Accommodation – Listener Questions

Contents

Activities

1352 13:56 Jeff from Minnesota asks for good activities for large families at WDW. Mike Newell mentions the curtailment of boat rentals at Port Orleans, Old Key West, and Caribbean Beach

1183 13:22 Mike asks about must-see features when touring different resorts

1097 21:50 BK from Ohio asks about Port Orleans afternoon and evening activities, emphasising a family with preteens

1082 15:04 David from North Carolina asks about water parks and pools in the winter.

LSE1 20’40”: Hayden from UK wants new things to do in WDW. Matt starts his Dick van Dyke impressions.

0540 32’00”: Naomi from England wants something different to do, and somewhere different to eat with good wine lists.

0275
Scott of WI wants to know activities to do around Walt Disney World resorts.
Len says going to the pool is a great option.
Len also mentions getting his daughter’s hair braided was fine.
Len suggests the surrey bikes at Boardwalk.
Mike Scopa likes the No Way Jose ice cream at Beaches ‘n Cream.

Amenities

Crib

0594 28’00”: Ian from Virgania asks how good the hotel cribs are.

0317
Keith wants to know if a crib is available in a deluxe or moderate resort.

Fastpass Plus

1149 10:30 John comments on Episode 1128 – An Update On Fastpass Plus and asks about using it as a DVC member

Fitness Suites

0662 27’50”: Dave from Pennsylvania would like a good Disney gym.

0502 7’15”: Sindy wants to know about the Fitness facilities.

0490 2’45”: Abbey from CT asks whether she can use the Fitness Centre at the Contemporary, if she is not staying there.

3’45”: Abbey from CT asks whether there are showers at the Fitness Centre.

Fridges

0323
Gwen of NH wants to know why we don’t trust the resort mini-fridges.

Internet

1370 16:59 Mark from Scotland asks if Disney offers WiFi such as to change FASTPASS and ADR times

1082 10:25 Tracy from Australia asks about wifi at WDW.

0606 23’05”: Sue from Pittsburgh asks about the Verizon’s ride time service.

0513 4’00”: Brian from Pennsylvania asks whether Wifi is accessible in All Star Sports and the Parks.

0338
Bill of MA wants to know about the internet at Disney World property.

0278
Keith complains about the high speed internet speeds at the Grand Floridian.
Matt has found the internet to be adequate.

0245
Linette of AZ wants to know what resort has high speed internet access.
Len says all the resorts have high speed internet.
Matt says it’s $9.95 for 24 hours of access.
Len thinks the internet should be free.
Len says the internet cord at the Fort Wilderness cabins is quite long.

LS01 Part 2 – 0’00”: Len asks Scopa whether high speed internet has been added to the Resorts.

0062
Richard from Williamstown, MA wants to know if there’s anywhere onsite where he can go online with a provided computer.
Len says the convention center at Coronado Springs does have computers available for internet use and it has an hourly rate that is fairly expensive and it’s open 7AM-7PM (M-F) and 7AM-5PM (Sat & Sun).

0033
Jay from Maine comments that Disney should offer free internet access.
Mike and Matt seem to think Disney guests want the option of not including it into the price because not all guests (in fact, most guests) don’t care for the option .

0024
Steve also wants to know what kind of internet access is available at Disney World.
Len says Disney is in the process of adding broadband internet access to all the resorts and that should be complete by April 2006 and the last resort to get done will be the value resorts.
The deluxe resorts should have it, and the moderates should have it by the end of the year if they don’t have it yet.
Len has a [1]list of dates (look to Part Three – Selecting Your Hotel) of when each resort will have broadband access.
Len notes that he had problems with secure HTTP (HTTPS) connections.
Mike mentions the cost is about $10 per day.

Monorail Resorts

1100 7:40 Eric from Kansas asks about Magic Kingdom monorail resort amenity options

Spas

1165 20:45 Karen from Kansas asks about WDW spas

Television

1168 16:10 Bruce from Brooklyn talks about Stacey and the resort televisions

Annual Pass

See Annual Pass – Accommodation Booking and Discounts.

Booking

1421 12:11 Kristen from Georgia asks if she and her husband, planning to rent DVC points, can add themselves to a relatives’ All Star reservation such as to obtain Free Dining and park tickets even if they won’t actually be staying there. She also asks about setting up Magic Bands and My Disney Experience under this scenario

1382 8:25 Lindsey asks when Disney will release resort prices for March 2015 and whether there will be Annual Pass discounts during the week of March 29

1097 23:10 Christina from Kentucky asks about differing reservation prices with Disney phone agents.

