Travel Guides Family Friendly Amusement Parks
Richard Chachowski
Is there a vacation spot on Earth that appeals to the whole family quite like Walt Disney World? Spanning a whopping 43 square miles, the land within Disney World is a virtual universe within itself. Divided into several theme parks, shopping complexes, water parks, and adjoining hotel resorts, Disney World takes care of every vacationing guest’s wants and needs. Whether it means pampering yourself with fine dining options or watching the nightly fireworks show over Magic Kingdom from your hotel room, you’re guaranteed to create some cherished memories while visiting Walt Disney World.
A key part of visiting Disney World is the various hotels spread throughout their property, each of which remains well worth staying at for a variety of reasons. It may prove a good deal more costly than staying at a more affordable hotel in the area surrounding Disney World, but staying within the property gives you access to dozens of unique and convenient amenities and attractions, including hassle-free ways to get to the parks.
With the sheer number of hotels located within Disney World, it can be a bit daunting to decide which hotel is the best choice for you. Of course, there are numerous factors that might prove decisive when determining which hotel you’d like to stay at, especially in terms of dining, rooms, amenities, cost, and proximity to the parks. From beloved hotels like the Contemporary Resort to the newest Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser experience, here is every one of Disney World’s resort hotels ranked from worst to best.
22. Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort
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Disney is hardly known for sports, with Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort typically bottoming out most fans’ lists for the best Disney World hotels to stay at within the company’s property. The weakest of the three All-Star Resorts, the Sports Resort caters most directly to a very niche demographic of vacationers — sports fans — but other guests may not be taken in by its sport-centric facade or presentation.
In terms of pricing, the Sports Resort is one of the more cost-friendly budget hotels you’ll find in Disney World. Naturally, it also gives you access to some convenient amenities, such as free buses that’ll ferry you to and from the parks and Disney Springs. However, it’s worth noting that the buses are the only means of transportation to the parks from the All-Star Resorts, the hotels lack the monorail, Skyliner, or boat methods of travel that most other Disney resorts advertise. As part of its low cost, too, you can expect more limited casual dining options, with the hotel having no sit-down restaurants, offering guests a quick-service food court instead.
With its emphasis on sports, the hotel is also known as a go-to destination for many youth athletic associations traveling to Disney World. With the thin walls that come with all three of the All-Star Resorts, this can be incredibly bothersome, especially if you’re interested in a more quiet or relaxing hotel stay during your time at the resort.
21. Disney’s All-Star Music Resort
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Like the two other All-Star Resorts within Disney World, the Music Resort tends to rank lowly among Disney fans. Another value hotel, it’s a great option for vacationers on a tighter budget, granting you access to the same perks and amenities as other Disney resorts. Certain unique features also help to set the Music Resort apart from its contemporaries — the guitar-shaped pool being a specific standout feature that younger visitors and music lovers might be won over by.
Still, the Music Resort is far from the best or most notable hotel on the property. As is the case with the other All-Star Resorts, the only means of transportation to the park is a free bus, which might be convenient in terms of cost, but may prove crowded or time-consuming if there’s a lot of people ahead of you in line. It also lacks the same finer dining options as the other non-value hotels on this list, its main food options being at the far more casual Intermission Food Court.
Similar to the other All-Star Resorts too, the Music Resort will likely most appeal to hardcore music buffs. With that in mind, it’s unlikely to impress those with non-musical affinities who happen to stay at the hotel (namely younger children).
20. Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort
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The best of the Disney All-Star Resorts, the Movies Resort is one step above its two counterparts for the simplest reason: It emphasizes Disney movies and memorabilia (something most Disney-obsessed kids will probably find incredibly enticing). Chock full of props and statues straight out of Disney and Pixar’s best and most beloved films, it has the most universal appeal of all three All-Star Resorts.
Particularly strong features that Disney fans will find most impressive can be found at the “Fantasia”-themed pool, as well the hotel’s regular Movies Under the Stars — a nightly attraction where guests can enjoy some of their favorite Disney films outdoors. Along with the Music Resort, the Movies Resort received a major refurbishment not very long ago, meaning the hotel’s rooms are also slightly more up to date than the suites at the Sports Resort.
