About a week ago we asked the questions, “Which resort has the best pool bar?” We added a poll to the post so you could vote for your favorite and time is almost up to get your vote in.
Time’s Almost up to Vote for the Best Pool Bar
Category Archives: Disney Resort Hotels
Campfire Activity Suspended at Disney World Resort Hotels for the Time Being
In case you haven’t heard, there have been several brush fires in Central Florida recently. They are battling them, but the dry weather makes it difficult.
How to Spend a Non-Park Day: Resort Touring
Planning a Disney World vacation takes a lot of planning and decision making. Your first big decision is where to stay. There are many factors that go into choosing the resort you would like to call home for the duration of your trip, price and location being two of the bigger factors.
Exploring Disney Resorts: Port Orleans Riverside – Royal Guest Room
Port Orleans Riverside is one of Disney’s moderate resorts. Guests can stay in one of the mansion buildings or the backwoods cottage buildings. For a special stay though, you can check out the Royal Guest Rooms.
Resort Hotel Activities: Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides
It’s no secret that there are lots of things to do inside the Disney theme parks, but did you know there are also lots of activities available at the resort hotels? Which means you can have fun without even entering the parks.
Weekly Tip #23: Why Disney’s Customer Service Stands Out
Disney is known for its customer service and that is shown throughout the resorts and parks. Anytime you have an issue the cast members are usually pretty quick to make things better.
The Polynesian Villas and Bungalows Are Now Open!
Today was the official opening of Disney’s Polynesian Villas and Bungalows. The bungalows are located right on Seven Seas Lagoon and have a beautiful view of the Magic Kingdom. At night you will be able to see the fireworks from the plunge pool on the deck. Talk about relaxing!
The new rooms are not the only additions to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto had a soft opening recently and will officially be open later this month. Pineapple Lanai is open as well and they serve that oh-so-popular Dole Whip soft serve.
Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort will have some more updates (like the opening of the new pool) soon, at least we hope it’s soon. Construction has been going on for some time.
To see some of the events that took place with the opening of the villas and bungalows, check out the video below.
Will you be staying in one of the villas or bungalows?
https://youtu.be/La1yX1us8ko
Source: Disney Parks Blog
Weekly Tip #11: Resort Tours on Non-Park Days
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Posted in AllPosts, Disney Dining, Disney Resort Hotels, Disney Transportation
Leave a comment
Planning a Disney World vacation takes a lot of planning and decision making. Your first big decision is where to stay. There are many factors that go into choosing the resort you would like to call home for the duration of your trip, price and location being two of the bigger factors. There are so many different resorts to choose from, all with fun themes, in Disney World. So it can be a hard choice to make, but there is a way to see the resorts you don’t choose. It’s called resort touring.
Lots of people do this on non park days. You can hop on the monorail and tour the monorail resorts or take a bus from any park or Downtown Disney to the resort you want to see. It actually makes for a pretty relaxing day.
On our last trip, we made a lot of dining reservations at different resorts. We actually had more dining experiences at the resorts than in the parks and it worked out pretty well for us. If we showed up a little early we were able to look around the resort before our reservation, otherwise we would tour the resort after we were done with our meal.
We had dinner at California Grill one night and we had a little time before the fireworks viewing, so we decided to do the monorail loop. We didn’t have enough time to get off at each stop, but it was still fun to ride the monorail and see all the monorail resorts.
Here are some things to see on your resort tour:
Resort Grounds
Obviously, there are areas you will not be able to go to if you are not a guest at that resort, but there is plenty to see in the areas that are open to the general public. The grounds of the resorts are fun to walk around, because so much goes into the theme of each resort. It does not matter if the resort is a value, moderate, deluxe, or deluxe villa, all of the grounds are well-kept and make for a fun way to tour a resort.
At Pop Century there are signs positioned along the walkway with fun pop culture tidbits. It’s fun to read the signs as you have a leisurely stroll around the resort. The grounds at Kidani Village and Animal Kingdom Lodge are the savannas. So, seeing the grounds means watching the animals, and that is fun for both kids and adults. Wandering around the grounds of the Polynesian Village Resort will make you feel like you are in the tropics. I love taking pictures of all the tropical plants that the Polynesian Village Resort has on their grounds, they are so beautiful.
