The
Best of Walt Disney World
by: Cara Goldsbury
So
you’re headed to Walt Disney World ... but where
to start? Disney offers such a wealth of fantastic resorts,
restaurants, and top-drawer entertainment experiences
it can be difficult to choose which fantasy you wish to
indulge. How best can you plan a visit in which each day
comes with the finest Disney has to offer? Here are a
few tips that can make the difference between a mediocre
trip and a fantastic one:
Best
Time of Year for a Disney Vacation
If
at all possible plan a trip to Disney during the slower
seasons of the year when you’ll find half-filled
parks, little waiting in line, and lower resort rates.
If you can stand the guilt and your children are good
students, take them out of school, whatever, to avoid
the busiest times of the year. If not, the summer months
or holidays are certainly better than nothing and, with
a bit of planning and a lot of energy, can be more than
enjoyable. These are the least busy times of the year:
the second week of January through the first week of February
(avoiding the Martin Luther King holiday weekend in January);
the third week of August until the beginning of October;
the month of November excluding Thanksgiving weekend;
the week after Thanksgiving until the week of Christmas,
a special time when the parks and resorts are festively
decorated for the holidays.
Best
Deluxe Resort
Disney’s
flagship resort, The Grand Floridian, with its red-gabled
roofs and Victorian elegance, draws inspiration from the
grand Florida seaside “palace hotels” of 19th-century
America’s Gilded Age. Just a short monorail ride
to the Magic Kingdom, it spreads along the shore of the
Seven Seas Lagoon, offering spectacular views of Cinderella’s
Castle and the Wishes fireworks display.
Best
Home Away From Home Property
Disney’s
Home Away From Home Resorts are a great choice for those
who want a vacation with all the amenities including a
full kitchen, living room, and a bath for each bedroom.
For outstanding atmosphere choose the Villas at Wilderness
Lodge with its Bay Lake location and national park character
or the new Beach Club Villas conveniently located next
door to Epcot’s International Gateway.
Best
Resort For Access to the Parks
Disney’s
Contemporary, Polynesian, and Grand Floridian Resorts
offer monorail access to the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and
the Ticket & Transportation Center.
Best
Resort For Nature Lovers
Wilderness
Lodge is Disney’s dramatic depiction of an early
1900s national park resort. In its awesome eight-story
lobby are walls of ponderosa pine logs, a massive 82-foot
tall fireplace, and two authentic 55-foot Pacific Northwest
totem poles. Outside is a breathtaking scene of sparkling
waterfalls, rushing creeks, towering pines, and Disney’s
very own geyser. And it’s all only a boat ride away
from the Magic Kingdom.
Best
Resort Pool
Stormalong
Bay, the eye-popping free form, mini-water park complex
at Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club, is simply divine.
Three acres of winding, watery delight, it offers sandy
bottom pools, a giant “shipwreck” water slide,
a tidal whirlpool, bubbling hot tubs, a kiddie pool with
its own slide next to the beach, and enough waterway to
float lazily in inner tubes to your heart’s content.
Best
Resort Lounge
California
Grill Lounge on the 15th floor at Disney’s Contemporary
Resort offers unrivaled views of the Magic Kingdom and
the Seven Seas Lagoon along with cocktails, sushi, and
a view of the Wishes fireworks display.
Best
Disney Attractions For Thrill Seekers
For
a shot of adrenaline head to Disney-MGM Studios, where
thrill junkies beeline it to the Tower of Terror for a
13-story bungee-style plummet. Next-door is the Rock ’n’
Roller Coaster that rockets from 0 to 60 mph in less than
3 seconds then loops and corkscrews in the dark through
a Hollywood night. It’s a scream come true!
Best
Way to Spend an Evening Without the Kids
If
you’re a registered guest of a Disney resort, drop
off the kids at one of their child care centers for around
$10 an hour per child where they are given dinner along
with classic Disney movies, arts and crafts, and video
games. If your child is under 4 or not potty trained,
call Kid’s Nite Out at 407-827-5444 for in-room
childcare. Then head to one of Disney’s world-class
restaurants. For fine dining in a stunning setting combined
with virtually flawless service choose Victoria and Albert’s
at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort. Here you’ll
dine on white linen covered tables set with Royal Doulton
china and crystal wine glasses to the strains of enchanting
harp music.
