It’s also crazy expensive for what it is, no early park entry, no magic bud from airport - I stayed there in 2019, but it was so expensive, we got an Airbnb for half the cost
You’re right when you say that what one person doesn’t like will be perfect for someone else. Last year we stayed at All Star Sports - chosen only because it was the cheapest room on property- and we ended up LOVING it. Great service, clean rooms and grounds, even the bus transportation worked well for us. It’s all about knowing what you really want from your resort and vacation.
Truth of the matter is, there's NO "bad" places at DW. The service at all is amazing, generally. The key is to NEVER go "up"...don't go to the limits of your budget to experience the high end, as then, you'll start comparing everything to that. There's something to the "naivete" of not knowing the "better life", lol. It's true!
I agree. When I retire, I am staying at Disney World for a whole month. Eat at as many restaurants and stay at as many different resorts as possible. AJ, what would that itinerary look like? Now that is a challenge.
Well, we've lived them all and eaten them all too, lol, so if AJ doesn't answer you, my wife and I can give you an itinerary to die for! Won't even charge you that much, lol!
Just a heads up about Skyliner resorts, if there is lightening or thunder they will shut down the gondola and you will have to find a alternate way back to your resort. Disney did provide a bus but you would not make it back to your room for a long time. Was recently in Epcot and about to head back to Art of Animation when we found the Skyliner was stopped. The line for the buses was massive(all different skyliner resort guests) and we ended up using lyft at Yacht club to get back to our resort.
@@elainehill5931yeah it was terrible. The Skyliner ride is amazing especially on a nice clear day but the weather can change on you so fast. We got caught off guard and definitely will know better for next time.
Pro tip: when thunder is rolling in and you were planning on heating back to the hotel book a Lyft and they bring you right up close to your building. It’s worth it for the ease of getting back
I love the value resorts (and Pop Century). They are charming and have that Disney feel! I know they are not everyone's cup of tea, but I think they are worth it since I'm spending most of my day(s) at the parks anyways.
Did I miss you mentioning that the family suites at Art of Animation have 2 bathrooms....that alone makes it worthwhile for traveling with additional people. Spitting the cost of that room is less than 2 rooms, and we have some privacy with a bedroom and 2 baths.
Grand Floridian, the most “high end” and expensive resort hotel in Disneyworld, has the worst gym (if that matters to you.) There’s not a lot of equipment, it’s small AND it’s shared by both GF and the Poly. SSR, on the other hand, has the best and largest gym, again, if that matters to you.
Staying at GF next year. Never used their gym. But animal kingdom lodge has 2 gyms (nice surprise) and I have worked out at Muscles and Bustles gym at Boardwalk. I think females don’t require as much equipment but guys do. Hence it’s easier for women. People can think it’s crazy to work out at Disney but you’re not eating at home and cannot control the calories (you can control what you order but it might be drenched in butter). Add desert and even walking the 11 miles won’t cut it.
Over my lifetime I have stayed at The Polynesian, Wilderness lodge, Contemporary and Fort Wilderness. All have been spectacular in their own unique way. Honestly, if you can afford it The Poly is the spot. Pool, beach and theme in general is off the chart. Monorail right there and the fireworks view from The beach with a cocktail….. priceless. Great video
Ok I need to throw in a good word for Caribbean Beach here: If you aren't able bodied, or in your group requires a stroller or wheelchair, definitely look elsewhere, they're right about the resort being spread out, plus although there's only one flight of stairs, they look a nightmare to get a stroller up and down. If the above doesn't apply to you, absolutely book this resort! First of all, Skyliner obviously gives this place a huge advantage, there were times we were back in our room 20 min after getting off our final ride of the day. As it's the hub, no need to transfer at different stations, just one simple line back to the hotel. One thing I will say is keep an eye on the skies - other people have pointed out it shuts due to weather, and yes, the bus lines if this happens are a lot to deal with, however if you notice bad weather on the horizon and check local forecast, it's possible to bail before the skyliner shuts. I will also say the buses here aren't as awful as I expected. Magic kingdom excluded, we never had an issue getting on a bus at park opening or closing. The internal loop is a problem, yes, so if you can definitely walk to the main lobby bus stop and you're guaranteed the first bus that turns up every time. Also, the bus queues at MK closing, while long, were nowhere near as bad as other resorts like Coronado, Pop, or the TTC. If you time your exit, you can dodge the worst of it (either don't leave AT closing, or jump on a main ride at closing to let the queues die down). (Side note: they NEED a separate bus for the Grand Destino - the Coronado springs line at one point stretched back to the directory signs). The rooms here are good too. The new Little Mermaid rooms are a huge upgrade from the Pirate rooms (which I also liked admittedly), subtle theming works, and door instead of shower curtain at last (!!). Wouldn't be upset if more of the rooms received this change. A nice thing is all the buildings at this resort are relatively small, so we didn't have noise issues from neighbours (this also plays into the shorter bus queues I think). I also liked the pool options here, the main one had very good theming and space, while the island pools offered a quieter option. The Dining was also good here! Sure it's not anything fancy, but what they give you works. Both the main court and the small place in Trinidad have good breakfast options, and from what we saw of Sebastians menu it looked good as well (admittedly didn't eat there). Banana Cabana is excellent, good drinks selection even with non-alcoholic options, we spent a good few nights just in there looking out at the Lagoon. Also, nobody talks about the fact you can see some of the Epcot fireworks from Banana Cabana and the pier at the main lobby! Sure you don't get the whole thing, but you see a decent amount in a much quieter space (which, being noise-sensitive, I appreciated). Finally, the resort as a whole is beautiful, and it's great just to stroll around.
I love going to Caribbean Beach to sit and eat Banana Cabana. I don't know if I would enjoy staying there as my luggage is often quite heavy with Disney souvenirs. However, the main pool atmosphere and the beauty of looking at the the sunset, the Riviera Hotel and Skyliner and later with fireworks in the background made me very happy while there last week. A question for all the skyiner resort lovers, does it make you nervous that the Skyliner is the least reliable means of transportation at Disney? It closes with bad weather and I have been on it many times when it is stopped in midair for lengthy periods. We parked at Epcot once and went to Caribbean Beach for a meal and couldn't get back because they won't allow you on the Epcot bound Skyliner 10 mins before park close. We ended up having to take the bus.
We stay at all star movies, we day dream about the other resorts but being able to go to Disney and enjoy at least one nicer dinner or a character experience or special event party is definitely worth it over. The down side is leaving to go to our bus after Mk and it’s thru the smoking section and there’s no way to avoid it.
Wow! Prices have gone up so much! I stayed at Art of animation family suite before the pandemic in November 2019 and it was half the current price ( maybe even more? I can’t remember the exact per-night price it was ) . A friend of mine, who is a Disney super-fan even thought I paid too much even then. The Skyliner had just opened and was amazing
You are underrating Pop in my opinion. Key thing is, are you there for the Parks or the hotel. Not fancy but comfortable, convenient, accessible, affordable. We stayed ten days last year and it was perfect without destroying the bank. Seven days in the Parks, one day on the coasts, one day of sleep and one day airport travel. Great Trip!
I'm staying at the Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace when I go in October. Not only does it include free breakfast every morning but it's connected to Disney Springs via Skybridge so I'll have easier access to travel to all the parks. It also has its own lazy river!
You could also get early hours at Disney. Not as good as it use to be with the late hours. Personally, I think I will never stay at Disney again unless I can get as cheap as Hilton or they return late nights. I feel like they are going over the top rewarding just rich people. $250 to 500 a night is not value. Its a shame they only really care about well off people.
When we stayed at Art of Animation, it was one of the best hotels we’ve stayed at Disney. It felt like you were really in the Cars motel, and the service was great!
Our favorites in order: Boardwalk Villas, Polynesian DVC studio rooms, Beach Club Villas, Grand Floridian Villas, Animal Kingdom DVC rooms w/ savanna view, Old Key West when we have a rental car, Bay Lake Towers and Saratoga Springs.
