We aren't in Disney...

[Susan A]

A post on the theme parks page reminded me of something my daughter said recently. The post was about how WDW just doesn't compare to other parks.

Accommodations don't always compare, either. This summer we checked into a motel on cape cod. It was musty, dingy and dated. My DD, 8, says, "This is NOT the Wilderness Lodge!"

No, it was not. And I don't think much does. We obviously set the bar very high!!!

:mickey:

[#1donaldfan]

We did the same thing this summer. We wanted to spend a few days on the beach at St. Augustine before hitting Disney. The place looked great online but once there...not so much.....the beach was great and the pool was incredible, but the room was very dated and kinda dirty....not even close to Disney standards.......we are bypassing it in November and just gonna enjoy our Disney room. :thumbsup:

[baldburke]

Funny...friends of ours took their first Disney trip with their then 5yo son and they stayed at the Poly. Not only did they set the bar high for themselves, but their son always compares back to the Poly as the standard when staying at other (non-Disney) hotels.

[buzznwoodysmom]

I guess it just depends on where you go and what hotels/resorts you stay in.

We have had some amazing hotel/resort experiences outside of WDW. We have also been to some great attractions outside of Disney. Other theme parks don't always measure up, but some of our accommodation experiences have far surpassed Disney.

I do love many of the WDW resorts (have a very special place in my heart for some of them) but to be honest, they really aren't all that impressive when compared to a lot of other resorts.

[Kenny1113]

Haha! We also expienced this over the summer as well! We stayed at a beach hotel on FL west coast. The hotel has been there since the 50s and has had some updates, but overall looked pretty much how I'm sure it looked in 50's (pictures in lobby confirmed this ;))

My kids were not impressed and did not like the hotel at all. I reminded them that they are just used to staying in really nice places (this hotel although old it was not shabby or dirty, or cheap for that matter :( ) and that for some people this is the best it gets. That put some perspective on things for them

Still had a great time!

[TikiLounger]

While my kids were younger and we traveled as a family, we always compared every aspect of our vacation to a Disney vacation....especially the resorts...and found them all wanting. My husband and I are empty nesters now, so we've been traveling to places that aren't Disney much more than we used to. While I LOVE all of the resorts we've stayed in on WDW property (with one exception), I've recently had to admit to myself that there are many truly extraordinary resorts to visit in places other than WDW. Actually, I have to add (in retrospect) that one of the worst places I've stayed in, if pressed to rate every hotel I've stayed at in my lifetime, IS a WDW resort. I just think there are great places to stay, and there are not so great places to stay...no matter where you go. I never thought I'd say this, but I guess I'm simply more open to different experiences now.

That said, WDW resorts are still "magical" for us. Obviously, this is why we choose to visit year after year, with or without our kids.

[magicofdisney]

I think one of the things I most appreciate about the Disney hotels is their constant refurbishments. Sure I've stayed in a room that desperately needed updating right then, but I at least knew it was on the schedule. I've been places outside Disney where the carpet is older than I am and most likely never been cleaned. One time we checked into a room at a motel in St. Augustine. I barely had two feet in the door before I turned around and refused to stay there. At least you know you have a plethora of options when visiting a Disney resort.

That being said, I know that fabulous hotels exist outside Disney, but Disney sets a standard by which we judge all our experiences. :mickey:

[texas211]

I guess I don't see it that way. I like to say onsite b/c of conveince and ambiance certainly. However, as far as how nice the rooms are, etc. I can say when I've spent comparable money (staying at the waldorf, gaylord, etc) have had nicer rooms.

[MrPeetrie]

We just returned from the opening weekend of Halloweekends at Cedar Point and experienced similar comparisons. I'm not certain, but I believe they close down the resorts during the week, then re-open them on Fridays. The hallways and rooms were a combination of stale and musty air, masked by an over-abundance of air freshener. There were cobwebs EVERYWHERE and staff could be seen vacuuming them throughout our stay. When I say everywhere, I mean everywhere: in the elevators, in the hallways, in the corners, around the ice machine, in the transport van. One rainy night, our transport van to our room (at Sandcastle Suites) had three huge cobwebs in the upper corners with spiders. (This was not a Halloween decoration!!!) All onboard were unnerved and never took their eyes off the arachnids. (They were actively moving around the webs.)

We had no hot water in our room when we arrived. That was addressed by the time we returned from the park. The downstairs store was re-stocking and had dozens of open boxes scattered upon the floor. Merchandise was everywhere. There was literally no carpet to be seen as you had to carefully step over product, yet they were open for business.

Staff was kind and courteous, but many of the "regular workers" were done for the year and a new staff was being trained for their Fall Season. My sister and BIL stayed in same resort as us. As part of our package, we were supposed to receive $50 gift card to be used in the park. We received ours, but they did not receive theirs. On our last full day, as we were eating dinner at Bay Harbor Inn, my BIL received a call from front desk, informing him of their mistake. He asked about either receiving a credit, or making a purchase in a park store and having them call for authorization. No to both. He had to leave dinner, take shuttle back to resort, then rejoin us in the park later.

Throughout the trip, DW and I kept saying: "This definitely isn't Disney."

[Susan A]

Sometimes a clean room that is very dated still feels dingy to me.

We did stay at a privately owned motel in Hershey PA. It was clean and a little more updated.

My husband says I just think Disney hotel rooms are so clean bc we are in Disney.

I've never had a bad room in Disney. The kids feet never turned black from dirty carpet!

:ack:

[tjstrike]

We stayed at the wilderness of the smokies in a 2 bedroom presidential suite and it was just as nice as any DVC villa that we've stayed at in WDW. :thumbsup:

[1DisneyNut]

I guess it just depends on where you go and what hotels/resorts you stay in.

