View Full Version : All star movies resort
marcoma2
21-01-2008, 01:17
We are due to go to Florida in April. I wanted to book 4 night specifically at the 'All Star Movies Resort' (my children's prefferred hotel) in Disney World, but I can't seem to get 4 nights in a row. Of course it might be fully booked, but can anyone give advice on checking the availability without having to constatly putting in dates on a website. I'm fairly flexible with my dates and just want a quick way of booking it.
The other option would be to look at any cheaper alternatives. Are there any cheaper alternatives?
Thanks
Marco
Well, I have to say, having spent a couple of nights in this 'resort' once when we had guests in our villa, that you would probably have a better time if you rented a villa. The rooms were very very small and our children had to sleep in the same bed - not to be recommneded! The bathroom was so tiny you couldn't swing a cat in it! All the rooms were accessed from the outside, too, along long verandahs. We were quite disappointed when we arrived as it looked just like Butlins! The restaurant was all plastic tables and chairs and fast food, although it may have been upgraded since we were there.
With a villa you would have bedrooms for each child, and their own bathroom, TVs etc plus your own pool!
Why not ctake a look at the villas on these sites, where you will find lots of wonderful villas available which will give you infinitely more space, flexibility and amenities than one room in a Disney resort.
I, too have stayed on Disney Resorts and found the same problem especially with the beds as I had a son and daughter and we ended up with my husband sharing with my son and myself with my daughter. Not much fun for us all. This is when we tried villas and have never looked back and even bought one ourselves. The children, and you, will love the space and especially their own pool. Many villas have themed bedrooms especially for the children. You will be pleasantly suprised at the rates when compared with Disney too.
Mrs Brizzle
21-01-2008, 13:44
Without wanting to start a bun fight, Marco has asked for help on a specific resort not a Hotel vs Villa debate.
We all know about the space ect in a villa but there is nothing like a bit of Disney magic now and again.
We quite often like to stay on property for a few days to take advantage of the perks like the extra magic hours ect. We have young children that find the Resorts amazing and would sleep in a shoe box and not care.
I take it your are using the Disney website to search which sometimes can be a bit funny. We like Pop Century which is another good alternative to All Star Movies.
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Mrs Brizzle
Without wanting to start a bun fight, Marco has asked for help on a specific resort not a Hotel vs Villa debate.[/quote]Actually, Marco also asked about alternatives. Villas are surely an alternative?[msnwink]
Of course if Marco is set on staying in just the one resort that is a different matter, but rightly or wrongly I did not read it that way.
Mrs Brizzle
21-01-2008, 17:45
Sure a villa is a great alternative usually but Marco is only looking for 4 nights though so I wouldn't have thought a villa was suitable for a shorter stay than a week.
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Mrs Brizzle
Sure a villa is a great alternative usually but Marco is only looking for 4 nights though so I wouldn't have thought a villa was suitable for a shorter stay than a week.[/quote]Lots of home owners have guests who don't stay a week book their homes where they don't have minimum rental periods so that's not a problem.
And many homes have more than a bit of Disney magic about them as some are more Disney-ed than Disney if their owners are real fans and absolutely no-one has to sleep in a shoe box!
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Mrs Brizzle
Sure a villa is a great alternative usually but Marco is only looking for 4 nights though so I wouldn't have thought a villa was suitable for a shorter stay than a week.[/quote]It may be possible the 4 nights required are a gap-filler for a villa owner. Villa owner happy, very happy guest.
chrizzy100
21-01-2008, 20:25
Are you only going for 4 days...?
I stay in Disney and we love every min of it..planning a big Disney stay for my grandson Christmas and by then we should only be living up the road....LOL!.but I have no idea how you can find 4 days in a row without putting in the dates each time....sorry...
I have to agree with Mrs Brizzle...people do get driven away from the site because of some of the answers they get to a hotel question...I've had very upsetting PMs in the past from members who think they will have a bad holiday after they have already booked up....
florida4sun
21-01-2008, 22:17
Chrizzy,
do you honestly enjoy your time in the Disney budget resorts? I have stayed in two and could not wait to leave. If you are trying to share a room with your children forget it, no fun at all.
The premium resorts take some beating but you are looking at $350 plus per night and I have enjoyed staying them.
