I became obsessed with Walt Disney World resorts

[kavalkada]

The title says it all. While planning our thee day trip to Disneyland Paris next year I stumbled upon dfb on YouTube and became obsessed. I blame AJ from dfb 😀, I fell in love with her voice.
Everything was fine while I was watching just park videos. They looked lovely, but too crowded and frankly too complicated to navigate with long lines and Florida heat.
But then one day I stumbled upon Port Orleans French quarter resort video and it was love at first sight. I have seen that video dozen times already and each time I see it I am more in love.
And then I made a mistake of checking other resorts. Apart from few budget resorts, they all looked amazing. It looks like visiting different country every day.
I'm an early riser and every morning while everybody else sleeps, I am at Florida. I would like a vacation just visiting resort after resort, riding monorail and skyliner and boats, eating lovely food, resting by the pool, reading a book. I don't have to visit any of the parks. I mean, I have kids, so parks are a must, but you know what I mean.
Florida trip is for me once in a life time thing so I have plenty of time to plan and save (planning is sometimes better then the real thing).
Can anyone else relate? But me with your Disney world plans and experiences.

On the back of this thread I’ve just taken a peek at Disney resorts on YouTube, something that I’ve not done in ages. The All Star resorts looked pretty nice, I’d definitely consider staying there. When we went to Disney world it was before YouTube but you could send off for a free promotional dvd which showed all the hotels, I think we wore that out!
Op I hope you get there one day soon. Then you can move on to looking up Disney cruises! 😂

Universal resorts are good - love Sapphire Falls in particular

We've stayed at Art of Animation before and for it being a value resort the room was lovely, we had one of the Lion King suites and it was massive, one main bedroom, pull out bed in the living area, two bathrooms and two TVs, mini fridge and microwave all included. The only issue I had was that the food court was expensive and very busy especially at breakfast time. We are thinking if we go back we might try a villa though, to have a bit more variety of food options, if you stay onsite and use the Disney transportation it does limit your dining options somewhat, lots of table service places are hard to get reservations for. Now that they've stopped the Magical Express from the airport and started charging for resort parking its just as easy to pick up a hire car at the airport and do self catering.

We had a failed trip in 2020 booked and had planned a night at Universal to get the Express passes. It cost £250 for the hotel for one night, but the equivalent Express passes were over £400 so it was worth it.

When we booked our trip for this year I looked again and the same hotel now costs more than the Express passes would, so, reluctantly we're not staying there (I'd love to for ease of access, but if I'm spending £2k on a villa for 2 weeks, I don't really fancy an extra £450 in a hotel for a night).

The only thing I have against value resorts at Disney is the lack of your own outdoor space. If we're at a hotel or villa on holiday, we spend quite a lot of time chilling out on the balcony or deck. I agree the rooms look plenty big enough to stay in comfortably for 2 weeks.

In going for the third time in August 2023 and staying for the second time at Lake Buena Vista Resort. The first time we stayed at the Royal Plaza Hotel.

I prefer Lake Buena vista as you stay in a condo which has all you need and plenty of space.

It's not too far away and has a shopping complex across the road. We do hire a car though.

We went on our third, and probably last, Florida holiday in August 2022.
Never having stayed onsite we chose the Beach Club for 5 nights. It was lovely but sharing one room with a 14 and 16 year old wasn’t great!
We also stayed Club Level at Royal Pacific Resort which was very special!

I booked last month for end of this month. Trying dolphin and animal kingdom. Will do a monorail crawl to see a few more hotels and maybe a sky liner one too!

I've stayed at Art of Animation. It really is as wonderful as it looks on tv! It's one of the cheaper resorts too. Room was small but beautifully done out, we were barely there anyway.

I'm a massive Disney fan. The parks are stunning

I went to WDW for Christmas and New Year 2022. We stayed in Caribbean Beach Resort and a cars suite at Art of Animation. Both resorts were fantastic and I would go back to either in a heartbeat. Any questions just ask....also a massive Disney fan this was my 5th trip and my children's 2nd they are 17 and 14.

I've been visiting WDW in Florida regularly since 1989.
I've stayed offsite a lot but also onsite and have stayed at:
All Star Movies
All Star Sports
Art of Animation
Port Orleans French Quarter
Port Orleans Riverside
Caribbean Beach Resort
Coronado Springs
Animal Kingdom Lodge
Polynesian
Some more than once.....

Honestly....loved them all!!!
My last trip was 2015 as I've paused to get divorced, remarried, move house 3 times, have my 2 children and of course the Pandemic.
Finally going back next year and taking my lovely husband and my children for their first trip 💕

Oh that is an idea. Find a nice new husband. My poor other half did say NO MORE after our upcoming trip for my 50th (all parks in 12 months) but didn't consider that option to get more visits!

He is fine, we shall visit lots of fancy steak places and craft beer places.

