Which deal would you take?

[PrincessNelly_NJ]

Even though I just got back from Disney on Sunday... I'm head first into planning my next trip this October! I'll be taking my two older sisters who haven't been since they were under 10 and now they are 26 & 29! I'm trying to decide which package is the better choice.

We were planning on 10/18 - 10/25 to celebrate my sister's birthday, but with free dining we were okay to push the trip back to 10/26 to 11/02. So I had really hoped for free dining at CSR but... after spending 3 - 4 hours each day of my vacation just trying to get through to Disney reservations, by Wednesday afternoon both CBR & CSR were sold out for the week I needed. So at 1am... yes, I finally talked to an agent at 1am! I booked a bounceback stay at POFQ for 10/26 - 11/02, thinking that since most people will be at CSR & CBR, POR & POFQ will be less crowded.
Well, I just returned from a week stay at POR and I know people love it there but... I can't stay I'd return, pretty much one and done for me. So now, I've been second guessing my stay at POFQ too.

Switching to a value resort with Deluxe Dining Plan would still save us about $200.
I thought of going back to CSR for 10/18 - 10/25 because its one of my favorite resorts and saves us $125. Then I thought.. maybe with people flocking to CBR & CSR my stay at POFQ wouldn't be as bad as POR. Finally after browsing the WDW website I realized that using my Target red card to buy discounted disney gift cards, I could stay at AKL for only $150 more than POFQ.

See.. confusing! Help!

 

[PrincessNelly_NJ]

OK - Will you have a car? I L-O-V-E AKL (Boma, Jiko AND Sanaa next door...drool). It is a stunning resort and always feels so lovely and cool (it has a sort of Pan-African Wilderness Lodge feel to me) after hot parks. I stayed in a standard there a few years ago and would go back in a flash...provided I had a car. If no car, I'd do PO. PO has DTD and other resorts just a boat ride away...assuming the boats are running (I haven't kept up with what the DTD construction has done to the boat schedules - if anything). With all adults, I think I'd like a bit of non-bus access to DTD. Have a cheeky drink and then just drift back along the river...but with a car, AKL - DEFINITELY.

No car just Disney transportation.. which is why I'm nervous about POFQ. I thought the transportation at POR was terrible!

 

[PrincessNelly_NJ]

I would go with POFQ IF, and only IF, you already have free dining attached to it. If you're having to pay out of pocket then I would go with AKL if that has FD. We really want to try AKL, but it's proving almost impossible to get my wife to leave POFQ.

No free dining at POFQ. We only managed a 30% off bounceback in a river view room. I'm probably going to switch to AKL after seeing the replies. I have never stayed deluxe and only $150 difference is really tempting!

 

[HRHPrincessAriel]

No car just Disney transportation.. which is why I'm nervous about POFQ. I thought the transportation at POR was terrible!

I've taken my dance team of 45+ there during spring break and have only had one problem ever getting us all even on one bus. That was leaving right after Fantasmic. Honestly I feel because it's smaller you have better luck

 

[LAKid53]

We dropped DDP a year ago and now use our TiW card - DDP just isn't flexible enough and too much food. We don't stay at CBR anymore - we noticed it is getting somewhat worn, so we are back at POR. But I like the whole market place vibe of CBR but prefer the physical resort of POR - very quiet. If we go deluxe resort, it's Wilderness Lodge for us. It is a beautiful place to stay, if you make the correct room request (and get it) you can see the fireworks from the room balcony, the boat is the best method of transportation to MK and great restaurants - Whispering Canyons is a blast for breakfast and Artist Point has excellent food. And if you want a nice, peaceful, beautiful resort (other than the boat whistle), this is my choice.

I know this didn't really answer your question, but I would choose POR anytime as the resort. We just don't do DDP. I know, people say, you don't spend much time in your room, but after a long day at a park, I do want a decent, QUIET room to crash in.

