Tag: Resort

Disney Resort Reviews – Everything We’ve Learned About Resorts On and Off Property!

by Guide4WDW

by: guide4wdw – Collin

Disney World Resort Tips – Everything We’ve Learned About Resorts On and Off Property!  

Walt Disney World Resorts are unique in so many different ways, and I’d be lying if I ever said anything truly compares directly to a Disney owned and operated resort. There are hundreds of hotels across the country but very little compares directly to the theming and all around experience of staying on Disney property. At the same time, there are a select few benefits of staying both on and off property and often times meeting your needs and budget can and will occasionally sway you in one direction or the other. 

Personally, we’ve stayed at many different resorts both on and off property for various reasons and while this is a growing and ever changing list, our goal is to provide you with our thoughts and tips for each and every resort we’ve stayed in over the years. Why? Our goal here from the beginning has been to help you enjoy a better Disney vacation and to provide a resource for making that dream vacation a reality. For those of you who have been to the parks time and time again, we hope that our thoughts and recommendations help you find something new to enjoy on property. Disney is always changing and part of the joy of the overall Disney experience is finding something new each and every trip down.


On Property Walt Disney World Resorts  

As I touched on above, on-property resorts are always going to be the better option (in my opinion) if it fits your budget. Obviously it’s not going to be the same prices you’ll find at a Days In or something of the sort, but when compared to other resort style accommodations Disney resorts don’t tend to be all that more expensive than a Hilton, Hyatt, or other equivalent resort. Additionally, on-property resorts feature excellent transportation at no additional charge that is superior to every other off site transportation option (even including Uber and Lyft – which are our top pick when staying “off-property”).  

Here’s a Closer Look At Our Tips For Resorts:

Many resorts on property we’ve stayed in but others we’ve only visited with friends or family. As with anything, staying there really is the true test but we’ll share a few thoughts on resorts we’ve visited along the way as well as reviewing a select few in greater depth!  Unfortunately, I am a creature of habit but it’s always been and likely always will be a goal to continue branching out and trying new things on consecutive trips to the parks and resorts. A few of the resorts we’ve stayed in recently can be found below and while we’ve stayed in many more on property resorts, we wont review those until we revisit them and capture a better and more detailed perspective of their current state.  
  

While resort reviews are great, Disney has done a pretty great job describing everything you can expect to find at the resorts on their site. So, rather than reviewing every resort in great detail I want to share a few thoughts and tips on how to make the best decision for your given needs and wants of your vacation experience. Plus, we’ll take a look at a how to secure those tough to get reservations and a few things to consider along the way.  

These tips really only scratch the surface of all that we’ve covered here on the site, so be sure to check out our other pages up at the top of the page and don’t forget about our search bar to find something you may be looking for specifically! 

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Off Property Disney World Area Resorts  

Truthfully, in the past we’ve always tried to avoid off property resorts if we can avoid them mostly because they tend to complicate the Disney experience and pull a little something away from the feel of the overall WDW vacation experience. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with off property resorts (and we’ve stayed in a few along the way), but to me it feels like you miss a bit of the encompassing experience you get staying at on-property resorts. If I did have to pick one “off-property” recommendation it would be the Double Tree Near Disney Springs because I’ve stayed there quite a few times and it always meets or exceeds expectations. Additionally, the hotel isn’t really “off-property.” It’s so close to Disney Springs that you can walk to it fairly easily, and on top of that it actually sits within the welcoming Disney gates near South Apopka Vineland Road on Hotel Plaza Boulevard.

Off property hotels and resorts are, in my simplest explanation, different. You’re no longer in that Disney bubble, and you’re not surrounded by those Disney cast members that often make all the difference in making you feel completely at home no matter where you’re from. That seemingly simple difference combined with the grand theming and beautiful nature of the Disney resorts tends to set the experience apart from all other vacation destinations. 

I mention all of this for one main reason and that is to share with prospective guests that while staying off property can be more budget friendly (not always for various reasons), the slight bit extra you tend to pay tends to be worth it in the grand scheme of things. By all means, if the only way you can make ends meet to make your way to Walt Disney World is staying off property, by all means stay off property! It’s not the end of the world, but being aware of what you give up and how you can avoid it if your budget allows is a huge part of the planning process. 


