What is your favorite Walt Disney Resort?

Question

I am taking a trip to Walt Disney World soon and was pondering what resort to stay in. What do you recommend? Whats your favorite and why? Do you have and suggestions of what to keep in mind when booking this? Thanks!

Answer 1

My favorite Walt Disney World Resort is Disney's Polynesian Resort. It's one of the Deluxe Resorts and is absolutely gorgeous. It's my favorite because everything about this Resort is perfect - the staff, the rooms, the views, the restaurants, the shops, the pools, the transportation options to the parks, etc. This Resort is wonderful for families or couples who want a romantic getaway. I will likely not stay at any other Walt Disney World Resort ever again. Actually, Disney's Polynesian Resort has the highest return rate of Guests out of them all.

This Resort has undergone an extensive renovation over the past couple years. This past August when we stayed there we were upgraded to Concierge for free and had a beautifully redone room - new mini fridges, large flat screen plasma TVs, and furniture. It was great, though, because we were given the best view on property, literally. And who ever says "the room you get and amount you spend doesn't matter because you'll be at the parks all the time," is very incorrect. I always go to Walt Disney World with my boyfriend, and trust me, we spend most of our time at the parks and outside of the Resort, too. But seriously, do you really just go to bed as soon as you get to your room, no matter what time it is? I mean, you're on vacation! Stay up late and enjoy EVERYTHING. There would be nights when we'd be out at the parks until 2:00am, and even though we were exhausted, we'd always spend at least 15 minutes (but usually longer) out on our patio enjoying our veiw of the Grand Floridian Resort, the Magic Kingdom Park, Cinderella Castle, and the Contemporary Resort across the Seven Seas Lagoon. It's just so wonderful to enjoy the warmth in the evening with such a view. Watching Cinderella Castle change colors and hearing the horns of the ferries docking and the howl of the dog in the cemetary out front of the Haunted Mansion at the Magic Kingdom. We were also able to view the Magic Kingdom fireworks and the Electrical Water Pageant right from our room and patio. It's very worth it to spend the extra money on a better room at a nicer Resort, even if you think you won't be there much.

Moving on - this Resort has one of the best selection of restaurants, next to Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and Disney's Boardwalk. For fast food there's Captain Cook's which was refurbished this past summer. It's open 24 hours a day, which is great. They offer burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, salads, mini pizzas, and different things for breakfast. They always have pastries - cinnamon rolls, Danish, muffins, cake, cupcakes, cookies, etc. Next is 'Ohana, an all-you-care-to-eat table service character dining experience. They're open for breakfast and dinner and are probably one of the most popular restaurants on Walt Disney World property. There you can meet Mickey, Pluto, and Stitch, and sometimes others. My favorite of the restaurants at this Resort is the Kona Cafe. They're open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and they serve fantastic food. We always eat here two to three times during our stay, we love it so much! The restaurant is famous for its Tonga Toast served at breakfast. It's like French toast stuffed with banana and tossed in cinnamon-sugar after it's fried. It's excellent! But for lunch or dinner, I always have to order the wok-seared duck pot stickers as an appetizer. They're so delicious! For dessert, the Kilauhea Torte (chocolate volcano cake) is to die for. Also, there's the Tambu Lounge for drinks and appetizers. Now, besides all that, there's the Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show host by Aunt Wini at Luau Cove. It's an all-you-care-to-eat dinner show. The food is decent. They serve chicken and barbecue ribs, salad, and a Hawaiian bread. The show is really great, though. It was originally known as the Polynesian Luau and it used to just be hula dancers, people twirling toches, etc., (I saw it when I was younger in 1997) but now there's a whole story to it, and they sing songs from Lilo & Stitch like "Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride." We saw it in August, and I enjoyed it still. They involve the audience and announce birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, etc.

In the Great Ceremonial House (lobby) are three different shops, plus an art gallery. On the lower level of the Resort is Bou-Tiki, and upstairs is Samoa Snacks and Trader Jack's. Things sold at the different shops: food, snacks, drinks (including alcohol,) candy, clothing, hats and shoes, sunglasses, things to create a scrapbook, and gifts and souvenirs, like toys, magnets, jewelry, snowglobes, etc. - everything you could need. Also on the lower floor is Wyland Galleries. The art in there is really pretty and some of it is usually showcased throughout the Great Ceremonial House. All of the art is ocean-themed - ocean sceneries and animals. There's painting and statues, and statues made into furniture, jewelry, etc.

The Resort has two different pools. The awesome volcano pool with a slide going through the volcano, a zero-depth entry, and restrooms inside the volcano, too, so you don't have to leave the pool just to go to the bathroom and Guests with children can explain, "there's a bathroom right next to the pool inside the volcano area, you don't have to pee IN the pool." Then there's the "quiet" pool (yeah, it's not always quiet.) It's circular and quite large, and I find it to be a bit warmer than the volcano pool. It also tends to be less crowded.

Guests of Disney's Polynesian Resort have access to the beautiful Grand Floridian Spa just a short walk away just before Disney's Grand Floridian Resort. There are two large spas, I believe, a gym area, and spa treatments are available - massages, aromatherapy, and more. My boyfriend and I got Swedish massages in the couple's room on our last day there in August. It was so wonderful!

Now, onto transportation options. First off, there's the Monorail, the best for of transportation on property. It's quick, always air conditioned, and the Monorail comes right to the second level of the Great Ceremonial House. The Monorail will take you to Disney's Grand Flordian Resort & Spa, the Magic Kingdom Park, and Disney's Contemporary Resort. Second, you can take a ferry to the Magic Kingdom Park. Third, there's a large fleet of buses that will bring you to any of the four theme parks, as well as the two water parks, and Downtown Disney. There's also the walkway to Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa - quick and easy way to get to the spa or the famous, fabulous restaurants, like Victoria & Alberts, Citricos, and Narcoossee's. There's also a walkway to the nearby Transportation & Ticket Center where you can get on the other Monorail to EPCOT.

