Walt Disney World presents visitors with a breathtaking range of options. From theme parks to dining to resorts, there’s something for every taste and almost every budget. But all those choices can be more than a little overwhelming. You’ve decided you want to stay on property, but looking at the long list of Disney resorts, how do you decide which one is best for your family and offers your perfect vacation?
Before you even start looking at the wide range of choices offered to you by Disney resorts, you need to think about two things.
First, what are your expectations of your resort? Do you need just want a hotel on property with bus transportation, do you want to be coddled and treated like royalty, do you want to spend every moment of your vacation with rich Disney theming? Part of choosing the right place for your family is knowing what you want out of your experience.
Second, how much can you spend? You may want to be coddled and treated like royalty, but if you can’t afford it, you can always rest assured that Disney’s customer service treats all its guests as if they’re special. Disney tries to offer resorts targeted at a wide range of budgets, and you need to know where your affordability range lies.
Once you’ve determined those two things, you can start narrowing down your options. Disney groups its resorts into value, moderate, and deluxe categories, and villa resorts (part of the Disney Vacation Club) can also sometimes be rented if they are not full of DVC guests. All of the Disney resorts offer transportation to the parks and Downtown Disney, and all of them offer Disney quality service and amenities. But there are deep differences in the resorts, and once you know your expectations and your budget, you can choose the place that will be the best home for you and yours.
How much time will you spend there? Consider the way that you and your family vacation. Are you pavement-pounders? Do you stay at a park from open to close? Or do you like to take an afternoon break or spend time resting in the room? Many park guests view a hotel room as no more than a place to sleep, but Disney resorts are not just hotels. They’re resorts. They offer a variety of options for rest and recreation away from the parks. Are you planning on taking advantage of those things? If so, you might want to consider investing a little more in your resort.
Take, for example, Coronado Springs (a moderate resort). The resort boasts a spectacular pool area centered around a water fall pyramid, and cast members provide games and activities for poolgoers on most afternoons. Or consider Animal Kingdom Lodge and Wilderness Lodge (deluxe resorts) where historical tours, food tastings, storytelling, and craft making sessions are offered free of charge to resort guests. And, of course, many resorts offer free evening movies at the pool or on the beach. One of the things that makes Disney a repeat vacation destination is the variety of experiences offered. If you’re planning on taking a break from the parks and doing more than sleeping in your room, think about the kind of place you want to spend your time.
How much space do you need? If you view your resort as more than just a place to sleep, as your Disney home, you should consider your family’s space needs. Regardless of your budget, take the time to look around the internet for square footage and room floor plans at different resorts. Do you need the 520 foot family suite at the All Star Music Resort (value)? Did you know that Old Key West Resort offers the most living space for your dollar among the deluxe/villa resorts? Is it important to you that there is little difference between the 314 square foot rooms at the Coronado Springs Resort (moderate) and the 340 square foot rooms at Animal Kingdom Lodge (deluxe)?
Go back to what you expect out of your home-away-from-home. Do you want room to unpack and spread out? Are your kids going to want space to play with their newly acquired Disney toys? Do you want a balcony to relax on, or are you going to be focused on the bed, desk, and television when you’re in the room? Don’t just consider the listed number of people who can fit into the room – look at how well they’re going to fit, and how the space suits your needs.
Do you want easy access to particular park(s)? If you’ve visited Walt Disney World, you probably have a favorite park. And, if you’ve invested in the Park Hopper option, you may find yourself returning to your favorite location for that one last ride on Space Mountain…or the Tower of Terror…or Soarin’…or a final safari. If you’ve got a favorite place to visit, you might want to take a good look at a map of Walt Disney World property and see which resorts are closest to your chosen destination. Yes, all Disney resorts offer park transportation…but transportation to different locations on property is far from equal. If you love the Magic Kingdom, the Polynesian Resort, Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, and Contemporary offer quick monorail delivery to the front gate, skipping the boat/monorail crowds from the parking lot. The Wilderness lodge offers a quick, pleasant boat ride to the same location. If you love Epcot, the Beach Club, Yacht club, and Boardwalk offer a quick walk to World Showcase as well as boat transportation to Hollywood Studios (and Epcot). Animal Kingdom Lodge is not only close to its namesake park, but its savannahs make guests feel as if they are almost in the park, and Coronado Springs provides quick access to Animal Kingdom as well.
Remember, Disney bus service may far outstrip your local city’s public transportation, but getting to a park (or back to your resort from one) may be a 30 to 40 minute journey…and if you’re leaving a park after a night time show, it may be an overcrowded, harrowing journey at that. If you want quick, repeated access to a particular location, include that in your decision making.
What theme/resort layout do you prefer? One of the most remarkable things about Disney resorts is their theming. Like most other things on property, Disney resorts are dedicated to creating an environment and experience. From the
ability to sit on your hotel room balcony and watch eland, zebra, and giraffe at Animal Kingdom Lodge to the newly themed “Royal Rooms” coming to the new Art of Animation Resort (value, opening 2012), Disney resorts offer an immersion in the signature “magic” that guests can find few other places.
But what kind of magic are you looking for? Do a few internet image searches for the resorts you’re considering. Look at the resort maps. What does your family’s dream environment look like? Disney resorts have personality. For some guests, the sprawl of buildings clustered around the lake at Coronado springs or the sprinkling of resort rooms across Bayou trails at Port Orleans provides a sense of place and privacy. For others, the strongly centralized soaring lobbies of the Wilderness or Animal Kingdom lodges creates a warmth and drama that seems like home. Do you like the Victorian elegance and luxury of the Grand Floridian, or do all those flowers and starched aprons make you feel uncomfortable?
Theming and environment may be an intangible element, but it’s an important one. The “world” in Walt Disney World is more than just semantics; visiting the World is intended to be a break from everyday life, and choosing to stay on property is partially a choice to immerse yourself in that world. Take the time to think about what environment is going to make your family most happy. If you could be home anywhere…where would it be? The pacific northwest? The south seas? A world of Pop culture?
So choose your adventure. Take the time to think about your resort options, and then select where you’re going to be most content. A Disney vacation is a precious memory in the making – be sure that your chosen home away from home makes that experience even better!
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We’ve stayed at the All Star Sports Resort twice and are planning to again, (if Pop Century doesn’t have rooms available). It has been lovely and the kids love having somewhere they know and feel the Disney magic as soon as we drive in!
What resort catagory I do is determined on how much money I can spend. I have stayed at all levels and all levels they treat you like royalty. If I have the money I would stay at Poly or Beach. Beach has the best pool. Poly has convience to MK.