Lodging

A view of the Animal Kingdom Resort Lobby

As a Walt Disney World Mom, I’ve been to quite a few of the properties on site at Walt Disney World, but I have to admit that my family’s favorite is the Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Animal Kingdom Lodge is one of the newer Walt Disney World hotels, and as you may guess, it’s located closest to the Animal Kingdom. As a result of that, it’s a little further from the other resorts, which was one of our concerns before we got there – and a concern I often hear from other families.

When my family went, we flew through Orlando International Airport and took the Disney Magical Express. Because of that we were able to bypass baggage claim and headed right to the Magical Express counter. The airport was actually much more crowded than I expected, and it took a while to navigate through the airport. There were quite a few lines at the elevators which extended the journey. I generally find that if you travel during peak hours, it can take a while to get from the airport to the resort.

The view from our savannah-view room

Animal Kingdom Lodge is built on a 33-acre wildlife preserve with three savannahs, and over 30 species of wildlife. We had booked a savannah view room, which meant that we’d be able to see animals outside our porch door. This definitely did not disappoint! I think our kids actually preferred watching the animals to going to the parks! The room itself was clean and nice, but a bit on the small side. Because we didn’t spend much time in the room, it wasn’t a problem at all.

While we were there, we ate at the buffet restaurant, Boma, and swam in the pool. Boma was lots of fun – it’s got a great atmosphere and the food is excellent. Despite the fact that the food is African, there are plenty of choices for children also. We ate breakfast and dinner there. The pools are also great. My kids did prefer the heated baby pool, but the larger pool is wonderful.

Bus service was easier than expected. With only one bus stop at the resort, the buses traveled quickly, and the time to the resort was very quick. The buses were never too full either.

Most evenings, we wandered around the resort, checking out the various animals. Each savanna has different animals to see, so even if you have a savannah view room, it’s worth walking around. We saw an amazing assortment of animals – every single day!

Animal Kingdom Lodge is an amazing resort, and it’s likely that your whole family will love the experience!

Animal Kingdom Lodge
2901 Osceola Parkway
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
(407) 939-7429

Standard rooms range from $240 (value season) to $515 (peak season) per night.

Photo credits: Jodi Grundig

The Waldorf Astoria has chosen Orlando, Florida, as the site of its newest luxe property, which opens October 1, 2009. To celebrate, the hotel will offer guests free nights and upgrades. Book four nights for the price of three, for a total of $671. Room rates start at $224, but with this offer, the room rate per night is only $168. Should you choose to stay at least five nights, the hotel will elevate your booking to the next highest category of room.

A room at the Waldorf Astoria in Orlando

The property, ideal for business travel and family vacations, boasts The Spa by Guerlain offering treatments indoors and outdoors, a Rees Jones designed golf course, private cabanas poolside and more. Expect the same excellence that made the New York City hotel such a landmark, but in a destination where warm weather is always in season.

To enjoy these special room discounts and upgrades, book accommodations by October 31. This deal is valid for travel October 1 through December 24, 2009.

Waldorf Astoria Orlando
14200 Bonnet Creek Resort Lane
Orlando, Florida, 32821
407-597-5500

Photo courtesy of the Waldorf Astoria.

If you’re visiting Orlando, Florida, on a work trip, odds are you’ll need Wi-Fi to check email. Here in the City Beautiful, why not spend as much time working on your tan as working on that proposal? At these pools, multi-task with sun, snacks and maybe even a daiquiri.

Hard Rock Hotel Orlando – Free WiFi
Bonus: Special pool speakers keep the mood rocking—even underwater.
Rates start at $274 ($184 for Florida residents.)

5800 Universal Blvd
Orlando, FL 32819
407-503-7625

Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center – WiFi fee included in the daily resort fee of $15
Bonus: A spot between the two pools has Wired access.
Rates start at $139

6000 W. Osceola Parkway
Kissimmee, Florida 34746
407-586-2000

Gaylord Palms Resort

The Peabody – WiFi fee included in the daily resort fee of $15
Bonus: Enjoy the march of the Peabody ducks at 11 a.m. and again at 5 p.m. as they parade through the lobby.
Rates start at $95

9801 International Drive
Orlando, Florida 32819
407-352-4000

Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort – WiFi costs $9.99 for a 24-hour period
Bonus: The pool boasts 12 waterfalls, two water slides and a swim-through cave connecting the two pools.
Rates start are $119.20

One Grand Cypress Blvd.
Orlando, FL 32836
407-239-1234

Special thanks to mrkathika for the lively shot of the Gaylord Palms Resort.

