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mommyof3girls
LIF Adult
Member since 5/12 2773 total posts
Name:
Sue
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WDW Hotel dilema
I'm debating whether we do the moderate or deluxe hotels??
I like the moderate because it's so Disney theme and noticed that the deluxe are not. But I like the deluxe because of the manorial. I have two girls who love everything about Disney. They are Princess fanatics...lol
Do I book the moderate to give them that extra feeling of Disney? Does it really matter since I would think we wouldn't spend that much time in the hotel.
I like the deluxe because of the convenience. My girls will be 6 and 3 and I'm still debating if I will be taking our 7 month old baby.
Any recommendations???
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Posted 10/16/12 9:45 AM  |
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BargainMama
LIF Adult
Member since 5/09 15660 total posts
Name:
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Re: WDW Hotel dilema
This is my dilemma right now. We booked dirt cheap airfare when Southwest had 40% off last week for an early December trip. Since its only 4 nights, I wanted to stay on the monorail for quick transport to/from MK, and figured we would splurge with the discount out right now. But, I just don't like the theming at any of them. The Poly just looks horribly outdated to me, like throw back to the 70's. I love their grounds though. The GF has some renovations going on, I believe their pool is closed during our time, and I don't like their theming in the rooms either. I do like the Contemporary because it's modern and clean, but it seems SO BIG inside, and I've read the elevators from the tower rooms are slow and always packed. So then I was debating on Port Orleans Riverside because of the Royal Rooms, they look so cute! But with all the internal bus stops there, it just seems like a pain. Sooo, I'm undecided as well. Sorry I'm no help 
Oh, and my kids would want to stay at POP if I asked them. We have stayed there a few times, and they love that oversized stuff. But this trip is a surprise, so they have no say
Message edited 10/16/2012 10:03:33 AM.
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| Posted 10/16/12 10:02 AM |
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Lillykat
going along for the ride...
Member since 5/05 16253 total posts
Name:
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Re: WDW Hotel dilema
Wait the deluxes are not "disney themed"? Which mods and which deluxes are you looking at. I think some are better themed than others are. Only 3 deluxes ( and one villa only -BLT) are on the monorail all the other deluxes are not.
You can definitely save money by staying at a moderate but you can still have disney magic at a deluxe as well.
It would help to know which hotels you are considering to give you some guidence.
I know when we have been considering our next trip we are torn between POR for the princess rooms, POFQ for it's small size and better bus service. Versus WL and AKL as deluxes which are only slightly more than the moderates.
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| Posted 10/16/12 10:13 AM |
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mommyof3girls
LIF Adult
Member since 5/12 2773 total posts
Name:
Sue
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Re: WDW Hotel dilema
Posted by Lillykat
Wait the deluxes are not "disney themed"? Which mods and which deluxes are you looking at. I think some are better themed than others are. Only 3 deluxes ( and one villa only -BLT) are on the monorail all the other deluxes are not.
You can definitely save money by staying at a moderate but you can still have disney magic at a deluxe as well.
It would help to know which hotels you are considering to give you some guidence.
I know when we have been considering our next trip we are torn between POR for the princess rooms, POFQ for it's small size and better bus service. Versus WL and AKL as deluxes which are only slightly more than the moderates.
We're thinking about the Poly for Deluxe and the POR for the Princess Rooms.
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| Posted 10/16/12 10:17 AM |
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JennP
LIF Adult
Member since 10/06 3986 total posts
Name:
Jenn
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Re: WDW Hotel dilema
I posted a similar question a few months ago about comparing mods and deluxes and got a lot of responses.
If you search under my username and deluxe for this board I'm sure it'll come right up.
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| Posted 10/16/12 10:35 AM |
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mommyof3girls
LIF Adult
Member since 5/12 2773 total posts
Name:
Sue
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Re: WDW Hotel dilema
Posted by JennP
I posted a similar question a few months ago about comparing mods and deluxes and got a lot of responses.
If you search under my username and deluxe for this board I'm sure it'll come right up.
Just read it and now I have a headache..lol
Still don't know what to do. Do I sacrifice the luxury of being on a monorail to give my girls the perfect room decor and deal with all the headache of getting to and from the parks. Meaning the opening of the strollers and the bags with 3 kids on a bus. Would it be smart if I split up my stays in both hotels and compromise that way?? Or am I making a bigger deal than it has to. I mean my oldest will be 6 at that time, will she really care about the room decor. I have to add that she is in love with Ariel (the Little Mermaid) since she was 3yrs.
I honestly thought booking this trip would be easier but it's the hardest one so far.
My DH thinks that the less headache with have on our trip the more we (parents) will enjoy ourselves. So he's stuck on the Deluxe.
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| Posted 10/16/12 11:19 AM |
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NewlyMrs
Laugh-Live-Love LIFE!