I have stayed at Carribean beach resort since I was a kid. It is a big resort but its not all that bad and we always request a room on the first floor.
Over the years we have stayed at them all, from All Star Music to Art of Animation and Pop Century to the moderates (Caribbean, both Port Orleans, Coronado) and even the luxury resorts (Polynesian, Grand Floridian, Wilderness and ) and "non-Disney" properties (Swan and Dolphin), and I have to say, it just depends on who you are with and what you expect. The Value resorts - and some Moderates - are great for families with small children who don't judge where they sleep and love pools. The most important thing to consider is how much will you save for other Disney perks by staying at a less expensive resort? We love the Swan and Dolphin because we are willing to trade Disney theming for park access!
Thank you for mentioning the costs for these different resorts. Often reviewers leave out that important piece of information which helps us make a choice😊
To me, no resort can beat Riverside. That food court (especially for breakfast) and other food options and the beautiful hotel layout, it should be the model for all Disney resorts
I think a room fit for purpose is key. Every room has a target audience. I’m staying at Sports right now and it’s been a GREAT stay! Room is super clean and I lucked out with a room closer to the lobby. Busses haven’t been time consuming at all and have been quick to get you to the parks and back. Now I would never stay here with family. My current stay is as a solo traveler and while Sports fits my needs for transport and room size as a solo, I NEED more space and better accommodations when I bring my son and other family. POFQ Will forever be our fave no matter what other people say!
We Stayed at Carribbean Beach in Feb this year, it was our first time in Disney and we stayed at Jamaica building. It really helped to make our holiday, we couldn't have faulted it. We where a very slow 10 minute walk for the main pool. We didn't find it too big, and the walk wasn't too bad. Also didn't mind the bus loop on the way back from Magic Kingdom or Animal Kingdom.
The family suites at Art of Animation are dope, particularly the CARS themed section of the hotel. I didn’t go into the Finding Nemo building, but I can tell you that pool is so cool.
My problem with staying at a Disney resort is the high price of what you are getting. The only time I stayed on property was at the Caribbean Beach Resort, and it just wasn't worth the money. The tiny room was about what you would see at a Red Roof at several times the price. Every other time we have gone to Disney World we stayed at nice resort hotels off property at a much cheaper price. We loved staying in a resort near Disney Springs - we could watch the Disney fireworks every night from our balcony, had a huge clean room with much better amenities and while the hotel pool wasn't as fancy as the one at the Caribbean Beach Resort, it was fine.
Reminder that Carribean beach is amazing if you're staying in the Jamaica section. You're close enough to both the Skyliner and the main building. And no joke, it takes literally under 10 minutes to go from your room to Hollywood studios
Sebastian's Bistro is actually one of the most memorable dinner we had at Disney and we sure will go back. Not only it offers one of the best value for all you can enjoy meals but also their sides are done really well.
Stayed at all star music resort once, got a room that was so far back in the "country" section that it was like a hike to get anywhere in that resort. Not fun after an entire day of theme parks. Also stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge and I highly recommend to people don't do this resort when your trip is going to be cold. If its too cold they won't bring the animals out (I think they put them away when it dips below 40°F) so make sure the weather is nice during your stay.
I recently stayed at Pop Century and did not like it because it was a glorified, very expensive motel. I did like the Skyliner access and thought the room was actually pretty nice, but at the end of the day I was paying $300+ for a motel room.
Hated riversides royal rooms I was begging to go back to AOA… a random family behind us heard me complaining, and they agreed we were all wishing we were back at art of animation so far in my opinion, art of animation is the best resort on property. We love it there.
Before I moved down here I always stayed at All-Stars because I was at the parks all day anyway. It was cheap and I could still visit other hotels for food and drinks. I have stayed at some Deluxe resorts as well, but the rooms were so much it made me feel like I should lounge around the resort more to get my monies worth. I found the middle-ground at the Moderate resorts. They were nicer resorts and had better food options, but didn't break the bank a decade ago.
I really like the Caribbean Beach when we stayed there in 2020. Granted the rooms were basic as they could be but the placement and skyliner were awesome.
We don’t stay at Disney any more. We stayed at a universal resort one time and the family fell in love. Every time we plan a trip to Disney I always get outvoted on where to stay ( I liked our Disney hotel) but everyone always wants to stay at universal
Thanks for dissing the Caribbean Beach Resort! We've stayed here over 30 times and love it! Now maybe people will stay away and give us more room availability!!!!!!!😊😊
I'm shocked that Coronado Springs wasn't on this list. It just is NOT a "Disney" resort---it feels isolated, and more "business", despite the views around the lake. OTOH, if you're looking for peace and quiet, somewhat like SS, it could be a life saver; however, every time we've been there, business groups have been having meetings there, and that sort of ruins the experience, quite frankly.
I love Pop Century, but my last trip decided to try Art of Animation. The price was up there, but I thought the theming would make up for that and it did. My issue was with the size of the place. Compared to Pop it was much more spread out and because I was in the Little Mermaid section (solo trip) it was a VERY long walk to the room. At the end of a park day a lengthy hike was not what I wanted at all
Stayed there in March. Expensive and not very friendly for older people. Long walk from the parking lot. Nothing or no one to help. To spread out. Food is not great. The only good thing is the skyliner. Rooms are put together cheaply.
@@pamhendrickson9164 I am telling you. try the Pop Century. Give it a try. It's pure nostalgia for people that were born before 2000 and not as spread out Plus it has the skyliner too.
Yeah, I totally agree, it was the only thing I disliked about that hotel. I stayed at Ariel building and it took forever to walk there. After a long day at the park, it was very tiresome having to walk even more
I stayed at All Star Music resort a few years ago and although the buildings and grounds were designed awesome, the room was disgusting. The shower would barely drain, the table in the room was sticky, floor didn't seem to be vacuumed and the sheets on the bed didn't feel clean. I hope they have improved! I have stayed at Pop Century several times and enjoyed each stay
My first WDW vacation with my kids was in April for spring break. We stayed at Allstar Sports and I loved it despite getting a room very far away from the pool and main building. My teenage daughter was not that impressed with it but my ten year old son liked it. I would stay there again provided we could get a room close to the from to cut down on the walking impact on my knees
WOW the Saratoga Spring has been updated since this! The photos are of the OLD lobby not the newer one or the new spacious rooms! Compared to Coronado Saratoga is way better more space in the rooms and has a microwave at least.
Stayed at All Star Movies first visit in 2013 then discovered Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort and loved it we have stayed at CBR 6 out 7 of our visits . I’m going again in January of 2024 and ofc we are heading back to Caribbean Beach our “home resort “ love ❤️ that Caribbean Beach has skyliner for Epcot and Hollywood Studios and CBR is the main hub for Skyliner. Disney’s Caribbean Beach resort is our favorite for me and my mom and dad because we feel comfortable there and already know it well. We did have to go upstairs our 2015 trip I think we have it figured out my mom always requests a room on first floor. Last year I do remember walking to Riveria to get on the Skyliner maybe it was faster. I have been to Grand Floridan for Breakfast a couple times my first visit in 2013 and then we went in 2018 with my Uncle and Aunt the breakfast there at 1900 park fare was good it’s character dining ,but I don’t think we’d ever stay there too expensive
I LOVED staying at Are of Animation. The only thing I really disliked was the fact that the Little Mermaid Suites, where I stayed, were quite far from the hotel lobby/ restaurant/ shop/ bust stop, and there are no shuttles or anything like inside the hotel for us to use. So it wasn't very nice when we would come back at night very tired from the parks and have to walk all the way from the bus stop to the building our room was located (and our room was in the Ariel building, the very last one 😅). But at least it was close to the bridge to Pop Century resort so we could walk there sometimes to eat at that resort or just walk around it to see the props
About resorts with giant-sized figures and signs, I’ve been scared of stuff like that since I was a child (there was no Disney World then, but I was taken to lakes a few times and was terrified of the huge sails on sailboats.) Now I’m pushing 67, and I’m still scared of them.
