Disney Resorts

VIDEO: Disney’s Beach Club Life Sized Gingerbread Carousel Tour

21 November 2010 by Suzannah Otis 3 Comments

Last night while visiting Epcot with friends, I took some video of Disney’s Beach Club Resort’s fabulous life sized Gingerbread Carousel. This year the resort also features a little shop that sells the gingerbread houses and other treats. I’m definitely no Samantha Brown or Lou Mongello, but I hope you enjoy my first attempt at actually taking and narrating video! At the very least, I know you’ll enjoy the AMAZING creations from Walt Disney World’s pastry chefs. Stay tuned for more holiday videos from Walt Disney World soon!

Photos of Disney’s Old Key West Resort’s Renovated Rooms

20 October 2010 by Suzannah Otis 8 Comments

A few weeks back, we stayed at Disney’s Old Key West Resort, one of our family’s favorites and were able to request and receive a renovated room. The Disney Parks Blog recently posted some pictures of the updated rooms, so I thought I’d add a few of our own highlighting some other details.

My family are not Disney Vacation Club members, but with my husband and I, an 11 and 10 year-old, a 2 year-old and occasionally my mom, we like staying in DVC properties because of the extra space. We rarely use the kitchen facilities other than the refrigerator but we definitely use every other inch of space and amenity these wonderful resorts offer.

Old Key West in general is one of our favorites because of the beautiful lush, secluded atmosphere the resort possesses. I’ve said this many times, but I could really spend a month at Disney just chilling out at the resorts they are so relaxing and Old Key West is no exception. We’ve always loved Olivia’s restaurant and the pool area too. The only issue we ever had with Old Key West was that it was starting to show its age. In fact, the last time we stayed there around my birthday last year, we actually complained to management about some things, just because I wanted them to be aware of what we’d experienced. So when we were told at that time that the resort was scheduled for refurbishment in the coming year, we were relieved and excited.

Our most recent stay was completely problem-free and we had a wonderful time. Old Key West continues to be on our ‘favorites’ list (which actually has a lot of resorts on it because it’s so hard to choose just one!). The renovated rooms, which will be completed resort-wide by March 2011, now all have the same mattresses and shower heads used in the other Deluxe resorts, which are heavenly. There are other little decorative touches here and there, but the most prominent changes are shown below —

Old Key West's Renovated Rooms — New laminate wood floors everywhere but the bathrooms, where the original tile remains, granite counter tops and Roman blinds on the French doors.

DVC 101: The Ins, Outs, Ups and Downs of Discovering Disney’s Best Kept Secret

25 March 2010 by Suzannah Otis 12 Comments

You know the old saying “write what you know” – well I can write about Disney till the cows come home, but there are some things I just know are better left to the experts. I thought it was time to bring in some of those experts and let them share their knowledge on subjects to which I might not otherwise do justice. In this case, I asked a wonderful twitter friend who goes by the handle KidaniKatie {aka Katie Siloac} to give our readers a rundown of DVC 101. I knew Katie was a DVC member (her username may have given that away) and I loved her site TheDVCLife.com so I thought it was a perfect place to start.

I know my family and I have wanted to become Disney Vacation Club members since its inception, way back when Old Key West was simply called Disney’s Vacation Club Resort and was the only option to buy into. It’s just not been in the cards for us to purchase, although we almost took the plunge a few years back when we did the tour and presentation when Kidani Village was being built. We still hope to be members some day soon, especially with our family of five (six when my mom comes with us) it would make perfect sense. But – is it really right for us? Is it right for you? What exactly do all the points and home resorts and…well, I should really just let Katie tell you. Please give her a warm welcome and just maybe she’ll come back and tell us other fun stuff about Disney!!

Rainy Day Fun at Disney World

12 September 2009 by Suzannah Otis 11 Comments

This morning I woke up to a nice rainy day here in ZannaLand, and I thought I’d share my favorite things to do in Disney World when you experience some of Florida’s infamous “liquid sunshine”.

Of course, the first thing to remember is that you will not melt. Unless there are some hurricane-force winds going on or crazy lightning, Disney will remain open for your use. Certain rides with all or portions of the ride outside may temporarily shut down (especially if lightning is present) but the rest of the World will be there for those daring enough to get soaked and keep on walking.

