Hi-New Member Here :)

[MotoWifey185]

Hello! I am trying to plan the perfect honeymoon for next October, in Disneyworld, so I googled "Disney Forums" and found this. It seems to have a lot of members so far, so I should be getting enough advice. There are a lot of wedding forums I was browsing that have one post a day or something, pretty unhelpful, lol!

Any way, my first question since I am trying to narrow down the resort, is if there are any resorts that are in walking distance to every park? We've never been to Disney World so we're not sure how big it is, but we do like to walk a lot so it would be perfect to find a resort that is in close proximity to the parks because I don't like the idea of taking a smelly old bus! I just can't decide, which is why I decided to find a forum to help me out! Hopefully this is a good site with lots of help for me to plan our honeymoon. So exciting!!

 

[Hooked On The Mouse]

Disney World is HUGE. There are no resorts that are walking distance to every park, and only a few that are walking distance to even 1 park. The buses aren't that bad, and depending on the resort you choose, you may have the choice of monorail or boat as well. And welcome to the Disboard, you'll get good advice here.

 

[MotoWifey185]

yeah that's what I kinda figured! I wasn't sure how different Disneyworld was from Disneyland lol. We are far walkers so I thought maybe there'd be something but after all day in the park I don't think we will want to walk too much further! Well I think we want to stay in a delux, I've seen a few that let you take a monorail to Magic Kindgom and Epcot which will probably be our most visited parks. I do some more research. Anyone have their honeymoon here? Where did you stay?

 

[donnaf516]

and congratulations on your upcoming wedding!

Since none of the resorts are in walking distance to all the parks, my suggestion is to take a look at all the resorts and pick the one that appeals to you most. Some of the resorts have other transportation options to some parks such as monorail and/or boat. Also, don't worry about a smelly old bus, Disney buses aren't bad at all. If you're that against taking the bus, you can always rent a car and park for free if you're an onsite resort guest.

Happy planning!

 

[mb187143]

yeah that's what I kinda figured! I wasn't sure how different Disneyworld was from Disneyland lol. We are far walkers so I thought maybe there'd be something but after all day in the park I don't think we will want to walk too much further! Well I think we want to stay in a delux, I've seen a few that let you take a monorail to Magic Kindgom and Epcot which will probably be our most visited parks. I do some more research. Anyone have their honeymoon here? Where did you stay?

We're honeymooning at the AKL next November, after our wedding at Disney, lol. AKL is our favorite resort, and also the first one we stayed at together, so that's why we picked it. We've also stayed at the Polynesian, which was lush and quiet and so romantic. We stayed at the Contemporary as well, and we loved being able to walk to and from the MK.

You really should look at the resorts and see what feels good for you, what appeals and what doesn't. Figure out what your priorities are (as in - do you want to be able to take a bus, boat, monorail, walk, do you want to be able to see MK fireworks from the beach, etc), and then you should be able to narrow down your list.

Welcome and good luck!

 

[hushupu]

Beach Club, Yacht Club and Boardwalk are all walking distance to 2 parks -- Epcot and Hollywood Studios. The Monorail resorts have pretty easy transport to Magic kingdom and Epcot. transportation at Disney is comprehensive and easy to figure out. You will be an expert by day 2.
BTW you are new so I took it easy on you next time I'm using acronyms!

 

[Taja]

yeah that's what I kinda figured! I wasn't sure how different Disneyworld was from Disneyland lol. We are far walkers so I thought maybe there'd be something but after all day in the park I don't think we will want to walk too much further! Well I think we want to stay in a delux, I've seen a few that let you take a monorail to Magic Kindgom and Epcot which will probably be our most visited parks. I do some more research. Anyone have their honeymoon here? Where did you stay?

Welcom to The DIS!

WDW is measured in square miles rather than acres, as Disneyland is! *LOL* I love Disneyland, but as a destination, I also love WDW! I think WDW property encompasses something around 47 square miles. Not all of it developed, but it's a good sized area to cover!

There is a forum for Wedding and Honeymoons a bit farther down in this section--just above the DVC section. I'd post a link, but I forgot how. You'll probably get a lot more responses from those who have honeymooned at WDW on that forum.