As we continue writing here on the site, we’ll likely share a few more off-property resort reviews and tips, and this is where we’ll add them in, but for now I’m goin to leave you with that one recommendation. If you want to learn more about it, head on over to our full post about the Double Tree below: 


Wrapping Up

I’m a firm believer that resorts are a huge part of your Disney vacation. I know many feel like a resort is simply a place to rest before your next day in the parks, and for many that works! However, to me it’s so much more than that. We’ve had the pleasure over the years of staying in many different Disney resorts (far more than are listed above simply because it was long before we started the site) and I’d be lying if I said it didn’t make a difference.


A great resort can wrap you in theming and truly transport you to a different place and a different time in a way that is very difficult to explain. As an example, I’ve always been a huge fan of Wilderness Lodge. It’s a resort that changes your expectations for hotels and has such a “wow factor” that it sets the standard for all other resorts. Obviously, I’m a little bias towards Disney but I firmly believe that Disney resorts are different than all the rest. The theming is in every little detail and at the same time they find a way to put you in the story in a way that no other company has quite accomplished on such a grand scale. When you step into a resort like Wilderness Lodge or even the Boardwalk, you dont step into a theme, but rather you feel like you’re there and living the story the resort portrays as if it’s been there for generations and you’re in that place the resort depicts. You’re not going to find that off property. 
Want to work with us here on the site or in the photography realm? Shoot me a message on social media anytime or email me directly at guide4wdw@gmail.com. We’re always looking for sponsors and new opportunities. If you ever have questions during your vacation planning or anything else feel free to message me there as well and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible! 

Your Thoughts


As always, if you have thoughts, concerns, questions, or even some tips of your own to share, don’t hesitate to reach out to us on Facebook or your favorite social media platform. Give us a follow while you’re there, and we’ll keep the conversation going in the future. We’re not the largest Disney community, but we’re one that’s there and one that listens. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day wherever you are!


Need a Travel Planner?


If you want or simply need a little bit of planning help to make your Disney vacation dream a reality, check out the quote request form below this article for our friends over at Destinations to Travel. They’ll let you do as much or as little of the planning as you’d like and may even save you some money along the way! As always, thanks for supporting those who support us.



Ready to Plan?


Last but certainly not least, if you’re starting the planning process, a great place to start are with some of our top planning articles! Looking for dining? Check out Disney World Dining Tips For 2018. Want to start with some more tips? 44 Excellent Disney World Tips for 2018 or Disney World Planning Guide and Tips For 2018 are a great place to begin! Looking to save money on tickets? Check out our friends over at The Official Ticket Center for great deals that even made it into our 2018 Discount Disney World Ticket selections and another great way to help us create more content through your contributions at no additional cost to you! You’ll probably even save money along the way.

Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter or Riverside? – A Closer Look

by Guide4WDW

by: guide4wdw – Collin

Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter or Riverside? – “A Closer Look”

Today’s topic is one that pops up almost weekly on social media and one that I even get asked directly from time to time and typically give the same answer. However, what I choose is oftentimes what works for me and the people I travel with and may vary from what is best for you. So, today I’m going try and hold off on a final “verdict” until the very end of the article as to not try and sway you one way or the other without first considering a variety of factors.

Honestly, in the realm of moderate tier resorts at Walt Disney World, Port Orleans is one of the most overlooked properties in my opinion. The property is excellent, and while there are  a few slight qualms to the overall guest experience that set it apart from feeling quite like deluxe resort (for obvious reasons), I like to put these two properties in what I like to call a “moderate+” category. It’s a term that is completely and utterly made up, but at the same time I see incredibly fitting for the property as a whole. Both sections of the overall resort area bring a lot to the table in the areas of dining offerings, transportation, and even resort recreation. On top of that, the layout lends itself to a better guest experience in comparison to some of the other moderate tier accommodations. 

