Hello~

I am happily planning a trip to Disney next year, for January or February, 2009. The first question, is when is the best time to go?

Secondly, I will be taking my parents, my 5 year old son, and my best friend. I plan on paying for my parents, for their tickets and room (they have done a lot for me, so this is the least I can do for them!) It is my dad's dream to stay in the Contemporary, so I would like to stay there. However, being a single mom, budget is a concern.

So, one thing I was considering is staying in the Contemporary a couple of days, either at the beginning or the end of the trip, and then going to a value or moderate.

What do you all suggest?

Thanks!

Sounds great. I personally would want the upgraded resort at the end of the stay but others may disagree. If your Dad loves that resort, it sounds like the way to go.

If you are going to upgrade mid-trip, do so at the end of your trip, much like what WDW Heart mentioned. It will end things on a high note.

I would opt for January or early February as many schools (in the northeast anyway) are on breakduring the second and third weeks of February.

Absolutely finish at the nicer resort! You'll get there at the start of your trip, check into a value resort, and be totally happy with it. And then you'll be blown away when you upgrade into the Contemporary. Ask for a tower room that overlooks the Magic Kingdom - pure magic!

I personally wouldn't want to switch during a trip, but if I had to for some reason, I agree with everybody else and would stay at the nicer resort at the end of the trip.

Budget is one big reason to switch. Some folks just can't swing 7 days at a deluxe, but would like to have at least a couple days in the plush place. Moving is really no biggie for me, as I don't really unpack all that much stuff anyway. It's just shoving the hanging clothes back in the suitcase, packing up the toiletries and I'm ready to rock. But I know some people like to totally move into the drawers, which would make packing more of a chore.

Thanks for the advice!

So, what are everyone's opinions as to the best value or moderate to stay in?!

Best Value: Pop Century ... newer, don't share buses

OR a Family Suite at All-Star Music, for a little more room and kitchenette, if you're all sharing

Best Moderate: Port Orleans French Quarter ... smallest of the mods

OR
Port Orleans Riverside ... if you're all staying in the same room, this works for a travel party of 5, as Alligator Bayou has child-sized trundle beds.

And, definitely move to a deluxe at the end of a trip -- that letdown is horrible if you do it the other way!

I don't know who can sleep with whom but the Contemporary has two queens and a daybed, if you will all be sharing a room.

However you do it, have a blast!

I don't think there's much question the the Pop Century is by far the best of the values. It's the most recent, and Disney did a lot of things better with this version. It's more lushly landscaped than the others, and really feels more like a moderate than a value.

Now, when it comes to the moderates, I'm afraid you're going to get plenty of opinions that don't agree. My short answer is that they all have something to offer in terms of theme. But my personal favorite is the Coronado Springs. The rooms are all laid out around the 15 acre Lago Dorado Lagoon, which gives the resort a really nice vibe. There's a great food court and a fun main pool as well as 3 quiet pools. It's technically a convention hotel, but the conventioneers have their own area on the far side of the main buildings, and don't really impact the regular guests at all.

Thank you for the advice.

Couple more questions - is late January too cold to go swimming? When we go there, anything above 10 degrees will be warm to us! :rolleyes:

I had heard that CS was too spread out, and the food court was not equipped to handle all the people?

Does the Pop have family suites?

Couple more questions - is late January too cold to go swimming? When we go there, anything above 10 degrees will be warm to us! :rolleyes:
Does the Pop have family suites?
I believe only ASMu has the family suites at this time.

As for swimming, Disney keeps the water at the pools and water parks at around 80 Degrees. Generally, on a sunny day with no breeze, it may be warm enough if it is around 70 or so. Of course, you might find it that cooler temps may even be acceptable. :) In short, when it is cooler, its usually the breeze that tends to get you when you get out of the water.

I had heard that CS was too spread out, and the food court was not equipped to handle all the people?


The buildings of CS are indeed spread out around the lagoon, but it's very easy to request a room close to the central area. I prefer the Casitas section, which is right next to central, about a 2 minute walk. And sometimes if a large convention doesn't plan properly to feed their people, the food court can get swamped. I've found this to be rare, however, and if it ever happens there are about a billion other places to dine in WDW!

If you go to the official Disney site you can compare all the room rates for the different resorts according to travel dates, this might help you. It alwasy persuades me I can't afford a deluxe ;)

If you go to the official Disney site you can compare all the room rates for the different resorts according to travel dates, this might help you. It alwasy persuades me I can't afford a deluxe ;)

I compare first too.
Sometimes the value resorts are too good a bargain for me to pass up.
I really like Coronado Springs for the great pool, but in January the pool is not a big consideration and is not always worth the extra money to me.
If I was planning to actually eat frequently in the food court I would go with value.

I'm also kind of picky about where I want the room located in the particular resort.
After you decide on a resort, start researching which section you prefer.
I have a location in Allstar Sports that our whole family really likes that overlooks a quiet garden area and is a zig and a zag to the food court/bus stop. I think that a room with a good location can make or break one's opinion of the whole resort.