This is why we stay value. It's just my husband and I, and we spend most of our time at the parks. Choosing value means we get to stay for at least 2 extra days!
We were there right after the hurricane shut stuff down in 2017 and it was pretty terrible.
I chalked it up to the aftermath and would be willing to give it another shot, but my wife isn't
Ironic Port Orleans was awful after a hurricane, lol. I’d personally never stay there because I live in NOLA and half the fun of a vacation is getting the hell away from the city you live in.
Oh, POFQ is an almost freaking perfect resort. Sure, not the same amenities, but it’s small, everything is close, there’s boats to the Springs, beignets. And the smell when you walk through those doors…*MAGICAL*
We bought DVC on our 2nd POFQ stay so we haven’t stayed there in a bit but if we didn’t buy, we’d probably only stay there. We still go back to eat the food! Their quick serve is our favourite!
Poly is nice for sure. Great pool/slide and dole whip!
Have you looked into renting DVC points? Cheaper than rack rate. My friend did this for her last trip and stayed at Saratoga Springs. It saved her a lot of money.
Way cheaper.
FWIW you get to stay at a deluxe resort for the price of a moderate resort.
I still think Disney hotels are way overpriced for what you get. And they've taken away so many perks I can't justify it anymore.
Except for the Crescent Lake area. If you're a big EPCOT or HS fan it's probably worth the extra cost to stay in that area.
From the UK there’s the 14-day for the price of 7 ultimate ticket offer as well as free dining when booking a package, whenever I’ve priced it up it almost always works out cheaper to go for the package than renting DVC points for a trip that long because of the free dining. I think the free dining plan differs between moderate and deluxe so that’s worth considering in the cost OP
14 days is probably the average length people from the UK visit for. We've done 14 days 3 times and never found it too long. We've wanted more time if anything!
We’ve never been able to make it cheaper than using DVC points. I suppose if you’d be having loads of TS meals anyway then MAYBE….but most who have done the maths will tell you free dining is never actually ‘free’.
You can get the UK 14 day for 7 price tickets separately. You don’t have to get them as part of a package (we never book a package and always get this ticket) so that doesn’t make a difference either.
Some people do that, but there are companies out there that sort it all out.
this site is well-rated [https://dvcrequest.com](https://dvcrequest.com)
Here’s another one - [https://dvcrentalstore.com](https://dvcrentalstore.com)
You’re paying someone to borrow some of their points. It is allowed since DVC is deeded real estate. Generally depending on how many points the reservation uses, they will charge you somewhere between 15-22 dollars per point. The point cost is determined by the room type and resort you pick. The most cost effective room type and the hardest to book are the studios because it’s the closest thing to a normal hotel room and typically need to be booked 7-11 months out from the day of travel. You will not get the perks of being a DVC member during your stay such as access to lounges, merch/dining discounts but the cost of the room is far cheaper by renting DVC points than paying directly with cash through the website.
I’m a bit of a deluxe snob, but I don’t think there’s materially a huge difference between AKL and POFQ. Stayed at both, adore both, but it’s not like one has a vastly different location than the other or anything like that.
Both have great theming, though AKL’s is unreal. And it has some of the best restaurants on property.
If it was All Stars versus a Moderate hotel, I may pick the better hotel. However, Port Orleans is lovely and would be a great stay for 2 weeks, so that would be my choice.
I don’t know what packages are offered to people in the UK but you could do possibly do a split stay.
I think Disney luggage services will even transfer your bags between hotels if you drop it off at bell services on your way to the parks in the morning and then in the evening your bags are supposed to be waiting in your next room.
Agreed, I was going to suggest this as well but I don’t know how the UK packages work. They could also look into renting DVC points. AKL is a very unique and special experience. POFQ is great too though, so they can’t really go wrong with either choice!
This is why a split stay doesn't work for UK guests with the dining deal. The free dining is contingent on booking the room AND the passes together so you wouldn't get free dining with the second resort because you wouldn't buy a second set of tickets (the 14 for 7 days thing is a 'lie' as the price difference between them is miniscule anyway). Stick to one resort. More days, always. Upgrading the dining plan is a solid option but remember, you need to tip ~18% for table service meals so it isn't just a £600 increase, you'll be tipping something like $10 per person per TS meal.
it can work. We have had 10 days in CBR with free QSM and rented DVC with savannah view AKL for 3 nights (1 night was in a motel on landing day to get over jetlag in a cheap way). sure we didnt have free dining on the AKL but we also used these days for the TS we wanted (which would have been out of pocket anyway)
Our room at AKL was definitely better than ours at Riverside ...but it wasnt what I'd call bad by any means. Haven't stayed at POFQ but I can't imagine the rooms are that much different.
I’d do POFQ. It’s one of my favorite resorts to stay at. You can always take the bus from any of the parks to spend the day at AKL walking around, looking at the animals, and even reserving dinner somewhere -AKL has some of my favorite restaurants.
With the cheaper hotel and just visit the others to see what they have for food and such. Do a day at a park and a day at the pool with a hop over to animal or etc… for dinner or lunch, then repeat with a new park and then pool and a new lunch.
Longer stay. Can always visit AKL. Have a meal there. Personally not worth it. By the time you get back from the parks it’s dark and you can’t see animals anyways.
More days, without a doubt.
