Disney Resort Overview: Where to Stay

Perks of Staying on Disney Property

1. Extra Magic Hours - there are extra magic hours every day.  Some days they are just an hour in the morning, other days they are as much as 3 hours in the evening, and some special days when it's busy you might get both (ie. 8-9am at Animal Kingdom and then 8-11pm at Hollywood Studios).  The extra magic hours are nice since they are available only to park guests, but since only certain attractions are available, sometimes it doesn't seem that the lines are significantly shorter.  I find that the morning extra magic hours often provide you with a chance to do more (and it's not as hot) because some people can't get their kids up early enough or want to sleep in while they're on vacation.
2. Free Transportation - you can actually check in to your Disney resort and unload your car, then use Disney's free monorail, bus, and boat rides for free!
3. Free Parking - even if you decide that you want to drive your car to the parks (maybe you have an early breakfast in one of the parks or you don't want to put your giant stroller on the bus) you can park your car at any park for free as long as you have your car resort pass on your windshield.
4. Packages - Disney's dining plan is available to you when you book a Disney resort room.  This is a great deal because it makes your trip pretty much "all-inclusive" so that all you are paying for is gratuities, acoholic drinks, and souvenirs. 
5. Resort Activities - most resorts have free activities for kids such as pool games or scavenger hunts and some of the resorts even offer live entertainment.
6. Pools - every Disney resort has a nice, themed pool and provides complimentary towels beside the pool.  The Moderate and Deluxe category pools also have water slides.
7. Freedom - If you have older teens who want some independence, you can rest assured that there are eyes on them wherever they go.  For example, if your kids want to go down to the pool without you, but you don't want to go, Disney's cast members have their eyes everywhere.  Or if you start your day in Animal Kingdom but plan to finish your day with dinner and fireworks at EPCOT and they want to go ahead of you, they get picked up at the park's entrance by a Disney bus and dropped off at the next park entrance.  I'd never send a 12-year-old off by himself, but when we were staying on Disney property I have allowed my 17-year-old sister to have freedom to roam the parks with my 15 and 12-year-old daughters (with their cell-phones and staying together).
8. Magical Express - free transportation from Orlando Int'l Airport.  You book your rooms or package with a Disney resort and call to let them know that you will be on flight ### on whatever airline you are flying in on.  You grab your stuff and get it to the bus, then the next time you see your bags will be in your room.  You ride the free bus (which is Disney-themed and has videos playing that get your magical spirit fired up) from the airport to your resort, check in at the front desk, and you don't ever have to rent a car! Disney's free bus/boat/monorail transportation takes over from there!
9. Package Delivery - If you purchase souvenirs, you can have them delivered directly to your room.  They generally appear the next day, so don't let go of anything you have to have the second you get back to your room. If it's the last day of your trip, you can have your purchases sent to the front of the park and pick them up when you leave.  This is very convenient if you make large or fragile purchases.

Ready for my hotel recommendations?

• For boys, check out the pirate rooms at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort @ https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/caribbean-beach-resort/rates-rooms/
• For girls, check out the "Royal Guest Rooms" (Princess and the Frog themed) rooms at Disney's Port Orleans Riverside Resort @ https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/port-orleans-resort-riverside/rates-rooms/
• If you're on a budget, and need a little extra room, try the new suites at the Art of Animation Resort.  They're perfect for families and sleep up to 6 people. 
• If you want to stay in a deluxe resort, I highly recommend the Contemporary.  The monorail travels right inside and Chef Mickey's is just an elevator ride away.  The rooms are nice (only drawback is the bathroom doesn't have a lock) and the pool isn't anything crazy special, but the convenience of the monorail being just downstairs is awesome.  The views from the Animal Kingdom Lodge are also phenomenal and the rooms are very comfortable.

Character Dining

Making your dining reservations 180 days in advance is extremely important, especially for character meals.

If you are getting close to your trip (within two months) and you want to make some dining reservations, call (407)939-3463 and tell them the dates of your trip and where you'll be spending each day.  They can often help find a match, even if you aren't able to get your first choice.  Character dining reservations often book up quickly, so don't wait! You can always cancel them or call to try and change them later if you need to!

