Resort Reviews

Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort Review Cabins and Campsites Information

by josh on November 8, 2010

Fort Wilderness Address:

4510 North Fort Wilderness Trail

Lake Buena Vista, Fl. 32830-1000

Direct Phone: 1- 824-2900, Fax: 1-407- 824-3508, General Reservations: 1-407-WDISNEY (1-407-934-7639)

Resort Class: Disney groups the Cabins at Fort Wilderness Resort in with the other Moderate resorts, though pricing is similar to entry-level rooms at the Deluxe and Deluxe Villa resorts.  There is only one room type – The Wilderness Cabin.  Cabins start at $275 per night during Value Season and go all the way up to $450 during Holiday Season.  During Regular Season, Cabins cost $335 per night and during Peak Season, the cost is $370 per night.

The Campsites at Fort Wilderness fall under the “Campground” class of resorts.  For pricing and accommodations, see the “room amenities” section below.

Location: The Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground is officially a Magic Kingdom area resort, though that is a somewhat optimistic classification.  It is the most remote Magic Kingdom area resort as far as distance from the Magic Kingdom is concerned.  Although Fort Wilderness looks like it’s right next to Epcot on the official Disney map, it’s actually not as close as it looks in practical terms, due to the way the roads are built.  Like the neighboring Wilderness Lodge Resort, Fort Wilderness has a marina with boat access to the Magic Kingdom, making travel between Fort Wilderness and the Magic Kingdom easy and efficient, at least once you make it to the dock.

Size: Fort Wilderness is another of the large, sprawling Disney Moderate Resorts.  There are 409 cabins and just under 800 campsites.  Each cabin is freestanding, meaning no walls are shared and there won’t be anyone below or above you, like you would find in a traditional hotel.  Campsites and cabins are sectioned off into 28 “Loops.”  These Loops are surrounded by a generous number of trees and shrubs, affording a moderate amount of privacy at the campsites.  The cabins are located furthest from the main building and marina in Loops 2100 to 2800.  It’s almost impossible to walk from the cabins to the main building because of the great distance and confusing layout.  There’s also no convenient walkway, only roads that zigzag around the resort and through the other loops.  Other resort amenities, like the pools, tennis courts, campfire pit, restaurants, petting zoo, and other locations of interest, are strewn throughout the resort, making no cabin or campsite accessible to everything you might want do or see by foot.

The large size of the resort and lack of an easy-to-traverse walking path has necessitated Disney to offer an internal bus service in addition to its external bus service.  Internal buses ferry guests around the resort and take them to one of the three locations that receive external bus and boat service to the theme parks and Downtown Disney.  In addition, Disney rents golf carts for use by guests for the mindboggling price of about $65 per day, or $455 per week.  Many guests “take advantage” and rent golf carts, which can be a nuisance to those traveling by foot.  It’s not uncommon to see 12-year-olds zipping the family around the resort, paying little attention to who or what is in front of them.  It’s also possible to rent bicycles for the family for about $18 per day (or you can bring your own).

Transportation in the “Olden Days”

Realizing the resort was too large to comfortably travel by foot, Disney operated a railroad system to transport guests beginning in 1973.  The track was 2.5 miles long and featured four replica locomotives and 20 coaches.  (Un)Fortunately, the railway shut down completely in the early 1980s due to safety concerns, noise, and maintenance costs.  Parts of the track still sit on the outskirts of the resort’s grounds and some of the old coaches were used at Typhoon Lagoon and Downtown Disney as ticketing booths.

Room Amenities and Quality:

The Cabins

Keeping with the overall theme of the resort, Fort Wilderness cabins are rustic and homely, with wood paneling covering just about every imaginable surface.  At just over 500 square feet, the cabins are larger than Standard or Studio rooms in just about any other Disney resort.  For sleeping, each cabin has one bedroom with a double bed and set of bunk beds and there is a pull-down “Murphy” bed in the living room which also sleeps two.  The cabins officially sleep six, though that assumes two people in each of the double beds or people sleeping on inflatable-type mattresses.  Other than the rooms in the Alligator Bayou section of Port Orleans Riverside Resort, which sleep five assuming one person sleeps on the small “trundle bed,” all other Disney Moderate resorts sleep only four people.  Moderate rooms also measure 314 square feet, making a Fort Wilderness cabin about 200 square feet larger.  Keep in mind that the Cabins cost nearly twice as much as a Standard room at the other Moderate resorts.

The biggest advantage of the cabins is the fact that each has a full kitchen, including a full-size refrigerator, electric stove, microwave, dishwasher, coffeemaker, toaster, pots and pans, dishes, glasses, and utensils.  There is also a dining area with a large table that seats six and a smaller kid-size table that seats two.  None of the Value, Moderate, or Deluxe resorts offer a full kitchen.  The next cheapest option is a One-Bedroom Villa at Old Key West Resort, which would run you a minimum of $415 per night, or $145 more than the Fort Wilderness cabin.  The kitchens are not top-of-the-line and are reminiscent of something you might expect from a home built in the mid 1980’s, but everything works and it gets the job done.  Another major positive is the fact that every cabin is outfitted with a full private patio, picnic table, and charcoal grill.  Perhaps the one major downside is that each cabin has just one smallish bathroom.  While it is adequate with some compromise, it may be difficult to get six people cleaned up and ready to go in the morning.  This isn’t a unique issue with Fort Wilderness since the other Moderates also have just one bathroom, but the other Moderates are designed to sleep four rather than six.  Fort Wilderness cabins also have the rest of the standard Moderate amenities, including a sofa, hairdryer, iron, ironing board, safe, air-conditioning, heat, telephone, and access to laundry facilities.  There are also two televisions, one in the bedroom and one in the living room.

Overall, the Fort Wilderness Cabins are roomy and well appointed.  If you want to keep your family of six in one space on the cheap, Fort Wilderness is your best choice, especially if you plan to take advantage of the kitchen.  The only real downsides of the cabins themselves are the small bathrooms, lack of storage space for clothing, and the dated appliances in the kitchen.  Of course, a queen-size bed would be nice in the bedroom, but there just isn’t enough space.

The Campsites:

There are four categories/price points for campsites, depending on needs and size of equipment.  All campsites have relatively easy access to “Comfort Stations,” which have private showers and toilets, laundry facilities, ice machines, and telephones.  Comfort Stations are kept extremely clean and are air-conditioned.

The cheapest of the campsite categories is the partial hookup, which accommodates one pop-up or van camper-type vehicle plus one tent or two tents.  Located in both the 1500 and 2000 loops, the hookups include water, electricity (20 amp/120 Volt, 30 amp/120 Volt, 50 amp/250 Volt outlets), and cable television.  There is also a charcoal grill, picnic table, and high speed internet access ($10 per 24 hour time period.).  Prices range between $46 and $93 per night depending on season.

One step up from campsites with a partial hookup, is campsites with a full hookup.  These campsites have hookups that include water, electricity (20 amp/120 Volt, 30 amp/120 Volt, 50 amp/250 Volt outlets), cable television, and sewer.  These sites are also larger, with the ability to accommodate an RV (up to 10’ by 60’) and a tent or two tents.  Like the partial hookup sites, a charcoal grill, table, and high speed internet access ($10 per 24 hour period) are also included.  Prices range from $61 to $108 per night, depending on season.

Preferred campsites have the same hookups as full hookup sites, only they are located in “preferred” locations.  These sites are closer to amenities of interest, like the main building, main pool, bike barn, etc.  They also have an “upgraded” charcoal grill and picnic table. You’ll find preferred campsites mixed in with full hookup sites in most loops.  Considering the cost to upgrade to a preferred location is only about $5 per night, I would recommend doing it, if only for the higher quality grill and seating area.  Prices range between $66 and $115 per night, depending on season.

Premium campsites are the most expensive category.  The major difference between them and preferred campsites is that premium campsites have an extra-large, flat, concrete parking spot.  This affords more room to park and may be required if your RV has a lot of fold-out sections.  The location of these sites are also identified as “premium” rather than “preferred,” which puts them even closer to major resort amenities.  Like the preferred campsites, premium campsites accommodate one RV and one tent or two tents.  The hookups include water, electricity (20 amp/120 Volt, 30 amp/120 Volt, 50 amp/250 Volt outlets), cable television, and sewer.  The picnic table and charcoal grill are also the upgraded variety and internet access is available for $10 per 24 hour time period.  Prices range between $76 and $125 depending on season.

Many of the Loops do allow pets.  If you’re planning to bring yours, make sure you request a campsite that accommodates them, as there are some that do not allow animals.  If you have a larger RV, motor home, or travel trailer, I would recommend upgrading to the premium site.  You’ll have more room to set up and the upgraded grill and picnic table are nice bonuses as well.  Since the resort is so large, being in a “premium” location near a bus stop and amenities of interest is also nice.  The price to upgrade from a full hookup site to a premium site is only about $15 per night and it’s well worth it.

Theme and Layout: As the name implies, Fort Wilderness has a distinctive American frontier theme, with dense wooded areas featuring plentiful pine and cypress trees.  It has a similar feel to what Disney accomplished at the nearby Wilderness Lodge, although Fort Wilderness is distinctly more “outdoorsy.”  It’s commonplace to see families of wild ducks, geese, rabbits, and deer roaming around the property.  Also be on the lookout for the mystical armadillo that turns up from time to time.  Fort Wilderness probably has the most immersive theme of any of the Disney resorts, thanks to tree groves that surround not only the exterior of the resort, but the interior as well.   Campsites and cabins are surrounded by trees, affording an additional layer of privacy.  The setting is so authentic that many guests forget they’re inside of the most popular tourist destination in the United States.  This isn’t surprising, considering Fort Wilderness encompasses over 750 acres of wooded areas.  It is a surprisingly tranquil setting, more removed from the theme parks than even the Wilderness Lodge or Animal Kingdom Lodge.  The shade from the trees also keeps the resort much cooler than just about any other outdoor space on Disney property.  If quiet, peace, and an authentic frontier theme sound appealing, you’ll want to take a long look at the Fort Wilderness Resort.

Fort Wilderness does have one distinct disadvantage – its immense size.  The resort is so large, and amenities are so spread out, that it makes otherwise sprawling resorts like the Coronado Springs and Caribbean Beach seem quaint.  After all, how many other resorts in the world successfully rent golf carts at $65+ per day to guests who have no intention of playing golf?  Less expensive bicycles are available for $18 per day and offer the relatively in-shape a faster method of getting around the resort.  Personal automobiles are more common at Fort Wilderness than any of the other resorts due to the amount of people driving themselves with campers, RVs, tents, and other camping equipment.  However, cars can only be driven to enter or depart the resort to another destination, not driven internally from one area of interest to the next within the resort.  This means you can’t drive from the campfire to your cabin to the tennis courts to the horse barn.  You will need to walk, bike, drive a golf cart, or catch a bus.

Recreational Activities: Of all the Disney World resorts, Fort Wilderness has the most recreational activities for kids and adults.  Not only does it win in terms of quantity, but the quality of many of the activities also surpasses those found elsewhere.  One of my favorites is the nightly campfire, s’more roast, and movie, hosted by Chip ‘n Dale.  There is no additional cost to participate and you can bring your own s’more fixings, purchase them at the nearby cart, or just skip them and enjoy the songs and fun.  The movies are usually good too.  Toy Story 3, Camp Rock 2, Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue, Cars, Bolt, and a host of others are common.  Be sure to ask at check-in for the schedule.

Tours of the property on horseback, carriage, and Segway are also offered.  The horseback ride is about 45 minutes and costs around $50 per person.  Riders must be over the age of nine, over 48” tall, and less than 250 pounds to participate.  Horseback riding is available from 8:30am through around 3pm.  Reservations are required.  Carriages carry up to four adults (or a mixture of two adults and up to three children) around Fort Wilderness on 30-minute rides for $45 per carriage.  Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling 407-WDW-PLAY.  For Halloween (October 1 – November 1), a special “haunted” carriage ride is available for $60.  The trip includes the driver telling the story of Sleepy Hollow.  Reservations are highly recommended.  During the Christmas season (December 1 – 30), a holiday sleigh version is also available for $60.  Reservations are highly recommended and can be made up to 180 days in advance by calling 407-WDW-PLAY.  Disney also offers a two hour (including training) guided tour of Fort Wilderness on Segway that is similar to the Segway tour at Epcot for $85.  This is a lot of fun if you’ve never been on a Segway before (I hadn’t before I tried).  Riders must be 16 years of age or older.  For the budget minded, look for the nightly wagon rides that cost just $8 for those ten and older and $5 for those ages three to nine (kids younger than three are free).  Wagon rides are about 45 minutes and offer a more economical way to see Fort Wilderness.  They usually don’t take reservations and leave from Pioneer Hall (the resort’s main building) nightly, generally from 7pm to 10pm, though the hours can change based on season.  All of these activities are open to all guests, not just those staying at Fort Wilderness.  Be sure to call 407-WDW-PLAY for more information and to verify pricing and availability.

For the younger and smaller set, Disney offers cheap pony rides to those over the age of two, less than 45” tall, and under 80 pounds.  This is one ride where they’ll be able to brag that they’re short enough to ride.  For just $5, little ones can get in on the action as well.

Sports are also a large part of staying at the Wilderness Lodge.  There are tennis and basketball courts, as well as tetherball, volleyball, horseshoes, archery, and shuffleboard.  Catch-and-release fishing is available at the marina and around the property’s canals.  Fishing poles can be rented for between $10 and $13 for the day and worms and whatnot are also available for purchase.  You’ll also find a beautiful 2.3 mile exercise trail that is a lot of fun to walk along at a leisurely pace or at a more athletic pace.  Bikes are also available for rental, as are canoes, pontoon boats, canopy boats, and Sea Raycers.

All in all, there are a ton of things to do around Fort Wilderness for those interested in recreational activities.  I would recommend the carriage or wagon ride on one of your first nights because it’s a great way to get acquainted with the many different things to do around the Fort.  Drivers are knowledgeable about what’s available at the resort and they’re generally happy to answer any questions you might have.

Pool: With all of the other activities available around Fort Wilderness, swimming isn’t as big of a draw as it is at other resorts.  The main pool is the Meadow Swimmin’ Hole.  It isn’t extravagantly themed, though you will find a fun water slide that features a barrel prop from the original Disney World water park (now closed).  There’s also a hot tub and a fun little water park for young kids.  The Wilderness Swimmin’ Pool is available on the other side of the resort.  Both pools are a lot of fun for those looking to take a dip or hang out in the sun, but they aren’t as magnificently themed as other pools found at Coronado Springs, Caribbean Beach, Stormalong Bay, the Polynesian, or other Disney resorts.

Transportation: The only thing keeping me from recommending Fort Wilderness more strongly, other than the size of the resort, is its weakness in the transportation category.  The resort is so spread out and amenities are in so many different locations that a confusing and inefficient internal bus system is used to carry guests around the resort.  In addition, there are only two bus stops on the entire property that take guests to external locations like the theme parks and Downtown Disney.  This means you will likely need to wait at a bus stop near your cabin or campsite for an internal bus and then wait again for a second bus to take you to your final destination.  Assuming the wait is ten minutes for the first bus and fifteen minutes for the second bus, on average, you’re looking at an additional 25 minutes of transportation time tacked on to any bus ride.  Not to mention the travel time on the internal bus, which can be ten minutes or more while it picks up additional stops.  All in all, you’re looking at about 40 minutes of transit time before you’ve even left the resort.  Each of the two bus stop that take guests off resort property also service certain destinations, but not others, adding to the confusion.  The Outpost Depot takes guests to Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Epcot, Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon, and Downtown Disney, while the Settlement Depot is where guests wanting to get on the boat to Magic Kingdom or the Contemporary Resort and Wilderness Lodge should get off.  You will receive a flyer with all of the transportation information that explains the various bus stops and how to get around the resort.  If you want to get to the Settlement or Outpost Depots, make sure to get on the bus that takes you directly there.

Remember, cars can only be used to enter and leave the resort, as well as visit the Meadows Trading Post.  You’ll need to walk, bicycle, or use an electric vehicle (golf cart) to travel within the resort.  I would still recommend using a car to travel to the theme parks and Downtown Disney if at all possible.  Usually, I recommend using Disney transportation because it’s so much easier than driving and parking yourself, even if it occasionally takes longer.  However, the inefficiency of the Fort Wilderness transportation system can be incredibly frustrating because of the additional wait, especially in the morning when you’re in a hurry to get to the Parks.  Not to mention late at night, when you just want to fall into bed after eating one too many Mickey Ice Cream Bars.

The one positive aspect of transportation at Fort Wilderness is its marina with boat access to Magic Kingdom, which is a lot more fun and efficient than taking a bus.  Boats can also be taken to the Contemporary Resort and Wilderness Lodge.  This allows guests to easily transfer to the Monorail Deluxe resorts with their great dining and shopping opportunities.

Approximate Transportation Times

All times are calculated after the bus leaves the resort for its final destination (not including time it takes to wait for the bus or for the bus to transfer you to the external stop):

Hollywood Studios by Bus: about 20 minutes

Epcot by Bus: about 20 minutes

Animal Kingdom by bus: about 20 minutes

Magic Kingdom by boat: about 15 minutes

Downtown Disney by bus: about 15 minutes

Loop Names and Hookup Types:

This is a list of the 28 Loops and what sort of hookups they have.  Loops with Preferred and Premium campsites also have Full Hookup sites.

100 Bay Tree Lake Preferred

200 Palmetto Path Preferred

300 Cypress Knee Circle Preferred

400 Whispering Pine Way Premium

500 Buffalo Bend Premium

600 Sunny Sage Way Premium

700 Cinnamon Fern Way Premium

800 Jack Rabbit Run Premium

900 Quail Trail Premium

1000 Raccoon Lane Premium

1100 Possum Path Premium

1200 Dogwood Drive Premium

1300 Tumblewood Turn Premium

1400 Little Bear Path and Big Bear Path Premium

1500 Cottonwood Curl Partial

1600 Timber Trail Preferred

1700 Hickory Hollow Preferred

1800 Conestoga Trail Preferred

1900 Wagon Wheel Way Preferred

2000 Spanish Moss Lane Partial

The following Loops have cabins only:

2100 Bobcat Bend

2200 Arrowhead Way

2300 Shawnee Bend

2400 Settler’s Bend

2500 Cedar Circle

2600 Moccasin Trail

2700 Heron Hollow

2800 Willow Way

Best Rooms: For campsites, Loops 100, 200, 700, and 400 (in that order) are nearest to the main building, marina, and bus stop.  If you’ll be using Disney transportation, plan to use the marina, or dine at the various restaurants, you’ll likely want to stay in one of those Loops.  Loops 1000, 1400, 1300, 1500, and 600 (in that order) are near the main pool, bike barn, Chip ‘N Dale Campfire, and Meadow Trading Post.  Loops 1900, 1800, and 1700 are the furthest away from the major amenities, but also offer the most serene atmosphere, removed from the (relative) hustle and bustle of the resort.  If you prefer peace, quiet, and privacy, those Loops are your best bet.  Loop 1500 is best for those using tents, pop-up campers, and van campers because of the less expensive partial hookups and proximity to the major amenities.  If you would prefer to be further away and want a campsite with a partial hookup, go with Loop 2000.  For any Loop, request a campsite as far away from the loop entrance and major roadways as possible to reduce noise.

For the cabins in Loops 2100-2800, Loops 2500 and 2600 are close to a bus stop and quiet pool.  Loop 2100 is closest to the main pool, bike barn, and campfire (though still a considerable distance away).  Loop 2700 is the most remote and possibly the quietest place on Disney property, depending on your neighbors.

On-Site Dining Options: Unlike the other four Moderate resorts, Fort Wilderness does not have a dedicated food court.  That isn’t to say there aren’t plenty of opportunities to find food, though.  For quick bites, the Meadows Snack Bar is recommended.  It’s located in the middle of the resort near the main pool and bike barn.  Serving sandwiches, pizza, hot dogs, and dessert, prices and quality are in line with most of the decent counter service locations in the Parks.  In other words, expect to pay $7-$10 per entrée.  It’s certainly nothing to go out of your way to find, but if you’re near the pool and hungry, it will do the job.  There’s also Crockett’s Tavern near Pioneer Hall at the front of the resort.  They serve pizza, nachos, chicken wings, beer, and wine.  It’s a fun and relaxing place to get a beer and sit on the porch after a long day at the Parks.  Chicken wings and nachos run about $9 and a large pizza starts at $14, with an additional dollar added for each topping.  The Chuck Wagon near the Chip ‘N’ Dale Barbecue offers a variety of candy, ice cream, popcorn, and snacks, along with hot dogs and the popular s’more kit.  The s’more kits cost $9 each.  If you have your own supplies, you may want to bring them.

Trail’s End is Disney’s most versatile restaurant, at least in terms of serving food in the widest variety of ways.  It’s a buffet for breakfast and dinner, a traditional table service restaurant for lunch, and also serves counter service meals to go for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  The buffets are among the least expensive on Disney property, though they are still not cheap.  At breakfast (7:30am to 11:30am), expect to pay $15.99 per person for those over the age of nine and $9.99 for kids between the ages of three and nine.  Dinner (4:30pm – 10pm) is $22.99 for adults (10+) and $12.99 for kids (3-9).  The usual suspects are available for breakfast – Mickey waffles, sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs, cereal, biscuits, oatmeal, pastries, and several other dishes.  At dinner, fried chicken, peel-and-eat shrimp, corn bread, and smoked pork ribs are the most popular items.  You’ll also find an assortment of other dishes, including pasta, pizza, salad, vegetables, “hand carved” fish and meats, and fruit cobbler for dessert.  Service is usually above average and there is a wide variety of food that will be pleasing to the vast majority of guests who enjoy “comfort food.”  The fried chicken is excellent and the other dishes compliment it well.  Breakfast is also above average.  Food is served hot and prepared well.  All in all, neither buffet should disappoint.  Trail’s End certainly isn’t exceptional by foodie standards, but if you’re looking for a meal and don’t want to leave the resort, it fits the bill.