One way to help those of stout-heart and spare shoes is the now-famous Disney rain poncho. While working at the Magic Kingdom’s merchandise shops I can assure you, when the rain starts, these ponchos are worth their weight in gold. Wait, they don’t really weigh that much, that’s a bad example. Um…they’re really really valuable!! The ponchos Disney originally sold were bright yellow with Mickey Mouse on the back. Of course wearing them made you look ridiculously silly, therefore some fun souvenir photos were to be had!

In 2003, Disney made the switch to clear ponchos, so you weren’t *quite* as funny-looking (and you could spot your family members easier!). I have noticed that the most recent ponchos we purchased [it is the law that if you buy ponchos, you must forget them on every subsequent visit so you need to buy more when it rains again] are much thinner than they used to be, and the hood is sort of useless in keeping the rain off your face. If you have a baseball cap, wear that under the hood. You can also of course buy other ponchos at discount stores ahead of time but again, the key is remembering to carry them with you.

If, however, you arrive to the Walt Disney World Resort and see on the local weather that there is a 99% chance of rain all day every day of your visit, there are some activities to make you forget all about the rain rain rain coming down down down. Here are my top 3:

3. Innoventions This area of Epcot’s Future World is chock-full of activities to keep the whole family entertained. These buildings are located to the east and west of Future World, as you walk in the main entrance beyond Spaceship Earth. They have undergone many facelifts since their Communicore days with SMRT-1 (a robot that answered your questions with the latest in 1980s voice recognition technology) and the EPCOT Poll (a census-like poll where guests answered questions and learned group results at the end).

Club Cool by Coca-Cola's beverage choices

Innoventions East features environmental activities including The House of Innoventions and the Test the Limits Lab. Innoventions West offers more interactive exhibits such as the favorite The Great Piggy Bank Adventure. Also included as part of Innoventions West is Club Cool (formerly Ice Station Cool) where guests can enjoy free samples of popular soft drinks from around the world, sponsored by Coca-Cola. Be sure to try the Beverly from Italy – it’s delicious! 😉

2. Resort Hopping on the Monorail This is a favorite activity of our family any time, but it’s especially convenient during a storm, because you never have to get wet once you hop on the Resort Monorail from the Magic Kingdom or the Transportation and Ticket Center. There are some truly unique shops and restaurants you can explore and enjoy whether you’re a hotel guest or not. In addition to being a fun rainy day activity, our family makes sure to tour the resorts each holiday season. I will discuss more on that in upcoming entries, but it is truly a magical experience the way Disney decorates for the holidays.

The loop from Magic Kingdom takes you first to the Contemporary Resort which always has some fun shopping to experience as well as the popular must-reserve dining spot Chef Mickeys, as well as the delightful culinary addition of The Wave on the first floor. Another treat on the ground floor (no pun intended) is the coffee and espresso bar Contemporary Grounds, which serves delicious lattes. Our family also loves the arcade at the Contemporary and has spent many hours there accumulating tickets to turn in for prizes.
Next stop on the monorail is the Polynesian Resort. The decor alone is reason enough to spend some time here – the lush gardens and waterfalls will relax even the most frazzled park visitor. Here you’ll find shopping with a tropical flair and items not found in other locations. Delicious meals, desserts and coffee await at the Kona Cafe (one of my favorite restaurants on property). Here’s a secret – you can also get Dole Whip at Captain Cook’s Snack Co. inside the Polynesian! You don’t even have to be inside Magic Kingdom to enjoy this popular treat. Breakfast lunch and dinner are also served at Captain Cook’s, if you’d like more than dessert.
The final stop on the monorail resort loop is the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, Disney’s flagship resort. While here you can enjoy the elegant atmosphere, shops and restaurants, listen to music or just explore the lobby. There is a Basin White location within the Grand Floridian which offers unique items not found in the Downtown Disney location, so it’s worth a visit if you love their soaps and bath bombs as much as I do.

T-Rex Cafe dining experience is unforgettable

1. Downtown Disney From World of Disney to the Lego Imagination Store to Once Upon a Toy to Days of Christmas, there is no end to the rainy-day shopping available in Downtown Disney. You will also not be short on dining options – Rainforest Cafe, T-Rex Cafe, Wolfgang Puck, Earl of Sandwich, Raglan Road…I could go on and on! Downtown Disney Marketplace also offers unique shops like Basin with soaps, lotions and more or the new TrenD shop offering boutique-style Disney clothing and accessories. Don’t forget Downtown Disney Westside and its new Princess Diana royal gown and artifact exhibit, Disney Quest for interactive gaming in addition to more restaurants and shops worthy of discovery. One word of caution, even on sunny days, parking and crowds at Downtown Disney are on the high side. It’s no secret that this is a great location for a rainy day change of pace, so plan accordingly.