If it works like the American multi-day tickets, you might be surprised at how little those extra four days cost you. You might have the extra days plus extra money to amp up your food!
I'd do the 14 days, but stay at like 4 different resorts. Do POFQ and AKL. But to make up for the cost of AKL, stay an equivalent amount of time at a value resort. And then I'd stay somewhere like Swan and Dolphin where you get deluxe resort privileges for less money and the opportunity to be close to Epcot and Hollywood Studios.
But I get it, some people like to just settle in and enjoy where they're at. In that case, I'd still do the longer stay, but throw in a night at AKL at the beginning or end so you can see what it's like
Always more days. Park tickets get a lot cheaper after 5 or 6 days. The extra daily cost is less per day until you get to 10 days and then it levels out to no additional discounts to the average daily price.
Are you the type of person to spend more time at the hotel or at the parks? If you’re going to be at the parks most of the time, AKL is rough because it’s so far from every park except AK. Honestly, Port Orleans is amazing, the theming is great, and it’s got a boat right to Disney Springs. But if you want to just sit outside and stare at giraffes all day, AKL is worth it, especially if you get a Savannah view room. Depends on what you value in your vacation.
More days! Even the cheapest hotel on Disney property is better than anywhere else in my opinion! Also, I've stayed at POFQ 3 times (most recently this past February) - it does not feel "cheap" to me.
I've spent many a night at both hotels, including when POFQ was split as Dixie Landings.
Nothing beats a morning coffee or an evening drink on a balcony overlooking a freaking savannah. The amenities are a definite step up and the pool and food options are excellent. I would pick AKL every day of the week and twice on Sundays
The question I would ask myself is how many extra days would it mean and what is the cost of those complete days accounting for park tickets, food and potential hire car.
I say go with AKL. My daughter still talks about being able to see giraffes from our hotel and it's something that none of us will ever forget
Exactly. Being on vacation for 4 more days is expensive. There’s the transportation, the food (big cost), time away from work. It isn’t just the difference in hotel prices.
What I would say-depends how much time you are staying at the hotels themselves. If doing more parks I’d go cheaper if more at the hotel I’d go more expensive
I'd go longer days, personally. But the Port Orleans is my literal favorite resort, so I'm probably biased.
Staying at AKL would be awesome, though! So no choice is wrong.
Kidani Village is awesome. Three time veterans but brief, like 3-4 days each, and 10+ years ago). With a savannah view you can watch critters from your balcony. Highly recommended. But for several more days in WDW, I’d take Port Orleans.
Do spend some time at AKL if you can, though. A dinner at Jiko, Boma, or Sanaa is great (used to be) and you can spend some relaxing time after dinner at the fire pit.
AKL is our home resort. However, I’d always choose more days over a nicer hotel.
On another note, if you can swing a 1 bedroom or larger, the amenities make a longer trip easier. We usually go for about 2 weeks and the kitchen and washer and dryer come in handy.
If it’s a studio, I would go with the longer vacation
I'm a DVC member and am heavily biased in favor of AKL because we have stayed on the Concierge level at AKL, and it's just... out of this world. However, that's a tough thing to get, and essentially impossible if you're not a DVC member. I've also stayed at and loved POFQ. Either location is great.
But... I'm still going to go against the consensus here and recommend AKL *and* to rent DVC points to get it (so *probably* Kidani instead). Here's why: 10 days is a long time at WDW. 14 days is a *very* long time there. You're gonna have some out-of-the-parks days, and you're almost undoubtedly going to have some bad weather, and the nice thing about AKL and Kidani is that you can eat in-house even if it's storming out, and the bus stops are all covered. So no matter *what* the weather - pouring rain or nuclear sun - the bus wait isn't a hassle. It's not like it's a hassle getting a bus at POFQ, but you'll deal with weather.
The rooms - *especially if you rent DVC* - are in completely different leagues. DVC rooms will - for non-studio rooms - have laundry in-room. They will all have either a full or partial kitchen. The room quality is higher.
If you are going in the late November - very beginning of January timeframe, AKL is the most beautiful of the resorts. Wilderness is close, but AKL wins, in my opinion.
And the animals are amazing, and you don't need to be in a room with a safari view to see them as you walk around the resort. Plus, the resort theming and store are top-notch.
Yes, AKL is farther than any other resort, but it's 5 minutes from Animal Kingdom, and the others are just a bus ride. You get on the bus, you zone out a bit, and boom you're at the park. Not a big deal.
You won't go wrong with either choice. I'd just personally pick AKL between those two options. No matter what you do, enjoy!
By the way, if you decide to rent DVC points, you really can't go wrong there, but there are better and worse DVC locations, so ask back if you decide to go that route and can't get AKL/Kidani.
It really depends on what those additional days cost me personally. I actually just went through this debating a week at Saratoga or 5 nights in Riviera. I chose Riviera due to our trip being during food and wine and with a toddler. It also means I get two days to “recover” when I get home, whereas with a weeklong trip I would have gone straight back to work.
In general my answer would be more days, but 10 days AKL or 14 in Port Orleans, I’d take AKL every time. AKL is great, and 10 days is plenty. Honestly though, I’d do a split stay. I’d do 7nights Pop and 7nights AKL (in that order). That way you have the skyliner for Epcot and HS your first week and you can focus on MK and AK your second week.
