Best Disney World hotels?

toe2toe6@m wrote:

> OK -- this time I'm going to Disney World in Orlando (thanks again to
> everyone for their help earlier this year with Anaheim hotels). What
> are the good readers' recommendations for Disney Word hotels. I was
> thinking of either the Hilton or perhaps Disney's All-Star Movies
> Resort. Thoughts?

If you've never been to an on-Disney hotel, AS Movies or Pop Century are
a good place to start--
They're essentially motel accomodations for the Howard Johnson
parents-with-kids crowd, not Hilton, but run as professionally as the
larger Disney hotels: Basically courts of balcony-door Red Roof Inns,
with all the pool and activity outside in the courts.

Movies has the fun "ultra-Disney" exterior atmosphere, but if you want
it a step up and more relaxed, Port Orleans:French Quarter has little
more immersive class, and still small enough for the new traveler to get
around.

Derek Janssen
ejanss1@

"Gloria in Miami" <konslergm> wrote in message
news:g2kqp6$gu6$1@registered.motzarella.org...
>
> <toe2toe6@m> wrote in message
> news:cf45267d-0492-44e0-947c-24937fb65216@z72g2000hsb..com...
>> OK -- this time I'm going to Disney World in Orlando (thanks again to
>> everyone for their help earlier this year with Anaheim hotels). What
>> are the good readers' recommendations for Disney Word hotels. I was
>> thinking of either the Hilton or perhaps Disney's All-Star Movies
>> Resort. Thoughts?
>
> It's hard to recommend a Disney resort hotel without knowing your budget.
>
> If you're in the "value" range (around $100 per night), I either do Pop
> Century or All Satr Movies. If you can afford "moderate" (around $200 per
> night), the my favorite is Port Orleans French Quarter ...and if you can
> afford "deluxe" (around $300 and up per night), then I like the Beach
> Club.

I agree entirely with the value and moderate suggestions (FQ is particularly
nice because it is smaller, comes before riverside on the bus pick-ups, and
gets its own bus at park closing...you'll see huge lines for riverside
busses and much smaller one for FQ).

For deluxe, I would recommend Beach Club if you're an EPCOT fan,
Contemporary if MK-fan.


>
> Of course, everyone has their favorites and what's our favorite may not be
> appealing to you. Pick the resort in your price range that has the
> themeingyou like the best and you'll be happy.
>
> Gloria in Miami

Keane wrote:

> On Mon, 9 Jun 2008 17:49:42 -0700 (PDT), toe2toe6@m wrote:
>
>
>>OK -- this time I'm going to Disney World in Orlando (thanks again to
>>everyone for their help earlier this year with Anaheim hotels). What
>>are the good readers' recommendations for Disney Word hotels. I was
>>thinking of either the Hilton or perhaps Disney's All-Star Movies
>>Resort. Thoughts?
>
>
> I stayed at an All-Star resort (sports) once, and I decided I'd never
> stay at one again unless it was the only room available.

Although Sports would be one explanation--
It tends to make all its money off the team trips, but it's considered
at the bottom of the list.

> If all you plan to do storm the parks, then they're probably okay.
> If you're the type who likes to hang around the resort from time
> to time, I'd look to a moderate or a deluxe. At least they have
> table service restaurants, and rooms a bit more decorative, with
> tables larger than a postage stamp.

After several WL trips, I went back to a Movies trip just to
squeeze in a couple cheap days before AKL, and still loved the "Disney
commando" atmosphere, even if the Fantasia pool had been in rehab.

I've actually found they're good warmups, if you're planning to
resort-hop up to a Moderate or Deluxe mid-trip, and just want to get all
the "THIS is why I'm here..." park thrills out of your system early. :)

Derek Janssen
ejanss1@

Rodney says:

> The rooms are slightly larger, but not noticeably so.

This part, I have to disagree with. We definitely noticed that the All
Stars room was small, and that was back when it was just me and DH. The
furnishings also looked small. Over the course of the week, we liked the
room less and less, and that was after the bad first impression.