Resort Lobbies
Another area that you can visit are the hotel lobbies. Those are also fun to walk around. Some are pretty grand, like Animal Kingdom Lodge and Wilderness Lodge, and others are just fun and colorful, like Pop Century and Art of Animation. The Beach Club lobby is warm and inviting with all of the pastels on the furniture and walls.
Off of the lobbies you will find the resort gift shop and those are always fun to poke around in. The gift shops are designed to the theme of the resorts. So it is fun to look for those extra Disney touches, even in the gift shop.
Resort Dining
A dining reservation is a good excuse to tour a resort. You are already at the resort, so if you have no where else to be that day, I would definitely recommend sticking around to see the rest of the resort.
If you don’t have a dining reservation you can look at the list of quick service restaurants at the resorts and choose one of those to try. Once your get your food you can find a place to sit and people watch at the resort.
Whether you try a quick service or a table service, make sure to look around at the decor of the restaurant. Like the resorts, the restaurants have themes. We enjoyed the theme at Cape May Cafe. We were seated near the sandcastle that they have on display. The beach umbrellas that line the back area of the restaurant were a nice touch. The characters at the character breakfast are dressed in beach gear and the kids loved that. It is a very fun theme.
Resort Activities
Some resorts will have special activities that you can take part in even if you are not a resort guest. For instance, there is nightly viewing of the animals at Animal Kingdom Lodge that everyone can enjoy. So if you are there for dinner at one of their delicious restaurants, head up to the viewing area afterwards and check out the animals with night vision goggles. Please note that the night viewing is different from the Night Safari. The Night Safari is only available to guests who are staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge, Jambo House, and Kidani Village.
Another activity that is offered at many of the resorts is nightly campfires. The activities at the campfire will vary depending on the resort, but there are usually stories, singalongs, and marshmallow roasting. These are a lot of fun and they are free activities offered at the resorts.
Resort Transportation
Sometimes it is fun to just spend the day taking different forms of Disney transportation, especially if you are staying at a resort that only has bus transportation. The monorail is fun to ride and you can take it to the monorail resorts or you can transfer and take it to Epcot and back. There are boats that will take you from some resorts to Hollywood Studios, Epcot, Magic Kingdom, and Downtown Disney. You can also walk to some parks from certain resorts. Epcot is a short walk from Yacht and Beach Club and from the Boardwalk Inn, you can also walk to Hollywood Studios from these resorts (about a 20 min. walk). The Magic Kingdom is a short walk from the Contemporary. So you can walk to and from the parks and just enjoy the scenery and landscaping.
There are lots of ways to experience different resorts at Disney World. Not only is it a nice relaxing day, but it can also help you decide which resort you would like to book for your next trip. When we had our first breakfast a Boma, we knew we wanted to book a stay there at some point. For our last trip, we did end up booking at Kidani and we were certainly not disappointed. So, if you know you want to try different resorts for each trip, I definitely recommend giving yourself a tour of different resorts. Plus, it is good to have days off from the parks to relax and this is a great way to do that. Happy exploring!
Thanks for reading!
*Liz*
Deciding Which Resort is Right for You- Part 4: Deluxe Villas
We have covered values, moderates, and deluxe resorts at Disney World. If you are looking for a little more space in your room and a kitchenette or full kitchen, then you should take a look at this resort category.
Deluxe Villas
The deluxe villas were built for Disney Vacation Club (DVC) owners. People who buy DVC points will buy them at a certain resort and that becomes their “home” resort. Even though the villas were built for DVC owners those of us that are not part of the DVC can still book a stay in one of the villas.
