I was so surprised to see the results in last weeks poll. I did not know that many people wanted to know my thoughts on Walt Disney Worlds best hotels! I guess it makes sense though because where you stay when visiting Disney is equally apart of the overall experience. When visiting Disney World there are 3 different types of hotels, deluxe, moderate, and value. If you want a description of every hotel on property visit one of my favorite blogs and check it out! Click here. Please keep in mind that these are MY opinions. I might LOVE a resort you hate, neither of us are wrong. Instead of using this to decide where to stay, use this as part of your Disney vacation research. ValueValue resorts are still great resorts to stay at. Don't be thrown off thinking the experience will be awful because its not deluxe. Instead be excited because if these hotels fit your fancy you'll be saving lots of cash. Value resorts are good for people who won't be in their rooms much and those who are doing Disney on a budget. Lets start out by saying that value resorts do have their downers. They're usually more spread out which means there might be a hike to a bus stop or the lobby. You can get a room closer to these things but it will cost additional money. This isn't that big of a deal unless you are trying to herd around a lot of little ones. Remember these are not high-end rooms. These resorts tend to generally look the same with basic plain buildings and big decorations that fit the theme. Unlike moderate and deluxe these resorts will not "transport" you into the hotel theme. Some feel the big decorations are tacky and look cheap, but children LOVE it! I had such a hard time with this that I decided to pick 2! Here they are. Pop CenturyThe main reasons why this might just scale above Art of Animation is because, it has its own bus and it's a little less cheaper. About 3 hotels share 1 bus which can make for a super long ride to and from the parks. This resort has its own though so thats super nice. I also really enjoy the food court here! It's open late which means I can get a snack right after a day at the parks! The only thing I don't particularly like is the theming, which Art of Animation does wonderfully. The oversized cartoony things aren't as cool as they sound, just kind of cheap looking Art of AnimationThe cool design here really is something that draws you into the resort! There is a Cars area and Little Mermaid one too! This hotel also wins for best pool at a value resort, it's themed Finding Nemo, and is arguably one of the best on property. The food court here is something people would even say is a very good quick service meal. I think the big win at this resort is design. If you care about where you're spending your sleeping time, I would stay here. The down side is that it is a little more expensive than Pop. ModerateI love moderate resorts!! This is a lot harder to rank than the values I think. Each hotel has its great characteristics and cool theming. As of early 2017 there are some resorts going under refurbishments like Coronado Springs, so who knows if those resorts might pull out on top in a year or two. I often feel as if moderate resorts don't get enough attention. Those who are looking to save money flock to value resorts and those looking for something extravagant flock to deluxe ones. Moderate resorts are awesome too and usually are on par with theming. At these resorts especially its almost like a vacation away from vacation. I find my family often wants a resort that has NOTHING to do with Disney to come back to at the end of a long day. These moderate resorts will do that for you! The Cabins at Disney's Fort WildernessI hear people rave about this resort more than you would think! The theming is vastly different from anything on Disney property (but trust me it doesn't feel like you're camping... I hate camping). It still doesn't feel any less of a Disney resort though, so don't be fooled. Fort Wilderness is also the closest moderate to the Magic Kingdom with either a bus or boat ride. It offers a variety of things to do such as finishing and roasting marshmallows. This resorts has great dining which is one of the best dinner and a show attractions on property! This will be a little expensive though which could be off-putting, but I think its worth it. You also get a really nice view of the Electric Water Pageant! Around Christmas it's especially cool! Because people who set up tents here are allowed to decorate them with lights. It's its own neat event. DeluxeNow the moment we've all been waiting for!! Well I've been waiting for... deluxe resorts! This is honestly too much... I really don't know if I can pick. If you want a fancy hotel with great location and amenities than these resorts are for you! All of them are high end and bring something unique to the table. Ranking can be hard because each hotel might be great for different locations, so first determine whether you will be close to Epcot or Magic Kingdom and go from there. Unless you don't care because you're always close to something...then just see these as a whole! In this case then it might make more sense to think about which theming you like the best. PolynesianWell this is my DVC home resort so