WDW has three monorails: an express monorail from/to the TTC and MK (Ticket & Transportation Center, which is the parking and ticketing area for MK), a resort monorail, which connects TTC, GF (Grand Floridian), Polynesian ("Poly" or PR) and CR (Contemporary Resort, which includes BLT--Bay Lake Tower), and a third monorail connecting TTC and EPCOT (outside the entrance). Translated: If you want to travel between MK or the MK resorts and EPCOT, you need to transfer to another monorail line at the TTC.

You've come to the right place for making your WDW plans! We love helping plan WDW trips for others!

 

[DadLightyear]

In my personal opinion, I think you have to talk to your husband and see what exactly you both want (what are your expectations?). The Walt Disney World Resort is like nothing you've experienced before. It's big, and there are options upon options, upon options. I guess it's also important to figure out what your budget is...as that could definitely make a difference in where you stay.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Hello! I am trying to plan the perfect honeymoon for next October, in Disneyworld, so I googled "Disney Forums" and found this. It seems to have a lot of members so far, so I should be getting enough advice. There are a lot of wedding forums I was browsing that have one post a day or something, pretty unhelpful, lol!

Any way, my first question since I am trying to narrow down the resort, is if there are any resorts that are in walking distance to every park? We've never been to Disney World so we're not sure how big it is, but we do like to walk a lot so it would be perfect to find a resort that is in close proximity to the parks because I don't like the idea of taking a smelly old bus! I just can't decide, which is why I decided to find a forum to help me out! Hopefully this is a good site with lots of help for me to plan our honeymoon. So exciting!!

I'm not sure I agree with poster number two. There is no resort that is close to tall four parks. but there are several that are clsoe to several parks.

What you should do is loook at Google maps to get an idea of the size of WDW.

There are three DIsney resorts that are centrally located: Beach Club, Boardwalk, and Yacht CLub. The Beach and Yacht Club resorts are connected. Also inthe same area are two non-Dieny owned resorts: teh Swan and the Dolphin. Even though they are not owned by Disney - they are right in the heart of WDW. All are popular for weddings. All of hte above resorts are walking distance (under 15min for most folks ) to Epcot and Holywood STudios; two of the parks.

However, probably the most popular park at WDW is the Magic Kingdom. It was Disney World's first park, and for many years the only park. Often it also has the longest hours each day (not always) and as such, many folks like to go there most, or go there at night. There are four deluxe resorts very close to MK. The Grand Floridian, the Polynesian, and The Contemporary are connected to MK by a monorail. The fourth deluxe is a little further: Wilderness Lodge. The rooms at WL are also slightly smaller, but the price may be more to your liking.

There is one resort that is close to AK, but you can't walk the distance. That resort is Animal Kingdom Lodge. AKL is similar in many ways to Wilderness Lodge. It is very nice, and it is close to AK , but it's is not all that close to the other three parks - since AK is located in the southwestern part of Disney property.

All of the above resorts are deluxe resorts, and as such they are the most expensive. DIsney also has a moderate level resort, and a value level resort. All Disney resorts are nice, but clearly the more you pay, the more amenties the resort has.

Of all the resorts, the Grand Floridian is probably most themed towards weddings, but it is also the most expensive.

I have done a wedding at WDW, but in addition to this site, try looking at Mousesavers.com. I thought that site ha a page just for weddings, but maybe they discontinued it. Also try allearsnet.com in addition to the parent of this website for LOTS of WDW information. Also, DO look at images of each resort on Disney's website (I Think they also have a weddings section). Teh official website is slow, but it has some of the best images, etc.

And if all that doesn't give you enough information, continue to ask here.

Don't worry, no matter where you stay at Disney World you will be doing all the walking you can endure! Also know that it is often impossible to walk from your resor toteh parks. Almost the only exception are the Epcot area resorts I mentioned (ytou can only walk to epcot and HS), and the Contemporary (to MK only ). Otherwise, you have to take some form of Disney transportation to get to the parks, like a bus or in some cases a boat, or teh monorail mentioned above. (You can also drive, but often taking WDW transporation is easiest.)