Riverside
(Pictured: Riverside – Photo: Disney)


In my option, there is no one best resort for each guest or family traveling to the parks. It’s an impossible task to try and peg that ultimate “one stop shop resort” that is going to have everything that meets your needs. Price is inevitably going to be a big factor for many guests, and Port Orleans as a whole falls into what I would call the “affordable” category at around $200-$250 per night currently. It’s not a budget buster for a majority of guests, but at the same time it’s not going to be quite as budget friendly as the value tier in most cases. At the same time though, if you book it on a bounceback offer as we mentioned in our Disney World Discount – How We Saved 27% With One Phone Call article, it may fall in price to the point where it may work out for even the tightest of budgets.

If you’re looking at both resorts from a cost standpoint and trying to choose one that way, you’re typically only going to save a few dollars and the resort that typically remains cheaper is almost always a toss up. Personally, I’ve seen French Quarter listed at a more budget friendly rate recently when their is not a big discount offer available.

For example, consider the discount currently available for Summer 2018. If you book a room for July 22nd the cost is $252.00 for Riverside and $252.90 for French Quarter. There’s very little difference in price but our friends over at Destinations to Travel could weigh the options for your particular dates. As always, you’ll find a quote request form for them at the bottom of the page and thanks for supporting those who help support us.  

If you are considering staying at one of these two resorts, here’s what I recommend you consider before price, mostly because price tends to be a fairly negligible difference. I will pick a winner for each category simply to give an idea of why I prefer one over the other for each category.

Theming- My Pick – Port Orleans Riverside

Truth be told, I literally just typed French Quarter, then deleted it and wrote in Riverside. This one really is a bit of a toss up, but I’ll tell you the one main reason I chose Port Orleans Riverside for theming. When you walk in that resort and out of the main lobby to the waterfront area with the big mill wheel rotating and the water glistening with the reflection of the main building, it’s one of the few moments out of all the moderate resorts that makes you step back and think “wow, that’s incredible.” Sure, you have similar moments as you walk out to the main pool of Caribbean Beach, and maybe even walking past one of the towering statues at a value resort like Pop Century, but this is different. That “wow” moment  is developed by an incredibly subtle yet largely classic and inspiring elegance that really sets the stage for the resort experience.

As guests, we all tend to talk about this “transformative experience” we get to enjoy at Disney. The parks transform your state of mind and put you into your favorite film, or even into a location that you’ve always dreamed of visiting, and for a brief moment you’re there! Sure, you’re not in New Orleans, but for many of us it’s about as close as we may come and even if it’s not a perfect iteration of the original, it’s an excellent ambiance nonetheless.

To me, the edge goes to Riverside for that view in it’s entirety, because in all reality, the two resorts are quite similar in regard to the resort room interiors. Riverside rooms are bit brighter with lighter wood accents and slightly different decor but the furnishings and set up are near identical with one main exception. At Port Orleans Riverside, you do get a child size pull down bed in non-royal rooms. It’s a nice bonus to squeeze another person into a room that would typically only accommodate four guests.

Port Orleans Riverside does offer, as mentioned, what are called royal rooms. The rooms themselves are different in that they feature touches of princess decor and a more elaborate theming than other rooms on the property. It kind of feels like a toned down version of staying in Cinderellas Castle, albeit a much less luxurious version. It is a fun option for kids or those of us who are kids at heart, but to me it seems like a bit much and is quite difficult to justify the $30-$70 increase in nightly pricing.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with French Quarters theming, and the lobby of the resort is quite impressive as well, but in many ways the “wow factor” is more subdued, but for what it lacks slightly in “wow factor” of design, it more than makes up for in “wow factor” for beignets! More on that later!      
         