0668 24’40”: Mike from Colorado asks how the crowds are around Veteran’s Day, and when should he book his room.

0597 15’00”: Chris from UK asks about how long in advance a resort can be booked

0513 22’05”: Jodie from Colorado asks whether they can make two consecutive bookings, only one with the Dining Plan.

0472 Colby wants to know if her reservation is legitimate.

0391
Jennifer of IN wants to know if she should book early or not.

0370
David wants to know how far in advance he should book his trip.

0367
Zach of MN wants to know how many days in advance he should make his resort reservations.

0239
Jonathon also wants to know the optimal time to book rooms.
Len recommends booking ASAP.

0137
Russell of CA booked a trip online with a travel company but can’t verify it at Disney’s web site and wants to know if that’s normal.
Len says even if you made a reservation on the phone with Disney you can’t check it online and it’s a shortcoming of Disney’s system.

0119
Andrew in UK wants to know if we have any recommendations for a Disney travel agent in the UK.
Mike Scopa recommends checking out [2]The Dibb to look around at.
Mike Scopa also says his British friends have been using American travel agents.

0062
Scott from Cincinatti wants to know how a travel agent gets paid and what is the upside of using a travel agent.
Len always uses a travel agent, such as [3]Small World Vacations.
Len likes a travel agent because the travel agent will always be on the lookout for the best price out there and will make sure if anything else comes out that you get that lower rate.
Len says typically the travel agents gets paid a comission by Disney so you don’t have to pay anything extra.

0048
John aks if one saves money by booking an on site Walt Disney World trip through a third party travel agent versus booking directly through Disney.
Len says Disney travel agents are reluctant to offer subjective advice in general whereas other travel agents can make suggestions based on your needs.
Len mentions the downside of third party travel agents are making sure you use the right one because one that doesn’t do a lot of Disney World bookings or aren’t familiar with it can put you at a real disadvantage.
We at the show recommend [4]Small World Vacations, [5]Dreams Unlimited or [6]Our Laughing Place Travel for their knowledgable staff and experience.

0045
Paul of Gosford, New South Wales wants to know how far in advance you can book a room for at a Walt Disney World?.
Mike Scopa says as long as you can put down a deposit, you can book as much as 2 years in advance.

0042
Mario of Chorpus Christi, TX wants to know if he can stay at two resorts on one trip on one reservation.
Len says the trick is if your trip spans two “seasons”, to check in during the cheaper time because Disney will bill you based on the day you checked in.
Len recommends a travel agent such as [7]Small World Vacations or [8]Dreams Unlimited to make it easier.
Matt likes [9]Our Laughing Place Travel.

Bounce-Back Offer

0451 Becky of IN wants to know if there are any bounce back offers being offered in September.

0346
Janet of NJ wants to know about the bounce-back booking offer.

Check in

1391 5:32 Mike asks how a guest can obtain a parking pass if he or she is utilizing Disney’s new resort check-in system

1385 14:18 Angie from Wisconsin shares her experience with Disney’s new resort check-in system, where one can go directly to his or her room

1295 7:29 Brian asks if online resort check-in is worth it, and if it will hinder his chance at getting an upgrade

1103 4:26 Hanna from New York asks about checking in when your party is arriving at different times

LS36 4’40”: Karen from Pennsylvania asks whether there were negative things about the online check-in, especially with a room request.

LS033 39’55”: Mike asks about online Check-in and requesting certain rooms.

0510 5’05”: Matt from Pennsylvania wants to know how online check-ins will affect guest requests.

0463 Bob of Ottawa, Canada wants to know if there is a best day of the week to check into his resort.

0338
Dennis of IN wants to know if the Disney resorts offer early check-in.

0299
Brian also wants to know how early he can check into the Polynesian resort.

0101
Kim is arriving at her resort early in the morning and wants to know how it works with check-in before the time as well as how to deal with a later departure.
Mike Scopa says when you check in, if your room is not ready, they will hold your baggage and give you a key and you can later activate your key by phone so that you can go to the parks.
Len says when you leave, you can check your luggage at the Magical Express area and they’ll hold your bags throughout the day.

0071
Todd Anger of WI wants to know if long waits to check in at Pop Century is common.
Mike Scopa says that waits for check-in are dependent on many factors.
Mike Scopa says Sundays are usually pretty busy for check-in.
Len says early morning you tend to have alot of check outs and early afternoon and weekends are when it tends to be the busiest for check in.
Mike Scopa says checking in on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday will be best for a quick check-in.
Mark tells us about when he had a long check-in at All Star Music.
Len has a poll on the WDW Today web site to ask if listeners would change their resort reservations if they knew another resort (in the same category, such as value) had signifigantly quicker check-in procedure.