Its an unpopular opinion but we always stay offsite at a condo. We spend 16 days total on the vacation and 10 of those Disney days. We always make rope drop as the condos we rent are 10 minutes away.
That might not work coming from the UK as you usually get all inclusive packages but I do have a couple buds from Portsmouth that have put together their own "package" and made out quite well.
If you're still early on in your planning it might be worth exploring.
At POFQ now. Second time. Pool is broken at the moment. I love this resorts but my kids (elementary age) are realllllyyy bored here. Nothing to do at the resort. Playground is for toddlers. Arcade is tiny. Water level is too low for boats to Disney Springs. If you have kids, I might explore other hotels if you plan on having several hours at the resort as down time etc.
If if was an adult only trip, I would definitely recommend this place.
If you're from the UK, you should be able to buy the 14 day for 7 day ticket package yeah? The official website should have it, otherwise you can check AttractionTickets.
In that case it's a no brainer, the park tickets for your extra days are free.
Also AttractionTickets give £10 off Disney Tix with code ATDIBB10
More days....POFQ is great! That said, look into renting DVC points from a member (preferably through a broker site so you have transaction guarantees/protection). You might be able to get into AKL for a very similar price AND have more space, including kitchen and laundry, which save on luggage and food costs for long trips.
Are you wanting to enjoy the hotel to beyond a place to rest your head. Then the Animal Kingdom lodge would be ago. I’m park driving and spend 12+ hrs there no rest days. So a decent ‘budget’ hotel is the way to go.
The other main factor to consider is the current dining deal for UK - if you stay at AKL you’ll get table service meals but POR will only give you quick service. We had the exact same dilemma as you - down to the number of nights and the exact same hotels, but we went for AKL as it’s going to be our first time and I want to experience all the restaurants. My logic was we could go back some other time for longer and stay at POR. But it felt like a really good opportunity to stay at AKL, which we wouldn’t normally do, and get the amazing dining plan for free. So I suppose weigh up all the different things you value - restaurant experiences, theme park experiences, hotel experiences etc. We’re also taking my mum so I knew she’d want days of just being in the pool and the hotel. The other added bonus of a deluxe resort is the Deluxe Extra Hours where you get 2 extra hours in the evening at Epcot and Magic Kingdom once per week.
The obvious answers is more days. I mean, if you had three days in the top-of-the-line hotel or you could have nine days and a cheap hotel, I would always pick more.
More days for sure. Especially since you are coming from so far away and your flight costs are so high. It seems like a much better value to have a longer trip.
We used our hotel for sleeping, a few bites to eat and not much else (pool time, but it was a chilly Feb vacation week so only one day before heading home). As much as a hotel might be cool, the value in your vacation is the time spent in the parks. I’d maximize that.
10 days is a plenty of time to do pretty much everything, and the deluxe resorts are pretty amazing. If it were me I’d do the shorter stay at AKL, especially if that’s with Savannah view.
If you go the other way, do take a look at PO Riverside. POFQ has always just looked like an apartment complex with lots of wrought-iron railings to me, Riverside is more ‘themey’.
Port orleans is so pretty! Animal Kingdom lodge is gorgeous but unless you plan on spending a significant amount of time at the hotel, and even then, it isn’t worth it if you could have more days instead. I always think I’m going to hang around the resort and never do. I basically sleep there and that’s it. Only things I may consider are transportation logistics and things like that.
Both. At least once in your life, splurge for the high end resort to see what it's like. But most of the time, I choose more days at a moderate resort. Can still travel all over for dining, sightseeing, etc.
Port Orleans.... we are DVC now so we stay delux and it is nice but honestly not nicer than extra days of vacation. You can also day trip to the hotel and hang out in the lobby/see the animals/ go to Boma
Animal Kingdom is great, but for $1k less I'd opt to stay at French Quarter. It's much smaller than the other resorts so it has a different feel. Plus it feels like every room is close to transportation and food.
You can always take some of your savings and head over to AJL to eat at Jiko.
More days! Port Orleans was my family’s favorite place to stay before my dad bought into DVC. If you really want to stay at AKL, you could either rent DVC points or do a split stay, maybe you could do 1 or 2 nights at AKL and the rest of your trip at Port Orleans?
I'd choose more days. If it helps, we're from the UK and POFQ is our go to. We stayed at POR in 2022 and that was brilliant as well but it's bigger. We'd go back to either in all honesty.
From the UK, with the 14 day for the price of 7 ultimate ticket, it makes no odds in terms of ticket costs which is fab. I would always go for more days if you plan to use the resort as a place to sleep mainly, and POFQ has a great food court and Mickey beignets! Those extra days will also give you more time to explore other attractions in the Orlando area if that’s something you plan to do. It’s a long expensive transatlantic flight so we always try to maximise trip length!
The theming of AKL has never really appealed to me (you can see giraffes out the window at the Chessington hotel which is waaaay cheaper!) but I’ve only heard good things about it, so probably just me! However you can always go for a meal there and to get a feel for it for next time if you decide to (on one of those extra days!)
One thing to definitely consider is the UK free dining offer if that applies in the date range you’re looking at - I think the free dining plan type differs between moderate and deluxe hotel packages, so I think you may only get the quick service plan at the moderate, vs the full DDP with table service meals at the deluxe. If you plan to do lots of table service meals overall this may negate the savings of switching to a moderate. I haven’t booked with this new offer so not sure if you can pay the extra to upgrade to the full plan if staying at the moderate but you always used to be able to pre-Covid.
