All Star Resorts Questions

[Tetonman]

I've been searching through the forums looking for information on the All Star Resorts and haven't found much... From looking at the disney.com site they look like a good deal for my family. We are going to Orlando 4/11-14 with our 4 year old son, 2 1/2 year old son and 6 month old son. My wife will hang at the pool with the baby and not go to the parks. (She really deserves a break!) I'll take the older kids into MK either on Saturday or Sunday.

So, here are my questions:

1. Is transportation to the MK or monorail easy to use?

2. Are the on site playgrounds good?

3. If you've stayed at the All Star Resorts, what did you like or dislike?

I'm leaning towards the Movies resort, but the Sports looks fun as well...

Thanks for your help.

Tetonman

 

[bobcat]

My family loves the All Stars. I've stayed at all three and the amenities are the same but the theming is of course different. I like music the best just because it feels a little more adult than the other two, but the theming at all three is pure Disney. Lots of fun.

Each resort has both a main pool and a quiet pool. The food courts are pretty easy to use and the food is ok. My kids love the pizza and you can get it takeout, either sent to the room (a little more expensive) or pick up in the food court. The refillable mugs are good if you will be spending time at the resort and I seem to use it quite often on pool days.

Transportation is by bus and probably the best on site. The bus to the MK takes you right to the entrance so you bypass the TTC and the ferry or the monorail. Busses run often.

Never used the playgounds so I don't have any info.

Avoid MK on Saturday! It is very busy and long waits for fantasyland rides are not uncommon. Sunday is a better choice. I suggest getting there before the park opens and ride FL rides as soon as you can. With small kids they will want to ride them over and over and having to wait in a long line is horrible at that age. Here's what we do, Dumbo first since it moves slow and the lines get huge FAST. Then either Peter Pan or Pooh switching to the other next. If you want to ride these again get a fast pass. Depending on what time of year you are going you may get to ride many times without waits. The rest of the FL rides have shorter waits but the three I mentioned can have 90 min waits easily. Toontown opens an hour after the rest of the park so you can head over there next and either meet Mickey in his house or ride Goofy's Barnstormer.

I know this seems a little jam packed but from experience if I can get the kids on all the rides early we can relax and see things the rest of the day, riding if lines are shorter. I would rather rush for a couple of hours then have the kids whine the rest of the trip that they didn't get to ride a ride.

Here's a link to infor on this board http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/resorts/asmo.htm

And at all ears http://www.wdwig.com/g_asm.htm

Hope this helps! Have a great trip!

 

[Tetonman]

Your links and information really helped! I've booked at the All Star Movie Resort, my boys will love it! (So will my wife and I!)

You wouldn't be an OU Bobcat would you? I graduated from there in 1985.... Go Bobcats!

Thanks again!

Tetonman

 

[epcotitis]

You will love ASMo! It is our favorite AS.
The one draw back....your room and bed are small, but you are not in it that much anyway.
Have fun! wish I had atrip counter going...
Deb
AU eagle...not a bobcat

 

[Jordan's MOM]

We stay at all stars and like it very much. It is a value resort at it's best. The bus service is some of the best on site.However, if you are planning a lot of time at the resort I might would look at a different resort. The pool while big is nothing special and often very noisey. Also if you will be spending a lot time in your room, you might be a little cramped with three kids. If money would allow it, I would consider a monorail resort. That would put you very close to the MK, something you might like by taking two small children to the MK alone. Of course this is the real world and if money is an issue, you will be very happy at ASMo.


Jordan's mom

 

[bobcat]

Glad to be of service. Especially to a fellow Bobcat! Class of 2000 here. Any other questions I can answer let me know.

 

[tinkerbee]

Did you already book your room? I tried for the 18-20 and all the all stars were sold out.

 

[dzneelvr]

We never stay anywhere else !!

Where is your room? If you're in Mighty Ducks or Dalmations, you have your own pool to use. There is a very clean "locker room" with laundry facilities, showers, etc. there too. Don't forget to pack some laundry detergent and fabric softener sheets. It will cut down on the amount of outfits you have to pack and by bringing your own stuff, you'll have a big savings .vs. buying it out of the vending machine. I do our loads in the middle of the trip, a morning, while the kids are swimming. Reading and lounging between loads since the pool is 5 steps away--that's what I do.
We're ready to hit the parks by 11am with clean clothes all hung up.

