Disney resorts - your recommendations please

[chefker]

DH and I are planning to take DS to Disney World sometime next fall. As DH is an employee of a Disney subsidiary, he gets a good discount on the Disney resorts. I'm trying to figure out where we should stay.

Thus far we have stayed at the Yacht Club, the Beach Club, and years ago I rented one of those little cabins in Fort Wilderness. All were quite nice, but I'd like to stay someplace different. We are considering the Grand Floridian and the Polynesian Resort, although DH thinks the Polynesian is looking sort of "run-down" (he stayed there a while back while at WDW on business).

Anyone stay at the Polynesian recently, or have any other recommendations for Disney resorts?

[sarahh]

You MUST stay at the Wild Animal Kingdom...especially since you have a child. I went with my sister and her family this past spring and her kids LOVED it.

The Grand Floridian does not strike me as the type of place a kid would enjoy, and the Poly definitely looked run-down when we walked through it.

Go to the Animal Kingdom...you'll LOVE it!

[Sabrina]

I am not 100% certain, but I think they just finished a renovation of the Poly. Checkout the Resorts Board on http://www.disboards.com for WDW resort info.

[sarahh]

They were in the midst of a renovation when we were there in April.

[chefker]

You MUST stay at the Wild Animal Kingdom...especially since you have a child. I went with my sister and her family this past spring and her kids LOVED it.

The Grand Floridian does not strike me as the type of place a kid would enjoy, and the Poly definitely looked run-down when we walked through it.

Go to the Animal Kingdom...you'll LOVE it!


Hmm...I may have to look into the AKL. DH's cousin stayed there this past spring, and said it was THE BEST Disney resort he ever stayed at.

I think the Polynesian is the oldest resort in WDW? It must be due for a renovation!

[sophiapb]

The Polynesian is very "Bradys Go Hawaiian" and must be due for a renovation if it hasn't been already. We stayed there for a conference and the whole time I kept thinking "$250 a night for THIS?!?!?!?". It was seriously awful.
The Grand Floridian is totally beautiful but is geared more towards adults then kids. They have a character breakfast and such but their pool is boring as all heck (what? no water cannons?) and seems to me to be more high end conferences. However, if you don't have any kids, all of this is more in the "pro" area than "con".
I have heard great things about Wild Animal Kingdom but have not actually stayed there. We were looking to do it in three years when the kids are little older.

[Lucy Van Pelt]

I was at DH almost year ago and stayed at the Poly. It did seem a little run down, but the room were just renovated and we weren't actually at the resort other then to sleep so it was fine. The plusses of the monorail service greatly outweigh the older buildings.

I have some Disney fanatic friends that stayed at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. They enjoyed it, but it's so far out of the way that it took forever to get anywhere other than Animal Kingdom Park.

I would definitely stay at the Poly over AKL.

[sarahh]

When we stayed at the Animal Kingdom Lodge (http://www.intercot.com/resorts/disney/aklodge/default.asp) I didn't feel out of the way at all. It took about 10 minutes to get to MGM Studios, Epcot and the Magic Kingdom; and about 5 to get to the Animal Kingdom.

Even if it does seem far to some people, it is totally worth it. The experience at the Animal Kingdom Lodge is like no other Disney lodging experience. The food is to DIE for and seeing the animals right off your balcony is amazing. I would hate to see you rule it out because it may seem "out of the way". Let me know if you would like to see some photos...I have some I can share.

BTW - I hear that the Wilderness Lodge (http://www.intercot.com/resorts/disney/wildernesslodge/default.asp) is a lot of fun with children too. It's right near the Magic Kingdom. We ate at the Whispering Canyon Cafe and my nephews went NUTS for the place.

[katmg]

I believe the Contemporary Hotel is the oldest and the Poly. is second oldest. I stayed there 22 years ago when my family went and we loved it but if they haven't done much to it in those 22 years than I imagine it's due for a facelift. :)

[bethnjim]

I am voting for the Boardwalk. It is within walking distance of Epcot, which means you jump into the park, have a great time then hop on the monorail and go to Magic Kingdom OR you can pick up a boat right outside of your hotel and be at MGM in a matter of minutes. It is in a great location!!

