How much do you prioritize hotel/resort location? HS/EP and Crescent Lake

Walt Disney World
1

We’re headed to WDW for Spring break. 2nd trip as a family. I really wanted to stay in the Crescent Lake area for the convenience to HS/EP and to easily explore the Boardwalk (we’ve never stayed in this area before).

But I can’t get a room at the Dolphin on Marriott points the night before our HS rope drop morning (which was the most important aspect of the Crescent Lake plan). I’ve been trying since July.

Is it worth it to pay cash to stay at Crescent Lake? Our alternative is to stay super cheap at Shades of Green, and we will have a car…so is hotel location that important?

Options are:

  1. pay cash at Dolphin for 2 nights that don’t have points availability ($1500 - I already have this reservation booked)
  2. pay cash at different Crescent Lake room for 2 nights (~$1000) - I don’t have a reservation booked for this)
  3. scrap Crescent Lake plan and stay at Shades of Green for those 2 nights ($250 - have this reservation booked)

The other 3 nights are mostly a non-issue as location doesn’t seem as critical (HS will be our only rope drop morning - my family isn’t fans of RD but wiling to do it for all the new stuff at HS). For various reasons I can’t move the HS day to a night that does align with Dolphin points availability.

I’m perseverating over what to do now that my master plan (5 nights at Dolphin on Marriott points) is clearly not going to work out.

2

2 nights at Dolphin definitely not worth $1500. They probably have a big convention going on and rooms unlikely to open up at those rates. If you have a car just stay at SOG for those nights.

1 Like
3

If rope drop at HS is the reason you plan on staying at Crescent Lake, then I don’t think it’s super important, especially because you have a car. I don’t think anyone has reported trouble parking at HS at the early hour “rope drop” is happening these days. I could be wrong, and April is still a while away (too long for me!)

In April, we’re staying at the Boardwalk for the second time in a row primarily because we love the Boardwalk, but also for the access to EPCOT for dining. Being able to walk to HS for rope drop is just a bonus!

4

Definitely don’t pick Dolphin over another crescent lake hotel if the others are cheaper.

5

Have you looked at Priceline for those two nights at the Dolphin? I don’t know your dates, but I I’ve routinely seen rooms on there for much cheaper.