Resort Must-Sees?

[ILGoofy]

I'm taking a solo trip in September. I haven't been to WDW in about 14 years though I have been to DL a few times since. The biggest difference for me is the resorts. I'm a sucker for the themes and I plan on stopping at all of them. Since it's been so long, I was looking for any tips, must-sees, or hidden gems that you fine folks know of. What shouldn't I miss?

 

[Missytara]

I just did my fifth solo trip this past Nov/Dec; 8 days, all resorts, no parks this time.

Since all the resorts are decorated for the holidays, you get the best bang for your buck. But I really discovered a lot more about the resorts this time, because I wasn't so rushed getting back from the parks and dashing off to dinner.

I enjoy having a drink before dinner and after dinner, so I suggest:

Territory Lounge at WL, as a matter of fact, you could make a meal out of their snacks. Very low key, don't have to dress up, great atmosphere.

Do the water taxi loop from DTD to SSR/OKW/POFQ/POR and try out their pool bars in the afternoon or stroll the grounds.

Do the GF/Poly/CR loop and have a drink at the Wave; again, great atmosphere, good drinks.

Hang out at DTD and try out Raglan Road; sit at the bar and have apps and they have evening entertainment.

Also, Paradisio 37 has fantastic apps and great margaritas.

Go to the spa at SSR and have lunch on the patio at the Turf Club afterwards. The food is fantastic. You can watch the water taxi go back and forth to DTD and the golfers walk over for a snack and a drink. Lots of company.

The water taxi ride to OKW is long and meandering; try out Olivia's especially if you can manage to snag a table outside on the deck. Another place to people watch.... the food is fabulous.

Go to dinner in some places you wouldn't normally try; I did Sanaa for the first time last year and loved it.

Check out the nightly entertainment on the BW, eat at Kouzzina's (my new fav next to Sanaa) and then get some candy at Goofy's right next door.

Definately get out there and really discover the resorts and their restaurants; the atmosphere is so different than the places to eat at the parks.

 

[disneylove69]

The animals, story time around the fire, CM lectures about the area of Africa they come from at AKL.

There is a small area that contains an area that feels like an old library/ den and they have radios broadcasting old radio shoes. There is a bartender where you can get something cool to drink.

Boardwalk at night as a great atmoshere.

The BC as a nice place to get some ymmy ice-cream.

Poly is nice to sit in the lobby and listen to the waterfall or get some yummy dole whip and sit in a lounge chair on the beach and watch the fireworks/ electrical water show.
We eat at Ohana first which is yummy and I have done solo.

GF is pretty and having tea and looking out the window. Grab the monorail for a trip around the lake.

The campgrounds where you can see a movie and make smores outside. Several resorts show movies outdoors and anyone can attend. Nice for a September night.

 

[Havana]

Maybe watching wishes from the Contemporary 4th floor observation area.
Walking around WL waterfall, and watching the geyser.
Sitting on the beach at the Poly in a hammock

 

[lsenquiz]

I just did my fifth solo trip this past Nov/Dec; 8 days, all resorts, no parks this time.

Since all the resorts are decorated for the holidays, you get the best bang for your buck. But I really discovered a lot more about the resorts this time, because I wasn't so rushed getting back from the parks and dashing off to dinner.

I enjoy having a drink before dinner and after dinner, so I suggest:

Territory Lounge at WL, as a matter of fact, you could make a meal out of their snacks. Very low key, don't have to dress up, great atmosphere.

Do the water taxi loop from DTD to SSR/OKW/POFQ/POR and try out their pool bars in the afternoon or stroll the grounds.

Do the GF/Poly/CR loop and have a drink at the Wave; again, great atmosphere, good drinks.

Hang out at DTD and try out Raglan Road; sit at the bar and have apps and they have evening entertainment.

Also, Paradisio 37 has fantastic apps and great margaritas.

Go to the spa at SSR and have lunch on the patio at the Turf Club afterwards. The food is fantastic. You can watch the water taxi go back and forth to DTD and the golfers walk over for a snack and a drink. Lots of company.

The water taxi ride to OKW is long and meandering; try out Olivia's especially if you can manage to snag a table outside on the deck. Another place to people watch.... the food is fabulous.

Go to dinner in some places you wouldn't normally try; I did Sanaa for the first time last year and loved it.

Check out the nightly entertainment on the BW, eat at Kouzzina's (my new fav next to Sanaa) and then get some candy at Goofy's right next door.

Definately get out there and really discover the resorts and their restaurants; the atmosphere is so different than the places to eat at the parks.

Excellent info. We are going for our first 14 day trip next year(we usually only do 8) so I think we will finally be able to visit some of the resorts.

 

[nkereina]

We spent a night at POR last year after our cruise and did not do parks. We went to the boardwalk on an afternoon and found it to be boring. I think because all the action there happens at night so we will check it out again at night. We also got ice cream at BC at Beaches & Cream. We then went and did the monorail hotels and got something to eat at the Contemporary and watched Wishes from the Poly beach. On our next trip we want to check out WL and AKL.

 

[Missytara]

We spent a night at POR last year after our cruise and did not do parks. We went to the boardwalk on an afternoon and found it to be boring. I think because all the action there happens at night so we will check it out again at night.

The entertainment definately begins in the evening.

One of my favorite things to do (I go the week after Thanksgiving) is to take the friendship boat over to the BW, get an ice cream cone and sit on the benches and just relax for a while.

Then in the middle of January, when I am shoveling snow out of my driveway, I conjure up that memory of just a month or so before that I was sitting in the sun, in shorts, in Florida, eating an ice cream cone and watching the world go by.

 

[plien69]

I like to walk the Yacht Club and Beach Club and see the subtle transition of the theming from the darker, more formal Yacht Club, to the lighter Beach Club.

 

[KathleensKid]

The Poly beach area is great as is the torch lighting ceremony in the early evening. One of the fire dancers for the luau does a little fire tossing and then lights a torch. Watch that, then head outside, order a drink from the pool bar and swing in a hammock with the castle in the distance.
Several of the resorts have fires w/s'mores in the evening and movies outside.