Hi there, Ann!
Mahalo for stopping by planDisney with such a bucket-list worthy question!
Disney's Polynesian Village Resort and
Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge are two of my favorite Disney Resorts Collection hotels (but let's not tell the others). I honestly don't know how I would choose between the two!
Unfortunately, there is no wand to wave that will magically populate when certain Disney Resort hotels have availability. The process will require you to utilize the
Walt Disney World Resort website and manually search by vacation date. Under the 'Places to Stay' heading on the homepage, you'll select '
Deluxe Villas' and will then be prompted to enter your preferred dates and party size. You also have the option of modifying the filters to narrow the results so they best fit your wants and needs. Since your dates are flexible, if you don't see either desired Resort with availability initially, play with the dates a bit to see if anything pops up. You also have the option to check availability directly from the webpage of each Disney Resort hotel.
The limited number of
Bungalows could make it a bit more difficult to secure one of the coveted over-water retreats, but the Castle views and plunge pool would definitely make it worth the effort. You might have some luck tracking down available dates by calling the
Disney Resort Hotel Reservations line. Even though there isn't a calendar dedicated to this specific task, I have been told that most Cast Members have their own preferred methods to efficiently check availability. It's almost like having a Fairy Godmother: Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo!
No matter which Disney Deluxe Villa Resort you choose, you'll have access to one of my favorite perks -
Extended Evening Theme Park Hours. On certain dates (keep an eye on the
Hours & Events Calendar), Guests of Disney Deluxe Resorts are able to enjoy select Theme Parks after closing! There's even an extra 6 PM
virtual queue for TRON Lightcycle / Run and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind available exclusively for Guests of the event.
I hope this was helpful, Ann, and that you have a vacation filled with views of Cinderella Castle or lush savannas. If you have any additional questions as you begin the planning process, don't hesitate to
drop back by. I'm always happy to help!
Hakuna matata,
Lizzie