Coronado is the best value resort at WDW, and its a fraction of the cost of the other deluxe hotels. Going back again this year, as we had such a great stay first time round.
I agree love gran destino tower it’s so beautiful very luxurious 😊when I go back to Disney that’s where I’m staying they have amazing dining shopping and rooms too😊
I’ve been there once and I loved itttt. It was my first and only disney resort stay so far though so im a little biased but i thought it was so nice. It’s so beautiful and i think the themeing is nice.
I think that you're right in many of the cornerstones of what a luxurious object or experience is, but I would go the step further in saying that those characteristics almost inevitably lead to something being more expensive and therefor more exclusive. It's much easier and requires a lot less work to design and build a hideous combloc style apartment where they're all identical than to make a unique well designed apartment. That extra work means that it will be more expensive and cost more, making it available to fewer people. Even with material what we view as luxurious has changed. Many plastics were viewed as a luxury when they were first made as they were modern, difficult to produce and rare. Now plastic is commonplace and disposable. The parts that make something luxurious will almost always lead to it being more expensive and therefor available to fewer people.
What makes Four Seasons brand unique is its tranquility. I have visited some Four Seasons resorts in different countries and this seems always the case.
I’ve lived in the Orlando metro for over 26 years now, and just 2 miles north of Magic Kingdom and the Four Seasons for 22 of those years. I also worked in television locally producing and assisting travel shows, mainly around the professional golfing world, for 18 years, as well as traveling on my own extensively. Needless to say that I feel that I have a VERY intimate understanding of what “luxury” is from that work. Even though I’ve never made enough to stay at places like the Four Seasons regularly, I’ve been allowed to stay at many places on the same level for free for my work. I can tell you, it really is true that Disney’s “deluxe” hotels are very nice, but nowhere near what I’d describe as “luxury”. Many things in Orlando are very contrived and artificial. I’m not a fan for communities like Celebration for this exact reason. This all may seem to suggest that I don’t like Orlando. Which is absolutely not the case. I wouldn’t have lived here for coming up on three decades if I didn’t like it. But all I mean to say is that you have to look very closely to find true luxury or class in the area. I personally haven’t been to the Four Seasons here in Orlando, even though I can easily see its tower almost every day as I drive in my area. But it does look like one of the actual “luxury” hotels/resorts here. Sifting through the real verses faux in the Orlando area is much more difficult than say New York City, Chicago, Boston, London, Paris, etc. But, we do have that level here if you look closely.
@12:19 - the reason they have 7 bathrooms, 2 more than you have bedrooms, is because those extra bathrooms are for your party guests and workers (maid, private chef, repairmen, etc.). I’m not rich but I can imagine what rich people do. 😂
Go to a Grand Floridian Suite and the tiles in the bathroom are fake marble, with Home Depot-level fixtures. Go to the 4 Seasons or Ritz and the bathroom is real marble, with expensive, luxury fixtures and features. To many people that doesn't matter. But it's symptomatic of the difference between a true Luxury room and a fake Luxury room that is not really in the same class. If you can afford the difference, and it matters to you, than the service, quality and exclusivity of the Ritz or 4 Seasons just can't be matched at a Disney hotel. And, frankly, the cost difference between the Ritz and many lesser Disney Hotels is trivial or even more expensive on the Disney side.
You highlight Golden Oak and the Four Seasons Resort. While there might be 300 or so homes there. 26 lots were designated as Golden Oak Four Seasons Resort Homes. The owners get all of the resort's services. Welcome to their homes, private chefs, servers, butlers, and housekeeping staff that would rival Buckingham Palace. I know one of the Luxury Custom Master Home Builders selected to build on these very select sites. I'll let you know when actual owners' names are challenging to find. The home's costs were around seven to ten million dollars. Also, not one family that owns these homes lives in them full-time. They cannot be leased; stays are relatives when the owners are not present and extremely limited. Perhaps two to three weeks. The monthly fees are around 24k when no one is present. Higher at other times. As for the $1400.00 per night at the Four Seasons Resort, the people who stay there are just using spare pocket change.
I stayed here very soon after opening for a thing my dad’s company did. It was still being built! The kids club wasn’t finished, the pool fully opened on our second day, but it was still amazing!