However you choose to spend your rainy day at Disney, remember Mickey can’t control the weather (as much as I’ve been wishing for a clear dome with air conditioning placed over Disney World on the hottest of summer days there!). As frustrating as it might be to have your vacation interrupted by ride-stopping, shoe-soaking rain…you are still in the Happiest Place on Earth and it’s truly how you react and make the most of all Disney has to offer that sets the tone for the success or failure of your trip. Some of my happiest memories are of wearing cloth napkins on my soaking shoulders inside Germany’s Biergarten, laughing at how we’d just run through the rain and puddles to get there. A change of plans doesn’t have to mean a short-change in the memories.

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? Disney’s Sanaa Shines

27 August 2009 by Suzannah Otis 4 Comments

Antelope, Giraffes and Zebra, that’s who! And that is just a few of the many animals you can see right from the windows of Sanaa (pronounced Sah-NAH) the newest restaurant at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. Sanaa is located in the Kidani Village section of Animal Kingdom Lodge, a new area built for Disney’s Vacation Club members. Kidani Village contains studio, 1 or 2 bedroom villa suites. This area has its own lobby and check-in area, its own pool and recreation area and its own savanna, viewable from many of the villas as well as Sanaa itself.

While the lobby area is not as breathtaking as Jambo House (the original Animal Kingdom Lodge section) it is still quite beautiful. It is more cozy. However, you will still be in awe as you walk down the spiral staircase to Sanaa and get your first glimpse of the savanna. The staircase itself is beautiful, and the thatched roof above this area is amazing. After you check in for your reservations at Sanaa, feel free to explore the hallway directly behind you. It is beautiful on its own and you can see the animals from all the windows. There is a viewing area outside, where you can walk out and see the animals closer without glass to get in the way. There are cast members out there to ask questions and a firepit for late night story-telling.

As we were brought to our table, we were told that Sanaa was meant to represent a marketplace – the decor is to look like the trees of a village and a colorful marketplace within it. We were lucky enough to be seated right at a window. Our server welcomed us and carefully explained how the menu at Sanaa worked, with its special entrees and drinks. We instantly felt special and taken care of with the patience and attention we received. I would add that this was because we were celebrating a birthday there, but I was actually quick to notice that all the tables around us, with the same and different servers, received this same incredible

Decor in Sanaa - Can you find the Hidden Mickey?

and attention. Our server brought over a covered cup with a glowing ice cube in it for the baby, to keep him entertained. The server next to us knelt down to explain to the 4 year-old at the next table which animals were out there and what they liked to eat. Our server later explained to my son the process of making naan bread, and how his pizza was made from that bread. “That must be why it was so good!” he replied to her. That is just part of what made Sanaa stand out as a truly “Disney” experience.

We ordered the Indian Bread Sampler, where you pick 3 types of breads and 3 accompaniments. The bread choices are Naan, Roti, Paratha, Paneer Paratha. We chose all but the Roti. The accompaniments to choose from are: Mint and Onion Raita, Cucumber Raita, Coriander Chutney, Mango Chutney, Garlic-Ginger Pickle, Mango-Lime Pickle, Roasted Red Bell Pepper Hummus, Tamarind Chutney. Your server can explain better than I the differences between all of these choices, but we went with the Cucumber Raita, Hummus, and Garlic-Ginger Pickle. We loved them all. I highly recommend this sampler, because there will be something for everyone and at the very least, you can share plain naan with your picky eaters.

We also ordered the Mustard Seed Crusted Scallops with a coconut cream sauce. I am a sucker for all things coconut, but even if you are not a fan, it’s not an overpowering coconut flavor. These scallops were perhaps the best I’ve ever eaten. They were perfection on a plate. I would go back and order 2 orders for an entree, they were that good! I definitely want to try the Samosas next time though, because I’m sure they are delicious too.

