Which Resort was One and Done for You?

[DebbieDowner]

BLT, zero magic feel for us.

 

[tink.belle]

Coronado. Didn't like the theme or food. Even my preferred room was a bit far from the main building. The new tower was beautiful, just not my style. Landscaping was pretty, just not my favorite.

 

[Miffy]

1) ASMusic. I wish it'd been 1/5th and done, but I stayed all 5 nights. I think I was too tired from not getting any sleep to figure out that I could've switched resorts. Paper-thin walls and door. Heard everything that went on in the next room and out in the hall. I need my sleep at WDW.

2) The Swan. The Swan is very nice and has a great location, but I felt like I was in a very nice convention hotel in Anywheresville, USA, and not at WDW. By the time I stayed at the Swan, I'd had my ASMu experience so knew to try and switch. Fortunately I was able to and spent only 2 nights there, not the 9 I had booked. The other 7 nights were at AKL, super grateful I was able to book it on such short notice.

I've liked or loved everywhere else I've stayed onsite: AKL, SSR, WL, and POFQ.

 

[Boopuff]

My one and done: POP (just felt too road-side motelish) and POLY- this was on our "must do" and we had a studio (stupid layout! one bath w/toilet, one without?) Felt it wasn't worth the money. We compare that to other rooms and we loved BC much more. We really like SSRTH (we did have a car on that visit, without a car could be difficult transport wise)

 

[chasgoose]

For me its the moderates in general. While they definitely have a more upgraded vibe than the values, they still are ultimately glorified motel rooms and at $200-$300 a night, they just aren't worth it. If I'm going to stay in a hotel with outdoor hallways, I might as well save the money and stay at a value.

 

[Sue M]

How long did it take to get to/from your room? I was thinking about renting DVC points at the Polynesian but I was surprised to see some negative reviews on here

We stayed in Tokelau and found it beach a central location.

 

[golden2323]

For us, it’s BLT - too sterile, I felt like I was in a hospital. Also hated Kidani - love Jambo, but Kidani lacks the amenities needed to justify it as a deluxe property - hated it.

 

[JM_97]

We stayed in Tokelau and found it beach a central location.

That's what it looked like on the map. I'm just trying to decide if the $240 more at the Poly is worth it

 

[treemi01]

Saratoga! Never again! It had recently opened, so there might have been some related quirks, but there were no buses and no food. The pool looked like a Holiday Inn, and if it weren’t for the carousel horse in the lobby, I would swear there was absolutely no theme to the place at all.

I also don’t need to stay at a Wilderness Lodge again. I like to visit, but I’m from the north, so I’d rather my hotel feel like Florida than feel like home. I wouldn’t turn it down, though, so it’s not necessarily a “one and done.”

We are trying to stay at all of the resorts. Sports is one we have left that I wasn’t looking forward to, but my kids got really excited about it so we booked it. Now, it’s going to be closed and we got Pop. I actually look forward to trying it now.

 

[Sue M]

That's what it looked like on the map. I'm just trying to decide if the $240 more at the Poly is worth it

$240 more than what? We loved Poly for several reasons. Food options, and easy to get to GF, CR, and WL for more dining. Poly has a short path over to TTC for EPcot monorail. And I do enjoy walking along beach to watch MK fireworks and Electric Water Parade. And always fun to see the castle.
Tokelau is a good longhouse because it is central. And all floors have balconies except 1st of course.
We stayed pre DVC in Tokelau so cant speak about new rooms but our room was on the beach end of the longhouse facing Hawaii. So if we stuck our heads off balcony we could see the castle. And going out the beach end was a quick walk to volcano pool. And boat. This longhouse also has a small lobby.
Poly isn’t our fav, but we do enjoy it. Last time we were in Samoa volcano pool view before they decided to jack up rates for views. I think that was our fav view by far.

 

[Cattrip]

Once and done-YC...love BC, but just had a bad experience at YC..neighbors up until 2 am drunk on the deck and even with calls to the front desk they didn't shut up, so we were all tired and crabby on that trip...additionally, I felt funny walking through the lobby with my swimsuit on...not sure why lol...

We have stayed at GF several times (our fav), POP, French Quarter, and YC

 

[JM_97]

$240 more than what? We loved Poly for several reasons. Food options, and easy to get to GF, CR, and WL for more dining. Poly has a short path over to TTC for EPcot monorail. And I do enjoy walking along beach to watch MK fireworks and Electric Water Parade. And always fun to see the castle.
Tokelau is a good longhouse because it is central. And all floors have balconies except 1st of course.
We stayed pre DVC in Tokelau so cant speak about new rooms but our room was on the beach end of the longhouse facing Hawaii. So if we stuck our heads off balcony we could see the castle. And going out the beach end was a quick walk to volcano pool. And boat. This longhouse also has a small lobby.
Poly isn’t our fav, but we do enjoy it. Last time we were in Samoa volcano pool view before they decided to jack up rates for views. I think that was our fav view by far.

It's $240 more to stay at Poly than at BC. We will be in each park one day so location is a wash since you can monorail to two parks or walk to two parks. I like both themes and both obviously have plenty of restaurant choices. For us the view isn't that important. We'll get standard view either way since we won't be in the room that much. We will either be in the parks or exploring the resort.

