What are ++ to staying at a disney resort (all the extras they offer)

[tjp78]

What are some ++ to staying at the Contemporary or the Floridian resorts. What are some of the things they offer.
I have heard of something like Chef Mickey what is that?

How do you go about getting to eat with a character?

What do you have to do to be able to get in the parks early & stay later?

I have saw in the past were there are little things like that. That you can do when staying in a disney resort.

Could someone possibly tell me were to go to get more info on all of that.

 

[Noelle]

Chef Mickey is a restaurant in the Contemporary. It's Character Dining, so this means the characters rotate going from table to table while you dine.

All Disney Resorts have access to the extra magic hour. Every day Disney Resort guests are allowed early entry into a specfic designated park. I don't remember the schedule, but I'm sure you'll find it easily on allears.net.

Disney Resort Guests have access to Disney transportation, which takes you everywhere in WDW.

As for the Grand Floridian, it has a nice spa, a marina where you can rent little boats. They have special kid programs like a Pirate cruise and tea parties with Alice in Wonderland or Princess Aurora.

I don't know too much about the Contemporary. (I stayed there over 10 years ago.) But I'm sure you'd get much better answers on the Resort Board.

Good luck!

 

[dzneelvr]

Way back when we were planning our first trip, I purchased the Birnbaum's Guide to Disney at a local bookstore. It has a wealth of information in an easy to read format and was invaluable. I buy one every year and keep that as a souvenier as it contains the most updated WDW photos and attraction explanations. Have each member of the family read it--it gives a great foundation on which to build your specific plans around.
Then hit the DISboards with detail questions--
WDW ON JUNE 24

 

[mad4themouse]

For information about Disney Resorts, including GF and CR, check these links:
Allearsnet.com - Accommodations
WDWinfo.com - Disney Resorts & Hotels

If you want to dine with the characters, check this link out for locations and what characters will be there:
AllEarsnet.com - Character Meals

To get into the parks an hour early, you must be staying in a Disney resort or DTD hotel. The perk is call the Extra Magic Hour but is more commonly referred to as EMH on these boards. You will need to show your WDW resort room key in order to enter the parks early for EMH. Details about the perk can be found here:
WDWinfo.com - Early Entry

Staying later in the Magic Kingdom is called E-Ride night. They don't happen every night and may not happen at all during your stay. E-ride tickets are an additional cost but they are only available to Disney Resort guests - no offsite guest can purchase them. The guest must also have a multi-day pass or annual pass in order to gain admission to the park, in addition to the E-ride Ticket. Only select rides are open on E-ride nights but the lines are much shorter than you would encounter during the day. You can read more information about E-ride Nights here:
AllEarsnet.com - ERide Nights

Birnbaum's guide is a good start for a newbie. Lots of pictures and easy-to-read text. I would suggest either borrowing it from the local library or buying a used copy from Half.com. I don't think that it changes that much from one year to the next. And you'll get more up-to-date information on the DIS than you will from any guidebook out there.

 

[frannn]

The Monorail runs right thru the Contemp, so you can just hop on and get to MK. No need to wait for the Disney buses. I'm not sure, but it might even be walking distance from MK. I've heard you may also have a view of MK from your room. We always stay on site at the value resorts. The rooms are pretty small, but we spend very little time in them, and it is very convenient when we want to go back to the resort for a rest. There is a decent food court at the value resorts, and staying at any of the onsite resorts will allow you to take advantage of early morning hour. CM is a very popular character meal, so reservations are best made 90 days prior to your visit, to ensure getting the desired date and time of your meal.
There are several different resort choices, with different levels of service, theming, and accomodations. I believe Expedia.com has virtual tours of some of the rooms in the WDW resorts.

 

[crisi]

With the exception of e-ride nights and early entry, almost everything at Disney is available on the same terms to off-site day guests as Disney hotel guests. Including character meals and onsite transportation (you'll need a park hopper type of pass for that, but they don't every check).

So, why pay more on site? A lot of people like the offsite hotels, which are cheaper for the same class of hotel. But us onsite snobs believe that:

1) EE and Eride nights are worth something.
2) The convieniece of being close to the parks (especially the monorail resorts to the MK or the Epcot area resorts to MGM/Epcot) is really nice.
3) Disney quality - there are occational quality problems with Disney - and there are great hotels offsite - but we onsite snobs believe there is less risk of quality issues or non-magical staff at Disney hotels.
4) Disney theming - the AKL and looking out over the Savannah - the WL with its fantastic theming. The pool at Yacht and Beach Club.

and finally

5) Disney magic. We are Disney addicts and don't want to spend a minute of our time not at Disney. You'll either understand when you get there or you won't.