Thanks for making this. A few thoughts: 1) The reason a lot of people get the cabanas is that the cabana is yours for the day, as opposed to the chairs that others can take if you walk away, and the cabanas also are bigger/more comfortable than the chairs; 2) In terms of benefits I'm surprised that you didn't mention the children's center, where they provide day care for children with all sorts of fun activities included with the room price; 3) At times you seemed to conflate the Four Seasons Private Residences, which are condos inside the actual Four Seasons, with the Golden Oaks houses; 4) The Houses and Residences are mostly empty, with many owners being very rich Latin Americans who own the houses only as a place to park money and in some cases only use their house once a year if at all; 5) Golden Oaks owners get many Disney benefits besides the ones that the deluxe hotel guests do, such as special members only events and complimentary tickets.
The houses and apartments feel like a bit..much. This is brand loyalty taken so far that an entire liminal reality has been created. 😅 I'm not hating or anything. It's just kinda strange.
couple things. all four seasons resorts are expensive. boston that doesnt have disney world is around the same prices nevermind NYC. also pool cabanas you have to pay for everywhere. including universal. also. the homes arnt connected lol
I briefly worked as a bus driver at Golden Oak in 2020. The guy with the sweetest job had to be the Orange County sheriff’s deputy ( the same individual, he must have been 100 years old ) who did nothing but enforce the 20mph speed limit on Dream Tree Blvd.
I will say, at least back in the day in 2010’s the “luxury” for me staying at the BeachClub was due in no small part to the service. It was right up there with some of the better hotels I’ve stayed at. I can’t speak on this resort or the state of Disney service now.
I think if you’re able to afford one of those homes…it would be bought as a vacation home and the price would be irrelevant if you have enough cash to consider buying one.
You can stay at a Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, St Regis, Fairmont etc at all major cities. Where I live, these luxury hotels are everywhere. It would make no sense to fly halfway across the world to go to Disney World but stay at a standard luxury hotel. The Disney Resorts have a charm that cannot be replicated by any luxury hotel.
The four seasons is a top 10% of the top 1% type hotel. It really is over the top compared to the Waldorf or JW. It’s the type of place where you can call the concierge at 11pm and ask if you can get a pizza from a place in Disney springs and they’ll send someone to get it for you.
Got to stay there for a few nights for a work event, still the nicest hotel I've ever stayed at. I've stayed at multiple 4 seasons, and Ritz Carltons. It's easily 2 steps above any other hotel I've stayed.
From what I've been told, more than half of the residents of Golden Oak, idk about the Four Seasons residents, stay full time in Golden Oak. I know Pat Sajak owns in the Four Seasons homes. People who live or stay in the Golden Oak area, are next level amount of money. Absolutely F-You level money.
I’m not sure you can say the four seasons doesn’t focus on mass accommodation when it has 400 rooms, a mid size tower, and entire housing development. Also people not staying there still can visit and go to the restaurants - or at least 1 of the restaurants. Idk it seems that the only thing that really differentiates it (or any “luxury”) hotel is the guarantee you’ll only be around very rich people.
I don't agree that value resorts have less theming. For example, Art of Animation has more theming, in my opinion, than many moderate and deluxe resort hotels in Disney World.
You should compare this to the prices of (luxury) rooms at Europa-Park. Beautiful themed hotels, right on the park, with brilliant hospitality and actually affordable for the regular human!
10:43 rich people won’t actually use them. They’ll just use it as an investment, and maybe for their Disney vacation and maybe some of their friends who might not have enough to have a second or third house but are truly of a certain caliber and not house poor. I doubt they can sell their house on AirB&B, so they just sit there…perhaps empty sometimes. That is late stage capitalism at its finest
Hi, interesting video, one correction for you. You don’t have to be staying at the four seasons to enjoy the breakfast character dining. We did it two weeks ago and were not staying at the hotel or in Golden Oaks for that matter!! The breakfast is great and the youngest loved seeing Goofy, Mickey and Minnie.
