainahman]

We went the week after Thanksgiving, into the first part of December. Crowds were not bad, although some of the usual long waits existed. Easy to handle with FP+. MVMCP was a great experience!

We had a good experience with fastpass + and using it on the fly last week while there. i think we only stood in a line for 45 mins lie 3 times. Id love to do the christmas party!

 

[BoarderPhreak]

OH dole Whip my dole whip! Actually POP has it too now, but its not pour your own...

Those days at Poly are long over. In the words of Apu (The Simpsons), "You are making a mockery of my self-serve policy." People got downright ridiculous with it and Disney, naturally, put the kibosh on that.

 

[Mainahman]

Those days at Poly are long over. In the words of Apu (The Simpsons), "You are making a mockery of my self-serve policy." People got downright ridiculous with it and Disney, naturally, put the kibosh on that.

Ah boo! Well I do love me a good Dole whip! Only got 3 last week...

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Just got home tonight after the long drive home. Ill start piecing together photos and a possible trip report tomorrow. If anything comes to mind, my wife and I decided it's time to graduate from values to moderates. What are the best options price wise and bang for your buck and quality?

Moderates are the worst bang for your buck at rack rate in wdw history...and always have been.

They are INSANE over the last few year.

It's a $100 place for $250+ a night now more often than not

 

[Mainahman]

Moderates are the worst bang for your buck at rack rate in wdw history...and always have been.

They are INSANE over the last few year.

It's a $100 place for $250+ a night now more often than not

We usually spend just about 4k for a Disney vacation. This past one it was my wife my daughter and I arriving on a Saturday leaving the next Saturday. Parks from Saturday through Friday, and quick service dining plan. I'd be all over deluxe if o could make it fit my budget.

 

[BoarderPhreak]

Well, the key is... Do not pay rack rates. It's not like we can always (or ever) choose our optimal dates, but c'mon. Not that Disney resorts are bargains, but at least they're more palatable when they're 10-30% off.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

We usually spend just about 4k for a Disney vacation. This past one it was my wife my daughter and I arriving on a Saturday leaving the next Saturday. Parks from Saturday through Friday, and quick service dining plan. I'd be all over deluxe if o could make it fit my budget.

I hear you...

Here's the hitchhikers guide to what has happened with pricing:

2000-2008 deluxe prices massively jacked (i use the example that wilderness started as $109 in 2000...now its lowest is $355...insane)

2012-present moderates jacked to no end...values come up heavily too

Moving forward...they're gonna tell you it's only about location...not that Caribbean and pop were never intended to be $200-$300+ a night based on amenity.

From that angle...the deluxes become more and more the better deal...even if the prices are loco

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Well, the key is... Do not pay rack rates. It's not like we can always (or ever) choose our optimal dates, but c'mon. Not that Disney resorts are bargains, but at least they're more palatable when they're 10-30% off.

Nobody does...but the base rates are what has been jacked under cover of stupidity like free dining...

While Europe slept.

 

[disneyworlddad]

Riverside my wife feels like it looks stuffy, but liked french quarter. The fact that they have carriage rides, and our next trip would be our 10 year wedding anniversary is a huge plus! I hear it feels smaller than other mods? I like that idea. Long walks to the bus are never fun

Such a short walk to everything! My wife and I stayed at PO for this reason because we had a 1 1/2 year old at the time. We didn't want to be carrying him for miles around the place.

 

[Mainahman]

See we like that, plus with the refurb at POP, the queens are nice ad all, but you have to put up that second bed daily just to move in and out of the rooms.

 

[Mainahman]

I ran some prices, and theres less than a 1K difference between POFQ and Wilderness Lodge...

a 7 day resort stay with park hopper 5 park days, 2 resort days, is 2739.90 in a basic king room at POFQ
a 7 day resosrt stay with park hopper 5 park days, 2 resort days, is 3739.90 at wilderness.

This is without dining plan added i we decided to do that again.

Thoughts? Would i be better served to go to Wilderness lodge? Their basic room wasn't available for the week i was running, so all i have to go off is the wilderness view King bed. Obviously 2019 packages are not available to book yet, just with 2 tax returns, and 2 company bonus's between us and the week wed be going in 2019, im sure we could make it happen if it would be a more romantic/ relaxing experience at Wilderness lodge.

 

[OneofThree]

As much as I like POFQ, the upgrade to WL would be worth the +28% premium, to us. Both resorts are great IMO, so it's totally subjective. There is nothing quite like staying right on Bay Lake/Seven Seas Lagoon, and since you've yet to do that I'd say go for it if it's in the budget. WL will not disappoint!