Planning where to stay in relation to where you will be spending the most time is one of the keys to planning a super successful Walt Disney World vacation. We are not saying that you can't stay anywhere on property and still have a good time, but these relationships will save you vast amounts of time if you plan on using the resort transportation systems. We will continue to drill down to more detail within the parks, but you are going to start to see a lot more information concerning rides and restaurants as we continue our posts.
In this set of blog posts we are going to outline the available Disney resort hotels in the area, transportation between the hotels and the highlighted park, and a quick breakdown of the areas of the highlighted park.
Magic Kingdom Resort Hotels
The Magic Kingdom area is currently home to 4 Deluxe Resort Hotels, including their DVC properties, Shades of Green Military Resort, and the Ft. Wilderness Campground. Additionally, there is one hotel in the process of being built on Bay Lake called Reflections: A Lakeside Lodge.
The Grand Floridian Resort and Spa - This beautiful hotel sits on the west side of the Seven Seas Lagoon and is know for its elegant dining options and the Disney Wedding Chapel that is on the property. It is home to 6 sit down restaurants including Victoria and Albert's, the standard in Disney fine dining, and 1900 Park Fare, which offers multiple character dining options. Also on site are a Bippity Boppity Boutique for your young princess makeovers and Ivy Trellis Salon for your older princess makeovers.
The Polynesian Village Resort - This unique resort complex sits just to the south of the Grand Floridian and offer some South Pacific flair. There are 4 sit down dining options and a dinner show at Luau Cove called Disney's Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show. Many of the restaurants offer food with south pacific flavors and mix in some traditional american tastes. The hotel also offers a spectacular feature pool and a beach with a fantastic view of the Magic Kingdom Fireworks.
Disney's Contemporary Resort - If you ask us, this is the icon when it comes to Walt Disney World resort hotels. People love riding through the middle of this resort on the monorail and staying there is even better. The Contemporary sits across the Seven Seas Lagoon from the other two already listed and completes the group that is part of the Monorail system. It houses 4 sit down restaurants including the high end California Grill and family favorite Chef Mickey's. It is also home to a huge convention center and has a detached DVC property called Bay Lake Tower. This is currently the only hotel complex where you can walk to Magic Kingdom.
Wilderness Lodge - If you are looking for a more rustic home away from home at Disney, this is your place. This hotel sits to the south of the Contemporary and is on the banks of Bay Lake. There are 2 DVC sections connected to the property, Boulder Ridge and Copper Creek. There are 3 sit down restaurants on site and some of the best natural scenery that Walt Disney World has to offer.
Fort Wilderness Resort - If you are looking for a neat way to experience your next vacation, check out this place. The Campsites section offers everything from small lots for pop up and tent campers all the way to 18' x 60' concrete pads for larger RVs. If you are looking for more permanent structures, the Cabins at Fort Wilderness provide larger families a surprisingly large place to stay. Dining options are a little limited here, but people flock to Pioneer Hall each night for the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Review. This dinner show is made up of songs and skits and some of the best comfort food you can get at any restaurant at Walt Disney World.
Shades of Green - This is an independently run resort that caters to our Armed Forces and their families. It is to the west of the Polynesian Resort and is where you head to find 3 of the 4 Walt Disney World golf courses. The Palm and Magnolia course are PGA caliber 18 hole courses and offer special 9 hole morning rates. The Oak Trail course is a walking 9 course. There is no Disney transportation service to this resort so you can either take independent transportation (Uber/Lyft) or take the Monorail to the Polynesian and make the 15 minute walk.
Transportation
Getting around in this area is a limited in a good way. These resorts are protected from most of the off property guests due to outside shuttle services dropping guests off at the Ticket and Transportation Center (TCC). From there they have to go through security to get on either the Monorail or a ferry to make the journey to Magic Kingdom.
Resort Monorail - As mentioned earlier, the Polynesian, Grand Floridian, and Contemporary share the inner loop of the Monorail system. This connects these hotels with the TCC and Magic Kingdom. You will get to pass through security prior to boarding your train and miss the long lines when you get to the park. During peak times, the Cast Members will try and limit the amount of people not staying at these resorts from trying to use this line between Magic Kingdom and the TCC. The Monorail is also the only Disney provided transportation that links these hotels to EPCOT.