Corporate disney only wants whales anyway. They only tolerate the rest of the people who are there. This isn't the Disney of years past. Even when the Grand Vic and even older the Poly and Contemp were built, Disney was a different company and didn't look down on those who could only afford the moderate or value or even camping. That's why the "perks" for the parks were THE SAME! Now ONLY the deluxe places get most of the extras. Golden Oaks and the 4 seasons are just another example of this change. What they DON'T tell you is that Golden Oaks people and those who have "extended stays" at 4 seasons, still have access to late hours, they're just not "official". You can do it through the concierge. I know because the last time I was at WDW I saw and spoke with people from both Golden Oaks and 4 seasons, while I paid to stay at a deluxe for a couple of nights. I saved for years just to have a couple of late night access, that we used to get when we stayed at Pop.
I think people are out of their minds pain these astronomical prices. You can literally go anywhere else in the world for the real experience staying in true luxury for a fraction of the price of what Disney charges. Don't get me wrong, I love Disney and my family plans on going there in January for a staycation with no plans on even going into the parks. Luckily, DVC has allowed me to do this at deluxe hotels where is I would never be able to afford to stay anywhere on property for the rack rate price. I've dedicated my channel to share these experiences with complete honesty and transparency. I think Disney is really in for a reality check when Universal Epic Universe opens its doors. Now on a completely separate note, if I was a billionaire I have no doubts I would be purchasing one of those gorgeous mansions in Golden Oaks! Once again great video Gents!
I would rather stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge or my home resort of Old Key West over this overpriced generic hotel any day. Ohhh, it comes with shoe shines, who's bringing dress shoes to florida, lol.
Luxury is exclusivity and buying seclusion. What it means is paying enough money to staff a full service hotel and to run all the maintenance by the least number of guests to prevent crowds from building up.
You should stick to whatever your day job is. You clearly have no clue about WDW hotels and why people choose them and then why they choose the specific hotel(s) they stay in.
I think he does but it’s not going to be “one size fits all” for accommodations. Some people like to be close to the parks but still enjoy a true luxury experience with some level of exclusivity. They don’t have to see constant Disney theming to have an immersive and satisfying experience either. The service and quality at the Four Seasons is just unparalleled to anything currently owned by Disney. While the people can be (and many times are) great at all properties, you do notice a difference here vs. the Grand Floridian (as an example).
We dont need more bathrooms then bedrooms. Why does everyone focus on our guest bathrooms? If every suite has a bathroom, should a guest not staying the night barge through a bedroom to use the bathroom? Or, would it make sense to have a powder room for the main areas? How comfortable would the driver be using the master bath? We wouldn’t want him hold it, would we? I haven’t been in a kitchen lately that doesn’t have two dishwashers but nobody takes note.
That baby is the only reason I know this hotel exists.
😭😭😭 Right lol!
Coronado is the best value resort at WDW, and its a fraction of the cost of the other deluxe hotels. Going back again this year, as we had such a great stay first time round.
Coronado isn’t a value resort. It is a high end moderate.
I agree love gran destino tower it’s so beautiful very luxurious 😊when I go back to Disney that’s where I’m staying they have amazing dining shopping and rooms too😊
I’ve been there once and I loved itttt. It was my first and only disney resort stay so far though so im a little biased but i thought it was so nice. It’s so beautiful and i think the themeing is nice.
Agree 💯 %!!
I still disagree that exclusivity defines luxury, nor does price. It's aesthetic, materials, design, and service
And I DO agree that Disney Deluxe is NOT luxury.
I think that you're right in many of the cornerstones of what a luxurious object or experience is, but I would go the step further in saying that those characteristics almost inevitably lead to something being more expensive and therefor more exclusive.
It's much easier and requires a lot less work to design and build a hideous combloc style apartment where they're all identical than to make a unique well designed apartment. That extra work means that it will be more expensive and cost more, making it available to fewer people.
Even with material what we view as luxurious has changed. Many plastics were viewed as a luxury when they were first made as they were modern, difficult to produce and rare. Now plastic is commonplace and disposable.
The parts that make something luxurious will almost always lead to it being more expensive and therefor available to fewer people.
What makes Four Seasons brand unique is its tranquility. I have visited some Four Seasons resorts in different countries and this seems always the case.
“Who wants to go to the four seasons orlando?”
“Me!” ☝️
We went from theme parks to real estate, great video btw.
The hero ‘theme parks’ will return in another adventure.
@@ReviewTyme But This time NO LOLLYGAGGING IN YOUR DISCUSSION!
this is part of the theme park...