Transportation- My Pick – French Quarter (marginally)

Transportation is impossible to pick a “winner” for a few reasons. First, they share busses sometimes and either way you’re going to be riding a bus to all four parks. However, what’s nice about French Quarter is that the bus stop is literally a few steps away from the main lobby and dining location Floatworks. Due to the smaller size of the property at French Quarter, a majority of rooms will be a shorter walk to the bus. It isn’t a make or break difference, but even a few steps could make a difference. Additionally, both resorts offer boat transportation to Disney Springs which is an excellent option for guests looking for a greater variety of shopping and dining offerings without having to ride yet another bus. French Quarter is the shorter boat ride to Disney Springs by about 7-10 minutes, but either way it’s a pretty relaxed and enjoyable ride to Disney Springs with some incredible views along the way. 
Port Orleans boat dock
Be aware, these are boats that are a fair amount smaller than the Friendship boats over in the Epcot resort area, and also a different style than the boats of the Magic Kingdom resort area. I’ve never heard a reason why, but this watercraft transportation uses a pontoon-esque boat to transport guests. For most, it makes very little difference, but as you sit still at the docks, the rocking motion of the boat when it is not in movement is a bit more noticeable.           

Size- My Pick – French Quarter (without a doubt) 

This is and was the deciding factor for us time and time again. Port Orleans French Quarter features just over 1,000 guest rooms. Riverside is home to well over 2,000 guests rooms. That variation in and of itself makes a huge difference in the scale of the resort. In turn, Riverside is much more spread out. It’s not quite as spread out as Caribbean Beach or Coronado Springs, but it is a noticeably longer walk from various points of Riverside to common areas and the main pool when compared to French Quarter.

For our vacations, that makes all the difference. We’re known for running to the resort food area to grab a snack on the way back to the room at night or to catch a meal by the pool and the convenience factor really starts to come into play if you plan on using the common areas of the resort to their full extent. If you’re just going to the parks and not spending much time at the resort, I wouldn’t worry about this too much because it may not effect you all that much in the end result.

Dining- My Pick – French Quarter 

Some of you may find this a bit odd, but I vastly prefer the food at French Quarter compared to Riverside. In all fairness, Floatworks at French quarter is perhaps my favorite counter service restaurant on property for a few reasons. First and foremost, they offer large meals at reasonable prices by Disney standards. The menu is massive and with 5 different “shops,” each featuring a different set of food offerings, it’s hard to go wrong. Between the Po’ Boy shop with it’s catfish and shrimp sandwiches to the carving shop with an array of meats, chickens, and even a create your own option it’s truly a must do for us on nearly any vacation.

Perhaps the kicker to it all is the Beignets. These little fluffy pillows have an almost donut like consistency to them with a slight crossover flavor to the funnel cake world. It’s a French Quarter icon of Walt Disney World and genuinely near the top of my must-try desserts list for prospective guests.

Beyond the food itself, French Quarter’s food court area is a bit more quaint in nature and seems more open and welcoming in my opinion. There’s nothing wrong with the Riverside Food Court and it is quite a bit better than some food courts on property but it is rather large and when it is crowded it’s an entirely different atmosphere than Floatworks.

Beignets at French Quarter WDW

On the other hand, the location’s size could work in your favor when looking for a table, but in my experience that is sort of a non-issue. As far as Table service goes, there is only one table service option and that is over at Port Orleans Riverside and is Boatwright’s Dining Hall. Truthfully I’ve never taken the time to go over there and try it out. I have heard good things about the food offered and the quality of the experience, but to me it seems like a place I’d go on a rainy day if I didn’t want to leave the resort. It’s not particularly special, but not bad in any regard. The atmosphere is pretty unique but it’s not something that will blow you away. All things considered, if table service is a big thing for you, jump on a boat and ride to Disney Springs for a larger variety of offerings and this becomes sort of a non-factor for most guests.

Perhaps one of the most iconic experiences in all of Walt Disney World is housed over at Riverside, Yehaa Bob. His performances at the River Roost lounge have become a truly hidden gem of the Port Orleans Riverside experience and are something I’ve been trying to make time for during our next trip. His piano and singing performance gets the audience involved in a show that is unlike any other. Just be aware that he is not there every night so be sure to check before making the journey over or planning a night for the show.                  