I should also probably mention that some of the deluxe resorts listed above have sister resorts. The sister resorts are Disney Vacation Club resorts. (The vacation club is kind of like a timeshare) All the rooms at the DVC resorts can be booked as hotel rooms (you don't have to belong to the vacation club.). However, they are probably not what you want on your honeymoon. They are mostly bigger, more pricey rooms, and have kitchens or mini kitchens.

 

[MotoWifey185]

Thank you! I will keep reading more of the details the website has about each of the resorts. Umm acronyms huh? Is that dis board etiquette? I'll have to learn them so I can be accepted by all of you, lol.

Oh... I was just looking at the Kindgom Loundge page on the website, so now I am going to guess that must be what AKL means!

I am liking the looks of the Contemporary and the Polynesian. The picture they have showing of the Magic Kingdom view from the hotel room would be absolutely amazing, but not sure if I would pay that much extra for it. I can't believe how many other activities each of the resort has, like bike trails and jet skis? My MX loving fiance is going to be in heaven!

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I agree that a good starting point is to think about your budget. Also think about timing. The price to go to WDW varies dramatically from season to season, and sometimes week to week. Literally, your vacation may be $1000+ less if you modify your dates by as little as a week!

Also, for us, a good part of our cost is getting TO WDW. Again, there is variability, but it's also sort of a fixed cost. so getting that estimate up front will help you figure out what you can affrod to spend on property.

Another important consideration is HOW long you stay at WDW. Five or six days is a good length of time, but you can go for less or a little more. A week is about as long as I prefer to go. In that time frame you will get to see nearly everything and probably be able to go on several rides more than once. (one day at each park, plus an extra day at MK and and extra day at Epcot)

The dining plan also gives you a good estimate of what WDW food costs are. Even with the dining plan, you'll need to add extra for tips. You can look up specific menus also if you like.

 

[MotoWifey185]

Welcom to The DIS!

WDW is measured in square miles rather than acres, as Disneyland is! *LOL* I love Disneyland, but as a destination, I also love WDW! I think WDW property encompasses something around 47 square miles. Not all of it developed, but it's a good sized area to cover!

There is a forum for Wedding and Honeymoons a bit farther down in this section--just above the DVC section. I'd post a link, but I forgot how. You'll probably get a lot more responses from those who have honeymooned at WDW on that forum.

WDW has three monorails: an express monorail from/to the TTC and MK (Ticket & Transportation Center, which is the parking and ticketing area for MK), a resort monorail, which connects TTC, GF (Grand Floridian), Polynesian ("Poly" or PR) and CR (Contemporary Resort, which includes BLT--Bay Lake Tower), and a third monorail connecting TTC and EPCOT (outside the entrance). Translated: If you want to travel between MK or the MK resorts and EPCOT, you need to transfer to another monorail line at the TTC.

You've come to the right place for making your WDW plans! We love helping plan WDW trips for others!

ahh, a quote button, this makes it easier, lol. Thank you for explaining the monorail, I am sure they make it easy when you go there also, so I guess I shouldn't be too worried since I don't think we'll be going on the buses or monorails too much anyway. I am thinking of not doing park hoppers so we can just relax and do all the shows instead of trying to use the park hoppers and rush from one park to another. I'm glad I picked this board to help! I will check out the wedding part of the boards too, sounds like a good idea to help with wedding planning too!

 

[MotoWifey185]

I'm not sure I agree with poster number two. There is no resort that is close to tall four parks. but there are several that are clsoe to several parks.

What you should do is loook at Google maps to get an idea of the size of WDW.

There are three DIsney resorts that are centrally located: Beach Club, Boardwalk, and Yacht CLub. The Beach and Yacht Club resorts are connected. Also inthe same area are two non-Dieny owned resorts: teh Swan and the Dolphin. Even though they are not owned by Disney - they are right in the heart of WDW. All are popular for weddings. All of hte above resorts are walking distance (under 15min for most folks ) to Epcot and Holywood STudios; two of the parks.

However, probably the most popular park at WDW is the Magic Kingdom. It was Disney World's first park, and for many years the only park. Often it also has the longest hours each day (not always) and as such, many folks like to go there most, or go there at night. There are four deluxe resorts very close to MK. The Grand Floridian, the Polynesian, and The Contemporary are connected to MK by a monorail. The fourth deluxe is a little further: Wilderness Lodge. The rooms at WL are also slightly smaller, but the price may be more to your liking.