@@selfishbeatsik, this feels like a real estate review even though it’s about Disney
I dont need to stay there anytime soon, but i absolutely need to experience that Four Seasons WDW pool area immediately. Holy crap that looks perfect
I’ve lived in the Orlando metro for over 26 years now, and just 2 miles north of Magic Kingdom and the Four Seasons for 22 of those years. I also worked in television locally producing and assisting travel shows, mainly around the professional golfing world, for 18 years, as well as traveling on my own extensively. Needless to say that I feel that I have a VERY intimate understanding of what “luxury” is from that work. Even though I’ve never made enough to stay at places like the Four Seasons regularly, I’ve been allowed to stay at many places on the same level for free for my work. I can tell you, it really is true that Disney’s “deluxe” hotels are very nice, but nowhere near what I’d describe as “luxury”. Many things in Orlando are very contrived and artificial. I’m not a fan for communities like Celebration for this exact reason. This all may seem to suggest that I don’t like Orlando. Which is absolutely not the case. I wouldn’t have lived here for coming up on three decades if I didn’t like it. But all I mean to say is that you have to look very closely to find true luxury or class in the area. I personally haven’t been to the Four Seasons here in Orlando, even though I can easily see its tower almost every day as I drive in my area. But it does look like one of the actual “luxury” hotels/resorts here. Sifting through the real verses faux in the Orlando area is much more difficult than say New York City, Chicago, Boston, London, Paris, etc. But, we do have that level here if you look closely.
@12:19 - the reason they have 7 bathrooms, 2 more than you have bedrooms, is because those extra bathrooms are for your party guests and workers (maid, private chef, repairmen, etc.). I’m not rich but I can imagine what rich people do. 😂
3:07 he had to mention that. We were all waiting 😂
I have no idea what that was all about.
Literally came to the comments to post that time stamp 😂 thank you for your service 🫡
That one baby must be ecstatic about this video
Go to a Grand Floridian Suite and the tiles in the bathroom are fake marble, with Home Depot-level fixtures. Go to the 4 Seasons or Ritz and the bathroom is real marble, with expensive, luxury fixtures and features. To many people that doesn't matter. But it's symptomatic of the difference between a true Luxury room and a fake Luxury room that is not really in the same class. If you can afford the difference, and it matters to you, than the service, quality and exclusivity of the Ritz or 4 Seasons just can't be matched at a Disney hotel. And, frankly, the cost difference between the Ritz and many lesser Disney Hotels is trivial or even more expensive on the Disney side.
Until I win the lottery..., the Boardwalk is perfect. And still damn expensive.
i'm sorry for your horrible bus service.
you guys get shafted.
You highlight Golden Oak and the Four Seasons Resort. While there might be 300 or so homes there. 26 lots were designated as Golden Oak Four Seasons Resort Homes. The owners get all of the resort's services. Welcome to their homes, private chefs, servers, butlers, and housekeeping staff that would rival Buckingham Palace. I know one of the Luxury Custom Master Home Builders selected to build on these very select sites. I'll let you know when actual owners' names are challenging to find. The home's costs were around seven to ten million dollars. Also, not one family that owns these homes lives in them full-time. They cannot be leased; stays are relatives when the owners are not present and extremely limited. Perhaps two to three weeks. The monthly fees are around 24k when no one is present. Higher at other times. As for the $1400.00 per night at the Four Seasons Resort, the people who stay there are just using spare pocket change.
Well said - that got pretty philosophical 😂👏🏼.
I loved Coronado Springs, just beware the walk if your room isn’t at the front 🚶🏼
I stayed here very soon after opening for a thing my dad’s company did. It was still being built! The kids club wasn’t finished, the pool fully opened on our second day, but it was still amazing!
Thanks for making this. A few thoughts: 1) The reason a lot of people get the cabanas is that the cabana is yours for the day, as opposed to the chairs that others can take if you walk away, and the cabanas also are bigger/more comfortable than the chairs; 2) In terms of benefits I'm surprised that you didn't mention the children's center, where they provide day care for children with all sorts of fun activities included with the room price; 3) At times you seemed to conflate the Four Seasons Private Residences, which are condos inside the actual Four Seasons, with the Golden Oaks houses; 4) The Houses and Residences are mostly empty, with many owners being very rich Latin Americans who own the houses only as a place to park money and in some cases only use their house once a year if at all; 5) Golden Oaks owners get many Disney benefits besides the ones that the deluxe hotel guests do, such as special members only events and complimentary tickets.