Pools- My Pick – Riverside 

Riverside’s pool takes the win here for a few reasons. First, it’s larger. Second, it’s more elaborately themed. Third, the French Quarter Pool feels a bit outdated to me. There’s nothing wrong with the elaborate serpent type dragon slide and decor of French Quarter but the pool is fairly small in comparison to other resorts. The location of the pool at Port Orleans French Quarter is excellent in that you are literally a two minute walk to the food area and mug refill station, so that’s a big bonus in my book. 
Riversides Pool is fashioned to look like an old swimming hole and it’s classic nature is incredibly fitting to the look and feel of the overall resort. It puts you “into the story” in a way that French Quarter’s pool really seems to lack. 
A more unique selling point of Riverside is a legitimate fishing area that allows guests to fish in a catch and release manner. It’s one of those little elements that builds story around the experience, and while they didn’t have to add it in, it makes all the difference in a distinctly Disney manner. 

My Overall Pick – French Quarter    

To many this may be a surprise but here’s the thing… When we travel to Disney we do so for two main reasons. We travel to enjoy the parks, or to enjoy the resorts. For longer trips we tend to split up the time pretty evenly, but for shorter trips we devote a majority of our time to the parks. Either way, this resort fits our needs. It’s exciting enough and there’s enough to do at the resort that we could spend a good amount of time there, but if we want to spend a lot of time in the parks, the cost is low enough that you don’t feel bad about missing out on some of what the resort has to offer. As always, we recommend a deluxe resort instead, especially if budget is not a problem. If you want to spend some time exploring and enjoying your resort in depth, my top pick is Wilderness Lodge. If you want to go all out, try Club Level at Wilderness Lodge. However, if you want to stay at a fairly budget friendly resort with the best bang for your buck on property, I certainly suggest French Quarter. If you’re looking at the moderate tier, this is my pick hands down. It’s better than Caribbean Beach in many ways (and we’ve likely stayed at Caribbean Beach more than any other resort as a result of the low prices quite a few years ago), and while that resort is a great experience this one far outweighs it in the realm of “luxury” and comfort for a few extra dollars a night (at least until Caribbean Beach construction is completed).
Wilderness Lodge
(Pictured: Wilderness Lodge)
Your Thoughts

As always, if you have thoughts, concerns, questions, or even some tips of your own to share, don’t hesitate to reach out to us on Facebook or your favorite social media platform. Give us a follow while you’re there, and we’ll keep the conversation going in the future. We’re not the largest Disney community, but we’re one that’s there and one that listens. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day wherever you are! 

Ready to Plan?


Last but certainly not least, if you’re starting the planning process, a great place to start are with some of our top planning articles! Looking for dining? Check out Disney World Dining Tips For 2018. Want to start with some more tips? 44 Excellent Disney World Tips for 2018 or Disney World Planning Guide and Tips For 2018 are a great place to begin! Looking to save money on tickets? Check out our friends over at The Official Ticket Center for great deals that even made it into our 2018 Discount Disney World Ticket selections and another great way to help us create more content through your contributions at no additional cost to you! You’ll probably even save money along the way.

Off-Property At Disney World: What to Consider and Why

by Guide4WDW

by: guide4wdw – Collin

When you go to plan a Disney vacation, there’s a few questions that immediately pop into mind. First and foremost, you think about resort accommodations or tickets. Tickets, and the best deals on tickets we’ve found we recently covered in our Disney World Tickets 2018 article, but one topic we haven’t devoted a full article to quite yet is staying off property and what to consider in that process. 

Personally, many of you know that I don’t recommend staying off property if you can avoid it and there’s a few good reasons why. The first and biggest reason is hidden costs, but we’ll get to that farther into the article. For me, the loss in experience isn’t worth the tradeoff. Many will say that isn’t necessarily the case, but if you ask a majority of guests who have stayed both ways, the preference is vastly “on property” accommodations. While I can always simply state that up front, it’s easier to understand why if I break it down and share a few things you’ll want to consider before making the leap to stay off property for various reasons. 


If you’re looking for on property information, which is our typical strong points int he real of information, you may want to take a look at our Three Vastly Underrated Walt Disney World Resorts You May Want to Consider for Your Next Vacation – A Few Thoughts or Our Top Disney World Resorts For Adults (and kids). 