Discounts

See also Annual Pass – Accommodation Booking and Discounts.

1231 18:31 Tim from Idaho asks for advice on getting discounts at WDW resort hotels.

1139 17:49 Dave comments on hotels.com

1089 19:10 Ann asks whether “bounce-back offers” are a good option for saving money on accommodations.

1082 6:27 Jake from Texas refers to Episode 922-Name Your Own Price and offers his opinions on Priceline.

LS39 115’25”: Russ from Illinois asks about rumors for discount booking.

0424
Josh of GA comments on randomly generated deals that Disney offers sometimes.

0367
Beth wants to know when to book a family suite and when discounts will be available for her trip.

0361
Jess of VA wants to know of any discounts for early December.

0290
Art of VT wants to know if it’s worth checking constantly on for rate codes.

0206
Logan of FL wants to know if there any teacher discounts at Walt Disney World besides the Swan and Dolphin discounts available.
Len says occasionally there are military discounts offered.
Len says to check [10]Mousesavers.
Matt says since Logan is a Florida resident, he may want to look into Florida resident discounts.

0146
Paul wants to know if there are discounts for police officers.
Mike Scopa says according to Mousesavers the discount at the Swan & Dolphin resort applies to local, state and federal employees..

0131
Jamie from AR heard about the teacher and nurse discount at the Swan resort and if it’s available at other resorts.
Mike Newell says you must book through the Swan directly for the teacher or nurse discount by calling them at 1-888-828-8850 and let them know you are a teacher or nurse and when you show up to check-in, you’ll need proof of your profession.
Mike Newell says there is no other teacher and/or nurse discount at any of the other Disney resorts.

0089
Ben of Springfield, OH is planning a trip at the Dolphin resort and wants to know what we think of the Dolphin resort.
Len likes the Dolphin and because he got the teacher’s rate, it’s a great value.

0086
Mike Newell says there are good rates for teachers, nurses and government officials at the Swan.

0018
Rich from Youngstown, Ohio asks if there are any lodging discounts for senior citizens.
Sue says Disney does not however Sue says discounts for lodging should be coming out very soon for anyone staying on-site between January 1 through March 8, 2006.
Sue says there aren’t any discounts at the Dolphin or Swan resorts which offer discounts to many different people (teachers, military, etc).
Sue mentions AAA does offer a discount.
Sue recommends visiting [11]Mousesavers.com for discounts for lodging.
Sue also mentions that Disney has never offered discounts for senior citizens.

Disney Vacation Club (DVC)

See Disney Vacation Club.

Generally

1406 30:37 Beverly from Indiana ponders the best resort, moderate or deluxe, for access to DHS and Magic Kingdom

1403 2:12 Sam from North Carolina ponders the best resort for couples in each Disney resort category

1373 13:02 Laura from California asks about linking her premium Annual Pass to a Magic Band. She also asks if she can use her Magic Band to charge in the parks if she’s only staying onsite for one night.

1243 7:01 Eric from Pennsylvania ponders the connection between Disney’s pricing strategy and increased hotel expansion

1195 4:17 Karen from Kansas talks about why Disney may set maximum length of stay rules at its resorts

1159 13:57 Christine from Massachusetts asks the panel to imagineer new resort hotels

1156 16:50 Brian from Michigan asks the panel to name its favorite resorts on property, not considering cost

1139 11:16 A listener asks questions about which resort is better for certain hypothetical scenarios

1078 5:17 Mallory from Tennessee asks the panel a hypothetical question focusing on accommodations. Suites are highlighted.

0662 11’30”: 14-year-old Evan from TX refers to Episode 546 and corrects the Panel on the location of resorts.

0627 7’00”: George from Massachusetts would like a list of activities which have been refurbished.

0594 4’25”: Darren from Connecticut asks how long he can hang a towel out from his hotel balcony before management asks him to remove it.

0585 13’10”: Michael from Illonis wants a few inexpensive magical experiences. Mr Wooster suggests Episode 557. Jeeves suggests Episode 387.

0507 8’45”: Martin from South Africa wants to know about the accuracy of Disney attraction closure dates.

0469 David of TX wants to know what to tell the gate guard at the Polynesian Resort.

0451 Tania of IN wants to know about 2009 rates and packages.

0391
Jason wants to know about a resort to the east of the Caribbean Resort.

0272
Paula wants to know if there is a problem with bed bugs at Disney resorts.
Len says it’s a rumor and hasn’t run into any bed bugs.