Of course, the All-Star Movies Resort does have its fair share of weaknesses. Like the other All-Star hotels, the only method of transportation to the Disney parks is through a free bus, which might significantly delay you if the hotel is crowded. As the best of the All-Star Resorts, the Movies Resort also tends to be the most expensive of the three, although it’s still comparatively less expensive than the other two value hotels on the property (the Pop Century and the Art of Animation). That being said, if you or any one of your group members want to indulge in a Disney-themed hotel without breaking the bank, this is the perfect hotel for you.
19. Disney’s Pop Century Resort
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Disney’s Pop Century is a hotel very similar to its fellow value resort, the Art of Animation. Both hotels’ design and general facade make endless use of Disney-related imagery, not unlike the general aesthetic of the All-Star Movies Resort. Unlike the Art of Animation, though, rooms at the Pop Century come at fairly low prices, making it a tangible financial option for those looking to save.
To be sure, the Pop Century does have some slight flaws that come with the cost, the rooms and beds being generally smaller than those found at the Art of Animation. Along with the other value hotels, the resort has limited dining options too, with the Everything Pop Shopping and Dining food court the only restaurant found on-site. Still, that’s certainly not to say the hotel doesn’t come with plenty of strengths as well. In contrast to the All-Star Resorts, the Pop Century is located along the Skyliner Transportation route, giving you an additional travel option for getting to Disney’s parks without waiting in line for the bus.
Naturally, the Pop Century doesn’t measure up to the grandeur of the Grand Floridian or the Animal Kingdom Lodge. But in terms of cost and convenience, it’s a great bang for your buck. Its overall theming might be a little outdated or cheesy for some — with its emphasis on the decades between the 1950s and 1990s, it can feel like walking through an Andy Warhol painting — but it also has a fantastic retro feel that most other Disney resorts lack.
18. Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
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One of the newer resort hotels you can find in Walt Disney World is the Coronado Springs Resort. Utilizing American Southwestern/Spanish Colonial architecture, the resort is both picturesque and relaxing (not to mention reasonably priced compared to the other Disney resorts further down on this list). Of particular note are the wonderful views afforded in the rooms in the Gran Destino Tower, as well as the gorgeous pool area, which features a waterslide down the length of a 50-foot Mayan pyramid. Interestingly, the resort also has the largest hot tub in Walt Disney World, capable of holding a maximum of 22 people.
The main issue you’re bound to find at Coronado Springs is the lack of transportation methods to get to and from Disney’s parks. Like the All-Star Resorts, the hotel’s only mode of transportation is via bus, which can make for a long wait if you happen to go when Disney World is at its peak seasons. The hotel is also fairly far from the parks, making for a lengthy drive if you’re headed to Magic Kingdom or Epcot.
Coronado Springs is also one of the handful of Disney hotels that doubles as a conference resort, meaning that there’s a chance you’ll see a decent number of business people during your stay. Some guests might not take issue with this, but others might view it as ruining their laidback vacation experience, disrupting the care-free atmosphere that comes with your hotel stay.
17. Disney’s Old Key West Resort
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Given Walt Disney World’s location in Florida, it shouldn’t be altogether surprising that the company embraced its local settings through its lush Old Key West Resort. Recapturing the summer vibes of Key West, the Old Key West Resort is perhaps the most relaxing resort on Disney’s property, truly invoking a vacation feel as you lounge by the resort’s pool or hang around in any one of their Deluxe Villas.
Compared to other Disney hotels, the Old Key West has generally larger suites, which can be incredibly beneficial for those traveling in large groups. The rooms are all villa-style, guaranteeing access to a kitchen, living room, dining area, individual bedrooms, and even a washer and dryer. While the Old Key West doesn’t have a ton of dining options either, some of the resort’s restaurants are considered Disney fan-favorites, most especially Olivia’s Cafe.
Once again, the hotel’s biggest disadvantage is its lack of transportation to Disney parks. Aside from its boat service that’ll ferry you to and from Disney Springs, you’ll have to take a bus to get to Disney’s parks, the resort’s bus route filled with plenty of stops along the way. The Old Key West Resort also has a notably dialed-down emphasis on Disney itself, which is great for those looking for a more lax vacation environment, but a serious drawback for children or dedicated fans who want to surround themselves with all things Disney.
16. Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser
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The most notable addition to Walt Disney World’s gallery of resorts, the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is more than a hotel — it’s an intergalactic adventure of epic proportions. Over the course of two days, guests are encouraged to live out their greatest “Star Wars” fantasies, from playing a hand of Sabacc to training with your very own lightsaber.
The Galactic Starcruiser can best be described more as a multi-day attraction than a resort hotel. Guests are given an itinerary that maps out the course of their day, with plenty of room for unique moments to occur that form the backbone of their individual “Star Wars” story. It’s this feature that gives the hotel its greatest strength, as well as its greatest weaknesses.
Most obviously, the hotel is catered more directly to fans of “Star Wars,” leaving out those unfamiliar with the “Star Wars” extensive universe. With passengers encouraged to follow Disney’s pre-made itinerary, there isn’t very much wiggle room when it comes to stepping outside the hotel, the Starcruiser placing a heavy emphasis on immersion. That means you’ll be relegated to staying onboard the Starcruiser throughout your stay, at the cost of two days that might’ve been spent inside a Disney park.
At a maximum two-night stay, too, that means you’ll have to book another hotel following your time at the Galactic Starcruiser, which certainly isn’t cheap. All this being said, it’s a hotel experience that staunch “Star Wars” fans will want to have at least once, but more casual fans can probably do without.
15. Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
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One of the two Port Orleans Resorts in Walt Disney World, Port Orleans — Riverside is a more relaxing alternative Port Orleans — French Quarter. Not only does it provide a unique Southern atmosphere, some of the rooms come with carefully-designed beds straight out of a Disney movie. These rooms — known as the Riverside’s Royal Guest Rooms — even come with a personalized letter from “The Princess and the Frog’s” Tiana, making it a fantastic hotel to stay at if you’re traveling with younger children/aspiring princesses. If you’re traveling with pets, the hotel is also happy to accommodate any dogs accompanying you on your vacation.
The dining options at Riverside also give you plenty of opportunities to indulge in some quaint Southern delicacies, from classic Cajun jambalaya to warm peach-blackberry cobbler. If you’re in the mood for a quick meal, you can dine at the Riverside Mill Food Court, or enjoy a sit-down meal at Boatwright’s Dining Hall.
There are two notable downsides to staying at the Riverside Resort. First, the resort grounds are fairly large, ensuring plenty of room during your stay, but also making for some lengthy strolls if you need to get anywhere in a hurry. Second, the hotel has (you guessed it) limited means of transportation to and from Disney’s parks. While the hotel advertises a short 20 minute boat ride to Disney Springs, the only way to get to Disney parks from the hotel is through a free shuttle, Riverside sharing a bus route with its Port Orleans sister resort.
14. The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort
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Arguably the most spacious hotel option you’ll find at Walt Disney World are The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort. In essence, The Cabins are exactly what they sound like, existing as a small layout of rustic cabins located in a stretch of woods. Each Cabin is incredibly comfortable, but most importantly they’re spacious, maintaining a decent distance from one another, ensuring privacy and a degree of quiet during your stay.
Booking a cabin at Fort Wilderness is essentially akin to camping in the woods, with many of the same activities you’d partake in while camping available at the resort (sitting around the campfire, kayaking, and even horseback riding). Additionally, The Cabins offer some unique amenities that you won’t find at other Disney resorts, including the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue, a musical theater show that comes with a hearty meal.
Similar to Riverside, The Cabins’ space is its greatest attribute, as well as its biggest drawback. In fact, the area around The Cabins can make for such a long walk, Disney offers golf cart rentals for guests to get around the resort in quick and easy fashion. When it comes to transportation, The Cabins advertise a 10-minute boat ride to Magic Kingdom. Aside from that, the only other way to get to the parks is via a bus, which requires guests to board a separate shuttle from The Cabins to the Fort Wilderness bus depot before actually getting onto a bus to the park.
13. Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa
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A hotel very much in the same mold as the Old Key West Resort, Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa takes its influence from the northern end of the Eastern Seaboard. With its overall theme modeled after the architectural style of 19th century upstate New York, Saratoga Springs contains numerous Victorian-style abodes perfect for larger groups. Offering more spacious villa rooms, each suite comes with its own kitchen, dining area, and separate bedrooms, giving you more convenience, space, and privacy compared to the rooms found in traditional Disney hotels.
Much closer to Disney Springs than the Old Key West Resort, Saratoga Springs is worth looking into for that convenience alone. Far from having to drive to Disney Springs, you’re able to walk to the shopping complex in practically no time at all. However, the hotel has the same weakness that plagues almost every resort listed thus far: The only way to get to a Disney park is through a bus ride filled with numerous stops along the way.
Another large resort, it can also be a bit laborious getting around Saratoga Springs, a resort renowned for its size. To remedy this, guests can rent golf carts to maneuver through the resort’s property, similar to The Cabins at Fort Wilderness. As is the case for the Old Key West Resort too, Saratoga Springs features a minimal emphasis on all things Disney, something that can either be positive or negative depending on the respective vacationer’s individual preferences.
12. Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter
Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter
On the flip side of Port Orleans — Riverside is the hustle and bustle of the French Quarter. The smallest of the Walt Disney World resorts, the Port Orleans — French Quarter has a far more intimate feel to it than the sprawling layout of Riverside. Evoking the jazzy tone of New Orleans’ Bourbon Street amidst the festivity-laden Mardi Gras season, French Quarter is a jazzy alternative for those looking to enjoy a truly joyous atmosphere during their vacation.
The French Quarter may be much smaller than its surrounding counterpart hotels, but that just ensures easier maneuverability navigating in and around the resort. Taking advantage of its strong theming, the hotel also has a variety of tasty Southern delicacies for you to try during your stay. Many Disney fans consider the Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory to be among the better food courts you’ll find at any Disney hotel, with the menu of the Scat Cat’s Club containing plenty of options when it comes to beignets.
As per usual, the French Quarter suffers from the same faults as its sibling resorts. While guests can embark on a 10 minute boat ride to Magic Kingdom, you’ll have to board a bus to get to any other Disney park. As mentioned previously, the French Quarter shares a bus route with Port Orleans — Riverside, meaning that if the parks get busy, you’ll find yourself waiting in some potentially long lines trying to get to the parks.
11. Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
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Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resorts is the ideal hotel choice for anyone who loves either the Caribbean or Pirates of the Caribbean. Recapturing the environment of the 18th century Golden Age of Piracy, the Caribbean Beach Resort’s influences can be found around every corner. Heading down to the pool area, you’ll encounter a replica of a Spanish Colonial citadel that houses a waterslide. Younger visitors are free to splash around at a children’s play area, modeled after a pirate shipwreck that regularly dumps a bucket of water on any guests below.
Channeling a Bahamian spirit, the Caribbean Beach Resort also has an assortment of beaches where you can kick back and soak up some sun. Many guests have also positively noted the hotel’s gorgeous Old Port Royale reception area, where you’re free to shop at the Calypso Trading Post or sip on a tropical drink at the Banana Cabana bar and lounge. Fortunately, unlike the other resorts outlined above, the Caribbean Beach Resort is located along Disney’s Skyliner route. But it’s worth remembering that, if there’s a thunderstorm on any one of your park days, the Skyliner will shut down until the weather clears, forcing you to use a bus.
With rooms available at slightly higher rates, the Caribbean Beach Resort might prove a tough sell for some visitors. The dining options are also meh, with the rooms themselves nothing special compared to the larger villas of the Old Key West or the scenic suites of the Animal Kingdom Lodge.
10. Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
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The final Disney value hotel on this list, the Art of Animation Resort is not only a viable hotel pick if you’re on a budget — it’s a wonderful hotel in general. Some guests may find the heavy emphasis on Disney off-putting or even cheesy. Yet there’s no debating that it’s a fantastic option if you or someone you’re traveling with is obsessed with Disney (your child’s face is bound to light up when they see the larger-than-life statues of Ariel, Mater, or Crush the Turtle).