@@mgseggerman I know KC has a magnificent museum (the Nelson Atkins??), but I appreciate the warning. I’m going to Google it so that I can freak myself out.
Thank you for the info, but this year I am actually going to stay off Disney property. Back in 2019, my last time at WDW I think I paid around $109 a night for All-Star Sports, but now it would run me close to $2,200 for 8 nights without passes. Things there are getting so expensive it is making vacations so hard to do since I love it there. Also, since Disney killed the Magical Express I have lost all desire to stay in a Disney hotel there at all.
the first resort i ever stayed at was art of animation family suite, finding nemo. i thought it was AWESOME because of the theme and also the hotel's general music you'd hear. also i think i was 8, maybe 9, so obviously i didn't care about the price LOL. my family went there not totally unexperienced but it was my first time. it's funny how we thought we were paying a good price but now we realize it was way more expensive than other resorts. this year we're going to try out beach club! not our first deluxe but i am SO excited!
Dear lord... These poor people getting gouged by Disney need to think about visiting De Efteling in the Netherlands. It's outstripping Disneyland Paris in every way and is remarkably less expensive, with every convenience Disney charges for provided for free.
What a great suggestion - I will certainly Never support “Disney” ever again for many reasons & many people are finally wising up about Disney - If your visiting FL, Universal Parks are a much Better option !!!
Port Orleans Riverside Royal Guest rooms are our go to resort for Disney. The only other resorts we like to stay out for super special occasions are Poly and Wildernees lodge
The company my husband works for booked their employees Yacht and beach club. We got to stay at the Yacht club and it is a beautiful resort. We loved the pool and the fact they have activities for the kids before dinner.
We love Pop Century & now with the Skyliner its even better. Upgrading to a Preferred room is definitely worth it to be closer to the dining & lobby, the upgrade isn't that much.
Costco members can get discounts at Swan and Dolphin and several other hotels near Disney. My sister in law wants to make reservations buying DVC points. We stayed at Boardwalk in 2021 and Saratoga in 2022. Boardwalk was in rough shape/needing a reno, but love the location. Saratoga was an odd location and bad service. Our Saratoga towels and extra blankets were so worn out. The murphy beds only had a sheet (and had record low temps at xmas.) and I called housekeeping twice to get more towels and blankets. As a combined family of 6 adults two kids under 10 and a 11 month old we definably used the kitchens in DVC rooms. I'm not a picky person, décor doesn't matter to me, but Caribbean Beach and Port Orleans were always my favorite themed resorts.
We’ve been so incredibly lucky that my in laws have a time share so we always stay in villas when we go. It’s like having a condo basically with pools and all kinds of other activities to do onsite. We’re normally just a 15 minute drive away from the parks, it’s perfect.
About 12 years ago we stayed at the Polynesian for $500 per night and it was a terrible experience. As soon as we walked into the building of our room there was a terrible smell of mold or dampness like someone's old basement. The walls were paper thin so you could hear guests in adjacent rooms and every sound from the hallways. When we would leave in the morning, the hallways were lined with room service trays on the floors and they would still be there when we returned later in the day. There was so much more. After this we rented a house with 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms with a pool for half the price and only 15 minutes from Disney.
We did not have a magical time at Coronado. There were bugs in the room,broken drink machines and terrible bus service that took over an hour each time. A terrible food court. Pop century was less money and ten times better for everything.We have always enjoyed our stay at that hotel.
I still would prefer the Disney INN - rooms downstairs by the Little Pool - and those were the rooms that the Disney Executives also preferred. I could WALK to the Polynesian and from there to the Monorail. For a number of years we dealt with the same servers at the Restaurant and as far as I am concerned - they have never actually been able to replace that.
My fiancé and I stayed in CBeach in 2021 and loved it. Nice and quiet- food was nice but nothing to write home about (definitely recommend quick service in lobby over Sebastian’s). We stayed at a lobby preferred room, but know that can mean going across the bridge and island to a room on the other side of the lake (not that we minded the walk, and the pool by lobby was the nosiest spot on whole premises). The best way to get around the shuttling between bus stops was just ask the front desk which stop they recommend going to to get to where you need to go. We were given great advice to make everything smooth.
The first and "cheapest" hotel looks like a motel at the lowest end but nice paint elevates it from a looking like slum. Disney could easely made some afforable options..
Stayed at the Grand Californian. The lobby was nice and Storytellers Cafe was amazing. The room just looked like a regular hotel room (regular hilton or marriott quality). But guess the real draw for a disney hotel is early access to the parks.
The main problem i have with them is price Europa park and Phantasialand both have fantastic highly themed hotels that blow all star sports and movies out of the water for way cheaper.
If not for the Allstar Resoort my family may have to stay iff site. The lack of fancy food is no issue as you are aloud to eat at any Disney resort [we ate at the polinisian]. The only park bus that had an overwelming wait was Magic Kingdom. We got on the others first bus in [in April]. The parks are the thing and this is our only way of staying in the Magic all week so we like this hotel.
I love POR. I loving walking around the whole resort and the relatively short walk to POFQ. And you can take a boat to Disney Springs. The problem is getting to the parks. The bus system is kind of insane. I have to take rideshares everywhere, which runs into money, and it takes a long time to get back to your room if you need a mid-day break.
Agree with you. We stayed here and wasn’t our cup of tea but it’s not to say it’s not a nice place. Just didn’t like how much walking we had to do to get around.
A word of caution about the Polynesian. While the theming and general convenience is great, as well as the "secret beach" you can head to to watch the fireworks show with piped-in music, bear in mind that when it comes to transportation, this is the "second stop" to the Grand Floridian both ways. Meaning that when you want to head out to the parks, no matter which form of transport you get on (bus, monorail, or boat), they will always be full of people who got on at the first GF stop, and there may not actually be space on the transport for your whole party if you are trying to get on at one of the more popular ride times at the beginning of the day. Similarly, you are the second stop when leaving the parks; all buses, monorail, and boat rides are going to stop at the GF first before you can get off, so you will have to do some additional waiting for that. Generally this is a minor issue, but there are times when it could become a major one and add to your transit time.
I stayed at art of animation last week. Not to impressed. The room was nice, but they didn't offer no room service. Plus the food was limited, didn't had a lot of choses for vegetarian people.
No plans to ever visit a Disney park again but this video is pretty interesting. Can't believe how much they were wanting to charge people for the Star Wars hotel.
My partner didn’t have a great time at AKL. His biggest problem was how much of a maze it is to get anywhere. The Savannah view we had was okay. We didn’t really see many animals (We were RIGHT on the Savannah, but I guess bc it was Feb, it’s more of a hit/miss season?) Overall, idk if we’d consider staying at AKL again. It just wasn’t worth the cost in our opinion. On the other hand, POFQ is our go-to resort. We can’t really think of any bad things to critique it on. Maybe just that it’s a motel styled hotel, and the lobby CAN be a distance from your room, but that’s really the most. The food was AMAZING. Hands down our favorite resort by far for food. (Note: I’ll be staying at the Grand Flo soon, so I’ll reply to this with my opinions of it when I get back.)