The comparison to a villa is no brainer for value, this is what is being pointed out. This site is Orlando'villas'.com so there is going to be some bias towards villas, but not without good reason. Unbeatable value, unbeatable accommodation, your own pool etc etc.
Try calling Disney and ask them if what there views are of private villas, I am prety sure they will not say 'hey you will get a lot more for your money, have a great vacation'.
If someone asks about a hotel on villa site, then we are simply going to point out that a villa is much better value.
As for the DMs i can honestly say I have never received the same sort of 'very upsetting' messages.
Marco if you want to book Disney and need 4 nights in a row - call Disney reservations direct, they will tell you on the spot. April will be getting booked up by now so you could be struggling.
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by chrizzy100
Are you only going for 4 days...?
I stay in Disney and we love every min of it..planning a big Disney stay for my grandson Christmas and by then we should only be living up the road....LOL!.but I have no idea how you can find 4 days in a row without putting in the dates each time....sorry...
I have to agree with Mrs Brizzle...people do get driven away from the site because of some of the answers they get to a hotel question...I've had very upsetting PMs in the past from members who think they will have a bad holiday after they have already booked up....
[/quote]
FraserLynn
21-01-2008, 23:22
For me there are loads of reasons for choosing a villa over a hotel, however nice the hotel. The main one though is that after a long day at the parks, my kids can go to bed in their own rooms and I can still get on with having an evening, either sat around the pool with a plastic glass of wine or watching a bit of TV in the family room.
All things you can't do with young children in a hotel. You either go to bed with them, keep them up and watch them get more and more grumpy as the weeks pass, try and sit quietly at the other end of the room of on the balcony whilst they try to go to sleep or book a stranger to look after your kids.
None of the above are acceptable choices for me so it is a villa every time [msnwink]
And that's before you start talking about the facilities, own pool, space, luxury, cost...........
marcoma2
23-01-2008, 03:15
Thanks for those replies.
I have been to Disney World before and stayed at the All Star Movies resort. The reason I want to go there again is that my children liked the giant characters from the films they have watched. That is why I am not really interested in the other budget resorts.
After reading the posts I am wondering if in fact a villa would be better. How can I find one that is near to Disney? I have never booked a villa, what are the chances that one will be available for 4 days? Would I stand more chance if I booked a week?
You can put an enquiry out on these sites:
http://www.orlandovillas.com/
http://www.villasflorida.com/
http://www.onlinefloridavillas.com/
http://www.orlandovillarental.com/
with your dates and number of people, and any owner who has availability will contact you with a quotation.[msnsmile2]
Have fun choosing a home.[msnsmile2][msnsmile2]
marcoma2
29-01-2008, 01:18
Wow, the responses just keep coming in of people with a villa to rent in April, so this is probably what I will do.
This means the plan is modified. I want to get a villa for 7 days, get a multi day pass for disney (3 or 4 days, I'm not sure yet), and in the days between go shopping. Therefore what I need to know now is where the big shopping places are in Orlando. I deally I want to stay in a villa that is both near Disney AND near some major shopping centers. My wife will be doing the shopping so I need someplace that will appeal to her.
What area should I stay in and what are the major shopping centers in Orlando.
Thanks
CERICROWLEY
29-01-2008, 01:53
Some of the shopping outlets are just a stones throw from Disney anyway.
You have the Premier Outlets, and Now the newly refurbished Prime outlets, not sure how many shops are open there let, as construction is still going on. Then you have the Malls, Florida Mall. Mall of Millenia, The Loop, Festival Bay, to name just a few
This is just the first page of our Florida guide they are well worth reading.
http://www.orlandovillas.com/florida_guide/cat_shopping-1.aspx
We stay in Disney's Port Orleans when we go for 3/4 nights and love it, it is so easy using Disney transport to the parks, we used to stay here for a lot longer but now stay in villas, I think there are plus points for both. we stay do the parks that we are going to do and then when we leave don't go to the Disney parks again
chrizzy100
26-02-2008, 04:48
I love Port Orleans...looking to take my grandson to stay in a Disney Hotel leading up to Christmas...not sure which one yet...any ideas...?
Chrizzy don't know if you have done Port Orleans at Christmas but we stayed there and it was lovely, going to Downtown disney on the boat was lovely, seeing the tree etc.
we will be staying there again in July for a few days before heading down to Keys