Staying at a Walt Disney World Resort has its perks and advantages. With over twenty resorts on Walt Disney World property, how do you know which one will suite your family best? Is it REALLY worth it to stay on the monorail? Can you get by with double size beds for a 6-night stay at Walt Disney World? And does your little one need his or her own sleeping space? Those, and many other questions will help you narrow down your Walt Disney World Resort choice. Last week I shared with you Mistakes Guests Make at Their Walt Disney World Resort. This week, I am going to share Six Walt Disney World Resorts to Think Twice About to help you decide on the best Disney resort for your next stay!
Resorts #1, 2 and 3: Disney’s All Star Resorts. There are three resorts in this family. Disney’s All Star Music, Disney’s All Star Sports, and Disney’s All Star Movies. They also make up 3 out of the 5 Value Resort properties at Walt Disney World. You should think twice about staying at one of the All Stars for a few reasons. First, they are only equipped with double beds, and the rooms are very small. Second, they share buses amongst the three of them. Because of this, the wait times to and from the parks and getting to your dining reservations can be much longer than it needs to be. Third, they often host school or sports groups, making them crowded and loud.
Resort #4: Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. This resort is often a “bucket list” resort for many families. I agree! I have even stayed here myself, and it was fantastically amazing and beautiful. However, you should think twice about staying at this resort if you want to be close to any of the Disney parks. Due to its location, it is not ideal, particularly if you are traveling with young children and want to go back to the resort to swim or rest. Its location alone is the only reason I think you should think twice about staying at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Resort #5: Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort is huge. So huge that it needs its own internal transportation system. Not only is it huge and spread out, it is also a convention hotel. There are often meetings going on here, and it has a more “business” type of atmosphere. While it is beautiful, and often included in promotions, I think there are better resorts in the Moderate Resort Category that guests may enjoy better.
Resort #6: Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. As much as I loved my stay here, it makes the list of resorts you should think twice about. I feel like for the price point, you can get in the Magic Kingdom area for a better rate and just as great as a location at Disney’s Contemporary or Wilderness Lodge Resorts. Disney’s Grand Floridian is on the monorail, and being on the monorail is worth it. However, I think that you get a bigger bang for your buck at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge or Disney’s Contemporary Resort, which are in that same area. Also, transportation here can be interesting. If you are just going to Magic Kingdom, it’s a breeze. However, to go to Epcot, you need to take a bus or transfer monorails at the Transportation and Ticket Center. Also, sometimes the buses are shared amongst the Grand and one or two other Magic Kingdom area resorts.
Which Walt Disney World Resort is on your “must stay”, or “must avoid” list? With so many resorts, there is truly something for everyone!
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