Divided into four separate areas, guests can stay at either “The Little Mermaid,” “The Lion King,” “Cars,” or “Finding Nemo” sections of the resort. Each of these four areas is characterized by recreated scenes straight from the original film they’re based upon. Many of the hotels found within the Art of Animation are also far larger than their contemporaries at the Pop Century of All-Star Resorts, the suites even coming with two bathrooms! Along with the Pop Century, the hotel is also located along the Skyliner route, and offers free buses to and from Disney’s parks.
As a value hotel, there are some weaker aspects surrounding the hotel. For starters, the Art of Animation is severely lacking in strong restaurants, as well as coming at a considerably higher cost than any of the other value resorts. For the price, you might be better off elsewhere, but there’s no question that the Art of Animation is still the best value hotel within Walt Disney World.
9. Disney’s Riviera Resort
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Among more Disney’s opulent hotels, the Riviera Resort is well-known for its upscale European atmosphere, making it a great place for anyone looking for a less casual Disney experience like those offered at the value hotels or The Cabins of Fort Wilderness. A hotel straight off the Southern French coast, the Riviera Resort is one of the more elegant deluxe hotels on Disney’s property. But for all its obvious grandiosity and European sleekness, there are still areas of the resort that have a tasteful Disney flair to it — especially the amazing murals guests can see on the way to the hotel’s Skyliner depot.
The Riviera has only a handful of weaknesses, many of the pros tending to overshadow the cons. As you can guess, the resort has superb dining facilities, the scenic Topolino’s Terrace serving both French and Italian cuisine while beloved Disney characters visit guests during their meals. Located in the heart of Disney World, it’s also incredibly close to every Disney park. As mentioned previously, it’s also built along the Skyliner route, making traveling to a park painless and easy.
As the most recent Disney Deluxe hotel, it’s worth mentioning that the Riviera can be very expensive in both dining and standard rooms. If you’re not a Disney Vacation Club member, you may find the hotel well out of your budget. The hotel suites — while certainly well-designed — are also far smaller than the roomier accommodations you’ll find at the Disney hotels.
8. Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
Opposite to Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort is the Yacht Club, the perfect location for fans of water parks everywhere. From its name, it’s easy to conclude that the Yacht Club has a swankier vibe to it, even when compared to the classier airs of Saratoga Springs or the Old Key West Resort. The general vibe around the resort is coastal Victorian New England, perfect for anyone looking for a less casual hotel, while those who want a heavier basis in Disney are bound to be disappointed.
There are two main reasons to stay at the Yacht Club Resort. Perhaps most importantly, it’s located extremely close to the Disney parks, providing several means of speedy transportation to and from the parks. Not only is it nestled along Disney’s Skyliner route, the hotel is within walking distance of Epcot, the Yacht Club also giving you the opportunity to take a boat to Hollywood Studios. Additionally, staying at the Yacht Club grants you access to Stormalong Bay, a three-acre water park featuring lazy rivers, water slides, and a children’s play area.
The main factor that might affect your decision to stay at the Yacht Club is cost. Like the Riviera, the opulence of the Yacht Club comes at a high price, with rooms at the resort putting a serious dent in your wallet. Because of its classier atmosphere, too, the Yacht Club is considered a conference resort, meaning there’s a good chance you’ll see business people around the resort, potentially hampering your carefree vacation.
7. Disney’s Beach Club Resort
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The sibling hotel to Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, Disney’s Beach Club Resort is another more refined hotel option for anyone looking at fairly upscale hotels with finer theming to it. Combining the seafaring splendor of the Caribbean Beach Resort with a New England-style presentation, the Beach Club has various standout amenities that make it one of Disney’s best hotels. The facade is extraordinarily elegant and pleasing to the eye, the rooms afford some first-rate views of neighboring Disney property, and it has several delicious on-site restaurants, including the well-loved Beaches and Cream and Cape May Cafe.
As with the Yacht Club, the Beach Club’s defining characteristic is its distance to the Disney parks. Vacationers can take either a Skyliner gondola or a boat to nearby Hollywood Studios, with the resort within easy walking distance of Epcot, allowing guests to stroll over to the park in mere minutes. Guests who stay at the Beach Club are also granted full access to Stormalong Bay. In contrast to the Yacht Club, the Beach Club isn’t considered a conference resort either, meaning that you’ll see decidedly less business people during your stay at the hotel as well.
