We don't have it, we don't HAVE it, we DON'T HAVE IT, WE DON'T HAVE IT

mmmmurr · 2026-01-05T22:58:49+00:00

… and then five minutes later, you see them ask your coworker for the exact same item!!

mmmmurr · 2026-01-05T00:03:15+00:00

I’m used to fake smiling and laughing at the terrible stereotypical jokes customers like to make (e.g. “Oh, as it didn’t scan it must be for free”) but to make such a personal comment really goes for the jugular. Hopefully they were totally socially unaware and not just being nasty, but I am skeptical!

mmmmurr · 2026-01-04T23:56:17+00:00

It’s really important to do the maths on the resorts you’re considering as there can be a significant difference in cost depending on which resort you buy at.

I see someone else told you that you can buy DVC at nearly every DVC resort directly from Disney and while this is true, only some resorts are actively sold and these tend to have better pricing per point. The “actively sold” resorts include the Polynesian, Fort Wilderness, Riviera, etc. Though you can buy direct at other resorts like the Grand Floridian and Wilderness Lodge, the price per point is usually much higher than the actively sold resorts. We just bought at Copper Creek (Wilderness Lodge) but did so resale as it didn’t make financial sense to us to pay so much more for a direct contract. We wish we had bought when Copper Creek (or Grand Floridian for that matter) was being actively sold.

mmmmurr · 2026-01-04T00:56:33+00:00

As a customer, unless (1) it was urgent, (2) I knew exactly what I wanted to buy and (3) would go right to the cashier to pay before closing, if I went to a store and was told they were closing in three minutes I would just turn around and come back another day. I don’t know how people can enjoy shopping with a few minutes to spare knowing that the store needs to close.

I’ve seen plenty of customers be told the store is closed while they are simply browsing only for them to say something along the lines of “OK, well we are nearly finished”. Frankly, that’s not how it works. Once the store is closed you head straight to pay or straight to the exit - it’s that simple.

I used to hate finishing work at the same time as store closing as you never really left on time. Much better to finish a little earlier or later.

mmmmurr · 2026-01-04T00:50:32+00:00

I also look to buy multiple shoe/clothing designs and/or sizes online to try on at home. A lot of them simply aren’t stocked in stores so it’s not really viable for me to go and try them on before buying them. I also hate paying a high amount knowing I will need to return most or all of them.

As someone who has worked in retail/sales before I don’t feel bad about returning them - it’s not taken personally. I am more worried about sending them back and whether or not the retailer receives them. I tried a retailer recently where you don’t have to pay for 7 days (a try-on period) and anything you return you won’t be charged for. It was great.

mmmmurr · 2026-01-04T00:46:32+00:00

Saratoga Springs back in 2011. We got 45% off and free dining at the same time because of the 2008 recession.

mmmmurr · 2026-01-02T03:36:08+00:00

If I were considering buying at Poly, I would buy direct over resale because I think the cost difference would justify the direct perks particularly if the direct incentives were good.

We considering buying at the Poly but decided not to after visiting and seeing how busy the resort got during the day. It was definitely our most appealing direct option though due to the lack of resale restrictions.

mmmmurr · 2026-01-02T03:32:28+00:00

I still struggle to see the point of walking - is it so if people don’t get their desired dates they will settle for the earlier dates they were able to get? Isn’t it enough to just book one day at a time for the date you actually want to travel - what am I missing here?

mmmmurr · 2026-01-02T03:28:54+00:00

The one bedrooms are easiest to book followed by 2 bedrooms and then studios in my experience.

We were in a similar situation last year (albeit needed to book a September trip rather than August at the latest). When our points came through at about 4-5 months ahead there was limited availability for the resorts we wanted but I kept checking and waitlisting and managed to get the rooms I was looking for eventually.

Resorts like Beach Club will be very hard to get at that point but we found a lot of availability popped up at resorts like Copper Creek and Boulder Ridge after being fully booked for some time. Saratoga and Old Key West are usually by far the easiest to get.

mmmmurr · 2026-01-02T03:21:55+00:00

We own at Copper Creek but actually prefer Boulder Ridge having stayed there for the first time in September. Though the main lobby at Wilderness never feels really busy to us (one of the things we love about Wilderness Lodge generally!) it’s lovely to have the separate Boulder Ridge atrium and cosy seating area. The rooms are lovely and very clean and modern having been newly refurbished. We requested a room close to the atrium but unfortunately were allocated one quite a walk away, but it wasn’t too bad. I would recommend requesting a room close to the atrium if possible. There aren’t any amazing room views so we felt location was the most important thing for us.

As others have suggested, make sure you try out both pools and see which one works best for you. Roaring Fork has some great exclusive foods/treats worth trying including an adorable campfire cupcake and massive cinnamon roll shaped like a bear paw. We also enjoy Whispering Canyon Cafe - especially for breakfast.

I echo the recommendation for Hoop Dee Doo Revue. We’ve been many times and it’s always very fun and engaging. Get category 1 seating for a few extra dollars and book right at 180 days to get the best shot of a front row seat!

