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CosmicRay
10-18-2010, 08:49 AM
I guess whenever we stay at WDW we figure we aren't going to be in the room much, so a view is not important. But I've seen some ask about the view at some resorts. Is the view important to you?

MississippiDisneyFreak
10-18-2010, 09:04 AM
No, not really....

Mousemates
10-18-2010, 09:06 AM
To us the view only has any value at the resorts with interior hallways and exterior balconies (AKA deluxe)...since you are not apt to leave your drapes open if there is a oft used sidewalk directly in front of your room.

So if we are staying at a deluxe...and if its a trip where we are not going to be running "full-steam ahead" in the parks, but instead spending a bit more time in the resort....then having a bit of a view is a nicety that we are sometimes willing to pay for...say for a savannah view at AKL, or a woods/courtyard view over a standard view at Wilderness Lodge. The one other resort where paying for the view was worth it was for a water view room at the Yacht Club--greatly enjoyed watching all the boat activity on the lake and being able to see the "wrecked pirate ship" in storm-a-long bay.

However, my all-time favorite view was what was one we did not pay extra for...it was essentially a magic kingdom view room at the Wilderness lodge in one of the honeymoon suites that face the contemporary...we had a great view of wishes each night.

KAT1811
10-18-2010, 09:20 AM
We sleep and shower in our rooms and then we're off and running for the day. So for my family I could care less what I look at. Mostly because i don't look at anything outside my window in WDW. The blinds don't get opened until we are ready to leave since everyone is busy getting ready. We did have a 2BR villa at OKW last year that had a beautiful view of the water and golf course. It was nice but I cannot see paying some of the huge costs just to look at something for a few minutes each day. For us our time and money is better spent in the parks and out and about around the World.

Ms. Mode
10-18-2010, 10:09 AM
Nope, for us it's more location, location, location. We like to be near the "hub" :thumbsup:

Stu29573
10-18-2010, 10:44 AM
I don't care at all, but my wife does a little. Not enough to go delux, mind you, but enough to go moderate...

SBETigg
10-18-2010, 11:48 AM
It's not my top priority, but the view does matter to me. We're not all parks-all day people. We enjoy the parks, and we enjoy some down time in our resort (not always in the room). When we're in the resort, I do like to spend time on my balcony enjoying the view. Having a lagoon view near the MK is worth the price difference for me. I love watching the activity on the lagoon and having that glimpse of the parks. Not every trip, but some of the time we'll pay for a view.

#1donaldfan
10-18-2010, 12:21 PM
NO WAY !! The view I want is at each particular park !! The resort room is well, for sleeping, napping, showering, etc...I have never found myself sitting at the table wishing I had a view of the water...if I want to see the water I walk myself to the waters edge !!! Now, on the other hand, I do like my room close to the main building and busses !!! So, for our future trips we'll be paying for the "preferred" rooms....!! :thumbsup:

faline
10-18-2010, 12:22 PM
We've stayed at all levels of Disney resorts. We do tend to spend some down time at our resort and do like it when our resort relaxation includes a view of some sort. On some trips, we've been fortunate enough to be able to watch Magic King fireworks right from our balcony. On others, we've had garden view rooms which we've also enjoyed. When we've stayed at moderates and values, there are times when we've wished we had more of an outdoor space for relaxing. On those trips, our relax time was spent more inside the room.

diz_girl
10-18-2010, 02:34 PM
It depends on the resort. If I were staying at AKL, then I'd definitely pony up for a Savannah View room. But when we were at WL, our Courtyard Room had a bad view in a terrible location, so it was a waste of money. At the WL, I actually prefer to spend time in the lobby, so I'd rather not pay for a Woods View room and look at trees.

When we stayed at the Poly, I loved our view, even though it was only a Garden View Room and we didn't pay extra. Our room had a partial view of the lagoon and we could also see the CR and a little of SM when standing at the railing.

I'd probably go for a MK view at a monorail resort at some point, if I had to pay cash. I've never had a real MK view and I'd love to be able to fall asleep and wake up with a view of the castle. I also like to spend some time at the resort, so enjoying some tea while sitting on the balcony is something that I'd do regularly. Luckily, we are now DVC members with BLT as our home resort, so I think that I'll try to get a MK view room as much as possible.

