By Dopey Diva
Since I am a huge fan of Disney, especially Disney World, I have had a lot of people ask me for advice when it comes to which resort to stay in, what time of year to go, which restaurants do I enjoy eating at, or should they get the dining plan or not? I am always happy to give them my suggestions, but I also let them know what I enjoy is from my own personal experiences and they may or may not feel the same way I do…although when it comes to recommending ‘Ohana I cannot imagine anyone not agreeing with me that is absolutely one of the best places to eat on Disney property.
For some people I know a Disney vacation might be a once in a lifetime trip and you want everything to be perfect and magical and it is possible it will be, but odds are at one time or another something may go wrong. I am sure most people will look to the internet when doing Disney research, which is great; that’s the best way to get advice and information from us here at Tips From the Disney Divas and Devos. But here is the problem I have with certain internet searching….some people will claim certain restaurants or certain resorts are awful and suggest nobody ever eat there or stay there. Now I know firsthand Disney is not perfect; nobody is perfect. I know there are sometimes problems that arise in resorts or restaurants and this can lead some people to have a not-so-magical Disney experience. But unless it is something that has happened time and time again, I don’t feel they should be so negative in their comments. It’s fine to let others know what happened on their specific visit and give those planning their Disney vacation something to consider when researching, but don’t let these comments deter you from going somewhere you feel you and your family will enjoy.
RESORTS
I personally have stayed at Value Resorts and Moderate Resorts. I have not yet been lucky enough to stay in a Deluxe, but I have been happy where we stayed. I know some people will say a Deluxe Resort is the way to go and they would not go to Disney World if they could not stay in a Deluxe Resort and that’s great for them. As for my family, we barely spend any time in our room, basically just to sleep and shower, so paying the extra money for a Deluxe Resort isn’t something we are ready to do. That is not to say I will NEVER stay in a Deluxe Resort, I do hope to some day, but not until I know my family and I will spend more time at the resort to make it worth our while. I have stayed at 3 different Value Resorts and liked them all. I will say some are better than others, but I did not have a problem with any of them and would stay again if I found a great deal. For those who feel a Value Resort just isn’t their thing then I would recommend a Moderate Resort. They are also very nice with a bit more space than a Value and a little less Disney specific theming. Disney does their best to make all of their resorts feel like home so if you have been debating which level to stay at you could always start with a Value and work your way up until you find what is best for you and your family. *Tip: If you like to be closer to the main building, big pool, and bus line I do recommend paying the extra money for a preferred room.
RESTAURANTS
Lets face it, even some of your favorite, local restaurants have bad days, but that doesn’t mean you won’t go back there. I hate to admit it but Disney restaurants have bad days too. That does not mean you will always have a bad experience though. I have had 3 separate experiences at one particular Disney restaurant. The first time it was amazing, the second time everyone in my group was disappointed and all said they would never go back. Then on a third trip I decided to give it another try and it was wonderful. I am glad I did not write it off and swear I would never go back, or complain about it to anyone who asked. I always gave it my honest opinion, and now that I have tried it again and it was great I be sure to let people know. Now if you have tried the same place several times and just were not happy any of those times, then I understand not recommending it to others, but I always suggest giving a place at least one more try if you are able to do so.
It’s true everyone has a different opinion, and it’s great to get advice from those who may be more experienced than yourself when planning a Disney World vacation, but always keep in mind what is right for one family may not be for yours, and what others don’t like you may end up loving. That’s why I say don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!