I have stayed at:

Contemporary
Wilderness Lodge
Beach Club
Yacht Club
Boardwalk Inn
Grand Floridian
Caribbean Beach Resort

I spend some time on all my trips resort hopping just to have a look around so I have visited quite a few more. I think I will take the Skyliner to take a look at Pop Century and Art of Animation next trip, not sure if I want to stay there though, I have read that they have lots of large groups of college students and I think I am a bit old for that.

@Aprilx we stayed at Art of Animation for 2 nights over new year after 2 weeks at Caribbean Beach. Didn't see any college students but loads of little ones under the age of 8!! Apparently there are big cheerleading competitions in January and February and pop and all starz get booked out for those. I can imagine quite a few college students booking into the art of animation suites in spring break as there is so much room in them.
We loved the skyliner resorts made getting too and from the parks so easy!

I’ve done all the Disney Parks around the world and as much as I live the US Parks, nothing compares to Tokyo Disney. It is honestly on another level and has some of the best rides.

it’s not that much more expensive that Florida or LA so would totally recommend it.

We're going next summer staying at All Star Music. Have been several times but never stayed on site. It will be our youngest son's first time. We're also going to DLP this year staying at Sequoia Lodge. Excited isn't the word!

I totally get your obsession with Walt Disney World resorts! They have a magical allure that's hard to resist. If you're into top-notch theme parks, you should definitely check out the Top 10 Theme Parks in the United States. It's a great way to discover even more enchanting places for your next adventure. Keep the magic alive!

So I have a bit of a news. It seems like my dream is a little bit closer. If nothing changes it seems like we're going next august for two weeks and staying in Port Orleans Riverside. I can't wait.
I plan to visit at least 12 resorts while we're there.

enjoy!

We visited the 3 asia parks last month - in HK we stayed On site, Tokyo it was too much effort to book the Disney hotels at exactly 1 minute out, 3 months to go. So i got a partner hotel nearby.
China i just stayed one that was one subway stop away.

Orlando does have the best one's in terms of theming - though HK explorers hotel was lovely - very similar to Animal Kingdom but no giraffes to watch out the window this time.

in our Orlando trip we

Stayed Animal Kingdom

Visited Contempory/Poly and Grand Floridian on a monorail crawl
went into Broadwalk and Yatch club as using the busses to get back to Dolphin plus ate at both.

Also visited Riveria and caribean one when did a Skyliner trip.

Ate at Wilderness lodge when fancying a break from Magic Kingdom.

I am a a regular repeat visitor and enjoy a spot of resort hopping, but 12 resorts in one trip seems ambitious assuming you are going to the parks as ell.

I don’t know why the above was underlined, but I can’t take it off.

Thanks has made me absolutely LOL and I know just what you mean.
I spent about two years researching our two week Disney holiday which we went on in Feb. We stayed at Port Orleans Riverside.
It was absolutely beautiful (the resort - rooms are crap but apparently most rooms are there). I almost cried!
The on site restaurant was horrible for dinner tho. Bar was great with lovely cocktails
If I had my time again I would try and stay on a skyliner resort like Carribean Beach or ideally Beach Club. We loved the restaurant at Yacht Club and the location is amazing.

@kavalkada brilliant news! Port Orleans Riverside or POR is the resort we stay in every time. We love the tranquility of it after a day in the parks, the little bridges, the beautiful trees with the Spanish moss hanging down. Walking down by the river first thing to get coffee and cinnamon rolls from the Riverside Roost is a joy and the boat down to Disney Springs is just lovely.

We haven't stayed at any other resort as we were spoiled on that first "once in a lifetime" trip but have visited the others. We also do Universal and stay on site there too. It will be amazing, Tim Tracker on youtube is also another person to add to your watch list. He is American and in the parks almost daily.

August is our favourite time to go, it is hot and humid but everywhere is air conditioned and you can get free ice water in the parks. Stay hydrated, we take a stainless steel water bottle fill it half full with ice at the hotel and fill that in the park with water, we all have one. You can take a bag on pretty much every ride, even rock n roller that goes upside down.

Disney World is massive, you will walk a lot so make sure you all have comfy shoes. We all wear skecher trainers and you will get wet at some point, there are downpours and I mean downpours pretty much daily but you can see them rolling in. It is brief and will dry up in no time. We are rope droppers (early to the park) we do lunch and come back to POR to chill and nap before hitting a different park. I think the overnight temp "dropped" to about 24 so you leave the room in your shorts in the morning. I am completely jealous.

Great news!

I recommend walking to French Quarter along the river to see that resort

walking between Hollywood studios and Epcot to see Yacht/Beach and Boardwalk

checking out the monorail resorts Contemporary (walk there) monorail to Polynesian and the n can walk to Floridian

Animal Kingdom Lodge is a nice trip to break up Animal Kingdom and the sky liner resorts Caribbean Beach and Riveria

then maybe Wilderness Lodge to get the 12

quite a few of those have some really good restaurants or pleasant walks to break up the day

if you buy a resort mug as well at Riverside you can get free drinks in all the quick service hotel places so can grab a drink at them