The WaltDisneyWorld Resort Hotels Thread!

The WaltDisneyWorld Resort Hotels Thread!

Learn more about the hotels!

Hey guys,

I want to bring back this thread. I know I wanted to post all that stuff earlier, but my last month at Disney were so busy. Now I am back in Germany and I have some time to post all the other hotel pictures I have.

The Hotels in the order:

1 - Animal Kingdom Lodge Update 01/31/07

2 - Wilderness Lodge

3 - Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa

4 - Coronado Springs

5 - Port Orleans - French Quarer

6 - The Boardwalk Inn

7 - The Caribbean Beach Resort

8 - The Polynesian Resort

Okay, I want to start a new thread, where I want to tell you guys something about the different Disney Resort Hotels! I have visited a few and I want to visit them all! I will post some pictures and tell you a bit how it is there! I hope that sounds interesting for you guys! So lets start:

Animal Kingdom Lodge - 07/10/06 + 31/01/07

Karibuni (Welcome) to the Animal Kingdom Lodge, this hotel is the newest hotel at WDW. The theming is unbelievable! It looks like a hotel in the tropical savanna and you really feel like you are in africa! That is amazing! You enter the hotel and everywhere you will see the detailed artwork and artifacts from africa! When you go to the end of the hall, then you can see some giraffes or other animals of the more than 30 different species of wildlife up close in this wonderous habitat! They have 3 different viewing places where you see the animals so near! In the 2 restaurants and the 1 quickservice restaurant you´ll finde some delicious african food!

After that you can go to the pool area to relax and yes you will find a awesome place! The pool is really nice and has enough space for everyone! Or you can go to the hot tub, relax and see the giraffes walking by! Yes, there is only a fence between you and the wild animals! The best time to see them is in the evening, when it is not so hot anymore and they are coming back.

So, all in all it is a wonderful place to spend the holidays at WDW!

--Sören

Thanks for reading. Next will be Disney´s Wilderness Lodge!

You also find this guys!

The view behind the fence of the pool area!

The pool area!

Way to the pool area!

The Lobby

We made it!

Thats it, thanks again for reading!

They are so cute.

View from my room, in the morning!

mmhhhhh

Little surprise for my girl friend.

The Animal Kingdom Lodge

nice few, huh?

Anywhere there is my room!

more of the room

This is also the room

Update: here are a few NEW pictures from the AK Lodge - The room!

I've only visited a few of the hotels at WDW, but most of the ones I've visited are pretty awsome... well the newer and more expensive ones atleast.

I think I like the boarwalk to most because of its location to MGM and Epcot, and also because of the shops and entertainment on the boardwalk. It's like a mini Downtown Disney.

I guess they took the giraffes from Ak and use them at the hotel. I didn't notice any giraffes while on KS the last time.

What a cool idea Soren. I have yet to stay on Disney property overnight. Always to cheap and go home or stay at Motel 6. Maybe I can someday stay at one of them....(though no way at All-Star)

That place looks awesome! I'll post some pics later from Shades of Green, where we stayed.

Pretty good idea, Soren. I think I've stayed at just about everyone of 'em by now, so it'll be cool to check 'em off as you post.

One cool thing about Animal Kingdom Lodge is if you walk out by the Savanne at night, you can ask the cast members to view the animals with nightvision goggles, which is pretty cool....and the kids love it! The cast members are also very knowledgable about their African homeland, which made for some cool conversation the last time we stayed there.

Anyway, nice job, welcome back, and keep those pics coming.

Soren, First off it's nice to Hear that you are still alive. It's also nice that you started with AKL, because I plan to stay there come October. The lobby looks amazing and my daughter will love the animals being right next to the pool!

Erik, All Star wasn't the greatest but the rooms seemed just the same as being over at Caribbean Beach. I also like the fact I don't need to drive if staying on Disney property. The shuttle buses are so convenient when leaving the park tired. With you being a local I guess it's easier just to drive everywhere because you know where your going.

I think this is a great idea, Soren. I love staying onsite and my favorite is Port Orleans French Quarter (which I will be staying at in January). I look forward to seeing more

This is one of my FAVORITE Disney Hotels. The resturant downstairs (i think its called Jiko) has the best food ever!

I always wondered why people never posted pictures of the hotels since they are a big part of the resorts!

Hi Soren!! Thanks... I love this post! It helps feed my Disney-frenzy as we (Sammi and I) are counting down the days until our trip next month.

I definitely plan to look for you when we are there, so I will be in touch before we leave!

Glad to hear your are enjoying it!

Shari

Great thread idea Soren'! I know find myself with friends and family that have been to the parks a lot doing "Disney Hotel Tours" every once in awhile. Last Feb. my friends and I did some exploring of the Animal Kingdom Lodge. It is drop dead gorgeous! We had a blast doing a hidden mickey "safari" throughout the restort. I look forward to your reports on the other restorts.

--Eric J.

WOW that place looks AMAZING!!! I have to stay there some time! Oh and by the way, your such a pimp Soren!!!

Colin C

Hey guys,

thanks for all the nice comments! It is great that you alll like this thread! I will post more about other hotels asap! I think the next will be the Wilderness Lodge, one of my favorite hotels at WDW! I have the pictures here right now, but I don´t have enough time at the moment! I will post something tomorrow, I promise!