Gator
10-18-2010, 03:26 PM
Only if the resort has a clear view of the Castle, Spaceship Earth, or the Tower of Terror/Mickey Hat would I be interested in the view. And since I can't afford to stay at the resorts that have those views, view is not important :D

WDWCrazyKaren
10-18-2010, 03:48 PM
Not in the slightest. If we are in the room, the blinds are closed. We don't need anyone looking in the room, and frankly, don't need anyone seeing if we have stuff in the room either.

We're like mushrooms, thriving in the dark..:thedolls:

PETE FROM NYC
10-18-2010, 04:07 PM
In the past, we always stayed in values with no view except the parking lot, usually. We recently returned from our first stay at Bay Lake Tower, ninth floor, lake view, with a partial MK view. This is the first time we ever had any view whatsoever. I found it relaxing to sit on the balcony, watching people on the lake parasailing, watching MK fireworks, and seeing all of the hawks soaring.
Did we enjoy it? Yes we did.
Would we pay extra for it? It was nice, but I don't think it is worth the extra bucks.
We, basically do the parks from opening, til they throw us out at night.

Nini
10-18-2010, 04:22 PM
Yes, it matters to me.

Like when staying at POR: we always get a water view, mainly because I don't want a parking lot view. It just makes me feel more immersed in the theming.

Actually it's the same when staying at the WL, or this coming Jan. at the AKL. I just don't want a parking lot view.

Denise :mickey:

darthmacho
10-18-2010, 04:25 PM
Great topic!

It depends. View mattered a lot more to me in the past. When we stayed at Wilderness Lodge, we purposefully chose the "woods view" because we thought it would enhance the theme, though now I would have chosen a "water view."

When we stayed at Coronado, I was looking for a romantic time, so a water view was essential, and our view of the main buildings from the Cabanas was awesome.

When we stayed at ASMu, location was more of an issue than the view. We figured we wouldn't have a balcony anyway, so it was more important that we were near the main building and the pool, but not wanting to hear the noise from the pool, which I figured we'd get from the "water view."

This past trip, money was the main issue. We wanted to prolong the trip, and we'd be spending a lot of time in the parks, so saving even a small amount with a standard view was essential to me. We enjoyed the "view" at POR by simply walking around.

As for the future, I think money will often be the deciding factor. I think having a view would be great only if I could afford it and that I'd have a private balcony.

Animal Kingdom Lodge's unique set-up would be the most important need for a view. I don't think I'd want to miss out on that Savannah View. I better start saving my pennies! :twocents:

:mickey:

KAT1811
10-18-2010, 07:57 PM
We, basically do the parks from opening, til they throw us out at night.

:thumbsup:

Joannelet
10-18-2010, 09:17 PM
I usually don't mind.....
The only time it bothered me was when we were there for my brother in laws wedding. We payed OOP for this trip (we are DVC members and couldn't get into the Beach Club which is where we have always wanted to stay but could NEVER get in).
Soooo we booked our room at the Beach Club and when we opened the curtain to our balcony well....it was a roof that we were looking out onto.
I was very disappointed but I just COULDN'T let it bother me since I was in the hotel I always wanted to try, it was my 7 month old son's first trip AND it was my very first Disney wedding and I was in it!! So I couldn't be sad about the view. I did sit out there anyway....but yeah it was a roof.

kemps@wdw
10-18-2010, 10:58 PM
For me...yes! We tend to hang out on our balcony during the mid-day breaks, maybe afternoon cocktails, visiting w/family before heading out for evening activities, watching the kids @ the pool, and this year, watching Wishes. So yes, a view is pretty important for us. Over the years, our planned activities have changed as our DD has gotten older, and we find ourselves with more unplanned time on our hands. We are usually 1st @ the gates, and have covered what we wanted, by noon or soon after. So back to our resort, a little relaxation on the balcony or in the pool, maybe a nap :D some possible shopping @ other resorts, and then it's off to our chosen evening places.

Checkers
10-19-2010, 09:00 AM
:mickey:We are past the commando syle of visiting the parks and spend more time at the resort, so, yes view is important to us. Just to sit out on the balcony with a cup of tea in the morning or a glass of wine in the evening is great. That is why we became DVC members!

c&d
10-19-2010, 09:16 AM
For us the view is not important. It's nice when we get it but not worth the extra $$ to get it. We spend little time in our room and when we're not in the parks we're usually hanging out in some other part of the resort.