0152
Cheryl of MA how difficult it is to make calls between guest rooms at different resorts.
Mike Scopa those saying in the same resort, you make a (free) call easily to another room).
Matt’s girlfriend informed him after the show that you can call the Disney operator, ask for whatever resort they’re staying at and then once they’re connected to ask for the guest’s room.

0074
Darren Neely is staying a few nights in Orlando but wants to visit some non-park visits and wants to know if access is limited to resort guests.
Matt says there is no restrictions to go to any of those areas.
Matt says at Boardwalk to tell the guard you’re going to do some shopping and there shouldn’t be any problem.
For viewing the Illuminations fireworks, you can watch it from the Boardwalk with a nice view.
Matt recommends viewing Wishes at the Polynesian Resort.
Len says Darren can also eat at Ohanas while he’s there.

0034
Todd Anger of WI wants to know how the room sizes differ from the value to the moderate to the deluxe resorts.
The value resorts are about 260 square feet.
Len reommends using masking tape and block off 260 square feet and then block off an area of 400 square feet (deluxe resorts) and compare for yourself.
Len’s not sure if that square footage includes areas like bathrooms or area under the sink.
The moderates are about 340 square feet.
Len mentions the Unofficial Guide has Disney’s measurements as well as their own.
Mike Scopa the Caribbean Beach Resort rooms are the largest of the moderates and tested very well for Len (340 square feet for Caribbean Beach vs. 314 square feet at the other moderate resorts).
Matt mentions the Unofficial Guide has simple layouts to compare resorts easily.

Group

1418 21:44 Ashley from Iowa asks if her school group can disconnect room keys from the Magic Bands

1286 3:13 Bill from Ohio asks for hotel recommendations for his family of five. Len recommends DVC resorts, while Matt discusses adjoining rooms at Moderate Resorts

1260 9:48 Paul asks for WDW hotels with accommodations for five people

1240 14:34 Chris from Minnesota asks for WDW resorts with rooms that can accommodate five people

0692 Reuben from Maryland asks about the Garden suites in the Boardwalk, and any other suggestions for 3-4 18-year-olds.

0689 1’40”: Reuben from Maryland asks about the Garden suites in the Boardwalk, and any other suggestions for 3-4 18-year-olds.

LS39 79’30”: Russ from Illinois asks about how to do EMHs and a group of 20 people with the Touring Plans. Amongst his suggestions, Len suggests using Lines on mobile phones.

120’10”: St. Chris from NJ would like alternatives to Caribbean Beach for a family of 5.

0645 14’40”: Steven from Louisiana asks accommodation and Dining Plan options for a family of five.

0630 24’35”: Jeff from NC asks about the best way of keeping their large family together, and whether the Dining Plan for a large group makes sense.

0591 5’20”: John would like his family (five of them) to stay in a Value resort.

LS34 22’00”: Toni wants help with a Family Gathering for 20 people at a resort.

0525 2’20”: Tommy from NY asks about the annoyance of large groups.

0469 Monica of Edmonton, Canada wants to know about a group of 5 in a smaller room.

0406
Lionel of GA wants to know if 5 people in a room is going to be too much.

0391
Shawn also wants to know if his entire family can stay in one room.

0388
Jamie of RI wants to know which resorts can accomodate 6 guests in one room.

0358
Daphne also wants to know if she should rent a grand villa or a number of regular rooms for her large party.

0336
Cathy of CA wants to know where to stay for a party of 6.

0320
Dan of CA wants to know if he can get 4 adjoining rooms together at a resort.

0320
Rick of MO wants to know if he should rent a Grand Villa or get 3 regular rooms at a moderate or value resort.

0272
Richard of Manitoba, Canada wants to know how to get 4 rooms close together at Pop Century.
Len says Richard should request 4 adjoining rooms.

0230
Kevin wants to know if he can squeeze in a 6 year old as their fifth person on the floor of a room that only sleeps 4.
Len says it’ll be fine.
Annette says the extra person won’t get a room card.
Len thinks they can squeeze in the 6 year old for Extra Magic Hours.
Mike Newell says it depends on the Cast Member.

0125
The Steven Family of UK wants to know where a family of 6 to stay in September onsite.
Len recommends the Fort Wilderness Cabins because of the kitchen to save money on food.

LS02 Mushed from Iowa City wants to know to if Port Orleans Riverside or Pop Century would be a better choice for a large family

0077
Dave of Granite Bay, CA wants to know if there are rooms that accomodate 5 that would be cheaper than 2 rooms at the All Star Resort.
Mike Scopa mentions that Port Orleans offers sleeping for 5.
Mary says if you stay at Alligator Bayou at Port Orleans Riverside and if your 5th person is a little person, it could work.
Matt calls the little bed a “glorified bench”.
Matt thinks Dave might benefit from staying off-site.