@@WhatsEvenRealAnymore I completely forgot I made this comment, tbh! So thank you for asking. And yes I have! We had a Marina view in the 4th floor/Boca Chica building. I also booked under the AP discount at the time. We were blessed in the regard that we had a partial theme park room, although it’s also not guaranteed. We actually had to sit on the corner of our balcony to see the castle, but it still was accessible from our room. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend staying there without a solid discount offer. The rack rate is definitely something that is steep in my opinion. The environment is more than average classy though, as you’d expect in Disney terms. I’m not sure if all rooms have been renovated, but we had one. The new MP theme is subtle enough, but is still enough to warrant calling it themed. There’s accents through the rooms with calls to her and her story which we enjoyed. We didn’t dine much at the Grand Flo though, and ate mostly in the parks besides times I sampled the lounges at the neighboring monorail resorts. We did have Gasparilla for a break snack though, and it’s about what you’d think as a typical Disney priced dining. My dining companion had the room service, though I forgot to ask her what the experience was like with it. I will say, she definitely enjoyed it. When I returned to the room, her tray was empty. 😂 The pool area was quiet pretty much anytime I walked by, and the hot tub is also in the same area, though I personally overlooked it until the second day. We didn’t have littles, so we didn’t take advantage of the splash pad, but it definitely looked enjoyable. As with other splash areas I’ve seen on property so far, they have a water dumping area in it, which for this one is the Mad Hatter’s hat and that was pretty cool theming. I did partake in the Enchanted Rose and the decor was absolutely stunning. I had an Espresso Martini, and it was super smooth. Even if you don’t drink, I’d highly recommend checking it out just for the decor alone. The beach area was beautiful, and you can see the MK fireworks AMAZINGLY from the dock by Narcoossee’s in addition to in front of Gasparilla! You can definitely get some clean shots of them if you like photographing them as well! Overall, the theming was subtle enough, but was still there if you looked for it (some of them were low effort, like floor tile designs and we had an art piece in our room.) I don’t think I’d stay there again though, as most of the factors I liked I could simply hop on the monorail to check out. If you have an event or celebration, I can also see the splurge value. But as a standard trip (which this one was, but I also am trying to get experiences at as many hotels as I can,) I can’t say the price is worth it, even at a discount.
@@BeautyInTheMagic Thanks for your reply. You mentioned you’re trying to stay at more resorts. Which ones do you recommend. I’ve done moderates so many times that I’m only looking for deluxe suggestions only. Thoughts? To give some background this will be an adults only trip. That’s why I thought the grand might be a good fit but lmk what you think. 9 people in my party- all adults.
@@WhatsEvenRealAnymore Oh, this was only my second adventure down! 😅 I’ve only done POFQ, AKL and the Grand Flo. My goal is to hit all of them in the next 2 years or so if possible.
Even better, book a timeshare (plz do not buy) for a fraction of the cost. They always available because the “owners” get tired of going to Orlando every year. You can stay in a place w/ 2br, 2 bath, with common living area, kitchen and balcony for $200-$300 a night. It’s even cheaper if you book for 5 or more days. There are also beautiful 3-4 br homes w/ a swimming pool. They are available for as little as $300 per night (off season).
All Star resorts: never again. Loud, drunk parents throughout the day and night. Then screaming cheerleaders at all times. They ran around doing cheers like we would actually care about them. Theming was much worse than at the more expensive resorts.
“You’re gonna be greeted by Art. Not like Art Smith, like physical art. Artwork.” Me picturing Chef Art Smith in an apron and hat standing in the lobby waving at guests when they walk in👁️👄👁️ 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
If art of animation’s food court was “basic”… then I have no clue what you would considered not basic. My family stayed here in January, we loved every minute of it. And the gondolas were down. We stayed at little mermaid area because it was cheaper for 3 rooms that it was for a suite and a room. We have 7 in our family (mom, dad, sister, her husband and kid, me and my husband). The food was excellent. The shrimp and grits were amazing. We had issues figuring out what to eat when we did eat at the resort. We loved every moment of that resort. Also, yes the two beds… oh no! Less room. But oh, husband is a bed hog… oh look! Empty bed! Whole bed to myself. Win win situation. My husband even wanted to splurge this October (ya. It’s a two Disney trip year…) and stay at art of animation. Even though he loved all stars.
It’s important to remember if you’re spending a lot of time at a Disney resort hotel you’re wasting time that could be better spent in the park. I’d suggest you book a Disney resort with ‘access’ being a priority. If you want luxury then after your Disney resort stay book a few nights at the Hyatt, Hilton or one of a dozen quality nearby hotels at a fraction of the price. You can still visit the Disney resorts by taking the shuttle from Disney Springs.
I remember going alongside my senior year class to Disney World. We stayed at the All-star Sports resort. There was one memorable time where a few of our class mates attempted to do a pizza guy prank where the delivery driver would open the door to their room to see one of the classmates tied to a table in nothing but a leopard pattern thong. Thankfully I didn't see it myself but a teacher unfortunately witnessed it being prepared and got an eyeful of that thong. Probably scarred himself for life.
Honeymooned at Caribbean Beach in the Jamaica section and although it is a walk to the main amenities, each section has it's own pool and for an adults only trip the quiet of being more spread out was nice
I dodged a bullet when I went to All Stars (Music). I was checking in the day the cheerleaders were checking out. So I had a great stay but the people there were shellshocked LOL. My only advice for the budgets are, as listed, ask if it's going to be infested with teenagers. If there are none and you're all adults, unless you're total Disney adult and this is your trip of a lifetime, All Stars is GREAT. Food court is SAAALLLTTTYYY food though so have fun checking out the restaurants at other places.
No way A Jay! AoA Family suites are our go-to. For the Win! Skyliner to 2 parks and reasonable bus rides to the other 2. We love Port Orleans but those bus rides......
The issue Disney hotels have at the moment is the lack of perks, especially the top end hotels. Since Chepek took over, perks have been lost and people are not now staying on site because of the high cost is not value for money any more. Speaking to staff at the boardwalk they were saying the lack of pepole staying at the hotel has seriously cut there wages as they are not making enough tips.
I love all star movies and it’s my favorite but it was funny when you talked about how schools and teams go. My most recent trip I went there and many teams were at the hotel this time
I was shocked by how nice the renovated rooms at the pop century were AND we could walk to the skyliner? That’s luxury to me haha
I love pop century we are staying there near the end of July
My favourite Disney hotels. If I'm going value it is my go to .
Saaaame lmao 😂
It’s also crazy expensive for what it is, no early park entry, no magic bud from airport - I stayed there in 2019, but it was so expensive, we got an Airbnb for half the cost
@@hasek3139 you absolutely get early park entry…. At ANY Disney resort. Lol
You’re right when you say that what one person doesn’t like will be perfect for someone else. Last year we stayed at All Star Sports - chosen only because it was the cheapest room on property- and we ended up LOVING it. Great service, clean rooms and grounds, even the bus transportation worked well for us.
It’s all about knowing what you really want from your resort and vacation.
Truth of the matter is, there's NO "bad" places at DW. The service at all is amazing, generally. The key is to NEVER go "up"...don't go to the limits of your budget to experience the high end, as then, you'll start comparing everything to that. There's something to the "naivete" of not knowing the "better life", lol. It's true!
All stars are soo underrated. The themeing is so cute and they are good hotels overall. I agree their food courts are a bit lacking, though
@@WastelandHI Agree. I Love All Star Sports. I've stayed at Music once and Loved it. I'm a HUGE Sports fan and player. I just Love the Theming.
I’ll never forget the pizza button on the room phone. THAT is luxury to a small family with a very picky eater (me).
I agree. When I retire, I am staying at Disney World for a whole month. Eat at as many restaurants and stay at as many different resorts as possible. AJ, what would that itinerary look like? Now that is a challenge.
Well, we've lived them all and eaten them all too, lol, so if AJ doesn't answer you, my wife and I can give you an itinerary to die for! Won't even charge you that much, lol!
I might take you up on that. Lol
Just a heads up about Skyliner resorts, if there is lightening or thunder they will shut down the gondola and you will have to find a alternate way back to your resort. Disney did provide a bus but you would not make it back to your room for a long time. Was recently in Epcot and about to head back to Art of Animation when we found the Skyliner was stopped. The line for the buses was massive(all different skyliner resort guests) and we ended up using lyft at Yacht club to get back to our resort.
That happened to us as well last summer. Very bad storm while we were at Epcot. Took forever to get back to Pop Century.
@@elainehill5931yeah it was terrible. The Skyliner ride is amazing especially on a nice clear day but the weather can change on you so fast. We got caught off guard and definitely will know better for next time.