For an entree, I ordered the Tandoori Chicken. I have had Tandoor chicken many times before, so I knew I couldn’t go wrong with it. To my surprise, it came already off the bone and in fork-sized pieces. Perfect! It came with your choice of Basmati rice or 5-grain Pilaf. “From the Tandoor Ovens” also has a shrimp or lamb chop option rather than the chicken.

Other menu options include slow-cooked meats, or a vegetarian option as well, including chicken or shrimp curry, paneer cheese and spinach, or beef short ribs. Also available are African Cooking with Indian Flavors, which feature Cornish Game Hen, Strip Steak, Dum Biryani and a Sustainable Fish, which changes nightly.

Our meals were just fantastic, and though were worried about my picky 10 year-old, as you read, he loved his naan pizza. My daughter enjoyed her Meaty Macaroni made with ground turkey as well. The problem with dinner was that we were so full from the delicious appetizers and entrees that we had no room for dessert, which, if you know me and my family at all, is shocking.

As we dined, various animals strolled past, stopping to eat some strategically placed hay, or hanging out by the trees further back. We loved watching the Antelope *right* outside our window. Soon many friends joined and later the far-off Giraffes came by to say hello. In the distance we could see Wildebeests, Zebras, and the long-horned Ankole Cattle. We saw Ostriches off to the side and Red Crown Cranes came up closer than any other creature, since they could fly around the little unobtrusive barriers set up so you don’t end up having Wildebeest for dessert. Even the server remarked that there was an unusually large turn-out of animals that night.

While we were enjoying the view, we started to hear drums from the front of the restaurant. I thought they must just do a musical presentation, but as we continued to watch, the drummers paraded through the restaurant and over to a table where they sang a Sanaa version of Happy Birthday. I thought that was really impressive, but then they came over to our table for my mom’s birthday. They sang the song again and it was SO moving! Way different than a plain ol’ Happy Birthday by weary servers that you usually see in restaurants. Everyone was clapping along to the beat and looked genuinely excited for your celebration. After the song, a hostess handed my mom the Disney birthday card that you usually get, signed by various characters. However – this card was signed by every member of the front of the house staff, with wishes in their native language. I just thought that was the coolest thing ever. As a result, I *highly* recommend Sanaa for a birthday celebration. I know that’s where I’m headed for MY birthday this year.

All in all, our experience with Sanna was a marvelous one. I have been singing its praises ever since to anyone that’ll stand still. I loved it there, and so did the whole family. It is not just a place to eat…it is an experience – one which you’ll likely treasure for years to come. If you are planning a trip to Disney World, include Sanaa in those plans. If you do, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Oh! I almost forgot – on our way out we stopped at the restroom. I’m not sure I’ve ever said this about a restroom or not, but it was GORGEOUS. Beautiful dark wood and stone…just beautiful. Make sure you make a stop there before you go! 😉

All photos are ©Zanna DiMarzio under Creative Commons license – more photos available at Flickr.

Celebrate Your Birthday with Disney’s Special Treatment

17 August 2009 by Suzannah Otis 4 Comments

One of our family’s traditions since living in the backyard of Walt Disney World is celebrating birthdays in the parks. We also have a tradition of spending Mother’s Day at the Epcot Flower & Garden Festival, and of course enjoying the holiday decorations in December. However there is little that can compete with the magic of being at Disney for your birthday. Our upcoming trip will combine celebrations for my mother – turning 70 this week (and I don’t worry about sharing her age because she doesn’t look a day over 55!) and my daughter will be turning 9 on the last day of our vacation.

There are several things you can do to make your birthday more special at Disney, including ordering gift baskets, flowers or balloons to your Disney resort, or special ordering a small cake ($21) to be delivered (with song of course!) as you dine in a Disney restaurant. In addition, there is one very important, completely FREE thing which you should do first and foremost upon arriving on Disney property: Tell EVERYONE it’s your birthday!! Tell the front desk when you check in at your resort, tell them at the ticket sales booth, guest relations or City Hall at the parks, and tell them at every Disney restaurant at which you dine.

