Which mode of transportation at Walt Disney World is your favorite?
Welcome to the Blog!
While I would like to think I will offer the best and most up to date information that is out there about Disney, it simply cannot be true. There are too many amazing blogs out there that already do that. And to be honest, I just don't have the time! However, I will offer my honest opinions and experiences as frequently as possible. This blog is simply a way to document my experiences and collect my thoughts while talking about the love of my life, Walt Disney World and Disney in general. Thanks for reading!
One of my favorite means of transportation while in Walt Disney World is by boat. That’s why this week we’ve chosen to feature the Friendship boats that can be found along the waterways between Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot. Even if you are not a guest staying at one of the resorts along the way (Boardwalk, Yacht & Beach Club, or Swan & Dolphin), you can still experience this pleasant ride by catching a boat at any of the docks either near the parks or at the resorts themselves. It is especially fun to choose the Studios or Epcot as your morning park and hopping on a boat to one of the resorts for a dinner reservation later that evening. The photo opportunities alone are worth the trip as you get to see several aspects of each resort from the water. There’s nothing quite like being in Walt Disney World and feeling the breeze as you glide past some of the gorgeous deluxe resorts. If you’ve never experienced a ride on the Friendship boats, it is an absolute must do for your next vacation!
Which mode of transportation at Walt Disney World is your favorite?
3 Comments
So I know that my blog was inspired by the beautiful and wonderful Port Orleans Riverside resort, but that doesn't mean I don't like to stay at other WDW resorts from time to time. Not only did I love this resort the first time we stayed there, I've booked my second stay there coming up this December. So in order to relive some great memories and to get all the more excited for my next stay, I wanted to put up my review mainly in the form of photos. In fact there are so many of them, I thought it best to break it up in to two parts. Thus begins part one of my photo review of the lovely Coronado Springs Resort.
Coronado Springs Resort at Walt Disney World falls into the moderate category, and while we all know that my favorite moderate is Port Orleans Riverside, this resort is a very very very close second. Coronado Springs is themed to the American Southwest and Northern Mexico. El Centro (the lobby/main building) along with the three room categories surround a lovely lake called Lago Dorado. This resort is also home to a large convention center and a good majority of the guests staying there are involved in some type of convention. Some people think this is a drawback but I actually find it to be a bonus. The resort itself seems very quiet most of the time and almost empty. You don't get the amount of crowds during the day on the bus system due to the fact that a good chunk of the resort guests are involved in meetings or presentations throughout the day. The only time I might say the resort would seem busy would be in the evening at the couple of bar options and in the dining locations for dinner. El Centro: Today’s Monday Magic photo features one of Walt Disney World’s most popular deluxe resorts, the Polynesian. One of the original resorts at WDW’s opening in 1971, the Polynesian is located on the shores of the Seven Seas Lagoon and is just a short monorail ride away from the Magic Kingdom. Not only is this resort relaxing and elegant, it also holds two of the most popular restaurants at WDW, one of which is top on my list of favorites. On the second floor of the lobby which is called The Great Ceremonial House, you will find the Kona Cafe and Ohana. The Kona Cafe is a must do for new guests and returning guests alike especially for breakfast. It just isn’t a trip to the Polynesian without tasting the wildly popular Tonga Toast. Auntie Kaui’s Tonga Toast is similar to thick French toast, but this French toast is stuffed with banana and is topped with sugar and cinnamon. What could be a better way to start off your day at Walt Disney World?