The villas are located near the deluxe resort with a similar theme. Kidani Village is near Animal Kingdom Lodge, Bay Lake Tower is near the Contemporary, The Villas at Grand Floridian Resorts are near Grand Floridian, the Polynesian Villas and Bungalows are with the Polynesian Village Resort, the Beach Club Villas are near the Beach Club Resort, the Boardwalk Villas are next to the Boardwalk Inn, and the The Villas at Wilderness Lodge are located with Wilderness Lodge. The Animal Kingdom Villas (Jambo House) are located in the original building of the deluxe resort. There are two DVC resorts that were built specifically for DVC and they are the original DVC resorts. The first is Old Key West and the second is Saratoga Springs.
Like the deluxe resorts, the villas are located close to certain areas at Disney World. Bay Lake Tower, The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian, and The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge are all located near the Magic Kingdom. The Beach Club Villas and Boardwalk Villas are both near Epcot. Kidani Village and Animal Kingdom Villas-Jambo House are just a five minute bus ride to and from Animal Kingdom. Finally, the original DVC resorts, Saratoga Springs and Old Key West are close to the Downtown Disney area.
All of the rooms at the villas will have a kitchenette or a full kitchen. The studios have the kitchenette, which includes a microwave, sink, small refrigerator, cups, utensils, coffeemaker, and a toaster. The full kitchens come with the 1 and 2 bedroom villas. The full kitchens include, counter space, full refrigerator, stove, dishwasher, sink, microwave, toaster, glasses, silverware, plates, bowls, pots and pans, and a coffeemaker. You really get everything you need to cook meals on vacation with the full kitchen. We made use of our kitchen when we stayed at Kidani and it was great. There was also a table next to the kitchen with a bench and two chairs for dining. If you don’t want to eat every meal out then I would recommend going with the full kitchen.
The size of the rooms will differ depending on where you are staying. As I mentioned, we stayed at Kidani on the last trip and our room was huge. We booked a 2 bedroom villa and had 5 adults and 4 kids in the room (one child was in the pack ‘n’ play that comes with every villa room) and there was no shortage of space, even with all those people in the room.
Kidani is one of the newer DVC resorts, so they did make the rooms bigger and you can fit an extra person in them. In resorts like the Beach Club Villas you can fit 8 people, but the Kidani rooms fit 9 because they have a chair that converts to a twin sleeper. This is a great feature! Our 2 year old used the chair and we were able to move it into the master bedroom so she could sleep in the same room as us and her little brother. Even with the king size bed, the pack ‘n’ play, and the twin sleeper chair, there is still plenty of room in the bedroom.
Our friends had room to spare in their bedroom as well. The second bedroom has 2 queen size beds, so their kids were able to share the bed no problem. Each of the bedrooms has a television on a good sized dresser and each also has separate bathrooms with showers as well. The bonus with Kidani was that there is a third full bathroom in the main area of the villa. This is very useful if you have someone sleeping on the couch (like our group did), because they have their own bathroom to use to get ready. The older DVC resorts don’t have as much space. but if you are not packing the room to capacity that might not matter as much.
The 1 and 2 bedroom villas also have a washer and dryer right in the room. This was a huge bonus for my group, because we didn’t have to pack as much. We just did laundry a couple of times on the trip and we were fine. If you stay up planning your next day, like we did, that is the perfect time to do some laundry.
One thing that I really liked about the villas, and this goes for the deluxe resorts too, is that there are interior hallways. In the values and moderates your room door opens to the outdoors, where as the deluxe resort and villa rooms open to a hallway. It is nice that you don’t have to worry about the weather when leaving your room. The values and moderates do have overhangs, you don’t just open up the door and get soaked if it is raining, but I liked having the hallway and windows. Plus, we were staying at Kidani Village, so we were able to see the animals as we walked in the hallway.
The one downside to the villas, if stay on points, is that you will not have mousekeeping service everyday. On the fourth day you get trash and towel service and on the eighth day you will have full mousekeeping service. You can get additional cleaning, but you will have to pay extra for that. We didn’t mind the difference in the mousekeeping schedule for the villas (they supplied a vacuum in the front closet, some laundry detergent, and some dish washing soap with a sponge), but some people like to have them come everyday. If you are worried about having cleaning supplies the store in the lobby should sell some cleaning products. They probably won’t have a huge selection, but chances are if you need something they will be able to help you. If you pay cash for the room instead of staying on points then you should have mousekeeping everyday.
