Whats your favorite Disney resort?

kgmadorin · Post by **kgmadorin** » Mar Fri 18, 2005 8:50 am

My two favorites are the Wilderness Lodge and the Polynesian Resort. Chalk those up to theming, I suppose.

Everyone has their favorite spots in WDW, and two of mine are laying in a hammock on the beach at the Poly while watching the Electrical Water Pageant, and lounging in the rocking chairs in front of the magnificent fireplace in the lobby of the Wilderness Lodge.

Has anyone else noticed that the resorts "smell?" I have never been able to put my finger on it exactly, but sometimes I'll catch a whiff of something and think to myself, "That smells just like the lobby of the Polynesian!"

Runners-up: Animal Kingdom Lodge (it's too far out of the way to be at the top of the list), Port Orleans French Quarter

stev02 · Post by **stev02** » Mar Fri 18, 2005 9:54 am

I enjoy Old Key West. It's like our second home and it's so comforting. Oh how I want to be there now!!!!!

wdw1090 · Post by **wdw1090** » Mar Sun 27, 2005 7:42 pm

polynesian then the grand floridian because the convenience of the monorail and boat to MK and the TTC with ferry to MK, monorail to epcot, and buses to everwhere else. plus i love the hawiian theme

bigboodah71 · Post by **bigboodah71** » Mar Mon 28, 2005 12:14 pm

My favorite would have to be the Contemporary...

I first stayed there at the ripe old age of 7 in 1978, and just have many great memories of it.

Second choice would be any resort close to Epcot... just cause I love Epcot

kgmadorin · Post by **kgmadorin** » Mar Mon 28, 2005 12:34 pm

bigboodah71 wrote:My favorite would have to be the Contemporary...

I first stayed there at the ripe old age of 7 in 1978, and just have many great memories of it.

Second choice would be any resort close to Epcot... just cause I love Epcot

You're right... There is something very special about staying at one of the Epcot resorts located off the World Showcase gate. Having your own entrance, away from the rush and the crowds, is a tremendous bonus. The vote for my favorite Epcot resort goes to the Boardwalk.

rapsucks247 · Post by **rapsucks247** » Mar Mon 28, 2005 1:29 pm

I gotta go with the Polynesian it was the first resort build and the best! It connects to the TTC and has a monerail to the MK it is way faster than the bus it comes every 5 min. or so. The bus comes every 15-20 minutes.

sunshine · Post by **sunshine** » Mar Tue 29, 2005 1:47 am

My favorite is the Animal Kingdom Lodge. It's so peaceful and relaxing. The music played throughout the AKL, along with the extensive theming, is perfect for winding down after a busy day running around the parks.

kgmadorin · Post by **kgmadorin** » Mar Tue 29, 2005 9:02 am

sunshine wrote:My favorite is the Animal Kingdom Lodge. It's so peaceful and relaxing. The music played throughout the AKL, along with the extensive theming, is perfect for winding down after a busy day running around the parks.

And you can't beat watching giraffe's grazing from your room's balcony! Where else in the world, much less the United States, can you have that experience?

Post by **js3901** » Mar Tue 29, 2005 6:37 pm

I'd love to be able to stay at the AK lodge, but it's too expensive. Same thing with all the Deluxe resorts...

kgmadorin · Post by **kgmadorin** » Mar Wed 30, 2005 8:29 am

js3901 wrote:I'd love to be able to stay at the AK lodge, but it's too expensive. Same thing with all the Deluxe resorts...

When you really think about it, how much time do you spend in your hotel room at WDW? The times I visited as a guest, we really only went back there to shower and sleep. That being the case, for us it doesn't really make much sense to spend oodles of money on accomodations that we don't really need. We've always loved the Deluxe Resorts, but they are very pricey, and I'm sure we would have had just as much fun at the All-Star or Pop Century resorts.

Staying at a Deluxe resort is a nice perk, but I definitely think there's more value in staying other places.

js3901, if you haven't tried Port Orleans French Quarter, that's my pick as my favorite Moderate Resort. The theming is great, it's smaller and therefore more intimate, and Downtown Disney is just a boatride away on the lazy Sassagoula River.

AKLRULZ · Post by **AKLRULZ** » May Mon 02, 2005 7:52 am

We actually spend a ton of time at the resort itself - that is just a natural part of the Disney experience for us. And I have a family of 5 so we always stay in a Deluxe property - we been to GF, Poly, Contemp, WL and our all time favorite AKL! We've also stayed at the CBR and at POR (when it was Dixie Landings, though - remember that?!). We loved POR when we stayed there but the rooms are very small! Ammenties, interior hallways, and the nice luxuries of the Deluxe properites are really important to us - so while the Deluxe resorts are very pricey, they provide a great value for our specific needs.

All that said, AKL is our all time favorite - the complete immersion of theme is incredible and there is nothing like enjoying the savanna view from your balcony. The pool is huge, the dining options are some of the best onsite and it's just a throroughly relaxing place to unwind during the day or after a long day of touring the park.

We are staying at the Beach Club next month for the first time - very much looking forward to the location and Stormalong Bay, but I can't imagine it surpassing the overall granduer of AKL!

Siriuslydead · Post by **Siriuslydead** » May Mon 02, 2005 3:26 pm

Man, I want to reply to everybody!

First off: kgmadorin - I know what you mean with the smells of the resorts! I always recognize that!! I can still smell the AKL. When I went there to visit this past November, right when I walked in I recognized the smell of the resort. And sometimes, on a rare occasion, I smell it somewhere else. Like outside of my home or anywhere else.

I forget what else I wanted to reply about. My favorite, hands down, is the AKL. For all of the same reason AKLRULZ and kgmadorin and sunshine. They explain it perfectly. It's the most amazing place.

jrcohen · Post by **jrcohen** » May Mon 02, 2005 4:33 pm

Out of all the times I've been to the park as a kid, and since, I've actually never stayed in a disney resort. I think I'm going to next time I go though. I've heard you can get special bonuses by staying in the resorts, like getting to get into the parks earlier, or stay in later. Are any of these special bonuses true?

Siriuslydead · Post by **Siriuslydead** » May Mon 02, 2005 4:52 pm

jrcohen wrote:Out of all the times I've been to the park as a kid, and since, I've actually never stayed in a disney resort. I think I'm going to next time I go though. I've heard you can get special bonuses by staying in the resorts, like getting to get into the parks earlier, or stay in later. Are any of these special bonuses true?

Yes they are. What you are talking about is called the Extra Magic Hours. Each day, one of the Walt Disney World parks opens an hour early or stays open up to three hours after regular park closing, so Disney Resort Guests, with valid park admission, can enjoy easy access to select attractions — even the most popular ones. With Extra Magic Hours, you can make the most of your vacation time and see and do everything at an easy, relaxed pace.

Disneynut · Post by **Disneynut** » May Mon 02, 2005 5:25 pm

One other perk is that you can have merchandise that was purchased at the park sent directly to your resort the next day. We use that service all the time.