Character dining provides your child with a chance to meet several Disney characters in one sitting and you can eat while they do it, rather than standing in lines for long periods of times and getting no refreshment out of it.  My kids ended up with more autographs in their books from dining than standing in line on our last trip and it was such a great way to do it.

Here are my thoughts on a few character dining locations:

1. Cinderella's Castle (Magic Kingdom)  While eating in Cinderella's castle provides a certain charm that no other location can duplicate, you will pay an arm and a leg to do this.  I highly recommend doing it at least once, preferably after your child is old enough to remember the delightful experience.  You pay 100% in advance (a flat rate) when you make your reservation and order off the menu (prince includes a non-alcoholic beverage).  Little princesses receive a wishing star and get to take part in an adorable "wishing ceremony."  If you can get yourself up early enough to it, I always try to make a reservation for a time before the park opens (usually in the 7:45-8:00 range) and on a day when there are not morning "Early Magic Hours" for Disney Resort guests at the Magic Kingdom.  Breakfast is the cheapest meal, you get the full character experience, and you are in the heart of Fantasyland when the park opens at 9 giving you maximum ride time in that first hour of the day before the park begins to fill up.
2. Norway's Princess Breakfast (EPCOT)Norway's Princess Breakfast is a wonderful experience, as well.  The food is an all-you-care-to-eat buffet and the princesses spend more time with you here than they do at Cinderella's Castle.  The food is good, the atmosphere is very nice, and it's very open and relaxed.
3. Chef Mickey's (Disney's Contemporary Resort) is a delightful place for a character breakfast or dinner.  The food is excellent and you get to see all of the classic Disney characters (Goofy, Minnie, Mickey, Donald, and Pluto).
4. Crystal Palace (Magic Kingdom) has excellent food and you can meet all of the classic Winnie the Pooh characters.  Sometimes your kids need a chance to sit down in the Magic Kingdom and take a break and character dining at lunch time in the Crystal Palace is a great way to convince them to slow down for a few minutes, especially if you don't plan on heading back to your hotel for a nap.
5. Hollywood and Vine (Hollywood Studios' only dining experience) is a chance for kids to meet some of their favorite Disney Junior characters at breakfast or lunch.  Currently Sofia, Handy Manny, and Jake from Jake and the Neverland Pirates are there.
6. Tusker House is the Animal Kingdom's only character dining spot and is hosted by Donald and other classic Disney characters at an all-you-can eat buffet.
7. If your little princess love Cinderella, 1900 Park Fare at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort is a fun opportunity to meet Cinderella and Prince Charming.  You might even run into a few cute mice and evil step-sisters!

Cape May Cafe (Disney's Beach Club Resort), the Garden Grill (EPCOT), Mickey's Backyard BBQ, Garden Grove (Disney's Swan Hotel), and O'Hana (Disney's Polynesian Resort) also provide fun character greeting opportunities.

Disney's Value Resorts

Disney's Value Resorts are the least expensive way to stay on Disney property (aside from popping up a tent and camping at the Fort Wilderness Campsites).  The Value Resorts are not the best place to stay and for the money ($85-$$176 depending on the season/date) they are really not as nice as a comparably priced Holiday Inn or Hilton nearby.  That being said, the perks that come with staying on Disney property are worth it as long as you are not planning to spend a lot of time in your room.  If you're going to use your room as a place to leave your things and sleep, they will be just fine.  

A few things to consider before you book a room in the Value category:

• The doors open to exterior hallways which are large and sound carries - you may not get the best night's sleep.
• The bathrooms are not as private - they are a fabric curtain that pulls in front of the sink area and then a small room with just a toilet and a shower/tub.
• Pools (but no water slides)

The Value Resorts: 

1) All Star Movies, Sports, and Music:
These 3 separate resorts all share one bus.  If you plan to use Disney's free bus transportation and you are staying at the All-Star resorts, pack your patience and get to the bus early - it could take a while!  The closest park to the All-Star resorts is the Animal Kingdom. 


2) Pop Century
This resort is themed on trends and toys from the 1950's-1990's.  The rooms at Pop Century are small, simple, and functional.  They are basic, but slightly nicer and newer than the rooms at the All-Star resorts.  Pop Century is located on the Southern part of the Disney property near the Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios.

