Circle of Parks Podcast: Talking all things Walt Disney World
Because there's far too much to see and do. We're here to help guide you through. We are a married couple with two boys age 9 and 6 talking all things Disney World. This podcast will cover the tips and tricks we've learned along our journey, history of the parks and attractions, and most importantly why and how Disney makes us feel how we do while in the parks and that it's ok to feel that way.
Circle of Parks Podcast: Talking all things Walt Disney World
Episode #214: We Ranked All the Resorts We've Stayed at.
What makes a Disney resort truly magical? Is it the proximity to the parks, the dining options, the pool, or that indescribable feeling you get when you first walk into the lobby? After staying at 13 different Disney resorts across both coasts, we're finally ready to rank them all—and some of our placements might surprise you!
From the Dolphin's lack of Disney theming to the Grand Floridian's perhaps too-bougie atmosphere, we deep dive into what worked (and what didn't) at each property. Even more surprising? The prestigious Grand Floridian only makes it to the middle of our rankings, while value resort All-Star Movies cracks the top 10 with its immersive Toy Story theming.
As we count down to our top five, we explore what truly creates that magical "we're here" feeling. The Yacht Club dazzles with Stormalong Bay and EPCOT proximity, the Grand Californian offers direct park access with a serene atmosphere, and the Polynesian delivers island vibes with spectacular fireworks views. Wilderness Lodge nearly takes the crown with its breathtaking lobby and peaceful seclusion despite being moments from Magic Kingdom.
But there's one resort that unanimously claimed our #1 spot. Animal Kingdom Lodge transports guests completely to an African safari lodge, with savanna views, cultural immersion, and a fully realized theme unlike anything else at Walt Disney World. From waking up to giraffes outside your balcony to exploring the extensive collection of African art in the lobby, it creates an experience impossible to replicate anywhere else on property.
Whether you're planning your first Disney trip or your twentieth, join us as we break down the pros and cons of each resort we've experienced. Which one will top your personal list?
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hello and welcome to circle of Parks podcast, episode number 214. Today we are going to rank all the Disney resorts we have stayed at. There is far too much to see and do. We are here to help guide you through. But before we do that we must talk disney merch. So this week's disney merch on disneystorecom they have some monorail tongs and I thought they were tongs tongs.
Speaker 2:Yes, like clack clack, clack tongs yep why have you not gotten them for me?
Speaker 1:so they are back in stock um is what it says and it's 14 dollars, they're 14.99. And it says welcome to our monorail tongs. Please hold on to the handles throughout your culinary journey and stay clear of duller options. After all, why use ordinary tongs when you can use the stainless steel ones with a Figaro monorail tip? So anyway, they're $14? $14.99.
Speaker 2:Yeah, get those.
Speaker 1:So yeah, so apparently they've had them before and I almost feel like maybe I've glanced at them before and seen that they were out of stock, or maybe a long time ago I covered this on Disney merch because they looked very familiar to me. A long time ago I covered this on Disney March because they looked very familiar to me, but anyway again, monorail tongs for cooking and grilling $14.99.
Speaker 2:With as much as I grill out. Why do we not have these.
Speaker 1:I mean I guess they can handle the temperatures. I would just be like iffy to mess them up.
Speaker 2:It's almost one of those things you just don't want to use them, just want to look at them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, kind of yeah but you know anyway, uh. So yes, they are back in stock this summer. So again, that's at disneystorecom. Go check that out. And that is this week's disney march thank you, brady, for joining us.
Speaker 2:Episode what is it? 214, 214. We are going to rank the resorts that we have stayed at. We've been wanting to do this for a while, yeah, and we wanted to wait until we have stayed at. We've been wanting to do this for a while, yeah, and we wanted to wait until we've stayed at all the resorts. That's going to take a long, long time, though.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:But we feel we have stayed at enough. To be able to do this episode To be able to rank the resorts that we have stayed at, and you may be surprised at where they rank Well. Well, I was going to say it includes walt, disney world and disneyland and some good neighbor hotels that are on walt disney world property.
Speaker 2:So, with that being said, I want to say all these resorts are still great right, right, yes like if you said, hey, we're going to go to Walt Disney World, but we are only staying at this resort, I'm not out because of it's my least favorite resort, right? Yeah, like, these are all still, you're going to have a great experience, you're going to get that Disney customer service, you're going to get all of that right. So I don't want people to think that these are batteries. There's no bad resort, right. It's just which ones do we like better?
Speaker 1:Yeah, right, is that really what it is Like, our opinion, how we enjoy them, that kind of thing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so before we get into that, I'm Zach, if you're new here, I'm Brittany. We do this show every single week and our goal is to help break your week up, take you to Walt Disney World, help you relax throughout the week and help you have a better Walt Disney World vacation. Yes, so the resorts that we have stayed at there's 13 of them. Correct, saratoga Springs was our very first trip. Mm-hmm. Animal Kingdom Lodge. Mm-hmm. Coronado Springs, mm-hmm, the Grand Floridian. Mm-hmm.
Speaker 2:All-Star Movies the Polynesian, port Orleans, riverside, disneyland Hotel, caribbean Beach, the Dolphin, the Wilderness Lodge, Grand Californian and the Yacht Club. Yes, all right. So we're going to start with our least favorite and end with our favorite. Now I'll say the top five are pretty easy. Yes, right, and my least favorite were pretty easy in the middle there, though right those were tough right, and we're going to talk about why we ranked them the way we ranked them right, yeah, and so zach's list has 13.
Speaker 2:I have 14 because did you go on a trip without us?
Speaker 1:no, um, but we've stayed at coronado twice in different sections of it, but it's still the same resort well, it was a different britney's coming up with her own rules.
Speaker 2:Just whatever she wants to do, she's gonna do it all right. So you want to go first? You want me to go first?
Speaker 1:yeah, so my least favorite so this is number 14 for you for me is the first time we stayed at coronado springs whoa we stayed in the villages area and I don't know, I just feel, like you know, it is a big spread out resort. You have quite a bit of walking to do to get to restaurants and everything, and so that experience, not just because of that, but the room we had, maybe it was just that particular room, but I just felt, like you know, I think they've they've updated the room some since then that was an updated room.
Speaker 1:Oh well, we just didn't have the best experience and had a hard time sleeping that trip that's also the trip that was a blur and we were really. I understand we were really mainly there just to sleep, but I just did not enjoy staying at Coronado Springs Villages. Okay, so that is my least favorite.
Speaker 2:Least favorite. Okay, so I just put cornado together as one, yeah well all right. So my least favorite resort is the dolphin, and here's why there is really no disney theming here. Now, if you're coming here on a convention or you have persuaded someone who didn't want to go to Disney to go to Disney and you got him there, got him or her there because they didn't want to stay at a place with Disney in your face, right. Yeah, this is that place, right.