There is one resort that is close to AK, but you can't walk the distance. That resort is Animal Kingdom Lodge. AKL is similar in many ways to Wilderness Lodge. It is very nice, and it is close to AK , but it's is not all that close to the other three parks - since AK is located in the southwestern part of Disney property.

All of the above resorts are deluxe resorts, and as such they are the most expensive. DIsney also has a moderate level resort, and a value level resort. All Disney resorts are nice, but clearly the more you pay, the more amenties the resort has.

Of all the resorts, the Grand Floridian is probably most themed towards weddings, but it is also the most expensive.

I have done a wedding at WDW, but in addition to this site, try looking at Mousesavers.com. I thought that site ha a page just for weddings, but maybe they discontinued it. Also try allearsnet.com in addition to the parent of this website for LOTS of WDW information. Also, DO look at images of each resort on Disney's website (I Think they also have a weddings section). Teh official website is slow, but it has some of the best images, etc.

And if all that doesn't give you enough information, continue to ask here.

Don't worry, no matter where you stay at Disney World you will be doing all the walking you can endure! Also know that it is often impossible to walk from your resor toteh parks. Almost the only exception are the Epcot area resorts I mentioned (ytou can only walk to epcot and HS), and the Contemporary (to MK only ). Otherwise, you have to take some form of Disney transportation to get to the parks, like a bus or in some cases a boat, or teh monorail mentioned above. (You can also drive, but often taking WDW transporation is easiest.)

I should also probably mention that some of the deluxe resorts listed above have sister resorts. The sister resorts are Disney Vacation Club resorts. (The vacation club is kind of like a timeshare) All the rooms at the DVC resorts can be booked as hotel rooms (you don't have to belong to the vacation club.). However, they are probably not what you want on your honeymoon. They are mostly bigger, more pricey rooms, and have kitchens or mini kitchens.

Thanks for all the info! Yeah I'll definitely sit down with my fiance and we can pick the right resort for both of us. I have heard of that club, my uncle is enrolled in it and before he knew they were going to take a trip this year he almost offered for me to use his points at the Grand California Hotel! I figured they would want to take their 2011 trip though so I didn't get my hopes up but it was a nice gesture. I am sure we'll have plenty of walking to do! This is exciting and I can't wait to book it.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Thank you! I will keep reading more of the details the website has about each of the resorts. Umm acronyms huh? Is that dis board etiquette? I'll have to learn them so I can be accepted by all of you, lol.

Oh... I was just looking at the Kindgom Loundge page on the website, so now I am going to guess that must be what AKL means!

I am liking the looks of the Contemporary and the Polynesian. The picture they have showing of the Magic Kingdom view from the hotel room would be absolutely amazing, but not sure if I would pay that much extra for it. I can't believe how many other activities each of the resort has, like bike trails and jet skis? My MX loving fiance is going to be in heaven!

Sorry, I've been on the DISboards too long!

I did try to give you the non acromnym before each acronym.

I respond to quite a few threads, so yeah, using acronyms makes it easier.

This has all the abbreviations: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1660743

The newbie section of the DIS also has lots fo great threads to help you out.(it's the top section when you go to the main DIS page) Also, each section has 'sticky' threads. They are in non-bold at the top of each section. They also have lots of quick, easy information.

Yes, , you will pay quite a bit more in every case to have a preferred view room.

I will tell you that both the Contemporary and the Poly are beautiful. I think I like the Contemporary (CR) better. At CR, I actually prefer the non-Magic Kingdom view. The non-MK view is prettier, quieter, more romantic, and less expensive. What I like best at CR is the tower rooms. The least expensive rooms are garden wing - which is a seperate building from the main building - and not nearly so convenient.

Indeed, at many resorts, I usually prefer the 'garden view' (least expensive) view. IT depends how much you'll be sittig on your balcony. The only place I really felt the view was magical was the Grand Floridian, because the top view looks out over the water at the castle. It think top view rooms at Poly also have a similar view. The MK view from CR is nice, but between CR and MK is a road with LOTSof buses and a parking lot. The Bay lake view rooms at CR look over a lake, and it is really pretty at dawn and sunset.