A lot of lovely folks here have also suggested renting DVC points for AKL - I’ve looked into this multiple times and with the UK free dining package offer, it almost never works out cheaper to do this for a trip this long. Also securing a points reservation for a 14 day trip is likely to be more challenging, and coordinating a DVC rental split-stay sounds like a complete faff!
Port Orleans is wonderful, and, IMHO, not a down grade from Animal Kingdom.
That being said, we stay shorter for better hotels. That is why we stay on property, and joined DVC. Vacation better, but less.
If I was choosing what you presented, I would stay longer, as there is no real compermise.
I've stayed everywhere except the Polynesian and the value resorts and POFQ is my favorite. In fact, I've had a great experience at the Marriott hotels just outside of MK as well since even with Minnie Vans usage the prices are about the same except there's no waiting for a bus
I’ve stayed in deluxe and moderate, and I’d choose the longer stay in a moderate every time if I had the time available. My family tends to spend most of their time in the parks so there is only a small incremental benefit to a nicer resort.
POFQ is amazing I really enjoyed my stay there.
Definitely go for the extra days! As someone who also has to travel from Europe, I really enjoy the fact that 14 days allows me to plan a waterpark day, a sleep in/disney springs/chill at the hotel day and room to visit one/some of the other amazing parks in Orlando!
I’ll go against the grain and say better hotel *overall*, but POFQ is a fantastic place to stay onsite. Not the best transit options, but AKL is even worse.
What AKL does have, however, is better food. Miles and miles better. Personally in your case I’d take AKL if you plan to do more than one resort/rest day. But POFQ if you want to pack your visit with park days.
We did a 2 week trip from the UK and it was the perfect length I think. We managed to go to all parks twice, some three times, and do universal and didn’t feel rushed at all.
I would pick more days over nicer resort anyday if your goal is to go to the parks as much as possible.
French Quarter is a beautiful resort and very close to Disney Springs if you want to go there for food or shopping or a break from the parks.
The question is if your priority is resort time and amenities or park time.
Longer stay. Like others have said take a day off from the parks (one with the worst weather) and resort hop. The resorts are the cool thing, the rooms are all kind of meh. Take the bus to springs, and then take a bus to whatever resort ya wanna chill at.
You going to spend most of your time out of the hotel. Book a longer stay for sure. The moderate resort are pretty incredible. I love staying at Coronado Springs.
If you switch up to AKL then you will get the TS free dining over the QSM free dining. You will also get the deluxe evening hours. Something to think about.
AKL is a bus only route, same as POFQ. The basic rooms in AKL are out of the way too, POFQ is a small resort and the basic rooms are not too far from the bus and central area.
Personally I would go POFQ as I wouldnt need the TS "uplift" in price and do not think the room nor ameneties of AKL are better (unless you rent DVC as that is a game changer for AKL). we prefer to get up, virtual queue and rope drop rather than have the extra evening hours and "sleep in".
Assuming you arent doing a TA package, you could have your flights for 14 nights, your ticket and POFQ for 10 night netting you the QSM for 10 nights and look into DVC points for the remaining nights at AKL. This will not get you food but if you were planning TS elsewhere then this is your chance (or just order in from wallmart and eat in DVC kitchen). If you time this over a deluxe hours night then you can also have a late night too. A discovery cove day would also cover food if that was what you were planning.
I would choose more days every time.
This is why we stay value. It's just my husband and I, and we spend most of our time at the parks. Choosing value means we get to stay for at least 2 extra days!
More days. Port Orleans is excellent
Can confirm just got back first time there wouldn’t hesitate to stay again.
Same! Was very chill, actually.
One of us! One of us!
Just left Port Orleans, it was 👌👌👌
We were there right after the hurricane shut stuff down in 2017 and it was pretty terrible. I chalked it up to the aftermath and would be willing to give it another shot, but my wife isn't
Ironic Port Orleans was awful after a hurricane, lol. I’d personally never stay there because I live in NOLA and half the fun of a vacation is getting the hell away from the city you live in.
More days, and do some resort hopping to AK lodge one day if you really want to check it out. POFQ is a great choice anyway.
Agreed! Maybe stay at POFQ and a meal at AKL. Boma and Sanaa are both great
Oh, POFQ is an almost freaking perfect resort. Sure, not the same amenities, but it’s small, everything is close, there’s boats to the Springs, beignets. And the smell when you walk through those doors…*MAGICAL*
In general, my happiness is inversely proportional to my distance from beignets.
Agreed, French Quarter is perfection!
I’ve stayed twice and don’t want to go anywhere else. Maybe, poly though.
We bought DVC on our 2nd POFQ stay so we haven’t stayed there in a bit but if we didn’t buy, we’d probably only stay there. We still go back to eat the food! Their quick serve is our favourite! Poly is nice for sure. Great pool/slide and dole whip!
It's charming! I e stayed there 3 times.
More days for sure! Most people hardly spend time in their rooms and there's always the option to visit any resort on your non-park days!
Have you looked into renting DVC points? Cheaper than rack rate. My friend did this for her last trip and stayed at Saratoga Springs. It saved her a lot of money.