Speaker 2:Correct the deluxe uh perks without paying without paying the deluxe price, but playing, paying like the moderate price.
Speaker 2:This is where you're going to want to stay at right, because I think we paid 400 a night here around. But you get those deluxe, deluxe perks, except the buses at the magic kingdom don't go to the bus terminal as the other disney buses do. They go to the transportation and ticket center right for the swan and dolphin, and I think that's correct for most other good neighbor hotels. But you get the early entry, you get the uh, you do get the um, like deluxe resort guests get to stay like from like 10 to 1 am at night, sometimes for certain, like for apacata magic kingdom, you know you get that right.
Speaker 1:You do with this one. I don't think.
Speaker 2:Yes, you do get that um, so there are perks to staying here. However, when we stayed here, was it bad? No, it wasn't a bad trip. We enjoyed it, but there was no disney theming, and I likened it to being invited to the popular kids party in high school and being there but nobody talking to you. It's like you're there but you're not right.
Speaker 1:Right yeah, I mean, and the the hotel is very nice it is I mean very, very nice.
Speaker 2:It's a marriott right yes, it's on my marriott and um.
Speaker 1:So and it's, and it's nice that you know you can walk to the side entrance of epcot it's a longer walk than I thought it was. Yes, so do you keep that in mind? Like it? I mean it's walking distance, it's just about 20 minutes it is.
Speaker 1:It is about a 20 minute walk, you are correct so, um, but I mean, it was very nice, you know if, if we were anywhere other than disney, like it would probably rank a lot higher, because the only reason why I'm saying that is that was my next one as well so that's your number 13 as well.
Speaker 2:Yes, okay, well, what do you want to say about it?
Speaker 1:or did I just yeah, for the most part, like just because, like zach was saying, like I don't have to have disney in your face or anything like that. But there really wasn't any of that disney magic. Now you know if you are going to be spending a lot more time at the hotel and everything. They have plenty of restaurants there beautiful, great restaurants right, um you know something for everybody. Um you know whether it's a little bit on the fancier side or like just quick service, quick service and everything in between.
Speaker 1:I mean, they definitely had a lot of choices um and again. The perk is how close it is to epcot, but it's just, you know, it didn't feel like dis.
Speaker 2:And that's the thing, right, like we were at Disney. But we didn't feel like we were at a Disney resort. Right, and that's that's the whole point of it, right, but when we're going on a Disney vacation, we want to feel like we're at Disney. Right. I mean, you're in the bubble, but you're not, so that's why it is last on my list as least favorite resort. Yes, all right, so I'm going next to number 12.
Speaker 1:I mean, you can? Well, you just went, we just both did 13. We both just did 13. Yeah, that's fine.
Speaker 2:This one, I think, is going to have a lot of people screaming at us.
Speaker 1:This is you, not me this is mine, caribbean Beach.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I can hear people screaming now because people love this resort. And I understand why. Right, it's a beautiful resort. It is. You're there on the Skyliner. The Skyliner is the only reason. This was not my least favorite.
Speaker 1:Oh, wow, okay.
Speaker 2:And here's why this is my second to least favorite resort the theming in the resort itself, in the main lobby, in the pool. It's beautiful, but once you walk out, you're exposed to everything else. Right, and it's a large resort. That's not why this is so bad on my list. It is because you can see the Riviera, you can see the Skyliner. You're not fully immersed in that Caribbean beach theming, right, and that is why I felt like I just was not immersed in this, right, like it didn't fully transform me there. Right.
Speaker 2:Whereas all the other resorts we stayed at. You get that.
Speaker 1:Yeah Right, you can't see what's around, anything else yeah.
Speaker 2:Even at the value resorts, you're still encompassed in that theming, whichever it may be caribbean beach. I did not have that and that is. I think that's what, like the first thing I said when we went to the pool, like, oh, this is a cool pool, but there's a skyliner, there's the main road, there's the riviera, right, like you're not encompassed in that caribbean beach theming. The food's great, great restaurants. So again, not a bad resort, just one of my least favorites okay what's next on your list number 12?
Speaker 1:number 12 on mine is all-star movies okay and not because it's value. Uh, I mean, I did like staying there. Uh, the pool, you know, even though it was crowded it was, it was still a very nice pool right um, you know they have, like your, your food court area for food and everything you know, lots of different choices and, like zach was saying, you know you are feeling like you're in the disney bubble, but I think I might would have enjoyed it had it been one of our earlier trips when the kids were smaller?
Speaker 1:yeah, when they were younger where now that they're older and stuff, it's just not like our cup of tea, you know. Yeah. But I mean, you know, I remember sleeping decent here and again, you know, enjoying some time at the pool, but it just, I think again, had it been like five years ago it could have been different. Yeah.
Speaker 2:All right, number 11 on my list Saratoga Springs Okay. Now. I'm going to preface this with. I think Saratoga Springs may be one of the most underrated resorts in all of Walt Disney World. Okay. I loved staying here on our first trip. You get some Disney theming, but not in your face, right.
Speaker 1:Right, very subtle, very subtle.
Speaker 2:It is walking distance to Disney Springs.
Speaker 1:Well, more so depending where you are staying there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and again, not a bad resort. I thought it was very relaxing the room. We stayed in a twobedroom villa thanks to my brother and sister-in-law, um, so we had plenty of room. It was a nice large room, but I just think there's much better resorts theming wise right right and but again, I will go down saying that I think this may be one of the most underrated resorts to say, because nobody talks about it, and I remember our stay here being very, very nice yeah I really did enjoy staying here.
Speaker 2:I would definitely stay here again right and you are. I mean saratoga springs, is you know from saratoga, new york, right the horsing horse racing? But it's not really like heavily themed to that right, like there's a horse in the front and the check-in area resort like resembles, like a, a horse barn type of thing, and it's very elegantly done.
Speaker 1:But outside of that there's some nods here and there to it not a lot of rooms, but it's not in your face, but, but yeah, it definitely was a very nice day. You know, and this was before we knew a lot about disney. This was our first trip yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:So what's your number 11?
Speaker 1:caribbean beach okay um, so kind of a little bit off of what zach was saying a couple minutes ago. You know the the perks are. You know the skyliner being, can. You know hop on it quickly. The Riviera, you can walk over to it or catch the Skyliner over to it. You know, being right next door, the pool is very, very nice. It is a nice pool. I did like the fact that where we stayed, I can't think of the section name of it right now.
Speaker 2:We had a preferred room. We were pretty close to it.
