What's your favorite Disney Resort hotel in FL?

**Bellatheball** · February 22nd, 2012, 11:02 PM

We're starting to plan our trip for the fall. We'll be traveling with three young kids. Last time we went, we stayed at Kidani Village which was great but a bit off of the beaten path. The one thing I have to have is a clean room/resort. I'm such a germophobe that if I see one bug or one pube somewhere, the whole week will suck a bit.

I'll take any input! Thanks.

**greysfang** · February 22nd, 2012, 11:03 PM

I've never been, but my kids have. Have a great time.

**nancydrew** · February 22nd, 2012, 11:27 PM

Grand Floridian for the rooms, Polynesian for the ambiance and monorail.

**Bellatheball** · February 25th, 2012, 12:09 AM

Nancy, thanks. I've looked at both. They're so expensive but right next to Magic Kingdom so it might be worth it even for a night or two. Thanks.

**nancydrew** · February 25th, 2012, 12:46 AM

Do you absolutely NEED to stay on site, like for the meal plan or a special rate? If not, have you considered a condo off property?

**SHELLEE** · February 25th, 2012, 02:22 PM

I would stay at the Polynesian but it is pricey. We always stay at hotels off property, it's much more cost friendly.

**Bellatheball** · February 28th, 2012, 12:37 AM

We have done Disney before and have stayed at a resort hotel (Kidani) and we have stayed off site. The point of this trip to to have a really fun family vacation so we thought it was worth the extra money to stay on site. It helps cut down on transportation time, gives us extra park hours, etc etc. I'm not sure we can swing the Polynesian for a week but we're willing to split our trip into two hotels.

**southernbelle** · February 28th, 2012, 10:27 AM

I've stayed at the Wilderness Lodge, the Polynesian, and the Carribbean Beach Resort. I haven't had any problems at any of them. I'm also a germophobe, so I totally understand your concerns. I feel the same way.

Honestly, I don't know if it was just the dark colors or the decor, but the Polynesian doesn't "look" as clean as the others, if that makes sense. I prefer a more sterile-looking hotel, with lots of light and bright colors, and the Polynesian is definitely not like that. The color scheme is darker than most Disney hotels, and a lot of the furniture and decor looks somewhat dated, even though I know it's probably intentional. So, while it is very conveniently located and has great amenities, aesthetically, I wasn't a fan.

**KrisNine** · February 28th, 2012, 10:50 AM

Bella, I think someone here planned a trip recently...maybe Lynnie. It might be somewhere here in this thread.

We're planning on going next summer and there are some good deals to stay at the properties closest to the Magic Kingdom or one of the other parks. My mom is going with us and she was looking at the deals for the safari park hotel (not sure of the parks actual name). The deals were good and the room over looked their "Serengeti"

**MohandasKGanja** · February 28th, 2012, 11:20 AM

We just came back from Disney about 9 days ago. We always stay at the cheapest on-site hotel possible because we are hardly in the hotel anyway, except to sleep. Disney All-Star is the low-budget on-site hotels, but they are perfectly clean. I think the Grand Floridian is the top of the line hotel on the property - my wife said Princess Di stayed there when she visited.

The advantages to staying at an on-Disney-property hotel - 1) you can get in certain parks at least an hour early during the "magic hours" period. This will give you at least a full hour before the other teaming hordes show up. So, you can get on rides with a lot shorter lines. And 2) parking on site will be free, which means you will save $14 a day in parking.

My wife was at a week-long seminar at the Swan & Dolphin hotel there, and I came down and stayed with her part of the week. The hotel is right next to Disney's boardwalk. And I think it's within walking distance of Epcot, and has a free ferry to Hollywod Studios. It was a pretty nice hotel with a great gym, and very nice restaurants (from inexpensive to very expensive). But it mainly does convention business.

