Which Disney Resort is right for you? Here's a little help from Sherman's Travel

[chriskre]

http://blog.shermanstravel.com/2014/...right-for-you/


If you’ve ever stayed at one of the Walt Disney World Resort hotels, or even just researched them, you know that the 20-plus properties are all different. Each has its own theme, dining options, recreation, and level of service. Plus, the properties are broken down into four categories (Deluxe, Villas, Moderate, Value, and Campgrounds) to accommodate guests’ different budgets, needs, and preferences.
If you’re on the fence about which Disney hotel to choose, we’re here to help. Just match yourself up with the type of traveler you identify with most to find your ideal hotel.

Large families or multi-generational travelers:
More families than ever are traveling with multiple generations in tow. If grandma and grandpa are tagging along, consider staying at the Art of Animation Resort, which offers Cars, Finding Nemo and The Lion King-themed Family Suites. The suites accommodate up to six guests and allow them to spread out, offering a bedroom with a queen-size bed, a table that converts into a double bed, a sleeper sofa, living room, kitchenette, and two bathrooms. Another option is the All-Star Music Resort, which has the same room features as the Art of Animation’s Family Suites, except a “sleeper ottoman” replaces the table-bed.

Business travelers:
Not everyone comes to Disney World for leisure. If you’re working while you’re staying in the House of Mouse, consider a property that offers easy convention center access, and has a business center. Those convention center properties are the BoardWalk Inn, the Contemporary, the Grand Floridian, Coronado Springs, and the Yacht and Beach Club, which share a business center. The centers offer pay-as-you-go Internet access, imaging services like faxing, photocopying, and printing, as well as booklet stitching and poster printing. The centers will even send and deliver packages and notarize documents. It should be noted, however, that all of the Disney hotels offer complimentary Wi-Fi, and you do not have to be a guest staying at one of these hotels to use the business centers.
Families with small children:
If you’re visiting with kids, you’re likely going to spend much of your time in the Magic Kingdom. We recommend staying at one of the nearby hotels that are on the monorail loop: the Grand Floridian, the Polynesian, and the Contemporary. With just a short ride, you’ll have quick access to the most popular park. The monorail even provides a neat view of the resorts. The Wilderness Lodge is also in the area and provides a scenic boat ride on Bay Lake and Seven Seas Lagoon to the Magic Kingdom.

Solo travelers:
The best part about taking a solo trip to Walt Disney World is that you can hop on the single rider lines at many attractions, which often means significantly shorter wait times. But what about lodging? Try the BoardWalk Inn, which is just steps away from the lively BoardWalk, offering street entertainment, a dueling piano bar, and a bevy of dining options. And maybe you’ll consider the Animal Kingdom Lodge, which lets you view more than 30 species of animals including zebras, giraffes, and gazelles from a special area in the hotel.

Couples:
Fact: Walt Disney World is one of the most popular honeymoon destinations in the world. Sweethearts may want to stay at Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter, which has a more intimate vibe than many of the other Disney resorts. The cobblestone walkways, gas lamps, and greenery evoke tranquility and are great for early morning and late night strolls. You’ll also have access to horse-drawn carriage rides at its sister property, Port Orleans Resort – Riverside.
Those who enjoy the comforts of home:
Some may find the walls of a hotel room a little confining. For those who like to feel right at home when they’re away, think about staying at any one of the Disney Vacation Club properties. Walt Disney World is home to nine of these properties, which have accommodations ranging from one- to three- bedroom villas that are equipped with multiple bathrooms and kitchens. The units even have in-room washers and dryers – and vacuums!

Campers:
Want to rough it while you’re visiting Mickey Mouse? The Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort will let you do just that. You can pitch a tent or even hook up your RV. Each campsite has landscaping for privacy, water, cable TV and electrical hook-ups, a picnic table, and a charcoal grill. Most have sewer hook-ups and some allow pets. For guests who don’t want to be too close to nature during their stay but want a rustic feel, try The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort. You’ll have a living room, full bathroom, patio, kitchen, and charcoal grill for six people. The Treehouse Villas at Saratoga Springs take camping to another level, literally. The three-bedroom villas are elevated 10 feet off the ground and offer a kitchen, deck, driveway, and grill.


- See more at: http://blog.shermanstravel.com/2014/....3ORLGaHB.dpuf

[chriskre]

My favorite is the Animal Kingdom.
Haven't gone solo just yet but it's on my bucket list.