The birthday button is your key to special Disney attention

When you tell them at the ticket booth or guest relations of a park, you will be given a free button proclaiming to the world that it is your birthday. A cast member will write your name on the button and once you put it on, the magic begins. Cast members will pass you by and say, “Happy Birthday!” Perfect strangers walking past or waiting in line with you will say, “Happy Birthday!”. Your server at a Disney table-service restaurant will even bring you a special Disney cupcake with a candle and sing to you!

a celebration cake may be purchased for a fee, cupcakes are free

a special Kona Cafe creme puff on my birthday

We told the front desk at Disney’s Beach Club Resort it was our daughter’s birthday and she was greeted with a nice surprise one day as we were relaxing in the room. This is not guaranteed, but worth a try, tell everyone!!

you never know what your Disney resort might bring on your birthday

balloons & an autographed Tink doll at the Beach Club

If you are getting a special Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique make-over on your birthday, you will receive a special “Birthday Princess” sash. I’m not sure what is available at the new Pirate League in Magic Kingdom, but I’m sure they do something special as well. Part of the fun is finding out the little surprises and treats Disney has in store for birthday boys and girls (no age limit to that title! 😉 )

of course princesses get special birthday treatment

Of course this year is the Free Admission on Your Birthday promotion at the Disney Parks, which is a wonderful way to celebrate! And if you have annual passes or admission tickets already, there are other options that ensure you receive some Disney magic on your special day. Whether or not you make visiting Disney on your birthday an annual tradition, don’t be shy and enjoy celebrating YOU in the Happiest Place on Earth!

Disney’s Lake Buena Vista Villas-a Blast From the Past

13 August 2009 by Suzannah Otis 35 Comments

I mentioned in my Disney Resorts entry how our first foray into “on property” resorts was Disney’s Lake Buena Vista Vacation Villas. I found a few pictures that I scanned in and thought I’d share here.

As I described before, there were 4 different types of Lake Buena Vista Villas: Club Lake Villas were, if I recall correctly, more luxurious than the Vacation Villas. The Fairway Villas were smaller and on the golf course. The Vacation Villas were the attached townhouse style and the Tree House Villas were the really cool two-story tree house style homes nestled in the forest. The only remnants of this era of Disney resorts are the Tree House Villas, now refurbished after being used for years as homes for College Program International Cast Members. You can view the Tree House Villas from the boat that sails from Port Orleans and Old Key West Resorts to Downtown Disney. I always loved riding the Disney resort buses from the parks to the Vacation Villas, because we had to go through the Tree House Villas first and you never knew what you’d see on those dark roads; raccoons, bunnies, deer…it was great fun.

My mom and I posing as my dad took the picture from the loft above.

The layout for the Vacation Villas we stayed in was a typical condo layout downstairs: small kitchen with pass-thru and bar stools at the counter, dining area, bathroom, and family room with a sleeper sofa, tv, etc. The fun was upstairs, where the master bedroom was actually an open loft design. You have no idea how cool this was to an 8 year-old. The master bedroom had a king bed and a tv, then a bathroom too as I remember, but the wall that the tv was on was completely open to the family room downstairs. It was so exciting to me. There was another bedroom upstairs with two twin beds and a bathroom. The family room downstairs had sliding glass doors leading to a patio with chairs. There were several options for views, but we always requested and received an Empress Lily view.

This was me, before heading to dinner at the Empress Lily Room. Pre Pleasure Island too!

Another great part of staying at the Lake Buena Vista Villas was you were able to rent a golf cart for the length of your stay. You could then get anywhere you needed to go in that area with the golf cart. We drove to breakfast at the Buena Vista Club restaurant. (This was the Club attached to the golf course). We explored the other villas…if my dad had been a golfer obviously he could’ve used it for that too! The best part was driving to the Lake Buena Vista Village Marketplace. You may know it now as Downtown Disney.

We could drive our golf cart over the bridge in the area that now houses the bus stops for Downtown Disney. From there we could park over where Downtown Disney Guest Relations now is, plug in the golf cart and explore the shops and restaurants. I think there were only a few at the time Cap’n Jack’s was one, and Chef Mickeys, which stood where Rain Forest Cafe now exists. It was a quaint, little place then. Dark wood decor, windows overlooking the lake and the Empress Lily. It had a separate lounge where you could wait and have a drink while you waited for your table. Back then, if you ordered one of a few specific drinks, you could get a souvenir plastic mug to keep. I remember getting a drink similar to a Shirley Temple, with rock candy swizzle sticks. A lot. I have quite a few of those red mugs with Chef Mickey’s image on them. I had to stop using them because the dishwasher was wearing off the design.