[myshel]

We stayed at Coronado Springs and really liked it. We stayed there when DS was 11 months old. He wasn't really doing much then, but there was a lot of places to walk around and look at-- great pool, cool lake, a sandy area with hammocks, a great "market-place" food area. There are three types of areas available to stay at Coronado Springs-- Castitas, Ranchos, and Canbanas. We stayed in the Ranchos and loved it.

[ManteoChik]

The Wilderness Lodge and The Boardwalk are my two favorite places to stay at Disney...and I've had kids (not mine) with me both times.

We always book a suite that has a bedroom (king bed), living area/kitchen, and washer/dryer. Last time we got a suite with two bedrooms...one is the regular king and the other bedroom was your standard room size with two queen beds in it and a bathroom. Because we book a suite we are usually in a seperate building/area than the regular rooms and the noise is so.much.lower.

The Boardwalk is nice because it is close to Epcot and there are several little restaurants and shops on the "boardwalk". OTOH, I liked The Wilderness Lodge because its quite, the pools are nice and the restaurant is wonderful.

[KK812]

We got married at Disney World last year. We stayed at the grand floridian, family stayed at the polynesian, and a couple friends stayed at the wilderness lodge. We LOVED the grand floridian and I have to say that I think it is very kid friendly. http://allearsnet.com/ has a list of activities at each resort. The Grand Floridian actually has a ladybug release once a week, among other things, which I think is really cute. After the grand floridian the wilderness lodge was my favorite. It was a really fun place.

[Ericka_Jarett]

We got married at and honeymooned at Wilderness Lodge, it's awesome and the geyser goes off every hour on the hour, there is the electric water parade that comes by around 9ish every night, you are close to the MK with boat access to Contemporary (for monorail) or to MK. Whispering Canyon is a fun place to eat. Artist Pointe was great for a variety of game foods. Check and see if you can be the flag raising family for the day.

We have also stayed at Pop Century and that was fun, lots of pools to choose from and it has it's own bus so you don't have to share with any other resorts. Food court offers lots of choices and it's cool to walk the grounds and see things that will take you back to your childhood. They also have a twister game on the grounds, 3 pools, kids water fountain.

All-stars (I stayed at Music years ago) was fun with the big icons but you share the buses with the other 2 All-Stars (Sports and Movies) so it's usually a packed bus to get to and from the parks.

We stayed at Swan (not a Disney Resort but on property and has boat access to Epcot and MGM as well as to Yacht & Beach Club, Boardwalk resorts. Can take the bridge to the Boardwalk Resort as well. If you felt adventurous you could walk from the Swan or Dolphin to one of the parks.

To us: Contemporary is undergoing renovations to the rooms presently, they are also going to have a Vacation Club opening, so I believe one of the towers has been closed down. Poly is also undergoing renovations to the rooms as well. We don't care for the Grand Floridian at all. The Contemp and Poly were build back in the 70's so they are dated and actually when we walked into them, smells sort of like the 70's, it's weird. But both have pretty good restaurants in them. Poly - you have to try O'hanas (family style dining, but it's just your family not seated with a bunch of other families) and they have a time for a kids parade through the restaurant and at Contemp - the Steakhouse across from Chef Mickey's (which is always busy and crazy) the dinners were awesome.

[EJH]

DP recommends the Grand Floridian.

She also said the Contemporary is nice and convenient, in case the monorail is full you'll have an easy walk between the hotel and the Magic Kingdom.

(she worked down there for a summer and has been to Disney a gazillion times).

:)
Erin

[Kelly51703]

We just returned from Disney earlier this month. DD had just turned 10 months old and we stayed at Pop Century. It wasn't my favorite resort and probably wouldn't stay there again. A fun value resort is All Star Movies. Great place to stay with or without kids.

A nice moderate resort is Port Orleans. They have two resorts, Riverside and French Quarter. They have boats that take you to Downtown Disney and the buses get you to the parks. The pools are also nice.

[chefker]

Thanks everyone, for your input! I think we have decided on the Grand Floridian. Now, we have to figure out WHEN--it'll be either September or October 2007. I'd like to coincide our trip with the Food & Wine festival at EPCOT, but I can't find the dates for the 2007 festival just yet.

