12 days to a final resort decision and I'm STUMPED

I’m at the 43-day mark from my February trip, so I’m 12 days away from no more changes to my resort stay (I don’t like to make changes after the email has been sent).

I’ve made so many changes on this one… It’s kind of ridiculous at this point. Just me, solo adult.

Currently: Kidani Standard View Studio
Pros: I LOVE Animal Kingdom and would love to just be able to explore the Lodges and grounds on down-time.
Cons: The food situation. Only having Sanaa - and the gluten-free options there being limited - is tough. (I’m pretty sure pool bars can’t do gluten-free foods/)

Possible other locations in order from lowest to highest prices: (yes, SSR is right in there price-wise, but I can stay at a golf condo complex at pretty much any beach, and the horse theme doesn’t do it for me) - these are all do-able financially:

Caribbean Beach King (with this one I could add on Memory Maker)
Pros: CBR has a special place in my heart; King room almost guarantees a corner; could walk over to Riviera for more food options
Cons: Skyliner - yes, this is a con for me as I prefer to enter Epcot by the main entrance. I’ve done IG before when I had breakfast at Garden Grill and was staying at Pop and it just felt weird to me all day not having gone in the main entrance.

CSR Gran Destino Tower Room (I’d probably add on Memory Maker here too)
Pros: the rooms and the tower look gorgeous; I’ve heard great things about Three Bridges and staying there would make it easier
Cons: no Food Court (or grab and go only if it is operating, which is not super allergy-friendly); I feel like I’ve bounced to here on this reservation more than any and feel like my TA (who has the patience of Job) will just roll her eyes

Yacht Club Garden/Woods or Water View
Pros: Never stayed there before and I do like the Nautical Theme
Cons: I’m not a pool person so the “mystique” of SAB is lost on me; my “thing” about IG not feeling like I’m really in Epcot; not sure about QS options here

Riviera Standard View Studio (this one is a bit of a stretch but could be done)
Pros: resort looks beautiful; multiple food options
Cons: price-wise a bit of a stretch; see above for Skyliner/not feeling like IG is the real Epcot entrance

At one point recently, I was booked at CCV, but I am only slightly more into that theme than the horse/golf course theme at SSR - Geyser Point or not.

SOOOOOOOOO confused!! I’ll be happy when I hit the 30 day mark and the request has been emailed!!

We were at YC recently for the first time and loved it. Beautiful resort, walking distance to 2 parks and plenty of food options at resort and nearby at BW.

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From what you’ve said, I say stay at CBR and get an Uber to the front of Epcot. Use the Skyliner for DHS.

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That’s tough! So many great choices. If food at the resort is the priority, which one has the best options? It does sound like CBR would give you more choices. AKL looks like a dream though— too bad more hasn’t opened there.

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Yeah, ordinarily I wouldn’t hesitate about AKL…though if I think about it, it would not be that hard to pack protein bars for breakfast in the room.

Part of me also feels like if I can afford it, I should book higher to help out my amazing TA for all she has done for me, which would be Yacht. I know it’s beautiful, and I could just try to plan my COVID test at the on-site location so I could Lyft back to Epcot from there…

Contemporary was in the mix, but I just cannot get excited about it. I know the monorail through the tower is like CLASSIC WDW, but the rooms just seem blah.

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Good luck with your decision! I don’t think you can make a bad one!

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Past trips we’ve been resort centric.

We know we’re food people. More than almost anything else at the parks.

The trip this month brought home the food importance. More than we anticipated.

My advice would be to stay where you have the most, or easiest, or best food choices. Right there at your resort.

If it’s cold, or wet, or too muggy, and people have been way too much at the parks, it’s a relief to mobile order and carry your food to your place. Relax and eat. Or eat and relax.

One of our group has a milk allergy. With one milk free choice at each restaurant, usually.

Good luck.

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Then that would mean: BC, YC, or BW right? There are sooo many options in that immediate area, plus a walk to EC

Well, I’m not getting a hopper, so Epcot every night is out. But probably.

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I just came back from CR, and yeah, it wasn’t awful, but it didn’t excite me in anyway either. If I had paid CR prices, I would’ve been mad. But it was a price protected move due to resort closures, so it was hella cheap.
I would honestly say no to CR.

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I just went thru the guide and in the Epcot Area if we get more restaurant openings without park hopping into Epcot you can skyliner to Riviera for what’s sounding like California Grill 5* at Topolino’s Terrace based on reviews here and a 97% thumbs up on TP. At Swan and Dolphin, Kimonos and Shulas get 4* in the guide overall and in quality. All of those are open. If they open Flying Fish at BW anothe 4* option. Todd English’s Bluezoo I believe had 4* in quality as well. In the 3.5* range you pull in Trattoria al Forno and Yachtsman Steakhouse. That’s a lot of over average choices without going into Epcot and only Flying Fish and Yachtsman are closed currently. But also there are a ton of 3.5-4* choices at DisneySprings so I think if food is your deciding factor it should be b/w Epcot and DisneySprings hotels. Since you don’t like SSR (did you say you didn’t like OKW too?) id go Epcot area.

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Yeah. I ponder it and then watch videos and am like “Nope. Not until it gets reimagined at least.”

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OKW isn’t available - at least not with the 35% discount.

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The front entrance at Epcot is really, really unlovely with all the construction walls, so if going in the front of Epcot as it was is the reason for avoiding IG you may be disappointed.

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And maybe, just maybe, Remy will be open and that IG entrance will be beneficial in RD. But I’m also the opposite in that I prefer IG entrance as is. I like small and quaint and it makes me feel like I know a secret ha ha ha.

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The new fountain is open and unwalled though…

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What is your park day break down?

Edit- and ADRs, how many meals will you really rely on the resort?

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Hands down for me it’s GDT. I’m itching like crazy to stay there.

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So far it’s AK, Epcot, Studios, MK, AK. The arrival day at this point doesn’t have a park as I haven’t added that day yet.

ADRs are Boathouse on arrival night, either Garden Grill lunch or La Hacienda on Epcot Day, Beaches & Cream on Studios day (if I change to Yacht Club, I’d try to move this to dinner), Chef Mickey’s and Skipper Canteen on MK day. Animal Kingdom days it’s all about Satu’li Canteen…

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Great ADRs!

Will you use the sky liner?