Last Minute

0448 Miki wants to know the best way to get a good priced Walt Disney World room 3 weeks before the date one wants

Off-site

1421 19:57 Michelle from Pennsylvania wants tips for staying offsite

1421 5:58 Lisa from Tennessee seeks a two-bedroom suite resort near Disney property that also offers a breakfast deal. Len discusses ways to utilize American Express rewards points

1412 25:48 A Antonio discusses a way to get cheaper hotel rates

1397 3:00 Jed [insert singing] asks about obtaining Magic Bands as an off-site guest

1379 7:14 Marissa from Louisiana asks if she can make FastPass Plus reservations for the offsite portion of her trip

1358 2:27 Sue from New York offers money-saving tips concerning accommodation and food on a Walt Disney World vacation.

1328 9:59 Jill from Illinois asks if her party can still use Magic Bands and FastPass Plus during the offsite portion of a split stay

1322 8:24 Michael from Maryland asks if FastPass Plus is a perk for guests at the Dolphin. Len offers a related tip for offsite guests.

1310 8:26 Bob from Kansas asks about protocol for obtaining FastPass Plus for offsite guests

1307 17:04 Curt from New Jersey asks the panel to evaluate his plan, which will include viewing a sales pitch before touring for 1.5 days

1304 18:27 Chuck from New York asks if his plan to circumvent Disney’s FastPass Plus policy as an offsite guest is feasible

1281 14:34; 20:24 Abby from Minnesota asks for good hotels near Universal Orlando

1269 10:01 Ryan asks for good offsite resorts

1246 19:19 Howie from Maryland asks about FastPass Plus for offsite guests

1226 15:20 Todd from Michigan asks for WDW hotels that compare with the off-site Caribe Royale Suite Hotel

1222 18:56 Howie from Maryland asks for off-site villa recommendations.

1198 32:00 Ryan asks for good offsite accommodations, notably suites.

0764 Gillian from WV asks about All Star Vacation Homes near the parks.

0752 5’00”: Stuart from NJ wants a cheap hotel off-site for 1 night.

0751 3’05”: Rick from St. Louis wants accommodation near the airport for 1 night.

14’45”: Jean-Philippe from Canada asks about getting accommodation the first day after a very long drive.

0746 27’35”: Chip recommends the Celebration hotel.

0722 4’40”: Mark from Australia asks about what guests can expect from Off-site Hotels.

LS42 98’50”: DisneyMark from NY asks whether the All Star Vacation Homes have towels and hair dryers.

LS41 89’25”: Geoff from Arkansas would like recommendation for a 1 night off-site.

0662 26’20”: Dave from Pennsylvania asks about Bonnet Creek.

0636 15’40”: Len comments on the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center.

0567 25’20”: Brett would like suggestions for a cheap motel near Disney that runs a shuttle from the airport.

0534 10’00”: Rico would like to stay off-site yet travel easily and cheaply.

LS30 Part 2 – 52’05” Brendan asks about the drive from the Orlando Convention Center.

0528 13’50”: Bonnie from Ohio liked the Eating around the World episodes, and suggests another place for staying near to the interns.

0463 A listener wants to know a good off site hotel near the Disney College Program area. Len says the “Orlando Vista”.

0388
Brett of IL wants to know the best low cost hotel/motel off-site.

0317
Michelle of CO wants to know about hotels near the Orlando convention center.

0305
Brian of MD wants to know if the Magic Inn and Suites has All Star Resort bed spreads.

0305
Amy of FL wants to know about the [12]Comfort Suites Maingate West.

0299
Rashida wants to know about off-site hotels bus transportation and which are better.

0285
Steve Johnson comments on the Seralago hotel.

0263
Billy of CT complains that Disney should have come up with a deluxe resort on their own instead of using the Four Seasons.
Len says Four Seasons brings a level of service and name recognition to their property.
Len says what Disney is doing is common in the industry.
Len says higher thread count sheets at Disney’s resort is already an impact of bringing in the Four Seasons.

0254
Jessica also wants to know off-site resorts are the best for $100-125 per night.
Matt recommends [13]Orange Lake Country Club.
Mike Scopa has heard good things about the AmeriSuites.
Matt advises against staying at any Howard Johnson.
Matt recommends looking in the Unofficial Guide for a list of the best off-site resorts.

0209
Mark also wants a suggestion for campgrounds outside of Walt Disney World.
Mike Newell likes the [14]KOA Campground in Kissimmee.