Feel like adding Lyft or Uber to your budget just in case, counts for a lot…
Pro tip: when thunder is rolling in and you were planning on heating back to the hotel book a Lyft and they bring you right up close to your building. It’s worth it for the ease of getting back
Good to know.
I love the value resorts (and Pop Century). They are charming and have that Disney feel! I know they are not everyone's cup of tea, but I think they are worth it since I'm spending most of my day(s) at the parks anyways.
All Star Movies or bust!
We stayed at pop century in January 2023 and they were really nice we barely spent time in the room just for sleep basically.
Art of Animation was fine. Then again, my daughter and I did a 4 day park marathon so we didn’t spent too much time at the hotel
Exactly, I'm only there to sleep. So, as long as the room is clean and the hotel has a pool, I'm good.
Did I miss you mentioning that the family suites at Art of Animation have 2 bathrooms....that alone makes it worthwhile for traveling with additional people. Spitting the cost of that room is less than 2 rooms, and we have some privacy with a bedroom and 2 baths.
They have family suites?
I just booked the AOA 1 bedroom with pull out sofa and Murphy bed. For 5 people cheaper than 2 rooms at dolphin
You can also book w/ two adjoining hotel rooms.
Grand Floridian, the most “high end” and expensive resort hotel in Disneyworld, has the worst gym (if that matters to you.) There’s not a lot of equipment, it’s small AND it’s shared by both GF and the Poly. SSR, on the other hand, has the best and largest gym, again, if that matters to you.
Good for you for working out and then walking 11 miles. 😂
Staying at GF next year. Never used their gym. But animal kingdom lodge has 2 gyms (nice surprise) and I have worked out at Muscles and Bustles gym at Boardwalk. I think females don’t require as much equipment but guys do. Hence it’s easier for women.
People can think it’s crazy to work out at Disney but you’re not eating at home and cannot control the calories (you can control what you order but it might be drenched in butter). Add desert and even walking the 11 miles won’t cut it.
Over my lifetime I have stayed at The Polynesian, Wilderness lodge, Contemporary and Fort Wilderness. All have been spectacular in their own unique way. Honestly, if you can afford it The Poly is the spot. Pool, beach and theme in general is off the chart. Monorail right there and the fireworks view from
The beach with a cocktail….. priceless. Great video
Ok I need to throw in a good word for Caribbean Beach here:
If you aren't able bodied, or in your group requires a stroller or wheelchair, definitely look elsewhere, they're right about the resort being spread out, plus although there's only one flight of stairs, they look a nightmare to get a stroller up and down.
If the above doesn't apply to you, absolutely book this resort!
First of all, Skyliner obviously gives this place a huge advantage, there were times we were back in our room 20 min after getting off our final ride of the day. As it's the hub, no need to transfer at different stations, just one simple line back to the hotel. One thing I will say is keep an eye on the skies - other people have pointed out it shuts due to weather, and yes, the bus lines if this happens are a lot to deal with, however if you notice bad weather on the horizon and check local forecast, it's possible to bail before the skyliner shuts.
I will also say the buses here aren't as awful as I expected. Magic kingdom excluded, we never had an issue getting on a bus at park opening or closing. The internal loop is a problem, yes, so if you can definitely walk to the main lobby bus stop and you're guaranteed the first bus that turns up every time. Also, the bus queues at MK closing, while long, were nowhere near as bad as other resorts like Coronado, Pop, or the TTC. If you time your exit, you can dodge the worst of it (either don't leave AT closing, or jump on a main ride at closing to let the queues die down).
(Side note: they NEED a separate bus for the Grand Destino - the Coronado springs line at one point stretched back to the directory signs).
The rooms here are good too. The new Little Mermaid rooms are a huge upgrade from the Pirate rooms (which I also liked admittedly), subtle theming works, and door instead of shower curtain at last (!!). Wouldn't be upset if more of the rooms received this change. A nice thing is all the buildings at this resort are relatively small, so we didn't have noise issues from neighbours (this also plays into the shorter bus queues I think). I also liked the pool options here, the main one had very good theming and space, while the island pools offered a quieter option.
The Dining was also good here! Sure it's not anything fancy, but what they give you works. Both the main court and the small place in Trinidad have good breakfast options, and from what we saw of Sebastians menu it looked good as well (admittedly didn't eat there). Banana Cabana is excellent, good drinks selection even with non-alcoholic options, we spent a good few nights just in there looking out at the Lagoon. Also, nobody talks about the fact you can see some of the Epcot fireworks from Banana Cabana and the pier at the main lobby! Sure you don't get the whole thing, but you see a decent amount in a much quieter space (which, being noise-sensitive, I appreciated).
Finally, the resort as a whole is beautiful, and it's great just to stroll around.
I'm glad you mentioned that about the wheelchairs
I love going to Caribbean Beach to sit and eat Banana Cabana. I don't know if I would enjoy staying there as my luggage is often quite heavy with Disney souvenirs. However, the main pool atmosphere and the beauty of looking at the the sunset, the Riviera Hotel and Skyliner and later with fireworks in the background made me very happy while there last week.
A question for all the skyiner resort lovers, does it make you nervous that the Skyliner is the least reliable means of transportation at Disney? It closes with bad weather and I have been on it many times when it is stopped in midair for lengthy periods. We parked at Epcot once and went to Caribbean Beach for a meal and couldn't get back because they won't allow you on the Epcot bound Skyliner 10 mins before park close. We ended up having to take the bus.
Grand Floridian was the greatest when we stayed there... Loved it, wouldn't change a thing .
I like that you always provide alternative choices for everything be it restaurants, hotels, etc.
"A day at Disney is better than a day anywhere else" - I LOVE IT
Unless you are stuck in your room because of a hurricane,it’s happened to us twice
@@ange7034 there are days when i'd rather be stuck in a Disney resort room than at work
I absolutely love Art of Animation. Such an immersive Disney experience. The suites are awesome!
We stay at all star movies, we day dream about the other resorts but being able to go to Disney and enjoy at least one nicer dinner or a character experience or special event party is definitely worth it over. The down side is leaving to go to our bus after Mk and it’s thru the smoking section and there’s no way to avoid it.
Wow! Prices have gone up so much! I stayed at Art of animation family suite before the pandemic in November 2019 and it was half the current price ( maybe even more? I can’t remember the exact per-night price it was ) . A friend of mine, who is a Disney super-fan even thought I paid too much even then. The Skyliner had just opened and was amazing
You are underrating Pop in my opinion. Key thing is, are you there for the Parks or the hotel. Not fancy but comfortable, convenient, accessible, affordable. We stayed ten days last year and it was perfect without destroying the bank. Seven days in the Parks, one day on the coasts, one day of sleep and one day airport travel. Great Trip!
I'm staying at the Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace when I go in October. Not only does it include free breakfast every morning but it's connected to Disney Springs via Skybridge so I'll have easier access to travel to all the parks. It also has its own lazy river!
You could also get early hours at Disney. Not as good as it use to be with the late hours. Personally, I think I will never stay at Disney again unless I can get as cheap as Hilton or they return late nights. I feel like they are going over the top rewarding just rich people. $250 to 500 a night is not value. Its a shame they only really care about well off people.
Yeah, the hotel includes early hours which works great for me since i'm more of an early bird these days than a night owl.
When we stayed at Art of Animation, it was one of the best hotels we’ve stayed at Disney. It felt like you were really in the Cars motel, and the service was great!
Our favorites in order: Boardwalk Villas, Polynesian DVC studio rooms, Beach Club Villas, Grand Floridian Villas, Animal Kingdom DVC rooms w/ savanna view, Old Key West when we have a rental car, Bay Lake Towers and Saratoga Springs.
Resorts on the Monorail or the Skyliner routes are especially worth it.
I have stayed at Carribean beach resort since I was a kid. It is a big resort but its not all that bad and we always request a room on the first floor.
