Wilderness lodge or AOA?

[krinicone]

Trying to plan my own trip to DW. been there once with my rents in '08, stayed at GF but no way can i afford that! I want to save as much money as possible so I am considering AOA. But i have high standards. Not even considering moderate bc if im gonna pay extra i at least want better access to a park. The only other resort I've considered is WL for the boat to MK, nicer rooms, atmosphere, & smaller size. But is all that really worth the $800+? are the deluxe resorts really that much better than the values? From what i hear the buses r worse at deluxes(experienced this myself at GF) & ur sleeping on the same mattresses & if the monorail isnt always working then whats the point? I've read too many reviews to count on both resorts and feel like my head is spinning. Any help?

 

[Caseheidi]

I think it all comes down to how you plan to vacation. How much time do you expect to spend at the resort? If you only plan to sleep there, then all you really want is a shower and nice bed, which all the resorts will give you. If you like to hang around the resort and relax, then the extra cost could become worth it.

 

[Liberator]

Go for deluxe! I do not say that because I have the money to book any resort I want (too bad, I think I need to win the lottery..), I say that because some resorts options are just worth their money. Hard to justify, but you will have some "I am glad to be at a Deluxe now"-moments.

Try to save some money and go for the 800 $!

800 $ is a lot of money, yes, but it is all about convenience.

Rooms at WL are so beautiful and cozy. The whole resort has a such a tempting vibe. Everything is under one roof. You can catch a boat to MK, FW and to the CR. Bus service was very good - sometimes a bus was shared with the GF. We never had to wait too long and there is not that hustle and bustle at the bus stops, it is all very relaxed. But bus service is just luck very often. When you get to the bus stop 1 minute after your bus has left, one can not blame the bus service.

I never knew a boatride can be so special, but when I sat on the boat from WL to MK for the first time, passing by the Contemporary, I knew the price we paid is worth it. Boatride into your Disney-dreams..huuuh

We stayed at POP a few days later. Yes, values are nice, stayed at ASSp., too. The rooms are clean, nice, but: small, very small. I would stay at a value again, but just as part of a split stay.

Go for a woods view room at WL, difference to standard is not that much. Some standard rooms have very very bad views.

 

[krinicone]

Ok. Thanks. My son is 2 and he will need a nap every day, so we actually will be spending a lot of time in our room. And having a patio or porch with a decent view would be nice to enjoy while he's taking a nap. Also, we will be spending a majority of our time at MK so the boat ride is probably worth the extra $. Now that I think about it, going from GF to AOA might be a major disappointment for me and that's the last thing I want to feel on my WDW vacation!

 

[mickeynut1]

My son is 2 and he will need a nap every day, so we actually will be spending a lot of time in our room. And having a patio or porch with a decent view would be nice to enjoy while he's taking a nap. Also, we will be spending a majority of our time at MK so the boat ride is probably worth the extra $. Now that I think about it, going from GF to AOA might be a major disappointment for me and that's the last thing I want to feel on my WDW vacation!

We've never stayed at any of the values, but we love the WL. For us, the WL is worth the extra cost, but I would definitely suggest it for you as you state a lot of reasons why the WL would be a great choice for your situation. We've had 2 great stays at the WL and the boat to MK is great and we have always found the buses to the other parks to be excellent. The WL is a great deluxe resort in a great location, but without the high price tag like those on the monorail. I don't think you'd regret spending the extra money once you're there. Have a great trip .