Hidden Costs
When you book off property, it’s easy to be drawn in by low costs and impressive accommodations for the money, but what many do not realize are the hidden costs of their stay. For example, if you stay at the Double Tree near Disney Springs, the cost is pretty comparable to a value resort at face price but once you add in a $10 parking fee per night at your resort and the additional set back of transportation to and from the airport if you are not driving or renting a car, you get fairly close to the equivalent cost of a Disney moderate tier resort. Additionally, at many of the more “resort style” accommodations like the Waldorf Astoria or JW Marriott, you incur a second nightly “resort fee” that many chains will hide or keep in fine print during the booking process. Sometimes the cost of this non-optional add-on alone can be near $40 per night and can be a huge shock at check in or at the final step of the booking process. I wont say that all resorts in the area feature these hidden costs but many do so it’s something you’ll want to be aware of when looking into the various costs of a vacation.     

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Theming Loss
As a somewhat non-measurable difference, when you stay off property you lose a little bit of that Disney magic that comes with a well themed and vastly impressive attention to detail that each of the on property resorts bring to the table. I’m obviously a sucker for the little details of an experience, but it truly makes a big difference in the overall stay and true Disney experience. Staying off property is a great option if you’re looking to try Seaworld, Discovery Cove, or even Universal, but you can always stay at Disney resorts and take advantage of the Disney theming while still venturing over to those parks. I understand theming sounds like a vague difference but give Disney property resorts a chance and book at discounted rates and you’ll be surprised at how different the experience can be. I’ve tired both many times and short of staying for a very long duration of time, staying on property is really the way to go in order to achieve that “Disney Bubble” feel that everyone talks about upon returning home.         


Transportation and Parking
As touched on above, transportation from the airport to your resort, or even transportation from your resort to the parks can be very expensive and easily overlooked. On property, Disney provides free airport transportation via the Magical Express service and free transportation to the parks for all guests at resorts. It’s free, it’s worry free (most of the time) and you don’t have to deal with the ridiculously expensive parking fees at the Disney parks each day of your stay. Even if you do want to drive to the parks on your own, resort guests are given free parking! In that regard, you can save $100+ over a week long stay and even more for longer stays. 

Many off-site hotels offer a free shuttle service to Disney but what many of them don’t tell you is that the shuttle does not run all day and that when it does run it will be stopping at  a whole series of resorts along the way. Additionally, if you’re headed to Magic Kingdom, you’ll get dropped off at the Transportation and Ticket Center and then sent to a monorail or ferry (with many other guests driving to the parks) to arrive at the gates of Magic Kingdom. It’s not the end of the world but isn’t the most convenient option, especially if you can utilize Disney transportation and stay on property at about the same overall cost.            


There’s never an ideal resort accommodation for everyone and finding what works best for you is one of the joys of a Walt Disney World vacation. Additionally, your situations isn’t going to be the same as everyone else so what ever gets you to the parks is always a win in my book. 

Your Thoughts

As always, if you have thoughts, concerns, questions, or even some tips of your own to share, don’t hesitate to reach out to us on Facebook or you favorite social media platform. Give us a follow while you’re there and we’ll keep the conversation going in the future. We’re not the largest Disney community, but we’re one that’s there and one that listens. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day wherever you are! 

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Ready to Plan?
Need help planning your vacation? Let our friends over at Destinations to Travel (FREE – no obligation quote request form below) help you out at no additional cost to you! Their services are free and a great way for you to help out the site at no extra cost to you! 
Last but certainly not least, if you’re starting the planning process, a great place to start are with some of our top planning articles! Looking for dining? Check out Disney World Dining Tips For 2018. Want to start with some more tips, 44 Excellent Disney World Tips for 2018 or Disney World Planning Guide and Tips For 2018 are a great place to begin! Looking to save money on tickets, check out our friends over at The Official Ticket Center for great deals that even made it into our 2018 Discount Disney World Ticket selections!


Are Disney World Club Level Accommodations Worth It?

by Guide4WDW

by: guide4wdw – Collin

Are Disney World Club Level Accommodations Worth It?  


