Resort Hopping

This morning dawned bright and sunny; perfect for a first day of Disney-ing. :)

Debbie & I started our day with a brisk walk. She & Dan have two dogs and Deb walks them each morning. Whenever we're together, I try to get myself out and keep her company. Randy and Blackie joined us about halfway through. With that done, the four of us sat outside at Dan & Deb's site, enjoying a cup of coffee (tea for Deb) and came up with a plan for the day.

Before we'd gotten to Disney, some friends of ours, Bob & Pam, suggested we “tour” some of the resorts/hotels, just for the fun of it. Bob & Pam had worked at Disney years ago, so we figured they would know the scoop. Pam said you can just go to any of the resorts/hotels and meander through, looking at the décor and the uniqueness of each one. We all figured that sounded like fun, so off we went.

One of the great things about Disney is its transportation system. Once you get to your resort, you never have to move your vehicle again. The only caveat is that you have to allow for travel time as a few transfers are usually needed. But, that's a small inconvenience for the ease of having the driving done for you. :)

Our first stop was Wilderness Lodge. This is a log cabin on steroids! When Randy & I were here 10 years ago, we had dinner in its restaurant and loved the atmosphere. It is just gorgeous. To give you an idea of what it would cost you to stay here, the least expensive room during the week in Value Season is $240 for four people. That same room during the week in Peak Season will cost you $375.

Next stop was the Grand Floridian. This was once the premiere resort of Disney World. Now, it still could be, but there are so darn many resorts now, there may be a more elegant one. But, let me tell you, this place is phenomenal. It reminds me of the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island where the movie “Somewhere in Time” was filmed. To continue with your pricing preview, the least expensive room in this hotel during the week in Value Season is $410, but you can have up to five people in the room. Such a bargain! :) That same room during the week in Peak Season will run you $575.

Our final resort for today was Animal Kingdom Lodge. Pam said we definitely needed to go here because you can walk out the back of the hotel and see some animals roaming. Very cool. Again, the décor is unique to the theme of the resort and is amazing. And since I gave you an idea of the cost of staying at the other two resorts, I can't leave this one out. Again, this room is the least expensive and the cost is for a weekday stay during Value Season; $240 for four people. For the same room during Peak Season on a weekday, the cost jumps to $375. So, this resort is on a par with Wilderness Lodge. I gotta tell you, to be able to walk out on your balcony and see the animals walking about has got to be pretty darn cool. However, that view will run you a minimum of $495/night during the week in Peak Season.

And that is why we camp! :) Our site at Fort Wilderness, on a pet loop, costs $64/night during the week in Value Season, which is right now. The weekend rate is $69/night. Definitely a bargain comparatively. If you've never been to Fort Wilderness, it is a wonderful campground which almost spoils you for any other park. :)

Dan & Deb’s site

Our site 

We took the ferry back to Fort Wilderness. It was a beautiful ride – the sun shining on us while the breeze blew. I could have stayed on that boat for the rest of the afternoon. Too soon we were docking and getting off to come home.

It was a lovely day. And we get to do it all again tomorrow! Not sure where we'll go, but it's gonna be fun.

Until the next time . . .