Over the years we have stayed at them all, from All Star Music to Art of Animation and Pop Century to the moderates (Caribbean, both Port Orleans, Coronado) and even the luxury resorts (Polynesian, Grand Floridian, Wilderness and ) and "non-Disney" properties (Swan and Dolphin), and I have to say, it just depends on who you are with and what you expect. The Value resorts - and some Moderates - are great for families with small children who don't judge where they sleep and love pools. The most important thing to consider is how much will you save for other Disney perks by staying at a less expensive resort? We love the Swan and Dolphin because we are willing to trade Disney theming for park access!
Thank you for mentioning the costs for these different resorts. Often reviewers leave out that important piece of information which helps us make a choice😊
To me, no resort can beat Riverside. That food court (especially for breakfast) and other food options and the beautiful hotel layout, it should be the model for all Disney resorts
Costco has a great WDW package that includes the Dolphin/Swan
I think a room fit for purpose is key. Every room has a target audience.
I’m staying at Sports right now and it’s been a GREAT stay! Room is super clean and I lucked out with a room closer to the lobby. Busses haven’t been time consuming at all and have been quick to get you to the parks and back.
Now I would never stay here with family. My current stay is as a solo traveler and while Sports fits my needs for transport and room size as a solo, I NEED more space and better accommodations when I bring my son and other family. POFQ Will forever be our fave no matter what other people say!
We Stayed at Carribbean Beach in Feb this year, it was our first time in Disney and we stayed at Jamaica building.
It really helped to make our holiday, we couldn't have faulted it. We where a very slow 10 minute walk for the main pool.
We didn't find it too big, and the walk wasn't too bad.
Also didn't mind the bus loop on the way back from Magic Kingdom or Animal Kingdom.
The family suites at Art of Animation are dope, particularly the CARS themed section of the hotel. I didn’t go into the Finding Nemo building, but I can tell you that pool is so cool.
My problem with staying at a Disney resort is the high price of what you are getting. The only time I stayed on property was at the Caribbean Beach Resort, and it just wasn't worth the money. The tiny room was about what you would see at a Red Roof at several times the price. Every other time we have gone to Disney World we stayed at nice resort hotels off property at a much cheaper price. We loved staying in a resort near Disney Springs - we could watch the Disney fireworks every night from our balcony, had a huge clean room with much better amenities and while the hotel pool wasn't as fancy as the one at the Caribbean Beach Resort, it was fine.
Reminder that Carribean beach is amazing if you're staying in the Jamaica section. You're close enough to both the Skyliner and the main building. And no joke, it takes literally under 10 minutes to go from your room to Hollywood studios
Sebastian's Bistro is actually one of the most memorable dinner we had at Disney and we sure will go back. Not only it offers one of the best value for all you can enjoy meals but also their sides are done really well.
We always stay at AoA because my husband needs that full Disney immersion experience. I’m just happy to be there. 😊
Stayed at all star music resort once, got a room that was so far back in the "country" section that it was like a hike to get anywhere in that resort. Not fun after an entire day of theme parks.
Also stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge and I highly recommend to people don't do this resort when your trip is going to be cold. If its too cold they won't bring the animals out (I think they put them away when it dips below 40°F) so make sure the weather is nice during your stay.
I recently stayed at Pop Century and did not like it because it was a glorified, very expensive motel. I did like the Skyliner access and thought the room was actually pretty nice, but at the end of the day I was paying $300+ for a motel room.
Hated riversides royal rooms I was begging to go back to AOA… a random family behind us heard me complaining, and they agreed we were all wishing we were back at art of animation so far in my opinion, art of animation is the best resort on property. We love it there.
My family's choice of resort has always been very easy. We have a trailer. There is one option. It is Fort Wilderness Campground.
Before I moved down here I always stayed at All-Stars because I was at the parks all day anyway. It was cheap and I could still visit other hotels for food and drinks. I have stayed at some Deluxe resorts as well, but the rooms were so much it made me feel like I should lounge around the resort more to get my monies worth. I found the middle-ground at the Moderate resorts. They were nicer resorts and had better food options, but didn't break the bank a decade ago.
I really like the Caribbean Beach when we stayed there in 2020. Granted the rooms were basic as they could be but the placement and skyliner were awesome.
We don’t stay at Disney any more. We stayed at a universal resort one time and the family fell in love. Every time we plan a trip to Disney I always get outvoted on where to stay ( I liked our Disney hotel) but everyone always wants to stay at universal
12:15 i remember there was a gator attack in that area a couple years ago. and now crocodilian characters are banned from the resort
Port Orleans Riverside is my fav resort!
Thanks for dissing the Caribbean Beach Resort! We've stayed here over 30 times and love it! Now maybe people will stay away and give us more room availability!!!!!!!😊😊
I love roaming ALL of them! 😍
Happy Thursday, y’all! 🎩🥂🖤
I'm shocked that Coronado Springs wasn't on this list. It just is NOT a "Disney" resort---it feels isolated, and more "business", despite the views around the lake. OTOH, if you're looking for peace and quiet, somewhat like SS, it could be a life saver; however, every time we've been there, business groups have been having meetings there, and that sort of ruins the experience, quite frankly.
I love Pop Century, but my last trip decided to try Art of Animation. The price was up there, but I thought the theming would make up for that and it did. My issue was with the size of the place. Compared to Pop it was much more spread out and because I was in the Little Mermaid section (solo trip) it was a VERY long walk to the room. At the end of a park day a lengthy hike was not what I wanted at all
That walk back to The Little Mermaid section was horrible!
Stayed there in March. Expensive and not very friendly for older people. Long walk from the parking lot. Nothing or no one to help. To spread out. Food is not great. The only good thing is the skyliner. Rooms are put together cheaply.
@@pamhendrickson9164
I am telling you. try the Pop Century. Give it a try. It's pure nostalgia for people that were born before 2000 and not as spread out
Plus it has the skyliner too.
Yeah, I totally agree, it was the only thing I disliked about that hotel. I stayed at Ariel building and it took forever to walk there. After a long day at the park, it was very tiresome having to walk even more
@@pamhendrickson9164I thought there’s a parking lot next to the little mermaid? So where did you park?
I stayed at All Star Music resort a few years ago and although the buildings and grounds were designed awesome, the room was disgusting. The shower would barely drain, the table in the room was sticky, floor didn't seem to be vacuumed and the sheets on the bed didn't feel clean. I hope they have improved! I have stayed at Pop Century several times and enjoyed each stay
My first WDW vacation with my kids was in April for spring break. We stayed at Allstar Sports and I loved it despite getting a room very far away from the pool and main building. My teenage daughter was not that impressed with it but my ten year old son liked it. I would stay there again provided we could get a room close to the from to cut down on the walking impact on my knees
WOW the Saratoga Spring has been updated since this! The photos are of the OLD lobby not the newer one or the new spacious rooms! Compared to Coronado Saratoga is way better more space in the rooms and has a microwave at least.
all hotels should have one
Walk from FF to Magic Kingdom? To quote Daffy Duck; "Ha, ha, ha! It is to laugh!" The path is closed more than it's open!
Stayed at All Star Movies first visit in 2013 then discovered Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort and loved it we have stayed at CBR 6 out 7 of our visits . I’m going again in January of 2024 and ofc we are heading back to Caribbean Beach our “home resort “ love ❤️ that Caribbean Beach has skyliner for Epcot and Hollywood Studios and CBR is the main hub for Skyliner. Disney’s Caribbean Beach resort is our favorite for me and my mom and dad because we feel comfortable there and already know it well. We did have to go upstairs our 2015 trip I think we have it figured out my mom always requests a room on first floor. Last year I do remember walking to Riveria to get on the Skyliner maybe it was faster. I have been to Grand Floridan for Breakfast a couple times my first visit in 2013 and then we went in 2018 with my Uncle and Aunt the breakfast there at 1900 park fare was good it’s character dining ,but I don’t think we’d ever stay there too expensive
When I was on a show choir trip in 2011, we stayed at all star resorts and I remember the rooms being really run down and kinda nasty.