[JWC]

There is no Disney resort that is right for us.

[Hobbitess]

The TS units are surprisingly absent from that article. Certainly I'd give them a mention for larger groups. Renting points was on par with paying Disney for the AoA Family Suites, last I checked, although I don't suppose anyone trying to please Disney corporate would mention that fact...

I've wanted to stay at the Contemporary since before WDW opened, and it still has a special place in my heart. The only thing I had against it once I grew up was its grave lack of a personal kitchen; BLT solved that problem. Middle daughter agrees with me that having the monorail go through the resort is the coolest thing ever; eldest son desperately wants to stay there, and, while it's not everyone's top choice, MK is the over-all family favorite and everyone is always fine with going there, so I'm thinking BLT would be the best fit for my family.

My favorite is the Animal Kingdom.

My problem with the AKL is that it is so dark. I don't know what I expected when I heard about it, but that wasn't it. I guess I was thinking kente prints and Ndebele painted houses and bright sunshine on the veldt, because mostly brown and dark was completely off my radar and I was keenly disappointed. Plus it was hugely noisy first time we went, but it seems RCI units tend to be in Kidani, where that wouldn't be as big a deal. I'd like to stay there once for my youngest, but I'd be really surprised if it ever became a favorite. Still, being able to watch critters from your balcony is majorly cool, and we spend enough time on the resort when we're at Disney that we'd definitely be taking advantage of that. The pools look great, too, and I have yet to eat anything I didn't like there.

The pools are half the attraction of staying at Disney. I don't care about the slides, but when done well, theming is huge for me. Next time we go, I really want to stay in one of the Royal Rooms at Port Orleans Riverside, partly because I want to use the Old Man River Pool (where the slide gets good reviews), and also the pool at French Quarter, because I love that sea serpent! Stormalong Bay has never excited me half as much as having access to both those pools. Disney's genius is theming, and the Port Orleans main pools are brilliantly themed, while Stormalong Bay is just kinda... there. And I totally don't get the thrill of having sand in the pool. Hubby thinks Stormalong Bay looks pretty nifty, though, so once we're no longer tied to the ballet schedule we'll probably give it a shot.

Right now, it's gotten so tough to schedule around ballet and all the other stuff, doesn't look like we'll be getting to Orlando again until 2017. At which point somebody else will be tied down with work or wedding, and we still won't get to go as a family. But eldest son can -- and does -- go by himself, while eldest daughter is not much of a Disney fan, so still makes more sense to wait until middle daughter can go. I guess. *sigh*

[chriskre]

There is no Disney resort that is right for us.

I understand. Disney is not for everyone.
But for those of us who love it well there's no place like "Home".

[chriskre]

The TS units are surprisingly absent from that article. Certainly I'd give them a mention for larger groups. Renting points was on par with paying Disney for the AoA Family Suites, last I checked, although I don't suppose anyone trying to please Disney corporate would mention that fact...

I've wanted to stay at the Contemporary since before WDW opened, and it still has a special place in my heart. The only thing I had against it once I grew up was its grave lack of a personal kitchen; BLT solved that problem. Middle daughter agrees with me that having the monorail go through the resort is the coolest thing ever; eldest son desperately wants to stay there, and, while it's not everyone's top choice, MK is the over-all family favorite and everyone is always fine with going there, so I'm thinking BLT would be the best fit for my family.



My problem with the AKL is that it is so dark. I don't know what I expected when I heard about it, but that wasn't it. I guess I was thinking kente prints and Ndebele painted houses and bright sunshine on the veldt, because mostly brown and dark was completely off my radar and I was keenly disappointed. Plus it was hugely noisy first time we went, but it seems RCI units tend to be in Kidani, where that wouldn't be as big a deal. I'd like to stay there once for my youngest, but I'd be really surprised if it ever became a favorite. Still, being able to watch critters from your balcony is majorly cool, and we spend enough time on the resort when we're at Disney that we'd definitely be taking advantage of that. The pools look great, too, and I have yet to eat anything I didn't like there.

The pools are half the attraction of staying at Disney. I don't care about the slides, but when done well, theming is huge for me. Next time we go, I really want to stay in one of the Royal Rooms at Port Orleans Riverside, partly because I want to use the Old Man River Pool (where the slide gets good reviews), and also the pool at French Quarter, because I love that sea serpent! Stormalong Bay has never excited me half as much as having access to both those pools. Disney's genius is theming, and the Port Orleans main pools are brilliantly themed, while Stormalong Bay is just kinda... there. And I totally don't get the thrill of having sand in the pool. Hubby thinks Stormalong Bay looks pretty nifty, though, so once we're no longer tied to the ballet schedule we'll probably give it a shot.