However, if we do a 10 day stay (right now we're thinking it'll be 7 days, but that may change), I'm trying to talk DH into splitting our stay between the Animal Kingdom Lodge and the Grand Floridian. DH is not a fan of having to pack up and move to another hotel once we've checked in, but I don't see what the big deal is. :)

[Adaya]

What if you don't have kids and just want somewhere pretty neat to stay? DH and I are going to stay in Orlando for a few days after a cruise and we'll be there through Christmas (12/23-12/26).

Any ideas?

[sarahh]

Still gotta recommend the Animal Kingdom Lodge. They have a restaurant their, Jiko - The Cooking Place, that is one of the best restaurants I've ever been to!Enjoy the creative offerings of New African cuisine prepared by chefs borrowing from the culture and flavors of Europe, India and Asia. The escaping aroma of freshly baked bread inside wood burning ovens will beckon you. And Boma is great for a buffet restaurant...Culinary experts craft salads and roasted meats inside an open kitchen for all to see. Breads and desserts are hand prepared in the bakery under a thatched roof. A kids' corner offers children's favorites and an opportunity to have fun with the chefs. Over 50 African countries from the coast of the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean influence the cooking. Anticipate the best in African hospitality at this family buffet.

I wish I was getting a kickback from Disney for all of the free press I give the Animal Kingdom Lodge. I'm always telling people they have to stay there. It really was just an amazing place to stay. You really get immersed in the entire experience.

[mommydearest]

I still also have to recommend Animal Kingdom Lodge with a savannah view room. It is amazing! We honeymooned there 3 years ago, and it was amazing.

[PrincessTommi]

The majority of both the Polynesian and the Contemporary has been refurbed recently. I love the Polynesian and want to stay there someday. Can't beat the location. Both table service restaurants are great. The Contemporary Tower is cool, but the garden wings aren't terribly exciting other than their proximity to the Magic Kingdom. They've only renovated one of the wings though (South).

AKL is amazing. I honeymooned there and have been there many times. Both Boma and Jiko are amazing. Uzima Falls Lounge is a great place to hang out as well. It's one of my favorites. The next Disney Vacation Club property is actually going to be built at AKL, not at the Contemporary as rumored.

The Boardwalk is fantastic as well. I've also stayed at Pop Century and it's a fun experience. A value resort, but still "Disney". Port Orleans, both Riverside and French Quarter are gorgeous. It's all about how much time you plan on spending at the resort and how much $$$ you're looking to spend.

The Grand Floridian is great. There's so much to do and see, and the grounds are just amazing. Look for the monogram stamped into the ashtrays after they've been cleaned. Totally random, but one of my favorite details. It's a beautiful resort. I don't think you can go wrong with GF, except maybe spoiling yourself for every future stay.

Kerrie - The F&W Festival will probably run the same time as it did this year. Anytime in October, and you should be fine. Late September or early Nov. should be fine as well. Last night was the last night for the festival this year. The weather gets better in October as well. And Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party is a blast. But then again, the Christmas decorations start going up December 1st.

[JenniferEC]

We will be in Florida in late Janurary/early February and are thinking of going to Disney for a few days. I'd like to stay on the monorail and preferably at the Contemporary. For those of you that are going soon or go there often, how do you book your rooms? It looks like when we'd go is value season, but the prices on the Disney site are pretty expensive. My in-laws live in Florida and residents get a great discount on rooms, but they won't be going to Disney with us. Are there secrets to getting good rates or a webiste that offers a discount? TIA!

[sarahh]

Hee hee...after all that raving I did about the Animal Kingdom Lodge...DH and I decided to go to Disney and stay there on our vacation in January! I can't wait!

[nylons73]

I know I'm joining in late, but I'd like to throw another accolade for the Grand Floridian onto the pile :) It's a truly exceptional hotel. From the moment they personally escorted us to a private check in (we stayed in a suite,) to the 'tea time' live music in the lobby, to the absolutely gorgeous decor, to the seemingly dozens of brides we saw on the hotel grounds, the whole experience was truly magical. We truly felt like we were visting 'the Magic Kingdom' when we stayed there :) Everyone else in our group stayed at the Swan and Dolphin and hated it. We felt so lucky to have decided not to stay with the group.