Speaker 1:Right, I like the fact that we were close to the lobby in the pool. The food that we did try there was good, the theming in the lobby, on point I think. But it is just such a big resort and so spread out and, you know, even though the pool and everything was very nice, like what zach was saying, the roads right there it wasn't so much that I could see the riviera and the skyliner, you know, like where you catch it I think it was just more like the road being there you know the traffic noise, yeah, yeah yeah, so um
Speaker 3:and the room I mean it was, it was okay, you know, but we, we've stayed in nicer.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean it was fine. Yeah, can I go ahead and do my number 10 as well?
Speaker 2:Number 10. We're in the top 10 now. All right, go ahead.
Speaker 1:The only reason why is because you just talked about this one as well.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:So number 10, Saratoga Springs.
Speaker 2:Okay For you.
Speaker 1:All for you, all right, made your top 10, all right, so I would. I really would love to stay here again one day, just because I, because we are more knowledgeable about things what about the treehouse villas? Well, so hold on okay, so that's a possibility. Um, but even like the, the type of rooms that we stayed in before, I know it won't be that big, since we won't be sharing with anyone, but if you are closer to the backside of it, I guess you could say that's where Disney Springs is, that's where Disney Springs is and it's an easier walk.
Speaker 1:Now, sure you could walk there from any part of the resort. Just know you're going to be adding more and more minutes and I would not recommend walking from the tree houses.
Speaker 2:No, that's its own thing, so keep that in mind. They have their own bus loop within the resort.
Speaker 1:Right, and so keep that in mind when you're thinking oh okay, I can walk to Disney Springs, not if you're staying in the tree houses.
Speaker 2:You can take the boat. They have a boat to Disney Springs though, okay, so that's an option.
Speaker 1:Right Now. I have heard that the tree houses at Saratoga, though, they book up really quickly, like a year or more in advance, so keep that in mind. But they do look super cool, but they're not going to be close to, like the lobby and the restaurants or the pool, so also keep that in mind as well, and they usually go pretty quick to DVC members.
Speaker 2:It's hard to get one if you're not a DVC member.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but again I would like to stay here at some point again because we didn't experience the pool or any of that stuff.
Speaker 2:It looked cool though.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so just to stay here, even if it's just for a night, and experience the actual resort this time it is very nice. I mean we did eat quick service and shop a little bit there, but other than that we didn't do much on at the resort I still remember, oh, but I did do a massage, sorry yes, you and um, my sister, our sister-in-law, did a massage.
Speaker 2:Yes, I remember my my first thought when we walked out of the lobby and the pool was packed and I was like who comes to disney and goes to the pool?
Speaker 1:yeah, you were like why are they not at the park? Why?
Speaker 2:would you not be at the park?
Speaker 1:Man, you need that resort day if you're there for a while.
Speaker 2:Breaking my top 10. Number 10 all-star movies Okay.
Speaker 1:Top 10. Top 10.
Speaker 2:Number 10 all-star movies. And you know it's a value resort. There's a ton of people there, but we stayed in the Toy Story section of all-star movies. I loved it. The theming here, the detail loved it. The Fantasia pool loved it. The food court it. It's crowded, yes, but some like sometimes they have some pretty unique stuff in there yeah like I loved staying here. It was fun now is it going to be like a nice, peaceful, relaxing time?
Speaker 1:no, that's what I was like, maybe when, if our kids were. But I really did enjoy our stay here yeah, I thought it was fun and again, I mean I know it was my number 12 and but I mean I just I think we would have gotten a little more out of it had they been younger.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, but I I loved it. You know I wouldn't sleep on this, yeah, yeah, I really thoroughly enjoyed staying here. Okay, all right, what's your number? Nine?
Speaker 1:My number nine is Disneyland Hotel. Whoa.
Speaker 1:I know I was making a face, wow, and this is where it gets hard. My next few it was like oh they could really be in any order. Because, don't get me wrong, I love Disneyland Hotel. You know, the headboards and stuff with the fireworks and the castles and the music. I don't know how many times I turned that on. We played them all night long, yeah and um and the monorail, like slides at the pool, are cool and you got Tongaroa Terrace and, yeah, trader Sam's and all that there right.
Speaker 1:And then I like how each of the towers, so to speak, are like different, different like the decorations. Are, you know, frontierland or Fantasyland or whatever?
Speaker 2:There's an Adventureland tower.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:And now they have the DVC tower. Yes, that was being built when we were there.
Speaker 1:Right. So I mean so I love the theming for all of that and I like how it's right there. I mean, well, these resorts are right there on, you know, the uh downtown disney, you know, and so I the location, all of that great. Um, it was just, I don't know, like it did feel crowded. Now we were there the first couple days was the end of a dance competition yes um, so that added to it.
Speaker 1:Um, but just it. It took a long time, even when they were gone to, you know, catch the elevators and it just I don't know, it wasn't like a ah, relaxing feeling it was overwhelming, right I, I get that, yeah, but the food, great location, great, you know the, the headboard and everything in the room, all of that what about the mickey hands holding the lights in the?
Speaker 1:bathroom. Oh yes, yeah, like the theming on point for sure. Um and again, these next few could could easily be in any order, like my. The next three that I'm going to talk about could be could have been easily in this place as well, so okay, all right.
Speaker 2:My number nine. We're going back to Coronado Springs. Just in general, okay, right.
Speaker 1:But you already talked about it.
Speaker 2:We talked about Sarah. I talked about it, you talked about.
Speaker 1:Oh yes, I'm sorry, sorry, go ahead.
Speaker 2:Keep up here, woman, all right. So I didn't split the villas with the tower Right, I'm just doing it as a whole. I didn't split the village, the villas with the tower right, I'm just doing it as a whole. Again, a very large resort. The theming is on point. Again, we talked about it in our trip report. We talked about it in our hotel review. This is a beautiful, beautiful resort, right, the music is beautiful. There's a lot of good restaurants here. Are they great? No, are they great. No, are they good? Yes, they're good.
Speaker 2:They're not great. The pool area is on point. This is a beautiful resort, very well done. The Tower Bar, dahlia Lounge, great views of Hollywood Studios, great drinks up there. I would like to go back and eat at the Tapas restaurant there, or just eat, just me, and you go back to that lounge and just hang out, right. But again, like I said in the trip reported in the hotel review, when I walked into the resort lobby I didn't get that feeling because it's very crowded. This is the main convention hotel for Walt Disney World, so you see more business people mixed in with the families and that doesn't give me the hey, we're at Walt Disney World feeling. Does that make sense? No, it does.
Speaker 2:So that's why it is number nine. Okay.
Speaker 1:But it made top ten.
Speaker 2:Yes, it made top ten Right, so all right, what's your number eight?