One more thought - if you are really thinking you want to stay deluxe -and this will be your honeymoon (nudge nudge wink wink, know what I mean! )
Then I would suggest you perhaps consider a club level room - so long as you can get a discounted room. Club level costs about $150 more extra per day - but you get about half your food, beer/wine/cordials, and an extra level of service. On club level , you get a semi-private lounge that is close to your room. That's super nice on a honeymoon - especially if you want to stay in your room part ofthe time. (Lots of folks walk from their rooms to the breakfast lounge during breakfast hours in their PJ's!) Since this is a honeymoon, I'm sure the extra level of service will really come in handy. The staff will take extra care of you!

(Then again, we've had great stays at value resorts too!)

 

[MotoWifey185]

I agree that a good starting point is to think about your budget. Also think about timing. The price to go to WDW varies dramatically from season to season, and sometimes week to week. Literally, your vacation may be $1000+ less if you modify your dates by as little as a week!

Also, for us, a good part of our cost is getting TO WDW. Again, there is variability, but it's also sort of a fixed cost. so getting that estimate up front will help you figure out what you can affrod to spend on property.

Another important consideration is HOW long you stay at WDW. Five or six days is a good length of time, but you can go for less or a little more. A week is about as long as I prefer to go. In that time frame you will get to see nearly everything and probably be able to go on several rides more than once. (one day at each park, plus an extra day at MK and and extra day at Epcot)

The dining plan also gives you a good estimate of what WDW food costs are. Even with the dining plan, you'll need to add extra for tips. You can look up specific menus also if you like.

I have noticed the price differences week to week in October. We haven't set the actual date yet because we're waiting to hear back from our venue of choice but I think so far I've seen the week of the 15th has been significantly cheaper for most of my resort choices. I think we will stay for one week, it will be enough time so we can relax and not be so rushed to get everything done. As I know from going to Disneyland, we won't get everything done. I have been going to Disneyland since birth and still haven't done everything. I am still considering the dining plan but don't think we will add that, we don't eat much so it may end up costing us more than it saves! Thanks for your input!

 

[MotoWifey185]

Sorry, I've been on the DISboards too long!

I did try to give you the non acromnym before each acronym.

I respond to quite a few threads, so yeah, using acronyms makes it easier.

The newbie section of the DIS also has lots fo great threads to help you out.(it's the top section when you go to the main DIS page) Also, each section has 'sticky' threads. They are in non-bold at the top of each section. They also have lots of quick, easy information.

Yes, , you will pay quite a bit more in every case to have a preferred view room.

I will tell you that both the Contemporary and the Poly are beautiful. I think I like the Contemporary (CR) better. At CR, I actually prefer the non-Magic Kingdom view. The non-MK view is prettier, quieter, more romantic, and less expensive. What I like best at CR is the tower rooms. The least expensive rooms are garden wing - which is a sperate building from the main building - and not nearly so convenient.

One more thought - if you are really thinking you want to stay deluxe -and this will be your honeymoon (nudge nudge wink wink, know what I mean! )
Then I would suggest you perhaps consider a club level room - so long as you can get a discounted room. Club level costs about $150 more extra per day - but you get about half your food, beer/wine/cordials, and an extra level of service. On club level , you get a semi-private lounge that is close to your room. That's super nice on a honeymoon - especially if you want to stay in your room part ofthe time. (Lots of folks walk from their rooms to the breakfast lounge during breakfast hours in their PJ's!) Since this is a honeymoon, I'm sure the extra level of service will really come in handy. The staff will take extra care of you!

(Then again, we've had great stays at value resorts too!)

Haha thank you for the acronym link! I did see the option for the club level and really liked that you get free breakfast and snacks, but not sure if that would be worth the extra cost. I don't think we'll be in the hotel room TOO often because I am interested in a lot of the tours and such! Well this was all great advice and I think now I'm somewhat hooked on the contemporary, the pictures they have on the website make it look really amazing! I am going to go search through more threads!

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Ooh there I go again!....When I said 'club level room' that means a special floor in the deluxe resorts. Not the same as the 'Disney Vacation Club.'

Two completely different things.

Sadly, disney does that quite a bit...they have LOTS of similar sounding things, which can get quite confusing.