Which restaurant at Disney’s Polynesian Resort is your favorite? It has always been a dream of mine to stay in a deluxe resort at Walt Disney World, more specifically the Boardwalk Inn Resort. Unfortunately I haven't been blessed with a salary anywhere close to six figures and no matter how many "how to save at WDW" blogs I read, a deluxe resort will probably never be in my budget. I take that back, I could swing it for sure, but I would need to plan on never returning to WDW again (well for at least 5 years or so). I'm not prepared to do that, therefore on all of my vacations I have understandably chosen a value or a moderate resort. And hey, I'm not complaining. I've visited most all of the resorts and to be honest a couple of the moderates have my favorite theming overall. That doesn't mean I'm going to stop dreaming however. Fast forward to March of 2013. My husband's parents have been renting a condo in central Florida during the month of March the past two years. They've made it clear that any time we want to stay we are welcome. Last year we didn't take them up on the offer due to me being pregnant but this year there was no excuse and we were excited for a vacation! The condo isn't in Orlando, but it's a couple hours drive to get to Walt Disney World. When deciding to make the trip to Florida, my husband (who is not a fan of Disney...I know...why did I marry him?) told me it might be nice if while we are in Florida we take a short trip to WDW, leave the baby with the parents, and have a little getaway just the two of us. He knew I had been itching to check out new Fantasyland. Now normally I don't bring up WDW to him. I know it's not his favorite place to go so I try to be kind as he has to deal with my constant babbling about the World while at home. So as you can imagine I was completely shocked and thrilled! Since this would be a short trip, a 1 night stay and two days park tickets (non hopper), I decided it might be time to make my dream a reality. I knew that we would never be able to afford a week long stay at the Boardwalk, but surely we could afford one night. Especially since the rest of our stay at his parent's condo was covered. I immediately emailed my wonderful Disney travel agent, got the prices, and made the reservation! My dream was coming true! We arrived at the Boardwalk fairly early in the morning as I wanted plenty of time to check out the grounds and still have a good amount of park time. Since we were checking out the next morning before we headed to the Magic Kingdom I made sure to take as many pictures of the resort and grounds as possible that day. We headed into the lobby first thing to check on our room and it was already available well before check in. The room was awesome. I could definitely tell the difference between moderate and deluxe although I've never stayed in a bad room while at WDW. We had a standard room with a garden view and luckily it was towards the inside of the resort so we did not overlook the parking lot. Our room was very close to one of the quiet pools We spent most of the day in Epcot and then returned to the Boardwalk after Illuminations. Our intent was to grab a drink at a couple of the bars on the Boardwalk but several of them were already packed. Not to mention it was freezing outside that night. Well, freezing for a dumb Michigan girl who literally only brought shorts and t-shirts to Florida thinking it would be warm. Apparently, it was an unseasonably cold first week of March this year in Florida. I don't think it broke 70 degrees in the middle of the day the entire week. Since I was turning into a popsicle we headed back inside the resort. We stumbled upon the Belle Vue Room and it quickly became our favorite spot in the entire resort. We had a couple of drinks to cap off our night and relaxed in the exquisitely beautiful surroundings of the Boardwalk Inn. Thus concluded our very short stay at the Boardwalk Inn. But hey, now I can say that I have stayed at a deluxe resort in Walt Disney World even if it was only one night. There are many more photos of this resort to be shared, but I will save that for a Boardwalk Inn Photo Review in the coming months on the blog. I'm happy to say that I have now checked one item off of my Disney Bucket List. Man, I've got a long way to go!!!!
The Port Orleans Riverside Resort is one of my favorite resorts to stay at while visiting Walt Disney World. I know that when I am planning on staying at a new resort at Walt Disney World, the first thing I do is search the internet for photos, reviews, and other information. Hopefully this photo review of the gorgeous Port Orleans Riverside will help those of you planning your next vacation to at least consider Port Orleans Riverside if not book there immediately!!! Originally known as Dixie Landings, this resort is themed to mimic the Mississippi bayou area of the old south. Port Orleans Riverside Resort is considered a moderate resort at Walt Disney World which means its pricing is in the mid-range as far as Walt Disney World Resorts go. The resort center has several places for guests to enjoy including the River Roost Lounge where guests can enjoy drinks and entertainment, the Riverside Mill which is the main food court open for every meal, Boatwright’s Dining Hall which is a sit down restaurant during the dinner hours, Fulton’s General Store where guests can enjoy shopping, and much more.
|
Archives
July 2014
Categories
All
|