Speaker 1:People are going to be shocked. What? Just Okay, my number eight Grand Floridian.
Speaker 2:Oh, wow, okay, All right, please explain.
Speaker 1:So there's so much good here, but it's just. You know, and I know we tend to stay at deluxe resorts more often than not, but it I don't know. I just felt like I was out of place a little bit here.
Speaker 2:We're not that bougie.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:Like again, very nice and loved. You know the room, the location. You know it's one of the monorail resorts. You know you can see the, the castle, you, you and ryan had watched fireworks from the boat dock. You know, like all of that stuff, the pool was very nice. I wish we had eaten at some of the restaurants here.
Speaker 2:We didn't do that some of them weren't quite open yet either, because this was still in the covid yeah and um, but like one or two of them were.
Speaker 1:But anyway, so you know, I do wish that we had experienced some of the restaurants here, but it just, I don't know, it was a little too bougie for me Now. Did we go visit it on our resort day, me and Nolan, when Zach and Ryan had other plans? Yes, we did, but we weren't there long, you know, yeah, and so I just yeah, I just uh, there's theming here and there is a little bit of disney, very subtle, but it is very subtle, um, and I get why. I mean, it's like that, what is it? Victorian style?
Speaker 1:it's yeah, victorian, yeah, turn of the century, victorian style yeah, but I just I don't know it out of everywhere that we've stayed it just there was no way it was going to make like my top five. Yeah, so uh, but again the last one I talked about, this one in the next two could have easily been in any order, so yeah, my number eight.
Speaker 2:We're going back to the west coast going disneyland hotel and a lot of the reasons that you echoed right great resort. I loved seeing all the pictures of walt in fantasyland. We stayed in the fantasyland tower. I loved all the theming. I loved the pool. I loved. I love trader sam's. I'm not a tiki bar guy but I love trader james you know, yeah, uh, the pool was great, the location's great.
Speaker 2:You're, you're there, like this is. This is not the original disneyland hotel that got torn down and rebuilt, but the theming is there. You're literally right outside of downtown disney. It's a great resort. The hotel room is great. It's a great resort. It made number eight because it is too much. Sometimes, like when we get, when we walk into this resort or when we walk into any resort, do you go? Yeah, that's a lot of what I judge my opinions on right. Right, and we did not get this here because there were people everywhere yeah, and the elevator thing.
Speaker 2:I mean, it took us 10 minutes at times to get an elevator right and granted, we were on one of the top floors, but still. But it shouldn't take 10 minutes to go down the elevator, it just shouldn't right, right, um, but again, number eight, again. It's not that we don't like these resorts yeah this is just if you're having to rank them like.
Speaker 1:It's like ranking your kids, right you don't want to do that, I'm just saying we do have one we like better than the other no, not really I'm kidding, we'll edit that part out. No, we're not, we're leaving it there.
Speaker 2:I just joke, it's a. It's a joke people, it's a joke, people, it's a joke.
Speaker 1:All right Number seven for Brittany. Number seven Port Orleans Riverside.
Speaker 2:How dare she?
Speaker 1:Are you muting me?
Speaker 2:Yes, I said my number nine through six could have been in any order.
Speaker 1:Yes, I'm messing with you.
Speaker 2:Okay, september 9 through 6.
Speaker 1:Yes, I'm messing with you. Okay, so, uh, port Orleans Riverside, and you know really nothing to complain about. Yeah, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It has a very relaxing vibe. Um, the theming, I think, is really on par. You know the the? Uh, it's not, it's Disney themed, but still not in your face.
Speaker 2:But it's more than subtle too it's a lot of um princess, uh, princess and the frog.
Speaker 1:Princess and frog, yeah yeah, so yeah, you have, like Tiana and the frog and everything they have, uh, carriage rides you can take beautiful that really added to it, especially like in the evening.
Speaker 1:Um, maybe if we stay again I'll do that or we can do that yeah uh, and the food in the food court great options, gumbo, jambalaya, and then your traditional like hamburgers, chicken, all of that stuff as well, but really really good. Um, you know, the pool was nice and relaxing. Uh, we stayed. I can't think of the name, but it was an easy walk to the, to everything yes, it wasn't that far from now where a lot of people say this is a pretty good size resort it is a very large resort.
Speaker 2:All the moderates are going to be really large, right but our.
Speaker 1:But the location for where we stayed was real easy to to walk to everything um and the outside theming to the buildings is definitely themed to like your older, traditional new orleans style southern yes yeah, so. But yeah, I didn't ride on the boat, but zach has to. You can get a boat and take it to disney springs I've ridden this boat boat multiple times right, you've also taken it from disney springs here for Yeehaw, bob Correct, which I'm sure Zach will talk about later.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah and yeah, I just location-wise everything. I think it's great and very relaxing. It's one that you can walk in and outside and be like ah.
Speaker 2:You do get that ah feeling here, unless I'll talk about it when I talk about Port Orleans River City. You know what I'm going to say. Yes, my number seven, grand Floridian. Okay, I'm going to say this about the pool because I'm going back and re-listening to our old trip reports and I was listening to this one today while I was on my breaks at work walking around the pool. Here you have the castle on the left. You got the monorail going by on the right. You don't get much more like Disney than that, right, like that's pretty awesome. Yeah, right, that's really cool. When you walk in, you do get that Right this. You get that here, right? Well, not now, because of all the construction, not now with the construction and when we stayed.
Speaker 1:you did with the gingerbread smell.
Speaker 2:Yes, Even though it was crowded during, we stayed during.
Speaker 1:Christmas time, but you still walked in and you were like I'm here but in your nicer clothes.
Speaker 2:Yes, so why this is not in my top? Like how is Grand Floridian's not in y'all's top five? We're bougie. This is a whole, nother level of bougie that we're just not Right.
Speaker 1:We're just not. And when we say that for those of you that haven't been like, you are still fine wearing theme park clothes.
Speaker 2:Wear whatever you want.
Speaker 1:Yes, you know, unless you're going to one of their nicer restaurants.
Speaker 2:Didn't they have dress codes?
Speaker 1:Yes, but you can still be in your Disney clothes. But walking around, I just felt like, oh, maybe I should have put a sundress on instead.
Speaker 2:Right, I should have a collar on Right. The boys were like hey, don't touch anything Because the boys were smaller. Can I tell the story about the room we stayed in?
Speaker 1:Depends on the story.
Speaker 2:So we stayed in the Sugarless building, right, and was it Nolan? It was Nolan.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because he was quite a bit younger. What was?
Speaker 2:he four.
Speaker 1:No, he was like six, he was in 21. Yeah, so almost six.