Souvenir mugs from the *original* Chef Mickey's Village Restaurant — Souvenir mugs from the *original* Chef Mickey

I think the only other restaurant was Heidelberg’s deli where Earl of Sandwich is now. Mickey’s Pantry was there, a jewelry store called 24-K and a few other shops. Can you imagine a Marketplace without World of Disney, Once Upon a Toy, the Lego Store or even Pleasure Island?? That’s how it once was. The Marketplace truly was a rainy day excursion and not an attraction unto itself like it is now.

Sadly, Disney decided to discontinue operations of the Villas. They used some of the buildings during the Disney Institute years, but then demolished all of the original villas (apart from the Tree House Villas) and built the Saratoga Springs Resort as part of the Disney Vacation Club program. Saratoga Springs now offers some of those same gorgeous views of the Empress Lily that we once enjoyed, even though it’s now called Fulton’s Crab House.

Another thing I found in my search for old pictures was this coupon for the arcade at the Lake Buena Vista Villa Center. Think they’ll still honor it? 😉

Arcade Coupon good for 1 game at the Lake Buena Vista Center

I welcome any information, links or pictures from this time period at Walt Disney World!!

Which Disney Resort is Best for Me? Disney Resorts Overview:

5 August 2009 by Suzannah Otis 14 Comments

As a child, my family discovered the wonder of Disney Resort properties after our 2nd or 3rd visit. I was still young enough at the time to be in complete awe when we arrived from the Orlando airport at the Lake Buena Vista check-in building (now the Amateur Athletics Association building near Downtown Disney) and were given the royal treatment. It’s no surprise, given Disney’s reputation, that 20 years later I still remember the kindness and attention we received from the cast member who’s name I’ve long since forgotten. That’s the Disney experience for you.

We stayed on two different occasions in the 1980’s at Disney’s Vacation Villas. These were townhouse-style villas over by the “new” Disney Marketplace. There were 3 different types of villas – The Club Lake Villas, the Fairway Villas, Vacation Villas and the Treehouse Villas. In the 1990’s, these resorts were turned into accommodations for the Disney Institute. When that didn’t quite take off as planned, Disney decided to completely tear down and rebuild the villas (except for the Treehouse Villas!) and created the Saratoga Springs Resort, part of the Disney Vacation Club ownership program.

Disney's Beach Club Resort pool: Stormalong Bay — Disney

Our experiences there were so wonderful that after that, we were hooked and became Disney Resort regulars. It’s kind of hard to go back to a motel off property once you’ve been spoiled by Disney. We stayed at Port Orleans French Quarter quite a bit, then moved on to Wilderness Lodge and Beach Club. When we stayed at Beach Club, we knew we’d found our home. We would also enjoy the wondrous Animal Kingdom Lodge, Boardwalk, the All-Star and Pop Century properties and Port Orleans Riverside. But like I said, we found our home at Beach Club. If you try out a few Disney resorts, you will find your home too, trust me. There will be one setting that just stands out and each time you walk in the front doors, you take a deep breath, relax, and think – we’re home. This is the type of guest experience that other hotels only dream of achieving.

So where should you start? The choices seem endless don’t they? Monorail access? Boat access? Close to which park? What about budget? Which is best for families with kids or those without? As explained in Disney Planning 101, there are countless places to find out in-depth information about Disney resort options. All Ears Net is my favorite – they have pictures and maps of every resort so you can even request which building you’d like to try to be in. You should start with that Disney Vacation Planning dvd you ordered (right?) and then check back with DisneyWorld.com to look at the different amenities and options that will best suit your family’s needs. You can even ask a specific question to the Disney Moms Panel (or call 407-W-Disney and as a Disney Reservation Specialist as well. What I will do here is explain the differences among the resorts and some things to think about when you are choosing your resort.

Disney divides its resort experiences into categories:

Disney Deluxe Villas
This category includes all the Disney Vacation Club properties, studio, one or two-bedroom home-away-from-home type accommodations. They also feature all the same amenities as Disney’s Deluxe resorts.

Disney Deluxe Resort Hotels
For these resorts you will be treated to the finest rooms Disney has to offer. Extra amenities, such as full-service dining and pool features, room details like in-room hair dryers and luxurious comforts await you here. These properties also feature valet parking for a fee.

Disney Moderate Resort Hotels
This category is a step up from the value resorts, offering more amenities and space without a huge jump in price. Here you will find pools with waterslides, more activities and most have full-service dining as well.