0206
Mike of IN wants to know how bad Westgate Lakes really is.
Len says he sent the hotel team to the hotel for the night and concluded it’s clean, safe and no low flying aircraft nearby.
Len says the researcher mentions there’s some wear and tear but would say he would stay there.

0128
Patrick of KY wants suggestions for maximizing their time in the parks if they’re staying offsite.
Matt thinks Patrick should invest in some touring plans from [15]TouringPlans.com.
Len recommends getting to the park early in the morning, have some idea of a touring plan, relax, don’t worry about spending and try to have fun.

LS01 Part 3 – 12’25”: Chad from Indiana asks for tips and disadvantages for staying off-site.

0036
Vanessa of California wants a recommendation for a “fun” off-site hotel for 5 and 7 year old children not too far from the action.
Matt recommends the Nickelodean Suites.
Len also likes the Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort.

0021
Gary Hall from Minneapolis, MN wants to know about favorite off-grounds hotel and rental car company.
Matt likes La Quinta Inn Lakeside because it used to be a Sheraton Resort.
Mary likes Hotel Royal Plaza but it’s been damaged heavily by hurricanes in 2004 and will not be re-opening until January.
Mary also likes the Hilton at Downtown Disney because they have access to the Extra Magic Hours.

Vacation Home

1316 24:15 Jeff from Indiana asks if All Star Vacation Home guests can get the Disney Dining Plan

1298 10:43 Doug from Louisiana discusses his stay at All Star Vacation Homes

1243 3:24 John from New York asks how All Star Vacation homes differ from Disney’s Value Resorts

1112 ‎1:22 David from Massachusetts asks about Mouse Fan Travel and All Star Vacation Homes

1085 10:47 Stephanie from Georgia asks for good accommodations for a party of six. Vacation homes are emphasized.

0442
Ken in NC comments on the benefits of a vacation home .

0370
Rich wants to know if he should rent a vacation home.

0254
Jessica of PA wants to know if Len rented a vacation home during Mousefest.
Matt says Len rented one and visited and thought it was very nice and Len was satisfied with the experience.
Matt liked the themes of the bedrooms.

Off-Site verus On-Site

1421 29:40 Renee from Wisconsin asks if she should take a good deal at the Sheraton Resort Villas instead of staying onsite

1421 9:54 Dmitri from North Carolina asks what the offsite window is for booking ADRs and FastPass Plus reservations. He also asks if he can obtain more FastPass Plus reservations by booking one night onsite before he goes offsite for the rest of his trip

1331 8:49 Lindsey gives her opinions on staying onsite and using Disney transportation

1316 9:04 Renee from Wisconsin asks whether her family should stay on or off property given their budget. She also considers dining options.

1307 27:34 Todd from Michigan discusses how the pricing of offsite resorts compares to that of WDW hotels

0442
Jason wants to know why staying at Pop Century is better than staying off property .

0333
Scott also wants to know if he should stay on site or off site.

Package Delivery

See Shopping

Park Tickets

1376 5:37 Karen from Minnesota asks about using package tickets to enter the parks when she’s arriving one night early on a room-only reservation

1237 1:59 Kelly from Florida asks if she can purchase park tickets at Art of Animation

0245
Michael of IL wants to know if disney resort guests can still get into a park that is closed due to capacity.
Mike Scopa believes it is still a resort perk.

Pizza Delivery

1421 24:10 Jaypenguin comments on Disney’s room-service pizza

1154 16:39 Jean asks about ordering pizza delivery to resorts

Pool Hopping

1195 18:58 Gerald from Pennsylvania asks about pool hopping when staying at a DVC resort

1165 23:23 Dawn from New York asks about Art of Animation and pool hopping

0507 19’30”: Jo from Seattle comments about pool-hopping, and wants to know top 3 choices for breakfast.

0454 Doug also mentions how Cast Members keep track of guests at Stormalong Bay

0442
Frank wants to know Disney’s policy on pool hopping .

0418
John in IA wants to know if he can go to another resort and use their gym.

LS02 Mark from PA wants to know about bringing friends to their resort pool

0107
Christa of KY wants to know if pool hopping is allowed.
Len says you’re only allowed to use the pool or playground of the resort you’re staying at however he doesn’t think if you’re reasonably well-behaved .

Recommendations

1399 12:46 Chad from Massachusetts asks for a good Disney World hotel with a buffet breakfast to stay at on the night before a Disney cruise. He also asks about Disney transportation to Port Canaveral

1275 18:25 Maureen asks about good Disney resorts for the holidays

1201 24:07 Branden asks what the best resort to watch the Super Bowl is

1192 11:31 Louise from Illinois asks for the best resorts when using Disney transportation

1091 37 Steve from Pennsylvania asks whether Art Of Animation will effect the transportation options at Pop Century, and whether he should stay at Pop Century or Port Orleans.

