Yet another resort vs hotel debate... Your opinions wanted!

Walt Disney World Accommodations
1

Backstory: We’re planning a trip for me and DH (both in our late 30’s, no kids). I’ve been to MK several times as a child/teen and he went with me for the first time several years ago - we were there for one day, and only did MK. Neither of us have been to the other parks. We’re both huge Disney lovers.

The trip will be early February 2020. I’m not yet sure if we’re going to drive or fly (Southwest releases the fares tomorrow). I’ve thoroughly researched on-site vs off-site, and now we are approacing the conundrum.

Option 1: DoubleTree Suites in Disney Springs. We spent an afternoon in DS last time we were in Orlando, and loved it. We’re hoping to take advantage of many of the restaurants in the area. I’ve already booked it for our dates at a good rate. We’re not planning on using our vehicle once we arrive, so we’ll use a combo of Disney transport and Uber/Lyft. It will be a little less convenient if we fly, but we don’t mind Uber/Lyft for airport transport.

Advantages here: plenty of space, DS is handy, still get 60 day FPP, hopefully quieter than a WDW resort.

Disadvantages: Disney transport will take a little longer, no ME if we fly, less utilization of Magic Band functionality

Option 2: Standard room at Pop. I got a quote from MVT that is several hundred dollars less than the DoubleTree.

Advantages: Cheaper, better transport (probably), 180+ for ADRs, can use magic bands for more stuff, ME if we fly

Disadvantages: much smaller room, lots more people around, probably much noisier, further from DS

Help me out here, please! What am I not considering? What would be more important to you? Which option would you choose?

2

Since pop is cheaper I’d definitely go with that. Still not too far from DS. Unless you plan on spending a lot of time in the room.

3

I love Pop. Have stayed there five times with and without kids. I’ve stayed off property once and would never do it again. I don’t think Pop is loud. The food court can get crowded at typical meal times but only during those times. Pop has Queen size beds, lots of storage space, is a short ride to Epcot and DHS especially when the gondolas start. Pop transportation via bus was reliable and easy to use. I’d choose Pop.

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4

FYI … Southwest has changed the date!!!

5

Noooo!! This really throws a wrench in things…

6

Yeah… I understand, I’m waiting for them to release too. But I’m glad you know now than tomorrow morning.

I woulf also choose POP because its newly updated, you can keep the one bed up which will free space in your room, buses come frequently. I would choose the top floor so there is no noise above you.

7

We probably won’t spend tons of time in the room, although I don’t think we’ll open and close the parks every day! It’s more likely we’ll have some late starts or end some days early. That’s why I was thinking a suite with a living area/couch would be nice. One small room for a week can start to feel claustrophobic. But with the extra money we could do an EMH or dessert party, or something…

8

I’ve read good things about the transportation and neither of us have issues with gondolas, so that would be a plus, too. We won’t likely use the food court too often, but it is handy to have it there. Thanks!

9

You can leave the second bed up (murphy bed). There’s tons of room in the Pop room when the second bed is in the wall.

10

I appreciate the notice. I hadn’t checked again since - last week, I think? Anyways, thanks for the suggestion about the top floor. Quiet is a priority for us, since I know the parks will be full and noisy!

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11

We were at the Disney Springs DoubleTree July 2018. It does have plenty of space. I’ve seen that it’s a five minute walk from Disney Springs. It’s definitely NOT a five minute relaxed stroll.

It does have the bus service. It runs twice an hour, sorta. Kinda. One night at Epcot we waited well over an hour for a bus.

There is an attempt at some Disney ambiance. Mostly, tho, it’s a DoubleTree hotel. A very quiet, far from Disney magic hotel.

Considering ME, magic band functionality, and Disney transportation, I’d opt for Pop.

I have not stayed in a Value. With only the two of you in the room, you should have enough space. Especially with a king bed room.

Pop isn’t as big as some of the other Values, so perhaps it’s, not as noisy as other Values might be.

DS is only a bus ride away.

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12

Another vote for POP. We would only stay offsite if it offered significant savings from onsite. I have stayed at POP twice now since the refurb, and the rooms are quite nice. It is pretty quiet as well. Transportation will be much easier, especially with the skyliner running.

13

Have you considered resort parking? Remember to factor that in, it may push POP up a bit in price. Not sure if doubletree charges parking.

14

I would definitely stay at Pop instead of Double Tree. We stayed at Pop for two nights at Christmas before we went to AKL. I was quite surprised with the amount of room there. We were there with our teenage daughter, a walker, and a wheelchair. We really didn’t feel cramped. If you leave the murphy bed up, you’ll have lots of room. I would stay there again, for sure.

15

Having once stayed off property when I managed to get a virus and get back to my room for the day, I would pick on property every time. Fortunately my sister was local and a CM so she could get back into the parking area and parking lots during Christmas (we could not get in MK, but Epcot and the others were fine) after taking me back. I am solo now, so that would involve getting a taxi or Lyft now. Plus I was in a regular hotel room with no magical Disney touches to help make being stuck there pleasant.

So I would always vote for on property. (Of course, we always only had one hotel room for 4 of us until my sister and I were both out of college, so to us sharing space was just part of vacation and we adapted to it rather than whining we did not have space. We were happy to be on vacation.)

16

I have stayed at the Doubletree with kids and at Pop solo, and I would also choose Pop. I left the 2nd bed up to have access to the table, and it felt quite roomy (granted, I was alone but even with 2 people, I don’t think it’d feel super crowded). There are also quieter areas of the food court with bench seating if you want a change of indoors scenery, and ofc lots of outdoor seating as well. I was very happy staying there and am trying to get rooms there for our split stay in December (2 adults in one room, 4 in the other). It won’t take long at all to take a Lyft to DS if you don’t want to wait for the buses (which also don’t take long, just longer than a Lyft).

17

They do charge for parking, but with the Mousesavers deal I got it’s comparable to POP. Thanks!

18

That’s really good to hear, thanks!

19

Oh, we had plenty of those family trips, too! I just know how DH and I are (getting older and crankier all the time, lol!), and didn’t want to have us hating each other by the end of the trip because we never got a moment’s peace :rofl:

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20

That helps a lot, thank you. It’s nice to hear from someone who has stayed at both. I appreciate it!