Right now, it's gotten so tough to schedule around ballet and all the other stuff, doesn't look like we'll be getting to Orlando again until 2017. At which point somebody else will be tied down with work or wedding, and we still won't get to go as a family. But eldest son can -- and does -- go by himself, while eldest daughter is not much of a Disney fan, so still makes more sense to wait until middle daughter can go. I guess. *sigh*

I can understand your disappointment with AKV. Lots of people feel that way.
My mother hates it. Says it's too dark too. Personally I love it. Love the natural feel of everything there.
The rooms have lots of indigenous touches. The artwork is similar to stuff that people have brought me back from Kenya.
I've got a few favorite pieces in my place that I treasure.

And I can totally understand BLT.
After my recent stay at VGF I'd have to say, that I'd definitely prefer BLT to VGF for MK visits and convenience.
And DD is right, nothing cooler than the monorail going thru the building.
At VGF I had a room that had the monorail passing by just outside.
Gave it an urban feel. I live in a downtown condo so have the train passing near me.
It wakes me up at 6am when it starts running.

But for me the AKV pool is definitely one of my favorite on Disney property.
Maybe it's the piped in African music and birds, ya know those touches that only Disney does.
Makes it look and feel like I am definitely on another continent.
And oh when the sun sets over the pool, I definitely feel like I'm on the dark continent.

[Hobbitess]

The artwork is similar to stuff that people have brought me back from Kenya.
I've got a few favorite pieces in my place that I treasure.

Some of the artwork there is stunner. Although that's part of the reason I so resent the darkness -- can hardly see some of the pieces in the lobby!

And oh when the sun sets over the pool, I definitely feel like I'm on the dark continent.

Yeah, I can see that. And it's possible that the coolness factor of being able to watch the animals from your room along with the two brilliantly themed pool areas there might be enough that I end up really liking the place once I stay there. Plus there's onsite activities and the extra tour and whatnot. Although the grave lack of grounds to walk is another problem I have with it, which might really get on my nerves if we were actually staying there. I tend to like greenery, and the whole family likes having a resort you can wander. I was surprised that everyone who has been there loved Saratoga Spings; if the 2 BRs there weren't so cramped, it'd be pretty close to BLT on my list. BLT is close enough to the action that I don't sweat the "ocean front sized" units, but Saratoga Springs is far enough from all the parks I feel like the units should be bigger. May not be logical, but there it is.

I swear Disney knows I have decided we're not going to Orlando for a good while; they keep sending me big discount offers for this upcoming summer!

[chriskre]

LOL, I'm skipping this year too except for my most recent trip.
And of course there is a ton of stuff showing up for September/October which is usually when I do my yearly treks.
I'm trying to exercise restraint though this year as I've got lots of other things to take care of first.

And SSR has two types of 2 bedrooms. They have the dedicated and the lock offs.
The lock offs are pretty decent sized. I haven't stayed in a dedicated so don't know about those.
You could try staying in a treehouse as they are the same amount of points as the 2 bedrooms.
One of these days I'll get a treehouse.
I actually had one booked but my flaky friends bailed on me.

And AKV has lots of greenery. It's just wild bush like greenery but there's lots of it.
I'd say you even gotta watch out for snakes as it's super bushy.
I'm sure there are tons of snakes lurking in those bushes.
And don't worry about not getting in enough walking cause if they assign you a room
at the end of the lonnnnnnnnng hallways, trust me that you will get plenty of exercise.
I say, try it, you may just like it or end up loving it like me.
Just pretend you are really in Africa where I am sure there is a lack of electricity.
Then the darkness won't bother you so much.

[Bell30655]

I own at Old Key West but it really doesn't matter where your points are at, you can use them at any Disney Vacation Club property. The best points value at the Disney World Resort is Animal Kingdom Lodge. Each resort is very different and each has its appeal. Old Key West and Saratoga Springs Resort are spread out like a small town or village. To me, this detracts from them even though they are very nice, I don't like having to use my vehicle once we arrive. I like everything being in one building. If you use your points for a Sunday through Thursday night stay you save considerably.

[Sharkman]

Thanks for your thread. We love all the Disney Resorts