0639 3’35”: Anthony from Australia asks which hotel his family, including a 2-year and 12-week old, should stay in for 9 nights.

0636 12’20”: Dave wants to go at a cheap time, spending under $200 a night, with hotel activities for the kids.

0585 20’20”: Nicole from SC wants a cheap but good hotel (see Episode 506).

0567 28’35”: Sarah asks about the quietest room on property.

0546 16’00”: EJ from NJ asks about favorite resort area based on location.

0537 12’05”: Noami from Michigan wants the best hotels for kids.

LS25 Part 1, 42’40” Lisa from Virginia wants a second choice from the Contemporary. Matt suggests Wilderness Lodge. Len says “no”, and suggests the Yacht and Beach Club.

0400
Jamie also wants to know which resort has the best value for a one bedroom.

0397
Andy of CT wants to know if there are resorts we recommend for short trips.
0385
Rachel of FL wants hotel suggestions for her and her cheerleader friends .

0376
Andy of CT wants to know Matt and Len’s favorite resorts.

0364
Taylor of GA wants to know our favorite resorts for value, moderate, deluxe and DVC categories.

0317
Ken also asks for a resort recommendation.

0194
Michael of British Columbia, Canada wants to know what resort to upgrade to for the last 4 nights of his trip.
Len says stay away from Saratoga Springs.
Mike Scopa also recommends not staying at Old Key West because Michael doesn’t have a car.
Mike Scopa recommends Port Orleans French Quarter.
[16]Steve Seifert would likely recommend the Polynesian
Matt agrees with Port Orleans French Quarter.
Len thinks 10 days in All star is going to be a tough fit.
Len recommends an All Star Suite or at Fort Wilderness Campground.
Mike Newell votes for Port Orleans French Quarter.

0149
Kevin also wants to know where to stay with a well themed resort.
Matt thinks Pop Century would be a good bet in the values.
Len thinks Caribbean Beach would be a good option in the moderate resort level.
Mike Scopa says if Kevin didn’t have any kids Port Orleans French Quarter would be a good option.
Len doesn’t like the dining option at French Quarter.

0110
Marcella of Ventura, CA wants to know which marina at Walt Disney World is best.
Len thinks any of the Magic Kingdom resorts would have the best water areas.
Matt mentions Port Orleans Riverside is on a river and thinks the marinas that Len mentioned on Bay Lake would be the best.
Mike Newell says Old Key West has a marina.
Len says Old Key West would be his second choice.
Mike Newell says the water sprite is a fun option and can handle two adults.

0104
Lee of San Diego, CA wants to know which hotel we would stay at regardless of price.
Mark says it depends on the person and what they like.

LS01 Part 3 – 29’20”: Bob from Kansas wants suggestions of table services, in addition to his top-of-the-list ADRs.

0080
Lisa of Washington, DC wants to know which resort would be best in terms of convenience to the 4 parks.
Matt prefers Boardwalk because it’s close to the Studios and Epcot.
Mike Newell picks Boardwalk.
Mike Scopa picks the Polynesian because of it’s access to the Magic Kingdom and Ticket and Transportation Center (monorail access to Epcot).
Len thinks either the Epcot resorts or the Magic Kingdom resorts due to a variety of dining options and would pick either the Boardwalk or Swan.

Shipping to WDW

0534 26’30”: Jerry from TX asks about shipping items to WDW.

Showers

1295 6:26 Eric from Delaware asks about the showers at WDW hotels

Soundproofing

1118 7:23 Jean in Maryland asks about soundproofing at Disney’s suite hotels.

Specific Requests

1418 26:22 George from Ohio asks for the best way to request a specific room at a Disney resort

1376 18:44 Leigh asks how often room requests are granted. She also asks how long room refurbs usually take to complete

1322 6:48 Christine, probably not Len’s sister, asks about requesting rooms at Beach Club Villas

1260 7:46 Sydney from Mississippi asks if guests can still make room requests via fax

1103 24:44 Rachel from Kansas asks about room-request policies

0657 27’05”: Becky from Missouri asks whether connecting rooms are guaranteed for families.

LS36 4’40”: Karen from Pennsylvania asks whether there were negative things about the online check-in, especially with a room request.

0555 17’15”: Joe from Massachusetts likes the Unofficial Guide for building recommendations, but his view was obstructed by palm trees.

0546 24’00”: Jo from Massachusetts asks about calling the resort to get a specific building.

