My 5 Favourite Disney World Resorts
Disney World is home to 33 resorts. These resorts range in value pricing to deluxe pricing. For the differences in those costs click here. Growing up vacationing at Walt Disney World we would stay at the same resort each trip. Since I got married, my husband and I, and our family, have stayed at a wide variety of resorts found on Disney World property. All the Disney resorts are heavily themed and offer something unique. Which means certain resorts are going to appeal to some and others will interest others. There are resorts that we have stayed at over and over again, for more on that click here. Of all the Disney Resorts we have stayed at here, are my current top 5.
5. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge- Kidani Village.
Kidani Village is a DVC resort, hosting deluxe studios and villas. It’s a short walk away from its sister resort: Animal Kingdom Lodge. The resort puts guests in a safari setting, with beautiful savanna views. Giraffes, zebras, gazelles, over 30 different animal species call this resort home. Looking out the main lobby windows, you can see these animals grazing the land. There’s several animal lookouts found around the resort, and some rooms even have savanna views. Kidani Village is home to one of my favourite restaurants: Sanaa, for a full review of the restaurant click here. It also hosts Samawati Springs pool, a beautiful zero-depth entry pool, with a waterslide and fun school aged kid play area close by. Although the resort is a long ways away from three of the four theme parks. I love the quiet and escape you can find at Kidani. It allows for time away from the busy park experiences, giving some down time during a busy vacation. For a full review of Kidani Village click here.
4. Boardwalk Inn & Villas.
We’ve stayed at the Boardwalk twice, once at the villas and once at the Inn. Both sides are fantastic. The Boardwalk is situated on Crescent Lake, giving guests walkway access to both Epcot and Hollywood Studios. There’s also a boat that travels to both theme parks. The Boardwalk is set in the turn of the century Atlantic City. Bright lights, fair grounds, carnival games and street entertainers. I love staying in this area because of how close you are to the parks. I love the nighttime entertainment created at the Boardwalk. The design of the resort is bright and colourful. There are countless shops and eateries right at your fingertips. It’s a bustling, fun atmosphere. For a full review of the resort click here.
3. Saratoga Springs.
This resort has a special place in my heart because it’s our home resort. As DVC members we own a small piece of this property. For more on that click here. Saratoga Springs is a stones throw away from Disney Springs. It’s a massive resort with 6 different areas making up the resort. I love this resort for the beautiful, immaculate grounds. There are fountains on display, the landscape is crisp and clean. There are pathways and bridges connecting all the different areas of the resort. The buildings are bright and colourful, there are several pool areas to discover. Staying here feels like you’ve stepped into a summer family resort on the Eastern shore. I love staying here and creating memories with our family. We’ve enjoyed movie nights here, created magnets to take home at the Community Hall, we’ve hopped to all the pools. It’s a stunning resort that keeps us coming back.
2. Wilderness Lodge.
My 2nd favourite resort is Wilderness Lodge. Wilderness Lodge is found in the Magic Kingdom resort area. It’s a grand lodge designed after similar ones found in the Pacific Northwest. The grounds of the resort place guests in the forests of Oregon or Washington, with a beautiful creek running from the lobby out into the resort’s pool. There’s a huge geyser that explodes many times during the day and there’s bicycles you can rent to go explore the nearby Fort Wilderness resort. Wilderness Lodge has all the things I love about nature, the greenery, the water, the woodsy feel, without actually having to camp. We’ve stayed here several times. I love being so close to the Magic Kingdom without actually being in amongst the crowds. I also love the restaurant found just off the lobby, Whispering Canyon Cafe. For a full review of the resort click here.
- Beach Club Resort
The first place I ever stayed at Disney World is the Beach Club resort. This is the resort we always stayed at during our trips as a family. The last time I stayed here was back in 2009 for a runDisney race weekend. The only reason we haven’t stayed here since, it’s because it is so popular. It’s always sold out by the time we can reserve it with our DVC points. The Beach Club resort is another resort seated on Crescent Lake, across the water from Boardwalk Inn & Villas. It’s a beautiful blue building, the inside is filled with beachy items, and the lobby has a homey feel. There are lots of spots to curl up in a cozy chair or a window seat throughout the resort. The big selling feature of this resort though is its feature pool, Stormalong Bay. This incredible pool has several features, and is like its very own water park. With a lazy river, quick sand, water falls, a huge water slide and a sandbar with pails and shovels. With an incredible pool like this you won’t need to head to either of the Disney World water parks. For a full review of the resort click here.
With so many resorts to choose from, it can be hard to nail down which resort is the best option for your vacation. Hopefully taking a look at my top 5 will help you decide where to hang your hat during your Disney World trip. For more information on Disney World resorts, check out these previous posts:
Which Disney World Resorts Haven’t Reopened
Which Disney World Resorts Have Waterslides
A Non-Park Day at Art of Animation
How to get the Best Disney Vacation Deal
Top 5 Disney Resorts with the Most Restaurants