Member since 10/06 14432 total posts
Name:
Jennifer
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Re: WDW Hotel dilema
I LOVED the ease of the monorail with a 2yo & 4 1/2yo. The poly does have beautiful grounds & we were VERY happy with the restaurants. In fact their breakfast has no nice to meet LILO & Stitch & Mickey & Pluto...BUT not have a Buffet! Girls love the Ohana dinner too.
We never spent much time in the room, never went back for naps, so decor of a room would not be our deciding factor.
We definitely had magic...you can watch the fireworks from the beach & the boat lights (once you do the firework & crowds, you don't need to again every night! In fact our last night it was pouring, so we watching them from our balcony (we werent water front), but they are so high in the sky the girls could see them from their PJs & were so excited!!!!
Message edited 10/16/2012 11:49:55 AM.
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| Posted 10/16/12 11:47 AM |
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JennP
LIF Adult
Member since 10/06 3986 total posts
Name:
Jenn
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Re: WDW Hotel dilema
Posted by mommyof3girls
Posted by JennP
I posted a similar question a few months ago about comparing mods and deluxes and got a lot of responses.
If you search under my username and deluxe for this board I'm sure it'll come right up.
Just read it and now I have a headache..lol
Still don't know what to do. Do I sacrifice the luxury of being on a monorail to give my girls the perfect room decor and deal with all the headache of getting to and from the parks. Meaning the opening of the strollers and the bags with 3 kids on a bus. Would it be smart if I split up my stays in both hotels and compromise that way?? Or am I making a bigger deal than it has to. I mean my oldest will be 6 at that time, will she really care about the room decor. I have to add that she is in love with Ariel (the Little Mermaid) since she was 3yrs.
I honestly thought booking this trip would be easier but it's the hardest one so far.
My DH thinks that the less headache with have on our trip the more we (parents) will enjoy ourselves. So he's stuck on the Deluxe.
I hear you about being overwhelmed.
Only you know what will best make your vacation but honestly for me the room decor was never a big factor. Size and quality maybe, but not decor. We're there for the parks so we intend to log in most of our time there. I am pretty sure we won't be doing the afternoon return to the room for a nap/swim etc. We're going in Feb. so heat most likely won't be a factor. Also my son is transitioning to a shorter nap.
Even if I knew for sure we would return to the room in the afternoon, I am pretty sure decor still wouldn't be a major factor. I know some properties have elaborately themed rooms, but our DC aren't into princesses or pirates or whatever enough for us to worry about that. Even if they were, again, we're barely in the room. That's just us though.
Price is always a factor - those deluxes are expensive! There are a few ways to get around that, like going at off peak times or renting dvc points to get a deluxe property at a steep discount.
You can get so much help on here with these issues so ask away.
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| Posted 10/16/12 12:28 PM |
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JennP
LIF Adult
Member since 10/06 3986 total posts
Name:
Jenn
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Re: WDW Hotel dilema
I just reread your post and I see you might have three in strollers.
If you're worried about price that is one thing, but with that many young children there is NO way I would sacrifice the monorail for room decor. H e l l s NO.
Message edited 10/16/2012 12:34:37 PM.
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| Posted 10/16/12 12:34 PM |
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phoenix913
LIF Adult
Member since 5/05 3034 total posts
Name:
V
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Re: WDW Hotel dilema
With kids those ages, I would stay at the Poly hands down. So convenient.
Do your girls even know there is a such thing as a princess room? I mean they'll be seeing princesses everywhere in the parks I don't think it will matter if they are in the room too or not.
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| Posted 10/16/12 1:16 PM |
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mommyof3girls
LIF Adult
Member since 5/12 2773 total posts
Name:
Sue
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Re: WDW Hotel dilema
Posted by phoenix913
With kids those ages, I would stay at the Poly hands down. So convenient.
Do your girls even know there is a such thing as a princess room? I mean they'll be seeing princesses everywhere in the parks I don't think it will matter if they are in the room too or not.
You're right!! What they don't know won't hurt them..lol
I guess the Poly it is. Thanks Ladies!!
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| Posted 10/16/12 1:20 PM |
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Lillykat
going along for the ride...
Member since 5/05 16253 total posts
Name:
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Re: WDW Hotel dilema
Well the princess rooms are nice but I think if the poly is in your budget these are the questions I would ask.
How do you feel about riding 2-4 buses a day. Even with the Poly you will have to hop a bus to get to AK or HS unless you rent a car. So do you plan to spend the majority of time between MK and EPCOT?
Do I want a bigger room? The poly rooms are much bigger than the princess rooms, and you have aday bed so your 3 and 6 yr olds would not have to share a bed.
Do you want a balcony or patio (not all rooms at the poly have one but most do.)
I think the poly has disney magic. My girls loved being able to swim while looking right at the castle. At night you can avoid crowds and let your kids watch the fireworks with narration pipped in from the beaches of the poly.
