How about your favorite Deluxe resort?

SpringheeledJack · Post by **SpringheeledJack** » Feb Sun 19, 2006 11:16 am

I still say that AKL has it all. Best food, best decor, most fun (fireside folk tales, and ANIMALS AT YOUR WINDOWS!), and best service. Wilderness Lodge is also incredible, but doesn't measure up in terms of amenities, I don't think. I'm also a big fan of the Wilderness Cabins, and the ability to watch outdoors movies and other cool camping/village stuff.

I still can't figure out why so many people like the Grand Floridian, though. It's just so... there. It looks elegant, I suppose, but it doesn't really feel "Disney", if you know what I mean.

Cheshire Cat · Post by **Cheshire Cat** » Feb Sun 19, 2006 12:41 pm

I agree, we haven't even stayed at AKL (we only stay at vacation club resorts) yet, we think it's the best. We usually just go down to it for a day to walk around.

ibscoop · Post by **ibscoop** » Feb Mon 20, 2006 4:34 pm

My vote is the Wilderness Lodge. The is something "homey" about it. The themeing is incredible and I love taking a nice relaxing boat ride to the Magic Kingdom.

AKL is a close second. The architect that designed the AKL is the same as the WL. I think these two are amazing. Kudos to that architect

SpringheeledJack · Post by **SpringheeledJack** » Feb Mon 20, 2006 4:49 pm

I definitely agree with the WL's hominess, but I also didn't like the lack of a decent restaurant in the place. It DEFINITELY had some excellent decor, though, even though I find the AKL a little more interesting. WL comes in a close second... Though I'm still not sure... I might put the Polynesian above it, just because it also has a great restaurant and those spiffy monorail connections.

Post by **spaulo** » Feb Tue 21, 2006 1:45 pm

SpringheeledJack wrote:I still can't figure out why so many people like the Grand Floridian, though. It's just so... there. It looks elegant, I suppose, but it doesn't really feel "Disney", if you know what I mean.

It's grandeur. I know part of what stunned my fiancee and I when we took the boat from MK over to GF was simply how big, elegant, luxurious, and, to be honest, downright ridiculous the place looked. When we travel 3000 miles for a week-long vacation... that's exactly what we want.

And I totally disagree that it doesn't feel "Disney"... look out your window, and there's the Magic Kingdom! (well... for many of the rooms, anyway) I'm not really sure how AKL, or say, POFQ (which we love, our favorite moderate) feel "Disney" either, except that they, and likewise the Grand Floridian, simply are "Disney."

Maybe I don't make any sense, I don't know. Chances are we will never stay at AKL because AK is a half-day park for us and we would feel completely away from everything if we stayed there.

SpringheeledJack · Post by **SpringheeledJack** » Feb Tue 21, 2006 2:17 pm

AKL isn't THAT far away from the rest of the parks.

And you can still take buses from the resort to the parks (I agree, AK is merely a half-day at best). It doesn't take any longer to get from there than any of the moderate resorts, really, especially by car. But AKL and WL are EXPERIENCES, whereas the GF feels more like a Floridian spa. That's where I draw the distinction. I understand why people think it's *pretty*, but I don't understand why someone would think of it as a Disney experience.

Of course, a lot of people disagree with me. LOTS. But I've stayed there several times, and I just never really loved the place. Actually, I was telling my wife the other day that I'd rather stay at the Coronado than the GF. It's just more fun.

konakraft2005 · Post by **konakraft2005** » Feb Tue 21, 2006 3:43 pm

One statement.....STORMALONG BAY is probably the BEST pool at any property !!!!

JMO

Mickeymac · Post by **Mickeymac** » Feb Tue 21, 2006 5:09 pm

Don't knock the Grand until you've stayed there. It's weird - it *feels* like you're staying inside the Magic Kingdom, unlike the Contemporary or the Polynesian. You can hear the dog howling from HM, listen to the steam train, smell the popcorn on hot days. If you're lucky and get a Castle view, well, that's your next door neighbor. It feels like staying at Grandma's house, too. Not stuffy at all.

AKL to me is a destination unto itself. I find the overall transportation there to be the best of all the Deluxe resorts. Plus, the savannah guides are excellent, and the programs unequaled. I sound like a broken record on this. AKL is a great resort to stay at if you want some downtime. I don't recommend staying here if your itinerary looks like it was planned by a park nazi.

And yah, Stormalong is the best pool on property, but you know? If you want a great substitute, Old Man Island at Riverside is a good sub for the little ones.

Post by **spaulo** » Feb Tue 21, 2006 5:15 pm

Mickeymac wrote:a park nazi.

We prefer "park commando"... or, more verbosely, The Brave Men And Women Of the 101st Park Commandos HOO-AH!

SpringheeledJack · Post by **SpringheeledJack** » Feb Tue 21, 2006 7:15 pm

I've stayed there a few times (we live down here, so we've stayed at most the resorts), and it just didn't do much for me. But then again, since I'm a Floridian, staying in a building designed to embody the architecture of Florida probably WOULDN'T do much for me.

In order:

AKL
Probably Polynesian, though WL comes awfully close
Wilderness Cabins (the ONLY way to go as a family)
Yacht and Beach club (either)
Coronado (I just really like it... it's kitschy without going overboard)
Caribbean

All the others I can take or leave. None of them suck, but none of them spark any sort of excitement in me, either. I'd be just as happy staying off property.

FRD714 · Post by **FRD714** » Feb Tue 21, 2006 9:44 pm

I say Contemporary. I really liked it becuase I had a great view of Space Mountain.

Sarah Turp · Post by **Sarah Turp** » Feb Wed 22, 2006 6:54 am

SpringheeledJack wrote: I'd be just as happy staying off property.

I hate staying off property! We've only done it once and I would never do it again. When I go to Disney I like to be completely engrossed in the Disneyness (and yes I do realise that i just made up that word!)

Post by **addlema** » Feb Wed 22, 2006 7:41 am

We stayed off property when I was little before most of the hotels where built in WDW. Then we stayed once at the Disney Inn and my family fell in love with it.. And then they made it Military only

Anyways, agreed. You can't go to WDW and get the same experience staying off park. Honestly, why would you want too? There are so many advantages to staying on property and with the Value resorts its just as cheap with more cool stuff!

I don't think alot of people have caught onto that.. 99$ a night is great for a hotel room (And sometimes it a lot less), and you get FREE transportation and all the other perks.

SpringheeledJack · Post by **SpringheeledJack** » Feb Wed 22, 2006 8:25 am

Aha! But that's my point. I WOULD rather stay on Disney property (other than the fact that there's no point in staying OFF property for me, because that's pretty much where I live), and I don't feel like the Grand Floridian gives me that Disneyness feeling (to quote some guy who made the word up). Which is why I would just as happily stay off property as I would in the GF.

But out of the lot that I listed, I'd rather stay in those than any other hotel in the world.

Esmeralda · Post by **Esmeralda** » Feb Wed 22, 2006 8:47 am

My family used to stay off property. At the time I was so overjoyed to be in Disney World, I couldn't imagine it being any better. Then we stayed on property, and I'm afraid there's no turning back now. We're so spoiled by the service and convenience, not to mention fantastic theming and proximity to the parks! Best of all, for us all the hotels make us feel as though we never have to leave the magic.

Subsonic Radio

How about your favorite Deluxe resort?

What is your favorite Deluxe resort at WDW?