Have a wonderful time. You will absolutely love it !!

 

[Tetonman]

I've booked us for the 4/11-14 weekend before Easter weekend. There was availability and the airfare was very inexpensive from Chicago ($185 RT on ATA).

I've sent an email requesting a preferred room in one of the Toy Story buildings as my boys are Woody & Buzz nuts... I also made a reservation for a Character Breakfast at Mickey's Grill in the Contemporary Resort for Saturday morning to kick things off right...

 

[Jordan's MOM]

Just a FWI- The toy story building in not a prefered building. The prefered building at ASMo is the fantasia. The toy story location is almost as good as fantasia but the location is not assured as is a prefered room that you pay 10.00 extra per night for. Just wanted to make sure you get what you want.


Jordan's mom

 

[Tetonman]

Thanks for the info... looking at the proximity on the map, I thought the Toy Story buildings would also be in the preferred group... We'll see what happens... lol, either is fine by me.

 

[dhearn]

I saw that Bobcat said that the bus takes you directly to the entrance to MK. That will probably be appreciated later in the trip, but is there also a bus that takes you to the TTC? My DS loves trains and is probably just as excited about riding the monorail as he is any of the other attractions.

 

[ahutton]

I don't know that buses go to TTC anymore, but we have made a point on our trips to either do hotel runs on the monorail - we've done it for dinner trips and park breaks. We've also taken the ferry boat over to TTC from the MK and then taken the monorail back, or taken the bus to MK then monorail hopped from MK to EPCOT. DD loves it!

 

[bobcat]

I don't believe there is a bus from the All Stars that will take you to the TTC. Since your little one is looking forward to riding the monorail I suggest you ask to ride in the front of the monorail on the TTC to Epcot trip. You may have to wait but it is worth the trip! Just ask a CM when you reach the loading area.

 

[disney daft dad]

stayed in movies last 2 years buzz + pongo blocks, handy tip, at rear of both blocks are paths direct to bus stops, saved dragging
the child past arcade and the wife past the shop.
food court not bad, limited choice (but then we stayed 3 wks & it
became repetitive). bus service to parks was excellent despite shared service with *** & asMu only down side was buses to/from dd which took approx 45min with standing room only on return, no fun when carrying a tired out child.
Housekeeping could not do enough for us,arranging the toys in the room window and making sure we had plenty of linen.
pool area good fun but a little crowded at peak times (even in oct)
kids play area was not so good, sand pit seemed to be used as an ashtray at nights.
still had great time both years and can't wait to get back this year
and get our next disney fix.

 

[Barb D]

Toy Story is just as close to everything as Fantasia. Stick with Toy Story. Fantasia is directly in front of the main building and Toy Story and Dalmations are off to either side. Even if you don't stay in Toy Story, though, make a point of taking your kids to the Andy's Room play area. They'll have a blast playing on the giant size toys (an RC car they can climb in, etc.)

The bus drops you off at the entrance to MK, and the monorail stops there, too. It would be very easy to hop off the bus and take a short walk to the monorail for a quick ride. You could ride around to the different resorts. In fact, your wife might enjoy doing that with the baby.

BTW, be sure to check http://www.mousesavers.com for discount codes. We've gotten All Star Sports for as little as $50 a night using a code from mousesavers. They don't always have them, but you might get lucky. Even if you've already made your reservation, you can always change it.

 

[LMHB]

Tetonman,
We also have three sons! Age 5, 3, (both just turned) and 6 months. We stayed at All-Star Movies (Woody Building) October 2001. This was before the arrival of the baby. The boys LOVED it! They have since asked to go back there. And since you will only be there about 3 days, it may work for you. Although we loved it, it would not work for us again. We HAVE to have a kitchen. It is not fun and much too expensive to go to restaurants with 3 little boys. The rooms are also very small, we thought we could easily do breakfast (bagels, etc.) in the room but there was hardly any room for anything! I am so amazed that you plan to take the two older ones to the park by yourself. I don't think my husband would attempt that on his own. Good luck! Our middle son has a tendancy to run off.
I think if you want anything to work bad enough it will, so I am sure you will have fun. Also keep in mind their food court is expensive. Have a great time!

 

[Tetonman]

Thanks for all your help. Between the posts here and some of the info on mousesavers.com, I am sure we will have a blast!