Hi Michael! Welcome to planDisney! I am so excited to hear that you want to plan a magical trip to my favorite place, Walt Disney World! 3 chEARS to that! I am also so excited to hear you would like to stay in one of the amazing properties that are part of the Disney Resorts Collection! What I love the most about the resort properties is that no two resorts are the exact same! Each have their own style, restaurants catered to their central theme, as well as fun and unique activities throughout the day!
My family and I are big fans of
Disney's Wilderness Lodge Resort, located within Disney's Magic Kingdom Park area. The beautiful mountain lodge theming, river running through the lobby (yes, IN the lobby!) ending with the famous Fire Rock Geyser at the end of the property towards Bay Lake. It is modeled after the famous Old Faithful geyser of Yellowstone National Park, and it is truly a sight to see! What I love also about Disney's Wilderness Lodge is that it is only a boat ride away to the magic at
Disney's Magic Kingdom Park, and that quick boat ride makes for a great photo opportunity to see the new firework spectacular, Disney's Enchantment!
I also recommend looking at
Disney's Polynesian Village resort as another wonderful option! One of the original 3 resorts when
Walt Disney World first opened in 1971, it boasts gorgeous South Pacific theming, a fantastic view of Disney's Magic Kingdom Park, and has some of my personal favorite restaurants on property! I highly recommend breakfast at 'Ohana and Kona Café! Plus, you have the wonderful advantage of watching Disney's Enchantment fireworks right from the beach! Incredible!
Resort bookings can generally be made 499 days out of planned arrival date. I recommend speaking to a Disney Cast Member at 407-WDW-DISNEY (407-939-7639). They will definitely be able to assist in all of your planning needs, and determine whether splitting a stay at different resorts is a good option, based on availability! I hope I have answered your questions today, Michael! I wish you and your family a wonderful new year, and happy planning! That's my favorite part of the magic!
Frances