The houses and apartments feel like a bit..much. This is brand loyalty taken so far that an entire liminal reality has been created. 😅 I'm not hating or anything. It's just kinda strange.
i like this "philosophy of luxury" theme. very interesting
couple things. all four seasons resorts are expensive. boston that doesnt have disney world is around the same prices nevermind NYC. also pool cabanas you have to pay for everywhere. including universal. also. the homes arnt connected lol
I agree with you. I expect a 5 star hotel will be built in a few years right next to the Magic Kingdom.
I briefly worked as a bus driver at Golden Oak in 2020.
The guy with the sweetest job had to be the Orange County sheriff’s deputy ( the same individual, he must have been 100 years old ) who did nothing but enforce the 20mph speed limit on Dream Tree Blvd.
I will say, at least back in the day in 2010’s the “luxury” for me staying at the BeachClub was due in no small part to the service. It was right up there with some of the better hotels I’ve stayed at. I can’t speak on this resort or the state of Disney service now.
ReviewThyme can you do a video on Knott's Scary Farm.
It’s been 3 months without the ReviewTyme pod, miss you guys! Hope everything has been great!
I think if you’re able to afford one of those homes…it would be bought as a vacation home and the price would be irrelevant if you have enough cash to consider buying one.
You can stay at a Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, St Regis, Fairmont etc at all major cities. Where I live, these luxury hotels are everywhere. It would make no sense to fly halfway across the world to go to Disney World but stay at a standard luxury hotel. The Disney Resorts have a charm that cannot be replicated by any luxury hotel.
The four seasons is a top 10% of the top 1% type hotel. It really is over the top compared to the Waldorf or JW. It’s the type of place where you can call the concierge at 11pm and ask if you can get a pizza from a place in Disney springs and they’ll send someone to get it for you.
6:48 if you don't know who tom fazio is, you have no business playing golf on any course.
Got to stay there for a few nights for a work event, still the nicest hotel I've ever stayed at. I've stayed at multiple 4 seasons, and Ritz Carltons. It's easily 2 steps above any other hotel I've stayed.
From what I've been told, more than half of the residents of Golden Oak, idk about the Four Seasons residents, stay full time in Golden Oak. I know Pat Sajak owns in the Four Seasons homes. People who live or stay in the Golden Oak area, are next level amount of money. Absolutely F-You level money.
8:50 my family wasn’t staying at the four seasons but we did do a character breakfast so that wasn’t true back in November at least
HI, just a question, where did you get that Space mountain painting on the right side of the video? its so good I lit want one
My wife actually painted it for me! It was a birthday present from almost a decade ago! - Dom
I’m not sure you can say the four seasons doesn’t focus on mass accommodation when it has 400 rooms, a mid size tower, and entire housing development.
Also people not staying there still can visit and go to the restaurants - or at least 1 of the restaurants.
Idk it seems that the only thing that really differentiates it (or any “luxury”) hotel is the guarantee you’ll only be around very rich people.
totally unrelated, but love the PAX hoodie 😄
2:35 Clonesville!
Great video! Forgot it is winter down there. Can you provide more information for on the zipper hoodie you are wearing?
I don't agree that value resorts have less theming. For example, Art of Animation has more theming, in my opinion, than many moderate and deluxe resort hotels in Disney World.
You should compare this to the prices of (luxury) rooms at Europa-Park. Beautiful themed hotels, right on the park, with brilliant hospitality and actually affordable for the regular human!
10:43 rich people won’t actually use them. They’ll just use it as an investment, and maybe for their Disney vacation and maybe some of their friends who might not have enough to have a second or third house but are truly of a certain caliber and not house poor. I doubt they can sell their house on AirB&B, so they just sit there…perhaps empty sometimes. That is late stage capitalism at its finest
A lot of top tier apartments in New York City are just acting as investments of the ultra rich and not even secondary living quarters
Anyone else watching this video because they can’t afford a stay here?