you know it's on here! I'm a warm weather island girl and this is exactly what the Poly is! It had a great theming of tikis, islands, and luaus! You're immersed in a tropical world there... its awesome. Then you got two amazing restaurants: Kona Cafe and Ohana. Which have amazing theming of food and some character experiences. Aside from that the convenience of being on the monorail is awesome!! You're the first stop to the Magic Kingdom. It wouldn't be wise to take the monorail back though since you're the last hotel stop. Instead, you can walk!! Boardwalk InnSo, I just recently fell in love with this resort! I feel like I'm on a separate vacation when staying here. The biggest appeal to this resort for me is the boardwalk. There is so much to do! There are performers on the boardwalk all of the time, some great restaurants people come from resorts to visit, and some night dance clubs. There is a movie held on the main grassy area almost every night and you can even ride bikes around and around! It reminds me of a little Disney Springs right at your finger tips. It's in walking distance of Epcot! Which is awesome for me because I love it there! But, farther away from Magic Kingdom so if you want to be close to there this might not be the resort for you. Boardwalk has a very romantic style of the sea and it has a very great appeal if you stay in a room over looking the boardwalk. Wilderness LodgeThis could easily be my favorite resort hands down! The theme of this hotel makes you feel like you're not even in Disney anymore. Like the Poly immerses you in a whole new world 😉 this resort does the same, but on the complete other side of the spectrum! This resort is BEAUTIFUL! Here you can take a pass through the woods and waterfalls. This resort is truly incredible. There are great dining options here like the Whispering Canyon Cafe and tons of things to do. Their pool just got completely redone and you can roast marshmallows by the fire every night. Also this resort, like many, has a great view of the Electric Water Pageant. It's only a quick boat ride to the Magic Kingdom and I love it here!! The biggest strength here is the price. Wilderness is the cheapest of the resorts surrounding Bay Lake and the Magic Kingdom by a wide margin. Also during Christmas this resort has a huge tree that is so beautiful! I'm not an outdoorsy person at all so if that is your concern I still encourage you to give this a try! Animal Kingdom LodgeI haven't stayed here yet so this section is strictly just research, but I will be staying here in October and look out for a review on the Daily Fix page! I'm so excited! With all of the hype I hear from tons of Disney influencers I wouldn't be hesitant to say this might even be the best deluxe (even though I haven't stayed here). The only concern I hear about this resort is the location. It's called Animal Kingdom Lodge for a reason. Since it's right next to Animal Kingdom (this is the park most people skip regularly on a trip. But hey! That could change with Pandora!!) that means it's the farthest away from all other parks ESPECIALLY Magic Kingdom, but so many people feel this resort is amazing they overlook that 😵. The theming is absolutely astounding though, it's true to African culture with its art/architecture and looks truly beautiful. It's almost as if you've extended your Animal Kingdom day into your hotel. The COOLEST this about this resort are the rooms that overlook the savannah where you can see real life animals! I'm talking a giraffe, lion, or zebra right outside of your window. There are even special tours for guests to take a private savannah tours (different from Kilimanjaro Safaris) to see animals up close and how they're taken care of. AND THE DINING!! There are so many restaurants in this resort that rank as some of the best restaurants on property, even ahead of Grand Floridian dining (that's saying something...). This resort is truly luxurious and often ranks a little lower than some of the other deluxe resorts. If you like to spend lots of time at your hotel too this might be great for you! Overall, all of these hotels have their strengths and weaknesses. It's so important to consider what matters most to you when choosing a resort. If you want to save some dollars and be close to Magic Kingdom I obviously wouldn't go for Animal Kingdom Lodge. Remember these are just my opinions and I would love to hear what your favorite resorts are or which resort you would want to stay at! Please let me know.
Need help figuring out when to visit? Read my When To Visit Walt Disney World Article. For more info please visit my favorite blog ever for planning! Disney Tourist Blog!
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AuthorHi my name is Molly Carl! I have great passion and love for Disney and love showing others its magic. When I'm not thinking about Disney I'm performing on stage creating an entirely different type of magic! In addition to Disney I love coffee, tea, plants, musicals, and art! Wonderland Wishes is not affiliated with the Walt Disney company or any other Disney blogger/influencer. All photos not under the photo gallery tab are not mine. Credit goes to original owners.
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