moderate or deluxe?

Last time we talked about Disney, the Man and I had just decided that it was the perfect choice for our honeymoon.

Our next task aside from figuring out the when, and for how long, was the where.  Where were we going to stay at Disney World?

We both have a tendency to really research everything to death, especially when we are excited about something.  Through our research, we had already decided that we wanted to stay on site at a Disney resort.  It made transportation easier, and matched with the "full immersion" goal of the honeymoon.

The next choice then was what level of resort.  Disney World has three main levels of resorts:

• Value -  most affordable and furthest from the parks
• Moderate - mid-range and sprawling, closer to the parks than Value
• Deluxe -  high end, usually has three or more dining options on site, closest to parks with multiple modes of transportation

At first discussion, we were focused on a Moderate resort.  We looked at the different options and thought that Coronado Springs would be our best bet.  The Man liked the theming, I liked the Mexican food at the food court, and it seemed to be a good balance of Disney and not too many kids running around everywhere because it is one of the resorts that caters to business folks.

Granted, we maybe spent 10-15 minutes looking at the Disney World website to make this decision.  We starting running some prices and comparing the different resorts.  Doesn't this look pretty though?

But we weren't 100% sold.  So we clicked around some more.

(Confession time:  The Man and I both like expensive things.  It all started with a seven-dollar spatula and spiraled from there.  Needless to say, luxury on our value budget is a constant test of restraint and mindfulness.  With a dash of indulgence.. see below.)

My favorite spatula ever.  Mine is red. I think I own 5 now?

I ooh-ed and ahh-ed over the fancy photos of the Deluxe resorts... daydreaming about how amazing it would be to stay there one day. I loved the idea of something more than bus transportation.. travel by boat or monorail sounds so much more romantic. The themeing at each one (below is just a sample) is so immersive and they just looked so luxurious. I knew it was a "One Day" thing.. no need to worry about it for now.

The Contemporary, The Boardwalk, and The Grand Floridian

Then the Man says:

"I mean it's our Honeymoon, we should go BIG right?  How about the Polynesian?"

I mean, did you really expect me to resist?

Magic of Disney + Hawaii themed resort = perfect honeymoon combo

We started researching room rates... and boy was there a difference between Deluxe and Moderates.  At this point though, there was no turning back.  Not for the Honeymoon trip, at least.

The rooms looked great, I loved the fact that we could use either bus, boat, or monorail to get around.  Plus the idea of being across the lake from Cinderella's castle just made it that much more impressive.

We researched rates and perks a bit more, weighing the pros and cons, and decided to just dive in headfirst. 

We booked the Polynesian CLUB LEVEL for our honeymoon.

I'll talk more about Club Level details in another post.  For now, just know that it was worth every penny.

(and it cost lots and lots and lots of pennies.)

Looking back at our resort from the boat dock - Poly 2013

We actually visited during a time of construction and right before some BIG changes hit the resort.  I'm glad we went when we did because the very next year the lobby (which had been the same since the resort opened in the 1970's) went through a drastic transformation.

I didn't take many pictures on our honeymoon, I was more focused on being in the moment than behind the camera. I have learned though that pictures from Disney can bring back tons of memories and are completely worth taking.  I treasure the few that I have.  One of my favorites is of the Polynesian Lobby looking down from the 2nd level.

That water and garden feature filled the whole space with the sounds and smells of paradise. I hate that it's since been removed, but I'm so glad I have at least one picture from our trip.

I mentioned construction before.. well.. that led to a room upgrade for us.  We were gifted a waterfront room on the ground level.

Gotta love construction screens.. at least the palms are pretty!

Being ground level meant we had a patio instead of a balcony.  We only went out there once or twice.

Panoramic from our patio

But it had a pretty good view... I must confess.

The lovely Grand Floridian just across the lake. 

Even though in pictures it's hard to see, we actually could see the castle from our room if we looked really closely. I doubt it's visible in the pictures I have. Let's zoom in a bit.

The quality isn't great, but it's there!

I really enjoyed staying at the "Poly" and look forward to sharing more about our trip, including some surprises along the way.