**NoDayButToday** · February 28th, 2012, 02:31 PM

Before I lived down here I remember coming down with my family and staying at both the Caribbean Beach and the All-star resorts. Both were great. If it's a Disney property, they are going to be clean, and they are going to treat you well, and I think they all provide you with the same extra hours and shuttle options (except for the one that has the monorail stop in the hotel, that's super convenient, but you pay dearly for it). The only big differences will be in the way it looks/the comfort of the bedding and the restaurants. We always stayed at the cheaper property resorts so that we could have more money to spend in the parks.

**MohandasKGanja** · February 28th, 2012, 02:46 PM

Originally Posted by NoDayButToday

Before I lived down here I remember coming down with my family and staying at both the Caribbean Beach and the All-star resorts. Both were great. If it's a Disney property, they are going to be clean, and they are going to treat you well, and I think they all provide you with the same extra hours and shuttle options (except for the one that has the monorail stop in the hotel, that's super convenient, but you pay dearly for it). The only big differences will be in the way it looks/the comfort of the bedding and the restaurants. We always stayed at the cheaper property resorts so that we could have more money to spend in the parks.

Another interesting thing that you can consider when you stay on property is the Disney meal plan. We didn't opt for it, but if you get one, you basically don't have to worry about food while you are there. After we got back, I looked it up to see if it was worthwhile. However, it seems really complicated. You get points that let you get meals at different places, but you can also save them up to eat at a higher end restaurant. Since we were grabbing pretty simple food on the go, and were in the parks the whole time, I don't think it would have worked out for us in terms of saving money.

**CornFlakegrl** · February 28th, 2012, 03:45 PM

I used the meal plan a few years ago when we went. It was simple enough. We each got a card loaded with the meals we had pre-purchased (in our case, 2 meals and 3 snacks per day). Any of the grab and go places or cheaper cafeteria style places were straightforward - a lunch counted as one of your meals, for example. If you made a reservation at a higher end place it might use up 2 meals. They tell you when you make the reservation.

Anyway, the "snacks" were enough for us sometimes as a quick lunch and we left not having used them all. In the end I did save a lot a money.

As for hotels, we stayed at the New Orleans, French Quarter. Mid -range pricing. Very clean. I liked the size of it.. not too huge, easy to find everything, etc. It's centrally located so you are a short shuttle ride from all of the parks.

**MohandasKGanja** · February 28th, 2012, 03:57 PM

Originally Posted by CornFlakegrl

I used the meal plan a few years ago when we went. It was simple enough. We each got a card loaded with the meals we had pre-purchased (in our case, 2 meals and 3 snacks per day). Any of the grab and go places or cheaper cafeteria style places were straightforward - a lunch counted as one of your meals, for example. If you made a reservation at a higher end place it might use up 2 meals. They tell you when you make the reservation.

Anyway, the "snacks" were enough for us sometimes as a quick lunch and we left not having used them all. In the end I did save a lot a money.

As for hotels, we stayed at the New Orleans, French Quarter. Mid -range pricing. Very clean. I liked the size of it.. not too huge, easy to find everything, etc. It's centrally located so you are a short shuttle ride from all of the parks.

The only problem, though, from what I'm reading is that Disney keeps tweeking the meal plan. If you liked it a few years ago, it doesn't necessarily mean you are going to like it now. Also, they advise you that if you are going to use your cards on a high-end restaurant to book well in advance - like several months.

**NoDayButToday** · February 28th, 2012, 04:04 PM

I don't know how they actually treat the cards and if it's different than a general, non-dining-plan guest, but I know they do generally recommend reservations months in advance for any of the pricier restaurants. My parents wanted to take me to the French bistro in Epcot, which is probably one of the nicest restaurants in Disney (especially since the nice Italian restaurant is closed for remodel right now). We made a reservation 2 weeks in advance, no problem, even with adding in a special order Disney birthday cake, which I believe the French restaurant makes themselves instead of the main Disney kitchens.

Also, it isn't heavily advertised, but you don't REALLY need reservations at any of the on property restaurants, including Boardwalk/Downtown Disney. Sure, it helps and your wait is less, but they are required to have tables available just for walk ins, even at the fanciest restaurants. It is part of the whole "making every guest happy" thing.