I do know when I finally get to take my aunt down to WDW, I will be paying for the view. She hasn't been in a very long time and has never stayed on property. So to make the trip extra special we will be staying in rooms with a view.

jpH/keD
10-19-2010, 10:10 AM
Nope! Not important for us! We shower and sleep there and we dont need to see outside to do either! Just one way to save some money where others would spend it! We would rather have something else instead!!:thumbsup:

princessjojo
10-19-2010, 10:47 AM
Though view would be great to figure into our requirements, it's not a priority as primary and secondary location are. SInce we now stay in DVC's, primary location would be that we prefer a room closest to the main pool. Our secondary location would be a room on a higher floor. I just have a fear of someone breaking in through a window or balcony, so the higher the better.

As for the original question, no, the view really isn't important, but I don't get excited when I walk out and see a parking lot. But we won't let it ruin our vacation if it were to happen. As I see it, I'm just glad to be there!

Septbride2002
10-21-2010, 01:47 PM
Yes the view matters to me a bit. But I like to go out on the balcony and read or enjoy my breakfast or play on my phone. I love the relaxation a view brings and I spend the extra DVC points to get it. I was actually bummed this last trip because I couldn't book a boardwalk view and had to settle for a pool view. Well we got upgraded and it was awesome. I love being able to look out over the water.

For BLT I would gladly spend the points for an MK view but being able to book at the 7 month window eliminated that option. But I'm looking just as forward to my lake view.

~Amanda

BrerGnat
10-21-2010, 02:45 PM
Yeah, it sort of matters. It didn't used to, until I splurged on a MK view tower room at the Contemporary! Boy, was that cool! :thumbsup: I actually never typically spend any time out on the balcony, or looking out the window, but that view changed that! I drank my coffee and ate breakfast out there every morning. At night, it was very calming and peaceful to sit out there and just watch the lights.

Sometimes, the "view" is not in the budget though. On our family trip early this year, we booked BC and wanted to stay CL, so the view was relegated to the back burner, since we cared more about spending the money on the concierge level. We booked CL-Standard View. What a shock we had when we got to our room and had a full on view of Crescent Lake and Stormalong Bay! It was stunning, and again, we spent a lot of time out on the balcony gazing away. Even our kids did.

So, in the future, we might have to think about the view a bit more. If I'm going on a budget trip with my friends, we'll usually book standard view. However, if it's a family vacation, and we're splurging, we'll probably go for the view from now on.

tnpoohbear
10-21-2010, 03:13 PM
Wedid it once at GF and got the MK view which was really great, but costly, I am glad we did it once but I would not pay that extra cost again. I could spend that money on souveniers!

MNNHFLTX
10-22-2010, 11:00 AM
The only resorts that I care about a view at are certain deluxe resorts--Animal Kingdom Lodge, the Polynesian, Wilderness Lodge and the Beach Club come to mind (and so will the Contemporary, whenever we get the chance to stay there). If we are paying the extra $$$ to stay at a deluxe, then it's usually because we plan on spending a significant amount of time at the resort and want to really enjoy the entire experience of it. If we are going to WDW and the only time we plan on spending at the resort and in the room is when we sleep, then I figure we might as well stay in a value or moderate resort with a standard view.

brivers222
10-22-2010, 11:21 AM
While we would like to have a great view... the extra money that you see coming off your tab for selected a "basic" view is more worth it to me than anything!

I love when you get quoted for Packages on Disney and they always seem to set you up with the best views... then as you get lower you watch the price drop :thumbsup:

jnfr2424
10-22-2010, 03:34 PM
IMO since we've been to WDW over 50 times and we visit at least 3-4 times a year, room views are important because we spend more time at the resorts than in the parks

dixielandings
10-23-2010, 02:29 AM
We do care but we always reserve Standard. We have been upgraded a few times and it's always so nice to have something nice to look at on the mornings we choose to take it slow and have coffee on the balcony (or in the evening with a little :wine:).

One exception: AKL. The view of the Savannah is the main reason to stay there. It's definitely worth the little extra.

DizneyFreak2002
10-24-2010, 03:48 PM
CosmicRay, great question... I have this discussion with people all the time...

No, the view is not too important to me.. HOWEVER, if I had the choice, I would take a better view than a parking lot view... If I were to stay at Boardwalk, I'd want an Epcot view... When i stay at Bay Lake, I prefer the MK view... Yes, I have asked for certain views before, but the view won't make or break my trip...

LudwigVonDrake
10-25-2010, 08:30 PM
No, not really. I lucked out this past July. I paid for a standard view and I was able to watch the fireworks over the trees from my balcony one night.