Whole reason I watch travel TH-cam channels! So I can live vicariously through them on their first class travels!
Hi, interesting video, one correction for you. You don’t have to be staying at the four seasons to enjoy the breakfast character dining. We did it two weeks ago and were not staying at the hotel or in Golden Oaks for that matter!! The breakfast is great and the youngest loved seeing Goofy, Mickey and Minnie.
You don’t have to be staying at the four seasons to go to their superior character breakfast
Off Topic: I love the hoodie you’re wearing. Do you mind sharing what brand it is?
I went to book FS im 2021 it was $590 a night. In 2024 its about $1400. Which is a wild increase ......sheesh
i know a random internet baby likes this video
life goals
Corporate disney only wants whales anyway. They only tolerate the rest of the people who are there. This isn't the Disney of years past. Even when the Grand Vic and even older the Poly and Contemp were built, Disney was a different company and didn't look down on those who could only afford the moderate or value or even camping. That's why the "perks" for the parks were THE SAME! Now ONLY the deluxe places get most of the extras. Golden Oaks and the 4 seasons are just another example of this change. What they DON'T tell you is that Golden Oaks people and those who have "extended stays" at 4 seasons, still have access to late hours, they're just not "official". You can do it through the concierge. I know because the last time I was at WDW I saw and spoke with people from both Golden Oaks and 4 seasons, while I paid to stay at a deluxe for a couple of nights. I saved for years just to have a couple of late night access, that we used to get when we stayed at Pop.
DVD PLAYERS AVILABLE UPON REQUEST!
Anyone can book a character breakfast at the resort. You don’t need to be staying there.
Thumbnail looks like brightsuntravels
You don’t want guests to sh*t where you sleep. That’s why you need 7 baths for 5 beds lol. 😂
There is a Waldorf Astoria at Disney World. So this is not the ONLY true luxury hotel
I think people are out of their minds pain these astronomical prices. You can literally go anywhere else in the world for the real experience staying in true luxury for a fraction of the price of what Disney charges. Don't get me wrong, I love Disney and my family plans on going there in January for a staycation with no plans on even going into the parks. Luckily, DVC has allowed me to do this at deluxe hotels where is I would never be able to afford to stay anywhere on property for the rack rate price. I've dedicated my channel to share these experiences with complete honesty and transparency. I think Disney is really in for a reality check when Universal Epic Universe opens its doors. Now on a completely separate note, if I was a billionaire I have no doubts I would be purchasing one of those gorgeous mansions in Golden Oaks! Once again great video Gents!
Most rich people don't like to spend money. So who spend that much money on Hotel
There are millionaires (which you are referring to) and then there are multi millionaires, where $3000/night is nothing.
Nobody is living in those.
meeeee ☝️
😢
Why would you come to Disney to not feel like you’re at Disney? Looks pretty, but generic.
Ritz Orlando does not come close to the four seasons. The customer service is far and away superior at FS.
I would rather stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge or my home resort of Old Key West over this overpriced generic hotel any day. Ohhh, it comes with shoe shines, who's bringing dress shoes to florida, lol.
I’m sorry but the intro music choice is awful and too loud. I couldn’t watch it
Luxury is exclusivity and buying seclusion. What it means is paying enough money to staff a full service hotel and to run all the maintenance by the least number of guests to prevent crowds from building up.
You should stick to whatever your day job is. You clearly have no clue about WDW hotels and why people choose them and then why they choose the specific hotel(s) they stay in.
I think he does but it’s not going to be “one size fits all” for accommodations. Some people like to be close to the parks but still enjoy a true luxury experience with some level of exclusivity. They don’t have to see constant Disney theming to have an immersive and satisfying experience either. The service and quality at the Four Seasons is just unparalleled to anything currently owned by Disney. While the people can be (and many times are) great at all properties, you do notice a difference here vs. the Grand Floridian (as an example).
We dont need more bathrooms then bedrooms. Why does everyone focus on our guest bathrooms? If every suite has a bathroom, should a guest not staying the night barge through a bedroom to use the bathroom? Or, would it make sense to have a powder room for the main areas? How comfortable would the driver be using the master bath? We wouldn’t want him hold it, would we? I haven’t been in a kitchen lately that doesn’t have two dishwashers but nobody takes note.