As remarkable as the hotel’s features are, the biggest thing preventing people from staying here is the Beach Club’s admittedly high prices. With how close it is to Epcot, it tends to be less costly than many of the resorts near Magic Kingdom, but the substantial price tags attached to the hotel’s rooms may prove too high for more frugal guests.
6. Disney’s BoardWalk Inn
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A resort hotel and a shopping center all in one, Disney’s BoardWalk Inn is a fantastic hotel for families, as its carnival-esque facade appeals to kids while its slightly more refined atmosphere caters to most adults. Overlooking the scenic and peaceful Crescent Lake, the BoardWalk Inn recaptures the coastal vibrance of early 20th century Atlantic City, complete with a boardwalk that’s filled with restaurants, shops, piano lounges, and addicting carnival games. If you desire an active nightlife, you’d be hard pressed to find a better Disney resort than this.
The BoardWalk Inn is also a short walking distance from Epcot and Hollywood Studios. If you’re too tired at the end of your day to walk, you’re also able to take a Skyliner gondola back to the resort. The hotel also features some excellent dining options, from seafood dinners at the Flying Fish to gourmet Italian food at Trattoria al Forno (a restaurant that has breakfast meet and greets with beloved Disney characters). You can also walk over to the nearby Beach Club and Yacht Club Resorts too, both of which are connected to the BoardWalk Inn through the hotel’s eponymous boardwalk.
Once again, pricing is the major factor that may prevent most prospective vacationers from booking a room at the BoardWalk Inn. For the money you’re paying, the amenities might not be worth the price, but the proximity to Epcot and Hollywood Studios make it one of the more convenient places to stay within Walt Disney World.
5. Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
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If you’re interested in the rustic charm of The Cabins at Fort Wilderness in a traditional hotel setting, your best bet is Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, perhaps the most homely Disney hotel on the property. Modeled after the kind of lodge you’d find in the Northwestern forest, the Wilderness Lodge is a scenic and vibrant hotel bursting with things to do and see. Though a short distance away from Magic Kingdom, the entire hotel feels like it’s worlds away from the hubbub of Walt Disney World, retaining a more quiet atmosphere to better reflect on your vacation.
The pools themselves are a standout reason to stay at the Lodge. Guests are able to either relax at the more laidback Boulder Ridge Cove Pool or tumble down a thrilling water slide at the adventure-geared Copper Creek Springs Pool. The restaurants at the Lodge are also worthy of praise, with vacationers able to indulge in some Western-themed meals at the Whispering Canyon Cafe or meet Snow White and her Seven Dwarf companions at Story Book Dining at Artist Point.
Between its gorgeous design and awe-inspiring architecture, the Wilderness Lodge might cost guests a pretty penny. When compared to the price of its nearby sister resorts similarly close to Magic Kingdom, though, the Wilderness Lodge does offer slightly better deals on rooms. Despite its proximity to Magic Kingdom, the hotel’s biggest flaw is its lack of transportation methods, the resort having only buses to get to the parks (along with a boat service to Magic Kingdom).
4. Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
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A classic Disney hotel, the Polynesian Village Resort has been a tried-and-true favorite among Disney fans since Magic Kingdom opened in 1971. As one of the two original hotels in Walt Disney World, the Polynesian Village has been delighting guests for the past five decades, maintaining a variety of amenities to align with its unique Southern Pacific theming. The hotel offers three distinct options for room and board — traditional hotel rooms, larger villas, and more opulent bungalows that extend out onto the Seven Seas Lagoon. Most of the rooms at the Polynesian Village have also been refurbished to incorporate elements from “Moana,” making each room tasteful, inclusive, and bound to entertain children and adults alike.
Due to its incredibly close location to Magic Kingdom, the Polynesian Village is one of the few hotels to feature every method of transportation to get to the park. You’re free to take the bus, monorail, boat, or make your way over to the park on foot. The restaurants at the Polyensian Village are also considered some of the best in Walt Disney World, especially in regards to the jam-packed Trader Sam’s bar and the world-famous Ohana restaurant.