Disney is also testing Trail’s End as a table service restaurant at lunch (11:30am to 2pm).  The food and offerings are very similar to what you’ll find at the dinner buffet, only sold a la carte as single entrées.  Fried chicken and waffles make an appearance, as do two cheeseburgers, a chicken and berry salad, a pork chop, and a spicy shrimp and Andouille sausage entrée, among others.  Portions are large and service is just as good, if not better, than breakfast or dinner.  Considering the buffet for lunch used to cost about $20, the lunch entrées that are priced between $13 and $18 seem a little high.  Nonetheless, if your party includes several people, you can order a variety of entrées, share, and create your own quasi-buffet.  Just like with breakfast and dinner, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend going out of my way to find Trail’s End if I was staying elsewhere, but if you’re visiting Fort Wilderness, it’s not a bad choice.  The bonus with lunch is that you can take the leftovers back to your cabin or camper and put it in the fridge for later.  With the buffet, you won’t be able to take any food with you.

Finally, Trail’s End also serves take-out fried chicken, pizza, nachos, chicken wings, sandwiches, salads, and desserts.  This is the most economical choice and the one I would recommend the most.  For $7.99, you get two pieces of chicken, cornbread, and two sides (choices include mashed potatoes, French fries, coleslaw, macaroni and cheese).  They also sell 10 pieces of chicken for about $25 with tax, which is a good deal if you’ve been to the store to pick up some side dishes like salad and bread.  Traditional breakfast items are also available from 7:30am to 11:30am.  Don’t expect anything hot to be on the menu, but they do have cinnamon rolls, muffins, and other “continental” items.  All in all, if you’re staying at Fort Wilderness or find yourself there to visit the Campfire or see the grounds, I would recommend Trail’s End.  It’s among the cheapest buffets at Disney World and the a la carte lunch and takeout chicken are both excellent as well.

Fort Wilderness also offers two dinner-theater type shows.  The first, Hoop Dee Doo Revue, is the definition of a “destination restaurant.”  It is Disney dinner theater at its finest and the best of the dinner shows on Disney property.  It’s not cheap – $53 – $62 per Disney adult (age 10+) and $27 – $32 per child (age 3-9), but it does include the show, all-you-care-to-eat food, and unlimited wine, beer, sangria, and soft drinks.  It’s also available on the Disney Dining Plan for two table service credits per person.  The food offerings are very similar to what you’ll find at Trail’s End for dinner – fried chicken, pork ribs, mashed potatoes, baked beans, bread, salad, and strawberry shortcake for dessert.  The food is all very good, especially the chicken and baked beans.  The show has a distinct country western theme, with lots of singing, dancing, and corny jokes.  There are usually three shows per night.  The first is at 5pm, the second at 7:15pm, and the third at 9:30pm.  The 9:30pm show may not happen during especially slow seasons.  Each show is about 100 minutes long.  Reservations are required and this is a very popular show; you’ll want to make reservations as quickly as possible and ideally 180 days out.  I recommend Hoop Dee Doo Revue, but not necessarily on your first or second trip to Disney World.  It’s a great show, but there is enough going on at Disney World that it probably isn’t necessary to squeeze it in if you have other things to do.  The best way to work it in is making a reservation on a day that you plan to visit the Animal Kingdom.  Without Park Hopper, you won’t be able to enter another theme park. A trip to Fort Wilderness will give you plenty to see and do after a day at the Park.  Either get in line for the Fort Wilderness bus or take the bus to the Magic Kingdom, walk to the marina, and take the boat over.

Mickey’s Backyard BBQ is similar to the Hoop Dee Doo Revue in that it is also an all-you-care-to-eat buffet with a show included.  The menu is slightly different, with an obvious focus on barbecue delights rather than chicken of the fried variety.  Smoked chicken takes the place of fried chicken, along with barbecue ribs, hot dogs, hamburgers, macaroni and cheese, potato salad, garden salad, corn on the cob, coleslaw, and corn bread.  For dessert, enjoy watermelon, and a variety of ice cream treats, including all-you-can-eat Mickey Ice Cream bars.  Yes, all-you-CAN-eat Mickey Ice Cream Bars.  There’s also “free” beer, wine, and soft drinks included with the admission price.  Mickey’s Backyard BBQ is slightly less expensive than Hoop Dee Doo Revue.  Adults (age 10+) are $44.99 and kids (3-9) are $26.99.  It also costs two table service credits.  Because of the limited availability, reservations are highly recommended and you’ll want to make them as soon as possible (ideally 180 days out).  Unlike Hoop Dee Doo, Mickey’s Backyard BBQ is only scheduled seasonally (March through December) on Thursday and Saturday Nights with a show time of 6:30pm – 8pm.  This is also more of an interactive character meal, similar to the buffet at Hollywood and Vine at Hollywood Studios for breakfast and lunch.  Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Chip, and Dale are all in attendance and there is a fun band that plays live music as well.  Kids are invited to join in on the singing and dancing and there are a few other entertainers that make appearances throughout the evening.  All in all, it is a fun time, but it doesn’t offer adults the same value as Hoop Dee Doo Revue.  Mickey’s Backyard Barbecue is aimed at kids specifically and while adults may have a great time, the activities aren’t geared towards them.  The food at Hoop De Doo is also better, though both come from the same kitchen.  Note that the BBQ takes place in a covered pavilion outside.  If the weather is particularly hot or cold, the seating area may be uncomfortable.  Overall, I recommend Hoop Dee Doo Revue over Mickey’s Backyard Barbecue, unless you’re specifically looking for a Disney character experience that the kids will enjoy.

Fort Wilderness is Best For: Groups or families with camping equipment that want to stay on Disney property (and take advantage of all the perks like Extra Magic Hours and the Disney Dining Plan) at the lowest possible price.  Groups or families of four or more that want to stay in one “room.”  People who have been to Disney before and plan to spend a lot of time at their resort, relaxing and taking advantage of the many recreational opportunities on property.  Those who want to get as far away as possible from the hustle and bustle of the theme parks, while still being relatively close to the action.  People who plan to drive their own (or a rental) car.

Fort Wilderness is Worst For: Those who want to be close to the action, with easy and quick Disney transportation options.  People who plan to spend very little time at their resort and would prefer to return only to sleep.  Those who want to bask in luxurious accommodations.

Summary of Key Points: For the budget minded and camping inclined, Fort Wilderness provides the least expensive accommodations on Disney property.  Guests can take advantage of everything a Disney resort has to offer, including Extra Magic Hours eligibility, the Disney Dining Plan, and Magical Express.  Campsites start at $46 per night for a tent/popup site during Value Season and go all the way up to $125 per night for a Premium site during Holiday Season.  Campsites are designated for up to ten people and each site is near a Comfort Station, proving secure and private toilet and shower facilities.  Fort Wilderness also offers cabins that sleep up to six people.  Cabins start at $275 during Value Season and go all the way up to $450 per night during Holiday Season.  Fort Wilderness is officially a Moderate Resort, though Cabin pricing is similar to the cost to book a Standard room at one of the Deluxe resorts.  The Cabins have several key benefits – full kitchen, charcoal grill, single bedroom with double bed and bunk beds, and over 500 square feet of space.  That’s more square footage than you’ll find in any Standard room at the Deluxe resorts, about twice as much space as a Value resort room, and 1.6 times the size of a Moderate resort room.  Fort Wilderness Cabins are also the cheapest rooms that include a full kitchen.  Another bonus is the fact that each cabin is freestanding, meaning it doesn’t share walls or ceilings with anyone else.

Of all the Disney resorts, Fort Wilderness is the most spread out, with key amenities located sporadically around the resort.  It is so large that Disney rents “electric vehicles,” also known as golf carts, for the unsightly price of $65 per day.  Cars are only allowed to enter or exit the resort (or go to Meadows Trading Post), not drive from the restaurants to the pool to the bus stop.  A more economic option is a bike rental (or bring your own), which runs about $18 per day.  Still, a family of five would expect to pay $80 per day for bikes or $560 per week, making the golf cart a more viable option.  Luckily, there is also an internal bus system that takes guests from their cabins or campsites to the various points of interest on resort property.  Unfortunately, with 16 bus stops located around the resort, transportation times can easily exceed 15 minutes, depending on where you get on and off the bus.  While the size of the resort isn’t a “deal breaker,” you will need to factor in transportation times when it comes to dining reservations and other time sensitive engagements.

Speaking of transportation, Disney bus transit is the resort’s biggest weakness.  The biggest problem is that there are only two bus stops that take guests to external destinations like the theme parks and Downtown Disney.  Guests of the resort must either walk to one of these two bus stops (located on opposite sides of the resort), ride a bike, drive a golf cart, or take the internal bus system, which can be incredibly inefficient.  To confuse things further, there are multiple internal bus types.  Some buses transport guests directly to the external stops, while others transport guests within the interior of the resort.  Disney does provide a sheet at check-in with information about transportation and you will likely get the hang of it after two or three transfers, but it is worth noting the additional hassle, even after you can recite which bus is traveling where by memory.  Expect to wait about ten minutes for the internal bus  and then another fifteen minutes to wait for the bus that will take you to your final destination.  That’s an additional 25 minutes of transportation time before you’ve even left the resort.  On the plus side, there is boat access to the Magic Kingdom, which is a lot more fun and efficient than taking a bus.  You can also take the boat to the Contemporary Resort or Wilderness Lodge, which also gives you easy access to many outstanding restaurants.  On the negative side, Fort Wilderness is about 20 minutes away from the other three major theme parks, which makes the average transportation time on Disney buses about 45 minutes.  If you’re staying at Fort Wilderness, you’ll want to strongly consider renting a car or driving your own.  It will make the sub-par Disney transportation much less of an issue.

Now that we have the biggest negative out of the way, we can consider some of the major positive aspects of the resort.  Fort Wilderness has more recreational activities than any other resort on property, including several you won’t find anywhere else.  Horseback riding, Segway tours, pony rides, and wagon rides are all offered (for an additional fee), along with basketball, volleyball, fishing, tetherball, bike riding, walking trails, and more.  One of the most popular activities is the nightly campfire with Chip ‘N’ Dale, featuring s’more and hot dog roasting and a sing-along.  After the free campfire, a free Disney movie is shown on the big screen.  If you plan to spend a considerable amount of time back at your resort and enjoy outdoor activities, Fort Wilderness offers the best choices, both in terms of quantity and quality.  While the pool isn’t as well-themed as many of the other Moderate and Deluxe resorts, it’s perfectly suitable for swimming and the slide is a lot of fun.

On-site dining is another strength of Fort Wilderness.  Trail’s End is one of the most versatile restaurants on Disney property, offering take-out food (for all meals), a buffet (for breakfast and dinner), and a traditional table service meal for lunch.  The fried chicken is excellent and the buffet is among the cheapest at Disney World.  There’s also Crockett’s Tavern, serving up traditional bar food, along with beer and wine.  The Tavern’s porch is a particularly pleasant place to end the day with a cold beer and some satisfying nachos or chicken wings.  Fort Wilderness also hosts two all-you-care-to-eat dinner shows.  Hoop Dee Doo Revue is arguably better, though it does not feature any “Disney” characters.  Instead, Hoop De Doo is a country western themed song and dance show, full or corny jokes and high energy.  The food is above average, plentiful, and the beer and wine are included in the price of the meal.  Mickey’s Backyard BBQ is similar, though it is only offered seasonally (March through December) and only one show is offered per night from 6:30pm to 8pm on Thursday and Saturday evenings.  Hoop Dee Doo Revue is a year-round show with up to three opportunities nightly to see it.  Mickey’s Backyard BBQ is more of a traditional character meal, featuring Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and friends, only kids are invited to take part in the singing, dancing, and activities led by the characters.  A live band performs throughout the evening and entertainers make appearances as well.  The food is also good, though it’s unlikely you’ll get your “money’s worth” if you fill up on hot dogs and hamburgers.  Along with “unlimited” beer and wine, Mickey’s BBQ is the only meal on Disney property that also offers unlimited Mickey Ice Cream Bars.  Yes, unlimited Mickey Ice Cream Bars.  Both shows are a lot of fun and anyone can take part, even if you’re not staying at the resort.

All in all, Fort Wilderness has a lot to offer potential guests, but its remote location, sprawling size, and lousy bus transportation make me less inclined to recommend it more strongly.  Certainly, if you live within driving distance and have your own camping supplies or RV, this is the cheapest spot to plunk down and enjoy all of the extra perks of staying on property at Disney World.  As far as the Cabins are concerned, they are a great choice for those who need to sleep more than four or want a full kitchen to prepare meals.  At nearly twice the cost of a room at the Moderate resorts, two rooms at the Moderates would afford more room, a second bathroom and shower, and more space.  If you have extra time, just a visit to Fort Wilderness can be a lot of fun and I would recommend checking it out if you’re looking for something to do during the evening or if you have a “down day” planned away from the Parks.  For what it does do well, Fort Wilderness may be the perfect resort for you.

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Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa Review and Information

by josh on October 18, 2010

Saratoga Springs Address:

1960 Broadway

Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-1000

Direct Phone: 1-407- 827-1100, Fax: 1-407- 827-1151, General Reservations: 1-407-WDISNEY (1-407-934-7639)

Saratoga Springs Resort Class: Saratoga Springs is a Deluxe Villa resort, the most expensive resort type.  There are six different room configurations with prices ranging from $305 per night for a Deluxe Studio during Value Season all the way up to $1,780 per night for a Three-Bedroom Grand Villa during Holiday Season.

How Disney Vacation Club Resorts Work: Saratoga Springs and other Disney Vacation Club “Villa” Resorts are available for anyone to book at specified cash rates, pending availability like any other resort.  There is no such thing as “second class citizens” at Disney resorts and it’s unlikely most employees will have any idea if you are a Disney Vacation Club member or not.  In fact, cash guests are often treated better than Vacation Club members because they want you to consider buying into Disney’s timeshare program.  Unlike Vacation Club Members, cash guests also receive full housekeeping service each day.

Saratoga Springs Location: Saratoga Springs is officially a Downtown Disney area resort.  Not only is Saratoga Springs in the area, but it actually sits directly opposite of Downtown Disney, separated only by the Sassagoula River.  It is the only resort with a direct walkway to Downtown Disney.  Unfortunately, if you’ve taken a Disney bus to Downtown Disney, you would know that it is quite a distance from many of the other resorts and theme parks.  Saratoga Springs is the furthest resort to the four major theme parks, on average.  Epcot is the closest theme park and it is about 15 minutes away by bus.  The Magic Kingdom is about 25 minutes away.

Saratoga Springs Size: Saratoga Springs is the largest Disney Vacation Club resort with 1,260 total rooms that make up 828 “Vacation Home Units.”  The discrepancy is due to the fact that many of the rooms are part of Two- or Three-Bedroom Villas.  This number includes the 60 independent Three-Bedroom Treehouse Villas which opened on June 1, 2009.  The Treehouse Villas are the most remote rooms at Saratoga Springs and could probably be considered their own resort if not for the fact that it would be more expensive to have an independent check-in area, feature pool, and other amenities exclusive to the Treehouse Villas.  There are two interior bus stops at the Treehouse Villas that take guests to the main building at Saratoga Springs, where they can board buses that travel to the theme parks, eat, swim, etc. just like everyone else.  There is also a walkway, but it may take 30 or more minutes to walk from the most remote Tree House Villas to the main building and feature pool.  Other than the Treehouse Villas, the rest of the rooms are housed in eighteen separate buildings that span 65 acres, causing many rooms to be a good distance away from the main building where you’ll find check-in and the restaurants.  Disney buses service five bus stops throughout the resort and each is convenient to one of the five clusters of buildings that make up the core resort.

Saratoga Springs Spa: The Spa at Saratoga Springs is the best on Disney property, offering single treatments, half-day treatments, and full-day treatments.  The spa is run by Niki Bryan Spas, the same company that operates the spa at the Grand Floridian Resort.  For a list of prices and available treatments, visit http://www.relaxedyet.com/ss_treatments.asp.

Saratoga Springs Room Amenities and Quality: Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa originally opened in May of 2004 with just 280 guest rooms in a section called “Congress Park.”  In the spring of 2005, Disney added eight additional buildings that comprised two new sections, respectively called “The Paddock” and “The Springs,” bringing the total number of rooms to 840.  Summer 2007 brought what was at the time the final phase of the resort, adding six buildings that comprise “The Carousel” and “The Grandstand” sections of the resort.  Finally, the Treehouse Villas opened on June 1st, 2009.  The resort has not undergone a serious refurbishment since the resort opened, which has caused some of the rooms in the first three sections to appear somewhat tired and dated.  It’s unlikely you will run into any serious problems, but the carpets, drapes, and furniture will be original unless a serious problem caused them to be replaced.

Saratoga Springs’ rooms are well appointed, though people comment about how the large size of the furniture makes the rooms feel smaller.  Although it is true that the furniture is a little too large for the space, Saratoga Springs’ rooms actually are smaller than comparable rooms found at other Deluxe and Deluxe Villa resorts.  Deluxe Studio rooms are just 355 square feet and One-Bedroom Villas are 714 Square Feet.  That puts a Deluxe Studio at just about 40 square feet larger than rooms at the Moderate Resorts and about 70 square feet smaller than Standard rooms at the Contemporary Resort.  One-Bedroom Villas at Old Key West are 942 square feet, which is more than 200 square feet larger than their counterparts at the Saratoga Springs resort.  Nonetheless, rooms are pleasantly furnished with high quality furniture.  In particular, the Treehouse Villas are beautiful, though they are decorated more like rooms in the Wilderness Lodge rather than the rest of Saratoga Springs.

At just 355 square feet, Deluxe Studio rooms at Saratoga Springs are smaller than most Standard rooms at other Deluxe resorts, save for the Animal Kingdom Lodge and Wilderness Lodge which have slightly smaller Standard rooms.  Amenities are also similar to Standard Deluxe rooms – the major difference is that Saratoga Springs’ Studios have a kitchenette that includes a microwave, refrigerator with small freezer, coffeemaker, and wet bar.  Each Studio sleeps four people on one queen-size bed and one double-size sleeper sofa, unlike Standard rooms at other resorts which have two dedicated beds. Each room also features a porch or balcony.  Other amenities include a flat-screen television, table with two chairs, hair dryer, vacuum cleaner, iron with ironing board, ceiling fan, telephone, and in-wall safe.  Bathrooms have a bathtub/shower combo and two sinks.

One-Bedroom Villas also sleep four people and feature a bedroom with king-size bed, living room with queen size sleeper sofa, dining area with full kitchen, and one bathroom with large walk-in shower, two sinks, and two-person whirlpool-style tub.  Coming in at 714 square feet, One-Bedroom Villas are slightly larger than two Deluxe Studio rooms put together.  The kitchen includes just about everything one might need to prepare a gourmet feast, including a coffeemaker, microwave, refrigerator with freezer, toaster, stove, oven, sink, dishwasher, pots, pans, and dinnerware.  The dining area includes a wooden table and four chairs.  There is also a dedicated laundry room with full size washer and dryer.  All other Studio amenities are also included: private porch or balcony, television, hair dryer, vacuum cleaner, iron with ironing board, ceiling fan, telephone, and in-wall safe.  The master bedroom with the king-size bed also has a chair and ottoman, television, armoire, and two nightstands.

Two-Bedroom Villas come in two varieties – “lock off” and “dedicated.”  Unlike at Old Key West where each type is its own separate category, Saratoga Springs just has “Two Bedroom Villas” listed as a room category and you will need to specify which type you would prefer at the time of reservation.  Both varieties sleep up to eight people and have identical pricing and very similar amenities.  The difference is that the lock-off Villas are really a One-Bedroom Villa and Deluxe Studio room attached to each other with an internal door that can be locked and one external entrance into each “half” of the Villa.  In other words, the Deluxe Studio becomes the second bedroom and there is a second external entrance/exit to enter the Studio portion.  This affords additional privacy between the two bedrooms and an option to leave the interior door open to move freely throughout the whole Villa.  The sleeping arrangement is as follows: Master bedroom with a king-size bed, second bedroom with a queen-size bed and double-size sleeper sofa, and living room with a queen-size sleeper sofa.  Because the lock-off Villa includes the attached Studio, there is a separate kitchenette in the Studio, in addition to the full kitchen.

Dedicated Tw-Bedroom Villas have a slightly different sleeping configuration and include an additional closet and sink in place of the kitchenette and second exterior door.  The sleeping configuration in the Dedicated Two-Bedroom Villa looks like this: Master bedroom with a king-size bed and, second bedroom area with two queen-size beds, and living room with a queen-size or full-size sleeper sofa.

Either way, your Villa will have a very similar configuration and sleeping arrangement.  Both types are just over 1,000 square feet.  The other amenities are exactly the same as the One-Bedroom Villa and Deluxe Studio listed above (except for the lack of a kitchenette in the dedicated Two-Bedroom Villa), including the full kitchen and dedicated laundry room.

The Three-Bedroom Grand Villa is an impressive 2,113 square feet, which is about 200 square feet smaller than Old Key West, but should still offer enough space for those not hosting a circus.  Considering rooms at the Value resorts are 260 square feet, the Grand Villa is larger than eight Value rooms put together.  Each Grand Villa is two stories and has all of the amenities of a Two-Bedroom Villa plus a third bedroom and third bathroom.  The master bedroom has a king-size bed and bathroom with whirlpool-style tub; the second bedroom has two queen-size beds and a bathroom; the third bedroom has two queen size beds and a bathroom.  The living room also has a queen-size sleeper sofa.  All in all, the Three-Bedroom Villa is designated to sleep up to twelve people, assuming either two people per bed or additional inflatable-type mattresses.  The kitchen includes just about everything one might need to prepare a gourmet feast, including a coffeemaker, microwave, refrigerator with freezer, toaster, stove, oven, sink, dishwasher, pots, pans, and dinnerware.  There is also a dedicated laundry room with full size washer and dryer.  You will also find all of the standard amenities: private porch or balcony, flat-screen television, hair dryer, vacuum cleaner, iron with ironing board, ceiling fan, telephone, and in-wall safe.