Sometimes when you’re booking a Disney vacation, things just really start to lineup and that was exactly the case when we had the opportunity to experience Club Level at the Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. When you mention that particular option of a Disney vacation to most guests the first question they ask is, “Was it worth it?” Well, here’s our answer to that question. 

Disney Club Level Benefits Depend on How You Travel  


First and foremost, there is no straightforward answer to that question because it really varies depending on how you like to travel and the plans you have for your vacation. For us, it was an incredible experience with a lot of incredible perks, but it’s not something we would (or could) do on every trip. 

In our particular circumstance we were looking for a place that would accommodate 4 guests while having a divided partition between rooms (one person in our group snores so it’s great to have that extra rollout to create some space to get some sleep in “peace”). Originally, we had plans to spend the week at one of our favorite resorts, Saratoga Springs. Fortunately, as we searched the Disney site day after day we stumbled into a deluxe room at Wilderness Lodge with Club Level accommodations. Notice the phrasing as “with club level accommodations,” because we’ll explain that later. In most cases at Walt Disney World, deluxe is actually a resort tier category rather than a room type, but at the Wilderness Lodge this is essentially Disney phrasing for “junior suite.” 


The room itself was great, but the club level access simply came as a perk to our overall experience. To be completely honest, it was one of the best experiences we’ve had at a Walt Disney World resort. 

We had in fact stayed at Wilderness Lodge a few times before and it is certainly one of our top favorite deluxe tier resorts. Fortunately, this time was a bit different than all of the other great experiences. 

For another WDW resort you may be looking into, be sure to check out our Disney’s Boardwalk Resort – An Excellent Resort Theme and Location article. 

Is the Cost of Club Level Worth It?


So, let’s take a look at Club Level. On a typical rate structure, the concierge or “club level” floor is around $100-$150 more than a standard room per night. Many guests hear that figure and shy away from the accommodation option altogether. Yes, it is certainly expensive, but at the same time the charge varies and oftentimes these rooms are included in discounted rate offers. Also, as in our case, they do (in a few select cases) come with additional space in the room itself. 

(view from club level dining area during a tornado watch: notice how the Magic Kingdom ferry boat was briefly relocated to Bay Lake!)

A typical club level room is no different than a standard room found throughout the rest of the resort. However, as mentioned, there are a select few deluxe rooms that accommodate larger party sizes. Personally, if I were to book club level again, this is what I would reserve. The accommodations can cover 6 guests in the deluxe rooms and as a result is much more price conscious. When booking a room for that many guests comfortably, you typically have to book two rooms or reserve a villa. Sadly, the one bedroom villas only accommodate 4 guests  (in most cases), so a two bedroom is required. When you take these things into consideration, the club level option is much more reasonable in price, plus you receive the following benefits. 

Specially Prepared Snacks 


While the offerings do vary from resort to resort based on the theming of the particular location, at the Wilderness Lodge you get access to what is called the Old Faithful Club. The concierge exclusive seating and dining area is located on the 7th floor overlooking the main lobby of the Wilderness Lodge below. The seating is incredibly comfortable, the snacks (which are prepared at select times throughout the day starting at breakfast and debuting all the way through late night desserts) are quite tasty and exclusive to the club, and the views are second to none. Including both picturesque angles of the property and the Magic Kingdom. 


The snack “menu” for each day and each window of dining varies each and every timeframe. To partake in the dining aspect of the experience, simply head into the club dining set up area (when it is open) and select what you would like to eat from a spread of a small variety of themed and tasty treats. Along with the food, an assortment of alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages are available in an unlimited capacity (drinks are also available by request when the dining area is not open). After picking up your snack meal, head to the seating area overlooking the resort’s lobby from high above, watch some TV on one of the large screen tv options (one for adults and one for kids), or head out to the club balcony for a glance over at the Magic Kingdom in the distance. 

The Views From Club Level Are Incredible!  


