How do you choose a new resort to visit?

Walt Disney World
#1

Hey Everyone

I have been having a lot of thoughts while trying to plan my next Disney Trip.

I have only been to 2 Disney resorts, which I LOVE them both. AKL, POLY. Usually rent DVC points

Do any of you get so attached to a resort that it makes it impossible to try a new one, without thinking about what you are missing at one you absolutely fell in love with? Example being wanting to try an Epcot resort soon, but knowing they are not as themed as other resorts, and being scared I will not like it.

The fact that the 2 I’ve been to are so greatly themed resorts for Deluxe in the entire parks, with incredible room views, that you feel so immersed in the world doesn’t help.

How did you end up just picking new ones and taking a chance, or did you always just go with the one you already love, without trying something new. And ultimately did anything surprise you where you thought you wouldn’t like something as much, but ended up actually liking it a lot

Thanks

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#2

It’s a hard thing to do! Absolutely!

In fact, I think the only reason we ever even stayed at OKW - our home resort - is that the contract we bought came with points that were about to expire, and the only resort that had availability was OKW. I sure am glad we were forced into it because my whole family fell in LOVE with that resort and it really and truly is our home!

And, that experience has given is the courage to try new resorts too.

Give it a go. Even if it’s not the same kind of experience you’ve had at AKL and Poly (great resorts, BTW - two of my personal faves!) you’ll still have a great trip and a great stay. Also, doing it by choice will make you have less hesitation in the future if you are “forced” to do it. I really was so scared that first time we stayed at OKW! But it was unfounded fear.

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#3

My love of variety really started from being a very short-sighted planner.

I generally never made hotel reservations more than a couple of months out so availability dictated a lot of it.

Even though I have started giving myself more time to plan lately (and this is only for Disney, I still book everything else on shorter notice), I have liked trying the different flavors. It helps that I have VERY opinionated children that always have both positive and negative feedback about each place and aren’t married to any one resort.

The only one that I ever booked with any real expectations was the Four Seasons because my local mom forum is filled with universally glowing reports (and it is a fantastic hotel with amazing service). Otherwise, it has always been a pretty ‘hey, let’s try this one!’ thing.

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#4

There are two resorts I would recommend with a third honorable mention.

  1. Wilderness Lodge: as highly themed as the others you mentioned. The out of the way feel of AKL with boat transportation to MK. Geyser point is the best QS in all of WDW.

  2. Boardwalk. The resort itself doesn"t seem as themed, but its actually on a Boardwalk. Lit uo at night the Boardwalk is magical. Walk to Epcot and HS. Can’t be beat.

  3. Riviera. I haven’t stayed here, and some people think it is just okay, but ithers absolutely love it.

My suggestion, if you can’t bring yourself to switch is try a split stay. Even if it is just 2 nights at the test resort. If split stays arent your thing, then plan a meal at the resort, when the resort is at its best, to check it out.

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#5

++ @OBNurseNH It is definately a difficult choice to breakaway from a “known thing”, especially when its a WDW vacation.

As a road warrior I have walked away from accodations, forfeiting a nights cost, and switched accomodations after one night more times that I care to remember. I have never come even remotely close to that a WDW resort so I feel safe in saying you really can’t go wrong trying a new resort. If you ask which is the best resort then … well better leave that the poll that Jeff_Az did.

A while back DW and I, less DS #1 and DS #2, decided on a spur of the monment (less then 30 days) trip and selected CSR to take advantage of the Under Construction discount. We had zero prior experience with the resort but I really enjoyed our stay. The point is that your needs evolve and a resort that once fullfilled your needs may no longer be the best fit for you. But you won’t know without trying!

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#6

That’s tough when you’re usual picks are 2 of the best of the best resorts. What do you love about them? Maybe that could guide you into a different but similar option. I totally agree with @heathernoel on those next top 3 hotels and also the idea of a split stay. Maybe the first few days at a new resort and the last at an old favorite?

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#7

We’ll while I love AKL and it’s amazing; I also love Boardwalk and it’s highly themed. If you like the theming which I do, the Boardwalk is beautiful at night and I love the Garden area around the quiet pool if you prefer a quiet room. I more often pick BWI/BWV becuz of its proximity to my fave park (EPC) and my teens fave park (DHS) combined with an atmosphere I love over AKL (even though I agree AKL is my fave). But I do want to try Poly. There are enough resorts that intrigue me I’m willing to try new ones though and some trips I do cheaper so that helps.

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#8

This is the question for people like us who know what we like and don’t want to take risks!

I happen to have stayed at a few resorts with my family growing up (OKW, GF, WL) and so I knew that each one had its pros and cons, but overall are worth trying. Since then, Beach Club has captured my heart and I think it will be a home base for us going forward (if we can get it). But I was so glad we tried Poly this past fall. It ended up being a dream come true, and something we probably won’t be able to do for a while (since we can’t fit in a studio anymore).