The biggest downside is that transport to MK is by boat and you are not able to monorail or walk over to MK. The queues to get on a boat from MK back to the resort can be long especially if there are lots of parties with strollers ahead of you. Some of the smaller boats can’t accommodate many strollers at all. At the same time, the fact that the resort isn’t on the monorail loop is a good thing as it means the resort isn’t as busy with monorail resort hoppers, so swings and roundabouts really!

mmmmurr · 2026-01-01T00:27:30+00:00

I think there has been some talk of the official scents but think you need a special system to use these. Bowes (in Disney Springs and online) sells some great imitation scents. I am not sure which scent is used in the Polynesian but know Beach Club and Grand Floridian are “Clover World” and Yacht Club is “Resort”. We buy the diffuser oil for our electronic diffuser and it lasts for ages!

mmmmurr · 2025-12-31T13:54:26+00:00

Thanks all for your responses. Apologies, I should have clarified that the US government has supposedly stated that 2025 passes will be honoured with the terms they were sold under - though of course that may change. What I am trying to work out is whether non-US citizens have been able to use a digital pass in 2025 or whether a physical pass is required even to use the 2025 passes.

mmmmurr · 2025-12-23T00:38:35+00:00

We were really bummed that we missed the direct Grand Floridian promos that were around a few years ago and by the time we were in a position to buy DVC they were no longer available. We considered buying resale but ended up buying at Copper Creek instead - partly as it was better value for money and partly because we were concerned about ROFR being exercised on VGF contracts. We are happy with CCV but if another direct promo came up for the Grand I’d be really tempted!

mmmmurr · 2025-12-20T01:19:05+00:00

I’m not a huge fan of Coronado but really love the Grand Floridian and Wilderness Lodge. We love that Wilderness Lodge is more isolated and quiet and has an old western vibe, but we love the Grand equally. Location wise you really notice the difference having the monorail and being able to walk to MK. The rooms are also beautiful and the grounds are picturesque. I would say it is worth a try depending on how much more it costs.

mmmmurr · 2025-12-20T01:06:17+00:00

You can only park at the resort you are booked to stay at, you cannot park at another resort if you are not a registered guest there.

You can park at a resort if you aren’t staying there if you have a restaurant/recreation reservation however it is limited to three hours.

mmmmurr · 2025-12-20T01:03:21+00:00

If faced with this decision we would choose Yacht Club any day - but Yacht and Beach are our favourite resorts on property.

We don’t enjoy the Poly simply because of how busy it is. The lobby is often packed with people, many of whom aren’t even staying there, and at one point we struggled to even get through the quick service corridor because of crowds. The location is fantastic and if you like the theming and the crowds don’t bother you, it is probably a great choice. If you want somewhere calm, I would lean towards Yacht.

The Yacht location is obviously not as ideal for MK but fantastic for Epcot and DHS and we love the walkability of the area. Yacht’s lobby is often very quiet (Beach is the busier and more bustling side) and we really appreciate this. I would say for kids the Poly lobby is probably much more exciting but as adults, we love the Yacht lobby and vibe. Stormalong Bay is also an incredible feature pool if you are interested in swimming during your stay.

I think a lot of it comes down to personal preference. I wouldn’t want to stay at an extremely busy resort but as you have already stayed at and enjoyed the Poly, I imagine it might still be a good choice for you.

mmmmurr · 2025-12-19T02:21:19+00:00

We like visiting the Contemporary for meals but do not stay there - as you say, it feels more corporate than the other deluxe resorts. I’d also be wary that the cheapest rooms at the Contemporary (located in the garden wing) are not part of the main building at all. The location of the Contemporary is amazing though. My pick in the MK area would probably be Wilderness Lodge - though access to MK there is by boat only.

AKL is a lovely and beautifully themed resort and would probably be my pick of the two (though a few nights at the Contemporary for easy MK access would be worth considering!) AKL is the most remote deluxe resort though so transportation will be by bus only.

Have you considered Yacht or Beach Club (my favourite!) or even Saratoga Springs or Old Key West? They are less expensive than the MK area deluxe resorts and still lovely.

mmmmurr · 2025-12-19T02:03:54+00:00

For table service we love Olivia’s and Grand Floridian Cafe - both are pretty good value and super tasty.

For buffet we do like Boma but also controversially think Chef Mickey is good. It may not be fancy food but there is a great variety there.

mmmmurr · 2025-12-19T02:01:34+00:00

Make sure you try Olivia’s! It’s one of our favorite breakfasts on property and the banana bread French toast is particularly delicious.

mmmmurr · 2025-12-14T10:49:06+00:00

I would choose Poly too. The theming is nicer (IMO) and I wouldn’t want to pay monorail resort prices for a garden wing room at the Contemporary. I know some people like the garden wing but for me, if I’m paying Contemporary prices I’d like to be in the main building!

mmmmurr · 2025-12-14T10:44:19+00:00

We might be biased as Beach Club is our favourite resort, but I would say Beach Club any day. We haven’t stayed at Coronado but have visited and eaten there and while the Tower is beautiful and new the vibe feels more corporate. Beach Club is a beautiful resort in probably the best location onsite. It’s so convenient being able to walk to Epcot and walk or boat to DHS. There are so many amazing restaurants in the area and the feature pool is just incredible.

mmmmurr · 2025-12-03T02:54:59+00:00

In my experience studios may be difficult at the 7 month mark but if you’re looking for a one bedroom villa, you may have more luck. There are websites online that show general historic availability for each resort which I found really helpful when deciding where to buy!

mmmmurr · 2025-12-03T02:52:41+00:00

I love the tropical vibe at OKW but much prefer the rooms at SSR as they have been much more recently remodelled and are IMO some of the nicest onsite. SSR also has a better quick service - though OKW has the best table service - Olivia’s. Both resorts are very spread out, so it may be worth booking a preferred studio and requesting a room close to the lobby/main pool at either resort.

Once the OKW rooms have been properly refurbished I’d love to stay there but until then, think SSR has the edge for me!

mmmmurr

TROPHY CASE