M2JRA
One Bedroom
Posts: 216
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Post by M2JRA on Jul 25, 2024 9:35:50 GMT -5
Hi all! I'm looking for advice on a non-DVC resort (but within the WDW bubble) for this situation:
* Need two rooms, each to be occupied by a single adult: my mom and myself. Mom is temperature sensitive and keeps her room like a sauna which dictates that I be elsewhere, lol.
* Mom does not need a HA room, but she will be on a scooter. She has had success with Disney transport (skyliner, bus, monorail), so being within walking distance to parks is not required. Having a room with enough space for ease of parking/charging the scooter overnight is a factor, if anyone has thoughts on that.
* Mom is "parks oriented" - pools and resort amenities are not of much interest to her. Similarly, she is not concerned with the food and would eat at the same food court all week if that was the most convenient. Thus, proximity to a variety of dining options is not a factor.
I am leaning toward two rooms at one of the value resorts (unless anyone has other suggestions!?). I am intrigued by the family suites, but would need to be able to confirm that there are separate thermostats for the bedroom and living room -- anyone know about this or how I could find out (email resorts?)?
Other questions:
* Do any resorts offer confirmed adjoining rooms?
* For the resorts with multiple buildings, would they place two rooms booked together in the same building by default? Mom feels that "they would know we want to be near each other since we booked two rooms together," but I'm not so sure. I guess I'm asking if anyone knows how Reservations tends to assign rooms booked together -- can I trust that they would know to book the rooms as near each other as possible, or are we taking potluck for where our rooms might be? I imagine I could request something like "rooms near each other, please." Any feedback on this would be great. Her primary concern is being able to keep the room warm, though, even if it means we end up quite a distance apart.
Suggestions, anyone? Resorts to recommend? Things I haven't considered? Any feedback welcome!
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Post by tomandrobin on Jul 25, 2024 9:49:07 GMT -5
All Disney Resorts offer connecting rooms. You can request them, but there is not a guarantee you will get rooms that are connected. Ironically, my first family trip to WDW we booked connecting rooms at Port Orleans for us and the kids. When we checked in, we had rooms on opposite sides of the resort.
We use to book at the Swan & Dolphin for our "non" Disney rooms. Those hotels are actually a Sheraton and Westin hotel, now managed by Marriott. They are better at the connecting room thing. We have never booked a value resort because of the crowd type and lack of stuff we like. (By crowds type I mean the big cheer groups, sport groups, etc.)
The family resorts you mentioned above do not have two thermostats.
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M2JRA
One Bedroom
Posts: 216
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Post by M2JRA on Jul 25, 2024 10:21:28 GMT -5
Thanks, Tom! This answers a lot of my questions.
I should have thought about Swan & Dolphin as an option -- I'll look into that!
Great to know the Family Suites do not have separate thermostats -- I'll nix that entirely.
I would love to avoid the value resorts. Thinking PO French Quarter might be a good balance. Resort is a bit smaller and only one bus stop, etc. I'll see what she thinks.
Thanks again for the reply!
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Post by Eli's Nana on Jul 25, 2024 11:18:35 GMT -5
We too have had good luck at the Swan/Dolphin and appreciate their proximity to Epcot. We also have had good luck with connecting rooms at the Hilton at Disney Springs. While it is not so close to the parks it does have a free shuttle to the parks.
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Post by Adelard of Bath on Jul 25, 2024 15:31:10 GMT -5
Mom feels that "they would know we want to be near each other since we booked two rooms together," but I'm not so sure. I laughed out loud when you said your mom keeps her room like a sauna - we took my mom to OKW this last December and gave her a studio. She wanted me to set the thermostat for her at like 74 and I don't think it ever turned on once. Meanwhile, in my room, I am using all the tricks to override that damn thing and make it 65. It still shuts off too much at night...stupid thing runs the temp down to 64 then doesn't turn back on until it climbs to 66. That can make for an uncomfortably long time without any air movement. In the opinion of wife and I, anyways. I got a thermostat at home with an adjustable swing and I keep it at a minimum. Anyways to your question about putting you in nearby rooms, when we went to OKW in December, wife called and said we were travelling with my mother who is older and wanted her in a room in the same area. They put us in Turtle Pond where we wanted, but they put her in Miller's Road hee hee! Once we got the notification on the phone, she called and they moved her closer to us. Not connecting, though, which was actually fine with us (didn't want to have to answer any questions like "why don't we keep the door open between your room and mine?") We had a 1-bd and she a studio, so I was worried they would put us together, but we were a couple buildings apart which was fine. |
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Post by reblzmom on Jul 25, 2024 15:42:16 GMT -5
We have also done connecting rooms at the Dolphin. Worked out great and is in our preferred area.