-- Alpha

On Jun 10, 9:23 pm, Jeffrey Gordon <j...@jeffreygordon.net> wrote:
> In article <2kht441514q24bam3ihttk05p4v19d5...@>,
>
>  Keane <ke...@keanespics.com> wrote:
> > On Mon, 9 Jun 2008 17:49:42 -0700 (PDT), toe2t...@m wrote:
>
> > >OK -- this time I'm going to Disney World in Orlando (thanks again to
> > >everyone for their help earlier this year with Anaheim hotels). What
> > >are the good readers' recommendations for Disney Word hotels. I was
> > >thinking of either the Hilton or perhaps Disney's All-Star Movies
> > >Resort. Thoughts?
>
> There have already been a lot of good comments about the plusses and
> minuses of the different resort in terms of choosing Off/On Property and
> comparing the Deluxe/Moderate/Values.
>
> But, if you choose to stay at an All-Star resort, even choosing amongst
> the three of them can be a good thing to spend a bit of time deciding on.
>
> So I'll put my vote in for Sports.  Although it IS apparently noisier
> than the others (Pop Warner, Cheerleaders, etc)... we're just not there
> enough to notice.  Add to it the fact that there is ALWAYS a bus that's
> going to stop at Sports first... and we've found that we would take
> convenience of not having to stand at the bus stops for so long over any
> potential noise issues.
>
> Just my $0.02 worth.
>
> ~Jeff
> TDC Experiment 626 and Guardian of Stitch Kingdom

I was never a big sports nut but I am a big movie nut,thats why I
pick All Star Movies
TDCMufassa
Keeper and Guardian of The Legend of the Lion King

Thanks to everyone for the excellent thoughts and insights! As is
stands now, I'm leaning towards either The All-Star Movies Resort *or*
Port Orleans. We're not going until September, so there's ample time
to make our choice.

Quick question: it sounds like there's a boat from Port Orleans to DW.
It sounds like fun. Can we get the boat from the All-Star hotels?
Also, how's the pool(s) at the AS? Is there a jacuzzi? We like to
spend a little post-park time in the pool :-).

Cheers,

Rob

ElastiGirl says:

> Port Orleans Riverside is easier to get than
> Port Orleans French Quarter <thanks to all the podcasts, websites,
> discussion boards, guidebooks, and newsgroups telling the whole wide
> world how great POFQ is>

Also, POR has about twice as many rooms as POFQ!

To the OP, both POR and POFQ are great -- both are beautifully themed, have
great pools, a hot tub, and a lounge. POR has the sit-down restaurant,
boat rentals, fishing, and horse-drawn carriage rides. I know POR has bike
rentals; not sure if POFQ does. And POR has a poolside bar; can't remember
if POFQ does. Whichever one you stay at, you can use the amenities of
both.

I would definitely choose either over an All Star, but that's me!

-- Alpha

toe2toe6@m wrote:

> Thanks to everyone for the excellent thoughts and insights! As is
> stands now, I'm leaning towards either The All-Star Movies Resort *or*
> Port Orleans. We're not going until September, so there's ample time
> to make our choice.
>
> Quick question: it sounds like there's a boat from Port Orleans to DW.
> It sounds like fun. Can we get the boat from the All-Star hotels?

A boat would be rather difficult, as there's no *water* near the
All-Star hotels... ;)

And the water that's near Port Orleans goes to the Downtown Disney
complex, not WDW itself, but that's still a fun route to take in the
evening, after the parks.

> Also, how's the pool(s) at the AS? Is there a jacuzzi? We like to
> spend a little post-park time in the pool :-).

There's two pools at each AS, the main one in the center, and a smaller
one for the back buildings.
Most of the Moderate resorts also offer multiple pools (and one
jacuzzi), except for French Quarter, which is compact enough for only one.

Derek Janssen
ejanss1@

Thanks again to everyone for their excellent thoughts on WD
hotels :-). After careful consideration, we've decided to go with
Disney All-Star Movies. Since we'll spend virtually all of our waking
time in the park(s), we deemed it best to spend $80/night vs. $140 at
the better Disney hotels. We're only going for two days, so we'll
pretty much just go to the hotel to sleep at night and shower in the
morning. Perhaps on a future trip -- when we have more time to spend
-- we'll spring for a better hotel. But for now, I think that AS is
the best choice for us.

We're not going until mid September but I'm still excited about the
upcoming trip. It'll be my third trip/third Disney park this year:
Anaheim (what I like to call "The Original" ... since it is), Japan
and then Orlando.

Thanks again to everyone who offered their $.02 :-).

Cheers,

Rob

Ginny Favers wrote:
>
> Did you get the free dining promotion? It's going on in mid-September.
> But I bet All Star Movies is sold out for it (if there ever were any
> rooms there on the promotion, to begin with).

ASMovies never has a promotion--
Promotions are for resorts that need a push, and ASMovies never has any
trouble selling itself with its target travelers.

I used to travel on promotion codes, and never got to stay there for
years until an off-season when I could pay full price.

Derek Janssen
ejanss1@