Hotel and resort bars, often serving as epicenters for the properties, allow you to scope out and mingle with your fellow travelers. In the Disney area, you’re guaranteed an international crowd. In downtown Orlando, you’ll meet businessmen from across the country; you may hear accents, but probably not other languages. It adds up to more travel for your money if, with one trip, you meet globetrotting characters with wildly colorful stories. !Salud!

3. Red Fox Lounge in the Best Western Mt. Vernon, Winter Park, Florida
Beloved by hipsters and low-key locals, this bar is perhaps best known for Mark Wayne and Lorna Lambey, the lounge singers who take the stage starting at 8 p.m. every night but Sunday.

What to order Dirty martini
Average drink price $5.50

111 S. Orlando Ave.
Winter Park, FL 32789
407-647-1166

2. Todd English’s Blue Zoo Lounge in the Dolphin Hotel, Disney World, Kissimee, Florida

Disney's Blue Zoo Lounge

Ultra chic, hip and modern, it’s the kind of bar best appreciated if you have a padded expense account.

What to order Zooberry
Average drink price $13

1500 Epcot Resorts Boulevard
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
888-828-8850

1. Bosendorfer Lounge in the Grand Bohemian Hotel, downtown Orlando, Florida
The elements that define a memorable hotel bar—stiff drinks, a steady of supply of suited strangers whose business seems just intriguing enough, and bartenders who know when not to ask your name—converge at this dimly lit, uber classy bar. Like a good cocktail, the Bosendorfer lounge always delivers the right mix of people to keep the night interesting.

What to order The Boheme, Rhapsody in Red
Average drink price $9 (martinis are $12)

325 S. Orange Ave.
Orlando, FL 32801
407-313-9000

Special thanks to MarkHillary for the inviting shot of the Blue Zoo Lounge.

This is one of my favorite Walt Disney World resorts to stay at. Sure, there are more expensive and more beautiful resorts on property, but this one really takes me back to my childhood. Why? Because Disney’s Pop Century resort blends homages to the Disney movies with a look back at American pop culture. And I am a retro pop culture junkie.

Rubiks Cube Stairway at Disney's Pop Century Resort

Like the other value resorts at Walt Disney World, this resort is separated into themed sections. At Pop Century, it’s all about the decades, starting with the 1950s and going to the 1990s. Each section is themed with references of what was hip and happening during that decade, along with a popular Disney movie that was released during that decade.

The whole experience starts with the main building. Step into the check-in lobby with its wall of memorbilia displays. Is that really a Commodore 64 hanging in that case? Why yes, it is.

Stepping outside to go to my room, I walk past the 3-story tall Big Wheel in the 70s section, dancing to the disco music playing, and make a left at the life-size Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head – stop for a quick photo – to the 80s section with its big Rubik’s Cube stairways.

Mr and Mrs Potato Head at Disney's Pop Century Resort

Rooms feature either a king or two doubles (which is what we had), a TV, separate vanity/dressing area with an open wardrobe area, a small size dresser/entertainment center combo and a table with two chairs. There’s high-speed internet, but it’s not Wi-Fi and you do have to pay for it (c’mon Disney…in 2009 not to have Wi-Fi??). All rooms are also smoke free and they do have some modified for guests with disabilities (all king bed).

The resort has three pools: a bowling alley one in the 50s section; a flower-power themed one in the 60s section and a computer themed one shared by the 80s and 90s section. The 70s section is the only one without a pool, but it does have a huge game of outdoor twister that could easily fit 10-15 people.

The food court is just as fun – especially the dessert case. Two that caught my eye were a tie-dye cheesecake that featured so much food coloring you know it couldn’t be good for you and a container of tiramasu made with – get this – Twinkies. It was such a sugar overload but tasted so good! I definitely recommend getting the all-you-can-drink-for-your-stay mug, too. When it’s hot outside, you’ll appreciate not having to buy a bottle of soda several times a day. Skip the in-room pizza delivery – it’s overpriced and the pizza is not stellar.

Rates start at $82 a night during value season and can go as high as $160 during peak seasons, like holidays.

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Disney’s Pop Century Resort
1050 Century Drive
Lake Buena Vista,,FL,32830
Phone: 1-407-938-4000

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Five years ago, Holiday Inn bought the property formerly known as the Courtyard by Marriott that was located right next to Downtown Disney at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.  Then the hurricanes of 2004 rolled right through the area and caused some damage to the 323-room hotel, delaying work on converting the property over to the new owners.