 

[PrincessNelly_NJ]

We dropped DDP a year ago and now use our TiW card - DDP just isn't flexible enough and too much food. We don't stay at CBR anymore - we noticed it is getting somewhat worn, so we are back at POR. But I like the whole market place vibe of CBR but prefer the physical resort of POR - very quiet. If we go deluxe resort, it's Wilderness Lodge for us. It is a beautiful place to stay, if you make the correct room request (and get it) you can see the fireworks from the room balcony, the boat is the best method of transportation to MK and great restaurants - Whispering Canyons is a blast for breakfast and Artist Point has excellent food. And if you want a nice, peaceful, beautiful resort (other than the boat whistle), this is my choice.

I know this didn't really answer your question, but I would choose POR anytime as the resort. We just don't do DDP. I know, people say, you don't spend much time in your room, but after a long day at a park, I do want a decent, QUIET room to crash in.

I wanted to loved POR but it just wasn't good. So many broken things in our room and I just couldn't even deal with how long it took to just leave the resort after getting on a bus.
I only do the dining plan sometimes... when it's free and when there's more than 2 character meals planned. I use distripplanner.com to really way whether the DDP would save or cost us money. We're foodies so there's never enough food LOL

 

[LAKid53]

I wanted to loved POR but it just wasn't good. So many broken things in our room and I just couldn't even deal with how long it took to just leave the resort after getting on a bus.
I only do the dining plan sometimes... when it's free and when there's more than 2 character meals planned. I use distripplanner.com to really way whether the DDP would save or cost us money. We're foodies so there's never enough food LOL

Sorry to hear that about POR - we've never had an issue with the condition of our room. My only complaint - and this is for most of the resorts, Value, Moderate & Deluxe (ok, I haven't stayed in GF yet, that is July's trip) - is the beds. I understand Disney has thousands of guests going through those rooms, but geez, can you please find decent mattresses? The bed at WL shouldn't squeak when I lay on it.

 

[PrincessNelly_NJ]

Sorry to hear that about POR - we've never had an issue with the condition of our room. My only complaint - and this is for most of the resorts, Value, Moderate & Deluxe (ok, I haven't stayed in GF yet, that is July's trip) - is the beds. I understand Disney has thousands of guests going through those rooms, but geez, can you please find decent mattresses? The bed at WL shouldn't squeak when I lay on it.

I actually find the beds at Coronado heavenly! Like laying on pillows.
p.s. I wanna stay at the GF, need another guest? lol

 

[MaxsDad]

What would your sister's enjoy more: a really nice place to relax that is very peaceful and well themed, or a very structured week with many dining reservations to keep away from the resort, but great food/atmospheres to experience at multiple sit downs daily? Are they "foodies" or more the chill and relax type? Would they rather be immersed in a culture all week or be on the go?

 

[draybook]

No free dining at POFQ. We only managed a 30% off bounceback in a river view room. I'm probably going to switch to AKL after seeing the replies. I have never stayed deluxe and only $150 difference is really tempting!

That's what I would do. That little price difference is what moved us from Pop to POFQ when we first switched.

 

[EricJ]

No free dining at POFQ. We only managed a 30% off bounceback in a river view room. I'm probably going to switch to AKL after seeing the replies. I have never stayed deluxe and only $150 difference is really tempting!

Deluxe, even at the Lodges, is different from the Mods/Values, in that you're in one big building, rather than the lake loop or "dorm campus quad".
It's good if you like to stay in the center of the resort and roam the lobby building and grounds, and there's certainly plenty of it to see at AKL.

 

[Kelli Simmons]

Stay AK you could get a upgrade

 

[PrincessNelly_NJ]

What would your sister's enjoy more: a really nice place to relax that is very peaceful and well themed, or a very structured week with many dining reservations to keep away from the resort, but great food/atmospheres to experience at multiple sit downs daily? Are they "foodies" or more the chill and relax type? Would they rather be immersed in a culture all week or be on the go?