Nice character breakfast at ohana.
The monorail is a nice perk bc you can wheel your stroller right on with closing it. You can walk next door to the TTC and hop the ferry and wheel your stroller on or skip switching monorails and get the EPCOT monorail from the TTC as well.
OR
You could consider renting a car and saving money and doing the princess rooms. Save the money and
use it for BBB or dining in the castle. If you rent a car you don't have to.worry about the buses.
Has a much larger cs restaurant for quick meals.
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| Posted 10/16/12 1:43 PM |
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Goobster
:)
Member since 5/07 27557 total posts
Name:
:)
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Re: WDW Hotel dilema
I think the mods and deluxes both have great amenities to offer. But ultimately I choose based on location and proximity to the MK (our fav park). In time, if I go often enough, there are some mods I want to stay at, as well as Deluxes near Epcot. But only after I stay near the MK a few more times.
I have stayed in the Contemporary 3 times, Poly once and Caribbean Beach. And the Caribbean beach trip was the least special of the trips, b/c I just missed being near MK too much.
It's all about what is the most important thing to you. Having the monorail to use with a child in a stroller is immeasurable to me. Once my child is no longer in a stroller, that will factor into which hotel I choose.
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| Posted 10/16/12 9:46 PM |
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Goobster
:)
Member since 5/07 27557 total posts
Name:
:)
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Re: WDW Hotel dilema
Posted by BargainMama
The Poly just looks horribly outdated to me, like throw back to the 70's. I love their grounds though. The GF has some renovations going on, I believe their pool is closed during our time, and I don't like their theming in the rooms either. I do like the Contemporary because it's modern and clean, but it seems SO BIG inside, and I've read the elevators from the tower rooms are slow and always packed.
I have always loved the Contemporary and stayed there. Love the modern look. Stayed in the tower and never had any complaints about the noise or elevators. However, now that I have a child, the Contemp seems to be lacking to me in a family feel, family theme, warm feeling. KWIM?
Like you I also felt the Poly was dark and dated. However, to try something new and choose a monorail resort, we recently stayed at the Poly this year.
The datedness grew on me and it sort of worked with the tropical theme. The location and views can't be beat. Loved the grounds, etc. But the rooms were just as awful and dated (and I was in an updated bldg supposedly). The sink and toilet and shower were in the same room, no outside sink which is not ideal. So for me, I probably won't ever stay at the Poly again.
Next on my list is the Wildnerness lodge (based on boat and proximity to MK). Then maybe GF. After that, I would go with a deluxe near Epcot maybe. And then maybe some mods since I love love love the Port Orleans resort (just visited and ate, didn't stay).
But I agree with you about the Poly and even having stayed there, I have a hard time getting over the dated rooms.
Message edited 10/16/2012 9:50:38 PM.
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| Posted 10/16/12 9:49 PM |
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BargainMama
LIF Adult
Member since 5/09 15660 total posts
Name:
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Re: WDW Hotel dilema
Posted by Goobster
Posted by BargainMama
The Poly just looks horribly outdated to me, like throw back to the 70's. I love their grounds though. The GF has some renovations going on, I believe their pool is closed during our time, and I don't like their theming in the rooms either. I do like the Contemporary because it's modern and clean, but it seems SO BIG inside, and I've read the elevators from the tower rooms are slow and always packed.
I have always loved the Contemporary and stayed there. Love the modern look. Stayed in the tower and never had any complaints about the noise or elevators. However, now that I have a child, the Contemp seems to be lacking to me in a family feel, family theme, warm feeling. KWIM?
Like you I also felt the Poly was dark and dated. However, to try something new and choose a monorail resort, we recently stayed at the Poly this year.
The datedness grew on me and it sort of worked with the tropical theme. The location and views can't be beat. Loved the grounds, etc. But the rooms were just as awful and dated (and I was in an updated bldg supposedly). The sink and toilet and shower were in the same room, no outside sink which is not ideal. So for me, I probably won't ever stay at the Poly again.
Next on my list is the Wildnerness lodge (based on boat and proximity to MK). Then maybe GF. After that, I would go with a deluxe near Epcot maybe. And then maybe some mods since I love love love the Port Orleans resort (just visited and ate, didn't stay).
But I agree with you about the Poly and even having stayed there, I have a hard time getting over the dated rooms.
I ended up just booking the Wilderness Lodge because of the short boat ride to MK. Hoping it's great!
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| Posted 10/17/12 12:27 PM |
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Goobster
:)
Member since 5/07 27557 total posts
Name:
:)
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Re: WDW Hotel dilema
Posted by BargainMama
I ended up just booking the Wilderness Lodge because of the short boat ride to MK. Hoping it's great!
oooo, when are you going? I can't wait to hear about it!!