 

[MotoWifey185]

Ooh there I go again!....When I said 'club level room' that means a special floor in the deluxe resorts. Not the same as the 'Disney Vacation Club.'

Two completely different things.

Sadly, disney does that quite a bit...they have LOTS of similar sounding things, which can get quite confusing.

Haha no I understood you, I have seen this option when looking at reservations on the disneyworld website, it would be nice to have!

 

[P00H1010]

Hello! I am trying to plan the perfect honeymoon for next October, in Disneyworld, so I googled "Disney Forums" and found this. It seems to have a lot of members so far, so I should be getting enough advice. There are a lot of wedding forums I was browsing that have one post a day or something, pretty unhelpful, lol!

Any way, my first question since I am trying to narrow down the resort, is if there are any resorts that are in walking distance to every park? We've never been to Disney World so we're not sure how big it is, but we do like to walk a lot so it would be perfect to find a resort that is in close proximity to the parks because I don't like the idea of taking a smelly old bus! I just can't decide, which is why I decided to find a forum to help me out! Hopefully this is a good site with lots of help for me to plan our honeymoon. So exciting!!

First of all Congrats on your upcoming wedding and welcome to DISboards!!!
Walt Disney World is huge, I didn't realize how much so until my first trip 2 years ago. The parks are kind of spread out and in the area of each park are resorts. There really isn't a resort that is in the middle of everything so to speak. Magic Kingdom is really kind of off by itself, the other parks are in a decent proximity to each other. There are resorts that are in walking distance to one thing or another but really nothing in walking distance of everything.

Here is a map of the entire WDW property to kind of give you a better idea.

My personal opinion would be this:
* I would first start by coming up with a honeymoon budget. Disney can really be done with any budget but if you don't watch it can get very pricey very quickly lol.
* After you come up with a budget, you should be able to gauge which tier of resort you are able to afford. Don't forget to factor in airfare, food, and souvenirs when deciding.
* When you decide if you are going to go with value, moderate, or deluxe do research on the resorts in that tier. Which resort suits your personalities better? What are the perks of each different resort? If being closer to a certain park is important...which resort is closest to that park? Things like that will help you narrow down and come to find the perfect resort for the two of you .

As far as transportation, I personally love all of the convenience of Disney transportation. However, If you are concerned about it I would suggest looking into maybe renting a car instead.
Good luck on planning!

 

[MotoWifey185]

First of all Congrats on your upcoming wedding and welcome to DISboards!!!
Walt Disney World is huge, I didn't realize how much so until my first trip 2 years ago. The parks are kind of spread out and in the area of each park are resorts. There really isn't a resort that is in the middle of everything so to speak. Magic Kingdom is really kind of off by itself, the other parks are in a decent proximity to each other. There are resorts that are in walking distance to one thing or another but really nothing in walking distance of everything.

Here is a map of the entire WDW property to kind of give you a better idea.
My personal opinion would be this:
* I would first start by coming up with a honeymoon budget. Disney can really be done with any budget but if you don't watch it can get very pricey very quickly lol.
* After you come up with a budget, you should be able to gauge which tier of resort you are able to afford. Don't forget to factor in airfare, food, and souvenirs when deciding.
* When you decide if you are going to go with value, moderate, or deluxe do research on the resorts in that tier. Which resort suits your personalities better? What are the perks of each different resort? If being closer to a certain park is important...which resort is closest to that park? Things like that will help you narrow down and come to find the perfect resort for the two of you .

As far as transportation, I personally love all of the convenience of Disney transportation. However, If you are concerned about it I would suggest looking into maybe renting a car instead.
Good luck on planning!

Wow thanks for the picture, I can't believe how spaced out everything seems to be. It's bigger than most towns that's for sure. Budget wise we have a lot of people willing to pitch in for our honeymoon rather than buy us any gifts (which we are totally fine with, I'd take WDW over a belgian waffle maker any day!) -See that acronym??-

I am not picky at all and wasn't really serious when I said I didn't want to ride a bus, I don't mind it and I'm sure Disney buses aren't too bad! It's taking us somewhere we really want to be so we'll be just fine! We are excited as more details start coming together. So exciting!! I am very thankful for these boards too! I was using an app on my iPhone but those only go so far, so this is perfect. Is there a DIS board app on the iPhone?