Since the villas are located in or near their sister deluxe resorts, all the dining and shopping that is available at the deluxe resorts is also available for those staying in the villas. Saratoga Springs and Old Key West are the exceptions since they are only DVC resorts and do not have a sister deluxe resort. At Saratoga Springs you can dine at The Turf Club Bar and Grill and Old Key West has Olivia’s, which is a restaurant that I hear has delicious food. These are both table service restaurants, so you can make reservations there if you want. Both also have quick service dining available. Kidani Village has a restaurant in the lower level of the building. Sanaa is unique, because it has windows that look out to the Savannah, so you can watch the animals as you dine.
In addition to the shopping and dining the villas will have the same transportation as their sister deluxe resorts available. If the deluxe resort has boat and bus transportation available, the sister deluxe villa will be able to use that transportation as well. For Saratoga Springs and Old Key West, both resorts have bus transportation and boat transportation (to certain locations) available. If the resorts are really spread out, like Saratoga Springs, there will be multiple bus stops throughout the resort. That way you don’t have to worry about getting to the main building to catch the bus. The map below shows the different stops around Saratoga Springs for the bus.
Since this map is of Saratoga Springs, let’s cover a different kind of experience at Disney, the Treehouse Villas. These are part of Saratoga Springs, but are located a bit away from the villa buildings, they are the cluster to the left. The Treehouse Villas are actually elevated 10 feet off the ground and are surrounded by woods. There is one pool located in the Treehouse Villas area and a boat launch where guests can take boats to Downtown Disney.
The activities for the villas will also be similar to those that are available for the deluxe resorts. For the Boardwalk Villas the nightly entertainment on the Boardwalk is as close as it is for the Boardwalk Inn. When you check in to the villas you will receive an activities sheet that will let you know what activities are going on for that week and whether they are free or if there is a fee. There are usually lots of things available for guests to take part in and this includes the usual activities like Movies Under the Stars, campfires, playgrounds, arcades, and jogging trails. There are fun tours that take place at some of the resorts like the Boardwalk Ballyhoo Guided Tour (this tour is free of charge!), so make sure to look over that activity sheet. You never know what kind of fun activity you will find!
The pools that are available to the DVC resorts vary. Some, like Kidani Village, have their own separate pool and others, like Beach Club Villas, use the same pool as the deluxe resort. If the DVC resort does not have it’s own pool then it will at least have it’s own quiet pool, but if they do have their own pool, both pools are available for use to both the deluxe and the villas.
Saratoga Springs has 2 feature pools (with waterslides), the Paddock Pool and the High Rock Spring Pool, as well as 3 other pools, hot tubs, and play areas for the kids. Over at Old Key West there is a main pool with a waterslide through a giant sandcastle. There are 3 other pools, hot tubs, and a play area for the kids (all the resorts on Disney property have aquatic play areas for the little ones).
Aside from Kidani Village and Bay Lake Tower, the other villa resorts use the same main pool as their sister deluxe resort. To get a rundown of the different pools at the deluxe resorts check out Part 3 in this series. Kidani Village has a fun pool and the waterslide is a lot of fun too! I don’t remember the last time I had been on a waterslide before this last trip, but I definitely tried out the waterslide at Samawati Springs. The pool is pretty big and it feels hidden from the rest of the resort, so it was both fun and relaxing.
Like the deluxe resorts, there is a lot to do at the villas. If you are looking for somewhere to stay that has the option of a kitchen, washer/dryer, more space, fun themes, and a lot of activities, then you should take a look at this resort category. Happy planning!
Check out the other parts in the series to compare resorts:
Thanks for reading!
*Liz *
Deciding Which Resort is Right for You- Part 3: Deluxe Resorts
Deluxe resorts are the third category up for discussion in this series. When you are picking a resort to stay in you want to make sure that it is somewhere that fits what you are looking for and what you can afford. If you are not as concerned with cost as you are with having space and more amenities at your hotel, then the deluxe resorts are for you!