With nearly no flaws in terms of its location, stylish hotel rooms, or flavorful restaurants, you’d be correct in assuming rooms at the Polynesian Village Resort aren’t cheap. However, given its history and conveniences, it’s considered one of the nicest hotels you can stay at in Walt Disney World, and a bucket list resort for most Disney fans.
3. Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa
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Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa isn’t as old as the Contemporary or the Polynesian Village Resort, but it has won over virtually every guest who’s stepped through its doors since the hotel first opened in 1988. A sprawling Victorian-style resort, the Grand Floridian sits on the Seven Seas Lagoon, affording guests plenty of scenic opportunities to take in the nightly Magic Kingdom fireworks display without having to leave their room.
The most luxurious of Disney’s many hotels, the Grand Floridian is another resort at the top of most Disney fans’ bucket lists. With its gingerbread architecture and sheer size, it’s the classiest hotel on Disney’s property, as well as a common vacation-spot for people looking to mark certain once-in-a-lifetime occasions (weddings, honeymoons, graduations, etc.). Aside from its marvelous design, the hotel is also worthy of note for its location in relation to Magic Kingdom. As with the Polynesian Village and Contemporary Resort, you can take either the bus, monorail, or ferry from the Grand Floridian to the Magic Kingdom, or walk to the park on foot.
In terms of cost, the Grand Floridian Resort tends to remain the hotel with the most extravagant costs. The hotel’s restaurants, while all delectable, also come with some staggering price tags, with a single meal at the famous Victoria and Albert’s restaurant costing as much as $250. When you take price into consideration, you may want to reserve the Grand Floridian for rare personal events worthy of celebration.
2. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Resort
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What other Disney hotel is there that allows you to see exotic animals from the comfort of your hotel room? A cross between a zoo and a hotel, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is a resort assuredly unlike any other you’ll find in Walt Disney World. Designed to emulate African architecture, the Animal Kingdom Lodge is as visually stunning as it is comfortable in its general room layouts.
As striking as the style of the hotel is, it’s the animals people come for when staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. From the back of the hotel, you’re able to look out onto four separate savannas that are home to more than 200 four-footed animals and birds, from giraffes and zebras to ostriches and flamingos. If you stay at a villa, you can even have a meal up close and personal with the Lodge’s resident animals at the Wanyama Safari and Dinner. The hotel also has a 11,000-square foot pool, as well as award-winning restaurants like Boma and Jiko that combine American and African cuisine into one bountiful feast.
Built near Disney’s Animal Kingdom park, the Animal Kingdom Lodge Resort is a noteworthy hotel if you plan on visiting Animal Kingdom. On the other hand, the Animal Kingdom Lodge is a sizable distance away from the other Disney parks, with the only method of transportation being a free bus. The Animal Kingdom Lodge also comes at a higher price than most Disney hotels, but is still slightly less expensive than the resorts near Magic Kingdom.
1. Disney’s Contemporary Resort
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Disney’s Contemporary Resort rounds out the top of this list if, for no other reason, it’s the only hotel in Walt Disney World where the monorail literally runs through the center of the resort. Not only does it make for a convenient way to actually get to Disney’s parks from the hotel, but what’s cooler than walking through a hotel main lobby and seeing a monorail speeding past?
Aside from the monorail, the Contemporary Resort is also worth staying at for several reasons. As one of the two original hotels in Walt Disney World, it’s a hotel steeped in history, dating back to its initial opening in 1971. Some of the rooms may seem a little outdated when compared to the lavish layouts of the Grand Floridian, but therein lies its appeal. Staying at the Contemporary literally feels like you’re stepping back in time to the day Magic Kingdom first opened to the public, very little having changed about the Contemporary since that pivotal date in Disney’s past.
The dining options are all fantastic, offering guests delicious cuisine at the California Grilling and themed character meet and greets at Chef Mickey’s. As the closest hotel to Magic Kingdom, you can reach the park by walking, taking a ferry, or boarding a monorail.
As one of the first hotels in Disney World, staying at the Contemporary may be pricey for some. But for those who want a vacation firmly ingrained in a Disney-themed presentation, it’s well worth the money.