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Post by tomandrobin on Jul 26, 2024 6:49:31 GMT -5
I laughed out loud when you said your mom keeps her room like a sauna - we took my mom to OKW this last December and gave her a studio. She wanted me to set the thermostat for her at like 74 and I don't think it ever turned on once. Meanwhile, in my room, I am using all the tricks to override that damn thing and make it 65. It still shuts off too much at night...stupid thing runs the temp down to 64 then doesn't turn back on until it climbs to 66. That can make for an uncomfortably long time without any air movement. In the opinion of wife and I, anyways. I got a thermostat at home with an adjustable swing and I keep it at a minimum. You can temporarily bypass the thermostats so that they do not reset during the night. This is a pet peeve of mine too, especially at the resorts that do not have ceiling fans.
When you get to your room, find the thermostat make and model. Do a google search to bypass that model. When we first joined, all the thermostats with the setback were the same. But now they are different from resort to resort.
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Post by pooh bears mom on Jul 26, 2024 9:39:31 GMT -5
We also always use the swan and dolphin for non dvc stays, or when I am simply out of points.
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Post by john2247 on Jul 27, 2024 10:16:16 GMT -5
My choice would be Swan and Dolphin also. I would not choose one of the Value resorts as the rooms are small and the resorts are noisy. My other choice would be the Port of Orleans - French Quarter or The Coronado.
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Post by Adelard of Bath on Jul 27, 2024 19:42:38 GMT -5
You can temporarily bypass the thermostats so that they do not reset during the night. Oh yes, you can be sure I do this the instant we walk into the room. And I learned the hard way that you have to do it every 24 hours, because this last time...I forgot one evening before bed. Doh! |
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Post by eandjmom on Jul 29, 2024 11:50:01 GMT -5
I had to chuckle when I read this. Whenever I travel with my mom, we stay in a suite style room so we can sleep in separate spaces or in adjoining rooms. For this exact reason and her snoring  |
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Post by MinnieMom on Jul 29, 2024 12:48:51 GMT -5
Disney Springs Hilton Palace is a good bet too. Not walking distance like Swanfin but nice sized rooms, bus to parks & connecting rooms should be easy. They may also have some rooms with more than one bedroom, but I haven't looked at that since the facelift that happened when Hilton bought the place and redid it a few years back.
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M2JRA
One Bedroom
Posts: 216
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Post by M2JRA on Jul 30, 2024 8:36:31 GMT -5
I had to chuckle when I read this. Whenever I travel with my mom, we stay in a suite style room so we can sleep in separate spaces or in adjoining rooms. For this exact reason and her snoring  Oh gosh yes I didn't even mention the snoring..... So true.... Disney Springs Hilton Palace is a good bet too. Not walking distance like Swanfin but nice sized rooms, bus to parks & connecting rooms should be easy. They may also have some rooms with more than one bedroom, but I haven't looked at that since the facelift that happened when Hilton bought the place and redid it a few years back. We are Hilton Honors members, so I will look into this also, thanks for the tip! |
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Post by dlwdwdvc on Jul 30, 2024 11:12:55 GMT -5
Have you considered the duo Tower at RR with cash reservation/ availability…
I also have stayed in very narrow room at BLT because of shape of the building on really low points standard view with my family one room away … I am senior and really enjoy the monorail and visiting the Grand Floridain and Polynesian and nightly fireworks from BLT bridge and ElectricalWater Pageant .
Not sure about your date for trip planning but the new Poly will also have those smaller room design but will not be called DuoTower.
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M2JRA
One Bedroom
Posts: 216
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Post by M2JRA on Jul 31, 2024 11:34:36 GMT -5
Have you considered the duo Tower at RR with cash reservation/ availability… I also have stayed in very narrow room at BLT because of shape of the building on really low points standard view with my family one room away … I am senior and really enjoy the monorail and visiting the Grand Floridain and Polynesian and nightly fireworks from BLT bridge and ElectricalWater Pageant . Not sure about your date for trip planning but the new Poly will also have those smaller room design but will not be called DuoTower. . Thank you for the input! We stayed in adjacent studios at BLT in May and that was amazing, but I'm out of points with other trips that are planned. So, I think the cash prices for any DVC units will likely be out of range. I would love to try RR someday - my DDs really like the looks of that resort. |
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