Sunday Spotlight - Disney's Port Orleans Resort

Disney's Port Orleans Resort_® first opened at Walt Disney World_® Resort as two separate resorts:  Disney’s Port Orleans Resort which opened on May 17, 1991 and Disney’s Dixie Landings Resort which opened on February 2, 1992.  On March 1, 2001 both resorts were merged together into one larger single resort, with the former Dixie Landings resort being rebranded as Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside, and the original Port Orleans Resort being rebranded as Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter.

The resort is themed to invoke the bustling river life of the old South and the “gay paree” of the American Frontier – New Orleans.  The French Quarter portion was designed to resemble the French Quarter’s style and architecture, while the Riverside section was designed to invoke both southern plantations in the Magnolia Bend section, and bayou dwellings further up the river in the Alligator Bayou section.  The Sassagoula River connects both portions of the resort with other waterways of Walt Disney World_®, and provides nice boat transportation to the Downtown Disney_® Area. 

Disney’s Port Orleans Resort features a total of 3,056 guest rooms, with 1,008 rooms found in the French Quarter; 1,024 rooms found in Riverside and 1,024 found in Magnolia Bend.  About 500 rooms throughout the Magnolia Bend section of Riverside were recently refurbished as “Royal Rooms” with a princess-inspired theme. 

The resort includes 2 themed feature pools:  Ol’ Man Island with a rustic saw-mill theme; and Doubloon Lagoon with a sea-serpent themed slide.  Additionally there are multiple quiet pools located throughout the resort.  Other recreation includes children’s playgrounds; the “Fishin’ Hole” where guests can rent cane poles and bait for some old-time catch & release fishing; a marina for watercraft rentals; bicycles & surrey bike rentals; horse-drawn carriage rides in the evenings; and video game arcades.

The resort features 1 table service restaurant:  Boatwright’s Dining Hall; and includes 2 quick-service restaurants: Riverside Mill Food Court and Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory; as well as 2 lounge/bar locations: River Roost, Muddy Rivers and Scat Cat’s Club.

Disney’s Port Orleans Resort_® is a moderate level resort located in the Downtown Disney_® area.  Convenient boat transportation will take guests directly to Downtown Disney_®, as well as bus transportation to all other parts of Walt Disney World_® Resort.  The resort is classified as a Moderate level resort, and most rooms will accommodate up to 4 guests; however rooms in Alligator Bayou will accommodate up to 5 guests, as they include a trundle bed, which makes Disney’s Port Orleans Resort a great option for many families.

Today in Disney Parks and Resorts History - Disney's Coronado Springs Resort

August 1, 1997 – Walt Disney World

Disney's Coronado Springs Resort opens at Walt Disney World.  This 1,967 room hotel features a Southwestern U.S. / Mexican theme, and falls within the moderate category of resorts.  The resort features Lago Dorado, a large central lake, which features the "Dig Site", an Aztec inspired swimming pool with pyramid, slides, water features and a dry playground area.  The resort includes a convention center offering nearly 100,000 square feet of meeting space.

Saturday Savers - Resort Window Shopping

It’s time once again to take a look at inexpensive options in or around Walt Disney World to augment your vacation experience.  Things that you might do on your own or with your traveling companions that are FREE or close to being free. Today we'll take a look at some of the fun and enjoyment to be found throughout the various Resort Hotels at Walt Disney World.

Like the theme parks, Disney’s resort hotels are all highly themed and beautifully maintained.  Some of the resorts’ lobbies and public spaces are truly gorgeous.  Just as the price level differentiates the hotel offerings and amenities, it can separate the level of thematic elements and detail – BUT – that doesn’t mean that only the Deluxe or Moderate hotels are worth exploring! 

The Value Resorts (Disney’s All-Stars Movies, Music & Sports, Disney’s POP Century, and the newest value category resort Disney’s Art of Animation) all have their own unique stylings, and are well worth a visit.  The over-sized icons, graphics and elements that convey the overall theme of each resort are beautiful, and great for photo opportunities.  Some of my favorite design elements can be found at POP Century and All-Star Music! 

As you move up the price chain, the level of landscaping and overall building design increases.  All of the Moderate and Deluxe resorts, especially, have extraordinary theming and are well worth a visit.  In the Moderate realm, Disney’s Port Orleans and Disney’s Coronado Springs resorts, and in the Deluxe realm Disney’s Boardwalk Inn, Disney’s Polynesian and Disney’s Grand Floridian resorts do an exceptional job of utilizing theme appropriate-landscaping to augment and convey and evoke the locale and time period represented.  Personally I feel that two of the Deluxe level resorts go well above and beyond exceptional in creating evocative environments, and fully immerse the guests into the environment being conveyed – Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge and Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.  Both of these resorts are absolutely breathtaking. 