Treehouse Villas are very different from rooms or Villas found anywhere else on Disney property.  Each Villa is raised off the ground about ten feet on beams, has eight sides, and is freestanding, meaning it isn’t attached to any other rooms or Villas.  Treehouse Villas also have the largest deck of any Villa on Disney property, including the Three-Bedroom Grand Villas.  The height of the Villas off the ground necessitates a long staircase, but some Villas have a ramp for wheelchair access.  Treehouse Villas have three bedrooms, but at 1,074 square feet, have just about the same square footage as Two-Bedroom Villas in the rest of Saratoga Springs.  The sleeping arrangement is as follows: master bedroom with queen-size bed, second bedroom with queen-size bed, third bedroom with bunk beds, one queen-size sleeper sofa in living room, and one sleeper chair in the living room.  Technically speaking, Treehouse Villas can sleep up to nine people, thanks to the addition of the sleeper chair and assuming two people per bed.  Each bedroom has its own flat-panel television and the living room has a flat-panel television and DVD player.  Like the other Villas, Treehouse Villas have a full kitchen with a coffeemaker, microwave, refrigerator with freezer, toaster, stove, oven, sink, dishwasher, pots, pans, and dinnerware.  There is also a dedicated laundry room with full size washer and dryer.  There are two bathrooms – one attached to the master bedroom and one with easy access from the living room.  All in all, Treehouse Villas are nicely appointed with granite counter tops, quality wooden furniture, natural stone flooring in the kitchen, and plenty of natural light.

Since the cost of the Treehouse Villa is the same as a Two-Bedroom Villa, you will need to decide if the additional privacy afforded by a third bedroom is worth losing that amount of common space.  Treehouse Villas are also a long ways away from the Saratoga Springs building and you will likely need to rely on the internal bus that takes Treehouse guests to the main building or use a car.  Transportation to the theme parks is not offered directly from the Treehouse Villa bus stops, but the area does have its own quiet pool.

Saratoga Springs Theme and Layout: According to the Disney website, Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa is “Inspired by historic Saratoga Springs, a late-1800s New York retreat famous for its spas and horse racing, the buildings and grounds of this 65-acre Resort are truly inviting. Stroll among green rolling hills and discover gurgling fountains and placid lakes.”  While there is little doubt that the resort is beautiful, like all of Disney’s Deluxe resorts, the theme of Saratoga Springs Resort is not as extravagant as other resorts like the Wilderness Lodge or Polynesian Resort.  While I have never taken a poll, it seems like many guests don’t even realize there is a theme to the resort, which would never be said about Disney’s other resorts.  The problem is that Saratoga Springs blends in to what you might expect from a resort in Orlando.  It “fits” better than say, the Coronado Springs resort which is obviously “out of place” in a climate like Orlando’s.  Nonetheless, the Victorian theme is well.  The gentle pastel colors are aesthetically pleasing and the architecture is authentic and interesting.

Built on over 65 acres, Saratoga Springs is a large, sprawling resort.  This is somewhat surprising since the resort is relatively new and Disney is aware that people’s biggest complaint about resorts like Coronado Springs and the Caribbean Beach is the distance from many of its rooms to the main building.  Some people appreciate the privacy that the layout offers, but other people will be put off by the amount of walking necessary to reach the resort’s restaurants, check-in, and feature pool.  Luckily, there are five bus stops that transport guests to the Disney theme parks, in addition to the two internal bus stops at the Tree House Villas.  This cuts down on the time it takes for guests to walk from their room to the bus stop to about ten minutes at most.  There are also five total pools, which makes the trek to the feature pool less necessary.  From the most remote rooms at Saratoga Springs, the walk to the main building can take 15 or more minutes.

As far as kid-friendliness is concerned, the resort is not particularly appealing to kids.  The theme is often lost on them and while they will be aware that they are surrounded by beauty, it’s unlikely they will differentiate it from other parts of Orlando.  It’s a perfectly kid-friendly resort, without any pretentiousness or stuffiness, but the theme and the grounds are unlikely to inspire most children.

Saratoga Springs Pool: There are a total of five pools at Saratoga Springs, including the original 161,000 gallon feature pool located outside the main building.  One of the feature pool’s perks is it has zero depth entry, so there are no stairs to climb to get in or out.  There are also two hot tubs nearby.    The good news is that Disney is building a new feature pool where the Paddock quiet pool currently sits that is scheduled to open on June 30, 2011.  The new feature pool will have a 146 foot water slide, expanded deck, 1,200 square foot playground, and include a new quick service eatery. In addition to those pools, there are additional quiet pools near The Grandstand and Congress Park sections and an additional pool near the Treehouse Villas.  The Paddock Pool will close while it’s being turned into a new feature pool.

Saratoga Springs Transportation: Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa does not share bus service with any other resort, which saves a substantial amount of time on every bus ride.  However, Saratoga Spring is also the least convenient resort to the four major theme parks, on average.  Although Animal Kingdom Lodge is technically further away from the Magic Kingdom than Saratoga Springs is to any of the theme parks, Animal Kingdom Lodge is right next to the Animal Kingdom.  Saratoga Springs is right next to Downtown Disney, but the closest theme park is about 15 minutes away by Disney bus.  Saratoga Springs offers bus transportation to all theme and water parks and both bus and watercraft transportation to Downtown Disney.  I would recommend taking the boat to Downtown Disney because it offers a ride that is just as short as the bus and is much more scenic.  The bus stop order is: Grandstand first, Carousel second, Paddock third, Congress Park fourth and The Springs fifth, except for the Downtown Disney route where The Springs is picked up first.  Note that The Springs is the closest to the main building, but is picked up last.  While it’s unlikely that Saratoga Springs is purposefully neglected, there are more complaints about the bus service than other Deluxe resorts.  Some people report having a limited number of buses service the resort, increasing wait times to board the bus and making the buses that do arrive much more crowded.

The times below are calculated after the bus or boat leaves for its final destination.

Hollywood Studios by Bus: about 20 minutes

Epcot by Bus: about 15 minutes

Animal Kingdom by bus: about 20 minutes

Magic Kingdom by bus: about 25 minutes

Downtown Disney by bus: about 10 minutes

Downtown Disney by boat: about 10 minutes

Downtown Disney by walking: 10 to 30 minutes depending on your room location

Saratoga Springs Best Rooms: The best rooms are those closest to the main building and current feature pool.  Rooms 3101 through 3436 and 3501 to 3836 fit the bill.  Request a room with a water view as far away from the lobby as possible.  This will afford the best view and keep you away from the popular Broadway road that runs throughout the resort.  Rooms 3501 to 3836 will also be closer to the bus stop.  All other rooms are a sizable distance away from the main building.  The second best rooms are found in the Paddock and Congress Park sections that overlook Downtown Disney.  These rooms are also the closest to Downtown Disney, with just a short five to ten minute walk between the resort and Ghirardelli’s downtown.  Rooms 1101 through 1436 in Congress Park and 6501 to 6836 are ideal for both their proximity to Downtown Disney and distance from the noisy street.  Once the new pool is built in The Paddock (opening at the end of June 2011), rooms 5101 to 5436 and 5501 to 5836 will be more desirable because of their proximity to the new pool complex and quick service eatery.  Request a room overlooking the water that is as far away from the pool as possible.  In addition, there is a bridge that connects The Paddock to the main building that is convenient and fun to walk across.  Rooms in the Carousel section really do not have any upside, other than the fact that the rooms furthest from the road are the most private.  If you would prefer to see fewer people during your stay and either have a car or won’t be visiting the main building or pool often, The Carousel is for you.  Request a room as far away from the road as possible.  Rooms 8501 through 8836 are relatively close to the main building and near a bus stop and pool.  If your other requests can’t be met, consider requesting a room in that section as far away from the pool as possible.  This will diminish the noise and fewer people will be passing by.  As always, rooms on higher floors are always better because they offer better views and you won’t have to worry about people’s feet pounding above you.

For the Treehouse Villas, Villa 7025, 7026, 7027, 7028, 7029, 7030, and 7031 have water views, are closest to the bus stop, are relatively close to the swimming pool, and are close to the walkway that connects the Treehouse Villas to the rest of Saratoga Springs.  7002, 7003, 7004, 7006, 7007, and 7009 also have water views and are close to the second bus stop.  The only downside is that they are the furthest from the walkway connecting to Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa.  For a woods view that is as far away from other people as possible, consider 7046, 7047, 7048, 7049, 7050, and 7051.

Saratoga Springs On-Site Dining Options: Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa has one major counter service and one sit-down restaurant.  The pool complex that is scheduled to open June 30, 2011 will add an additional poolside counter service.  Artist’s Palette (not to be confused with the signature restaurant Artist’s Point at Wilderness Lodge) is the resort’s major counter service that’s open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Breakfast features a variety of hot entrées as well as bagels, muffins, cinnamon rolls, croissants, coffee, and the like.  Lunch and dinner leave something to be desired as far as variety is concerned.  They have a decent variety of soups, sandwiches, and salads, but it’s more of a deli than a traditional food court that you’ll find at other resorts.  They don’t have baked chicken, pizza, hamburgers, and other entrées that are common at other resorts.  If you’re in the mood for a $9 sandwich, Artist’s Palette fits the bill, but it will disappoint if you’re looking for something a little different.  If your room includes a full kitchen, consider driving to the store for food or consider a delivery purchase from Garden Grocer.

The Turf Club is the resort’s table service restaurant that is open for lunch and dinner (but not breakfast).  It’s a casual, yet refined restaurant with classier-sounding food than many other resort restaurants.  Each entrée lists a wine pairing, for example, which you won’t find at many other restaurants.  I actually enjoy meals here more than most other restaurants on Disney property; the patio dining is relaxed, service is prompt and friendly, and the food is good too.  It has a country-club atmosphere, though it isn’t at all pretentious.  Prices are also reasonable – $11.99 for a high quality burger with bacon and fries, $10.49 for a Reuben sandwich, and $15 for a rib-eye steak sandwich on ciabatta bread isn’t bad for lunch at a sit-down restaurant.  For dinner, there are several more expensive items on the menu like Grilled New York Strip for $27.99 and the Prime Rib for $22.00, but the burger is still on the menu at $11.99.  All in all, Turf Club should be an above-average meal if you don’t feel like leaving your resort to head to Downtown Disney or another theme park or resort.  The only downside is that it isn’t open for breakfast.  With Downtown Disney close by it isn’t as big of a deal, but it would be convenient for those who like to have a big breakfast before leaving Disney World to return home.  I’m not sure I would go out of my way to eat at Turf Club if I was staying elsewhere because there is nothing particularly unique about it, but don’t hesitate to give it a try if you’re in the area. One other problem you might run into with the restaurant when it is open is the fact that the menu leaves a lot to be desired for vegetarians and kids.  If you can call reservations in advance and make a special request, you’re more likely to be happy with a vegetarian meal.  As always, don’t be shy about asking for substitutions.

Saratoga Springs is Best For: Those looking for a quiet, peaceful resort with a classy atmosphere and a lot of space to walk around.  People planning to spend a considerable amount of time at Downtown Disney.  Those who have spent a lot of time at Disney in the past and plan to spend a lot of time lounging around the resort.  Groups of nine people who would like to sleep in the same Villa at a price lower than other Disney accommodations.

Saratoga Springs is Worst For: People who plan to spend the majority of their time at the major theme parks and rely on Disney transportation.  Those who would rather stay at a resort close to the action, with short transit times to the Parks.  Families on a budget who want a lot of space for their dollar.

Summary of Key Points: Saratoga Springs is the ideal resort for guests who want a peaceful, relaxing resort that is out of the way of the theme parks, but convenient to Downtown Disney.  Unfortunately, the closure of Pleasure Island at Downtown Disney has somewhat lessened the value of Saratoga Springs’ location, but it is still nice being able to walk to Downtown Disney’s many restaurants and stores.  Saratoga Springs’ theme is lacking a bit compared to other Disney Deluxe resorts like the Animal Kingdom Lodge and Polynesian Resort, but the “Saratoga Springs” theme is accurately represented.  The architecture is interesting to look at and the subdued pastel colors allow the natural beauty of the property to shine through. There is no doubt that the resort is immaculately landscaped with lush greens and serene waterways, but the resort seems like it belongs in Orlando, unlike other resorts that have a more obvious theme.  Keep in mind that Saratoga Springs is one of the most sprawling resorts on Disney property and rooms can be 15 or more minutes away from the main building which houses check-in, the store, and restaurants.  Be sure to read over the “best rooms” category to pick the right section of the resort for you and your group.

Saratoga Springs’ rooms are nicely appointed, though the original rooms opened in 2004 and have not been refurbished.  This means carpet, fixtures, furniture, and beds will be original.  While serious problems are uncommon, the rooms are not as nice as refurbished rooms found at nearby Old Key West.  The rooms at Old Key West are also larger and cheaper than rooms at Saratoga Springs.  One unique feature of Saratoga Springs is its 60 three-bedroom Treehouse Villas that opened in 2009.  These Villas sleep nine and are as private as any place on Disney property, while still offering a convenient quiet pool, great views, and two bus stops to carry guests to Saratoga Springs’ main building.  At just over 1,000 square feet, they cost the same as a Two-Bedroom Villa and offer an additional bedroom for additional privacy.  While the Villas are technically part of Saratoga Springs, they are furnished like rooms at the Wilderness Lodge and have a similar “woodsy feeling.”  They are also so far away that it could take 30 or more minutes to walk between the Treehouse Villas and the Main building, which is why additional transportation is necessary.

Saratoga Springs has a total of five pools, though the Paddock Pool is undergoing a refurbishment and will emerge as a second feature pool (scheduled for June 30, 2011).  The quiet pools are conveniently located around the resort, making the trek to the feature pol outside the main building less necessary.  The Treehouse Villas also have a pool nearby.  While the feature pool isn’t as well-themed or as fun as the Polynesian Resort’s or Stormalong Bay, it’s highly unlikely pool hopppers will be a problem and crowding is rarely an issue.  The area is relaxing and fun, giving guests an opportunity to cool off without having to worry about getting a spot early or dealing with people who aren’t staying at the resort.  The opening of the second feature pool will likely make Saratoga Springs a more desirable resort as well.  The drawings look fantastic and the 146 foot water slide and additional quick service location are sure to be crowd pleasers.

The biggest problems with Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa are its Disney transportation and distance from all major theme parks, except for Epcot, which is relatively close.  While it’s unlikely that Saratoga Springs is purposefully neglected, more people complain about its Disney bus transportation than other Deluxe resorts.  Buses seem to take longer to arrive than other resorts.  One positive is that buses aren’t shared with any other resort, meaning all routes are direct.  This saves a considerable amount of time in transit, but it is also probably why waits for the bus to show up are longer.  Another negative is that all theme parks other than Epcot are a considerable distance away from Saratoga Springs.  See approximate wait times above.

Dining is also a mixed bag.  Artist’s Palette is decent, but it lacks much of a selection for lunch and dinner and it does get crowded at peak meal times.  If you’re in the mood for a sandwich, soup, or salad, then Artist’s Palette is unlikely to disappoint, but don’t expect pizza, hamburgers, or chicken to be on the menu.  The Turf Club is a nice, casual restaurant with excellent service and reasonable prices.  Seating on the patio is particularly pleasant.  Unfortunately, it does not serve breakfast.

Overall, Saratoga Springs is a fantastic resort if it’s what you’re looking for as a guest.  If privacy, natural beauty, and Downtown Disney are important parts of your vacation then Saratoga Springs just might be the resort for you.  If convenience, proximity to the major theme parks, and an exotic theme are more important, then you’ll likely want to look elsewhere.

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Old Key West Review Disney World Deluxe Villa Resort Information

by josh on October 14, 2010

Old Key West Resort

Address:

1510 North Cove Road

Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-1000

Direct Phone: 1-407-827-7700, Fax: 1-407-827-7710, General Reservations: 1-407-WDISNEY (1-407-934-7639)

Resort Class: Old Key West is a Deluxe Villa resort, the most expensive resort type.  There are five different room configurations with prices ranging from $295 per night for a Deluxe Studio during Value Season all the way up to $1,780 per night for a three-bedroom Villa during Holiday Season.  The room categories include Deluxe Studios, One-Bedroom Villas, Two-Bedroom Lock-Off Villas, Two-Bedroom Dedicated Villas, and Three-Bedroom Grand Villas.

How Disney Vacation Club Resorts Work: Old Key West and other Disney Vacation Club “Villa” Resorts are available for anyone to book at specified dollar rates, pending availability like any other resort.  Disney Vacation Club members who are staying at the resort will be using “points” rather than cash.  There is no such thing as “second class citizens” at Disney resorts and it’s unlikely most employees will have any idea if you are a Disney Vacation Club member or not.  In fact, cash guests are often treated better than Vacation Club members because Disney wants you to consider buying into their timeshare program.  Unlike Vacation Club members, cash guests also receive full housekeeping service each day.

Location: Old Key West is officially a Downtown Disney area resort and is in close proximity to the Port Orleans French Quarter resort.  It also sits next to the Lake Buena Vista Golf Course.  All Disney transportation is via bus, except for Downtown Disney which offers both bus and boat service.  Old Key West is within 20 minutes of all major theme parks and points of interest on Disney property.

Size: Old Key West is a large, sprawling resort with a whopping 49 separate two and three-story guestroom buildings that house a total of 761 rooms  Most guestroom buildings have a mixture of Deluxe Studios, One-Bedroom Villas, Two-Bedroom Villas, and Three-Bedroom Grand Villas.  In a somewhat confusing move, guest buildings at the resort are numbered from 11 to 64 and skip one through ten.  Only buildings 62, 63, and 64 have elevators.  If you have mobility problems, you will want to request a room in one of these buildings or request a first floor room in another building.  There are five bus stops scattered throughout the resort, which decreases the amount of time it takes to walk from any room to a bus stop to about five minutes. There is a feature pool located near the main building and three quiet pools conveniently located throughout the resort as well.  Take note of the best rooms section below for a list of the quietest rooms that are also near the main building.

Room Amenities and Quality: Old Key West is currently undergoing an extensive refurbishment that should be completed sometime in early 2011.  Be sure to request a refurbished room if your stay is before March 2011, both at the time of booking and with the resort directly several days before your check-in date.  The refurbishment began in the rooms furthest from the main building.  Just about everything in the rooms will be replaced or updated, including the carpet, drapes, bedding, televisions, cabinets, ceiling fans, and lamps.  Granite countertops have been added to Villas with one or more bedrooms, as well as refinished wood floors and new paint.  The single biggest complaint about Old Key West prior to the refurbishment was that the resort rooms were “tired” and in serious need of an upgrade.  Since the resort was originally built in 1991, this was a fair critique.  Now that the rooms have been refurbished and upgraded, Old Key West’s accommodations stand up well against the competition from the other Deluxe or Deluxe Villa resorts including the Contemporary Resort and Grand Floridian.

Deluxe Studio rooms are similar to the Standard rooms found at other Deluxe resorts, both in size and amenities.  Studio rooms are about 390 square feet, which is comparable to rooms at the Beach Club, Yacht Club, and Boardwalk Inn, smaller than the Grand Floridian, Polynesian, and Contemporary Resort and larger than rooms at the Animal Kingdom Lodge and Wilderness Lodge.  Moderate resort rooms are 314 square feet, or about 75 feet smaller.  The major difference is that Old Key West Studio rooms have a kitchenette that includes a microwave, refrigerator with small freezer, and wet bar.  Each Studio sleeps four people on two queen-size beds and features a private porch or balcony.  Other amenities include a flat-screen television, table with two chairs, hair dryer, vacuum cleaner, iron with ironing board, ceiling fan, telephone, and in-wall safe.

One-Bedroom Villas also sleep four people and feature a bedroom with king-size bed, living room with queen size sleeper sofa, dining area with full kitchen, and one bathroom with large shower, two sinks, closet, and two-person whirlpool-style tub.  Coming in at nearly 950 square feet, One-Bedroom Villas are substantially larger than any two Standard rooms on Disney property and almost four times larger than Value resort rooms (which measure 260 square feet each).  The kitchen includes just about everything one might need to prepare a gourmet feast, including a coffeemaker, microwave, refrigerator with freezer, toaster, stove, oven, sink, dishwasher, pots, pans, and dinnerware.  The dining area includes a wooden table and four chairs.  There is also a dedicated laundry room with full size washer and dryer.  All other Studio amenities are also included: private porch or balcony, flat-screen television, hair dryer, vacuum cleaner, iron with ironing board, ceiling fan, telephone, and in-wall safe.  The master bedroom with the king-size bed also has a chair and ottoman, television, armoire, and two nightstands.  It is important to note that One-Bedroom Villas in buildings 11 through 29 have only one entrance to the bathroom, which is located inside the master bedroom.  Buildings 30 through 64 have an additional entrance to the bathroom through the laundry room.  While this might not be such a big deal during the day, it can be annoying if someone sleeping on the sleeper sofa needs to use the bathroom during the night.

Two-Bedroom Villas come in two varieties – “lock off” and “dedicated.”  Both varieties sleep up to eight people and have identical pricing and very similar amenities.  The difference is that the lock-off Villas are really a One-Bedroom Villa and Deluxe Studio room attached to each other with an internal door that can be locked and one external entrance into each “half” of the Villa.  In other words, the Deluxe Studio becomes the second bedroom and there is a second external entrance/exit to enter the Studio portion.  This affords additional privacy between the two bedrooms and an option to leave the interior door open to move freely throughout the whole Villa.  The sleeping arrangement is as follows: Master bedroom with a king-size bed and whirlpool-style tub, second bedroom with a queen-size bed and double-size sleeper sofa or two queen-size beds, and living room with a queen-size or full-size sleeper sofa.  Because the lock-off Villa includes the attached Studio, there is a separate kitchenette in the studio, in addition to the full kitchen.