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| Posted 10/17/12 12:41 PM |
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BargainMama
LIF Adult
Member since 5/09 15660 total posts
Name:
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Re: WDW Hotel dilema
Posted by Goobster
Posted by BargainMama
I ended up just booking the Wilderness Lodge because of the short boat ride to MK. Hoping it's great!
oooo, when are you going? I can't wait to hear about it!!
Early December!
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| Posted 10/17/12 12:44 PM |
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Serendipity
Summer!
Member since 4/07 7631 total posts
Name:
PrayingWishingHopingALOT
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Re: WDW Hotel dilema
Posted by Lillykat
I know when we have been considering our next trip we are torn between POR for the princess rooms, POFQ for it's small size and better bus service. Versus WL and AKL as deluxes which are only slightly more than the moderates.
These are the 4 resorts we are torn btw.
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| Posted 10/20/12 2:14 PM |
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ReiRei13
Life is Good!!
Member since 1/08 6460 total posts
Name:
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Re: WDW Hotel dilema
Spent a week at AKL last month and LOVED IT there!!
The grounds were amazing, pool was great, LOVED all the restaurants (Mara- the QS place was delicious and Boma was to die for), and their bus service was fabulous (buses came constantly, never waited more than 10 min). Def will be staying there again!!
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| Posted 10/21/12 9:12 PM |
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JenniferEver
The Disney Lady
Member since 5/05 18163 total posts
Name:
Jennifer
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Re: WDW Hotel dilema
Posted by mommyof3girls
Posted by JennP
I posted a similar question a few months ago about comparing mods and deluxes and got a lot of responses.
If you search under my username and deluxe for this board I'm sure it'll come right up.
Just read it and now I have a headache..lol
Still don't know what to do. Do I sacrifice the luxury of being on a monorail to give my girls the perfect room decor and deal with all the headache of getting to and from the parks. Meaning the opening of the strollers and the bags with 3 kids on a bus. Would it be smart if I split up my stays in both hotels and compromise that way?? Or am I making a bigger deal than it has to. I mean my oldest will be 6 at that time, will she really care about the room decor. I have to add that she is in love with Ariel (the Little Mermaid) since she was 3yrs.
I honestly thought booking this trip would be easier but it's the hardest one so far.
My DH thinks that the less headache with have on our trip the more we (parents) will enjoy ourselves. So he's stuck on the Deluxe.
Unless you've shown them pictures of the royal or ariel rooms, your little ones won't know the difference or that they're missing anything. I think the Deluxe resorts have awesome themes. We just came back from a stay at the contemporary. Is it less themed than others? I guess so, but I could see Spaceship earth, tower of terror, the forbidden mountain, and the tree of life from my room, along with the electrical water pageant. We could also WALK to Magic Kingdom. I don't think you can beat that. Another thing is, staying closer will have the kids closer to the parks, and so they'll have more time actually with Ariel and the attractions vs. a themed room, though the themed rooms are awesome. If price is not the major concern and it's about themed room vs. monorail, I'd choose monorail every time.
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| Posted 10/22/12 11:57 AM |
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Goobster
:)
Member since 5/07 27557 total posts
Name:
:)
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Re: WDW Hotel dilema
Posted by JenniferEver
Posted by mommyof3girls
Posted by JennP
I posted a similar question a few months ago about comparing mods and deluxes and got a lot of responses.
If you search under my username and deluxe for this board I'm sure it'll come right up.
Just read it and now I have a headache..lol
Still don't know what to do. Do I sacrifice the luxury of being on a monorail to give my girls the perfect room decor and deal with all the headache of getting to and from the parks. Meaning the opening of the strollers and the bags with 3 kids on a bus. Would it be smart if I split up my stays in both hotels and compromise that way?? Or am I making a bigger deal than it has to. I mean my oldest will be 6 at that time, will she really care about the room decor. I have to add that she is in love with Ariel (the Little Mermaid) since she was 3yrs.
I honestly thought booking this trip would be easier but it's the hardest one so far.
My DH thinks that the less headache with have on our trip the more we (parents) will enjoy ourselves. So he's stuck on the Deluxe.
Unless you've shown them pictures of the royal or ariel rooms, your little ones won't know the difference or that they're missing anything. I think the Deluxe resorts have awesome themes. We just came back from a stay at the contemporary. Is it less themed than others? I guess so, but I could see Spaceship earth, tower of terror, the forbidden mountain, and the tree of life from my room, along with the electrical water pageant. We could also WALK to Magic Kingdom. I don't think you can beat that. Another thing is, staying closer will have the kids closer to the parks, and so they'll have more time actually with Ariel and the attractions vs. a themed room, though the themed rooms are awesome. If price is not the major concern and it's about themed room vs. monorail, I'd choose monorail every time.
This is how i feel and I also am a big fan of the Contemporary for the above reasons.
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| Posted 10/22/12 12:04 PM |
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