What is your favorite Disney World hotel/resort and why?

[Anonymous]

We can't afford the Grand Floridian or Polynesian, but all the other Disney properties are on the table. So which hotel/resort did you like the best, and why? I'm particularly interested in hearing from folks who have stayed at more than one property and can offer a comparison. Thanks in advance for your comments!

[Anonymous]

We loved the Great Wilderness Lodge. It's beautiful, and it's fun taking a boat to the MK (unless you get seasick!). Also, the Artist Point restaurant was good.

We've also gone the opposite direction and rented a cabin at Ft. Wilderness. It was super fun, but a very different kind of experience.

[Anonymous]

I like Swan/Dolphin because you get all the benefits of being a "Disney" hotel (close to parks, extended hours, don't need a car) but at the same time is not quite as over-the-top-GAG-me Disney as some of the others. In other words it is great for the kids who still may catch a glimpse of Mickey Mouse here and there but as an adult you will not get overdosed on all the kitch like at some of the other hotels. I think Swan/Dolphin is actually a... Marriott, maybe? Or a Sheraton, I forget.

[Anonymous]

We stayed at the Beach Club Villas, Boardwalk Villas and Cabin at Ft. Wilderness on our last 3 trips. Each time it was great. With these locations, you have more room to spread out and kitchenettes. You can get food delivered from a local grocery store.

With the Beah Club and Boardwalk, you can walk to both Epcot and Hollywood Studios and this was a big selling point for us. When 1 child was napping, we put the other in the stroller and went for a walk. We would get a Fast Pass for later that day for a hot ride - like Soar at Epcot. After naps, we would go get an early dinner at one or the other of them and take in a few attractions without pushing the kids too hard.

Also, the pool at the Beach Club is FABULOUS! Next trip, we will not get park hoppers and are planning on spending a day at the pool.

[Anonymous]

I've stayed all over the last 20 years so some of my
Info may be out of date.
-carribean beach: great quiet pools, if that's your thing.
-port Orleans french quarter-we loved it prw kids. Haven't stayed with kids. Riverside also gets great reviews.
-all stars-worth it for a quick and dirty trip, but if you want quiet or convenience, at least go to a moderate.

[Anonymous]

Staying at the Contemporary Bay Lake Villas in a 1BR in a couple of weeks. We have stayed at the Contemporary before but not at the BLV's and like the short walk to MK or monorail. I think I would prefer the cabins but kids like to be as close to the MK as possible. Both have full kitchens.

[Anonymous]

I second the Wilderness Lodge - fun, not too cheesy, good location.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I like Swan/Dolphin because you get all the benefits of being a "Disney" hotel (close to parks, extended hours, don't need a car) but at the same time is not quite as over-the-top-GAG-me Disney as some of the others. In other words it is great for the kids who still may catch a glimpse of Mickey Mouse here and there but as an adult you will not get overdosed on all the kitch like at some of the other hotels. I think Swan/Dolphin is actually a... Marriott, maybe? Or a Sheraton, I forget.

You can't do Magical Express (transportation to/from the airport) and stay at Swan/Dolphin. But you are eligible for Extra Magic Hours.

[Anonymous]

We loved the Grand Floridian but also loved the Wilderness Lodge. WL is convenient enough that you can come back to the hotel midday to swim or rest. The boat ride is a lot of fun. There is a waterskiing show on the lake that we could see from our room. The pool area is really nice for kids and adults. The shuttle bus is right outside and is also convenient.

One thing to double check on price - last time we stayed at the Grand Floridian we were on a concierge floor that had food out pretty much every meal. We ended up not having to buy too many meals as a result. It offset the price of the hotel.

[Anonymous]

Either the Swan (which we love so much -- fantastic location, incredible pool, really comfy beds, more space than a Disney deluxe, tons of restaurants in walking distance), or just go to one of the values, and save the money for a longer trip or more extras. I spent half my trip to the Swan looking at the Beach Club and thinking I was a fool for spending the amount of money I spent there.

If I had very young kids, or a large group, I think the home aways from home are probably worth it. But for my family I'd rather spend less on the room and be able to eat a nice dinner out every night.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I second the Wilderness Lodge - fun, not too cheesy, good location.

I totally agree. The downside is the cabin rooms are miniature! DC called them "Cabinettes" when we visited and he wasn't far off the mark. I guess the idea is that you spend zero time in your room. We loved the resort though.

[Anonymous]

Yet another vote for the Wilderness Lodge. We just love the cozy atmosphere. And quite frankly, I've never understood why people think the rooms are so small. Yeah, they're not as big as the Poly or GF, but they are still a good size.

[Anonymous]

Polynesian. You can take a boat over the Magic Kingdom, but even better? Next door to the Transportation and Ticket Center. Kids melt down, and you are back to your room in a jiffy, no matter which park you are visiting.

Also, I appreciated the pure "cheese" factor of the place, with its volcano pool slide...

If you are really going for the Magic Kingdom, you can walk from the Contemporary.

[Anonymous]

Wilderness Lodge. We were upgraded to the club floor and from now on I would only stay at the WL on the club floor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yet another vote for the Wilderness Lodge. We just love the cozy atmosphere. And quite frankly, I've never understood why people think the rooms are so small. Yeah, they're not as big as the Poly or GF, but they are still a good size.

I think we had something called a Jr Suite. It had 2 bunkbeds, a chair and a small tv. It probably didn't help that both DS and DH and came down with stomach flu while we were there. They spent a lot of quality time in that room.