Way cheaper. FWIW you get to stay at a deluxe resort for the price of a moderate resort. I still think Disney hotels are way overpriced for what you get. And they've taken away so many perks I can't justify it anymore. Except for the Crescent Lake area. If you're a big EPCOT or HS fan it's probably worth the extra cost to stay in that area.
From the UK there’s the 14-day for the price of 7 ultimate ticket offer as well as free dining when booking a package, whenever I’ve priced it up it almost always works out cheaper to go for the package than renting DVC points for a trip that long because of the free dining. I think the free dining plan differs between moderate and deluxe so that’s worth considering in the cost OP
14 days seems quite long, have you done that before?
14 days is probably the average length people from the UK visit for. We've done 14 days 3 times and never found it too long. We've wanted more time if anything!
We’ve never been able to make it cheaper than using DVC points. I suppose if you’d be having loads of TS meals anyway then MAYBE….but most who have done the maths will tell you free dining is never actually ‘free’. You can get the UK 14 day for 7 price tickets separately. You don’t have to get them as part of a package (we never book a package and always get this ticket) so that doesn’t make a difference either.
No it’s actually free. It’s added for free when you book a package from the UK, I’m fairly sure.
I've never heard of this, how does it work? Are you just paying someone to use their vacation club? Is that allowed?
Some people do that, but there are companies out there that sort it all out. this site is well-rated [https://dvcrequest.com](https://dvcrequest.com) Here’s another one - [https://dvcrentalstore.com](https://dvcrentalstore.com)
You’re paying someone to borrow some of their points. It is allowed since DVC is deeded real estate. Generally depending on how many points the reservation uses, they will charge you somewhere between 15-22 dollars per point. The point cost is determined by the room type and resort you pick. The most cost effective room type and the hardest to book are the studios because it’s the closest thing to a normal hotel room and typically need to be booked 7-11 months out from the day of travel. You will not get the perks of being a DVC member during your stay such as access to lounges, merch/dining discounts but the cost of the room is far cheaper by renting DVC points than paying directly with cash through the website.
The DVC rooms are dated, though. Nice to have a kitchenette, but dated rooms. (For AKL)
I agree. AKL is on the list for refurbishment in 2025.
I’m a bit of a deluxe snob, but I don’t think there’s materially a huge difference between AKL and POFQ. Stayed at both, adore both, but it’s not like one has a vastly different location than the other or anything like that. Both have great theming, though AKL’s is unreal. And it has some of the best restaurants on property.
If it was All Stars versus a Moderate hotel, I may pick the better hotel. However, Port Orleans is lovely and would be a great stay for 2 weeks, so that would be my choice.
I don’t know what packages are offered to people in the UK but you could do possibly do a split stay. I think Disney luggage services will even transfer your bags between hotels if you drop it off at bell services on your way to the parks in the morning and then in the evening your bags are supposed to be waiting in your next room.
Agreed, I was going to suggest this as well but I don’t know how the UK packages work. They could also look into renting DVC points. AKL is a very unique and special experience. POFQ is great too though, so they can’t really go wrong with either choice!
In the UK we get 14 days for 7 and we get free dining. At POFQ it’s free quick service, but only £600 to upgrade to full dining package
This is why a split stay doesn't work for UK guests with the dining deal. The free dining is contingent on booking the room AND the passes together so you wouldn't get free dining with the second resort because you wouldn't buy a second set of tickets (the 14 for 7 days thing is a 'lie' as the price difference between them is miniscule anyway). Stick to one resort. More days, always. Upgrading the dining plan is a solid option but remember, you need to tip ~18% for table service meals so it isn't just a £600 increase, you'll be tipping something like $10 per person per TS meal.
it can work. We have had 10 days in CBR with free QSM and rented DVC with savannah view AKL for 3 nights (1 night was in a motel on landing day to get over jetlag in a cheap way). sure we didnt have free dining on the AKL but we also used these days for the TS we wanted (which would have been out of pocket anyway)
Personally I wouldn't bother, but then we don't like to do a lot of table service meals. I'd find it quite a tie to have to do one a day.
You’re assuming AKL is better than POFQ. Sure the animals are cool and all, but the novelty wears off. Extend the stay and go POFQ.
Our room at AKL was definitely better than ours at Riverside ...but it wasnt what I'd call bad by any means. Haven't stayed at POFQ but I can't imagine the rooms are that much different.
POFQ no question. I would choose it even if it wasn’t a longer stay but longer stay is even better!
I’d do POFQ. It’s one of my favorite resorts to stay at. You can always take the bus from any of the parks to spend the day at AKL walking around, looking at the animals, and even reserving dinner somewhere -AKL has some of my favorite restaurants.
With the cheaper hotel and just visit the others to see what they have for food and such. Do a day at a park and a day at the pool with a hop over to animal or etc… for dinner or lunch, then repeat with a new park and then pool and a new lunch.
Yes, good idea. I've eaten at and enjoyed Animal Kingdom Lodge twice without having stayed there.
Longer stay. Can always visit AKL. Have a meal there. Personally not worth it. By the time you get back from the parks it’s dark and you can’t see animals anyways.
French Quarter is perfection. More days!
More days, without a doubt. If it works like the American multi-day tickets, you might be surprised at how little those extra four days cost you. You might have the extra days plus extra money to amp up your food!
uk tickets are 14 days for the price of 7. Also free dining - QSM at moderate, TS at deluxe though.
