What is best about each resort?

[pepperderr]

We are staying a Pop from June 13th to the 21st. I have heard that you can resort hop. Why would you resort hop?

Are there different things at the gift shops?

Can you swim at a resort you are not staying at (not sure I would even want to)?

What about meals at the different resorts and where is Chef Mickey's?

What is AKL like? Do you actually see animals there?

I heard about having smores at the campground or something like that. Where is that done if you are not actually staying AT the campgrounds?

I also heard about a drive in movie or something like that. Anyone have details about that?

Basically do you resort hop? Does it cost anything? Why do you do it? We will have our 8yo and 4yo boys with us so will be looking for things for them to do. My 8yo plays piano and my 4yo LOVES animals and dresses like a cowboy every day and wears a cowboy hat and cowboy boots.

 

[Elmo888]

It is fun to see the theming of the other resorts. With kids, I wouldn't resort hop a bunch (it can be time consuming), but it is easy to pop into the monorail resorts (Poly, CR, GF) for lunch from MK. And it is easy to pop into the Boardwalk resorts from Epcot. Some of the others are a little more remote.

The best way is to go to the nearest open park (nearest to your resort or destination resort), and catch a bus from there (or boat or monorail). We ate at Jiko at the AKL. After an afternoon at AK, we took a bus to AKL. However, for our ride home, since AK was closed, we took a cab back to our resort (ASMusic). It was $10 and money well spent!

Only resort guests can use the pools. One cannot "pool hop". The exceptions are the sister resorts. If you stay at one All Star Resort, you can swim at the others. If you stay at POR, you can swim at POFQ.

Chef Mickey's is at CR, and it is a great place to have a character meal. This is also a fun way to see CR.

Having a meal at a restaurant is a good way to see different resorts.

The lobbies at WL and AKL are fabulous and really neat to see. In addition, you can walk to some public areas at AKL and see some animals.

Many of the gift shops are themed, although they also have stuff that is found throughout WDW.

I hope that I answered a few of your questions!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

The only different things you would see at the Resorts stores would be Resort logo merchandice and maybe some other itmes. Besides that the other merchandice they sell can be purchased all over WDW. However each of the stores are great to visit.

You can only swim at other Resorts if your a DVC member staying on points and depending on the season your visiting, or if you are staying at a sister Resort. So that would include the All Star Sports, Musc & Movies, Port Orleans River Side & Port Orleans French Quater, Yacht Club, Beach Club & Beach Club Villas.


Chef Mickey's is located at the Contemporary.

I think to see the animals at the Animal Kingdom Lodge you need to reserve a
Savanna view, so not sure if you can view them if your visiting the Resort.

Not sure how to answer the next two questions and as for your last one it does not cost anything unless your planning to eat at the various restaurants, my family and I like to do it if we have never visited the Resort or if we don't have anything planned for the day and etc.

 

[Minnie&Nana]

I think to see the animals at the Animal Kingdom Lodge you need to reserve a Savanna view, so not sure if you can view them if your visiting the Resort.

A nice tip to know is that at AKL you can walk through the Lobby to a public viewing area Unfortunately, I cannot remember exactly what it is called, but friends wandered around the resort and checked it out when they visited us at AKL.

From Allears:

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Lodge is 6 stories tall. You enter the expansive lobby on the 3rd floor of the resort. There is a huge picture window which looks out upon 30 acres of land. From here, you can walk out onto an elevated viewing area (Arusha Rock) and enjoy the roaming animals.[/FONT]

[/FONT]
Also:

Outside, at the Arusha Rock, there is nightly African storytelling next to Ogun's Firepit. (Storytelling is held indoors in the event of inclement weather.) If you have the opportunity, take the time to speak with the storytellers

.

Pepperderr:
I also heard about a drive in movie or something like that. Anyone have details about that?

The drive-in might be the Sci Fi restaurant at the Studios. It's like sitting in an old fashioned Drive-In theatre - you sit in convertibles, surrounded by the Hollywood Hills. Where the snack bar would be is the kitchen.

We love the ambiance - it's pretty cool. If you go, be sure to request a car or you could wind up eating on a picnic table in the very back, near the "snack bar".

Check out www.Allears.net for menus:

http://allears.net/menu/menu_sci.htm

Photos: scroll down to Sci-Fi Drive In
http://allears.net/din/gall_res.htm

Hope this helps!

 

[Elmo888]

I heard about having smores at the campground or something like that. Where is that done if you are not actually staying AT the campgrounds?

You might be thinking of an activity at Fort Wilderness. You can take a boat from MK to get here, but you might have some difficulty getting back to your resort.

From http://allearsnet.com/acc/faq_fw.htm:

When does the campfire program begin and what is it like?

The campfire program has no admission fee and is open to all WDW resort guests. It generally begins around 7 p.m. during the fall/winter season and 8 p.m. after the time changes in April through the summer. It is held near the Meadow Trading Post in the campfire area. The program begins with a sing-along led by a Disney CM and a marshmallow roast around two campfire rings. You may bring your own marshmallows or buy them at the Chuckwagon (roasting sticks and marshmallows are $2). You may also buy pizza, hot dogs, candy, nachos, juice, popcorn, sodas, coffee, beer and other refreshments at the Chuckwagon. While this is going on, Chip and Dale make an appearance to visit with guests and sign autographs. The sing-along lasts about 40 minutes. Next, one or two Disney animated features, depending upon the season, are shown on a large outdoor screen. Seating is available in bleachers or on benches. There is also plenty of room to lay out a quilt or blanket. The movie schedule is posted at all comfort stations. In the event of rain, the sing-along is still held on the porch of the Meadow Trading Post.

 

[MPHARJ]

As others have stated it is nice to see the other resorts some are easy to get to others are not as easy.

Gift shops are all pretty similar wtih resort themed items and the typical items. POR has a really neat gift area with all sorts of products and items.

No pool hopping!

Chef Mickey's is at the Contemporary Resort, great for a buffet and character interaction.

There are places to view the animals at AKL, but the time to get there if you aren't eating there IMO would be better spent just doing the safari at AK.

Fort Wilderness Camp Ground offers movie night with a camp fire and characters where you can purchase items to make smores, or bring your own.

No drive-in movie, just Sci-Fi Dine in, which shows old monster movies while you dine at table cars. Cool atmosphere food is ok.

If your oldest son plays piano he might like Piano Bob I think he is called that plays piano at POR I have heard many good things about him. Also your youngest might like the hay ride offered at Fort Wilderness or going to Mickey's backyard BBQ.

 

[pepperderr]

Thank you all so much for the info! I have been to the allears and different sites but I have been to so many I never remember what info is where. I just remembered reading about these things here on the disboards! Yay!!

I think the campfire thing would be good to do with the boys if we find time because my DH is in afghanistan and I am sure the boys will miss camping with him this summer so if we do that at diseny it would be nice.

I will consider viewing the animals because DS will like that but I am sure AK will be great if we don't get to that resort to see them.

Thanks again!