 

[melmel]

Everyone is leaving out the best reason of all to stay onsite.... You can get a wake up call from a disney character. Ok so that's probably not worth the extra cost, but it does really help when your trying to get up early to make the EE days to have a fun wake up rather then a computer voice saying wake up.

Also as guide books go deffinatly get the Unoffical Guide. Only one I ever buy.

 

[nicknamy1996]

You also get free parking at the parks. I'm not sure, but that might be up to 9 bucks a day.

 

[patsal]

Package delivery--it is nice not to carry the souvineers around with you all day, having things delivered abck to the resort is a huge help.
Carrying only your hotel key with you for admission and charging. It is wonderful to not have to carry a full wallet around the parks with the possibility of losing things.

 

[gritzel4]

Bedtime stories on the tv at the resort.

Free parking.

The pixie dust feeling of being at Disney.

Being able to easily go back to resort to take a nap, swim or eat lunch.

Mickey wake up calls -- mousekeeping towel art.

 

[crisi]

The Disney Information Travel - a 24 hour marketing loop - but it does contain good information for first timers (or tenth timers as it tends to highlight the new things).

Hidden Mickey's in your room decor. Mickey on your soap and shampoo.

Desk staff, Bell staff and housekeepers (mousekeepers) in themed costumes.

Occationally, special resort activities and events (pool games at BW, Flag Family at WL, the Electrical Water Pagent around Bay Lake).

 

[Chicago526]

1) Early morning entry and E nights.
2) Guaranteed entry into parks in high season, when parks can close to non-guests for capacity.
3) Disney Transportation. Off-site hotel shuttles may only run 2 to 4 times a day. You have to go on THEIR schedule. Disney's busses and monorail run all day until well after park closing.
4) Package delivery to your hotel. Husband's everywhere have been saved from becoming pack mules.
5) Proximity to hotel if kids are tired/sick/upset. Or even if the adults are!
6) Disney quality. Many fine off-site hotels, but Disney resorts are almost 100% guaranteed to be friendly, clean and well maintained.
7) Free parking at all parks (if you have a car).
8) Resort activities. At CR, you can rent all sorts of watercraft. GF has a spa. Ft. Wilderness has a petting zoo and pony/horse-back rides. CR has Chef Mickey's (charactor meal buffet) GF has High Tea, and Ft. Wilderness has the Hoop De Doo Review (dinner show, very fun!) and Poly has the Luau, though that's only gotten so-so reviews I think.

10) And most importantly, atmosphere. It's hard to explain, but there is something, well, magical about staying at a Disney Resort on site. The real world melts away, and time seems to stop. It's so quiet-which seems strange for a place over run with kids, but once away from the pool, it's just so peacefull!

The drawbacks are few, but to some are important.

1) Small rooms, max 4 occupancy except for Boardwalk and Port Orleans, both have trundles for a 5th (small) child. Some deluxes may also offer sofa beds, but deluxe resorts are more expensive. If you have 6 or more, you have to get a villa (mucho $$$) or two rooms, also more expensive.
2) Food expense. Disney food ain't cheap!
3) Hotel expense. Disney hotels tend to be more expensive than simular (or even better) accomodations elsewhere.
4) Without a car, you're POD--Prisoner of Disney. There's no escape 'till you ride back to the airport picks you up!

Overall, I feel most families are better off on-site, unless money is so tight that the only way to go to WDW is to stay off-site.

 

[BelleBeautyandtheBeast]

Originally posted by Chicago526
4) Without a car, you're POD--Prisoner of Disney. There's no escape 'till your ride back to the airport picks you up!

LOL I think this is a bonus! I love being a POD!

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

Then there's the MAGIC of staying on Disney property!

+ free use WDW transportation, including busses and monorail (both GF and Cont. are on the monorail route) to theme parks, water parks, resorts, Downtown Disney (Pleasure Island, Disney Quest, Cirque du Soleil)

+ free parking at the parks if you have a car

+ Extra Magic Hour at the theme parks

+ free package delivery from the parks to your room

 

[kelscross]

I agree with what everyone is saying. I wouldn't stay anywhere but on the property!!