3) Art of Animation
Disney's newest value resort has all Disney animated movie themes.  There are Lion King, Cars, and Finding Nemo suites and standard rooms that are decorated for the Little Mermaid.  I can't believe it's taken this long for Disney to theme an entire resort (and especially the rooms) after their movies and characters.  The family suites are colorful and spacious, but not luxurious. The suites have a sink, mini fridge, and microwave, but the Little Mermaid standard rooms only have mini fridges.  The Art of Animation Resort is near Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom.  Be warned that if you stay in the Little Mermaid standard rooms (the only rooms at this resort that are not suites) that they are a long walk from the bus stop.  I don't recommend those rooms for families with a stroller unless they are prepared to walk a good distance at the beginning and end of the day or they plan to drive in their own car.

Comprehensive Packing List

Rainy Day Items:

• A poncho for each person (plus one extra in case one rips and one for your stroller if you are bringing one)
• Flip-flops for avoiding splashes in the shocking number of puddles that quickly appear OR (my favorite) Crocs! Crocs are safe and comfy for walking all day (especially with socks) but dry quickly and easily if it begins to rain.
• One beach towel (for wiping strollers, arms and legs, etc. dry)
• 2 Ziploc bags - a small one for a phone and a large one for camera bag.

Sun Gear:

• Sunglasses
• Sunscreen
• Hats
• Chapstick

Most Important Items:

• Tickets or Magic Bands
• Confirmation numbers for hotels, meals, tours etc. - I usually save ours in my phone.
• Medicines: In addition to any prescription medications a member in your party needs, I always bring advil/tylenol, children's tylenol, pepto bismol, dramamine (in case of car sickness on the way there or queasiness after a big ride), midol, cough/cold medicine, and cough drops.

For the Parks:

• Pins for trading - see my tips in my post "Insider Tips"
• Pens that have a click top (characters in costumes like Goofy and Mickey often have a hard time getting caps off of pens)
• Autograph Books (believe it or not, these really aren't a waste of money - the ones they sell at the Disney parks are my favorite)
• Costumes - kids love to wear these early in the day, but be sure you bring a change of clothes in case they get sweaty or itchy and want to change out of them
• Stroller - even if your kids are borderline too old to use it, you can put your rainy day pack, cooler with water bottles, etc. in it and park it and come back for it.

For the Pool:

• Towels (if you're staying on Disney property they provide complimentary towels down by the pool, but if you're there in peak season there may not be many readily available)
• Flotation devices for young kids
• Swim diapers
• Flip-flops
• Bathing suits

Toiletries:

• Toothpaste
• Toothbrushes
• Floss
• Razor
• Shaving Cream
• Tear-free shampoo/conditioner for kids
• Shampoo
• Conditioner
• Brush
• Soap
• Deoderant
• Hand Lotion
• Aloe gel (in case that intense Florida sun sneaks past your sunscreen)
• Hand sanitizer and/or antiseptic wipes
• Make-up
• Eye make-up remover
• Facewash
• Tweezers
• Nail Clippers
• Hair Dryer
• Straight Iron

Electronics:

• Camera & battery charger
• Video camera & charger 
• Extra memory cards
• Laptop (to upload pics for sharing)
• Phone charger

Free Apps:

• Disney Parks Wait Times free
• My Disney Experience: this one is the best - it allows you to share your reservation info with anyone in your party that has a smart phone.  And it can store all of your reservation numbers. It also has wait times for each ride, including Fastpass distribution times.

Clothing:

• Pajamas
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Flip-flops
• Outfits (we pack an outfit for each day rather than just shorts, pants, and shirts - it makes matching easier, especially with young kids)
• If you are going between Halloween and St. Patrick's Day, I recommend bringing a sweatshirt, even though you may not need it.
• Socks
• Underwear
  I always have my family pack extra socks and underwear (while everything else seems to dry these never do).

For Babies:

• Diapers
• Wipes
• Diaper Rash cream
• Bottles
• Formula
• Sippy Cups
• Pack 'n Play (I was once at a hotel where they had none available and vowed never to let that happen to me again - I always recommend you bring one if you need one).

