Best Ways to Spend a Resort Day at Walt Disney World
The Walt Disney World Resort is home to over twenty resort hotels, not to mention the fantastic theme parks and water parks! Your Walt Disney World Resort is your “home” during your stay, and they certainly do their best to make you feel as if you are at home. Having a day devoted entirely to your resort is a fantastic way to enjoy some quiet time from the parks! It also allows you to take in all the great activities and entertainment at the resort you chose for your vacation!
Choosing a Walt Disney World Resort is one of the most exciting aspects of planning your Walt Disney World vacation. Once you decide on the place you will settle in for your magical stay, it’s fun to research it and see what is happening at that resort! Walt Disney Word Resorts aren’t like typical hotels! They are more than just guest rooms and a pool, and today I want to share with you the Best Ways to Spend a Resort Day at Walt Disney World.
Why is a resort day important?
First, having a day worked into your trip to rest is a stellar idea. You do a lot of walking at Walt Disney World, and being in the theme parks can be very stimulating. Your resort is a quiet retreat from the busyness of the parks. We like to use our resort day to regroup and rest. Sometimes I spend a little time tidying up our room, packing the dirty clothes away, and reworking our plans for the remainder of our trip. We like to use our arrival and possibly departure day {if our flight leaves late enough} as resort days. However, on a stay of 6 nights or more, we definitely have a full day in the middle of our trip to enjoy the resort.
Which resort should I choose if I want to have a full resort day?
All of the Walt Disney World Resorts are worth enjoying for a full day. However, some have more amenities than others, making them more appealing if a resort day is important to you. Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside and French Quarter, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, and Disney’s Art of Animation all come to mind as some of the best resorts to book for your vacation if your family wants a full resort day.
First, Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside and French Quarter are convenient to one another. Also, you can use the pools interchangeably between these two, so that opens up more options. Secondly, these resorts have a quaint, quiet atmosphere to them. They are located along the water, and offer guests activities such as carriage rides and nice walking paths. Another draw to these if you want a resort day is the leisurely boat ride to Disney Springs.
Another great resort for a “down day” is Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. I think this resort offers the most, in terms of relaxation, quiet, amenities, and atmosphere. The vibe of this resort is relaxing and cozy already. The huge fire place, rocking chairs, and countless amenities make it a win. Also, it is a smaller foot print than some of the other resorts, so it is very easy to navigate. Another bonus is all the standard guest rooms are housed inside the lodge. So if it is raining or overly hot, you can be inside and make your way around easily. It is also conveniently located to the other Magic Kingdom resorts if you’d like to pop over for a meal at one of those.
My third recommendation for a resort day is Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. Why? Well, it is just fun! The pool is fantastic, you can hop on the Skyliner for a fun ride, and you can walk to Pop Century to eat or enjoy a tye dying class. Also, Art of Animation has drawing classes and a great Quick Service location, which I think is also key to a good resort day. The idea of a resort day is that you enjoy your RESORT, and good, convenient dining locations are key to doing this.
As I mentioned, you can’t go wrong with a resort day at ANY Disney resort, but these would be my top three recommendations, one in each resort category.
May I visit other Walt Disney World Resorts on my “resort day”?
Absolutely. You are welcome to visit any Walt Disney World resort to eat, walk around, or shop. You cannot use the pools, with the exception of a few. As I mentioned the Port Orleans resorts allow pool hopping, as do the Yacht/Beach Club Resorts and the All Stars.
Taking in another resort is a GREAT way to use your time out of the parks. Maybe go over to Coronado Springs and have a drink or snack at Three Bridges. You can hop over to the Boardwalk and ride the Skyliner to a few resorts. Or, visit the Polynesian Resort for a fun drink or Dole Whip. Another relaxing way to spend resort time is taking the monorail around to the various monorail resorts. Some guests do a “cupcake crawl”, some souvenir shopping, or get a snack at each one. There are plenty of creative ways to enjoy your time. Or, pop over to Animal Kingdom Lodge for some animal viewing and to visit the grand lobby. This resort is beautiful and worth a visit!
There are so many great snack bars, lounges, and shops to visit at other resorts. That is why I like to choose a resort, as I mentioned above, that is in good proximity to another Walt Disney World Resort. You can walk between Pop Century and Art of Animation for example. Or, with the addition of the Skyliner, you now have access to more resorts in a more convenient way than before!
What other benefits are there to having a resort day?
Having a resort day allows your family to sleep in and get some extra rest. You aren’t rushing out the door to make rope drop, or coming back to your room exhausted from a day in the park. It allows you to reset so you can enjoy the remaining days of your vacation. Secondly, all resorts offer activities and extra fun outside the parks. There are campfires, s’more making, movies under the stars, and even poolside games and activities.
We all know our kids LOVE to be at the pool. Ask almost any kid, and their favorite part of any hotel experience is the pool! With a Walt Disney World resort, the pools are amazing! It’s no wonder your kids will want to spend time at them. So don’t fight it….let them! You can relax in a lounge chair, order some food, and let them play and relax at the pool.
Having a resort day allows you to enjoy aspects of Walt Disney World that you may not normally enjoy. Whether you are a first timer, or a seasoned Disney traveler, having a resort day is a good way to see Disney from a different perspective.
Resting your body, sleeping in, and not having any plans can be so necessary. You paid to stay at a Walt Disney World resort, so you should enjoy it! These resorts are more than a place to sleep ~ they are a destination of themselves!
