Where Not to Stay
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Where to Stay Resort Features by Price Resort Kid Appeal Large Families
OVERVIEW
This site recommends you stay in the Deluxe resort Disney’s Polynesian Resort if you can afford it, or at the Value resort Disney’s Pop Century Resort if you cannot.
Three other resort categories exist
- Disney Vacation Club Resorts
- Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground
- Moderate Resorts
and while wonderful for trips after your first, none of these categories is recommended for your first family trip.
THE DISNEY VACATION CLUB RESORTS
The Disney Vacation Club (DVC) resorts are expensive, and neither as convenient nor as kid-appealing as the Polynesian, their price comparitor.
(A couple of exceptions: the Villas at the Wilderness Lodge and at the Jambo House Villas at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge have terrific kid appeal. Kidani Village has substantial kid appeal, but less that Jambo House.)
They do make sense for large families, and/or those seeking spacious accommodations. See this for large families; see this for more on the DVC resorts. For the most comfortable options, see this.
FORT WILDERNESS
Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground is neither as convenient nor as kid-appealing as the Pop Century Resort, its appropriate comparison.
The moderates unquestionably are much more appealing to adults than Pop Century Resort (and the All-Star Resorts).
Their rooms are almost 2 feet longer and a foot wider than at the values, and the bedroom spaces are actually larger than those at some Disney deluxe resorts: see this.
However, the beds at the moderates are mostly only full-sized, (Coronado Springs is the exception, with queens), as they are at the values; other than Coronado Springs you need to stay in a Deluxe resort to get two queen beds.
The moderates have more amenities than the values, and, to an adult’s eyes, much better landscaping and exterior design.
Even so, the moderate resorts are not a better choice for your first family trip than the values, even if you could easily afford them. The issue is that alternatives have a lot more kid appeal.
If you could afford the moderates, a more kid-appealing and convenient itinerary would be to spend the first 5 nights of your trip at Pop Century, and the last 3 at Disney’s stunningly kid-appealing deluxe resort the Wilderness Lodge.
This approach costs you ~$30 more (total!) than staying at the moderates for 8 nights, but is much more convenient and kid-appealing.
(Note: do not reverse the order here–don’t go to the Wilderness Lodge first, and then to the Pop Century Resort–or you will hear no end of complaining from your family…!)
LINKS FOR WHERE TO STAY AT DISNEY WORLD
- For where to stay, see this
- For your next best choices, in order, see this
- For picking your resort based on appeal to kids, see this
- For picking your resort based on convenience, see this
- For where not to stay, see this
- For what you get in each resort price category, see this
- For Walt Disney World resort price seasons, see this
- For differences among value resorts, see this
- For the moderate resorts, see this
- For differences among moderate resorts, see this
- For differences among deluxe resorts, see this
- For the Disney Vacation Club (“DVC”) Resorts, see this
- For suites at the deluxe resorts, see this
- For a (geeky) overview of comparative room size, see this
- Large families should look at this, and also at
- Military/DOD families should look at this
- Tightwads should look at this
- Families seeking the most comfortable place to stay should see this
6 comments
Hi Dave,
I just read your article regarding the moderate resorts for first time visitors, and I was just curious what your logic was in recommending staying at the pop century for 5 days and the wilderness lodge for the other 3 days?
Lance–the issue with the moderates is their (relative) lack of kid appeal. The split stay alternative costs about the same, but would be much more kid appealing.
Hi Dave,
Is that right? From the website it looks like the CBR main pool is very kid friendly with the fort, water cannons, etc.. Well, I hope Disney extends their great deal until November 2011 so I can upgrade to one of the deluxe resorts! Great website, very helpful information! We are going for the first time next year, during ‘jersey week’.. I cant wait!
Lance–the kid appeal issue is relative. CBR has great kid appeal–especially the pool!
However the values, Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge, and the Polynesian have much more kid appeal!
Wow, I am going to have to look a little deeper into your suggestions, I put a deposit down on a CBR room but I might have to change it! Thanks again for responding so quickly!
Lance–try to make Disney’s Wilderness Lodge work–it is both the least expensive of the deluxes, and the most kid-appealing hotel on the property…
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