Best
Way to Spend an Evening Away From the Parks
The
addition of the West Side and Pleasure Island to Disney
Marketplace created what is now known as the wildly successful
Downtown Disney, a combination of over 70 scene-setting
restaurants, shops, and nightclubs. During the day it’s
a perfect getaway from the parks, but at night after the
parks close, Downtown Disney comes alive. At Disney Marketplace
you’ll find A-plus shopping, the largest Disney
Store in the world, and the volcano-smoking Rainforest
Cafe. Pleasure Island is a nighttime mecca with 8 clubs
and a nightly New Year’s Eve celebration. And then
there’s the West Side, loaded with dining and entertainment
venues including Wolfgang Puck Cafe, House of Blues, Gloria
Estefan’s Bongos, Cirque du Soleil, and Disney Quest.
Best
Restaurant For Kids
Dine
among crashing waterfalls, lush tropical foliage, and
dripping vines while being bombarded with thunderstorms
and noisy Audio-Animatronic wildlife at the Rainforest
Cafe. Or head to the Whispering Canyon Cafe at Disney’s
Wilderness Lodge for an all-you-care-to-eat blow-out of
rib-stickin’ barbecue served piping hot in iron
skillets accompanied by plenty of hootin’ and hollerin’.
Kids love the crazy show put on by the hobby horse-racing
waiters outfitted in western attire who can’t resist
making a huge production out of serving food, birthday
celebrations, and those unfortunate enough to leave for
the restroom.
Best
Disney Resort Restaurant
The
California Grill on the 15th floor of Disney’s Contemporary
Resort is a definite highlight for any connoisseur of
cutting-edge cuisine. The immense windows present an unbeatable
panorama of the Magic Kingdom and the Seven Seas Lagoon
and on many nights picture-perfect views of the Wishes
fireworks show. From pristinely fresh sushi to the exceptional
New American Cuisine to sensational desserts and the outstanding
California wine list, this place has it all.
Best
Theme Park Restaurant
In
Epcot’s France Pavilion is Bistro de Paris, a charming
Belle Époque dining room with an air of exclusivity.
Filled with gilded mirrors and crimson banquettes, its
billowy white drapes frame windows that overlook the World
Showcase Lagoon. Servers with delicious French accents
roll out sensational dishes prepared with only the freshest
ingredients. Afterward order a dessert of crepes prepared
and flamed at your table while lingering over cordials
and coffee in anticipation of the nightly Illuminations
spectacle.
Best
Way to View the Epcot Fireworks Presentation
Each
evening boatloads of visitors depart from the docks of
Disney’s Boardwalk Inn and Disney’s Yacht
Club headed for Epcot where, from a prime position under
the bridge between the United Kingdom and France, is a
view of the Illuminations fireworks spectacular that can’t
be beat. Cruises are offered nightly with your choice
of either a pontoon boat seating 10 or a beautiful reproduction
of a 1930s Chris Craft accommodating 6-7 people. Although
reservations can be made up to 90 days in advance, they
sometimes sell out on the first day. Call 407-WDW-PLAY.
Best
Way to Spend a Lazy Afternoon
When
your muscles are aching and your body is screaming for
rest after days at the parks, sooth your jangled nerves
at Disney’s Grand Floridian Spa. Immerse yourself
in luxury with one or two feel-good treatments guaranteed
to rejuvenate and swiftly get you back on your feet and
ready for another long day of walking. For the ultimate
in romance consider the Grand Romantic Evening where,
in a candle-lit couple’s room, each person receives
an aromatherapy massage.
Most
importantly slow down and enjoy the magic. Resist the
urge to see everything at breakneck speed. You can’t
possibly cover it all, so think of this as your first
trip to Disney, not your last. There will be time to pick
up all the things you missed on the next go-round. Be
spontaneous. If something catches your eye, even if it’s
not on your daily list of things to do, stop and explore
or else you may miss something wonderful.
About
The Author
Cara
Goldsbury is the author of The Luxury Guide to Walt Disney
World: How to Get the Most Out of the Best Disney Has
to Offer available at 800-247-6553, www.luxurydisneyguide.com,
Amazon.com, or your local bookstore. Visit her at www.luxurydisneyguide.com.
info@luxurydisneyguide.com