0502 15’00”: Jamie from Virginia asks Preferred rooms. Matt refers to previous episodes on this subject.

0436
Roger of OR wants to know how rooms are assigned at Walt Disney World resorts.

0424
David of IL mentions his experience with booking connecting rooms.

0333
Jennifer of CT wants to know about requesting a building.

0305
Tommy of NY wants to know about requesting buildings at Pop Century.

0290
A listener also wants to know if there is any benefit to calling 3-5 days before check-in.

0263
Libby of Des Moines, IA wants to know about king size beds at the All Star Sports.
Len says make a room request when booking a room and also 5 days before check-in.
Matt says some of the rooms that have King size beds have standup showers because they are handicap rooms.

LS03 Martin of CA wants to know what to do 5 days before his check-in

0095
Desire of Texas arrives very late at Orlando late and doesn’t want to get a bad room (location wise) and wants to know what she can do to get a better room.
Matt says 5-7 days before your checkin date, your reservation comes into the computer system. At that point call up the Wilderness Lodge and ask for a few possible rooms that would make you happy and they’ll try their best to accomodate you.
Mike Scopa recommends that if you’re going through a travel agent to ask that person.

Transfers

1397 5:08 Howie from Maryland asks about managing a split stay with FastPass Plus

1289 10:21 John from Wisconsin discusses his move from a Deluxe Resort to a Value Resort

1219 4:06 Gerald from Pennsylvania discusses resort hopping and asks a related question

1204 20:30 Marty from Illinois comments on bell services refrigerating beverages during a guest’s resort transfer

1115 15:03 Jason from Michigan comments on transferring food between resorts.

1103 3:21 Jack from Massachusetts discusses storing food at bell services before a resort transfer

1100 20:39 Jeff from New Jersey asks a question about transferring food while switching resorts/rooms.

1085 17:23 Donna from Georgia asks if hotel hopping from the Poly to Pop is worth it for a two night trip.

1082 27:06 Amy from Iowa asks about hotel hopping: between Animal Kingdom Lodge and Polynesian.

0668 18’40”: Linda from UK asks about accessing resorts when staying off-site. Len talks about sleeping in the lobby of resorts (see Episode 465).

0636 8’20”: Chris from Connecticut asks whether the MYW tickets on the hotel keys can be transferred between resorts.

LS37 10’50”: Michael from FL asks if he can request the same room for two separate reservations, and whether he can call/fax beforehand.

LS36 98’30”: Trish has got 2 separate reservations at Port Orleans Riverside, but doesn’t want to change rooms.

0582 11’10”: Matt from PA asks whether moving luggage when staying at multiple resorts is a problem.

0534 20’20”: Len from NJ asks about changing resorts in the middle of a trip.

LS30 Part 1 – 6’25” Mark from NY asks about transferring between hotels.

LS25 Part 2, 1’55” Kim from Pittsburgh will be transferring between hotels to go to the Sunrise Safari.

0427
Chris of TX wants to know if he should transfer to a resort before he goes to the parks or after a day in the parks.
Chris also wants to know what order he should stay at the resorts.

0364
Kim also wants to know if Disney will move her luggage for her if she wants to stay at two different hotels.

0194
Hagen of VMK wants to know if you can have your luggage moved between resorts.
Matt says you can have bell services move your luggage for you and you pick up your luggage at bell services at your new resort.

0173
Stacy from MI wants to know how to book a stay when you stay at two different resorts.
Matt says you have to make two different reservations.

0155
Dennis of MI wants to know if he’s staying at two resorts, will the dining plan carry over from the first resort to the second resort.
Len doesn’t think it will carry over because there are 2 different reservations.

Upgrades

1427 14:36 Brad from Michigan ponders the likelihood of receiving an upgrade at Wilderness Lodge

1415 5:38 Scott from New York shares his experience with upgrading from Coronado Springs to the Polynesian for one night

1364 24:58 Dave from Ohio asks about complementary upgrades to a suite at Coronado Springs

1295 7:29 Brian asks if online resort check-in is worth it, and if it will hinder his chance at getting an upgrade

1260 4:46 April from Georgia asks how room upgrades are decided

1225 14:17 James from Canada asks about upgrading a hotel room

1127 16:43 Raffi from the Phillippines asks for a good hotel for an upgrade from Port Orleans Riverside

0537 29’10”: Mark from Illinois asks about getting an accommodation upgrade.

0519 23’25”: Mark from Illinois asks about upgrades with late check-in.

Visitors

1228 26:30 Vu from Massachusetts asks if non-resort guests can visit his party at a WDW hotel

Unofficial WDW Today Wiki – by Phillip Burton and Andrew Carrieri

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