Dedicated Tw-Bedroom Villas have a slightly different sleeping configuration and include an additional closet and sink in place of the kitchenette and second exterior door.  The sleeping configuration in the Dedicated Two-Bedroom Villa looks like this: Master bedroom with a king-size bed and whirlpool-style tub, second bedroom area with a queen-size bed and double-size sleeper sofa or two queen-size beds, and living room with a queen-size or full-size sleeper sofa.

Either way, your Villa will have a very similar configuration and sleeping arrangement.  Both types are also about 1,395 square feet.  Each Two-Bedroom Villa also has up to three private balconies or patios.  The other amenities are exactly the same as the One-Bedroom Villa and Deluxe Studio listed above (except for the kitchenette in the dedicated Two-Bedroom Villa), including the full kitchen and dedicated laundry room.

The Three-Bedroom Grand Villa is an impressive 2,380 square feet, which is about 250 feet larger than the median house size in the United States.  Each Grand Villa is two stories and has all of the amenities of a Two-Bedroom Villa plus a third bedroom and third bathroom.  The master bedroom has a king-size bed and bathroom with whirlpool-style tub; the second bedroom has two queen-size beds and a bathroom; the third bedroom has two full size beds and a bathroom.  The living room also has a queen-size sleeper sofa.  All in all, the Three-Bedroom Villa is designated to sleep up to twelve people, assuming either two people per bed or additional inflatable-type mattresses.  The kitchen includes just about everything one might need to prepare a gourmet feast, including a coffeemaker, microwave, refrigerator with freezer, toaster, stove, oven, sink, dishwasher, pots, pans, and dinnerware.  There is also a dedicated laundry room with full size washer and dryer.  You will also find all of the standard amenities: private porch or balcony, flat-screen television, hair dryer, vacuum cleaner, iron with ironing board, ceiling fan, telephone, and in-wall safe.  The Three-Bedroom Grand Villa is one of the most impressive places to stay on Disney property.  There are 27 Grand Villas at the Old Key West Resort and they are highly sought after by Disney Vacation Club members.

Theme and Layout: Many of Disney’s Deluxe resorts are themed after architecture found in faraway places.  Old Key West is not necessarily one of those resorts, though Key West Florida is about 390 miles away from Orlando.  According to Disney, Old Key West “conjures up the leisurely romance of the Florida Keys” and the architecture is inspired from buildings in Old Town, Key West that date back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  Buildings are painted in gentle pastels and plentiful palm trees surround the property.  Perhaps more so than any of Disney’s other resorts, Old Key West feels removed from the hustle and bustle of the theme parks.  It is also rarely visited by people from other resorts, which makes it feel more private and exclusive than the Monorail Deluxes or Epcot area resorts.  While it is not extremely convenient to any of the four major theme parks, Old Key West is close enough that transportation times will rarely be an issue.  Lake Buena Vista Golf Course sits next to Old Key West on one side and a tropical waterway leads to Downtown Disney on the other.  Coupled with dense foliage and well-maintained landscaping, Old Key West is a fantastic resort choice for those who want to feel like they’ve left Disney World while still being in close proximity to everything Disney has to offer.

Old Key West’s layout is designed to make guests feel like they’re part of their own small neighborhood.  There are 49 independent buildings with guest rooms, far more than any other resort.  This spread out design causes many of the rooms to be far away from the Hospitality House, where you’ll find registration, restaurants, the lounge, store, arcade, and other resort amenities.  The main pool is equally far away from many rooms.  This is both good and bad depending on your perspective, but it makes requesting a room that fits your needs more important.  Luckily, the five bus stops are well positioned throughout the resort, making walks to Disney transportation short.  There are also convenient parking lots outside each of the buildings, which makes Old Key West one of the most convenient if you have a car because you’ll be able to pull right up to your Villa.  Building 64 is the only building without a dedicated parking lot.  Because there are only five room categories and no view upgrades or preferred building upgrades, you will need to make your room placement request when you book the room and follow up directly with the resort a few days before your check-in date.  Best rooms are covered later in this article.

Old Key West is perfectly kid-friendly, though there is nothing overtly “Disney” about it.  Most kids prefer the large statues of the Disney characters at the Value resorts, but many kids also appreciate the lush surroundings and tranquil atmosphere of Old Key West.  I would consider the theme “kid-neutral,” meaning it doesn’t greatly add or subtract to most kids’ Disney experience.

Pool: Old Key West has three quiet pools and one feature pool.  The 149,600 gallon feature pool isn’t huge, but it’s perfectly large enough to meet demand, especially considering it’s far away from about half the resort and many guests prefer to swim in their respective quiet pools.  In addition, the chances of running into a “pool hopper” from another resort are slim.  Old Key West added a sandcastle slide in 2005 that is a lot of fun and the feature pool also has a smaller kiddie pool, hot tub, sauna, and nearby playground.  As an added bonus, lifeguards at the feature pool host games throughout the afternoon.  The second best pool at Old Key West is the Turtle Pond pool that’s near the Turtle Shack Snack Bar, which offers sandwiches, pizzas, hot dogs, ice cream, and other assorted snacks.  The Turtle Pond pool is closest to buildings 41 and 42 and also close to buildings 40, 43, and 44.

Transportation: Old Key West does not share bus service with any other resort, which saves a substantial amount of time on every bus ride.  Old Key West offers bus transportation to all theme and water parks and both bus and watercraft transportation to Downtown Disney.  I would recommend taking the boat to Downtown Disney because it offers a ride that is just as short as the bus and is much more scenic.

The times below are calculated after the bus or boat leaves for its final destination.

Hollywood Studios by Bus: about 20 minutes

Epcot by Bus: about 15 minutes

Animal Kingdom by bus: about 20 minutes

Magic Kingdom by bus: about 20 minutes

Downtown Disney by bus: about 15 minutes

Downtown Disney by boat: about 10 minutes

Best Rooms: There are a mixture of Deluxe Studio, One-Bedroom, Two-Bedroom, and Three-Bedroom Villas in most buildings.  The best buildings are 62 and 63 because of their proximity to the main building, elevator access, convenient parking, distance from major roads, and the One-Bedroom Villas have a second door to the bathroom.  Building 64 is also excellent for the same reasons, but it does not have a parking lot right outside of it.  This may be an added bonus for those relying on Disney transportation because noise from people entering their cars early in the morning won’t be an issue.  Buildings 11, 12, 13, 14, and 16 are also recommended for their close proximity to the main building and distance from major roads.  If you are looking for privacy and quiet, request buildings 45, 46, 53, 54, 55, or 56.  These buildings are also very close to a quiet pool and bus stop.  Buildings 23 through 35 wind their way around the interior of the resort and offer views of the river and golf course, while still being a good distance away from the main roads and noise.  There is nothing wrong with any of them.  I would avoid buildings 19, 20, 21, 22, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 49, and 50 if possible because they border the busy Bonnet Creek Parkway, do not offer notable views, and aren’t particularly convenient to any points of interest.  Even so, it is unlikely road noise will be particularly bothersome.  Remember that buildings 30 through 64 have an additional door to the bathroom in the laundry room in One-Bedroom Villas.   The third floor of any building is ideal because it affords the best possible view and there won’t be any noise from people walking around above the room.  With the hardwood floors, it can get noisy if people are wearing shoes indoors.

On-Site Dining Options: If there is an area where Old Key West is lacking, it’s in on-site dining options.  Old Key West is a relatively small resort as far as number of rooms are concerned and it doesn’t get a lot of traffic from people not staying at the resort.  For those reasons, Disney doesn’t offer as many choices as you’ll find at the Deluxe Monorail Resorts or Epcot area resorts.  Good’s Food To Go, the resort’s counter service, has a limited menu of hamburgers, sandwiches, chicken nuggets, and a few soups.  There are also the standard desserts and beverages.  For breakfast, the two hot choices are a croissant sandwich with eggs, bacon and cheese or a breakfast platter with eggs, bacon, and potatoes.  Muffins and bagels are also offered.  Good’s Food To Go is usually understaffed in the morning, making lines longer than anyone wants to wait and the people working there have never been particularly pleasant.  Seating is also at a minimum.  It’s a decent option for the desperate during off-hours, but it’s not ideal for breakfast or popular dining times.  I would recommend waiting to get to the Park to eat or making other arrangements.  If you have a car, consider driving to a supermarket for breakfast items.  Without a car, consider making a grocery delivery purchase through Garden Grocer or pack something from home.

Olivia’s Café is the resort’s table service restaurant. It’s perfectly decent, but certainly not a restaurant worth going out of your way to visit.  The standard dinner menu applies – pasta, chicken, steak, prime rib, mahi mahi, and salad.  All cooked one way.  Lunch is the usual sandwiches and salads.  Meals are relaxed and service is usually friendly, if not slow.  Of course, you have to order the Key Lime Tart for dessert.  If you need a convenient or unplanned meal back at the resort, Olivia’s Café is unlikely to disappoint if your expectations are fairly low and standard (read: overpriced) Disney restaurant pricing doesn’t bother you.

Best For: Those looking for the most square footage for their dollar on Disney property.  Larger families who would prefer a Villa with one external door over separate or adjoining rooms.  Couples wanting a private and leisurely resort away from the crowds and furor of the theme parks.  People who want to be near all four major theme parks and will take advantage of the boat ride to Downtown Disney.

Worst For: Those looking for an overtly Disney or exotically themed resort.  People who plan to eat several meals at restaurants on-site.  Those on a budget.  Groups that include someone with mobility issues.

Summary of Key Points: Of all of the Disney-owned resorts, Old Key West is probably the least hyped.  Most Disney vacationers probably have no idea it even exists because it’s rarely passed by in person and it doesn’t have a large online presence, on the Disney website or otherwise.  Part of this is probably due to poor marketing.  Naming your pizzeria “Old Pizza” wouldn’t be very smart.  Neither would naming your shoe store, “Old Feet.”  Luckily, the recent refurbishment to Old Key West has transformed it into anything but an old resort.  The biggest complaint used to be the tired rooms and aging furnishings.  Those problems are long gone and the resort is even more beautiful than when it first opened in 1991.  This is a leisurely Deluxe resort that doesn’t see the foot traffic of the Polynesian or Boardwalk Inn.  If you’re looking for a more private respite from the theme parks, look no further than Old Key West.

Old Key West boasts the largest Villas on Disney property.  All One-Bedroom and larger Villas have a full kitchen and dedicated laundry room, allowing guests to save money by preparing their own meals and washing clothes rather than checking a second bag on a flight.  In fact, the Three-Bedroom Villa offers more space than the median house in the United States.  Compared to the 260 square feet rooms you’ll find at the Value resorts, 2,300+ square feet will seem like a palace fit for a king.  Even the One-Bedroom Villas are more than twice the size of any two Standard rooms on property.

The resort’s layout has its advantages and disadvantages.  The 49 independent guestroom buildings offer privacy, but necessitate a large footprint, making many of the rooms a good distance from the main building.  Luckily, there are five bus stops conveniently located throughout the resort and four pools, guaranteeing that guests won’t be more than five minutes away from a bus stop or a swim.  The pastel color palette of the various buildings is gentle and tasteful, creating an atmosphere that is authentic Key West at the turn of the 20th century.  Everything about the resort emits a feeling of leisure and relaxation.

The resort isn’t extremely convenient to any one Park in particular, but it’s rare for a bus ride to take more than 20 minutes to any destination.  The boat ride to Downtown Disney is as convenient as it is scenic and it’s a more fun way to travel than by bus.  Old Key West really only has two major disadvantages, the first being a lack of an elevator in all but three buildings.  This makes it difficult for the mobility-impaired to climb the stairs, so you’ll want to make sure you note your floor preference when you make your reservation.  You’ll also want to have a look at the best rooms section for an idea about which building to request.  The second major disadvantage is its lack of dining options.  While Olivia’s is decent, if not overpriced like most Disney table service restaurants, Good’s Food to Go is seriously lacking in service, selection, and food quality.  It will suffice for a quick meal, but it’s not a counter service you will be looking forward to visiting each morning.

I would highly recommend Old Key West to anyone looking for a relaxing resort on Disney property that feels as though it’s removed from the hustle of the theme parks.  Don’t look past it merely because it has “Old” in the name or because of its unfamiliarity.  People don’t often talk about it because they don’t want you to book their favorite room.

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Disney World Animal Kingdom Lodge Resort Review and Info

by josh on April 11, 2010

Wondering how Animal Kingdom Lodge stacks up against the other Disney World Deluxe Resorts? Check out The Best Disney World Deluxe Resorts for a comparison of the eight Deluxes in a variety of categories including Best Layout, Best Dining, Best Transportation, Best Location, Best Rooms, Best Pool, and Best Overall Deluxe Resort.

Address:

2901 Osceola Parkway
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-1000

Direct Phone: 1- 407-938-3000, Fax: 1-407-938-4799, General Reservations: 1-407-WDISNEY (1-407-934-7639)

Resort Class: The Animal Kingdom Lodge (occasionally referred to as The Lodge) is a Deluxe resort, the most expensive resort type.  There are ten different room, suite, concierge class, and view configurations.  The Standard rooms are much cheaper than other Deluxe Resorts, except for the Wilderness Lodge which is similarly priced.  A Standard room with a parking lot view runs $240 during Value Season which is $45 less than the cheapest room at the Contemporary Resort and $170 less per night than the Grand Floridian’s least expensive room.  Compared to the Moderates, the Animal Kingdom Lodge is about $90 more per night.  The Lodge also offers several suite configurations that sleep up to eight and Kilimanjaro Club Level rooms with Concierge service.  In addition, there are the Jambo House and Kidani Village Villas, which will be covered in full in the Villas section.

Location: The Animal Kingdom Lodge is located adjacent to the Animal Kingdom theme park.  It is the furthest resort from the Magic Kingdom and a good distance away from Epcot and the Hollywood Studios by bus as well.  The Animal Kingdom Lodge is the only Deluxe resort that is not located on a body of water, so there are no watercraft rentals or beaches.

Size:  The Animal Kingdom Lodge is a long, narrow resort with a “kraal African-village landscape design—a semi-circle design popular in Africa which offers expansive views of the surrounding savanna and its many animal inhabitants.”  Basically, this means that Disney designed The Lodge to have as many rooms as possible overlook savannas.  There are 1,307 rooms in total, almost all of which have full balconies or patios.  About 1,000 rooms overlook one of the three savannas, leaving only 300 or so rooms with less desirable views.  Because of the long length of the buildings, rooms at the end of both Kudu Trail and Zebra Trail are about ten minutes away from the main building and bus stop.  In addition, as you approach the Animal Kingdom Lodge from the road, you will have no idea how large the resort actually is because the front looks like a small village, rather than a 1,300 room complex.

Room Amenities and Quality: Most of the Standard rooms are about 344 square feet and can accommodate up to four people.  Note that the size of the rooms is only 30 feet larger than those found at the Moderates and about 100 square feet less than comparable rooms at the Grand Floridian.  This is one reason why the resort is cheaper than the other Deluxes.  Rooms come with all of the Deluxe amenities including: two queen-size beds or one queen size bed and a set of bunk beds or one king size bed and a daybed, small table, two chairs, ceiling fan, internet access ($10 per 24 hours), 32” LCD television, small safe, telephone, hairdryer, iron, ironing board, alarm clock, coffeemaker, refrigerator, bathroom with single sink, shower/bathtub combo, toilet, and mirror.

Standard rooms have an African theme with handcrafted furniture, carved wooden headboards, colorful patchwork quilts, and hanging artwork.  There are rooms available with a queen bed and a bunk bed for two.  These rooms cost about $40 more per night than a room with two queen beds and are available with either a pool or savanna view.  Rooms with this setup may be beneficial for families with two children (or parents???) who do not want to sleep in the same bed.  This room setup is also available at the Wilderness Lodge.

The biggest complaint about the Animal Kingdom, other than its lengthy transportation times, is the poor lighting in the rooms.  While the dark ambient lighting fits the theme, it’s too dark, especially in the bathroom.  My recommendation would be to bring a makeup mirror with a light if you’re planning to apply makeup, otherwise it will be hard to see what you’re doing.  Overall, the room amenities, quality, and size are on par with the Moderate resorts more so than the other Deluxes.

Theme and Layout: The Animal Kingdom Lodge is like no other resort in the world.  Set on 43 acres of African savanna, The Lodge is home to more than 30 species of African wildlife, over 100 Sand Live Oak trees, and 35,000+ shrubs.  There are about 250 animals spread out over the four savannas.  Disney constructed the savannas specifically for the Animal Kingdom Lodge and they are entirely separate from the Animal Kingdom theme park.  Each of the animals makes it home on the savanna and they sleep, roam, and eat many of their meals right on the land.  They are fed and checked on by staff in separate buildings as well, but the animals are usually available for viewing.

Jambo House, the Animal Kingdom’s main building, is one of the most magnificent lobbies at Disney World.  If you have seen the lobbies at the Polynesian or the Grand Floridian then you know this is no small feat.  Jambo House is six stories tall and features a gigantic 50-foot tall curved picture window that spans the entire back wall of the lobby.  There are comfortable lounge areas, magnificent carved wooden sculptures, beautiful African art, and a large mud fireplace as well.  It is truly amazing and it’s worth taking a trip to see even if you aren’t staying at the resort.

Pool: At about 110,000 square feet (equivalent to eight Olympic size pools put together), the Animal Kingdom’s Uzima pool is the largest single pool of any resort.  Stormalong Bay at the Yacht and Beach Club is a larger overall complex, but it’s technically more than one pool.  Uzima features a 67 foot long slide, zero-depth entry, and is surrounded by large canopy trees and Florida palms.  It’s a beautiful area and fits in with the overall theme of The Lodge perfectly.  However, this is also the only resort without a quiet pool.  On the plus side, it does have two hot tubs.

Transportation: Of the Deluxe resorts, the Animal Kingdom has the most limited transportation options.  Service is by bus only.  On the plus side, it does not share buses with any other resort so all trips are direct.  The problem is that The Lodge is the furthest resort away from the Magic Kingdom and not much closer to either Epcot or the Hollywood Studios.

The times below are calculated after the bus leaves for its final destination.

Hollywood Studios: about 15 minutes
Epcot: about 15minutes
Animal Kingdom: less than 10 minutes
Magic Kingdom: about 20 minutes

Best Rooms: Of course, suites located in the Jambo House are the best rooms at the resort, but that doesn’t do most of us any good because they cost upwards of $3,000 per night. As far as Standard Rooms are concerned, my recommendation would be to try to get the third floor of either the third or fourth building on the Zebra Trail side looking inward at the savanna.  I know that sounds a little complicated, but let me explain.  First of all, if you’re going to stay at the Animal Kingdom Lodge then you should strongly consider upgrading to a Savanna View.  I don’t usually advocate view upgrades, but the whole purpose of staying at The Lodge is to view the animals, not overlook the parking lot.  The upgrade cost is a minimum of $70 more per night, but in this case it’s worth it.  You’ll be able to enjoy the beautiful savanna and the many animals whenever it’s convenient.  It’s difficult to beat waking up in the morning, preparing a cup of coffee, and watching giraffes stroll across wide open savanna.  Outside of Africa it just isn’t possible anywhere else.

Second, looking inward at the Arusha Savanna is the best of the Savanna Views.  Some of the rooms in Ostrich Trail are technically Savanna View rooms, but they overlook a much smaller piece of land and are not preferable.  Third, Zebra Trail rooms are on the same side as the pool area and restaurants, which means shorter walks.  Fourth, rooms on the third floor have the best overall view.  Fourth floor rooms are Concierge Level and Fifth and Sixth Level rooms are reserved for Disney Vacation Club Members which means there are no Standard rooms on those floors.  The third floor is actually ideal because it will allow you to get a nice panoramic view of the entire savanna while still being low enough to the ground so you can see the features of the animals and shrubbery better.  Rooms on the second floor have an even more detailed look at the ground, but are too low to get a nice overview of the entire savanna.  Fifth, the view from rooms in the third, fourth, and fifth buildings away from the Jambo House are not hindered by the Arusha Rock Savanna Overlook which clips the view from the first and second building on either the Kudu Trail or Zebra Trail sides.  The view from the fifth building out is actually the best if you don’t mind walking the extra distance to the Jambo House, bus station, and restaurants.

Check out http://new.disneyecho.emuck.com/pics/AKLMap.jpg for a great quality map.

On-Site Dining Options: The Animal Kingdom has a variety of outstanding dining choices, including the Boma Buffet, Jiko Signature Restaurant, and the newer Sanaa located in the Kidani Village.  Boma is one of the most popular buffets at Disney World and serves a variety of traditional African dishes as well as more Americanized dishes for breakfast and dinner.  Be sure to check out the excellent soups and a zebra dome for dessert.  If you aren’t staying at The Animal Kingdom Lodge then you might try Tusker House at the Animal Kingdom Park instead.  Tusker House serves similar food and is more convenient than Boma.  On the other hand, a meal at Boma is an excellent excuse to visit this beautiful resort.

Jiko – The Cooking Place is the Animal Kingdom’s Signature Restaurant and costs two table service credits on the Dining Plan.  It’s not outrageously priced, with most entrées in the $30-$40 range.  Food and service are both excellent.  The emphasis is on beef, chicken, fish, and pork rather than distinctly African dishes.  I would suggest the barbecue chicken flat bread, either the short ribs or filet mignon, and Jiko Trio for dessert.  The wine list is extensive and many of the serversare also sommeliers so be sure to ask about wine pairings if that’s of interest.  Like most other Signature Restaurants, Jiko is only open for dinner.

Sannaa is the newest restaurant at the Animal Kingdom Lodge and is located in the Kidani Village, which is about a 10 minute walk away from the Animal Kingdom lobby.  The restaurant overlooks the savanna so I would suggest requesting a window table.  Sanaa, which means “work of art” in Swahili, “serves African cuisine with Indian flavors,” but it seems like the emphasis is on the Indian flavors rather than authentic African cuisine.  Food is freshly prepared and service is usually attentive.  I would suggest the Indian-style bread service for an appetizer and any of the Tandoori entrées if you don’t like your food spicy.  If you’re staying at the Animal Kingdom then I would definitely consider a trip over to Sanaa as it is one of the best new restaurants at Disney.