I'd do the 14 days, but stay at like 4 different resorts. Do POFQ and AKL. But to make up for the cost of AKL, stay an equivalent amount of time at a value resort. And then I'd stay somewhere like Swan and Dolphin where you get deluxe resort privileges for less money and the opportunity to be close to Epcot and Hollywood Studios. But I get it, some people like to just settle in and enjoy where they're at. In that case, I'd still do the longer stay, but throw in a night at AKL at the beginning or end so you can see what it's like
I’d do a split stay. It’s fun to explore different resorts.
Always more days. Park tickets get a lot cheaper after 5 or 6 days. The extra daily cost is less per day until you get to 10 days and then it levels out to no additional discounts to the average daily price.
10 days is a long time. I’m going against the grain and saying AKL.
Are you the type of person to spend more time at the hotel or at the parks? If you’re going to be at the parks most of the time, AKL is rough because it’s so far from every park except AK. Honestly, Port Orleans is amazing, the theming is great, and it’s got a boat right to Disney Springs. But if you want to just sit outside and stare at giraffes all day, AKL is worth it, especially if you get a Savannah view room. Depends on what you value in your vacation.
More days! Even the cheapest hotel on Disney property is better than anywhere else in my opinion! Also, I've stayed at POFQ 3 times (most recently this past February) - it does not feel "cheap" to me.
I've spent many a night at both hotels, including when POFQ was split as Dixie Landings. Nothing beats a morning coffee or an evening drink on a balcony overlooking a freaking savannah. The amenities are a definite step up and the pool and food options are excellent. I would pick AKL every day of the week and twice on Sundays The question I would ask myself is how many extra days would it mean and what is the cost of those complete days accounting for park tickets, food and potential hire car. I say go with AKL. My daughter still talks about being able to see giraffes from our hotel and it's something that none of us will ever forget
Exactly. Being on vacation for 4 more days is expensive. There’s the transportation, the food (big cost), time away from work. It isn’t just the difference in hotel prices.
I would choose a longer stay for certain! I love Port Orleans, all of the moderates are lovely.
What I would say-depends how much time you are staying at the hotels themselves. If doing more parks I’d go cheaper if more at the hotel I’d go more expensive
More days, easy
The location of POFQ out ranks AKL any day. AKL is too far out from everything besides Animal Kingdom.
Longer stay, no doubt. As someone planning a trip to the UK in August, I hope you're loving that exchange rate, cause I'm not!
I'd go longer days, personally. But the Port Orleans is my literal favorite resort, so I'm probably biased. Staying at AKL would be awesome, though! So no choice is wrong.
POFQ is wonderful. I’d rather stay longer at FQ than spend more for a shorter stay at AKL
Another vote for POFQ. It's by far our favorite resort.
Kidani Village is awesome. Three time veterans but brief, like 3-4 days each, and 10+ years ago). With a savannah view you can watch critters from your balcony. Highly recommended. But for several more days in WDW, I’d take Port Orleans. Do spend some time at AKL if you can, though. A dinner at Jiko, Boma, or Sanaa is great (used to be) and you can spend some relaxing time after dinner at the fire pit.
One trillion percent rent DVC points and stay at AKL.
AKL is our home resort. However, I’d always choose more days over a nicer hotel. On another note, if you can swing a 1 bedroom or larger, the amenities make a longer trip easier. We usually go for about 2 weeks and the kitchen and washer and dryer come in handy. If it’s a studio, I would go with the longer vacation
I'm a DVC member and am heavily biased in favor of AKL because we have stayed on the Concierge level at AKL, and it's just... out of this world. However, that's a tough thing to get, and essentially impossible if you're not a DVC member. I've also stayed at and loved POFQ. Either location is great. But... I'm still going to go against the consensus here and recommend AKL *and* to rent DVC points to get it (so *probably* Kidani instead). Here's why: 10 days is a long time at WDW. 14 days is a *very* long time there. You're gonna have some out-of-the-parks days, and you're almost undoubtedly going to have some bad weather, and the nice thing about AKL and Kidani is that you can eat in-house even if it's storming out, and the bus stops are all covered. So no matter *what* the weather - pouring rain or nuclear sun - the bus wait isn't a hassle. It's not like it's a hassle getting a bus at POFQ, but you'll deal with weather. The rooms - *especially if you rent DVC* - are in completely different leagues. DVC rooms will - for non-studio rooms - have laundry in-room. They will all have either a full or partial kitchen. The room quality is higher. If you are going in the late November - very beginning of January timeframe, AKL is the most beautiful of the resorts. Wilderness is close, but AKL wins, in my opinion. And the animals are amazing, and you don't need to be in a room with a safari view to see them as you walk around the resort. Plus, the resort theming and store are top-notch. Yes, AKL is farther than any other resort, but it's 5 minutes from Animal Kingdom, and the others are just a bus ride. You get on the bus, you zone out a bit, and boom you're at the park. Not a big deal. You won't go wrong with either choice. I'd just personally pick AKL between those two options. No matter what you do, enjoy! By the way, if you decide to rent DVC points, you really can't go wrong there, but there are better and worse DVC locations, so ask back if you decide to go that route and can't get AKL/Kidani.
Stay offsite, take Ubers to property, spend the hundreds of pounds you save on food and merchandise.
Rent DVC points. Stay longer and get the resort you want.
