How to enjoy resorts you're not staying at

Hypermommy · Post by **Hypermommy** » Aug Tue 21, 2007 8:17 am

Based on some of the answers to my "why do you stay at a particular resort" thread (thanks all!!!), I have a new question. I'm thinking about doing a bit of resort hopping on an off day in December. What are the things that you like to do at the resorts you're not staying at?

For instance, I'm thinking of having a cup of coffee at the Grand Floridian while listening to the band. Or maybe I'll go to AKL at night and check out the animals with the night vision goggles. Those kinds of (free and or cheap) things that would be fun to do at other hotels... what do you like to do when resort hopping?

Post by **rdeacon** » Aug Tue 21, 2007 11:05 am

Oh I so do Resort Hopping!!

Its kind of an unspoken tradition. Generally we get a snack and of course shop in the stores. I also like to hit the arcades. Contemporary has the best by far.

Its nice just to walk around the resorts and suck up the atmosphere!

Rich

Hypermommy · Post by **Hypermommy** » Aug Tue 21, 2007 11:30 am

rdeacon wrote:Generally we get a snack and of course shop in the stores.

That sounds like fun. How different are the various stores? I mean, once I've seen WDW shirts and towels for the umpteenth time, that's probably about enough. Are there different things in the different stores?

rdeacon wrote:I also like to hit the arcades. Contemporary has the best by far.

The kids might enjoy resort hopping with me if I let them go to the arcades. And I'd get the little "debit card" thingees with which I could decorate my office some more. Before long there won't be a single spot on my wall not covered with some Disney stuff.

AKLRULZ · Post by **AKLRULZ** » Aug Tue 21, 2007 11:37 am

We love to resort hop!

Dining is our favorite reason to visit other resorts - and since you'll be there at Christmastime the resorts are decorated beautifully - just to see the decorations is a treat.

And while all Disney resort will have many common things for sale (WDW general merchandise), stores generally have unique items, too, specific to the theme of that resort.

Hypermommy · Post by **Hypermommy** » Aug Tue 21, 2007 11:45 am

Glad to hear about the different stores. And Christmas viewing should be fun. Now, mom's not as ate up with Disney as I am. So if you had to choose the 3 best resorts to resort hop at, which would you pick and why?

AKLRULZ · Post by **AKLRULZ** » Aug Tue 21, 2007 12:09 pm

At Christmas for the decorations I'd chose my top three:

Grand Floridian
Wilderness Lodge
Animal Kingdom Lodge
(Yacht Club is close though and you may as well hop to the Beach Club if you tour Yacht and then you may as well hop on over to the Boardwalk Inn if you do Yacht and Beach!

)

It's too tough to pick just three!

Blackie Pueblo · Post by **Blackie Pueblo** » Aug Tue 21, 2007 12:41 pm

Love Resort Hopping here as well!!

We love just taking in the scenery as we walk through the resorts. And definitly check out the stores. You'd be surprised at how many different things you can find!

Also, when we walk through the Polynessian we love to sit either on the sand or on one of the swings at the beach. Very nice. It's also awesome to walk along the beaches by the Boardwalk at night and check out everything lit up.

And yes, the Christmas decorations are amazing during the holidays!

"We call it Imagineering, the blending of creative imagination with technical know-how"
---Walter Elias Disney

Post by **js3901** » Aug Tue 21, 2007 2:58 pm

I so wanted to do a little resort hopping, especially around MK when we were there in December. Never got around to it, as we were just too busy having fun in the parks. Though the next trip I'm going to extend by a day or two to just resort hop and take a massive amount of pictures.

SimonTemplar · Post by **SimonTemplar** » Aug Tue 21, 2007 4:03 pm

Our last few trips, we've made sure to have at least one day to resort hop. As has been stated, just time to walk around the particular resort and soaking up the atmosphere is well worth the time in your schedule. They are all so different, that you get different feelings at each one. And yes, each resort's shops have quite a bit of merchandise that is resort specific. My top three would be:

1) Wilderness Lodge
2) Grand Floridian
3) Boardwalk (with Animal Kingdom Lodge as 3b).

EggSalad · Post by **EggSalad** » Aug Tue 21, 2007 4:56 pm

Something really fun that we always do is we go to the coronado springs resort and we rent one of those bicycle built for 4 and pedal all over the resort. It is so much fun you should give it a try.

HSolo29 · Post by **HSolo29** » Aug Tue 21, 2007 8:30 pm

As I mentioned in the other thread, we always take time out to go Resort Hopping(nice name for it, btw :p ). I know it's a tradition for us to go to the Poly every trip for breakfast at Kona Cafe(have to have the Tonga Toast) and then simply walk the grounds. We usually return later in the week to catch the fireworks or the electrical water pageant from the lagoon. It's really nice to just sit on the beach with a cool breeze coming off the water.

At Wilderness Lodge, it's just worth it to walk around the grounds and take everything in. We always make sure to go through the lobby and then head out to the pool area and catch the geyser. While you're there, make sure to have a meal at Whispering Canyon Cafe. It'll be a meal you won't forget.

DisBeamer · Post by **DisBeamer** » Aug Tue 21, 2007 11:34 pm

Hypermommy wrote:Glad to hear about the different stores. And Christmas viewing should be fun. Now, mom's not as ate up with Disney as I am. So if you had to choose the 3 best resorts to resort hop at, which would you pick and why?

Just in general, I would pick:

1) Wilderness Lodge - check out the geyser and the so-cool lobby
2) Polynesian - watch the Electrical Water Pageant from the beach
3) Animal Kingdom Lodge - walk around outside and check out the animals, as well as the also so-cool lobby

For Christmas, I would pick:

1) Wilderness Lodge - *giant* tree
2) Grand Floridian - Life-sized gingerbread house-slash-store!
3) Beach Club - gingerbread n' chocolate carousel
3b) Boardwalk - little candy/chocolate/gingerbread amusement park

Most of the resort shops have similar merchandise, but there are a few that offer things more 'thematic' to the resort. Off the top of my head, the main shops in the Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom Lodge come to mind for that.

jcodirewolf · Post by **jcodirewolf** » Aug Wed 22, 2007 7:39 am

Hypermommy wrote: That sounds like fun. How different are the various stores? I mean, once I've seen WDW shirts and towels for the umpteenth time, that's probably about enough. Are there different things in the different stores?

Yep there are products that are per store or per park or per resort.

Some of these products are as simple as glasses with the resort logo. But at like the CR has some nice stuff in it, like there watch selection is second only to the WoD store at DtD.

johno

AKLRULZ · Post by **AKLRULZ** » Aug Wed 22, 2007 8:02 am

EggSalad wrote:Something really fun that we always do is we go to the coronado springs resort and we rent one of those bicycle built for 4 and pedal all over the resort. It is so much fun you should give it a try.

That is a great tip! We enjoy renting these bikes (Surrey Bikes) at the Boardwalk, too.

Post by **rdeacon** » Aug Wed 22, 2007 11:19 am

Yeah each resort has unique resort merchandise that you can't get anywhere else.

This includes t-shirts, pins, glasses, and all sorts of other merchandise.

Of course my unhealthy WDW t-shirt obsession might have something to do with me wanted to browse more stores..

Rich