Mara, the resort’s counter service, offers several more interesting options than other resort counter services, including a variety of flatbread pizzas, pita sandwiches, and salads.  Waits for food are longer than average, especially during peak meal times.  While nothing particularly special, Mara is a convenient meal if you find yourself at the resort and in the mood for a quicker and cheaper meal than you would get at Sanaa or Jiko.

Full reviews coming soon.

Best For: Those who upgrade to a savanna view and plan to spend time enjoying the animals from their balcony.  People who will appreciate the remoteness and tranquility of the resort.

Worst For: Those who want to be close to the action.  People expecting the same amenities and room size as the other Deluxe resorts.  Those who enjoy water recreation activities.  Families of five.

Summary of Key Points: Along with the Wilderness Lodge, the Animal Kingdom is one of the more “Moderate” Deluxes.  The room size, at 344 square feet, is only about 30 feet larger than the Moderates and about 100 feet smaller than the Deluxes on the monorail system (Polynesian, Contemporary, Grand Floridian).  At about $90 more per night than the Moderates and $170 less per night than the Grand Floridian, the prices reflect its more Moderate status.  Also like the Moderates, Standard rooms at the Animal Kingdom Lodge only sleep four people, compared to five at most other Deluxes.  Finally, the Animal Kingdom Lodge is connected to the World via bus only and it is the furthest resort away from the Magic Kingdom and almost as far to Epcot and the Hollywood Studios.

The comparisons to Moderate resorts cease when we begin to examine the Animal Kingdom Lodge’s theme, architecture, and savanna views.  Jambo House, The Lodge’s main building, is absolutely spectacular and one of the best at Disney World.  The expansive five-story tall picture window overlooking 30+ acres of African savanna is like nothing else in the world.  The feature pool, at 110,000 square feet, is the largest of any resort at Disney.  While there is no quiet pool, the feature pool’s size is adequate and there are fewer “pool hoppers” here due to The Lodge’s remote location.

Undoubtedly, the most compelling reason to stay at the Animal Kingdom Lodge is the view of the savannas and animals.  With 40 acres of land, 250+ animals, and 35,000+ shrubs, there is plenty to see.  A Savanna View room is almost a requirement.  If you aren’t interested in the $70 per night upgrade from a Standard View then I would suggest saving the $160 per night and staying at a Moderate resort or paying a similar rate and staying closer to the Parks at the Wilderness Lodge.  You can visit the Animal Kingdom Lodge and enjoy the views of the animals from the observation decks for free.  In fact, this is exactly what I would recommend doing if you’re staying elsewhere.  Since the Animal Kingdom usually closes at around 5pm, getting on a bus and traveling to the Animal Kingdom Lodge is a quick trip that offers spectacular views several outstanding dining options.

Overall Rank on The Best Disney World Deluxe Resorts: 7th out of 8

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Disney Beach Club Deluxe Resort Hotel Review and Information

by josh on April 11, 2010

Wondering how the Beach Club Resort stacks up against the other Disney World Deluxe Resorts? Check out The Best Disney World Deluxe Resorts for a comparison of the eight Deluxes in a variety of categories including Best Layout, Best Dining, Best Transportation, Best Location, Best Rooms, Best Pool, and Best Overall Deluxe Resort.

Address:

1800 Epcot Resorts Boulevard

Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-1000

Direct Phone: 1- 407-934-8000, Fax: 1-407-934-3850, General Reservations: 1-407-WDISNEY (1-407-934-7639)

Resort Class: The Beach Club is a Deluxe resort, the most expensive resort type.  There are nine different room, concierge, suite, and view configurations with prices ranging from $340 per night for a Standard Room with a Standard View during Value Season all the way up to $2,610 per night for the Newport Presidential Suite during Holiday Season.  There are two available views for Standard Rooms.  Standard View rooms have a view of the parking lot, roof, or garden and cost between $340 during Value Season and $550 during Holiday Season.  Water or Pool View rooms have a view of Crescent Lake or the resort’s quiet pool and cost between $420 and $615 per night.  Club Level with Concierge Service starts at $470 per night.

Location: The Beach Club is to Epcot what the Contemporary Resort is to the Magic Kingdom.  In other words, the Beach Club is within an easy ten minute walk of Epcot’s World Showcase entrance (also known as the International Gateway).  In addition, the Beach Club is just a quick boat ride away from the Hollywood Studios, within walking distance of the Swan and Dolphin Resorts, within walking distance of the Boardwalk with its restaurants and activities, and within walking distance of its sister resort, the Yacht Club.  Guests can also walk directly to the Hollywood Studios, but that is about a 20 minute walk.  The Beach Club sits on man-made Crescent Lake and features a beautiful beach.

Size: With only 576 rooms, the Beach Club is one of the smallest Disney resorts.  All rooms in the Beach Club are inside one building that stands five stories high.  The walk to the lobby or bus stop should not exceed ten minutes from even the most remote rooms.

Room Amenities and Quality:  Most of the Standard rooms are about 380 square feet and can accommodate up to five people.  This is about 70 feet larger than Moderate rooms and 40-60 feet smaller than Standard rooms at the Monorail Deluxes.  Rooms come with all of the Deluxe amenities including: small table, two chairs, ceiling fan, internet access ($10 per 24 hours), 32” LCD television, small safe, telephone, hairdryer, iron, ironing board, alarm clock, coffeemaker, refrigerator, bathroom with double sinks, shower/bathtub combo, toilet, and mirror.  There are a number of possible bed configurations.  Your room will either have one queen bed and one day bed, two queen beds and no day bed, two queen beds and one day bed, one king bed and no day bed, or one king bed and one day bed.   I would note your preference when you make your reservation and follow up with the resort by phone or fax about three days before your stay.  Unlike the Yacht Club, not all rooms have balconies or patios.

The Beach Club completed a room refurbishment project at the end of 2008.  All rooms were upgraded with new beds, linens, televisions, and furnishings.  The rooms are tastefully decorated in “salmon” and light green with a beach club themed bedspread, headboard, and decent wooden furniture.  The rooms are not as elegantly themed as the Grand Floridian or as modern as the Contemporary, but they are relatively large and laid out well.  Housekeeping is also excellent at both the Yacht Club and Beach club, which is even more important than fancy furniture or artwork.

Theme and Layout: The Beach Club is styled to look like a New England seaside beach resort at the turn of the 20th century.  The familiar architecture, coupled with the pleasant soft blue and white color palette, makes the Beach Club one of the most aesthetically pleasing resorts to look at from the outside.  However, the inside of the resort is not particularly awe-inspiring, with minimal details and a smaller than average lobby and check-in area.  The lobby is also busy during meal time because the entrance to the popular Cape May restaurant is located inside of it.

Unlike most other Disney resorts, all of the guestrooms are located in one building.  The advantage is that the walk from your room to the main building or bus stop will be primarily inside and air-conditioned.  The downside is that rooms near the end of either wing are about 10 minutes away from the bus stop, which is above average for a Deluxe.  In addition, the guestrooms are down halls that are somewhat maze-like in nature.  It’s not just a single hallway with rooms on either side.  All of the twists and turns can be confusing, but it shouldn’t be too difficult for most guests to find their way.  The resort shares many of its amenities with the Yacht Club, including its feature pool, counter service restaurant, and marina.  Although the marina is officially “shared,” it’s much closer to the Yacht Club and guests will have to walk five to ten minutes to get on the boat.

Generally speaking, the Beach Club is considered to be more “kid-friendly” and relaxed than the Yacht Club and you will see more families staying here.  Considering the prices, size, and themes are similar, there really isn’t much of a difference between the two.  Nonetheless, for one reason or another, families tend to prefer the Beach Club and adult couples or families with older children tend to stay at the Yacht Club.  Both resorts welcome kids and adults just the same and you shouldn’t feel out of place no matter which resort you choose.

Pool: Stormalong Bay, the feature pool complex that the Beach Club shares with the Yacht Club, is far and away the best pool area of any resort at Disney World.  Stormalong is a three acre, 750,000+ gallon water park, complete with an authentic sand bottom pool, several water slides, a lazy river for tubing, kiddie pools, and a life-size pirate shipwreck.   Guests are required to show their resort key card to gain entry, so there are no “pool hoppers” from other resorts.  If you’ve ever been to the Polynesian then you know how crowded the Volcano Pool can get when people who don’t belong fill it up.  In addition, there is a quiet pool on the other side of the resort that’s available for swimmers who would rather enjoy a more relaxing swim.

Transportation: Arguably, the Beach Club has the best location of any resort at Disney World (along with the Yacht Club and BoardWalk Inn).  While it’s difficult to rate it above the Monorail Resorts, it’s true that the Yacht Club is less than a ten minute walk to Epcot, less than a ten minute boat ride away from the Hollywood Studios, and within walking distance of the Swan resort, Dolphin resort, Yacht Club resort, Boardwalk, and Boardwalk Inn resort.  It’s the perfect location for anyone planning several meals at Epcot or those who enjoy the Hollywood Studios.  It’s not particularly far from the Animal Kingdom or Magic Kingdom either.  The downside is that there is no bus transportation to the front entrance of Epcot so guests will need to enter from the International Gateway, nearest to the World Showcase.

The times below are calculated after the bus or boat leaves for its final destination.

Hollywood Studios by Boat: about 15 minutes (including the wait for Swan and Dolphin guests to board)

Hollywood Studios by Walkway: about 20 minutes

Epcot by Foot: about 10 minutes

Epcot by Boat: about 15 minutes (including additional stops)

Animal Kingdom: about 15 minutes

Magic Kingdom: about 20 minutes

Best Rooms: As you are probably aware, Disney charges more for “view upgrades,” like a lake or garden view instead of a parking lot view.  The problem is that their definition of a “water view” is a view of any body of water, including a swimming pool or hot tub.  I don’t know about you, but I don’t consider my condo in Las Vegas to have a “beautiful view of the water” because there’s a community swimming pool in the middle of it.  Water View rooms can cost as much as $100 more per night.  Since you won’t be able to guarantee what room you will be assigned until you check in at the resort, Water Views are in essence a $100+ per night gamble that you won’t be stuck on the second floor of the resort looking out at a kiddie pool.  This is the primary reason why I rarely recommend paying to upgrade to a better view.  You just don’t know what you’re going to get.

I bring this up now because the Beach Club offers a surprisingly few number of rooms with an actual view of Crescent Lake, considering the resort was built right on top of it.  Of those rooms with a view, many either don’t have balconies or have an extremely small balcony.  Paying $70+ per night to upgrade to a room with a view of a quiet pool and no balcony seems a little silly to me, so I wouldn’t recommend upgrading until you get to the resort and see what’s available.  Remember, even if you know what rooms are the best and request them, you aren’t guaranteed to be put there.

The best rooms at the Beach Club, with full balcony and a lake view, are: 2641, 2643, 2645, 2647, 3501, 3503, 3505, 3507, 3509, 3511, 3683, 3685, 3687, 3689, 3691, 3725, 3737, 3729, 3731, 3733, 3735, 3777, 3739, 3741, 3743, 3745, 3747, 3749, 3751, 3753, 3755, 3757, 3759, 3761, 3763, 3765, 3767, 3769, 3771, 3773, 3775, 3777, 3779, 3781, 3783, 3785, 3787, 3789, 3791, 3793, 3795, 5607, 5609, 5611, 5613, 5615, 5617, 5619, 5621, 5623, 5683, 5685, 5687, 5689, 5691, 5725, 5737, 5729, 5731, 5733, 5735, 5777, 5739, 5741, 5743, 5745, 5747, 5749, 5751, 5753, 5755, 5757, 5759, 5761, 5763, 5765, 5767, 5769, 5771, 5773, 5775, 5777, 5779, 5781, 5783, 5785, 5787, 5789, 5791, 5793, 5795.

The first number is the floor number and the second three digit number is the room number.  For example, room 5785 is room number 785 on floor five.  Rooms on floor five are Concierge level and cost extra.  When requesting a room, it’s best to request what you want, rather than specific room numbers.  If upgrading to a Water or Pool View room, request a room with a full balcony that directly overlooks Crescent Lake at the time of booking and follow up with the resort directly about three days before you check-in.

On-Site Dining Options: The Beach Club features a buffet restaurant, a casual sit-down burger and ice cream parlor, a counter service with a limited menu, and a poolside counter service that isn’t usually open after 6pm.  The Beach Club Marketplace is the best spot to refill your mug and grab a quick sandwich, but there isn’t much available other than that.  Hurricane Hanna’s Grill, located near Stormalong Bay, serves hamburgers, hotdogs, sandwiches, salads, and a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic specialty drinks.  It’s okay for a quick bite, but I certainly wouldn’t plan a day around eating here.  You can also refill a mug at Hurricane Hanna’s, but the staff will fill it because there is no self-service dispenser.  Also, note that Hanna’s usually closes around 6pm.

Cape May is a Character Meal buffet for breakfast and features Minnie, Goofy, and Donald (no Mickey).  At $18.99 for adults and $10.99 for kids 3-9, it’s a relatively inexpensive Character Meal.  The selections are rather basic, but everyone should enjoy the Mickey waffles, breakfast pizza, and other traditional offerings.  Character interaction is generally above average and characters should spend enough time with your party to take photographs, sign autographs, and work their Disney magic.  Dinner has a “clam bake” theme and no characters are present.  The cost is $26.99 for adults and $12.99 for kids age 3-9, which is about average for Disney buffets.  The buffet features several seafood entrées, such as snow crab legs, peel and eat shrimp, clams with garlic butter, and Prince Edward mussels.  There is also prime rib, steak, BBQ ribs, a variety of salads, and other side dishes like corn on the cob and mashed potatoes.  The food is above average and there is a large and diverse selection so everyone should be satisfied.  The downside is that it may take longer than usual to be seated and service is not always the most attentive.  Since it’s a buffet, this means your glass might be empty for a while or old plates won’t be immediately removed.  It’s hit or miss, so you might also get an excellent server.  It depends more on how many tables the server is responsible for, rather than purposeful neglect.  Cape May is actually one of few traditional buffets I would recommend for both breakfast and dinner.  The crab legs, fried shrimp, and desserts are all excellent and everyone should find plenty of food to enjoy.  While it would be nice to have Mickey present for breakfast, I understand he can’t be everywhere.

Beaches and Cream is the resort’s casual sit-down restaurant.  It’s small, inexpensive, and wildly popular, mostly because of the fantastic ice cream selection.  Don’t be surprised if your wait time exceeds an hour.  Luckily, you can also get ice cream cones, sundaes, and milkshakes from a to-go window, so you can enjoy a limited selection without having to wait for a table.  Beaches is one of the most inexpensive sit-down restaurants at Disney, with a variety of sandwiches, burgers, and salads in the $8-$14 range.  This makes Beaches and Cream a good deal out of pocket, if you’re willing to wait, but not a terrific use of a table service credit on the Dining Plan.  The featured dessert here is the “Kitchen Sink” which is eight scoops of ice cream, a whole can of whipped cream, and some of every ice cream topping they carry.  It costs $23.99 and would probably be best to share (although I don’t judge if you want to try to consume it yourself).  The other desserts are fantastic as well, but I’m not sure I would wait the hour plus it takes to be seated unless it was late at night and I had nowhere else to be.

Full reviews coming soon.

Best For: Those who plan to spend considerable time at the resort enjoying Stormalong Bay, the beaches, and watercraft rentals.  People who want to take advantage of the Beach Club’s location within walking distance of Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Yacht Club, Swan, Dolphin, and Boardwalk.

Worst For: Those on a budget.  People that don’t swim, don’t plan to take advantage of the location and dining options, or have children that will not appreciate the theme.

Summary of Key Points The Beach Club’s location is one of the most convenient at Disney World, which is a key advantage if you plan to spend a lot of time enjoying what Epcot has to offer.  The rooms have been recently renovated, and while not particularly eye-popping, are themed tastefully and housekeeping is usually excellent.  All of the guestrooms are in one building, which makes walks through the resort more pleasant when the weather is poor outside.  The downside is that rooms at the end of the wings are relatively far away from the restaurants and main lobby.  Also, rooms sometimes have an odd bed configuration.  Some rooms have daybeds while others do not.  It’s best to request a daybed if it’s a feature you want or need at the time of reservation and follow up with the resort directly via phone or fax three or so days before you’re scheduled to check in.  Finally, many of the “Water or Pool” view rooms do not have a view that justifies the increased cost.  See above for rooms with the best view, but since it isn’t possible to guarantee the room you will be staying in until you arrive, paying for the upgrade is a gamble.  You might want to hold off until you check in and see what rooms are available before you commit to the costly upgrade.

Other than its location, the resort’s key asset is its feature pool complex, Stormalong Bay.  Stormalong is like no other resort pool area at Disney World and probably one of the best resort pool complexes in the United States.  Spanning three acres and filled with over 750,000 gallons of water, Stormalong offers several pools, water slides, Jacuzzis, kiddie pools, and a lazy river for inner tubing.  On top of that, the pool has a sand bottom and there is a life-size replica of a ship wreck with a kiddie pool inside of it and a giant waterslide that feeds back into the main pool.  Since guests are required to show their room key to gain admittance, there are also no “pool hoppers” from other resorts unfairly hogging space like there is at the Polynesian or other popular pool areas.

The Beach Club is generally considered to be the Yacht Club’s more casual neighbor.  It’s a beautiful resort and its location and pool complex are hard to beat.  I would recommend it to any family that plans to eat several meals at Epcot and the surrounding resorts as well as spend some time relaxing and enjoying the resort’s amenities.

Overall Rank on The Best Disney World Deluxe Resorts: 3rd out of 8

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Disney BoardWalk Inn Deluxe Resort Hotel Review and Info

by josh on April 11, 2010

Wondering how the Boardwalk Inn stacks up against the other Disney World Deluxe Resorts? Check out The Best Disney World Deluxe Resorts for a comparison of the eight Deluxes in a variety of categories including Best Layout, Best Dining, Best Transportation, Best Location, Best Rooms, Best Pool, and Best Overall Deluxe Resort.

Address:

2101 Epcot Resorts Boulevard
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-1000

Direct Phone: 1- 407-939-5100, Fax: 1-407-939-5150, General Reservations: 1-407-WDISNEY (1-407-934-7639)

Resort Class: The BoardWalk Inn is a Deluxe resort, Disney’s most expensive resort class.  There are nine different room, suite, concierge, and view configurations with prices ranging from $340 per night for a Standard room with a Standard View during Value Season to $2,780 for the two-bedroom Presidential Suite during Holiday Season.  Overall, the pricing is almost identical to the nearby Yacht and Beach Club.  There are only two view types for Standard rooms – Standard and Water.  Water View rooms cost an additional $85 to $110 per night and provide views of Crescent Lake and the BoardWalk.  Club Level with Concierge Service starts at $470.

Location: The BoardWalk Inn, along with the Beach Club and Yacht Club, has one of the best locations at Disney World.  It’s within walking distance of Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Beach Club Resort, Yacht Club Resort, Swan Resort, and Dolphin Resort.  In addition, there is a free boat ride to all of those locations as well.  Another key asset is that it’s located right on the BoardWalk, which is a quarter mile stretch of land that features a variety of bars, restaurants, and nightclubs.  The Boardwalk Inn is also centrally located in the middle of the Walt Disney property, which means bus rides to the Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom are relatively short as well.

Size: The BoardWalk Inn is actually the smallest resort at Disney World, with only 380 rooms.  That’s 2,500 less than the Pop Century and about 500 less than the Polynesian.  There is also a 20,000 foot convention center attached to the resort and the BoardWalk Villas add another 532 studios and suites to the mix.

Room Amenities and Quality: Most of the Standard rooms are about 390 square feet and can accommodate up to five people.  This is about 80 feet larger than Moderate rooms and 30-50 feet smaller than Standard rooms at the Monorail Deluxes.  Rooms come with all of the Deluxe amenities including: small table, two chairs, ceiling fan, internet access ($10 per 24 hours), 32” LCD television, small safe, telephone, hairdryer, iron, ironing board, alarm clock, coffeemaker, refrigerator, bathroom with two sinks, shower/bathtub combo, toilet, and mirror.  All Standard rooms either have two queen beds or one king bed and many also have a day bed.  I would recommend requesting a day bed at the time of reservation and then confirming your request with the resort directly about three days before your check-in date if you would like a room with one.

The Boardwalk completed a room refurbishment in 2008.  The odd flower and plant bedspreads and drapes are gone, in favor of classier furnishings similar to those found at the Grand Floridian.  While the room décor doesn’t fit in well with the “colorful” atmosphere of the resort, I think most guests will appreciate the more subtle and relaxing white and yellow color palette.  The bathroom counters are marble, the headboard and armoire are made of high quality light and dark woods, and the old tube televisions have been replaced by new flat-screens.

Theme and Layout: According to Disney, the BoardWalk Inn “captures the charm, whimsy and elegance of 1940s Atlantic City.”  Indeed, the resort’s façade faces the Boardwalk area and features gorgeous architecture, bright colors, and a touch of class.  It’s hard not to get caught up in the fun immediately after setting foot outside on the BoardWalk promenade.  The interior of the resort is less colorful, but the lobby is still well appointed with hardwood floors, colorful rugs, and fine furniture.

The BoardWalk Inn sits on top of several restaurants and shops and blends in perfectly with the overall Disney BoardWalk area.  Unfortunately, the resort features a similar layout to the other Epcot resorts.  This equates to long, maze-like hallways that can be somewhat confusing to traverse.  Luckily, with so few rooms, the walk from the lobby to the furthest rooms out should only be about five minutes.  Although it doesn’t look like it from the front, the BoardWalk Inn and Villas are actually connected to one another and share amenities, including pool areas.  Luna Park Pool, the resort’s feature pool, is actually behind the BoardWalk Villas rather than the Inn.  The transportation dock, where guests board boats to travel around the World, is situated in the middle of the two resort areas.  Finally, the BoardWalk Inn is closer to Epcot by foot than the Villas and the Villas are closer to the Hollywood Studios by foot.