A Two-Queen Bedroom at Holiday Inn Walt Disney World

This week, Holiday Inn announced they are now accepting reservations for stays starting November 15, 2009 and later at the new Holiday Inn at WDW.  Just in time for the annual holiday rush of visitors to Walt Disney World.

While structurally the hotel still looks pretty much the same from the outside, Holiday Inn has invested $35 million into completely renovating the hotel. The hotel has turned a section of the beautiful atrium into a restaurant, and yes, per most Holiday Inn properties, kids will eat free here when accompanied by an adult (that could save quite a bit of money per stay). It also looks like the pool area has been redone with a new zero-entry pool. I love those – like being at the beach without the sand clinging everywhere.

Perhaps one of the best features of the changeover that I can see is that rooms that were formerly two double beds are now outfitted two queens.This will make it more comfortable for four people to share the room. I’m told king bed rooms will also now come with a sleeper sofa.

Other new features of the rooms include 32″ LCD HD televisions, pillows in your choice of “soft” or “firm,” and complimentary Wi-Fi.

In fact from the list of renovations, the only thing I’m not so thrilled about is that the hotel will be charging $8 for self-parking. I know they don’t have the largest parking lot, and several other neighboring hotels also charge for parking, but I always feel guests should get this as a complimentary feature of any hotel.

Staying here will also include several benefits of this being the only Holiday Inn on Walt Disney World property, like free shuttles to the WDW parks and the ability to ship purchases back to the hotel from the Disney stores (instead of having to carry the bags around all day).

It looks like opening rates will be around $135 a night but be careful when booking as it seems there are additional per person charges for some rate plans at this hotel that could add an extra $20-$30 a night to the rate.

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Holiday Inn at WDW
1805 Hotel Plaza Blvd.
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
1-407-828-8888

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[photo courtesy of Holiday Inn]

Of the trinity of value resorts that Walt Disney World dubs the All-Stars, this one was the last to be built, but is often the most popular.

All-Star Movies Toy Story Building

Unlike the All-Star Sports and All-Star Music, which blend Disney characters in with non-Disney themes, Disney’s All-Star Movies resort is, as the name suggests, themed completely in relation to some of the studio’s most popular films. The three-story room buildings are grouped into five areas: 101 Dalmatians, Toy Story, Fantasia (original and 2000), The Mighty Ducks and Herbie: The Love Bug.

Room buildings feature exterior corridors, central elevators and stairwells at the ends. Each building within a themed area will heavily feature decor related to that movie – for instance the Toy Story buildings feature a 35-ft tall Buzz Lightyear and a 25-ft tall Woody between the buildings, along with rooftop green soldiers. The interior features matching touches like character printed bedspreads and wallpaper strips.

They are also separate from the main lobby and food court building, but do have vending machines for sudden snack attacks. There is also in-room pizza delivery, but I found it way too overpriced.

All-Star Movies Room Decor

Bedding is either one king or two double beds, and rooms also feature a separate vanity/dressing area with an open wardrobe area, a small size dresser/armoir and a TV. High-speed internet is available for $9.95 a day, but better pack an ethernet cord because there is no wi-fi anywhere at the resort. All rooms are also smoke free, with a select few modeled for guests with disabilities.

The resort also has two pools. One is a hockey-rink-themed pool in The Mighty Ducks area, the other is Sorcerer Mickey as he directs a liquid symphony at the Fantasia pool, which features a kid’s area.

Guests staying at the All-Star Movies also can take advantage of Disney resort perks like free Disney buses, early/late magic hours at the parks and ship to your room privileges for items bought at on-property stores (no more schlepping shopping bags all day at the parks).

Rates start at $82 a night during value season and can go as high as $160 during peak seasons, like holidays.

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Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort
1901 W Buena Vista Dr,
Lake Buena Vista, FL,32830
Phone: 1-407-827-1100

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Those who visit Orlando, Florida, on vacation often wish they didn’t have to return home so soon. But even renting a room at one of the city’s many extended-stay hotels or finding a great deal on a vacation home rental can get expensive for any real length of time.

What if you could spend about two months touring the many attractions and not only get into them free but not have to pay a cent on lodging in Orlando?

Based on the success of Australia’s recent tourism campaign “Best Job in the World,” the Orlando CVB has launched the “67 Days of Smiles” contest.