Speaker 2:He was like Daddy, we're staying in the Sugar Daddy building.
Speaker 1:Because he liked the candy sugar daddy right.
Speaker 2:Well, he'd recently heard of it. I don't think he liked it, but yeah, so we just that's just a funny story we tell, but again beautiful resort but zach was like sugar, love sugar, love sugar, love it was a. It's a beautiful resort and I know this is. This resort is probably on on most people's top bucket list resort to stay at right like people put it up on this pedestal as almost unattainable right and and I get that, but it just, it's just not us. Yeah, I don't think we'll ever stay here again.
Speaker 1:No.
Speaker 2:Unless someone says, hey, let's go, stay at the Grand Floridian. Okay, we'll go.
Speaker 1:But on our own we're not Like how we've talked about like Magic Kingdom days and stuff, and it's okay to leave and go eat somewhere, go chill there, maybe do that it is a very beautiful the customer service here is.
Speaker 2:I think this is the best customer service at any resort we've ever stayed at. Honestly.
Speaker 2:Right, but yeah, I think there's just much better resorts. All right. So if you want to book a room and package with Walt Disney World, let's talk about Erica. Planning a Disney vacation can be overwhelming, but that's where our new sponsor comes in. You've heard us talk about her for a long time and now she's the official sponsor of this podcast Travel planner Erica with Wishes Co Travel Planning. As a travel planner specializing in Disney destinations, she takes care of every detail, from finding the best resort options for your family booking, dining reservations to park strategies and now offers a special lightning-ling booking service to your park days. She truly offers top-tier service from start to finish strategies and now offers a special lightning lane booking service to your park days. She truly offers top tier service from start to finish and the best part is her planning services are free when you book your room and ticket package with her.
Speaker 1:We're thrilled to have Travel Planner Erica as the official sponsor of this podcast, and exclusively for Circle of Parks listeners. When you plan your next Walt Disney World or Disneyland vacation or your next Run Disney Racecation with Erica, you'll receive a Disney gift card based on the value of your trip on your arrival day to put towards your Disney snacks.
Speaker 2:So if you're dreaming of a magical Disney trip, she's the expert you want on your side, ready to plan. Reach out to Erica at TravelPlannerEricacom or follow her on Facebook and Instagram at Travel Planner. Erica. All right, number six, brittany. What is your sixth favorite resort that we stayed at in Walt Disney World?
Speaker 1:Grand Destino Tower at Coronado Springs. Okay, number six and I said six through nine could have been in any order, did I not?
Speaker 2:You did so this could have easily been number nine. You're cheating by using Coronado Springs twice.
Speaker 1:Because it's a different experience. Continue. The rooms are different. I feel like in the tower it was much quieter. The size of the room was very spacious. We had a preferred view. Um, it was a water view, so you could, we could, look out and we could see like the, the lake there, and like three bridges restaurant and the backside of expedition yeah, you could see that and um, the tree of life, or yeah, um, anyway, you could see all that.
Speaker 1:And then on the movie nights, like you could even look down and, if you wanted to, you know, see the movie that they're watching out on the lawn. Uh, and it was just, it was a very pretty view. Um, yes, I know, like it's a convention resort and there were people there for business and stuff as well, but there were times where I went down and got like a coffee and just sat on the lower lobby level and just took it all in and it was still a relaxing vibe. Yes, okay, and then there were other chairs and stuff that were next to like the big windows and doors, looking out at everything. And you know, you could you just you felt that encompassed by disney feel, when you know when you're, you were immersed yes, you were fully immersed in the theming care.
Speaker 2:That I will say. As large as the resort is, you are still fully immersed in the in the theming care at cornado right in that pool.
Speaker 1:You know the tower location, you know is real easy to get to everything from the food court, the shop, the pool is a little bit of a walk, but not much, and that pool theming is just beautiful with the pyramid and so yeah, I just I wanted to put that separately because I really did enjoy the tower where I didn't enjoy the villages.
Speaker 2:Ok, so my number six, port Orleans Riverside, and it's not because of Yeehaw Bob Okay, it's not. Yeehaw Bob is just a massive bonus to this. All right. So we grew up in the South. I grew up in like rural South. You know Tennessee and this reminds me a lot of my childhood. Right, like the theming, the, the water. You know the water wheels, the pool theming is on point here, and when you walk in this resort, except on a thursday, friday or saturday night between nine and eleven o'clock, you go right right it's very peaceful.
Speaker 2:If you check in out within those days and hours, you're going to see an 80-year-old bald man going ah right, and you're going to go. What is going on here, right? Right, yeah, that is not a relaxing time. Yeehaw Bob is a huge bonus of this resort. I love him. He's an icon. Relaxing time yeehaw bob is a huge bonus of this resort. I love him. He's an icon. But this is not why he's so far. This is he is not why it's so far high on my list. Okay, it's just.
Speaker 1:It's a peaceful, relaxing resort, except when britney sees a snake on the path and you can hear her all over the resort I didn't scream because by the time I realized what it was, it was already in the grass, but had I realized it like half a second sooner because I literally, like my foot, almost touched it that's how close it was on the path Like if I had realized it just a half second sooner the whole resort would have heard me yeah.
Speaker 2:But, like you said earlier, the food in the food court area here is on point. I think this may be some of the best resort food you can get anywhere yes, I would agree.
Speaker 1:And and flavorful too yes you know it's not like oh yeah, let's just serve this up because stay on theming.
Speaker 2:It was flavorful and you can take the boats to, to port orlean not port, yeah, port orleans, um, what's the other one there, french quarter and you can take it to disney springs and saratoga springs. There's their stops there and I think all of that, with the carriage rides and all that, especially in like twilight hour, just adds to the ambience of this place just being, yeah, so relaxing, so peaceful I loved, just the atmosphere right and they, they had those trees spanish mosses yes, that that add to it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's just, and you're immersed in this theme Right, like there's nothing else taken away from the immersiveness of it in the storytelling. I remember when we did the trip report in the hotel review of this. The storytelling here is on point Right here is on point right of the resort. There's some backstories here and it is very well done. So, yeah, number six, port orleans riverside ahead of disneyland hotel in the grand floridian pretty, pretty big, yeah, I think well, that was ahead on my list too.
Speaker 2:Yeah, all right, we're in the top five. Now britney, what's number five?
Speaker 1:Number five, the Yacht Club.
Speaker 2:Okay, that's my number five as well. And again, these top five. To even be in this top five, that's huge.
Speaker 1:Yes, so Yacht Club partially. Location walking distance from the side entrance to Epcot. You're right there, next to Beach Club, you can see Boardcot. Yep, you know you're right there. You know, next to Beach Club you can see Boardwalk. Beautiful Crescent Lake is right there, yeah, so you know, just the views, the beach along Crescent Lake and everything. Just very, very pretty. We had a room that faced Stormalong Bay.
