Walt Disney World With Kids (Fodor's, 2012) - Fodor's [28]
The Animal Kingdom Lodge is in the middle of a 33-acre savanna where more than 200 animals freely roam. Thirty-six species of mammals, including giraffes, zebras, and gazelles, and 26 species of birds, such as the sacred ibis and African spoonbill, live within the working wildlife preserve. The kopje, a series of rock outcroppings, serves as a natural barrier but is also an elevated walkway that offers panoramas of the landscape and the chance for you to come within 15 feet of the animals. If you’d rather engage in animal viewing from the comfort of your own balcony, many of the guest rooms have a savanna view. The villas have their own animal reserve, check-in, and a cool Indian restaurant, and the rooms are lovely.
Proximity to the Magic Kingdom:
Fair, via bus
Proximity to Epcot:
Fair, via bus
Proximity to Hollywood:
Fair, via bus
Proximity to the Animal Kingdom:
Excellent, via a short bus ride
Pluses
+ A dramatic and exotic setting.
+ The Animal Kingdom Lodge has truly fantastic restaurants, including Boma, a buffet restaurant with especially good breakfasts, and Jiko, which serves excellent and authentic African food and an exclusively South African wine list.
+ Lots of extras for the kids, including tours that tell about the animals and “bush camp activities” such as African crafts, games, and folktales. You can even track the animals with night vision goggles!
+ On-site child-care facilities, spa, and health club.
+ Some Animal Kingdom Lodge rooms have bunk beds, a good choice if your kids are older, different genders, or for some other reason balk at sleeping together.
+ The Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas are relatively new and very attractive.
Minuses
− Although not as expensive as many of the other luxury hotels, the Lodge can be pricey, with rates beginning at $290 a night. Villas begin at $335.
− The out-of-the-way location means a longer-than-average bus ride to the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood.
− They save the architectural drama for the public spaces. Rooms are small and basic.
Overall Grade: The most unique resort on Disney property.
Coronado Springs Resort
407/939–1000
Map location 10
Disney’s only moderately priced convention hotel—rooms begin at $149—has a Mexican theme with Spanish-tile roofs, adobe walls, and a pool area that is dominated by an imposing Mayan temple. The rooms are scattered around a 15-acre lake. There’s a full-service restaurant called Maya Grill, a food court, and also an adult-oriented club called RIX with a bar and small dance floor.
Proximity to the Magic Kingdom:
Fair, via bus
Proximity to Epcot:
Fair, via bus
Proximity to Hollywood:
Fair, via bus
Proximity to the Animal Kingdom:
Good, via a short bus ride
Pluses
+ Dramatic pool area with waterslide, arcade, bar, fast-food stand, and theme playground.
+ Marina with standard boat and bike rentals.
+ On-site health club—a rarity in this price range.
Minuses
− Coronado Springs is a convention hotel, meaning it has more businesspeople and fewer families than is typical for a Disney resort.
− The fast-food court is too small to accommodate 2,000 rooms and can get very crowded, especially in the morning.
− The resort is quite spread out, even by Disney standards. If you’re in one of the more far-flung rooms, you face a 15-minute walk to the food court and shuttle-bus stop.
Overall Grade: Because of the convention trade, Coronado Springs has more amenities than are typical in this price range. But the conventioneer vibe can also be a turnoff.
ESPN Wide World of Sports Resorts
In Disney-speak, saying you’re near the Wide World of Sports is another way of saying you’re not near anything. The two value resorts here are less expensive partly because their out-of-the-way location means a longer commute to the parks. But if you have your own