Best Hotel at Disney (home, versus, cabins)

[chopchop0]

I remember loving the Contemporary as a kid, because you could see the monorail go right through the hotel, and it was within viewing distance of space mountain.

Can't comment on how nice the rooms are now, though.

[Parrotrosie]

I can't speak for which is the best, but I can say that our stay at the Polynesian was awful. Our room had mildew, and I and my daughter have asthma. We were told there were no other rooms available and after one night in that room, we were both having breathing issues....then, suddenly, for a $100 per night upgrade, if we were willing to pay, there was a concierge level room available...we had to check out at 11, and back in at 3...it was a total disgrace. The rest of our stay was not impressive either.

[Pete C]

My favorite Disney resorts are the Epcot resorts for the atmosphere and proximity to the World Showcase. I love the look of the Yacht Club, Beach Club, and Boardwalk set around the lake. I have stayed in the Yacht Club and liked it...awesome pool area, nice rooms. Animal Kingdom Lodge is probably the most impressive single resort from a design perspective though. It has an upscale, contemporary take on African themes and architecture and a wow factor that hits you in the face the second you walk in the lobby. Some of the the best and most unique restaurants at WDW as well.

For bang for the buck though, my vote is Port Orleans French Quarter. This resort is a Moderate level, but looks almost like a deluxe with how beautiful the grounds are. The rooms are okay, but really no room at Disney is going to blow you away except at the Contemporary, however the knock there is that the feeling outside the rooms around the resort is sterile and lacking in "Disney Magic". My guess is the villas also have nice rooms, but I have never seen them so I can't comment.

You are really paying for the atmosphere of the resort, extra magic hours, and convenience of not having to use your car to get around so it feels more like a getaway from the real world.

[Mr Idealism]

We've been fortunate enough to stay at all the Disney "deluxe" resorts. That being said, I don't think any of them are any more than 4 stars, and most fall short of that. I find that the Animal Kingdom Lodge, might live up to those stars. The Grand Floridian is very nice, but I think it gets more hype than it deserves, because it is the most expensive of all the resorts. My personal preference would be the Boardwalk, due to it's theming and proximity to both Epcot, and Hollywood Studios. If you go into any of the Disney resorts thinking you'll come close to a Ritz experience, you will be severely disappointed. The Gaylord Palms down the road is cheaper than most the Disney resorts and more of a 5 star experience, as is Rosen Shingle Creek and Hilton over by Universal. I'm sure there are plenty of others in the area if you're looking for a nicer experience. Good luck and have a great time.

[Pete C]

Originally Posted by Mr Idealism

We've been fortunate enough to stay at all the Disney "deluxe" resorts. That being said, I don't think any of them are any more than 4 stars, and most fall short of that. I find that the Animal Kingdom Lodge, might live up to those stars. The Grand Floridian is very nice, but I think it gets more hype than it deserves, because it is the most expensive of all the resorts. My personal preference would be the Boardwalk, due to it's theming and proximity to both Epcot, and Hollywood Studios. If you go into any of the Disney resorts thinking you'll come close to a Ritz experience, you will be severely disappointed. The Gaylord Palms down the road is cheaper than most the Disney resorts and more of a 5 star experience, as is Rosen Shingle Creek and Hilton over by Universal. I'm sure there are plenty of others in the area if you're looking for a nicer experience. Good luck and have a great time.

The Peabody, Ritz Carlton, and Waldorf Astoria are some other top shelf hotels in the area. There might be a couple others. I wonder if they will ever build the planned Four Seasons next to Disney?

Grand Floridian does look beautiful from the exterior and lobby, and has some really nice restaurants. I had a wonderful dinner at Narcoosees recently. However, I guess the rooms and service don't live up to 5-star. Judging by the pictures the rooms look severely dated in style, even though it is supposed to be Victorian it looks overly loud. Having one of only two AAA 5-diamond restaurants in Florida helps its reputation. That restaurant does live up to all 5-stars from all reviews I have read.

[annerk]

Originally Posted by Pete C

The Peabody, Ritz Carlton, and Waldorf Astoria are some other top shelf hotels in the area. There might be a couple others. I wonder if they will ever build the planned Four Seasons next to Disney?

Grand Floridian does look beautiful from the exterior and lobby, and has some really nice restaurants. I had a wonderful dinner at Narcoosees recently. However, I guess the rooms and service don't live up to 5-star. Judging by the pictures the rooms look severely dated in style, even though it is supposed to be Victorian it looks overly loud. Having one of only two AAA 5-diamond restaurants in Florida helps its reputation. That restaurant does live up to all 5-stars from all reviews I have read.

The Grand Floridian is barely a 4 Four Diamond and a Mobil 3 Star. Most of the Disney hotels are 3-Diamond/2 Star. One hotel that should be mentioned as a top hotel in the area but seldom is is the Grand Bohemian. It's at least as nice as the Peabody, nicer than the Gaylord and Waldorf, but not quite the Ritz Carlton.

[fittj]

I used to work at the All-Star resorts. Those are the "Motel 6's" of the Disney resorts, so I'd probably not recomend those. As far as the nicest go, Grand Floridian, Swan and the Dolphin are decent.

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by annerk

The Grand Floridian is barely a 4 Four Diamond and a Mobil 3 Star. Most of the Disney hotels are 3-Diamond/2 Star. One hotel that should be mentioned as a top hotel in the area but seldom is is the Grand Bohemian. It's at least as nice as the Peabody, nicer than the Gaylord and Waldorf, but not quite the Ritz Carlton.

Yup. They have some interesting artwork and a great sunday brunch too. Definitely a hike down to the airport or disney though.

[IAm_FloridaBorn]

Now this all depends on which theme parks you want to go to, where you will be staying, what accommodations you wish to have etc.
Each Theme Park has Resorts near them so if you plan on spending a lot of time at Epcot and Hollywood studios you dont want to be at Animal Kingdom Lodge or something you get me?

Accommodations | Resort Hotels | Walt Disney World Resort

See that link?

That describes the Deluxe vs Value resorts meaning least expensive and more expensive. Now you cal click that link, and decide which resort is best and come back and I as well as others can give you a detailed review on that particular resort and possibly help you chose the best one.

For Animal Kingdom
Animal Kingdom Lodge - Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge | Walt Disney World Resort
Animal Kingdom Villas - Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - Kidani Village | Walt Disney World Resort

Magic Kingdom
Contemporary Resort - http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/bay-lake-tower- (broken link)
at-contemporary/
Polynesian Resort - Disney's Polynesian Resort | Walt Disney World Resort


Just an example of a few of the best in those areas.

[annerk]

Originally Posted by chopchop0

Yup. They have some interesting artwork and a great sunday brunch too. Definitely a hike down to the airport or disney though.

The Bohemian is much closer to the airport than Disney is. It's about 10 miles to the Bohemian versus 20-25 (depending on the hotel) to any of the Disney resorts.