Choosing a Disney resort is an essential part of your family’s vacation, but there are seriously SO many to choose from and the prices can vary from as much as over $1,000 per night to $50 for a campsite (not a resort obviously but an option!). While you might think, “Psh, it’s Disney. It’s all going to be magical…” there are many factors to consider when choosing where to stay, and I’m here to help you make the best choice for your family!
Location
If you already know which park you love the most and want easy access to, then choose a resort closer to that park. If you are a first-time Disney planner, try to plan out your parks by day and then choose a resort from there. My favorite park is Magic Kingdom so I naturally lean towards a resort on the monorail system or the Wilderness Lodge. *The monorail is a Disney-transportation system connecting Magic Kingdom to the Contemporary, Polynesian, Grand Floridian, and Epcot. The Wilderness Lodge is in the Magic Kingdom area but is only accessible to the park by boat.
Transportation
This kind of goes along with location, but look into how you will get to the parks each day. Can you take a bus? Monorail? Boat? Walk? A combination of these? These are all factors to consider, especially if you are traveling with children! What if you forget something in your hotel room? You want to be able to travel between parks and resorts with ease.
Price
Let me guess, you wanted to stay in a Polynesian Bungalow $$$$ but then you looked at the prices and now you think you can only afford the Pop Century $. LET ME HELP! Don’t pick a resort just because it’s cheap. You get what you pay for. While their value resorts are helpful if you are on a tight budget, I recommend waiting a little longer and saving a little more so you can get the resort you truly want. Nobody stays at the All-Star Music Resort because they really really want to.
Disney has promos to cut the price on certain resorts. For example, right now there is the “Fun & Sun” deal to save up to 25% on deluxe villas and resorts, 15% on moderate resorts, and 10% on value resorts. My family took advantage of a promo like this when we went in January. **If a promo comes up after you make the reservation, you can call and ask for the promo to be applied to your stay** This could save you up to around $100 per night on some resorts! This could take your Animal Kingdom Lodge Savanna View room (hello, giraffes and zebras out your window!!) from $519 per night to $389 per night saving 25%!
Don’t let price get you down. Plan ahead. Pick an off-season time (aka not Christmas Day). We all want to stay in a bungalow, but while we are waiting to get rich, know that you are worth a moderate to deluxe resort. The value resort life just isn’t your style.
My Picks
Polynesian Resort – It’s in the Magic Kingdom area. It feels like Hawaii, tiki torches and all. You can watch the fireworks from the soft sandy beach while eating a Dole Whip (recommended). 2 lovely hot tubs also known as lava pools. A short walk away from the Transportation and Ticket Center. A monorail comes to you. This is where we stayed in January and WOW. I really fell in love with it.
Contemporary Resort – This is the least expensive resort on the monorail in the Magic Kingdom area. I have stayed here many times, and didn’t think I could love a resort more until the Polynesian came along. Home to the beloved Chef Mickey’s. You can pick up busses from here depending on where you are going, which is really nice. For an extra splurge, you can even get a room viewing Magic Kingdom!
Wilderness Lodge – I don’t remember staying here when I was young, but just walking the property reminded me of why I love this resort. It has a beautiful northwest feel. You absolutely must take time to watch the geyser! This is the least expensive resort in the Magic Kingdom area, and the boat ride to the park is not bad at all. Just plan to wait a bit. They are adding villas to this resort this year!
*I chose not to include the Grand Floridian because it’s just a bit too high-end for my Disney taste. It’s beautiful, probably the nicest resort at Disney, but I want a more relaxed resort myself. Just a little too proper for my vacation-liking.
Future Picks
I would love to stay at the Animal Kingdom Lodge someday and be able to have giraffes out my window in the morning. How cool does that sound?? I am considering the Port Orleans Riverside for my honeymoon! The Royal Guest Rooms on the river look and sound lovely at a super affordable rate too! When I am rich and famous (LOL) I will stay in the Polynesian Bungalow and the Saratoga Springs Treehouse. Lastly, I have heard really great things about the Boardwalk. Dancing With the Stars’ Witney Carson stays there. She can afford any place she wants and she picks the Boardwalk. That must mean it’s pretty special.