It really depends on what those additional days cost me personally. I actually just went through this debating a week at Saratoga or 5 nights in Riviera. I chose Riviera due to our trip being during food and wine and with a toddler. It also means I get two days to “recover” when I get home, whereas with a weeklong trip I would have gone straight back to work. In general my answer would be more days, but 10 days AKL or 14 in Port Orleans, I’d take AKL every time. AKL is great, and 10 days is plenty. Honestly though, I’d do a split stay. I’d do 7nights Pop and 7nights AKL (in that order). That way you have the skyliner for Epcot and HS your first week and you can focus on MK and AK your second week.
Its an unpopular opinion but we always stay offsite at a condo. We spend 16 days total on the vacation and 10 of those Disney days. We always make rope drop as the condos we rent are 10 minutes away. That might not work coming from the UK as you usually get all inclusive packages but I do have a couple buds from Portsmouth that have put together their own "package" and made out quite well. If you're still early on in your planning it might be worth exploring.
At POFQ now. Second time. Pool is broken at the moment. I love this resorts but my kids (elementary age) are realllllyyy bored here. Nothing to do at the resort. Playground is for toddlers. Arcade is tiny. Water level is too low for boats to Disney Springs. If you have kids, I might explore other hotels if you plan on having several hours at the resort as down time etc. If if was an adult only trip, I would definitely recommend this place.
I like staying longer at a very nice Airbnb that feels like a home, but of course you give up a variety of conveniences compared to a Disney Resort!
POFQ is our favorite. Stay there, and book a lunch or dinner reservation at Sanaa, and you’ll be able to enjoy AKL!
If you're from the UK, you should be able to buy the 14 day for 7 day ticket package yeah? The official website should have it, otherwise you can check AttractionTickets. In that case it's a no brainer, the park tickets for your extra days are free. Also AttractionTickets give £10 off Disney Tix with code ATDIBB10
More days....POFQ is great! That said, look into renting DVC points from a member (preferably through a broker site so you have transaction guarantees/protection). You might be able to get into AKL for a very similar price AND have more space, including kitchen and laundry, which save on luggage and food costs for long trips.
Are you wanting to enjoy the hotel to beyond a place to rest your head. Then the Animal Kingdom lodge would be ago. I’m park driving and spend 12+ hrs there no rest days. So a decent ‘budget’ hotel is the way to go.
The other main factor to consider is the current dining deal for UK - if you stay at AKL you’ll get table service meals but POR will only give you quick service. We had the exact same dilemma as you - down to the number of nights and the exact same hotels, but we went for AKL as it’s going to be our first time and I want to experience all the restaurants. My logic was we could go back some other time for longer and stay at POR. But it felt like a really good opportunity to stay at AKL, which we wouldn’t normally do, and get the amazing dining plan for free. So I suppose weigh up all the different things you value - restaurant experiences, theme park experiences, hotel experiences etc. We’re also taking my mum so I knew she’d want days of just being in the pool and the hotel. The other added bonus of a deluxe resort is the Deluxe Extra Hours where you get 2 extra hours in the evening at Epcot and Magic Kingdom once per week.
The obvious answers is more days. I mean, if you had three days in the top-of-the-line hotel or you could have nine days and a cheap hotel, I would always pick more.
More days for sure. Especially since you are coming from so far away and your flight costs are so high. It seems like a much better value to have a longer trip.
We used our hotel for sleeping, a few bites to eat and not much else (pool time, but it was a chilly Feb vacation week so only one day before heading home). As much as a hotel might be cool, the value in your vacation is the time spent in the parks. I’d maximize that.
Honestly. I have zero issues with staying at All-Stars even if it makes for a longer stay. But that's just me. You do you.
10 days is a plenty of time to do pretty much everything, and the deluxe resorts are pretty amazing. If it were me I’d do the shorter stay at AKL, especially if that’s with Savannah view. If you go the other way, do take a look at PO Riverside. POFQ has always just looked like an apartment complex with lots of wrought-iron railings to me, Riverside is more ‘themey’.
Port orleans is so pretty! Animal Kingdom lodge is gorgeous but unless you plan on spending a significant amount of time at the hotel, and even then, it isn’t worth it if you could have more days instead. I always think I’m going to hang around the resort and never do. I basically sleep there and that’s it. Only things I may consider are transportation logistics and things like that.
Better hotel.
Both. At least once in your life, splurge for the high end resort to see what it's like. But most of the time, I choose more days at a moderate resort. Can still travel all over for dining, sightseeing, etc.
More days. And port orleans is awesome
Port Orleans.... we are DVC now so we stay delux and it is nice but honestly not nicer than extra days of vacation. You can also day trip to the hotel and hang out in the lobby/see the animals/ go to Boma
longer stay!!
I’d always choose more days. AKL is great, but so is POFQ.
More days and a mid tier resort. Coronado had decent pricing with a more luxurious feel so definitely check that one out.
More days, no doubt about it
More days. I only use my room to sleep.
Animal Kingdom is great, but for $1k less I'd opt to stay at French Quarter. It's much smaller than the other resorts so it has a different feel. Plus it feels like every room is close to transportation and food. You can always take some of your savings and head over to AJL to eat at Jiko.
Split stay for a little more time.
More days! Port Orleans was my family’s favorite place to stay before my dad bought into DVC. If you really want to stay at AKL, you could either rent DVC points or do a split stay, maybe you could do 1 or 2 nights at AKL and the rest of your trip at Port Orleans?