 

[eeg]

Don't have a one-and-done for resort but things I'd do differently.

BRV - won't stay here again until the rooms are refurbed. Loved the grounds, pools, food, and everything else about WL but the rooms need a makeover. Will try CCV for sure and then do BRV when it's been redone.

Kidani - would request a room that's close to the lobby. Loved the rooms and resort but our room was I swear a 1/2 mile walk in hallways from the lobby which was pretty miserable after a long day. Also wouldn't stay here if we were on a park-heavy trip. Love the resort but so much walking on top of parks.

Only moderate we've done is CBR which I actually loved (post-refurb) but since we bought DVC I can't imagine us staying in moderates again. Too bad because I wanted to try the others.

 

[DebbieDowner]

Saratoga! Never again! It had recently opened, so there might have been some related quirks, but there were no buses and no food. The pool looked like a Holiday Inn, and if it weren’t for the carousel horse in the lobby, I would swear there was absolutely no theme to the place at all.

I also don’t need to stay at a Wilderness Lodge again. I like to visit, but I’m from the north, so I’d rather my hotel feel like Florida than feel like home. I wouldn’t turn it down, though, so it’s not necessarily a “one and done.”

We are trying to stay at all of the resorts. Sports is one we have left that I wasn’t looking forward to, but my kids got really excited about it so we booked it. Now, it’s going to be closed and we got Pop. I actually look forward to trying it now.

the theme at SSR is still very weak. Some call it understated, but to me it's almost non-existent. They have 3 thematic ideas, all tied to Saratoga Springs, NY: Horses, Natural Healing Springs and the Arts. All cool concepts but they don't really flesh out any of them or unite them in any way. The whole resort feels to be missing a story-line.

 

[shoegal9]

Pop Century. It’s fine for a cheap night before checking in somewhere else... but once you stay deluxe it’s hard to go back to that motel feel. It just reminds me of my college dorm. Never stayed at All Stars or AOA, but I would much rather pay an extra $100 or so for POR/FQ, CBR, or CS.

 

[supernova]

How long did it take to get to/from your room? I was thinking about renting DVC points at the Polynesian but I was surprised to see some negative reviews on here

So the last time I was there, my room wasn't ready (DVC doesn't allow check-in before 4pm, which is fine), so I had bell services store my luggage. By the time my room was ready, I had been out walking in the ridiculous Florida heat and was a mess once I got into my room and I all I wanted to do was shower and change my clothes. Two calls to bell services and exactly one hour later, I finally decided to just walk all the way back over to the luggage area and ask about my bags. I was told that they were very busy but assured me that my bags would be delivered soon. I waited another half hour before I walked all the way at the other end of the property to be bag area again, but this time grabbed my luggage myself and then walked all the way back with my bag, again in the heat. Beyond that, there was tape along the walls where someone must have hung decorations, and two cobwebs across the light fixtures, one of them stretching over to the smoke detector and then to the curtain above the sliding glass door to the patio. So housekeeping went from high dusting to "Hi dust!" Sure these things are minor and yes, this was the only time this has happened, but it just made for a poor experience. And for what we pay at Disney resorts, I expect a better level of service and certainly cleaning. The good thing is that with my rental car, I don't usually have any reason to go to the main area, and the walk from the DVC area to the monorail is nice. But my home resort is at the Villas at Wilderness Lodge and that building's decor is well above anything those Holiday Inn hallways of the Polynesian.

 

[supernova]

the theme at SSR is still very weak. Some call it understated, but to me it's almost non-existent. They have 3 thematic ideas, all tied to Saratoga Springs, NY: Horses, Natural Healing Springs and the Arts. All cool concepts but they don't really flesh out any of them or unite them in any way. The whole resort feels to be missing a story-line.

Have you been to Saratoga Springs? Like the real one in NY. After your comment above, I would have to say no.

 

[AlwaysPlanningforDisney]

Pop Century.....it was just too crowded and the QS was crazy and unorganized.

 

[DebbieDowner]

Have you been to Saratoga Springs? Like the real one in NY. After your comment above, I would have to say no.

I have not. I love everything about Yaddow. I don't see much at the resort to connect to that but there is so much opportunity to do so. Can you explain how the Saratoga Springs theme executed? I basically just see alot of pictures of horses and horse puns on the signs. Beach club has a beach, Boardwalk has an actual boardwalk, AK has animals. SSR doesn't have that level of theming as the other moderate or deluxe reosrts. What am I not seeing?

 

[supernova]

I have not. I love everything about Yaddow. I don't see much at the resort to connect to that but there is so much opportunity to do so. Can you explain how the Saratoga Springs theme executed? I basically just see alot of pictures of horses and horse puns on the signs. Beach club has a beach, Boardwalk has an actual boardwalk, AK has animals. SSR doesn't have that level of theming as the other moderate or deluxe reosrts. What am I not seeing?

Saratoga Springs is a race track in the town of the same name in upstate New York. Themeing seems to fit pretty well.