There's Room for a 1000

Welcome everyone to another installment of Disney Magic Mondays, here at The Magical Mystery Blog.

The weeks of summer are winding down and there’s still some Disney wisdom to be given.  This week I will be covering something extremely important to all Walt Disney World vacationers.  When booking a Disney trip, you will notice that Disney World has tons of hotel options to choose from. The lodgings are categorized in to fit what you can afford.  Whether this is your first time or your tenth time, you question what hotel will provide you with the best experience. With so many options, it can be a bit overwhelming and confusing.

In my thirteen years at Disney, I've stayed at different resorts because of my curiosity. I always like to stay at new places if I go to the same place year after year. Below are my best hotels for each category.

Best Luxury Resort

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The Contemporary – with tons of rooms to choose from, you’ll be relaxing in a classy, futuristic style.  Just outside the Magic Kingdom, this hotel is ahead of its time with a ultra-modern feel sporting the iconic mouse ears everywhere you go. This was the first hotel I stayed at and it won me over with its sleek interior and unique exterior.

Restaurants – this hotel has a little bit of everything including casual dining, fine dining, character dining, quick service, and grab and go. I've always loved to dine at Chef Mickey’s for breakfast because the first meal of the day should include pancakes, bacon, more bacon, Goofy, and Minnie Mouse. Then at dinner, I loved to dine at the California Grill because nothing says vacation like devouring a steak while watching fireworks from the roof of your hotel.

Transportation – the monorail is always seen darting through this hotel and picking up passengers while shuttles wait for people just outside the entrance. The monorail stops at the other hotels in the Magic Kingdom proximity, the Transportation and Ticket Center, and the Magic Kingdom itself. You can also walk to the Magic Kingdom. 

Something special – at night you can go out onto the pool area (or from your room's window or balcony) and watch the Water Parade. Floating canopies shaped to look like aquatic dragons, Poseidon, seahorses, mermaids, and many others are bejeweled in light. This parade happens every clear night and is a treat for the eyes.  You can also see fireworks over the Magic Kingdom at night from the higher up sections of the hotel, including the California Grill.

Villas – Luxury resorts like the Contemporary, Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Animal Kingdom Lodge, and many others include villas. The villas are the crème of the crop when it comes to rooming but they are expensive ranging from $352 at the Animal Kingdom Resort to $540 at the Grand Floridian. Moderate and Value hotels do not have this option. 

Best Moderate Resort

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Port Orleans – staying in the South has never been so wonderful. This is personally my favorite hotel because it gives you two sides to choose from: The French Quarter and the Riverside. Both sides cost the same and are located in the Downtown Disney area.  The Riverside highlights the classic Southern charm while the French Quarter is a regal Mardi Gras.

Restaurants – there are no fine dining or character dining options here. However, there are food courts, lounges, in room dining, and quick service locations aplenty.

Transportation – this hotel has a little dock which you can take a boat to the Downtown Disney section. If you easily get motion sickness or have a phobia of boats, you can also take their buses to any of the parks, and Downtown Disney.

Something Special – not too long ago, some of the rooms at this moderate hotel have received an upgrade to fit royalty. For an extra hundred, the Riverside offers Royal Guest Rooms which are themed to look like a room a Disney princess would relax in. The French Quarter does not have this option because it is already themed to look like a royal Mardi Gras.

Best Value Resort

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Pop Century – staying at this hotel is like vacationing in a time capsule because you’re surrounded by pop culture from the 50s and onward. This blast from the past of a resort is rated as one of Disney’s best Value resorts due to the close proximity of the buildings, excellent bus service, great food, and overall layout.

Restaurants – this resort also has no fine dining, signature dining, or character dining. However, it does offer a food court serving up tons of delicious choices for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. You can also purchase snacks like chips, cereal, and even beer for your room. The Pop Century hotel also presents the option of in room dining where you can order pizza or whatever else your stomach craves.

Transportation – buses offer quick rides to all the parks in Walt Disney World.

Something Special – this resort also ranks as one of the largest accommodations on Disney property. There are five sections to this hotel: 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s. All the rooms, walking areas, pools, and even quick service locations are designed to fit their specific era depending on where they’re located.

All of the resorts I have mentioned include an arcade, a laundry room, and other amenities. These hotels are extremely accommodating and have a unique theme to make them stand out from other resorts. Every hotel is distinct from its food courts to its pools and everything in between.

Since next week is the last Monday of August, I will be covering something that I hope will inspire you to take a Disney trip of your own. Until then, just keep swimming.