Deluxe Resorts
In the first two parts of this series we discussed the value resorts and the moderate resorts. Now it is time to focus on the deluxe resorts that Disney has to offer. Of course, the deluxe resorts will run you at least a few hundred dollars a night (unless Disney is offering one of their 30% off deals), but they are beautiful resorts. There are 8 different resorts in this category and they are: Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, Contemporary Resort, Animal Kingdom Lodge, Yacht Club, Beach Club, Boardwalk Inn, The Wilderness Lodge, and Polynesian Village Resort.
Just like the values and the moderates, each deluxe has a theme for the resort. The designs for the deluxe resorts are a little more sophisticated than the values, with less in-your-face decor. The themes are still fun though. The Grand Floridian has a beautiful Victorian theme and once you enter the lobby you will understand why “Grand” is in the title of the resort. The Yacht Club and Beach Club are designed after New England style resorts and are known for having the best pool on Disney property. The Contemporary Resort has the A-frame tower that the monorail actually goes through, it’s pretty fun to be inside the Contemporary and see the monorail come through. Animal Kingdom Lodge has, you guessed it, animals. This beautiful hotel has giraffes, zebras, and other animals roaming the Savannah, so if you have a Savannah view room you can have your morning coffee while watching the animals. Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort has a fun tropical theme. This resort has been undergoing some renovations for both the Disney Vacation Club and also for the original part of the hotel, so some things have changed (like the waterfall being removed from the lobby), but it is still a gorgeous resort. You will find a rustic Northwest theme at the Wilderness Lodge. The hotel has a very impressive lobby. Lastly, the Boardwalk Inn is designed after a turn-of-the-century Atlantic City. This resort has a lot of fun entertainment found right outside its doors.
The deluxe hotels have lots of activities available for the guests. At check-in they will give you a sheet that will list out everything that is available to take part in for that week. Some things you have to pay for and other things just come with your stay. The resorts that are located on a body of water offer boat rentals, so you can spend some time on the water. There is child care offered, for an hourly rate, at deluxe hotels, so mom and dad can have a night out. Of course, each resort has the jogging trail, arcade, and playground. Also offered: campfire activities, the Pirate Adventure Cruise, safaris (at Animal Kingdom Lodge), parasailing (Contemporary), and more. To see what is offered at each resort just look under the “Recreation” tab and the “Amenities” tab on each resort page on Disney’s website. There is so much to do at these resorts, you can have a resort only trip and never get bored! In addition to all the activities offered at the resort, each one has a good sized gift shop.
Moving on to the pools at the deluxe resorts. Each of the resorts has a very nice and good size main pool, as well as other quiet pools. The main pools all have a fun waterslide for guests to use. The Yacht and Beach Club’s slide is a sunken ship and the slide is down the mast of the ship. At the Boardwalk Inn you will slide down a “roller coaster” and come out through the mouth of a (kind of scary) clown. The Contemporary has a 17-foot-high twisting waterslide. Over at the Polynesian (now Polynesian Village Resort) there used to be a Volcano slide, but the pool is part of the extensive renovation, so I’m not sure what is happening to the slide. You can slide down a mountain at the Grand Floridian’s main pool, all 181 feet of it. The Wilderness Lodge has a stream that starts in the lobby, flows outside, and goes into the pool via waterfall. The waterslide is build into the rocks. Finally, the Animal Kingdom Lodge has a small waterslide, but it is located along the Uzima Savannah, so you can check out the animals while you are at the pool. The deluxe resorts that have a second main pool for Disney Vacation Club Villas are also available for guests to use, as long as you are staying at the corresponding deluxe resort. For instance, if you are staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge you can use the pool there or the one at Kidani Village.
