Choosing a Walt Disney World Resort

So what’s the difference?
We are going to finish our conversation about Walt Disney World resorts with the same thought in mind that we started with. Walt Disney World is 47 square miles and is a vast entertainment complex and where you are staying will play a large part in setting the pace and even the style of your vacation. This  is especially true when considering the Animal Kingdom Resorts.

These five resorts, while accessible to all Disney destinations by bus, will find the wonder and exploration of Disney’s newest major theme park the Animal Kingdom right next door. And in the case of Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge the adventure begins right outside your balcony. Also close by and always fun is the ever popular water theme park Blizzard Beach and the upside down fun of Winter Summerland miniature golf.
So take some time to learn about these five resorts that offer a little something different at prices everyone can afford.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge

Explore the riches of Africa
This, the latest addition to Walt Disney Worlds luxury resorts was designed by Peter Dominick who gave us Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. The Animal Kingdom Lodge stands some six stories tall and overlooks 30 acres of an African wildlife preserve, which is divided into three separate savannah’s.
The savannah’s are open 24 hours a day and afford guests a unique opportunity to watch, photograph and familiarize themselves with nearly 100 grazing animals and over one hundred and twenty exotic birds. Opportunities to view the animals can be found as easily as walking onto your private balcony or from several specially designed viewing areas located throughout the resort.
Each night the savannah’s are lighted by artificial moonlight.

Disney Comments
We have stayed here on one occasion, and have enjoyed dining  at the resorts upscale restaurant, Jiko several times. This resort is beautifully themed in pure Disney style with incredible attention to detail. As you enter the lobby adorned with African artifacts and genuine tribal decorations you feel as though you have traded one continent for another. Our kids loved the zero entry pool, and Mom and I thoroughly enjoyed dining at Jiko - (which means the cooking place) and the wonderful souvenirs and unique gifts at the Zawadi Marketplace. Even if you don't plan on staying here on your next visit, take a trip over enjoy the beautiful scenery and animals or a wonderful meal at Jiko!
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Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

The drama of regions of Mexico and the American Southwest
This moderately priced resort with its blend of Northern Mexican and American Southwestern architecture and theming invites guests to follow in the footsteps of famed explorer Francisco de Coronado.
The resort complex has divided its 1,967 rooms into three regions;
The Casitas, with their colorful plazas and fountains
The Ranchos, highlighted by an arroyo, a rocky streambed.
The Cabanas, evoking the spectacular Mexican coastal regions.
This combination of two, three and four story buildings are all set around a 15-acre man made lake called Lago Dorado.

Disney Comments
We have stayed here on one occasion and have eaten both breakfast and dinner in their full service restaurant, the Maya Grill. While I left satisfied after each meal I was more impressed with this resorts Pepper Market food court. Here over 400 guests can choose from among the more than half a dozen different restaurants located in this “Open-Air Market”. Everyone’s tastes can be satisfied at an affordable price in a comfortable, convenient and relaxing atmosphere.

The knock on the Coronado Springs is that it is largely set up to service the convention business brought in by the rather extensive on site convention facilities. However,  we have never felt out of place or inconvenienced by this and in fact our family has named it our favorite Disney moderate resort. -click for more-

Disney Quality at a Value Price

Disney’s All-Star Movie Resort
Brightly colored and larger than life icons from some of your favorite Disney films will delight and entertain you at this Walt Disney World Resort.

Disney’s All-Star Music Resort
Bright Calypso colors, thirty-foot cowboy boots, an over sized neo lighted juke box, and a piano and guitar shaped pools are all part of the theme and the fun of this Disney resort.

Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort
Imagine a tennis ball can that would hold 9.5 million tennis balls or a Coke cup that would take 20 million 12-ounce cans of Coca-Cola to fill, well Disney has. These as well as other forty-foot sports icons, often taller than the buildings they adorn, are seen throughout and help to carry the theme as well as delight the senses.

Disney Comments
These three separate Disney value resorts boast a combined total of nearly 6,000 guest rooms that are themed to match their namesakes and are scattered over a rather large expanse of land. Taking into consideration the number of guest rooms, the overall layout and the fact that at each resort there is only a single bus stop and food court, grabbing a quick bite or jumping on a bus to the Magic Kingdom may not be as simply as it sounds.

A Preferred Building and Room are available at each resort and will put you closer to the bus stop, Main Hall (food court, front desk, lobby) and next to one of two main themed pools. This will cost about $10.00 more per night.

Each of the three resorts will offer a food court as the only on site dining option. A slightly greater selection of items will be found at these fast food bulk loaders than you might expect. Pizza, pasta, cheese-steak subs, tortilla wraps, steak, ribs, roasted chicken are among the selections.

Try to avoid the peak meal times if you can. The crowds, waiting and noise make it more a matter of function than enjoyment. If you’re hungry and just don’t feel like another line try the room service pizza delivery.

While the kids will certainly enjoy the larger than life theming and dad will appreciate the price you can expect to encounter some inconveniences and a less personalized service than found at Disney’s moderate or deluxe resorts. -click for more-

So, how much will this special brand of Disney Magic cost?

Animal Kingdom Lodge – Standard View
Value Season - $199.00 per night plus room tax
Regular Season - $239.00 per night plus room tax
Disney Coronado Springs Resort
Value Season $133.00 per night plus room tax
Regular Season $144.00 per night plus room tax

Disney's All-Star Movie Resort
Value Season $77.00 per night plus room tax
Regular Season $99.00 per night plus room tax

Disney's All-Star Music Resort
Value Season $77.00 per night plus room tax
Regular Season $99.00 per night plus room tax


Disney's All-Star Sports Resort
Value Season $77.00 per night plus room tax
Regular Season $99.00 per night plus room tax