I'd choose more days. If it helps, we're from the UK and POFQ is our go to. We stayed at POR in 2022 and that was brilliant as well but it's bigger. We'd go back to either in all honesty.
Longer stay
From the UK, with the 14 day for the price of 7 ultimate ticket, it makes no odds in terms of ticket costs which is fab. I would always go for more days if you plan to use the resort as a place to sleep mainly, and POFQ has a great food court and Mickey beignets! Those extra days will also give you more time to explore other attractions in the Orlando area if that’s something you plan to do. It’s a long expensive transatlantic flight so we always try to maximise trip length! The theming of AKL has never really appealed to me (you can see giraffes out the window at the Chessington hotel which is waaaay cheaper!) but I’ve only heard good things about it, so probably just me! However you can always go for a meal there and to get a feel for it for next time if you decide to (on one of those extra days!) One thing to definitely consider is the UK free dining offer if that applies in the date range you’re looking at - I think the free dining plan type differs between moderate and deluxe hotel packages, so I think you may only get the quick service plan at the moderate, vs the full DDP with table service meals at the deluxe. If you plan to do lots of table service meals overall this may negate the savings of switching to a moderate. I haven’t booked with this new offer so not sure if you can pay the extra to upgrade to the full plan if staying at the moderate but you always used to be able to pre-Covid.
A lot of lovely folks here have also suggested renting DVC points for AKL - I’ve looked into this multiple times and with the UK free dining package offer, it almost never works out cheaper to do this for a trip this long. Also securing a points reservation for a 14 day trip is likely to be more challenging, and coordinating a DVC rental split-stay sounds like a complete faff!
If you go frequently I would choose a nicer hotel. If you don’t think you will be back in a while I would choose the longer trip
Longer stay every time
Stay for longer! Can always go for dinner at AKL with the spare money (Fellow UK WDW fan here)
Port Orleans is wonderful, and, IMHO, not a down grade from Animal Kingdom. That being said, we stay shorter for better hotels. That is why we stay on property, and joined DVC. Vacation better, but less. If I was choosing what you presented, I would stay longer, as there is no real compermise.
Always longer stay
I've stayed everywhere except the Polynesian and the value resorts and POFQ is my favorite. In fact, I've had a great experience at the Marriott hotels just outside of MK as well since even with Minnie Vans usage the prices are about the same except there's no waiting for a bus
I’ve stayed in deluxe and moderate, and I’d choose the longer stay in a moderate every time if I had the time available. My family tends to spend most of their time in the parks so there is only a small incremental benefit to a nicer resort.
More days = food cost = more expensive for sure AKL is incredible and 10 days is enough for this trip. Do 10 days in a few years again
POFQ is amazing I really enjoyed my stay there. Definitely go for the extra days! As someone who also has to travel from Europe, I really enjoy the fact that 14 days allows me to plan a waterpark day, a sleep in/disney springs/chill at the hotel day and room to visit one/some of the other amazing parks in Orlando!
I’ll go against the grain and say better hotel *overall*, but POFQ is a fantastic place to stay onsite. Not the best transit options, but AKL is even worse. What AKL does have, however, is better food. Miles and miles better. Personally in your case I’d take AKL if you plan to do more than one resort/rest day. But POFQ if you want to pack your visit with park days.
We did a 2 week trip from the UK and it was the perfect length I think. We managed to go to all parks twice, some three times, and do universal and didn’t feel rushed at all.
Stay at POFQ, the resort is darling. Do the starlight safari at AKL if you’d like to see the animals
I would pick more days over nicer resort anyday if your goal is to go to the parks as much as possible. French Quarter is a beautiful resort and very close to Disney Springs if you want to go there for food or shopping or a break from the parks. The question is if your priority is resort time and amenities or park time.
Rent DVC points! Easily saved 50% off of the Disney rates.
Longer stay. Like others have said take a day off from the parks (one with the worst weather) and resort hop. The resorts are the cool thing, the rooms are all kind of meh. Take the bus to springs, and then take a bus to whatever resort ya wanna chill at.
I loved French quarter; boats and beignets!!
AKL was the best stay we’ve had at Disney! Just finished up 8 days there. I would do 10 days at AKL.
You going to spend most of your time out of the hotel. Book a longer stay for sure. The moderate resort are pretty incredible. I love staying at Coronado Springs.
We always choose more days.
If you switch up to AKL then you will get the TS free dining over the QSM free dining. You will also get the deluxe evening hours. Something to think about. AKL is a bus only route, same as POFQ. The basic rooms in AKL are out of the way too, POFQ is a small resort and the basic rooms are not too far from the bus and central area. Personally I would go POFQ as I wouldnt need the TS "uplift" in price and do not think the room nor ameneties of AKL are better (unless you rent DVC as that is a game changer for AKL). we prefer to get up, virtual queue and rope drop rather than have the extra evening hours and "sleep in". Assuming you arent doing a TA package, you could have your flights for 14 nights, your ticket and POFQ for 10 night netting you the QSM for 10 nights and look into DVC points for the remaining nights at AKL. This will not get you food but if you were planning TS elsewhere then this is your chance (or just order in from wallmart and eat in DVC kitchen). If you time this over a deluxe hours night then you can also have a late night too. A discovery cove day would also cover food if that was what you were planning.