--Sören

^ Easily my favorite as well, Soren. Looking forward to the pics.

Great Idea!!!

The only hotel on Disney property was the Disney All Stars Sports during a school trip. It certainly was not the best, yet it was not the worst. I don't think the quality it is worth the 100 dollars a night. The room itself is equivalent to one of the motels on International Drive, except cleaner. The only thing your paying for is location and the shuttle service. I really want to stay at the Contemporary Resort. I don't know why, but the views of Magic Kingdom and the monorail just make it awesome to look at. The Polynesian I heard was very nice. I also really want to stay at either the Yact or Beach Club Resort. Just thinking about all of the slides makes me excited

Disney´s Wilderness Lodge

Hey guys,

I think it is time for another Resort Hotel from WDW. This time I picked the Wilderness Lodge, wich is my favorite hotel so far! I love the theming there! When you enter the hotel you really feel like you are in the Northeast of America or in Canada! The Lobby is so big and you will see the big fire place on the otherside. You also will finde the river, who ist starting right in the hotel and is going through the pool area to the lake behind the hotel! The flair is unbelievable! It is really a must see hotel! I am sure I will stay there anytime for a few nights!

--Sören

Thanks again for reading!

...

Some shots from the evening!

The fire place!

The lobby again!

The way back to the hotel!

The view from the lake!

There are 2 hot tubs!

They have a big fountain in the back!

Here you can see the water is going from the river to the pool!

The whole pool area!

Have I said, that the theming is amazing!

They have a nice short slide there!

... here you can see it better ...

The pool is a part of the river!

The view from the pool area to the hotel!

The whole area

The lobby is amazing!

We all went there to enjoy a day at the pool!

The view from the parking lot!

Again, nice pics, Soren. I'm not sure any pics could do that lobby justice. It's simply unreal!

Great update! ...The Wilderness Lodge looks amazing. The pool is really cool too. I have never stayed there, but next time I go to Disney I will check it out.

Again, nice pics, Soren. I'm not sure any pics could do that lobby justice. It's simply unreal!

Hey man, I walked to the front desk and asked them if it is okay for them when I am going up to make some pictures! I also asked if it is okay when I post them on my website and they said it is no problem! I mean Disney is really nice and friendly with pictures and filming (except backstage areas)!

--Sören

^I think you missed something in the translation there.

He was just saying how beautiful the lobby is and a picture cannot convey that.

^ Haha, you are right, Elissa! I am so tired and understood it wrong! The last days were so hard! I am sorry for that! I think it is really time to go to bed! Tomorrow I have to start early!

So, you are right, it is really hard to show everything in the pictures everyone has to see that by himself!

--Sören

I just noticed it (plus the geyser helped jog my memory), but was the Wilderness Lodge's desgin inspired by the awesome Old Faithful Inn out in Yellowstone National Park? It sure looks like it.

Disney just states it's modelled after "the great Northwest lodges of the late 1800's". Highly likely, though.

Soren, I'll be down there at the end of August. Might see you in one of the German shops?

I just noticed it (plus the geyser helped jog my memory), but was the Wilderness Lodge's desgin inspired by the awesome Old Faithful Inn out in Yellowstone National Park? It sure looks like it.

^ Yeah, he's right. It was inspired by the great northwestern lodges of the time.

But, as with anything else at WDW, the Imagineers created a story to go with the geyser at the hotel (which shoots off like every 15 minutes or so, I think). When you check into the hotel, you're given a "newspaper" that gives all kinds of backstories about the different things you see in and around the hotel. This can be said of just about anything on property, but they spared no expense, and went into great detail with this place. Here's a look at the paper you get at the front desk:

^ Check out the caption under the hotel pic.

So for those who are interested, gather round the fireplace, and uncle Beemer will tell you the Legend of Fire Rock Geyser

Anyway, just a couple things about this place. First, it's by far my favorite hotel at WDW....and maybe the whole country for that matter. Given the size of the place, it's amazing how you feel sort of "disconnected" from the rest of WDW while you're there. Not to take anything away from the other hotels, but that's a refreshing change of pace. The trails around the grounds are nice and relaxing (they even rent bikes to ride around), and the pool is the most scenic of all of the WDW hotels.

Finally, that lobby is amazing. The stream that runs all the way to the pool (which Soren showed) actually starts inside the lobby. There's a small bridge over it where you can get some great pics. I know Chip and Dale used to frequent this area in the mornings, which in turn, obviously makes it "Elissa-friendly". And the fire place is a great area to sit around at night, especially during the cooler december nights when the placed is decked out with Christmas decorations.....which reminds me, this is the best time to visit. The Christmas tree they bring in is enoromous, and it really looks great.

Anyway, sorry to carry on about Wilderness Lodge, but I just think it's the best example of a WDW hotel you can find. And on a sidenote, no worries, Soren.

Awww, Wilderness was so nice. My room even had a nice little private lake. Too bad I only stayed there one night.

WL is my favourite resort of all-time, hands-down. The rest of my family says AKL... nah. Give me the Great Northwest anytime.