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| Is The Animal Kingdom Lodge the best place to stay in Walt Disney World? Keep reading to find out! |
When I find out that a friend or family member is planning a
trip to Walt Disney World, the first question out of my mouth is almost always
"Where are you staying?" This
one decision, more than any other in your planning process, will affect how you
spend your downtime away from the parks (and in many cases, how much
downtime you have), where you eat, how you get around the resort and so
much more.
However, in my time as a Certified Disney Travel Planner,
I've found that many people have questions about the different resorts around
Walt Disney World property. What makes the Grand Floridian so special? Is the Animal Kingdom Lodge actually inside
the Animal Kingdom? What's the best
place to stay in Walt Disney World?
That final question is a loaded one. The factors that make up the best
accommodations for some people might not necessarily be taken into
consideration by others. It helps to
consider all of the factors that go into determining which resort is best for
you, and then seeing what's important for your party on vacation. Let's take a
look!
Price
Walt Disney World divides their resorts into three tiers of
pricing: Value, Moderate and
Deluxe. While there are some resorts in
each tier on the high and low side of the price scale, there are some common
factors that each tier shares, and the differences between those factors are
what separates the values from the deluxes.
Theme
There's a story behind everything at Walt Disney World, and
that story comes through in the details that you immerse yourself in everywhere
on property, from the parks to the restaurants and yes, even your resorts. At value resorts like Pop Century and the
All-Star Resorts, you find yourself a midst giant icons of classic Disney
movies, pop culture fads and different kinds of music. Moderate resorts, like Caribbean Beach and
Port Orleans - Riverside, continue the story into your resort room as special
themed rooms let you stay in the middle of a princess fairy tale or a rollicking
pirate adventure.
Meanwhile, at deluxe resorts, story is considered in every
bit of decor, from the art on the walls to the sheets, and in most cases, the
lobby and pools. The Wilderness Lodge
has a cavernous lobby featuring the totem poles of the Pacific Northwest that
gives the resort its theme, and the pool is located next to a functioning
geyser that goes off intermittently like Old Reliable in Yellowstone National
Park.
Transportation & Location
The value and moderate resorts are placed further from the
theme parks and only provide access to them by bus. The deluxe resorts, however, are located much
closer to some parks, and in some cases, provide unique methods of
transportation to reach them. The Grand
Floridian, Contemporary and Polynesian are all located on the monorail line,
which circles the resorts and provides access to the Magic Kingdom within
minutes. The Yacht & Beach Clubs and
Boardwalk Inn are located close enough to Epcot that you can walk to the park
from them. You can take a boat from The
Wilderness Lodge to the Magic Kingdom's front gate and the Animal Kingdom Lodge
is a five-minute trip from the Animal Kingdom Park (but, to answer my earlier
question, not actually inside it!) Your
time is important on a Walt Disney World vacation and if you can spend less
time getting to the parks and more time touring them, you are getting your
money's worth from a deluxe resort.
Dining
The value resorts only offer quick-service dining options,
and while they have delicious food, some people enjoy having a table service
restaurant at their resort to have a fine dining experience just steps where
they're staying. Some moderate resorts
have table service restaurants on their grounds, but every deluxe resort has at
least one and, in some cases, two or three restaurants, some of which are the
most popular in Walt Disney World.
So What's The Best?
As I said earlier, every Walt Disney World guest will have
different criteria for judging the best place to stay on property. However, if the decision is mine to make,
considering all of the factors above, I would definitely select Bay Lake Tower,
located immediately next to the Contemporary Resort.
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| The Winner! |
This resort is the newest of Walt Disney World's deluxe
resorts and you can't beat the location.
It's located just steps from my favorite park, The Magic Kingdom, and
being so close to the Contemporary, is also in close proximity to two of my
favorite restaurants on property: Chef Mickey's and The California Grill. Some resort rooms have views of the Magic
Kingdom, where you can step out onto your private balcony to watch Wishes!
fireworks every night. Of course, being
on the monorail line, you're just a short ride away from Ohana at the
Polynesian, or Epcot, and all of the rooms feature sleek, luxurious
accommodations with a retro-futuristic theme, exactly the same as The Magic
Kingdom's Tomorrowland...my favorite land in the park.
To book Bay Lake Tower, or any of the other wonderful
resorts mentioned in this article, please visit our Quote Page, or contact me
using the information below. Be sure to
check out our Current Offers Page to see what discounts are currently
available!