Pool: A quick word of warning to those with a fear of clowns: the 200 foot water slide sends guests plummeting through the mouth of a large clown face.  If that sounds like a panic attack waiting to happen, you might be better off staying elsewhere.  With that out of the way, the slide is modeled to look like a wooden roller coaster and is one of the best slides at any Disney resort.  As a whole, the pool isn’t as extravagant as Stormalong Bay at the Yacht or Beach Club, but it’s more of a relaxing swimming experience which may be more appealing to adults who aren’t interested in dodging hundreds of kids.  The two quiet pools are pleasant and less crowded than the ones found at other resorts as well.  The BoardWalk also does a good job of keeping “pool hoppers” out, which means more rooms for guests.

Transportation: The BoardWalk Inn is less than a ten minute walk to Epcot, less than a ten minute boat ride or 20 minute walk to the Hollywood Studios, and within walking distance of the Swan resort, Dolphin resort, Beach Club resort, Yacht Club resort, and right on top of the BoardWalk.  It’s the perfect location for anyone planning several meals at Epcot or those who enjoy the Hollywood Studios.  It’s not particularly far from the Animal Kingdom or Magic Kingdom either.  The downside is that there is no bus transportation to the front entrance of Epcot so guests will need to enter from the International Gateway, nearest to the World Showcase.  It’s also common for the Boardwalk Inn to share buses with several of the other Epcot area resorts which can add significant additional transit time as well.

The times below are calculated after the bus or boat leaves for its final destination.

Hollywood Studios by Boat: about 15 minutes (including the wait for Swan and Dolphin guests to board)
Hollywood Studios by Walkway: about 20 minutes
Epcot by Foot: about 15 minutes
Epcot by Boat: about 15 minutes
Animal Kingdom: about 15 minutes
Magic Kingdom: about 20 minutes

Best Rooms: The quietest rooms at the BoardWalk Inn are generally Standard View rooms overlooking the gardens.  If a view overlooking the BoardWalk is of little interest or you plan to spend little time on the balcony, then you should request a room in that section.  Few rooms overlook the parking lot, so chances are good you’ll have a garden or pool view.  Other than Magic Kingdom View rooms at the Contemporary or Savanna View rooms at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, the BoardWalk Inn is really the only other view I would strongly consider upgrading.  Sitting out on the balcony gazing out over the lake during IllumiNations at Epcot is wonderful and watching people have fun on the BoardWalk and lake is nice as well.  Unfortunately, there are few rooms that look out directly over the BoardWalk and it is impossible to guarantee you will be placed there.  If you do reserve a Water View room, at the time of your reservation make sure to request a room directly facing the BoardWalk and looking out over Crescent Lake.  About three days before your arrival follow up with the resort directly by phone.  If you do check-in at the resort and you’re placed in a different location, you can always request to be moved.  Although they can’t always accommodate you, it never hurts to be persistent.  The downside to these Water View rooms is that guests will be out enjoying the BoardWalk area (and making noise) late into the night and they may be loud.

On-Site Dining Options: The biggest downside to dining at the BoardWalk Inn is the fact that it doesn’t have its own counter service location.  Although Epcot is close and there is plenty of casual and fine sit-down dining available, sometimes guests may just want a quick burger and a Diet Coke.  This isn’t a convenient option at the BoardWalk Inn.  The BoardWalk Bakery does have some fantastic breakfast options, but it’s tiny and service is slow.  The best casual restaurant in the BoardWalk area is the ESPN Club, which has many sandwiches and burgers in the $10-$12 range.  It does get loud and busy, but so do most Disney restaurants.  The Big River Grille also serves inexpensive (more so for lunch) food and has a nice location with tables outside near the BoardWalk.  I wouldn’t recommend Big River for dinner, but it’s fine for an inexpensive lunch.  If it were me, I would prefer to walk to Epcot with my Park Hopper ticket and have lunch or dinner there, but the BoardWalk may be more convenient.

“Kouzzina by Cat Cora” replaced Spoodles on the BoardWalk.  It’s open for breakfast and dinner and features a Mediterranean (Greek) menu.  Prices are moderate for breakfast, in the $11-12 range, and dinner entrées are between $20 and $30.  You might recognize the chef’s name, Cat Cora, from the Food Channel’s Iron Chef Television show or the fact she was invited to cook at the White House for President Obama.  Unfortunately, her restaurant is not quite as spectacular as I’m sure the chef is.  Be sure you allot enough time for the meal as well because service is usually slow.  If you like Greek food then this will probably be a better meal, but if you’re unsure or know that you don’t like Greek then there are better options.

Flying Fish Cafe is the BoardWalk’s Signature Restaurant and it costs two table service credits on the Disney Dining Plan.  Only open for dinner, Flying Fish is expensive, with most entrées in the $30-$40 range and most appetizers over $15.  Flying Fish is one of the better Signature restaurants at Disney World and it should be considered right along with other favorites like the California Grill and Narcoossee’s.  It’s also far and away the best restaurant on the BoardWalk.  As you might expect, the menu emphasizes fish and seafood, but there are also chicken, steak, and pasta dishes available.  The Potato Wrapped Red Snapper is a favorite and arguably the best entrée on the menu.  The restaurant’s décor evokes a more fun and noisy atmosphere, which is somewhat surprising considering the quality of the items on the menu and high cost of the meal.  This makes Flying Fish less of a romantic or intimate experience.  The open kitchen is fun and if you like watching chefs prepare the food then consider requesting a seat overlooking it.  Overall, Flying Fish is a pleasant meal with excellent food and service – just don’t bank on a fine-dining atmosphere.

Full reviews coming soon.

Best For: Those who plan to spend considerable time at the resort, pool, and the BoardWalk area.  People who want to take advantage of the location within walking distance of Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Beach Club, Yacht Club, Swan, and Dolphin.

Worst For: Those on a budget.  People with an irrational (or rational) fear of clowns.  Those who plan to spend most of their time at the Magic Kingdom might want to stay at one of the Monorail Resorts.

Summary of Key Points: The BoardWalk Inn has a terrific location right on the BoardWalk.  It’s hard to beat a five minute walk to Epcot or an easy boat ride to the Hollywood Studios.  With street performers in the evening, several lounges and clubs, and numerous restaurants, the BoardWalk is one of the most fun areas at Disney World outside of the Parks.  The Inn’s exterior and theming are gorgeous and the rooms overlooking the BoardWalk are some of the best at Disney.  Unfortunately, there are only about 40 rooms with that view and it’s impossible to guarantee you’ll be placed in one.

The BoardWalk Inn has several nice pools, although the clown at the end of the slide may frighten a few people.  The 200 foot long water slide, designed to look like a wooden roller coaster, is one of the best slides at Disney.  The quiet pools are also less busy than those found at other resorts, which is beneficial if you actually want to swim around, rather than just stand in water near other people.  There is no counter service location at the BoardWalk which can make it inconvenient if you want a quick meal or snack.  The ESPN Club and Big River Grille serve relatively cheap burgers and sandwiches, but service won’t be as fast or inexpensive as a good counter service.  The nearby bakery serves excellent breakfast items, but lines are long and it’s a tiny location which makes it a poor choice if you’re in a hurry.  Kouzzina serves a tasty breakfast, but dinner service is slow and the menu may not appeal to those who don’t like Greek food.  Flying Fish is an excellent, albeit expensive, Signature restaurant that specializes in seafood.  I would recommend it to anyone looking for a casual meal with higher quality food than “regular” restaurants.  It’s not a particularly intimate or romantic location so I wouldn’t recommend it if that’s what you’re looking for.

I should also take a moment to say that the service isn’t as friendly or knowledgeable as it is at other resorts.  While I don’t usually make sweeping negative generalizations like this, it’s worth pointing out that more guests than usual report sour experiences when dealing with staff members.  While it’s unlikely that you’ll run into serious problems, it’s something to take into consideration when choosing the BoardWalk Inn over the Yacht or Beach Club.

Overall, I usually recommend the Beach and Yacht Club over the BoardWalk Inn.  The Beach and Yacht Club have the better pool, friendlier service, and are generally quieter and more relaxing.  The BoardWalk Inn is great for those who want to be right on the BoardWalk or aren’t interested in Stormalong Bay. There just isn’t anything particularly special about the BoardWalk Inn that makes it better.

Overall Rank on The Best Disney World Deluxe Resorts: 8th out of 8

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Disney Contemporary Deluxe Hotel Resort Review and Info

by josh on April 11, 2010

Wondering how the Contemporary Resort stacks up against the other Disney World Deluxe Resorts? Check out The Best Disney World Deluxe Resorts for a comparison of the eight Deluxes in a variety of categories including Best Layout, Best Dining, Best Transportation, Best Location, Best Rooms, Best Pool, and Best Overall Deluxe Resort.

4600 North World Drive
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-1000

Direct Phone: 1-407-824-1000, Fax: 1-407-824-3539, General Reservations: 1-407-WDISNEY (1-407-934-7639)

Resort Class: The Contemporary is a Disney Deluxe resort, the most expensive resort type.  There are 18 different categories of rooms, suites, and views with prices ranging between $285 for a Garden Wing room during Value Season all the way up to $2,950 for the Presidential Suite during Holiday Season.  The Garden Wing rooms at the Contemporary are $80 less per night than the Polynesian and $125 less than the cheapest room at the Grand Floridian, making the Contemporary the least expensive Monorail Resort.  On the other hand, Tower rooms at the Contemporary cost a minimum of $400 per night, which is right in line with the other Monorail Deluxes.

Location: The Contemporary is the only resort where you can actually walk to the Magic Kingdom via a direct walkway.  In addition, the Contemporary also shares Bay Lake, the only natural body of water at Disney World, with Fort Wilderness Camp Ground and the Wilderness Lodge.  Along with the other Monorail Resorts, the Contemporary is about 30 minutes away from the Animal Kingdom by bus.

Size:  The Contemporary is actually three buildings: the 14-story Tower, the three-story South Garden Wing, and the new “Bay Lake Tower” which opened on August 4, 2009.  “The Tower” is the 14-story A-Frame building that most people envision when they think of the Contemporary.  The monorail actually passes through and stops at the resort on the fourth floor concourse.  All of the restaurants, shops, and the check-in area are located inside of the Tower.  The Tower houses about 500 rooms, all of which have balconies.  The South Garden Wing is a separate building and houses about 250 rooms.  Only a couple of the Garden Wing rooms have full balconies; all other rooms either have a patio or a small terrace about one foot wide that guests can step out on, but it is not enough room for a chair or much else.  The new Bay Lake Tower is attached to The Tower and is only accessible via a key card given to Disney Vacation Club guests staying in that section.  There are an additional 295 two-bedroom equivalent villas in the Bay Lake Tower.

Room Amenities and Quality: There are a variety of room types available in both the Garden Wing and Tower.  The Garden Wing offers Standard View, Garden View, Deluxe (there are only three of these), Hospitality Suite, and One Bedroom Suite.  The Tower offers more than ten Concierge level room and suite types along with the more common Lake View and Theme Park View  Standard rooms.  All of the rooms were renovated in 2007 with an all new color palette, large mounted flat screen television, wood panel accents, and upscale bathrooms with a sliding pocket door, marble countertops, and flat-bottom sinks.  Although the Contemporary is just as old as the Polynesian, the quality and style of the Contemporary’s rooms far exceeds those found at the Polynesian.

Standard rooms average about 420 square feet, which makes them some of the largest on property.  Most rooms can accommodate up to five people, with the exceptions being the Garden Wing Deluxe room which sleeps four and the Standard King rooms which sleep only three.  Rooms come with all of the Deluxe amenities including: two queen-size beds or one king size bed, day bed, small table, two chairs, ceiling fan, internet access ( $10 per 24 hours), 32” LCD television, small safe, telephone, hairdryer, iron, ironing board, alarm clock, coffeemaker, refrigerator, bathroom with two sinks, shower/bathtub combo, toilet, and mirror.

Lake View rooms in the Tower start at $400 per night during Value Season and go all the way up to $595 during the Holiday Season.  For an additional $40-$60 per night, you can upgrade to a Tower room with a view of the Magic Kingdom.  These rooms have a fantastic view of Wishes, the evening fireworks show, as well as any other fireworks shows that may occur during your stay (be sure to turn on the television to channel 20 to hear the Wishes soundtrack as the fireworks go off).  Generally, rooms on higher floors have better views, but since there are no obstacles in your way, the view from the sixth floor is 98% as good as a view from the 11th floor (the 12th and 14th floor are only for concierge level guests).  I usually don’t recommend upgrading to a “better view,” but the Contemporary is one exception.  While the view of Bay Lake is pretty, there are few more magical places at Disney World than watching the fireworks with your loved ones from the balcony of your room at the Contemporary.

Garden Wing rooms have interiors just as nice as the Tower rooms, but the views are much less spectacular.  Standard View rooms overlook the parking lot or trees.  Garden View rooms feature views the swimming pool, garden, marina, or a limited view of the Lake.  Garden Wing rooms are the most economical choice at the Contemporary, at more than $100 less than the Tower.  If you don’t plan to spend much time at the resort, but want to take advantage of its location, then the Garden Wing may be your best choice.

Theme and Layout: The biggest complaint guests have about the Contemporary is its lack of a theme.  Although it remains one of the largest A-Frame buildings in the world, nothing about its exterior is particularly “contemporary.”  It basically looks like a tall concrete structure built at a slant.  On top of that, the pools are entirely void of a theme and the common areas inside of the resort aren’t much more exciting.  The lack of a coherent theme is unfortunate, because it’s really the only thing holding the Contemporary back from being the favorite resort of more guests.

Guests staying in the Tower are just a short walk and an elevator ride away from the monorail station, check-in area, restaurants, and shops inside the Tower.  Guests will have to ride the elevator down to the first floor and exit the Tower to get to the marina or pool.  On the other hand, the Garden Wing is detached from the Tower and rooms found inside of it are further away from the monorail station and check-in, but also closer to the pool and marina.  The Garden Wing is generally quieter and less busy because there’s no reason to visit it unless your room is located inside.  The fourth floor of the Contemporary Tower can get loud and busy, but it rarely disturbs guests in their room.  I would recommend requesting a room on the highest floor possible to minimize noise.

Pool: There are two pools at the Contemporary, both of which are in back and adjacent to the marina.  The main pool features a water slide that begins 17 feet in the air and the quiet pool is shallow all along the outside and gets deeper moving into the center. Unfortunately, the pool area isn’t themed and neither pool is more than “just a pool.”  The large size is nice, but it’s a far cry from the Polynesian and its 40 foot tall volcano and waterfall or the three acre pool complex found at the Yacht and Beach Club.  I’m not sure why Disney hasn’t done more with the space since 1971, but I suppose they would rather have it open instead of close it down and make it more exciting.  On the plus side, there are two hot tubs and a newly opened play area for children.

Transportation: The Contemporary is the closest resort to the Magic Kingdom and is on the Disney resort monorail line which easily connects it to the Ticket and Transportation Center, Polynesian, Grand Floridian, and Magic Kingdom.  There is also a direct walkway to the Magic Kingdom as well as boat service to the Wilderness Lodge, Fort Wilderness, and Magic Kingdom.  Travel to the Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios is via bus.  Most of the time, the bus service will be shared with the other Monorail Resorts.

The times below are calculated after the bus, monorail, or boat leaves for its final destination.  If there are additional pickups at the Grand Floridian or Polynesian then it can take an additional 15+ minutes.

Hollywood Studios via Bus: about 15 minutes
Epcot via Resort Monorail then switch to Epcot Monorail: about 25 minutes, depending on how long it takes for the Epcot Monorail train to arrive.
Animal Kingdom via Bus: about 20 minutes
Magic Kingdom via Walking: about 10 minutes
Magic Kingdom via Monorail: about 15 minutes

Best Rooms: The Deluxes are a little bit different than the Moderates and Values because room location is less about knowing which room to request and more about paying extra for the additional benefits of a “good” room.  For example, Tower rooms with a Magic Kingdom View are much more preferable than a Garden Wing room with a view of the parking lot.  However, the price of the Garden Wing room is $285 and the price of the Tower room is $440 during the cheapest season.  That’s a difference of $155 per night, or $930 for a six night stay.  The question then becomes, is it worth upgrading?

My recommendation would either be to go “bargain basement” and book the Garden Wing Standard View or “go big” and get the Tower room with Magic Kingdom View.  It costs $45-$50 per night to upgrade from the Garden Wing Standard View to the Garden Wing Garden View and that upgrade isn’t really worth it since there’s no balcony to enjoy the slightly upgraded view.  On the other hand, it costs $40-$60 per night to upgrade from the Tower Lake View to Tower Magic Kingdom View.  That upgrade is more desirable because you’ll be able to watch Wishes, the evening fireworks show at the Magic Kingdom, from your balcony.  The Lake View Tower rooms are fine too, but if you’re going to spend $400+ a night, you might as well spend 10% more and get a much more magical experience.

On-Site Dining Options: Like the other monorail resorts, the Contemporary Resort has some great or otherwise popular dining choices.  Chef Mickey’s is the most sought after character meal at Disney World.  I’m not entirely sure why that is, considering it’s expensive, character interaction is poor, and the food isn’t particularly good, but I assume it’s because people aren’t aware of the superior options (Tusker House at Animal Kingdom, Crystal Palace at Magic Kingdom, and Akershus at Epcot to name a few).   If you’re going to do Chef Mickey’s, I would recommend it for breakfast if you’re not in a hurry to get to the Parks one day.  Otherwise, there are better character meals and much better sit-down restaurants.

The Contempo Café is the resort’s counter service and it’s largely adequate.  Although it’s small and gets crowded during meal time, the menu is diverse enough that it should satisfy most guests.  There are better counter services at the Parks, but the Contempo is perfect if you need a quick meal or snack and don’t want to travel elsewhere.

The Wave is the Contemporary’s newest casual table service restaurant.  It focuses on sustainable agriculture and healthy, fresh food.  It’s on the expensive side with dinner entrées in the $20-$30 range, but the prices seem reasonable considering the high quality of food and excellent service.  Lunch is slightly cheaper and features more common entrées, like salads, sandwiches, and burgers.  Breakfast is served as well.  The décor in the check-in area is cool, but the theme is not carried into the main seating area.  I wouldn’t go out of my way to eat at The Wave, but it’s an above-average restaurant, especially if prefer substance over style.

The Signature Dining restaurant at the Contemporary is the California Grill.  Located on the 15th floor, the restaurant is only accessible from a special elevator on the second floor to those with reservations.  The restaurant is popular because it overlooks the Magic Kingdom from the highest point at Disney World.  It’s best to request a window table at check-in, although they will tell you that they can’t promise anything.  Even if you don’t get a window table, there is a special platform for California Grill diners with an excellent view of Wishes, the Magic Kingdom’s fireworks show.  Guests who finish their meal before Wishes may return with their receipt if they’ve left the restaurant and will be allowed back up.  Otherwise, you have to eat at the Grill to be able to access the platform.  I would suggest trying to get reservations for about an hour before Wishes is scheduled to start so you can be sure you are seated prior to the fireworks starting.  Unfortunately, the food and service at the California Grill are not as outstanding as they once were.  The restaurant also tends to be louder and less intimate than other Signature restaurants.  I would still recommend it because the view is outstanding and the food and service are well above average, but it’s not necessarily as special as it once was.

Full reviews coming soon.

Best For: Those who want to take advantage of the resort monorail and close proximity to the Magic Kingdom.  People who prefer sleek room décor and Deluxe amenities to an extravagant theme.

Worst For: People who plan to spend most of their time at the Parks and don’t plan to dine at the Contemporary or monorail resorts.  People who prefer an exotic theme.

Summary of Key Points: Unfortunately, the Contemporary Resort is not particularly “contemporary.”  There’s nothing exciting about the architecture unless you have an uncle going on about how rare A-Frame buildings are and the fact that all of the rooms were built off-site and raised into position by cranes.  Now that you mention it, that is sort of cool, but it doesn’t make up for the fact that the Contemporary is one of the least themed resorts on property.  Considering the exoticness of the Polynesian or the prestige of the Grand Floridian, the Contemporary is downright boring.  Luckily, the lack of style is only skin deep.  The guest rooms have been refurbished with more modern décor and furnishings, giving the Contemporary a more up-to-date feel.

Despite the lack of a theme, the Contemporary has several substantial advantages.  First, it is the most inexpensive of the monorail resorts.  Rooms start at $285, compared to $365 at the Polynesian and $410 at the Grand Floridian.  The Contemporary also boasts some of the best resort views in all of Disney World.  You may enjoy Wishes, the Magic Kingdom fireworks show, every night from the comfort of your Magic Kingdom View balcony or the 4th floor observatory.  On the opposite side of the resort, relish the magnificent sunrise or sunset over the water from your Lake View room.  Tower rooms are also just a short walk and elevator ride away from the resort’s restaurants, shops, front desk, and transportation optiona, making the resort one of the most convenient.  The Garden Wing, detached from the main Contemporary building, offers quieter rooms off the beaten path.  The walk to the monorail station or Chef Mickey’s is longer, but the Garden Wing is close to the pool and marina.  Finally, the Contemporary offers several of the most popular restaurants at Disney, including the exclusive California Grill and Chef Mickey’s, one of the most sought after character meal reservations.

I would recommend the Contemporary to anyone who appreciates substance over an elaborate theme.  If being whisked away by the exoticness of Polynesia or being surrounded by 50 foot tall statues of Buzz Lightyear is more important than convenience, large rooms, and elegant furnishings, then you might be better off trying a different resort.  Although the Contemporary’s Garden Wing is cheaper than other monorail resorts, prices for Tower rooms are in line with the Polynesian and Grand Floridian.  The convenient location of the Contemporary, coupled with the easy navigation of the resort, make it an attractive choice to anyone who plans to take advantage of what it has to offer.