Disney Value Resort Hotels
For the budget conscious, these resorts feature typical motel room function with added Disney flair and fun. Food courts, huge pools, everything is bigger in this category, except the price.

Disney Campgrounds
Here you can pitch a tent under the stars, park your RV, or relax in a Disney-built wilderness cabin, all while enjoying the wonderful activities that Fort Wilderness has to offer.

Disney Accommodations for 5 or more guests
If you have a family that doesn’t fit in a typical one-room hotel, but don’t want to spread out into two separate hotel rooms, you can find what you need here.

Once you decide which resort category best fits your family, you can move on to the next option – location! Do you find yourself spending most of your time at the Magic Kingdom? Epcot? There’s no doubt a resort to keep you close-by your favorite park.

Disney's Wilderness Lodge breathtaking lobby area — Disney

Magic Kingdom area Resorts:

Of course the most well-known are the “Big 3” of The Contemporary Resort and now the Bay Lake Tower villas at the Contemporary, The Polynesian Resort and The Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. All three of these are on the monorail loop leading to both the Magic Kingdom and the Transportation and Ticket Center, so you need only step out to the monorail platform to get to the magic. If you want to head to Epcot, a trip to the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC) will let you switch to the Epcot Monorail. From there you could take a boat from Epcot’s World Showcase to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or get a bus directly there from the TTC. There are also buses directly from each resort to all the theme parks, water parks and Downtown Disney.

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Wilderness Lodge Villas are also in the Magic Kingdom resort area, though not on the monorail loop. You can, however take a boat directly to the Magic Kingdom from the Wilderness Lodge property. If you want to head to the other parks and Downtown Disney, buses will take you there. Fort Wilderness Campground is also part of the Magic Kingdom resort area, with boat access directly to Magic Kingdom. Bus service is available to all other theme parks, as well as the TTC.

Epcot area Resorts:

Located a short walk (or boat ride) from the International Gateway entrance to Epcot’s World Showcase, are Disney’s Yacht Club and Disney’s Beach Club Resorts, Beach Club Villas, as well as Disney’s Boardwalk Inn and Boardwalk Villas. Also accessible here are the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin hotels, run by Sheraton. These resorts also offer the same boat service directly to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Pop Century and Caribbean Beach Resorts are also part of the Epcot resort area, though not accessible by boat or walking, only by bus.

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge (photo courtesy of wdw answer guide via flickr) — Disney

Animal Kingdom area Resorts:

There is not direct boat or monorail service to Animal Kingdom, but there are still resorts very close to this park, including of course Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge and the Jambo House and Kidani Village Villas. Also in this area are the All-Star Sports, All-Star Music and All-Star Movies resorts and Coronado Springs Resort and Convention Center. All of these resorts feature direct buses to the parks and Downtown Disney.

Downtown Disney area Resorts:

This area features the resorts of Old Key West, the original Disney Vacation Club property, Port Orleans French Quarter and Riverside (Riverside is formerly known as Dixie Landings), Saratoga Springs and the newly refurbished Treehouse Villas at Saratoga Springs. All of these properties feature boat access directly to Downtown Disney and bus service to the parks.

Those are the two main criteria when choosing which Disney Resort will fit you best. Once you decide your budget and the location you’d like to stay in, you can narrow the choices down based on which amenities will best fit your family. Things like which pool would you enjoy the most, which resort has water or other sports activities, full-service restaurants, which resort theming would you or your family enjoy the most.

Disney's All-Star Movies larger-than-life Buzz Lightyear — Disney

It’s hard to recommend a specific resort here, because each family is different – which is precisely why Disney World has SO many options to stay in! A family with small children might love the larger-than-life decorations at an All-Star property or Pop Century, but they might be equally as entertained by seeing animals out their window in a savannah view room at Animal Kingdom Lodge. The choice is up to you! When I asked my Twitter followers to name their favorite resort, there were almost no two answers that were the same. Everyone has their favorite, for different reasons. Even among families, each person may have their own favorite resort – and that may even change over time. It’s great to resort-hop and check out what else is out there for a return visit.

In the coming weeks, I will be featuring blogs on individual resorts, to give you more of an idea of what each property has to offer. Enjoy the decision process – it’s quite exciting! I hope you find your ‘home’ at Disney World – I’d love to hear about your favorite resort, comment and tell me all about it.