Where Not to Stay
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
- The campsites and cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort
- The moderate resorts
While wonderful for trips after your first, none of these other 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 comparator.
Their distinctive characteristics (for rooms other than studios) are extra space and full kitchens. These just aren’t of much value to first time visitors who aren’t sure if they’ll ever return, who will be spending most of their time outside their rooms!
(A couple of exceptions: the Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and the Jambo House Villas at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge have terrific kid appeal. Kidani Village has substantial kid appeal, but less than 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
The campsites and cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort are neither as convenient nor as kid-appealing as Disney’s Pop Century Resort or the moderates, their appropriate comparators.
THE MODERATE RESORTS
The moderates unquestionably are much more appealing to adults than Pop Century Resort (and the other value 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.
Moreover, at most of the moderates you now get queen beds–a welcome change from only a few years ago, when they had full beds (Caribbean Beach still has full 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 Pop Century–or you will hear no end of complaining from your family…!)
MORE ON 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
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- For what you get in each resort price category, see this
- For Walt Disney World resort price seasons, see this
- For resort reviews, see this
- For the value resorts, see this
- For the moderate resorts, see this
- For the deluxe resorts, see this
- For suites at the deluxe resorts, see this
- For the Disney Vacation Club (“DVC”) Resorts, see this
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- For a (geeky) overview of comparative room size, see this
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- Military/DOD families should look at this
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- Families seeking the most comfortable place to stay should see this
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10 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…
We are 3 somewhat slightly older couples, looking at taking a trip to D World in early October and we were thinking of using our DVC points to stay at the Boardwalk, Beach Club, or other comparable vacation condo. Do you have any lodging recommendations for us? We have enough points to most likely get a studio or 1 bedroom for each couple and would like convenience, and a bit more quiet accommodation, since we won’t be bringing any children, except the child inside each of us…We are also thinking of purchasing the Dining Plan, and the 7 day MYW Park Hopper tickets — should we go to AAA to purchase these? (is there any discount?) Would like to hear your thoughts…THX!
Hi Judy…for “older” adults seeking quiet and convenience, I’d go with the Beach Club. It is nicely proximate to Epcot and the Studios, and quieter than the BoardWalk, which because of its design has many villas facing the pools or the (sometimes noisy) Boardwalk itself.
Re AAA, you can often get small discounts from them–e.g. 5%.
The dining plan will pay off only if you would have done that many sit-down dinners anyway…
The split stay sounds interesting to me. How do you do book this? Doesn’t seem like you can do it online? How will it work with the free dining promotion? We are planning on going in mid-December for 5 nights, possibly 6.
Hey Rachel–to do a split stay, you’d book two separate reservations (ideally wth a one night overlap if you can afford it, to make changing resorts easier), and do the free dining plan with each
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