Which hotel would you choose?

[Stitch35]

I will be traveling to WDW with my DS9 and DS6 in mid-late August this year for 8 nights. We have been to WDW once in early December in 2009. We stayed at all star Movies. We loved the theming but the wait for the bus at the end if the night was INSANE (up to 90 minutes one night). I'm trying to pick the hotel that would be best for us and have narrowed it down to the following:

Port Orleans either side
POP
Movies
Shades of Green (we do qualify to stay here)

My main concerns are short bus waits (especially at night), safety as a single mom with two kids, cleanliness, and comfortable beds. Which would you choose if price was about equal and why?

 

[Babsy]

No idea on Shades of Green (we don't qualify)

Of the other three I would choose POFQ. Small moderate resort with only one bus stop. Usually I would expect it to have shorter waits in line for the bus.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Shades of Green has an actual bus schedule, which may be available in its website.

 

[Hopefully]

If you leave a park at closing, you are going to have a wait for a bus no matter where you stay. With hordes of people all leaving together there are backups - there is no avoiding that.
I would choose POFQ. It is the smallest moderate and I love the themeing. There is only 1 bus stop, but at times it does share buses with POR. In this case POFQ is the first stop to be picked up and the first stop to be dropped off.
Disney buses are mass transit, just in like any big city. At times you are going to have to wait for a bus. At times they will be standing room only. The only way around it is to rent a car, which we choose not to do.
Good Luck

 

[bigbabyblues]

Our experience with Disney buses at park closing have all been pretty much the same. When that many people leave at the same time to go to the same place on a bus, there will be waits. it just seems to be the luck of the draw.

When we stay at All Star Music, we use whichever AS resort bus that has the shortest line and then walk through the main building and across the parking lot. I don't know if you could do the same with the Port Orleans resorts, I have never stayed there. The other thing we do is take our time leaving the park at closing; the shops all stay open, we look through those, walk slowly, people watch, grab an ice cream, etc. It gives the bus lines time to clear out a bit.

 

[mevelandry]

I will be traveling to WDW with my DS9 and DS6 in mid-late August this year for 8 nights. We have been to WDW once in early December in 2009. We stayed at all star Movies. We loved the theming but the wait for the bus at the end if the night was INSANE (up to 90 minutes one night). I'm trying to pick the hotel that would be best for us and have narrowed it down to the following:

Port Orleans either side
POP
Movies
Shades of Green (we do qualify to stay here)

My main concerns are short bus waits (especially at night), safety as a single mom with two kids, cleanliness, and comfortable beds. Which would you choose if price was about equal and why?

I haven't tried Shades of Green or the values but I tried both PO and I've never had any problems with the transportation. They both felt safe but I have to admit that POFQ being smaller (short walk) and the white mansions catching more light at night might make you feel more secure at night. The beds are Queen (which won't be the case with value) ... So I would go with either of them. My pick would be POR because the food court is better.

 

[cruisingtwins]

Have you considered renting a car? We did on our last trip and t made our vacation so much better.

 

[karly05]

If you leave a park at closing, you are going to have a wait for a bus no matter where you stay. With hordes of people all leaving together there are backups - there is no avoiding that.
I would choose POFQ. It is the smallest moderate and I love the themeing. There is only 1 bus stop, but at times it does share buses with POR. In this case POFQ is the first stop to be picked up and the first stop to be dropped off.
Disney buses are mass transit, just in like any big city. At times you are going to have to wait for a bus. At times they will be standing room only. The only way around it is to rent a car, which we choose not to do.
Good Luck

I'm going to echo this. "Rush Hour" is "Rush Hour," and reading a lot of bus threads on the Dis, it seems like bus service can be good AND bad anywhere you stay. In my experience at POFQ, the bus sharing with Riverside generally happens during hours of the day when fewer people are going to and coming from the parks, and yes, POFQ picks up and drops off first.

I have stayed at POFQ the past two years as a solo woman and never felt unsafe. (Of course, use your usual common sense.) As the PP says, it's a small resort. It is laid out on a grid of cobblestone lanes with streetlights and more cultivated greenery, very easy to find your way around. The wrought iron railings, exposed exterior staircases and pastel colors make it feel open and well-lit, and there always seems to be activity at the hours when I "come home." I would book a garden view and request something convenient to the main building (although nothing is too far away). I really liked being in Building 5 facing the lawn where they show movies in the evening, as there were always lots of people/families around.

 

[kastoney]

While i wouldn't pick the hotel based solely on transportation, as others have said SoG as a fixed schedule so not as much waiting, provided the schedule works for you. There is also the option to walk from the Poly.

We've had good luck with buses at Pop and another bonus is you can also use AoA buses and just walk over to Pop

 

[DizDaD7]

Out of what you've selected, I'd say POR, but wouldn't hesitate about looking into CSR.....

This has by far the best buses out of all resorts, including some deluxes too...

 

[LSURyan]

We loved our stay at POFQ and would recommend it to anyone. Even staying in a far away building wan't bad. The resort is small in comparison to others.

As for the buses, any resort bus will be crowded during park closing, no matter the resort. We tend to grab a snack and a bench in the park at closing and watch everyone make their way to the exits. We make games imagining what each person did that day or what they are thinking, talk about our day or look ahead to the next day. It's either wait on a bench or wait in the bus line. These late at night moments are often some of my favorite.

 

[rinnythepooh]

I also recommend POFQ. The boat ride to Downtown Disney cant be beat and there is only one bus stop. We have stayed there twice and will be staying there again next fall. If that is not available, I would suggest either POR or CSR. We have stayed at both of these a few times. CSR is the most Non Disney themed and is very, very nice. There have been some complaints regarding their bus service. We never had a problem.
Hopefully you will love the new magic bands and fastpass plus system.