Beyond the food, Club Level offers some of the very best views out of the entire resort. A majority of the views are from the 7th floor, but the deluxe category suite style rooms are uniquely placed near the corners of the club level wing stacked in the corner of the resorts layout simply due to the space required for the larger accommodations (hence the wording above “with club level accommodations,” not guaranteed on club level for deluxe rooms). Either way, you’re guaranteed one of the best views of the property. In our own personal case, we secured a room on the corner of the second floor overlooking the boat dock. It was a unique treat to wake up each morning and head out on the balcony to see the sun shining off the lake and the boats preparing for the day. 


Beyond the in-room views, the club where the food and drinks are located has it’s own private balcony for fireworks viewing over the Magic Kingdom. Personally, this was a highlight of my Club Level experience. At night you simply grabbed a dessert headed to the balcony and stood there with possibly 2 or 3 other people max and enjoyed a semi-private viewing of Happily Ever After. The music is piped in, the balcony is shielded a bit from inclement weather, and the experience is truly hard to put into words. 

Disney Club Level Cast Members Are Excellent! 


At Disney you always expect the best cast member experiences, but Club Level takes that a step further. The staff working this level are the best of the best Disney has to offer, quite literally. They essentially volunteer for the position, but must be considered and qualified in order to be transferred. It’s amazing what these cast are willing to do to make your experience perfect or as near perfect as it can be. Upon check in you are given a number to text if you have any requests and they will bring it to the door or find a way to fix the issue at hand. One night we missed the dessert timeframe and simply asked (expecting it wouldn’t happen) if they could send something small to our room. When we arrived later that night, we walked in to a custom made box of treats. The box featured one of everything offered that night for each guest in our party and truly blew away our expectations. 


The Private Concierge Could Be A Great Bonus For Some 


As you would expect, the concierge floor offers guests the option to use a concierge during their trip. In our experience, we were called by the resort about a month before our stay and asked if we had any special requests or if they could help us with dining reservations or anything else. Being the over-planners that we are we didn’t use the service, but it was great that it was offered. While at the resort, the concierge staff greets you and checks you in at a private location on the club floor while bringing you any variety of drinks or snacks available at that time. Throughout your stay, if you ever had any questions someone is nearly always at the desk and ready to help. We used the service once to secure a reservation for a last minute dining reservation at Epcot on the Fourth of July. They were quite helpful and incredibly knowledgable of menus and gave truly honest reviews of their past experiences at the dining locations. 

Obviously we don’t tend to ask a lot of questions when booking or during our Disney trips. For the most part, we do our own thing and may even follow our own 7 Day Itinerary that is proven and works excellently for us. But, at the same time, this service could be vastly helpful for many guests.  


The Disney World Club Level “Big Picture”


While these offerings simply touch on the perks of Club Level (also including: special bath products, ultra plush bath robes, turn down service, chocolates delivered to the room each night, and much more), the reality of if it is truly worth it is something that has to be considered on a case by case basis.

For example, on our trip we intentionally planned a resort day to relax at the pool and just explore the resort/neighboring resorts. On that particular day, the Club Level dining options were an outstanding perk. Each time the doors to the food area were open we grabbed something then headed back to the pool! It was great and we really got a lot out of the additional cost. Sadly, on our main park days, we spent so much time out of the room, we didn’t really take as much advantage of the perks of Club Level.

(view from the fireworks viewing balcony: also during/right after the tornado watch)

Would I do it again? Absolutely! Is it the best option for everyone? Certainly not. The perks were truly incredible considering we were going to stay in a similarly priced option elsewhere in our unique circumstance, but that doesn’t always work for everyone. Take your situation into account, don’t expect these “snacks” to be full meal replacers, and Club Level could very well be a highlight of your next Walt Disney World experience.To answer our first question, “Is it worth it?” I truly believe it was worth it in our scenario! We created memories as a family that will go down as one of our very best vacations we’ve ever been on, and you really can’t put a price on that. 

Your Thoughts

As always, if you have thoughts, concerns, questions, or even some tips of your own to share, don’t hesitate to reach out to us on Facebook or your favorite social media platform. Give us a follow while you’re there, and we’ll keep the conversation going in the future. We’re not the largest Disney community, but we’re one that’s there and one that listens. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day wherever you are!

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