I LOVED staying at Are of Animation. The only thing I really disliked was the fact that the Little Mermaid Suites, where I stayed, were quite far from the hotel lobby/ restaurant/ shop/ bust stop, and there are no shuttles or anything like inside the hotel for us to use. So it wasn't very nice when we would come back at night very tired from the parks and have to walk all the way from the bus stop to the building our room was located (and our room was in the Ariel building, the very last one 😅). But at least it was close to the bridge to Pop Century resort so we could walk there sometimes to eat at that resort or just walk around it to see the props
About resorts with giant-sized figures and signs, I’ve been scared of stuff like that since I was a child (there was no Disney World then, but I was taken to lakes a few times and was terrified of the huge sails on sailboats.) Now I’m pushing 67, and I’m still scared of them.
🤣🤣🤣
Don't think of visiting Kansas City - the Claes Oldenberg sculptures on the grounds of the museum will terrify you
@@mgseggerman I know KC has a magnificent museum (the Nelson Atkins??), but I appreciate the warning. I’m going to Google it so that I can freak myself out.
You’re forgetting one of the biggest draws of Art of Animation: they’re one of the few Disney resort hotels that allows dogs
I just stayed at Swan & Dolphin and loved it.
Thank you for the info, but this year I am actually going to stay off Disney property. Back in 2019, my last time at WDW I think I paid around $109 a night for All-Star Sports, but now it would run me close to $2,200 for 8 nights without passes. Things there are getting so expensive it is making vacations so hard to do since I love it there. Also, since Disney killed the Magical Express I have lost all desire to stay in a Disney hotel there at all.
There’s a good reason why my family splurged on the Bayview hotel when we went back in 2011.
the first resort i ever stayed at was art of animation family suite, finding nemo. i thought it was AWESOME because of the theme and also the hotel's general music you'd hear. also i think i was 8, maybe 9, so obviously i didn't care about the price LOL. my family went there not totally unexperienced but it was my first time. it's funny how we thought we were paying a good price but now we realize it was way more expensive than other resorts. this year we're going to try out beach club! not our first deluxe but i am SO excited!
Dear lord... These poor people getting gouged by Disney need to think about visiting De Efteling in the Netherlands. It's outstripping Disneyland Paris in every way and is remarkably less expensive, with every convenience Disney charges for provided for free.
What a great suggestion - I will certainly Never support “Disney” ever again for many reasons & many people are finally wising up about Disney - If your visiting FL, Universal Parks are a much Better option !!!
Port Orleans Riverside Royal Guest rooms are our go to resort for Disney. The only other resorts we like to stay out for super special occasions are Poly and Wildernees lodge
The company my husband works for booked their employees Yacht and beach club. We got to stay at the Yacht club and it is a beautiful resort. We loved the pool and the fact they have activities for the kids before dinner.
We love Pop Century & now with the Skyliner its even better. Upgrading to a Preferred room is definitely worth it to be closer to the dining & lobby, the upgrade isn't that much.
Costco members can get discounts at Swan and Dolphin and several other hotels near Disney. My sister in law wants to make reservations buying DVC points. We stayed at Boardwalk in 2021 and Saratoga in 2022. Boardwalk was in rough shape/needing a reno, but love the location. Saratoga was an odd location and bad service. Our Saratoga towels and extra blankets were so worn out. The murphy beds only had a sheet (and had record low temps at xmas.) and I called housekeeping twice to get more towels and blankets. As a combined family of 6 adults two kids under 10 and a 11 month old we definably used the kitchens in DVC rooms. I'm not a picky person, décor doesn't matter to me, but Caribbean Beach and Port Orleans were always my favorite themed resorts.
We’ve been so incredibly lucky that my in laws have a time share so we always stay in villas when we go. It’s like having a condo basically with pools and all kinds of other activities to do onsite. We’re normally just a 15 minute drive away from the parks, it’s perfect.
Hello AJ, would you do a updated video on pro tips for solo travelers?
About 12 years ago we stayed at the Polynesian for $500 per night and it was a terrible experience. As soon as we walked into the building of our room there was a terrible smell of mold or dampness like someone's old basement. The walls were paper thin so you could hear guests in adjacent rooms and every sound from the hallways. When we would leave in the morning, the hallways were lined with room service trays on the floors and they would still be there when we returned later in the day. There was so much more. After this we rented a house with 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms with a pool for half the price and only 15 minutes from Disney.
We did not have a magical time at Coronado. There were bugs in the room,broken drink machines and terrible bus service that took over an hour each time. A terrible food court. Pop century was less money and ten times better for everything.We have always enjoyed our stay at that hotel.
I still would prefer the Disney INN - rooms downstairs by the Little Pool - and those were the rooms that the Disney Executives also preferred. I could WALK to the Polynesian and from there to the Monorail. For a number of years we dealt with the same servers at the Restaurant and as far as I am concerned - they have never actually been able to replace that.
My fiancé and I stayed in CBeach in 2021 and loved it. Nice and quiet- food was nice but nothing to write home about (definitely recommend quick service in lobby over Sebastian’s). We stayed at a lobby preferred room, but know that can mean going across the bridge and island to a room on the other side of the lake (not that we minded the walk, and the pool by lobby was the nosiest spot on whole premises).
The best way to get around the shuttling between bus stops was just ask the front desk which stop they recommend going to to get to where you need to go. We were given great advice to make everything smooth.
When did $400 per night become “cheaper option”?
The first and "cheapest" hotel looks like a motel at the lowest end but nice paint elevates it from a looking like slum. Disney could easely made some afforable options..
Stayed at the Grand Californian. The lobby was nice and Storytellers Cafe was amazing. The room just looked like a regular hotel room (regular hilton or marriott quality). But guess the real draw for a disney hotel is early access to the parks.
The main problem i have with them is price Europa park and Phantasialand both have fantastic highly themed hotels that blow all star sports and movies out of the water for way cheaper.
If not for the Allstar Resoort my family may have to stay iff site. The lack of fancy food is no issue as you are aloud to eat at any Disney resort [we ate at the polinisian]. The only park bus that had an overwelming wait was Magic Kingdom. We got on the others first bus in [in April]. The parks are the thing and this is our only way of staying in the Magic all week so we like this hotel.
When I stayed at Caribbean Beach in Nov 2022 I chose to use the Skyliner to eat at the Art of Animation.
I've loved all the resorts I've stayed in. Caribbean Beach and Coronado Springs were my least favorite only due the distance.
What most don't know is that the old -new All star hotels used to be used for castmembers to live in. They are old.
I'm honestly shocked not to see Port Orleans Riverside on this list!!
It was briefly mentioned. I liked it and thought it was nice, but it is very spread apart.
@@brianthered I’ve never used a hot tub while at Disney lol. But, they also have ceiling fans which is a big plus!
I love POR. I loving walking around the whole resort and the relatively short walk to POFQ. And you can take a boat to Disney Springs. The problem is getting to the parks. The bus system is kind of insane. I have to take rideshares everywhere, which runs into money, and it takes a long time to get back to your room if you need a mid-day break.
I know right! It's a beautiful resort, love it there
Agree with you. We stayed here and wasn’t our cup of tea but it’s not to say it’s not a nice place. Just didn’t like how much walking we had to do to get around.
A word of caution about the Polynesian. While the theming and general convenience is great, as well as the "secret beach" you can head to to watch the fireworks show with piped-in music, bear in mind that when it comes to transportation, this is the "second stop" to the Grand Floridian both ways. Meaning that when you want to head out to the parks, no matter which form of transport you get on (bus, monorail, or boat), they will always be full of people who got on at the first GF stop, and there may not actually be space on the transport for your whole party if you are trying to get on at one of the more popular ride times at the beginning of the day. Similarly, you are the second stop when leaving the parks; all buses, monorail, and boat rides are going to stop at the GF first before you can get off, so you will have to do some additional waiting for that. Generally this is a minor issue, but there are times when it could become a major one and add to your transit time.