The big draw for each of these resorts is their location. To a lot of people the location is worth the bump in the price. First, you have the Magic Kingdom resorts. These consist of The Grand Floridian, The Contemporary, The Polynesian Village Resort, and The Wilderness Lodge. The first three are on the monorail line. So, you can just hop on the monorail from you resort to get to the Magic Kingdom and Epcot (though for Epcot you have to transfer at the Transportation and Ticket Center). The Grand Floridian, Polynesian Village, and Wilderness Lodge have boat transportation available to the Magic Kingdom and the Contemporary is a short walk from Magic Kingdom. All four of the resorts have bus transportation available to other Disney destinations.
Next are the Epcot resorts. These are all within walking distance to Epcot’s backdoor,” which is officially called The International Gateway. Having such a short walk to Epcot, especially with all the dining options there, is a plus for many people. If you want to take a bus to the Yacht and Beach Club, do not take a bus to Epcot. Since it is within walking distance, there is no bus from Epcot to the Yacht and Beach Club. On our last trip I asked one of the bus drivers how to get there and he actually dropped us off after his stop at Hollywood Studios! He was so nice! Just a little tip in case you have reservations at Yacht and Beach Club. In addition to walking there is also a boat available that can drop you at Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and the surrounding Epcot resorts.
Lastly, is Animal Kingdom Lodge which is located near Animal Kingdom (only a five minute bus ride). This is the only resort that does not have transportation other than buses. However, if you are looking for a quiet place to stay this is your hotel. Since people view it as “out of the way” it doesn’t get as busy as some of the other resorts. We stayed at Kidani Village (this is the Disney Vacation Club building near Animal Kingdom Lodge) during our last trip and loved it! I really don’t understand how it is “out of the way.” None of the bus rides were that long, except for Downtown Disney (that’s a problem with every resort though), and the grounds at both Kidani and Animal Kingdom Lodge were beautiful. So if you don’t mind taking the buses and you want a quiet place to stay, check out Animal Kingdom Lodge.
There are multiple dining options available at the deluxe resorts. There are usually at least two table service restaurants, as well as a quick service. Plus, most deluxe resorts have a signature dining restaurant. At Animal Kingdom Lodge there is Jiko – The Cooking Place, Contemporary Resort has California Grill, at the Yacht and Beach Club is Yachtsman Steakhouse, it’s the Flying Fish Cafe for the Boardwalk Inn, and Wilderness Lodge has Artist Point. The Grand Floridian actually has three: Victoria and Albert’s, Citricos, and Narcoossee’s. The only deluxe with no signature dining is Polynesian Village Resort, but they do have a dinner show, Disney’s Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show. Each resort also offers room service. For a little more info on the dining experience at Victoria and Albert’s you can check out my previous post: Disney for the Big Kids and for a review of our experience at California Grill you can check out my previous post: California Grill Review.
The rooms that are available at the deluxe level offer you a choice of a studio, one bedroom suite, or 2 bedroom suite. The studios are set up like the studios at the moderates. They have 2 queen beds, television, dresser, closet area, sink/vanity, and the tub/shower and toilet (separate from the sink/vanity). The rooms at each of the resorts may vary with what type of beds are offered. Some, like the Beach Club, have a daybed, so the studios can sleep five people. Each of these room types have different views available for different costs. In addition, you also have the option of reserving a club level room (for an additional cost). The club level rooms come with the privilege of using the club level lounge. These lounges offer food and drinks throughout the day. You also have the services of club level cast members to help you book restaurants and tours during your stay. It is a little extra pampering for you while you are on vacation.
As you can see, there is a lot to do at each of the deluxe resorts. If I were to put everything they offer into this post It would be very, very long. The best thing to do is figure out if this is the resort category for you and if it is then you can start figuring out which theme interests you the most. They are pretty expensive, but Disney does have a 30% off promotion once or twice a year for this resort category. They are all beautiful resorts, so half the fun is in the actual planning! If you want to see some walking tours of the resorts, just do a search on Youtube and you will find a bunch of videos. It does help to see what the resort looks like if you are having trouble deciding. Plus, it’s just fun! Happy planning!
Next up, Deluxe Villa resorts!
Thanks for reading!
*Liz*
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