Speaker 2:Yes, a little bit of it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we had a water, water view, so it was kind of like split a little yeah, yeah, you could see some of storm along bay, which is their big pool area and um, and then we could see the lake there, and so if you're not familiar with storm along bay, it's where. If you are in that area, even if you're staying at the boardwalk and you see this really tall, tilted like pirate ship, that's their slide and then it has a sandbottom pool, a lazy river, all of that at the resort. So that just really adds to it, especially if you're there for a resort day, just family getting to play, wind down. We didn't experience too many of the actual restaurants in the Yacht Club.
Speaker 1:That was a mistake that we made yeah, we did do a couple at beach club there, but I really wish we had tried some at yachts yes um the room very nice.
Speaker 1:The the decor in the room itself was more subtle you know, but it is nautical theming, you know, and if you're looking you'll see stuff, but it's not so much in your face, but it's one of those lobbies that when you walk in you definitely get the and you can get an elevator. You can take stairs, like where we were staying um. The boys like to go up the stairs because there was like a steering wheel that you could um like a ship steering wheel.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like a ship steering wheel that you could turn and everything. So nolan had to do that each time, r Ryan did some too, and you know we spent some time sometimes just sitting in that lobby and it was. It was just very nice.
Speaker 2:And again, location, location yeah, number five's Yacht Club and we're, we're among some some big hitters here now, right, yacht Club. I remember the music here. The music here is just wonderful right, especially after we got of what got off of our flight, which had been a five-hour flight from la turned into an eight-hour flight and we got there like nine o'clock at night, after leaving la at 10 o'clock in the morning yeah and you.
Speaker 2:You walked in and the the theming in there it's a little darker, it's more nautical and I just heard that music in the theming I was was just like right here, Even with the crazy party that was going on at the lounge next to the lobby didn't matter. It was just so peaceful, so relaxing. We want to try the restaurants here. Loved the decor in the rooms. But let's be honest, You're coming here for the side entrance, number one.
Speaker 2:For Epcot yeah, the pool, Storm Along Bay Pool. This is the best pool hands down on property. Right, yeah, for sure. This is why you're staying here. This is why you're booking yacht or beach club. I would prefer the yacht club. I like the theming better. Beach club it is a little bright, it isn't in your face.
Speaker 1:So beach club club I don't think would be as high on this list for me, right, but we haven't stayed there, we've been in it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but I love the yacht club. Great place, highly recommend it, love it, love it, just love it. That slide is awesome.
Speaker 1:The pool is awesome and the pool doesn't seem overly crowded even when there are tons of people there, because the way it's laid out there's like different areas that you can swim in that go up to like five feet and stuff, but then you have kiddie areas as well and you know whirlpool spas, all that.
Speaker 2:So all right number four for britney number four grand california we're on the same page, okay, okay so grand california?
Speaker 1:um, it's. Oh, there's quite a few reasons for one. Let me look at the theming. The theming reminds me of some I'm going to talk about here soon, so I'm going to go ahead and kind of give some of my list away. Uh, you just don't know the order yet, but it reminded me a little bit of animal kingdom lodge in wilderness well, there's a very good reason behind that yes, you can talk about it when it's your turn okay so the theming reminded me of those two, which I love, both those resorts.
Speaker 1:It has that very relaxing, relaxing, wilderness, western kind of feel to it. Um, the decor, even in the room, it was subtle, a little it was a little more noticeable than some other resorts, but it was like chippendale and woodsy and um yeah, I just I don't know. It was very, very relaxing. When you walked in, it was. I immediately was like ah, they have fireplaces in there, the pool area, those seat cushions at the pool are very comfortable. Some of the like, more like, they were like six inches thick.
Speaker 2:Yeah, they were huge.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it wasn't like those flimsy seat cushions or even the ones that some of the nicer resorts in Walt Disney World that are not flimsy, but I mean these were, like Zach said, probably five or six inches thick and the pool area was very nice, the the bar and restaurant there and everything very nice. But there's also a entrance right into DCA and it's like literally you're walking right into the park yeah, it's not a side entrance.
Speaker 1:This is an entrance into the park yeah from the resort right like you are right there on a path that leads to a ride, basically and it ties right into the themed land at dca yes, like where the grizzly?
Speaker 2:yes the grizzly river run, I think's the name of it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so yes, it's just so nice, very relaxing feel. Just absolutely loved it. It is expensive, but I think it might be worth it.
Speaker 2:This was the most expensive resort we've ever stayed at. This was more than the Grand Floridian. Yeah, yeah, it hurt to pay for this, but I agree. Number four on my list. It's great you walk in.
Speaker 1:You're immediately so it's number four for you too, number four for me as well okay, you immediately walk in and you go like there's not a hustle bustle here.
Speaker 2:The the customer service from the cast members are just as high as they were at grand floridian. Right um it. It feels like Wilderness Lodge, but it's different Because this is more like Redwoods, like you're in the Redwood Forest, right, right. Yeah, themed amazing. The room was great, even though I have a thing with Chippendale now.
Speaker 1:But talk about why the theming is similar to so.
Speaker 2:I've talked about this ad nauseum before, but the Grand californian, the wilderness lodge and animal kingdom lodge are all built by the same architect, right, that's why they all have that huge grand uh lobby and entrance and all that. So, yes, um, that entrance to dc right there, that's huge right massive.
Speaker 1:That's awesome yeah you can't beat that yeah, and they do have a character dining here. We didn't experience, but it looked like it would be super cute. You could kind? Of see in from it and um the again we we did eat like the the pool restaurant the quick service.
Speaker 1:You know um the customer service. When you were talking about that reminded me the day we got there. They were having like a special like in their spa and everything, and concierge really tried to go out of their way to get me in that day. It just didn't work out.
Speaker 2:You want to get your nails in or something?
Speaker 1:no, no no, it was like a special facial or something okay uh, it was like discounted for like two days or something.
Speaker 2:Because we, when we got there early yeah, flying from the east coast to the west coast, you get there early and we didn't have anything planned for the day except to just chill at the pool. So we were like, if it can get you in, get you in.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but I just appreciated how like they've really just kind of overheard us talking and was like, well, hey, do you want me to just see? And he was like, well, let me see what I can do, you know. And it didn't work out, but it was definitely great customer service.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the pool's great. Those seat cushions are just amazing. I was like wow. Yeah, don't eat the whole pizza. It's not going to go well for you.
Speaker 1:Well, it depends, and so we got bigger pizzas somehow than people next to us. That got like a personal size.