My sisters have made it clear, sit down dinner every night is a must. LOL they might love food more than me

 

[MaxsDad]

My sisters have made it clear, sit down dinner every night is a must. LOL they might love food more than me

Well, the good news is that your AKL option includes the DDP, which has one sit down per night! And AKL has great sit downs. Have fun planning!

 

[EricJ]

Even Mara, the QS food court, was good for a grab-and-go breakfast last time I was there, although they never get much mention between the other two (now three, with Sanaa) places--
Normally, the food courts are in pretty bad shape at the Deluxes, since they're not as "needed" as at the Values and Mods, but this was a surprise. Still, like you'll be going anywhere else after Boma.

 

[PrincessNelly_NJ]

So game changer! I got a free dining pin code!
Unfortunately my only options are CBR with free dining which would save us $1100.
Or we could do AKL for the $100 more with free dining...

I would love to pocket $1100 in savings... we could use it for MNSSHP, Water parks, or etc. But 7 nights sharing a double bed? DFi and I have a hard time sharing a queen! Plus I never really hear good things about CBR.
But everyone speaks so highly of AKL and I've never stayed Deluxe but is it really worth the $1100 difference?

 

[HRHPrincessAriel]

So game changer! I got a free dining pin code!
Unfortunately my only options are CBR with free dining which would save us $1100.
Or we could do AKL for the $100 more with free dining...

I would love to pocket $1100 in savings... we could use it for MNSSHP, Water parks, or etc. But 7 nights sharing a double bed? DFi and I have a hard time sharing a queen! Plus I never really hear good things about CBR.
But everyone speaks so highly of AKL and I've never stayed Deluxe but is it really worth the $1100 difference?

ohhhhhhhhhh $1,100 would be a lot of me just to glaze over. $300 no brainer. $500-$600 maybe. $1100 I'd really wrestle with.

 

[KLeigh]

Perfect timing for you to get a PIN code! But now you have a whole new decision to make. $1,100 in savings is a BIG number.

Is the total cost of the AKL option only $100 more expensive than the total cost of the PIN code option at CBR? (Making sure I'm reading it correctly.) If the total cost difference is only $100 then definitely stay at AKL. If the difference is the $1,100 though, personally I'd chose to save the money and/or spend it on other additions to the trip - MNSSHP, a rental car to avoid CBR internal transport, souvenirs, etc.

Either way, you will have an amazing time!!

 

[momof1princess]

Deluxe has never been anywhere near my budget, we're staying at a moderate for the first time this fall. So...If AKL was close to my budget, that would be my choice, regardless of the other factors. Just my two opinion, and I think I could make a vacation out of AKL without park tickets!

 

[PrincessNelly_NJ]

Perfect timing for you to get a PIN code! But now you have a whole new decision to make. $1,100 in savings is a BIG number.

Is the total cost of the AKL option only $100 more expensive than the total cost of the PIN code option at CBR? (Making sure I'm reading it correctly.) If the total cost difference is only $100 then definitely stay at AKL. If the difference is the $1,100 though, personally I'd chose to save the money and/or spend it on other additions to the trip - MNSSHP, a rental car to avoid CBR internal transport, souvenirs, etc.

Either way, you will have an amazing time!!

Sorry, I may not have been clear enough...too excited about getting a pin!
Originally we were budgeted for going as long as free dining was included, when the madness happened with Disney releasing dates through December, by the time we got through, free dining was no longer available for our dates and since we haven't seen each other in years, we went ahead and booked a bounce back offer instead and decided to just find a way to come up with the extra cash.
We are currently booked on a bounce back offer at CSR for about $3450.
If we use the pin and switch to CBR the price drops to about $2350. ($1100 less than my BB offer)
If we use the pin at AKL the price is about $3550. ($100 more than my current bounce back)

 

[got2lovedisney]

Oh...now I get it. Well $1100 is a lot of cash...what about a split stay?