Ferry Boats - As another way to get to Magic Kingdom, all of these resorts offer ferry service to the park. These boats vary in size, but provide a good way to beat the crowds to the park. The security checkpoint is handled prior to getting on the ferry so you can go right to the scanners when you get there and miss the congestion of the bus security from all of the other resort hotels.
Walking - Currently, you can only walk from the Contemporary resort to Magic Kingdom and pass through a small security tent on the way. There looks to be a path in the works to the Grand Floridian which would also give this option there and to the Polynesian. The walk from the Contemporary is 5-10 minutes and a great way to miss all of the crowds each direction.
As we go through the park, we are going to highlight each section of the park along with a couple of the rides and maybe an eatery. Be on the lookout for our full park episodes where we will break down each park in great detail and follow it up with ride by ride and restaurant by restaurant overviews and reviews.
The Magic Kingdom
Main Street USA - Once you get through the security checkpoint and scan your magicband or card you enter the Main Street Train Station area. This building is a great backdrop for your first picture at the park. From there, you will walk through one of the 2 tunnels under the station and come out on Main Street USA. This area is built to replicate an old town main street and is lined with shops and restaurants. If you are looking for your Starbucks fix, it is about midway down the street on the right. Also highlighted are the Emporium, where you will find your can't miss souvenirs and Tony's Town Square Restaurant where you can live out your Lady and the Tramp moment. As you walk down Main Street, watch out or the trolley tracks. Many have rolled their ankles or caught a stroller wheel on them.
Castle Hub - We like to think of this as its own little area because so much happens here. This is where you will find the Partners Statue and the prime viewing for castle shows including the Happily Ever After fireworks show most nights. Also, some of the parades will stop in this area for dance parties and other fun. This area forms the spoke system for most of the other areas of the park, so, sooner or later, you will find yourself here.
Adventureland - As you cross the bridge past Crystal Palace, you enter this land meant to transport you into a jungle setting. This is where you will find the Jungle Cruise and Pirates of the Caribbean. If you are looking for food, Skipper's Canteen is on of Peter's favorite restaurants in Magic Kingdom and there are a couple of places to find the fan favorite Dole Whip. This area is a great place to start your day as most people will go to other areas of the park at open leaving this area relatively calm.
Frontierland - Home to two of the mountains (Splash and Big Thunder), this area is tucked past Adventureland and makes up most of the northwest area of Magic Kingdom. In addition to the mountains, Frontierland is home to the world famous Country Bear Jamboree. If you are looking for a place to wet your whistle, The Diamond Horseshoe offers a all you care to eat barbecue that will leave you stuffed and looking for a place to nap.
Liberty Square - From Frontierland, look for a change in the path and you will be in Liberty Square. This area is home to the Hall of Presidents and the Haunted Mansion. Both are great examples of Disney storytelling in their own ways. The Columbia Harbour House is a nice quick service restaurant if you are looking to grab a sandwich and keep going about your day.
Fantasyland - This area has grown a lot as a result of the expansion in 2012. Most people now talk about it as three separate areas, New Fantasyland, Old Fantasyland, and Casey's Circus. These areas house the iconic It's a Small World and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train as well as a new and improved Dumbo ride and the Mad Tea Party. Be Our Guest modeled after the ballroom of the Beast's Castle looms over the back of the park and is a great dining option for any meal, if you can get a reservation.
Tomorrowland - Last, but not least, is this home to the last mountain in the Magic Kingdom and the area that is currently getting the most interest. Space Mountain highlights the attractions in this area until Tron opens sometime in 2021 and the Tomorrowland People Mover offers some fantastic and unique views of the area. Starlight Ray's is a great place to grab a burger and chill out.
Looking at a park map you will see 81 unique rides, shops, and eateries. We are far from done tackling this park, but for now, you have some of our highlights in each land and a reason to explore on your own.
Are you ready to take the next step? Fill out our information form on the Booking Your Trip page and let's talk about your Disney adventure. If you are looking for more information, the Disney Planning Insights Podcasts and Princesses and the Mouse Blogs provide more information to help you plan your next Disney vacation.
Comments