I stayed at art of animation last week. Not to impressed. The room was nice, but they didn't offer no room service. Plus the food was limited, didn't had a lot of choses for vegetarian people.
The hotels are too expensive for what you get.
No plans to ever visit a Disney park again but this video is pretty interesting. Can't believe how much they were wanting to charge people for the Star Wars hotel.
My partner didn’t have a great time at AKL. His biggest problem was how much of a maze it is to get anywhere. The Savannah view we had was okay. We didn’t really see many animals (We were RIGHT on the Savannah, but I guess bc it was Feb, it’s more of a hit/miss season?)
Overall, idk if we’d consider staying at AKL again. It just wasn’t worth the cost in our opinion.
On the other hand, POFQ is our go-to resort. We can’t really think of any bad things to critique it on. Maybe just that it’s a motel styled hotel, and the lobby CAN be a distance from your room, but that’s really the most. The food was AMAZING. Hands down our favorite resort by far for food.
(Note: I’ll be staying at the Grand Flo soon, so I’ll reply to this with my opinions of it when I get back.)
Have you taken your trip yet? I’m gonna stay at Grand Floridian in 2024. Wanna know your thoughts.
@@WhatsEvenRealAnymore I completely forgot I made this comment, tbh! So thank you for asking.
And yes I have! We had a Marina view in the 4th floor/Boca Chica building. I also booked under the AP discount at the time.
We were blessed in the regard that we had a partial theme park room, although it’s also not guaranteed. We actually had to sit on the corner of our balcony to see the castle, but it still was accessible from our room.
Personally, I wouldn’t recommend staying there without a solid discount offer. The rack rate is definitely something that is steep in my opinion. The environment is more than average classy though, as you’d expect in Disney terms.
I’m not sure if all rooms have been renovated, but we had one. The new MP theme is subtle enough, but is still enough to warrant calling it themed. There’s accents through the rooms with calls to her and her story which we enjoyed.
We didn’t dine much at the Grand Flo though, and ate mostly in the parks besides times I sampled the lounges at the neighboring monorail resorts.
We did have Gasparilla for a break snack though, and it’s about what you’d think as a typical Disney priced dining. My dining companion had the room service, though I forgot to ask her what the experience was like with it. I will say, she definitely enjoyed it. When I returned to the room, her tray was empty. 😂
The pool area was quiet pretty much anytime I walked by, and the hot tub is also in the same area, though I personally overlooked it until the second day. We didn’t have littles, so we didn’t take advantage of the splash pad, but it definitely looked enjoyable. As with other splash areas I’ve seen on property so far, they have a water dumping area in it, which for this one is the Mad Hatter’s hat and that was pretty cool theming.
I did partake in the Enchanted Rose and the decor was absolutely stunning. I had an Espresso Martini, and it was super smooth. Even if you don’t drink, I’d highly recommend checking it out just for the decor alone.
The beach area was beautiful, and you can see the MK fireworks AMAZINGLY from the dock by Narcoossee’s in addition to in front of Gasparilla! You can definitely get some clean shots of them if you like photographing them as well!
Overall, the theming was subtle enough, but was still there if you looked for it (some of them were low effort, like floor tile designs and we had an art piece in our room.) I don’t think I’d stay there again though, as most of the factors I liked I could simply hop on the monorail to check out. If you have an event or celebration, I can also see the splurge value. But as a standard trip (which this one was, but I also am trying to get experiences at as many hotels as I can,) I can’t say the price is worth it, even at a discount.
@@WhatsEvenRealAnymore I hope that answered any questions you had, and if not, feel free to ask and I’ll do my best to get an answer back to you! 🤟🏻
@@BeautyInTheMagic
Thanks for your reply. You mentioned you’re trying to stay at more resorts. Which ones do you recommend. I’ve done moderates so many times that I’m only looking for deluxe suggestions only.
Thoughts?
To give some background this will be an adults only trip. That’s why I thought the grand might be a good fit but lmk what you think.
9 people in my party- all adults.
@@WhatsEvenRealAnymore Oh, this was only my second adventure down! 😅 I’ve only done POFQ, AKL and the Grand Flo. My goal is to hit all of them in the next 2 years or so if possible.
Even better, book a timeshare (plz do not buy) for a fraction of the cost. They always available because the “owners” get tired of going to Orlando every year. You can stay in a place w/ 2br, 2 bath, with common living area, kitchen and balcony for $200-$300 a night. It’s even cheaper if you book for 5 or more days. There are also beautiful 3-4 br homes w/ a swimming pool. They are available for as little as $300 per night (off season).
All Star resorts: never again. Loud, drunk parents throughout the day and night. Then screaming cheerleaders at all times. They ran around doing cheers like we would actually care about them. Theming was much worse than at the more expensive resorts.
We are here now at Boardwalk Inn.
I love this channel!!
“You’re gonna be greeted by Art. Not like Art Smith, like physical art. Artwork.”
Me picturing Chef Art Smith in an apron and hat standing in the lobby waving at guests when they walk in👁️👄👁️
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
If art of animation’s food court was “basic”… then I have no clue what you would considered not basic. My family stayed here in January, we loved every minute of it. And the gondolas were down. We stayed at little mermaid area because it was cheaper for 3 rooms that it was for a suite and a room. We have 7 in our family (mom, dad, sister, her husband and kid, me and my husband). The food was excellent. The shrimp and grits were amazing. We had issues figuring out what to eat when we did eat at the resort. We loved every moment of that resort. Also, yes the two beds… oh no! Less room. But oh, husband is a bed hog… oh look! Empty bed! Whole bed to myself. Win win situation. My husband even wanted to splurge this October (ya. It’s a two Disney trip year…) and stay at art of animation. Even though he loved all stars.
I had to stay at that Hilton at Disney Springs every February for 7 years for a conference; it's terrible.
It’s important to remember if you’re spending a lot of time at a Disney resort hotel you’re wasting time that could be better spent in the park. I’d suggest you book a Disney resort with ‘access’ being a priority. If you want luxury then after your Disney resort stay book a few nights at the Hyatt, Hilton or one of a dozen quality nearby hotels at a fraction of the price. You can still visit the Disney resorts by taking the shuttle from Disney Springs.
I remember going alongside my senior year class to Disney World. We stayed at the All-star Sports resort. There was one memorable time where a few of our class mates attempted to do a pizza guy prank where the delivery driver would open the door to their room to see one of the classmates tied to a table in nothing but a leopard pattern thong. Thankfully I didn't see it myself but a teacher unfortunately witnessed it being prepared and got an eyeful of that thong. Probably scarred himself for life.
Honeymooned at Caribbean Beach in the Jamaica section and although it is a walk to the main amenities, each section has it's own pool and for an adults only trip the quiet of being more spread out was nice
I still don’t get the hate for The Caribbean. I get that it’s pretty spread out from the bus pickup. But it’s such a beautiful setting.
AJ didn't you say the busses at swan and Dolphin are slower than Disney busss?
I dodged a bullet when I went to All Stars (Music). I was checking in the day the cheerleaders were checking out. So I had a great stay but the people there were shellshocked LOL. My only advice for the budgets are, as listed, ask if it's going to be infested with teenagers. If there are none and you're all adults, unless you're total Disney adult and this is your trip of a lifetime, All Stars is GREAT. Food court is SAAALLLTTTYYY food though so have fun checking out the restaurants at other places.
No way A Jay! AoA Family suites are our go-to. For the Win! Skyliner to 2 parks and reasonable bus rides to the other 2. We love Port Orleans but those bus rides......
The issue Disney hotels have at the moment is the lack of perks, especially the top end hotels. Since Chepek took over, perks have been lost and people are not now staying on site because of the high cost is not value for money any more. Speaking to staff at the boardwalk they were saying the lack of pepole staying at the hotel has seriously cut there wages as they are not making enough tips.
I love all star movies and it’s my favorite but it was funny when you talked about how schools and teams go. My most recent trip I went there and many teams were at the hotel this time
So calm.