Overall Rank on The Best Disney World Deluxe Resorts: 5th out of 8

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Disney Grand Floridian Deluxe Resort Review and Information

by josh on April 11, 2010

Wondering how the Grand Floridian Resort stacks up against the other Disney World Deluxe Resorts? Check out The Best Disney World Deluxe Resorts for a comparison of the eight Deluxes in a variety of categories including Best Layout, Best Dining, Best Transportation, Best Location, Best Rooms, Best Pool, and Best Overall Deluxe Resort.

Address:

4401 Grand Floridian Way
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-1000

Direct Phone: 1- 407-824-3000, Fax: 1-407-824-3186, General Reservations: 1-407-WDISNEY (1-407-934-7639)

Resort Class: The Grand Floridian is a Deluxe resort, the most expensive resort type.  There are 20 different types of rooms, suites, views, and categories with prices ranging between $410 per night for a Garden View room during Value Season all the way up to $2,965 per night for the Two-Bedroom Grand Suite during the Holiday Season.  During Holiday Season, the Grand Floridian has 14 room types that cost more than $1,000 a night, making it the most expensive Deluxe resort.  The Grand Floridian is also the newest of the Monorail Resorts, having opened in 1988, 17 years after the Contemporary and Polynesian.

Location: The Grand Floridian was actually built on top of a man-made peninsula on Seven Seas Lagoon, near the Polynesian.  On the monorail, the Grand Floridian is the most convenient resort to the Magic Kingdom because it’s only one stop away.  Although the Grand Floridian is close to the Magic Kingdom, it is relatively far from Epcot and Hollywood Studios and one of the furthest resorts away from the Animal Kingdom.

Size:  The Grand Floridian is made up of the main building and five outlying guestroom buildings.  You will find the check-in area, restaurants, shops, suites, and concierge level rooms in the main building.  The Sugarloaf building also houses Concierge level rooms and has a separate Concierge lounge.  The other buildings, Sago Cay, Conch Key, Boca Chica, and Big Pine Key are made up of Standard guest rooms.  There are 900 rooms in all, which is about the same as the Contemporary and Polynesian, but relatively few compared to the nearly 3,000 found at the Pop Century Value resort.

Room Amenities and Quality: Most of the “Standard” rooms are about 440 square feet and can accommodate up to five people. Rooms come with all of the Deluxe amenities including: two queen-size beds or one king size bed, day bed, small table, two chairs, ceiling fan, internet access ($10 per 24 hours), 32” LCD television, small safe, telephone, hairdryer, iron, ironing board, alarm clock, coffeemaker, refrigerator, and bathroom with two sinks, shower/bathtub combo, toilet, and mirror.  Rollaway beds are available for free, which is cheaper than the usual $15 per night charge at other Deluxes.  Microwaves should also be available by request.

The rooms at the Grand Floridian are much more elegantly appointed than those found at the Polynesian.  Plus, almost all rooms have balconies or patios and all rooms have double sinks.  At an average of 440 feet, about 130 feet larger than the Moderates and 180 feet larger than the Values, the rooms have plenty of space for five people.  I prefer the newly refurbished rooms at the Contemporary because of their modern look, but there’s nothing wrong with the Victorian themed Grand Floridian and the room furnishings fit the overall theme of the resort well.

The most inexpensive rooms at the Grand Floridian are Garden View, which look inward at the resort and offer a view of the pool, marina, or courtyard.  Located on the opposite side of the hall are Lagoon View rooms, which overlook Seven Seas Lagoon.  The cost to upgrade from a Garden to a Lagoon View is between $65 and $95 per night depending on season.  As usual, the most expensive view type is the Magic Kingdom View, which cost $105-$155 more per night than the Garden View.  The Grand Floridian is considerably farther away from the Magic Kingdom than the Contemporary, so the view is not nearly as extraordinary.  Plus, at only five stories tall, the views form the Grand Floridian pale in comparison to rooms on the upper floors of the Contemporary.

Personally, I can’t justify the cost to upgrade from a Garden View to the Magic Kingdom View.  During Value Season, the Magic Kingdom View rooms cost $515 per night, compared to $530 for a Standard Concierge Level room in the Sugarloaf building.  For $530 (only $15 more) per night, you would get all of the additional Concierge benefits, including itinerary planning, increased chance of securing dining reservations, turndown service, in-room DVD player, newspaper delivery, and most importantly access to the lounge with “free” food and beverage service for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  In my opinion, this is a much better way to spend the extra money.  If you want a view of the Magic Kingdom then you can walk down to the beach and relax in a lounge chair for no additional cost.

The Two Levels of Concierge Service: As if 20 different room categories wasn’t confusing enough, there are also two levels of Concierge service at the Grand Floridian – “Sugarloaf Club Level” and “Royal Palm Club Level.”  All guests staying in the main building receive access to the Royal Palm Club Level and all guests in the Sugarloaf building are limited to the Sugarloaf Club Level Lounge.  The two levels are basically the same, except the Royal Palm offers a larger, more luxurious lounge area.  Both lounges serve similar food and the rooms have nearly identical furnishings.  The price difference is mainly due to the convenience and exclusiveness of staying in the main building.  The Sugarloaf Level used to offer fewer food and drink options, but that has recently changed and the level of service is almost identical.

Theme and Layout: The Grand Floridian is Disney’s Flagship Resort and no expense was spared in its planning, construction, or decoration.  The inspiration for the resort came from the famous Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, California and the Belleview-Biltmore Hotel in Belleair, Florida.  In addition, the buildings are named after islands in the Florida Keys.  The resort is extravagantly Victorian themed with red-gabled roofs, intricate gingerbread woodwork, and a five-story main building that features stained-glass domes, glistening chandeliers, and upscale Victorian era furnishings.  Like the Polynesian, the Grand Floridian features a gorgeous white sand beach where guests can relax and watch the Magic Kingdom’s evening fireworks.

The Grand Floridian has a reputation as being stuffy and not particularly kid friendly.  While it’s true that the Polynesian and Contemporary are more overtly friendly, the Grand Floridian doesn’t turn its nose up at children and they are perfectly welcome.  While some kids enjoy the Polynesian’s exotic atmosphere or the Contemporary’s fourth floor concourse, many other kids love the Grand Floridian’s opulence and the way the resort makes guests feel extra special.  It’s simply a matter of personal preference.

Pool: There are two pools at the Grand Floridian.  The quiet pool, which used to be the resort’s feature pool, is 300,000+ gallons and the largest of its kind.  The Grand Floridian’s feature pool has zero-depth entry, which is nice for kids, as well as a water slide and rockery with a waterfall.  The location near Seven Seas Lagoon is pristine, but overall it’s not as “cool” as the Volcano Pool at the Polynesian or even the pools at most Moderate resorts.  Nonetheless, the sheer size of the quiet pool and the elegant surroundings of the feature pool make it a pleasant and relaxing place to spend an afternoon swimming.

Transportation: The Grand Floridian is on the Disney resort monorail line which conveniently connects it to the Ticket and Transportation Center, Polynesian, Contemporary, and Magic Kingdom.  Located in the back of the resort is a marina with a scenic boat ride to the Magic Kingdom and Polynesian resort.  While not necessarily as fast as the monorail, it’s a fun ride that I would recommend trying at least once.  For Epcot, guests ride the resort monorail to the Transit Center and then switch monorail lines to the Express route.

Travel to the Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios is via bus.  Most of the time, bus service will be shared with at least one other resort.  The Grand Floridian is usually picked up and dropped off last which can equate to longer transit times coming back from the Parks and the strong possibility that it will be standing room only on the way to the Parks.  It isn’t so bad when the Grand Floridian shares buses with the Polynesian, but plan to spend an extra 15 minutes on the bus if it’s sharing with the Wilderness Lodge.  The Grand Floridian is about as far away as possible from the Animal Kingdom and not particularly close to Epcot or the Hollywood Studios either.  Unlike the Polynesian, it is not possible to walk to the Transit Center to get on the Express Epcot Monorail and there is no walkway to the Magic Kingdom like there is at the Contemporary.

The times below are calculated after the bus, monorail, or boat leaves for its final destination.

Hollywood Studios via Bus: about 20 minutes
Epcot via Resort Monorail then switch to Epcot Monorail: about 35 minutes, depending on how long it takes for the Epcot Monorail train to arrive.
Animal Kingdom via Bus: about 25 minutes
Magic Kingdom via Monorail: about 5 minutes
Magic Kingdom via Boat: about 10 minutes

Best Rooms: The suites in the main building are the best rooms, but they’ll run you anywhere between $1,310 and $2,965 per night which is out of most people’s budgets.  Of the Standard rooms, I would recommend requesting a room in Big Pine Key.  It’s located nearest to the beach and quiet pool and about as close as the other buildings to the restaurants, monorail station, and buses.  There really isn’t a tremendous upside to any particular Standard room location since Disney charges extra for any upgraded furnishings or view.

Lodge Tower rooms cost almost as much as Magic Kingdom Views, sleep four instead of five, and have views of the courtyard or pool.  They are more expensive because they have a separate seating area, along with additional furniture, an extra television, and a private balcony.  At a minimum of around $500 per night, the extra space probably isn’t worth it.

On-Site Dining Options: The Grand Floridian has the most dining options of any resort at Disney World.  1900 Park Fare is a character buffet and serves breakfast and dinner.  Like most buffets, breakfast is generally better as far as food is concerned.  The characters at breakfast include Alice from Alice in Wonderland, the Mad Hatter, and Mary Poppins.  Dinner characters include Cinderella, Prince Charming, Lady Tremaine, Anastasia and, Drizella (The Wicked Stepmother and her daughters from Cinderella).  Character interaction is usually great and most of the characters can’t be found at any other character meal.  Adults are $25 for breakfast and $36 for dinner, which makes this one of the most expensive buffets at Disney World.  Unfortunately, the food isn’t particularly good at dinner.  I would recommend it on the Dining Plan, but I would only visit for dinner if you’re particularly keen on meeting the characters.

Citricos and Narcoossee’s are both Signature Dining restaurants and cost two table service credits each on the Dining Plan.  Both are expensive, with entrées in the $30-$60 range.  Narcoossee’s is more expensive, with a menu predominantly made up of expensive seafood and cuts of steak.  Citricos is less expensive and features a variety of fish, steak, and chicken.  I would recommend Narcoosee’s on the Dining Plan, but it is one of the most expensive restaurants at Disney World out of pocket.  The food, service, and view are excellent.  If you’re looking for a special meal then Narcoossee’s would be a fantastic choice.  Citricos, while expensive, isn’t necessarily worth two table service credits based on the price.  However, the service and food are also excellent at Citricos; the menu just features less expensive options.  Overall, either would be a great choice, but Citricos makes more sense out of pocket and Narcoosse’s would be the better choice on the Dining Plan unless the Citricos menu is particularly appealing.

The Grand Floridian Café is the resort’s casual sit-down restaurant.  Breakfast and lunch are reasonably priced with a number of $11 breakfast entrées and sandwiches in the neighborhood of $12 for lunch.  Dinner is more expensive with most entrées over $20.  While a perfectly decent option, I wouldn’t go out of my way to eat here and prefer it for a late lunch rather than dinner.

Gasparilla Grill and Games is the resort’s counter service.  It’s similar to the standard Disney counter service in the Parks with burgers, chicken nuggets, and a variety of sandwiches.  The Grand Floridian also serves afternoon tea between 2 and 4:30pm.  There are a variety of teas, pastries, and other options.  You can spend as little as $6 for a cup of tea or as much as $25 per person for tea, sparkling wine, and a variety of sandwiches, scones, and tarts.  Afternoon tea is a fun and relaxing way to spend an afternoon break from the Parks.

Finally, Victoria and Albert’s is the fanciest restaurant at Disney World.  I could write several pages about it, but for now I will just say that it is unrivaled by anything at Disney World and it’s on par with some of the best restaurants in the United States.  Dinner runs at least $125 per person and wine pairings are an additional $60 or more.  Jackets are required for men and women are required to dress fancy as well.

Full reviews coming soon.

Best For: Those who have the money to stay at Disney’s flagship resort.  People who want to take advantage of the resort monorail and plan to spend a considerable amount of time relaxing and enjoying the resort.

Worst For: Those on a budget or people who would otherwise have to make sacrifices to afford it.  People who plan to spend most of their time away from the Magic Kingdom and plan to rely on Disney transportation.

Summary of Key Points: The Grand Floridian is one of Disney’s finest resorts.  Suffice to say, all of your friends will be jealous when you tell them you’re planning to stay here.  The resort has tremendous upside with only a few minor detractions.  First, let’s quickly consider potential problems.  At a minimum of $410 per night, the Grand Floridian is the most expensive Deluxe resort at Disney World.  Second, although it is close to the Magic Kingdom, it is one of the furthest resorts from the Animal Kingdom and not particularly convenient to Epcot or the Hollywood Studios either.  While the monorail ride to Epcot is usually fun, it can routinely take 45 minutes to ride to the Ticket Center, walk over to the Express Monorail, wait for a train, and ride to Epcot.  The Grand Floridian potentially shares bus service with the Polynesian and Wilderness Lodge, so buses may be standing room only on the way to the Parks and it will take even longer to return from the Parks due to the extra stops.  Finally, while kids are certainly welcome, the Grand Floridian is not as overtly kid-friendly as the Polynesian or Value resorts.  Nonetheless, plenty of children love the luxurious atmosphere.

With that out of the way, we can consider the resorts many positive features.  The Grand Floridian is far and away the most elegant Disney resort with beautiful architecture and outstanding service.  There will be no doubt that you are staying at Disney’s flagship resort.  While the resort has six separate buildings, none of the rooms should be more than a 5-10 minute walk to any point of interest at the resort.  At about 440 square feet, the rooms are large enough to sleep five people comfortably.  The furnishings, beds, and bathrooms are all top quality.  The beach on Seven Seas Lagoon is gorgeous and a fantastic spot to relax or enjoy the evening fireworks from the Magic Kingdom.  The quiet pool, at over 300,000 gallons, is the largest of its kind at Disney World and is plenty of space to spread out and enjoy the cool water on a hot day.  While the feature pool is not extravagantly themed, it is still in an excellent location and it feels like it fits in the overall atmosphere of the resort.

The Grand Floridian also excels in terms of dining options and quality.  It’s connected to the Polynesian and Contemporary resort by monorail, which puts you only a few minutes away from Kona Cafe, Chef Mickey’s, ‘Ohana, California Grill, The Wave, and more.  Citricos, Narcoossee’s, and Victoria and Albert’s are all amazing and 1900 Park Fare is a fun buffet with unique characters.  The Grand Floridian Café, while not particularly special, is a nice alternative when you want a more casual sit-down meal and afternoon tea is a relaxing way to spend an afternoon away from the Parks.  The resort’s counter service is nothing special, but it’s adequate as well.  With all of these dining options, the Grand Floridian is an excellent choice for those who plan to eat several meals away from the Parks.

Overall, I would not hesitate to recommend the Grand Floridian to anyone who can afford it.  The resort is as beautiful on the outside as it is on the inside.  The downsides, other than the price, are all minor compared to the many advantages.  Whether or not it’s worth the price is up to the individual.  I never recommend straining financially to afford Deluxe accommodations because many people who stay at Value or Moderate resorts enjoy their vacation just as much, if not more.  Remember, once you leave the resort everyone is in the same boat, no matter where they’re staying.  Nonetheless, the additional resort amenities, convenience, and elegant theme make the Grand Floridian a favorite resort of many Disney vacationers and it should be on the short list of anyone considering a Deluxe or Villa level resort.

Overall Rank on The Best Disney World Deluxe Resorts: 1st out of 8

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Disney Polynesian Deluxe Resort Hotel Review and Information

by josh on April 11, 2010

Wondering how the Polynesian Resort stacks up against the other Disney World Deluxe Resorts? Check out The Best Disney World Deluxe Resorts for a comparison of the eight Deluxes in a variety of categories including Best Layout, Best Dining, Best Transportation, Best Location, Best Rooms, Best Pool, and Best Overall Deluxe Resort.

Address:

1600 Seven Seas Drive
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-1000

Direct Phone: 1- 407-824-2000, Fax:  1-407 407-824-3174, General Reservations: 1-407-WDISNEY (1-407-934-7639)

Resort Class: The Polynesian is a Deluxe, Disney’s most expensive resort type.  Rooms start at $365 per night during Value Season and go all the way up to $3,005 per night for the King Kamehameha Suite during Holiday Season.  The Polynesian has 11 different room categories including Concierge level, several suite sizes, and two view upgrades.

Location: Along with the Contemporary, the Polynesian opened in 1971 as one of the original Disney World resorts.  It is one of the three resorts on the monorail line and the only resort in walking distance of the Transit Center with the Express Epcot Monorail station.  The Resort Monorail conveniently connects the Contemporary Resort, Grand Floridian Resort, Magic Kingdom, and Ticket and Transportation Center.  Located in the back of the resort is a dock that offers a free boat ride to the Grand Floridian and Magic Kingdom.

Size:  The Polynesian is one of the larger Disney Deluxe resorts with 857 rooms and suites.  Each guestroom is located in one of the 11 two or three story buildings called “longhouses.”  The longhouses are scattered throughout the property and each one is completely detached from all other buildings.  Despite its size, it shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes to walk between any two points at the resort.

Room Amenities and Quality: Most of the Standard rooms are about 410 square feet, which is about 100 square feet larger than Moderate rooms and 150 square feet larger than Values.  Standard rooms can accommodate up to five people.  Rooms come with all of the Deluxe amenities including: Two queen-size beds, day bed, small table, two chairs, ceiling fan, high-speed internet access ($10 per 24 hours), LCD television, small safe, telephone, hairdryer, iron, ironing board, alarm clock, coffeemaker, refrigerator, and bathroom with single (or double) sink, shower/bathtub combo, toilet, and mirror.  There are also microwaves available upon request.  Rooms in the Tahiti and Rapa Nui longhouses have two sinks instead of one.  All rooms on the first floor have patios and all rooms on the third floor have balconies.  Rooms on the second floor of Tonga, Tokelau, Tahiti, and Rapa Nui also have balconies.  Rooms on the second floor of the other longhouses do not have balconies.

This is the oldest resort on property.  Although the rooms and buildings are kept in top shape, they remain nearly 40 years old.  The biggest complaint about the rooms is their lack of lighting.  While the dark atmosphere lends itself to the resort’s theme, it isn’t convenient for those wanting to read a book or apply makeup.  I would recommend bringing a lighted makeup mirror.  Other than that minor detraction, the rooms are themed well with gorgeous headboards, marble countertops, and Polynesian themed bedding and artwork.

There are three different view types.  The first and least expensive is the Garden View, which offers a view of the parking lot, garden, monorail, pool, or marina.  Lagoon View rooms have a view of Seven Seas Lagoon, the large man-made body of water the Polynesian shares with the Grand Floridian.  The third and most expensive is the Magic Kingdom View with a view of the Lagoon and the Magic Kingdom out further in the distance.  During Value Season, Garden Views cost $365, Lagoon Views cost $470, and Magic Kingdom Views cost $510 per night.  On a weekend night during Peak season, Garden View rooms cost $520, Lagoon Views cost $650, and Magic Kingdom View rooms cost $705.  I don’t usually recommend view upgrades because the additional cost is so great and the same view is available for free to those who walk down to the Polynesian’s beaches.  A Magic Kingdom View room during Peak Season would cost $925 more than a Garden View room over a five night vacation.  I can’t justify the additional cost, but if watching the fireworks from the comfort of your balcony is worth the cost then by all means, upgrade.  Just be aware that you can sit in a lounge chair on the beach and watch the same fireworks for free.

Theme and Layout: Disney describes the Polynesian as a “relaxing tropical paradise, featuring lush vegetation, thatched roofs, koi ponds and white-sand lakebeaches.”  The Polynesian is one of the most beautifully themed resorts at Disney World.  The “Great Ceremonial House,” which houses the resort’s restaurants, check-in area, and shops, also features more than 75 indigenous species, a two-story waterfall, and plentiful vegetation.  The beaches are gorgeous and the lake is pristine.  The Polynesian is generally considered to be the most “kid-friendly” of the monorail resorts.  The theme appeals to children and the service is especially friendly.

The downside of the Polynesian’s layout is that it can be confusing to walk around.  The walkways are like a maze winding their way around the resort and the longhouses all similar.  While you shouldn’t get lost forever, you may have to pay extra attention to what path and landmarks take you back to your room.  Luckily, there should be plenty of staff around to help you find your way.

Pool: The Polynesian has two pools.  The main pool features a 40 foot tall volcano, waterfall, and 142 foot long waterslide.  It is probably the second or third best themed pool on property.  Unfortunately, the Polynesian’s convenient location near the Magic Kingdom brings in “pool hoppers,” which are guests from other resorts that use the Polynesian pools.  Even though this is against the rules, many people do it anyway and the staff doesn’t always actively remove them.  Since the Polynesian’s feature pool isn’t large to begin with, this can make for some crowded swimming areas.  Luckily, the resort’s quiet pool is usually underappreciated and should be less busy.

Transportation: The Polynesian’s location and access to the resort and express monorail are its biggest assets.  Travel to the Magic Kingdom is available by monorail or boat.  Both are efficient and much more fun than a bus ride.  For travel to Epcot, I would recommend walking over to the Ticket and Transportation Center, which is a 5-15 minute walk away depending on your location.  The Transportation Center has an Express Monorail that will take you directly to Epcot without any stops.  Otherwise, you will have to ride the resort monorail and get off at the Transportation Center and then switch monorails to get on the Express Monorail.  If you see a monorail train go by and it doesn’t stop then it isn’t because it’s full; it means that it’s an Express Monorail train.  Transportation to Disney’s other Parks is via bus, usually shared with the Contemporary and/or Grand Floridian.

The times below are calculated after the bus, monorail, or boat leaves the resort.