Extras:

• Soft-sided cooler for bringing water bottles, juice boxes, and snacks into the parks.  (If you have a stroller, this is a great idea.  If not, it's not worth it to tote a cooler around just to save some cash on snacks.) You can get free ice at your hotel. And you can get free cups of ice water from any counter service restaurant all day long.
• Snacks
• Drinks
• If you're staying in a hotel room and not a condo and you have a light sleeper in your group a sound machine can be a life saver! Amazon.com sells some for under $20 and you can find them at your local Wal-Mart for about that price, as well.
• Needle and thread never hurt to have on hand in case of an emergency.
• A spare bag (if you're flying) or extra room in your suitcase for the souvenirs you will inevitably buy.

Weather

Rain is your friend, not your enemy.

If you are prepared for an afternoon shower (which most of the time is a brief 45-60 minutes of actual rainfall) and you can stay in the parks rather than going back to your hotel, you will find that the lines greatly diminish when it rains at Disney. 

If you follow my packing list, the rainy day section has everything you need, but make sure that you check the forecast so you know when it's worth it to carry that rainy day bundle.

If you get caught on a rainy day and are worried about your electronic items or other miscellaneous belongings getting wet, you can ask a cast member in any retail store for a bag and they'll give you a free plastic bag to help keep your belongings dry.  

Rainy Day Items:

1. A poncho for each person (plus one extra in case one rips AND one for your stroller if you are bringing one)
2. Flip-flops for avoiding splashes in the shocking number of puddles that quickly appear OR (my favorite) Crocs! Crocs are safe and comfy for walking all day (especially with socks) but dry quickly and easily if it begins to rain.  If you can't bring yourself to carry all of those flip flops, at least throw dry socks into your bag!
3. One beach towel (for wiping strollers, arms and legs, etc. dry)
4. 2 Ziploc bags - a small one for a phone and a large one for your camera.

Where should you head in each park? Here are some suggestions:

• EPCOT is the best park to be at on a rainy day.  Almost all of their lines are covered or indoors, and they don't have outdoor rides that are forced to close because of rain.  In addition to this, the majority of the attractions on the Future World side of EPCOT are close together and easy to travel between even if it's raining.  The best places to duck indoors if it's raining are: The Land Pavilion, the Living Seas Pavilion, and the Innoventions East & West buildings.

• Animal Kingdom is not a bad choice for a rainy day either (as long as you're willing to get wet).  The animals showcased at the Kilimanjaro Safaris attraction love to come out in the rain (especially if it's been hot) and show off on a wet day.  The downside to Animal Kingdom on a wet day is that the attractions are far apart from each other.

• Hollywood Studios is okay on a rainy day, but some of the shows will be called off until the rain subsides and again the attractions tend to be farther apart.  The best area to head to in the rain is Mickey Avenue and the Streets of America where Star Tours, Voyage of the Little Mermaid, Playhouse Disney, and the Muppet 3D show are not too far apart and each allow you to spend time indoors.

• Magic Kingdom is a difficult place to tough out the rain, but if you can do it, the shorter lines will make it worthwhile.  Fantasyland and Tomorrowland have attractions that are very close together and are good places to head when it starts to rain.

Insider tip: Don't forget to wear sunscreen even on a rainy day.  When the sky is overcast, UVA and UVB rays can still get through, so although you might not get sunburn, you can still get dangerous skin spots!

Insider Tips

Here are a few of my most useful tips:

• If you're not using Magic Bands, take a picture of the back side of your tickets before you go on your trip.  This way, if by some horrible nightmare, your tickets get lost, you can head down to the ticket office at the front of any of the theme parks with the information from the back of your tickets and have them cancel the lost tickets and they can re-issue your tickets for you.
• Back up all of your contacts in your phone to your computer on the off chance it gets wet or lost.
• Upload your pictures to your computer at the end of each park day so that all of your pictures won't be lost if you lose your camera.
• Pin Trading is now very affordable! I love to buy a set of pins on ebay.com by searching "Disney pin lot" in the search box.  You can usually score 20-25 pins for about $15 or less.  This is pennies on the dollar compared to the $6-9 pin prices for buying them individually brand new.  Before the trip, I line all of the pins up in a row and line the kids all up in a row and let them take turns choosing pins until they are all gone.  They always find a pin or two they play to keep and several they look forward to trading with the many cast members who will gladly trade with them all over the Disney properties. For a kid who doesn't feel comfortable wearing their pins on a lanyard all over the parks, a hat or a purse strap can also be great ways to sport their pins for trading.
• Do not leave anything unattended in your stroller unless you are willing to lose it.  Most times, people will not mess with your belongings, but occasionally they do, and if you'd be sad to lose it (souvenirs, electronics, cute jackets, etc) don't leave them in your stroller when you head in to a ride or show.  I can't even tell you how many umbrellas I've lost on rainy days.  I no longer even bring them!
• Any Disney restaurant (not the stands that sell popcorn, ice cream, or bottled drinks) will give you free ice water even if you don't order any items that you have to pay for and it's FREE.  Florida tends to be a very hot place and the last thing Disney wants is dehydrated people walking around their parks.  Take the free ice water!  Or bring your own drink and ask for a cup of ice. 
• Disney does allow you to bring food and drinks into the parks.  You can NOT bring in any glass containers, alcohol, or hard-sided coolers into the parks.  Small-medium coolers can be packed full of sandwiches, juice boxes, bottled waters, etc. and loaded into the bottom of your stroller if you want to save a few bucks.
• Any photographer taking pictures for the PhotoPass will gladly take your picture with your own camera also.  To be courteous, allow the photographer to take your picture with his professional camera and then ask them to take a picture with your camera also. This is a part of their job and they are happy to do it.
• One way that I like to avoid saying no to souvenirs is to buy each kid a Disney gift card with a particular amount of money on it. Once their card is all used up, they can’t buy anything – it helps them learn budgeting and prevents the parent from having to say no. Instead I will say, “Well you only have 40 dollars, are you sure you want to spend 29 of it on that stuffed animal? Then you’ll only have 11 left for the rest of the trip…”  Then they can decide. Kids spend their money much more conservatively when they think of it as their own limited resource. I hate to have to say no – especially since I’m a sucker for anything Mickey! This helps me keep my spending under control, too.  You can even load a limited amount of money onto Disney gift cards at the Disney Store or disneystore.com (the website has more picture choices and gives free shipping to gift cards but give yourself plenty of time to receive them in the mail).  This lets them to choose what they want and doesn't force you to say no all day long.

Pre-Trip Advice

One of the best things you can do to prepare your children for Disney is to expose them to it. Here are a few of the ways I prepared my kids for their first trip:

1)Watch the Disney Vacation Guide Planning DVD. Contact me if you would like a copy of the DVD and some free brochures!

2)We have a smart blu-ray player that can access You-Tube attached to our TV.  I allowed my kids to watch (just a select few) full videos of rides via Undercover Tourist - you can check out their You-Tube channel @http://www.youtube.com/user/UndercoverTourist.  You could also use a smart phone, tablet, or laptop and watch full rides or shows to give your kids an idea of what to expect.

3)Watch a Disney movie each week before your big trip.  Being familiar with the characters they will encounter and see in the rides puts kids (especially young ones) at ease with the idea of meeting them in a larger-than-life version when they are overwhelmed by so many other things within the walls of the Disney theme parks.  I tried to pick the characters that I thought they would be most excited to see in person (Mickey, Little Mermaid, Cinderella, Toy Story, etc).

4)Be sure to make your dining reservations 180 days in advance.  If you book through me, I can help your decide which restaurants will be the best fit or your family.  Dining reservations are easy to change if you must, but if you arrive at the parks without reservations you will very likely be disappointed to be turned away from some fun dining experiences.  I am happy to discuss menu options and help with any special dietary needs your family has.

5)Check the park hours in advance.  Disneyworld.com generally publishes their park hours 6 months in advance and though they occasionally change, they usually do not. 

6) Know what your child is tall enough to ride. This website has a height chart for each ride in every park.  Sometimes a list like this can help you choose between which parks you will spend the majority of your time at and also help your child avoid disappointment over not being tall enough to ride something they were excited to ride. http://adisneyworld.disney.go.com/media/wdw_nextgen/CoreCatalog/WaltDisneyWorld/en_us/PDF/RidesAttractionHeightChartWaltDisneyWorld_0911.pdf