We have had some amazing hotel/resort experiences outside of WDW. We have also been to some great attractions outside of Disney. Other theme parks don't always measure up, but some of our accommodation experiences have far surpassed Disney.

I do love many of the WDW resorts (have a very special place in my heart for some of them) but to be honest, they really aren't all that impressive when compared to a lot of other resorts.

I feel the same.

We have stayed in a number of the WDW resorts and the theming is really great but when it comes down to it and you are in the room, the rooms are basically just hotel rooms.

We have stayed at Hiltons, Waldorf Astorias, Rosens, and a few others that were superior to anything we had stayed in at WDW including up to $600 per night deluxes. There are some very very nice resorts in Orlando that are a much better value than WDW resorts.

One of the absolute worst places we have ever stayed and it stands out in our minds because it comes up in conversation, is the All Star Sports and close behind that is the All Star Movies. Absolutely hated them!!! I would rather go to work all week and every day be a bad day than to have to ever stay in either of those places again. I can easily go on a rant about those two places.

[ransam]

THe value resort rooms are better than most hotels best rooms.

[1DisneyNut]

THe value resort rooms are better than most hotels best rooms.

That is debatable. It really depends on what other hotel chains you are comparing them to.

The value resorts are basically a comfort or days inn with some cheap theming thrown around but the rooms are almost 3 times the price per night.

[buzznwoodysmom]

THe value resort rooms are better than most hotels best rooms.

In my opinion the value resort rooms may be better than most MOTEL rooms, but I find most HOTEL's "best rooms" far surpass a value resort room in Disney, from everything from the mattresses, sheet and towel quality, all the way down to the toilet paper quality. Lol. At least that has been my experience. It really does depend on where you stay in other locations outside of Disney.

[texas211]

I think also, many people make unfair comparisons. On "other" vacations, they stay at Days Inn, Comfort Inns, or the likes of those hotels. When they want to go to Disney, save more and stay at better resorts. Plus, are you comparing the room to room (where hotels are easily comparable), else resorts to other large resorts.

While I enjoy the resorts, it generally has little to do with the "niceness" of the room, and more like theme or ambiance that "disney mood."

But, if you compare price points, and room/room, there much nicer rooms offsite. For the price of a moderate or a lower deluxe, you can stay at the Waldorf, Gaylord, and all kinds of other hotels that are way nicer.

[Susan A]

1disneynut,
Were the all stars dirty?

And as someone else pointed out, Disney ambiance and magic add to the hotel stay. :mickey:

[1DisneyNut]

1disneynut,
Were the all stars dirty?

And as someone else pointed out, Disney ambiance and magic add to the hotel stay. :mickey:

No, it was clean and up to Disney standards. We just hate the values. We don't like Days Inn or Comfort Inn or any of those similar types of hotels either and there is no way in the world I will every be happy with them at $175 per night. lol

I just don't find the painted cut outs of footballs or movies props all that appeasing. At $175 per night I also expect a nice atrium lobby with a bar but they basically have an overpriced food court. We also get free breakfast at most other hotels but that will never happen at WDW. We weren't happy with the waits for the buses either. Simply put, I just do not see any value in the "Value" resorts.

[TikiLounger]

I have to agree about the value resorts. We absolutely hate Pop Century. It's the only value we've stayed in, but we've traveled with friends who stayed at All Star Movies, so we spent some time there as well.

Sure, the rooms were clean but I found them depressing and the resorts themselves didn't cut it for us. As someone else said, big painted cut outs of cartoon characters, musical instruments, etc. did nothing for us.

I could go on and on, but I won't. There are too many reasons to list as to why Pop Century is one of the worst places we've ever stayed. There are so many other places to stay off site that are much, much more pleasant.

[ransam]

I travel a lot for my job and I don't know what day's inn or comfort inns you stay in that are better than Disney's value, but I've never seen a comfort inn close to a value room at Disney.

everyone has their oppinions....but i'll take a value anyday. I'm never in my room anyway, just to sleep.

[1DisneyNut]

I travel a lot for my job and I don't know what day's inn or comfort inns you stay in that are better than Disney's value, but I've never seen a comfort inn close to a value room at Disney.

everyone has their oppinions....but i'll take a value anyday. I'm never in my room anyway, just to sleep.

To be fair, we don't stay in comfort inns, days inn or any of those "value" type chains anymore. We graduated from those a number of years ago but on occasion do end up in one for one reason or another (usually a quick one nighter on the way to somewhere else and it was convenient).

To name a couple that I remember off the top of my head that were comparable and sometimes better than a Value resort: The Days Inn Panama City Beach, Comfort Inn on the River in Gatlinburg, Days Inn Valdosta, Days Inn International Drive Orlando, and I could go on. Like I said though, it has been a few years so some of those may be in need of refurbishment by now. However, you can just substitute Days Inn/Comfort Inn brand with the newer chains of value hotels like Microtel if you would like. I have stayed in a couple of those for around $59/night and they were comparable to the Value resorts.

I agree though, everyone has their opinions and preferences. I just expect a whole lot more for $179 a night than what the values offer. They are $89 a night tops in my book.

[Jen1984]

I'd agree with this. We recently spent a week at the PortAventura park near Barcelona, in Spain, and stayed in one of their hotels. I must have said "It's not as good as Disney" at least 20 times! Everything from the food quality (and price to be honest), the room size (we literally had a double bed, 3 feet around it on either side and a bathroom) to the lack of non-thrill rides (I am not a scary ride person and always find plenty to do in Disney and Universal). It also used to be owned by Universal so we expected far better.

I wouldn't even say that it's Disney in general that do it better- I have to say that a lot of it is the US hospitality and space- WDW is always far better for us than DisneylandParis- even though it is only an hour plane ride away!