Also at Disney's Polynesian Resort is the Neverland Club for children. There's Moana Mickey's Fun Hut (arcade.) There's the Mikala Canoe Club where you can rent pontoon boats, Sea Raycer watercrafts, surrey bikes, and you can also go on a cruise of the lagoon or go on a guided fishing excursion. My boyfriend and I did the guided fishing excursion in August. It was great. I'm not a big fishing fan, though I do enjoy it, so our guide was there to put the bait on the hook, cast the line, help reel if necessary, and take the fish off the hook for me if I didn't want to do it all myself. The laundry facilities at the Resort have been redone recently (I suggest bringing your own degergent/fabric softener if you can because each pack costs $2.00, plus there's another $2.00 for the use of a washer and another $2.00 for the use of a dryer. It ends up costing a lot if you have a couple loads of laundry to do, and plus, the washers and dryers aren't very big.) The Resort has a few beaches which is really nice. They have palm trees, hammocks, and chairs to lay out on. They're great places to view the Magic Kingdom fireworks and the Electrical Water Pageant.

Disney's Polynesian Resort is just so gorgeous and has everything and anything their Guests need to have the most incredible vacation of their life. The staff is so wonderful, too - as I said, we recieved a free upgrade, and it made our vacation that much better. I'm sure I won't ever stay at another Walt Disney World Resort because I'm positive no other will measure up to the Polynesian.

There's plenty of things to keep in mind while choosing a Resort. First, keep in mind, Disney's Value and Moderate Resorts were created especially for families who needed a more affordable place to stay. Disney's Deluxe Resorts were meant to be more geared towards adults and couples, as well as families. They have many more amenities than the other Resorts. Then there's the questions you need to ask yourself - How easy will it be for you to get to and from the parks? How far is the Resort from the places you plan to be most? What transportation options do they offer? Is the layout of the Resort convenient for your particular traveling party? etc.

Hope I could help! Have a wonderful Walt Disney World vacation!

Answer 2

It all depends on how much you want to spend on your room. There are three main tiers of resorts. Deluxe, moderate and value. It also depends on whether you have kids or are looking for a more adult resort.

My favorite deluxe resort is the Yacht Club. This is good for a romantic get away and also for families. This resort has the best pool on property and is a mini waterpark on it's own. They also are walking distance to Epcot and fine dining and nightspots over at Boardwalk.

Best value resort I would say is either Pop Century or All-Star Movies. These are the two newest. I would suggest All-Star Movies because I love the larger than life statues in the assorted courtyards. Even if you don't stay here - they have great photo ops. And the value resorts are best for families on a budget with small children. If you do stay there, be prepared. It is noisy due to the amount of families with small children also because these resorts are a favorite for groups of kids who come for athletic competitions or other assorted groups.

The best moderate is more difficult, they are basically all the same, just themed different. So pick your favorite theme where they are concerned. The only moderate resort that is a little different is Coronado Springs, as they cater mostly to conventions. So there will be a large percentage of adults here.

If you are looking for a truly unique resort, I would suggest Animal Kingdom Lodge. Not many resorts in the US have their own 'African' savannah with real animals running around outside your balcony! This is one of the cheaper deluxe properties.

Hope this helps, and have a great time!

Answer 3

My favorites are the Animal Kingdom Lodge and the Polynesian Resort. Both are amazing and have fantastic views! One allows you to see live African animals right outside your balcony, while the other gives you a great view of the lake or even the Magic Kingdom Castle!

However, both of these Disney Resorts are Deluxe and are quite expensive. If you are on a budget, I recommend the Coronado Springs or the All Star, if you will be traveling with small children.

If you would like help planning your trip or if you would just like to read up on some fun tips and ideas that are updated monthly, visit my Disney Vacation Services Website, I'm All Ears at:

http://im-all-ears-disney-vacation-services.blogspot.com/

Have a great time!

Answer 4

My husbands favorite expensive resort is the Polynesian, but when we are on a budget we really like the Caribbean Beach Resort. The rooms actually looked exactly like the ones we stayed in when we went to Jamaica. They staff was great, rooms super clean and recently remodeled. Kind of a central location. the food court was nice and pretty good to. Never made it to the pool but really enjoyed how spread out and peaceful it was.

Hated the Coronado - very undisney rude staff, rooms stunk, need to be updated, plain old yucky. nice pool though

Answer 5

If you want to stay in one of the best resorts in Disney go to the Disney"s Polynesian Resort, and you will have the best time there. visit their website and see for yourself.
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/resorts/resortLanding?id=PolynesianResortLandingPage&CMP=KNC-ResortBenOverture2005&HBX_PK=disneys+polynesian++&HBX_OU=51&bhcp=1

Answer 6

The cheap ones, cause your not there at them that much.
We've stayed and loved these: All-Star Sports, All-Star Music, All-Star Movies and All-Star Memories. They start at $79.00 a night and free shuttles to all disney related places in Orlando, every 15 minutes. This is the only way to go to disney.

Answer 7

http://www.alwaysonvacation.com/region/United-States_Florida_Disney-Area_2700.html
I would like to informe you that there are more than 100 resort.Sothat choose resort according to your comfort.

Answer 8

YIKES.. what a cliche.. going to a corporate fake site that fleeces you. With that money you can go see three REAL sites