Hollywood Studios: about 15 minutes
Epcot via Epcot Monorail from Ticket/Transportation Center: about 15 minutes
Epcot via Resort Monorail and Transfer to Epcot Monorail: about 35 minutes, depending on how long it takes the Epcot monorail to arrive.
Animal Kingdom via Bus: about 20 minutes
Magic Kingdom via Monorail: about 10 minutes
Magic Kingdom via Boat: about 10 minutes

Best Rooms: The resort is small enough that most rooms are within five or so minutes of the main building and either the feature or quiet pool.  The “best” room depends on what you want a view of, whether you want a balcony or a patio, and what you want to be close to.  My favorite rooms are located in the Tokelau longhouse because all rooms on the second and third floors have balconies and the building is centrally located to just about everything, including the Transit Center and Great Ceremonial House.  The rooms have also been recently refurbished.  Since most of the other longhouses do not have balconies on the second floor, Tokelau guarantees some extra space outside as well as the best location at the Polynesian.  Aotearoa, Fiji, and Tuvalu are closest to the main building, but are the furthest away from the Transportation Center.  Samoa, Niue, and Rarotonga are near the main building and about five minutes away from the Transportation Center.  Tahiti and Rapa Nui are closest to the Transportation Center, but farthest from the main building.  Also, remember that the Tahiti and Rapa Nui rooms have two sinks instead of one and balconies on all second floor rooms.  Tonga contains all of the suites and is located right next to the main building, but is a good ten minute walk to the Transit Center.  The concierge rooms, found in the Hawaii building, are also centrally located and about five minutes to either the Transit Center or main building.  In closing, I would request a room on the third floor of Tokelau and if that is not available then I would request a room in either Tahiti or Rapa Nui because of the extra sink and balcony availability.

On-Site Dining Options: The Polynesian has several fantastic dining options, including the Kona Café, ‘Ohana, and the Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show at Luau Cove.  Captain Cook’s, the resort’s counter service, is the only detraction.  Cook’s is small, lines are long, and the food is nothing special.  On the positive side, you can order Tonga Toast from Captain Cook’s at breakfast and it’s cheaper than the Kona Café.  For those unfamiliar, Tonga Toast is a thick French toast stuffed with bananas and topped with cinnamon and sugar.  It’s delicious and a favorite among many Disney vacationers.  Cook’s is also convenient for those wishing to refill their refillable resort mugs.  Considering two Deluxe resorts don’t even have counter services (Yacht Club and BoardWalk Inn), we should be happy that at least something is available.

The Kona Café is one of the most consistent sit-down restaurants on property, both in terms of service and food quality.  It’s a casual restaurant that doesn’t offer much privacy because it’s located along the main building’s concourse.  In addition, the restaurant is “open air,” meaning there are no walls to keep guests that are passing by from overseeing the entire restaurant.  While the atmosphere isn’t particularly intimate, Kona is the perfect spot if you’re not in the mood to travel to the Parks, but want a nicer meal than you would find at a counter service.  Kona serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner and is moderately priced with lunch entrées in the $12-$15 range and dinner entrées in the $17-$28 range.

‘Ohana serves a family style all-you-care-to-eat buffet for breakfast and dinner.  Breakfast is a character meal featuring Lilo, Stitch, Mickey, and Pluto with traditional breakfast items.  For dinner, ‘Ohana features a variety of appetizers and entrées, including salad, pork potstickers, chicken wings, grilled turkey, BBQ pork loin, marinated steak, peel and eat shrimp, and bread pudding for dessert.  No characters are present during dinner.  The food is cooked at a grilling station in front of the seating area and servers bring the meats to the table on long skewers.  In addition, there are a number of activities for children that should keep them occupied during the meal.  ‘Ohana has an excellent location with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Seven Seas Lagoon and the Magic Kingdom.  I would recommend requesting a window table at check-in.  The cost for adults during breakfast is $18.99 and dinner costs $30.99.  While expensive, it isn’t a bad value considering the quality and variety of the food, excellent view, and fun for the kids.

The Spirit of Aloha Polynesian is an all-you-care-to-eat dinner and luau show that is offered at 5:15pm and 8:00pm Tuesday through Saturday.  The Luau is a Signature Dining Experience, so it costs two table service credits per person or a fixed cost between $51-$60 for adults and $26-$31 per child age 3-9 depending on how close you want to be to the stage.  Theoretically, the dinner includes all-you-can-drink Budweiser, Bud Light, and wine, but they have a tendency to “run out” before the show is over, so I wouldn’t go just for the binge drinking (or drink heavily early in the show).  The menu is similar to what you would find at ‘Ohana and includes BBQ ribs, roasted chicken, salad, and delicious pineapple-coconut bread among other entrées and appetizers.  The show follows a story line that is a bit lame, but the food is great and the fire-dancing is fun, especially if you’ve never experienced anything similar.  The Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue at the Fort Wilderness Cabins is probably the better dinner show, but the Spirit of Aloha is a fun experience to do once, especially if you have some extra Dining Plan credits.

Full reviews coming soon.

Best For: Those who plan to spend considerable time at the Magic Kingdom or at the resort relaxing.  People who will be eating several of their meals at the Polynesian or the other restaurants on the monorail.

Worst For: Those on a budget.  People who spend all of their time at the Parks and don’t plan to spend much time relaxing or eating at the resort.

Summary of Key Points: For many, the Polynesian is the quintessential Disney World resort.  Its beauty, location, dining, and recreation options make it one of the best resorts on property.  The Great Ceremonial House, with its 75 varieties of indigenous plants, is impressive and the rest of the resort is themed just as extravagantly.  In addition, the Polynesian sits right on top of Seven Seas Lagoon, one of the largest and most pristine bodies of water at Disney.  The Polynesian’s location on the monorail is ideal for anyone planning to visit the Magic Kingdom or Epcot often and the most convenient way to move between the Monorail Resorts.  The resort’s feature pool, complete with 40 foot tall volcano, is a fun place to swim and the quiet pool usually has plenty of extra room to swim around.  The resort’s beaches are beautiful and I would recommend grabbing a lounge chair and watching the Magic Kingdom’s fireworks from across the lake.

The biggest downside to the Polynesian is its price.  Without a discount, the minimum nightly cost is around $400 a night after taxes.  That’s about 2.5 times more expensive than the Moderate resorts or 4.5 times more expensive than a room at the Values.  That’s simply out of most people’s budgets.  The Polynesian is also the oldest resort at Disney World and even though it’s kept in top form, there’s little that can be done about improving soundproofing in rooms or adding additional pool space.  While the rooms are nicely appointed and relatively large, the furnishings simply aren’t as luxurious as you would find at a $400+ per night hotel outside of Disney World.  When you’re staying at the Polynesian, you’re paying for its fantastic location with monorail and boat service, extra-friendly staff, and excellent recreation options rather than what you’ll find in your guest room.

Overall, the Polynesian is a fantastic resort, especially for families.  Most kids love the theme and it’s one of the most low-key, casual Deluxe resorts available.  Overall, I would recommend the Polynesian to anyone who plans to spend most of their time at the Magic Kingdom or enjoying what the Polynesian has to offer in the way of dining and relaxing.

Overall Rank on The Best Disney World Deluxe Resorts: 2nd out of 8

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Disney Wilderness Lodge Deluxe Resort Review and Information

by josh on April 11, 2010

Wondering how the Wilderness Lodge stacks up against the other Disney World Deluxe Resorts? Check out The Best Disney World Deluxe Resorts for a comparison of the eight Deluxes in a variety of categories including Best Layout, Best Dining, Best Transportation, Best Location, Best Rooms, Best Pool, and Best Overall Deluxe Resort.

Address:

901 Timberline Drive
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-1000

Direct Phone: 1- 407-824-3200, Fax: 1-407-824-3232, General Reservations: 1-407-WDISNEY (1-407-934-7639)

Resort Class: The Wilderness Lodge is a Deluxe resort, the most expensive resort type.  There are ten different room, suite, concierge class, and view configurations.  The Standard rooms are much cheaper than the other Deluxe Resorts, except for the Animal Kingdom Lodge which is similarly priced.  A Standard room with a Standard View runs $240 during Value Season, which is $45 less than the cheapest room at the Contemporary Resort and $170 less per night than the Grand Floridian’s least expensive room.  Compared to the Moderates, the Wilderness Lodge is about $90 more per night.  Unlike most of the other Deluxe resorts, the Wilderness Lodge does not offer many suites.  The largest suite, the Presidential, is only one bedroom and sleeps just four people.

Location: The Wilderness Lodge is officially a Magic Kingdom area resort that shares Bay Lake with the Contemporary Resort and Fort Wilderness Camp Ground.  While it is in close proximity to the Magic Kingdom, the Wilderness Lodge is a good 20 minutes away from Epcot and the Hollywood Studios and a solid 30 minutes or more away from the Animal Kingdom.

Size:  At 727 rooms, the Wilderness Lodge is a relatively small resort.  The main building is seven stories tall and houses the resort’s restaurants, check-in area, shops, and some of the guestrooms.  Attached to the main building are two wings that jut out opposite of each other with the pool and a large courtyard in the middle.  The majority of the guestrooms are found in these two 6-story wings.  All of the rooms are located under one roof, which means long hallways and potentially long walks if you find yourself at the end of one of the wings.  Nonetheless, it shouldn’t take more than ten minutes to get from your room to any point of interest at the resort.

Room Amenities and Quality: The Wilderness Lodge offers Standard rooms with three different views – Standard, Woods, and Courtyard.  Like the Animal Kingdom Lodge, you can also book a Standard room with one queen bed and a bunk bed.  Bunk Bed rooms are available with Woods and Courtyard views and cost about $35 more per night than rooms with two queen beds.  Bunk Bed rooms are ideal for families with two children who do not want to share a bed.  Concierge level service is also available from $410 per night.  Deluxe rooms are only available with Concierge Service and start at $540 per night.  These rooms are comparable in size to rooms at the Grand Floridian and have extra space that includes a queen-size sleeper sofa and an extra television.

Most of the Wilderness Lodge’s Standard rooms are about 340 square feet and can accommodate up to four people.  Note that the size of the rooms is only 30 feet larger than those found at the Moderate resorts and about 100 square feet smaller than Standard rooms at the Grand Floridian.  This is one reason why the resort is cheaper than the other Deluxes.  Rooms come with all of the Deluxe amenities including: two queen-size beds or one queen size bed and a set of bunk beds, small table, two chairs, ceiling fan, internet access ($10 per 24 hours), 32” LCD television, small safe, telephone, hairdryer, iron, ironing board, alarm clock, coffeemaker, refrigerator, bathroom with double sinks, shower/bathtub combo, toilet, and mirror.  All rooms have a balcony or a patio.

Wilderness Lodge rooms have a Native American theme with dark wooden furniture, rustic artwork, gorgeous wooden carved headboards, and colorful bedspreads and seat cushions.  Bathrooms feature two sinks, marble countertops, and slightly better lighting than the Polynesian or Animal Kingdom Lodge.  Bathrooms are still dark, so you may want to bring a lighted makeup mirror if you plan to apply makeup.  Although the resort completed a room refurbishment project in early 2007, rooms and fixtures are beginning to show signs of wear again, especially in the shower/bathroom area.  Significant problems are rare and if you have a problem with a shower head or damaged furniture then you should have no problem getting a replacement.  Overall, the rooms are furnished well and the only real problem with them is their small size when compared with the other Deluxe resorts.

Theme and Layout: The Wilderness Lodge is modeled after the Old Faithful Lodge in Yellowstone National Park.  It’s one of the best themed resorts at Disney World, on the same level as the Polynesian and Animal Kingdom Lodge.  The resort’s lobby features an 82-foot tall stone fireplace, two 55-foot tall totem poles imported from the Pacific Northwest, large tepee chandeliers, timber pillars, and expansive hardwood floors.  The rest of the grounds are themed just as extravagantly with lavish gardens and plentiful wooded areas with native northwest plant and tree species.  The resort is truly a destination unto itself and is worth a visit even if you aren’t staying here.

View upgrades cost about as much at the Wilderness Lodge as they would cost at other resorts.  However, there isn’t as much of a payoff as there might be upgrading to a Magic Kingdom View at the Contemporary or Savanna View at the Animal Kingdom Lodge.  At the Wilderness Lodge, an upgrade to a “Woods View” costs at least $35 extra per night.  Since trees are tall, you probably won’t be overlooking a large wooded area from your balcony.  Instead, the trees will be at eye level and it will be difficult to see much other than more trees.  “Courtyard View” rooms face the interior of the resort and most have a view of the pool.  While it is a nice view, I don’t think it’s worth spending $300+ on it over a five night vacation, since you probably won’t be able to see the Magic Kingdom fireworks or have an outstanding view of Bay Lake.  For the “best rooms” at the resort, read on to that section below.

Pool: “Silver Creek Springs” is the Wilderness Lodge’s feature pool.  Located at the back of the resort, Silver Springs is a gorgeous pool that is surrounded by dense wooded areas and Bay Lake.  One neat feature is that the water that fills the pool actually starts inside of the Wilderness Lodge’s main building and you can follow it down to the pool area where it transforms from a small stream into a full size pool.  There is also a kiddie pool attached to the main pool and two hot tubs to enjoy as well.  The Wilderness Lodge also has a quiet pool, Hidden Springs, located near the Wilderness Lodge Villas.  There is a third hot tub available there.  The feature pool can get busy, especially during summer months.

Transportation: The Wilderness Lodge usually shares bus service with Fort Wilderness and occasionally the Grand Floridian and Polynesian as well.  This can add 20-30 minutes or more to your trip, especially if you’re picking up from both Fort Wilderness and the Grand Floridian.  There is also a marina in the back of the resort with boat access to the Magic Kingdom, Contemporary Resort, and Fort Wilderness.  This is a convenient way to get to the Magic Kingdom and to the many restaurants and recreation opportunities at the Monorail Resorts and Fort Wilderness.

The times below are calculated after the bus or boat leaves for its final destination.

Hollywood Studios: about 15 minutes
Epcot: about 15 minutes
Animal Kingdom: about 15 minutes
Magic Kingdom via Bus: less than 10 minutes

Magic Kingdom via Boat: about 10 minutes

Best Rooms: The great majority of rooms at the Fort Wilderness Lodge look directly out at trees or into the middle of the resort.  Generally, higher floors are better because they offer better views and should be less noisy.  I would recommend requesting a room in one of the wings because rooms in the main building, while more convenient, also have to deal with the rowdiness of the Whispering Canyon restaurant and general noise from people in the lobby.  You also don’t want a room overlooking the loading/unloading zone where trucks drop off supplies to the resort.  Even if you do manage to be placed in a room overlooking the service area or on top of Whispering Canyon, you still shouldn’t have much of a problem with noise.

If you’re requesting a room with a view, I would recommend rooms 6004, 6006, 6008, 6010, 6012, 6014, 6016, 6018, 6020, 6022, 6024, 6026, 6028, 6030, which all have views of the evening fireworks.  Rooms with a 5 as the first digit and the same last three digits as the rooms above also have a good view of the Magic Kingdom, but they are just one floor lower (i.e. rooms 5004, 5006, 5008, etc).    Rooms 6169, 6168, 6167, 6166, 6003, 6002, 6001, 6000, 5169, 5168, 5167, 5166, 5003, 5002, 5001, 5000, 4169, 4168, 4167, 4166, 4003, 4002, 4001, 4000 all have a balcony that directly overlooks Bay Lake, making them desirable as well.  The great majority of rooms at the Wilderness Lodge don’t have a breathtaking view, but it’s always pleasant to spend some time sitting out on the balcony and enjoying the fresh air anyway.

On-Site Dining Options: The Wilderness Lodge features a decent counter service, Signature Dining restaurant, and a fun sit-down restaurant.  Roaring Fork, the counter service, features many of the items you’ve come to expect – burgers, sandwiches, chicken nuggets, and salads for lunch and dinner, as well as the usual hot and cold breakfast items.  There is a yogurt buffet where you can add your own granola and fruit which is fun for breakfast.  Roaring Fork is not particularly large and gets crowded, especially with the extra Villa guests.  My recommendation would be to eat at off-peak times or be prepared to take the food back to your room.  For breakfast, you’ll want to be there well before the 8am rush.

Whispering Canyon Cafe is a fun restaurant along the same vein as the 50s Prime Time Café at Hollywood Studios.  Your server may have several tricks up his or her sleeve during your meal.  For example, if you ask for ketchup, don’t be surprised if 30 or more bottles show up.  The atmosphere is meant to be fun, but some guests don’t appreciate the extra fanfare.  My suggestion would be to bring your sense of humor hat because the antics are meant to be fun, not bothersome.  On the Dining Plan, you can order a bottomless milkshake as your beverage which is a nice plus.  The most popular item on the menu is the all-you-care-to-eat skillet, which includes pork ribs, pulled pork, beef brisket, roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, salad, coleslaw, and warm cornbread.  At $26.99 per person it’s in line with other buffet meals.  Breakfast features its own skillet, with eggs, potatoes, bacon, sausage, waffles, biscuits, and gravy for $14.99 per person.  Overall, the atmosphere is fun and I would recommend it if the skillet and a milkshake sound good.  Since it’s just a short trip from the Magic Kingdom, I would also recommend making a reservation here to give you an opportunity to see the Wilderness Lodge up close even if you aren’t staying at the resort.  The lobby and grounds are amazing and it’s a nice way to enjoy a meal and get a chance to see the resort.

Artist Point is the Wilderness Lodge’s Signature restaurant, which means it costs two credits on the Dining Plan and is a little nicer than your standard Park restaurants.  It’s also one of the least popular Signature restaurants, which makes it relatively easy to get a late or unplanned reservation.  Its unpopularity isn’t necessarily due to the quality of food or service, but Artist Point isn’t a particularly exciting or interesting restaurant, nor does it have a great view or anything else that makes it stand out from the pack.  Nonetheless, the menu features some delicious entrées, with an emphasis on Pacific Northwest flavors.  The restaurant is usually calmer than most other restaurants which makes it a good choice if you’re looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of Park restaurants.  The grilled buffalo is a favorite and the side dishes are excellent and large enough to share.  Entrées are in the $30-$45 range, which is high considering the cost of the ingredients.  If you’re staying at the Wilderness and find yourself without a reservation or little energy to leave the resort, then I would recommend Artist Point if you have the wallet for it.  Otherwise, I don’t think I would put it on the top of my list unless you also wanted to check out the resort’s lobby and grounds.

Full reviews coming soon.

Best For: Those who want all of the Deluxe amenities at a slightly lower price.  People who prefer to be close to the Magic Kingdom, but far enough away to feel removed from the hustle and bustle of the Parks.

Worst For: Those who plan to spend most of their time away from the Magic Kingdom and will rely on Disney Transportation.  People expecting the same room size as the other Deluxe resorts or groups of five who want to stay in a Standard room.

Summary of Key Points: Along with the Animal Kingdom Lodge, the Wilderness Lodge is one of the more “Moderate” Deluxes.  The room size, at 344 square feet, is only about 30 feet larger than the Moderates and about 100 feet smaller than the Deluxes on the monorail system (Polynesian, Contemporary, Grand Floridian).  At about $90 more per night than the Moderates or $170 less per night than the Grand Floridian, the prices reflect its more Moderate status.  Also like the Moderates, Standard rooms at the Wilderness Lodge only sleep four people, compared to five at most other Deluxes.  The other major complaint is its shared bus service with Fort Wilderness, Grand Floridian, and Polynesian.  While Fort Wilderness isn’t too far out of the way, the Grand Floridian is at least a ten minute drive and usually in the opposite direction of the bus’s final destination.  This can add a significant amount of time when traveling to the Animal Kingdom or Hollywood Studios via bus.  Finally, the resort’s counter service does not have adequate seating, especially during peak meal times.  You can pretty much forget about getting a table if you arrive at 8am for breakfast.

Luckily, the Wilderness Lodge has many positive traits that far outweigh the negatives.  First, the resort is beautiful.  From the grounds, to the lobby, to the pool, to the rooms, everything about the Wilderness Lodge is themed perfectly and the stellar attention to detail makes guests actually feel like they’ve left Florida and entered a wooden lodge in the Pacific Northwest.  There are a number of different locations around the resort to relax including the beach area, poolside, and in various nooks around the resort.  The Wilderness Lodge is convenient to the Magic Kingdom and offers a free scenic boat ride to the Fort Wilderness, Contemporary Resort, and the Magic Kingdom.  This makes it easy to travel to the Contemporary and transfer to the other Monorail resorts or Magic Kingdom.  Silver Springs, the resort’s feature pool, is a pleasant area and the quiet pool is rarely busy for those who prefer more space to swim.

The views from most rooms at the Wilderness Lodge are nothing to write home about.  Unlike the Monorail Resorts or the Animal Kingdom Lodge where there are magnificent views of the lake, Magic Kingdom, or wildlife savannas, most Wilderness Lodge rooms look out directly at trees or only have a side-view of Bay Lake.  While this shouldn’t be a make it or break it problem, it’s worth noting that you probably won’t have a view of the Magic Kingdom fireworks from your balcony or look out over Bay Lake directly.  For that reason, I wouldn’t recommend upgrading to a better view unless you can guarantee one of the “best rooms” listed above.

Overall, I would recommend the Wilderness Lodge to anyone who likes the architecture, theme, and plans to spend a considerable amount of time at the resort and the Magic Kingdom.  If the theme is of little importance, then you might consider a Garden Wing room at the Contemporary for about $45 more per night.  Garden Wing rooms are much larger, sleep five people, and have better furnishings and amenities than Wilderness Lodge rooms.  The Contemporary is also more convenient and has better transportation options.  If theme is important, then the Wilderness Lodge wins hands down.  Even if you’re not staying at the Wilderness Lodge, I would try to catch a boat ride over to check out the lobby and grounds and have lunch or dinner at one of the two sit-down restaurants.

Overall Rank on The Best Disney World Deluxe Resorts: 4th out of 8

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