Speaker 2:It did not go well for me that night.
Speaker 1:Well, you got like all the meat. Yeah, yeah, the all meat one it was. It was a rough night. We'll just like margarita pizza or something.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah so yeah, number four grand california. It's yeah, it's just yeah, you're gonna spend the money here, though yeah, yeah, but it's beautiful, it is. Number three? I think we're all on the same page from here on out. Probably Brittany, number three. What is your number three favorite resort in Walt Disney World?
Speaker 1:The Polynesian.
Speaker 2:Okay, we're on the same page.
Speaker 1:The Polynesian, although I mean these top three I love almost equally, honestly, yeah, so you know it could have been two or three. We'll put it that way.
Speaker 2:I'm pretty set on my top three.
Speaker 1:Okay, but Polynesian love it, love it, love it. You've heard us talk about it several times. We go there a lot. We've only stayed one night there.
Speaker 2:I want to stay more.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but it is so nice the rooms now are themed to Moana, but I still feel like it's not overly done it was done really well. It's noticeable, but the color scheme and everything was done really well with it. Very clean, looking still islandy. The restaurants here are great, even with some changes to some things.
Speaker 2:We've eaten at all the restaurants here.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the food's great We've. Yeah, like what is it? Kona?
Speaker 2:We've eaten at Kona Cafe. We've eaten at Ohana.
Speaker 1:We've eaten at Captain Cook's.
Speaker 2:Me and Nolan have been to Trader Sam's.
Speaker 1:And the Tambu Lounge.
Speaker 2:Tambu Lounge. You've been there, yeah, so yes multiple.
Speaker 1:Did you say the? Yeah, you did say Sam's.
Speaker 2:Claire Sam's yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:So everything is great the decor, the ambiance, just all of it. The pool amazing, one of the best pools.
Speaker 2:I would say this is the second best pool yeah.
Speaker 1:It is just beautiful, the location we've talked about about, you know, watching the fireworks from the beach there. You know, like on our recent trip we did that now, had we been um, at the time of this recording it's july 5th. So if we were there this time of year like you not just anybody could go to the beach, like if it's fourth of july and like new year's and stuff, you have to be staying there to watch the fireworks yeah, um, so just keep that in mind.
Speaker 1:But on you know other, most of the time you can, you can go and watch the fireworks. Just beautiful, breathtaking. Um, even outside in the evenings um the outside part of trader sam's area in captain cook's like there's someone like the tiki torches and all that stuff like the ukulele and all that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so just very, very nice. Uh, I do want to, you know, try some of these restaurants again. Uh, this is another one, you know, on a magic kingdom day or something, or a resort day, if you wanted to, you know, just because we had went right after COVID and stuff. So I'd like to experience it one more time. But just great, beautiful, love it. It's definitely one of those.
Speaker 2:Every time I walk into the lobby it's the ah, we're here, so yeah, Number three for me as well, I get that feeling before we even walk in the lobby. That waterfall, oh yes, I'm just like oh yeah yeah even as crowded as that lobby gets, you're still like the music, the smell, the decor. You're just like ah yeah, this is it.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:This is yeah. Like you said, all the restaurants are great here, San's, Ohana. We'll see Well.
Speaker 3:I'd like to try it again. We'll try it again, yeah.
Speaker 2:The pool. Here they've got a grotto in the pool. The water slide's great. I remember you and Ryan went to the edge of the pool to watch the fireworks. Me and Nolan stood in the pool and nolan just grabbed a life vest and just floated on his back and just like super chill. You know, like that's what you can do here. You know, um would love to stay here again. I think the room it was a much larger room yes than I think we've ever had it was very spacious it's very large.
Speaker 2:They themed it very well. The the Moana theme is great you love. Hey, hey by the Coffee Maker.
Speaker 1:Yes, every morning.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you're not going to go wrong here. This is just a great resort. This is a must visit every time we go, every time we go, and it is, for most people, for a reason. Right, you know? Yeah, all right, top two. There's two left.
Speaker 1:Yep, so number two, wilderness Lodge, but I would stay here anytime. Yes, we went at Christmas and it really added to it because it's just Christmas there.
Speaker 2:It is Christmas in a resort. That's what it is.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean just the theming, the woodsy feel, um, the huge fireplace, the tree that they had in the lobby, um, the little station they had to get like hot chocolate and all these gingerbread and chocolate type desserts and everything there it was just, it was beautiful. But we've visited there even when it wasn't decorated for Christmas and still beautiful. The pool here too, just the outside of it and the backdrop, so to speak, with like a waterfall and everything Very grand.
Speaker 1:Yes, very, very nice. Just theming is on point here as well. The food is is pretty good. Um, not the quick service so much, but like the uh, the one where geyser point well, geyser point, and then the one where they're all rowdy oh the uh, the buffet.
Speaker 2:Why can I think of a buffet?
Speaker 1:well, it was a all you can eat family style yeah um whispering whispering canyon yes, yes, where, like you know, make sure you use your napkins and if someone wants ketchup, then you know you got to bring 20 bottles of ketchup from the previous table and all of that it's fun.
Speaker 1:It was very fun yeah so, but just love the theming um, just beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, uh, geyser point, great, great food, great experience, as long as you do it right. But just love the theming Just beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, geyser Point, great, great food, great experience, as long as you do it right anyway, oh, just that one time.
Speaker 1:And then, even though you're encompassed at the Wilderness Lodge, you do hear the boat horns, because that's how you get to magic kingdom. You do see the monorail a little bit off in the distance depending on where your room is yeah, depending on where your room is, we could see it um, but it's definitely just very well done, very relaxing. The boys love it.
Speaker 2:The boys love poly too, um, so yeah, number two on my list as well, echoing a lot of the things you said.
Speaker 2:You walk in this lobby and you're just like Right, it's very peaceful. This is different than the Grand California. The Grand California is more like a redwood forest. This pays more of an homage to the great lodges of the national parks out west. Right, so they're different, but not quite. But this lobby is beautiful. The check-in area is great, the restaurants are great, except for the quick. I mean again, you can't have great stuff in every resort, right, right, like the quick service place in yacht club.
Speaker 2:It was nothing to write home about, right right so same thing here, right, the wilderness lodge, the, you know quick service restaurant is not something right home. About same thing animal kingdom. We're just gonna say now animal kingdom is our number one lodge. But the mara, nothing to write like it sucks right.
Speaker 1:I'm just gonna say it that depends on what you get. But but you can't have great stuff.