Want a shot at winning?

Simply put together a video of why you and your spouse/partner/family member/best friend should be picked and if you are, you will receive 67 days rent-free in a downtown condo, $25,000 to cover living expenses (both in Orlando and back home), and admission to everything from theme parks to museums around town. In return, the two of you will be expected to blog about your adventures for the CVB’s website.

This contest is open to those 21 and over worldwide who speak/read/write fluent English, except where prohibited by law. For more information, or to enter your hat into the ring, visit the contest page.

While there, be sure to sign up for the free Orlando Smiles card that offers savings around town on everything from lodging to dining and more.

Just as Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort caters to the budget travelers visiting Walt Disney World, so too does the second of the theme park’s value resorts, Disney’s All-Star Music.

Country Fair at All-Star Music

As the name suggests, the themes at this resort lean towards music, with the room buildings separated into five groupings: Calypso, Jazz Inn, Rock Inn, Country Fair, and the Broadway Hotel. Each of these three-story buildings features exterior corridors, central elevators and stairwells at the ends. They are also separate from the main lobby and food court building. The resort has two pools (one shaped like a guitar, the other like a piano) but no jacuzzis. Disney movies are shown in Melody Hall where there is also an arcade.

Room buildings feature exterior décor that fits each genre, like 3 story tall cowboy boots at Country Fair, and jukeboxes and electric guitars at the Rock Inn. There are also Disney-themed touches, like a Beauty and the Beast theatre marquee in the Broadway area.

All rooms are very basically furnished and have a TV, phone, one sink and mirror (the tub/shower and toilet are in a separate room), an open area for hanging clothes (with a rack on top) and a small size dresser. Irons/ironing boards and hair dryers are available upon request. Bedding in most rooms is either one king or two double beds.

This is the only one of Walt Disney World’s value resorts to feature family suites, which were added during a recent renovation. These 560-sq-ft rooms sleep six to a room via a queen bed, full-size pull-out sofa and a convertible ottoman and chair sleeper, plus one child under 3 in a crib. Each suite has two full bathrooms and a kitchenette with a small refrigerator, microwave and a coffeemaker.

As with the All-Star Sports resort, guests staying at the All-Star Music can also take advantage of Disney resort perks like free Disney buses, early/late magic hours at the parks and ship to your room privileges for items bought at on-property stores.

I would definitely say this resort would be best enjoyed by music fans, families and those on a budget who want to stay on Disney property for their stay.

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Disney’s All-Star Music Resort
1801 W Buena Vista Dr,
Lake Buena Vista,,FL,32830
Phone: 1-407-939-5000

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Many people who visit Walt Disney World in Orlando want to stay on property – and who can blame them? Not only is it convenient and quick to get back to your room after a long hot day at the parks, but you’re still surrounded by the Disney atmosphere.

Touchdown Section of Disney's All-Star Sports Resort

For those on a budget or traveling with sports fans, Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort would probably be your best bet to book.

This resort was the first value lodging at Walt Disney World, and still remains a favorite. It consists of several buildings, each separated into a different sports theme: Touchdown! (football), Center Court (tennis), Homerun Hotel (baseball), Surfs Up! (surfing), and Hoops Hotel (basketball). And don’t expect subtlety here with the themes, either. For instance, the Touchdown buildings feature three-story tall football helmets anchoring the buildings, while the Hoops area has large basketballs that look like they’re bouncing off the exterior of the buildings.

Each area’s theme also continues inside the rooms, which are a bit on the small side, but clean and well maintained. Look for sports-themed bedding, wallpaper accents and decor in each room. King-bedded rooms are are also designed for disabled travelers so they do not feature the normal tub/shower combo, only a wheelchair-accessible shower.

These three-story buildings feature exterior corridors, central elevators and stairwells at the ends. They are also separate from the main lobby and food court building, but do have vending machines for sudden snack attacks. The resort also has two pools – one shaped as a surfboard and the other like a baseball diamond.

Guests staying at the All-Star Sports also can take advantage of Disney resort perks like free Disney buses, early/late magic hours at the parks and ship to your room privileges for items bought at on-property stores (no more schlepping shopping bags all day at the parks).

I would definitely say this resort would be best enjoyed by sports fans, families and those on a budget who want to stay on Disney property for their stay.

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Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort
1701 W Buena Vista Dr,
Lake Buena Vista,,FL,32830
Phone: 1-407-939-5000

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