So I guess the lesson is … do your research, plan for contingencies, and maybe take a few risks! If you’re worried, do a split stay and end at your favorite resort.

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#9

Hang in for 2024!! Tower 1BR :crossed_fingers:t3::crossed_fingers:t3::crossed_fingers:t3::crossed_fingers:t3::crossed_fingers:t3:

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#10

Staying at a new resort because my oldest! She doesn’t know about the trip but we were looking at pictures to get her thoughts and she said “I loved the Poly but I want to stay at every hotel someday!” So we are switching it up.

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#11

I find myself booking in a pattern- Crescent Lake resorts, monorail loop, then I miss AKL/AKV, then SSR/OKW. The great thing about being a parks & resorts fab is we find something cool about every single resort.

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#12

Welcome to the forum!

This is my favorite way to start a conversation!

My first question for you is how often do you plan on going to WDW? If this was your last trip for many years, you may want to stick to tried and true. If you plan on visiting often, or anticipate going multiple times over the next say, 10 years, it would be fun to try somewhere new.

Presuming you want to try somewhere new…… watch a ton of you tube walk through videos for the resorts you’re considering. See what aspects of each you like vs what really won’t work for your family. Then, just decide that you’ll love the new hotel. You’re one thought away from changing perspective. When you walk into the hotel with the thought that you already love it, anything that does come up as a negative will not be a big deal.

For the Crescent Lake hotels, we’ve only stayed in the BWV. We love the location and the hotel. My beef with it is there is limited availability for breakfast with my allergies. But that hasn’t stopped us from staying there multiple times. I’ve adapted by making breakfast in our room. No biggie. It is one of our favorites.

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#13

I have the same goal

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#14

Welcome to the forum!

I had a wish list of resorts I wanted to stay at just for the experience. Since staying at most on my list I have new favorites. I would have never discovered them if I hadn’t tried them. I also have resorts that I won’t stay at on purpose anymore b/c I got to go there once and I’m done (AKL unpopular statement). You won’t know until you try. DH and I stayed at BWV last fall and really loved the proximity to EC, the walk and the resort grounds. We didn’t like the l-o-n-g walk from the elevator to the room but we would stay there again. And while the B/YC pool looks really cool… you have to cross a public sidewalk to access the shipwreck slide… no thank you :wink: I think you should try some places you are curious about. Enjoy!

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#15

We don’t care about the pool slide – I happily spend hours in the BC/YC lazy river.

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#16

Our first trip I knew we were going to stay at AOA, we chose the family Cars suite… It was perfect!!

Our second trip we stay in the same area and stayed at POP. It was familiar but still trying a new resort. The whole family enjoyed the resort.

Our third trip was an Anniversary trip with DH & myself. I wanted to stay in the Epcot area because of the festival in Epcot. I eventually chose Yacht, didn’t pick Beach because my husband doesn’t like seafood smell. We had another great stay at Yacht.

Our fourth trip I picked Wilderness Lodge. I chose it because it had good food choices and it was close to other resorts with other good food choices. This was a magical stay for sure!

When we go again as a family we will stay at All Star Music family suites. Two other resorts I would love to stay at is Polynesian and Riviera.

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#17

I love being in the lazy river. Spent too much time in the Aulani lazy river

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#18

I’m a bit leary about trying new resorts after changing from CBR to Poly due to Skyliner construction. DH & DD13 both said they liked Poly but missed CBR location. Want to try Wilderness Lodge, but the lack of transportation options is kind of eh, I don’t wont to drive everywhere again. Which is what happened with Poly for HS, AK, DS, and water park visits.

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#19

I’d like to echo the split stay suggestion that a few people have already mentioned, as long as your trip is long enough that it won’t be annoying to move in the middle.

I’m a big fan of variety and would be happy to try someplace new every time, and to get a whole different set of ADRs on each trip. I’m one of those who would love to try everything at least once. But my partner is… not quite the opposite — she doesn’t mind new stuff — but she doesn’t like the idea of not being able to go back to something she enjoyed.

So after our last trip (which was also the first adult trip for both of us; neither of us had been since our respective childhoods), I decided that on future trips, I’d suggest going half and half. That we could try having half our ADRs be favorites we did before, and half be new ones we haven’t tried yet. (She’s likely to be fine with this compromise. :slight_smile: )

Similarly, we enjoyed doing a split stay, so I plan to suggest that at least one of the resorts we go to next should be new to us. Maybe that’ll work with the OP, too. You could start the trip at a new resort, and then do the second half of the trip at one of your Old Reliables (or vice versa, but if I were concerned about liking a place, I’d probably want to front-load it and have a sure thing to look forward to).

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#20

I instituted this rule for dining a few years ago. My family will do the same things over and over and over and I was growing weary of it. I’m excited to share that they have found some new favorites along the way thanks to my prodding. And they are less hesitant to try something new when they know they have an old favorite on the list too. Everyone picks one old one and one new one each time and it has been great!

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