Speaker 2:You can't, all of it can't be great right right so the wilderness lodge. I immediately felt like we were in snow white's forest. We were eating. When we first got there, we were eating lunch and there was a squirrel running along my chair and then, like a rabbit, hopping along by us and it is just like the most magical snow white thing ever right, which there is a restaurant there where you can meet snow white and some of the dwarfs and stuff.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and the evil queen or whatever she is. Yes, I love, love, love the theming here the carolwood pacific room, the the walt room where his trains are, and tells a story of the carolwood pacific. Amazing. This is by far one of my favorite places on property to go to. Um, what I loved so much about this. Take that all the way. You are basically on the monorail loop without the monorail but you feel like you are miles away from it.
Speaker 2:Right, and that is what I love so much about this. You are right there in the mix of everything, yes, but you don't feel like you are. You really don't, and that's what I love so much about this. The geyser points great, all that. There's a reason we talk so much about it, but the one thing that stood out to me was we are in this wilderness environment, but the magic kingdom is literally right there right and you didn't feel like the magic kingdom was right there, right, you know yeah and that is what sets this apart, you know yeah, yeah, love it.
Speaker 1:The shop there is one of my favorite gift shops too it is.
Speaker 2:it's themed, themed really really well. Yeah, it really is.
Speaker 1:I used to say that about the Polynesian shop, but they were really redoing it when we were there just now, yeah. So I don't know if they're going to keep it small like that or they're just working on half of it and then the half that was open they'll work on and then it'll all be that big space again, or?
Speaker 2:not sure it will be. Yeah, all right, so number one we already said it britney animal kingdom. Animal kingdom lodge should be no surprise to anybody and this is a lot of, because of the park.
Speaker 1:This is a lot of people's favorite resort, so it's not just us right right, and I didn't want people to be like oh, of course, because animal kingdom is like your favorite park y'all talk about all the time. No, it's the the theming again. Um, just a grand lobby, beautiful, beautiful, huge windows looking out at the savannah. Um, just so many spots to look at the savannah from the lobby. You know different decks with rocking horses to look out.
Speaker 1:Uh, and rocking horses rocking chairs rocking chairs to sit at, to sit at and watch, um, you know, around like as you're going to the pool and stuff just different look, lookout areas. Um, of course, if you have a room that's a savannah view room, just loved waking up in the morning and having coffee on the balcony and watching the animals roam around. Nolan, one of his favorite animals is the giraffes and we would see the giraffes just right outside. You know, ryan loved, like when it rained it wasn't from our room but at other parts of the resort when it was raining and the wildebeest playing tag with each other. You know he still talks about that. Just the food now. Zach said, like, quick service is anything to talk about, but if you want to get zebra domes, you can get it at the mara and the zebra domes are delicious, by the way. Um, but when we were there we did not eat at any sit-down restaurants because it was right after covid. But we have since gone there.
Speaker 1:Me and zach have to eat at boma loved it and we ate the breakfast buffet and we were supposed to eat at jico on our couples only trip that got canceled right, yeah, so, um, so we'd love to experience jico and senna still, but boma, wonderful, uh, the pools here are very relaxing. Um, just, yes, just love it, love it, love it when you, I mean just when you walk in, it is that immediate. Ah, we're here and I we haven't stayed at christmas, but we have visited at christmas, and, oh, I, I would love to stay there at christmas sometime too spoiler alert no I mean, that's up to you.
Speaker 2:The boys think we're staying at Pop Century for Christmas.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, we're staying here See, I covered and didn't say it, you're the one saying spoiler alert. It's okay, well, they may have heard just now, they didn't hear.
Speaker 2:They're playing games.
Speaker 1:You almost gave it away the other day, though, and I was like I know.
Speaker 2:So, names you almost gave it away the other day, though, and I know so we got a bounce back offer and erica was able to snatch it up for us, yeah, so, um, animal kingdom launch, it's number one, and here's why it's number one for me.
Speaker 2:Yes, everything britney said, right, what made it number one for me? You feel like you are somewhere completely different. Here, right, there is nothing else like this on Walt Disney World property Like doesn't even come close right. Wormness Lodge we talked about you're right there, but you're not. You don't even feel that. Here, right, you feel like you were completely at an African lodge in Africa. They did such an amazing job here with fully immersing you in the music. Oh, the music I love, love, love. The regular music and the Christmas music here, yeah, love it. The theming, all the artifacts, all the animals, everything about this is just amazing. And we're staying here again because we again.
Speaker 1:Just love it's.
Speaker 2:We just love it. We want to stay at christmas time. We're staying at christmas time. We're doing it. Number one animal kingdom lodge. If you can book a savannah view room, please do yeah and if you can't, the only way you can afford to stay here is to not book a savannah view room. Still book it, or like, just stay here even if you don't get a savannah view room there's plenty of places to go.
Speaker 2:Look at the savannah, right, right, it's just. There's nothing like this in walt disney world. It's, it's just so well done very, very much so yeah, so you want to go down your list one more time.
Speaker 1:All right, my list. I made it difficult. Number 14, coronado Springs and the Villages, 13, the Dolphin, 12, all-star Movies, 11, caribbean Beach, 10, saratoga Springs, 9, disneyland Hotel, 8, grand Floridian, 7, port Orleans Riverside, 6, grandestino Tower at Coronado, five Yacht Club, four Grand Californian, three Polynesian, two Wilderness Lodge and one Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Speaker 2:All right, and mine were number 13, the Dolphin, number 12, caribbean Beach, number 11, saratoga Springs, number 10, all-star Movies, number nine, coronoga Springs, number 10, all-star Movies, number 9, coronado Springs, number 8, Disneyland Hotel, number 7, the Grand Floridian, number 6, port Orleans Riverside, number 5, the Yacht Club, number 4, the Grand Californian, number 3, the Polynesian, number 2, the Wilderness Lodge and number 1, animal Kingdom Lodge. And I want to say again one more time you're not going to go wrong staying at any of these resorts. Correct, right, you're really not. But if we had to rank them, this is how we would.
Speaker 2:this is how we would, so thank you everybody for joining us. Hope you enjoyed this episode. It's been a long time coming, but we're just glad that you we were able to get this episode out. Um, if you want to support the podcast, the best way to do that is to book your next vacation with Travel Planner Erica. Her website is wwwtravelplannerericacom. She's on Facebook and Instagram at Travel Planner Erica, and next week, for a very special episode, we're going to have her and Johnny back on yes, so looking forward to talking to you next week.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and if you want to email us, circleofparksmailcom, our website's wwwcircleofparkscom, and we're on facebook, instagram and x all that circle of parks let us know. Do you agree or disagree with our rankings, and how would you rank the resorts that you stayed at? I'm sure there'll be some disagreements there will, but we will talk to you next week for a very, very special episode all right, talk to you soon, thank you.