The pools the various resorts are delightful:  at Coronado Springs the pool looks like a Mayan ruin; Stormalong Bay at the Yacht & Beach Club includes a huge "shipwreck" containing a water slide, and is one of the largest sand bottomed pools in the United States; at the Wilderness Lodge follow the “spring” in the lobby and watch as it passes under a bridge, then cascades down a waterfall passing under another bridge, appearing to go into the pool and then down into the adjacent Bay Lake!; at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge-Kidani Village, there is an entire pool / water play complex known as Uwanja Camp where fanciful fountains, flowers and other devices spring to life dousing guests; at Disney’s Polynesian guests can slide down through a volcano!   There are so many terrific designs just in the pools alone, that you’ll want to explore each one.  (Note that pools are for use of the registered hotel guests

Each of the resorts offers an array of free or nominal-fee activities.  Check the lobby upon your arrival to see if anything appeals to you.  Some resorts even offer free tours, whether you are a guest of that resort or not, such as Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, Disney’s Grand Floridian and others (usually in the mornings, so get there early if you are interested).

If you are staying on property and don’t have your own transportation, simply use the FREE Disney transportation to get to your chosen destination.  You won’t be able to get to a resort directly, but the journey is part of the fun, right?  Take a bus (or boat, or monorail) from your resort to the nearest theme park, water park, or Downtown Disney, and then transfer to a bus going to the resort you’re looking for.  Or if you do have your own wheels to get around, simply drive to your resort of choice and you can get a FREE 3-hour parking permit from the gate attendant.  Now go out and enjoy looking around! 

Free Dining is Back at Walt Disney World! Fall 2012 Dates Now Available

FREE DINING is back at Walt Disney World!

Valid for stays select nights 9/30/12 - 12/13/12.

Book a vacation package that includes a 6-night, 7-day stay at a Walt Disney World resort and a 7-day park ticket, and receive the Dining Plan for free! 

Book a Disney Value Resort and get a Quick Service Dining free!
Book a Disney Moderate, Deluxe, or Deluxe Villas Resort and get the Regular Dining free!

Sample Pricing: The following pricing is for select dates 10/19/12 - 11/1/12, 11/24/12 - 11/29/12, and 12/10/12 - 12/13/12 in a Standard Room. Sample pricing does not include tax. Rates will vary depending on the resort, room type, and dates of travel.

Value Resort (4 nights, 5 days for a family of 4): $1,922
Moderate Resort (4 nights, 5 days for a family of 4): $2,421

Free dining available select nights 9/30-10/4, 10/19-11/1, 11/9-11/15, 11/23-11/29, and 12/10-12/13/12.All discounts are subject to availability, certain restrictions apply. Blackout dates may apply. Discount is not valid at campsites, 3-bedroom villas, or the Little Mermaid Standard View rooms at Disney's Art of Animation Resort. Dining plans can be upgraded at an additional cost. 

The number of rooms for this offer is limited, and it must be booked by 9/29/12. Don't delay, get yours booked today! Call 317.776.1733.  Or simply visit my website to enter your free vacation quote request now.  Don't delay!  Get your fall trip booked now! 

  

Sunday Spotlight - Disney's Coronado Springs Resort

Disney's Coronado Springs Resort® first opened at Walt Disney World® Resort on August 1,1997, near Disney's Blizzard Beach Water Park.

The resort has a Southwestern flare in its' theming, with landscaping evoking the great Southwestern U.S. and Mexico.  In designing the resort, the Imagineers were inspired by the explorers who had once searched for the fabled "seven cities of gold".  There is a Mayan-theme found at the feature pool, and spanish-style haciendas and courtyards abound throughout the resort.

Disney's Coronado Springs Resort® features a total of 1,921 guest rooms, accommodating up to four guests, plus one child under 3 in a crib.  All of the rooms have two queen beds, or one king-sized bed.  

The resort includes 1 themed feature pool: The Lost City of Cibola Pool, with a jaguar slide, and archaeological-themed Mayan Dig Site play area; plus 3 quiet pools conveniently located throughout the resort.  Other recreation includes a children’s water play area; playgrounds; walking/jogging trail; arcade; and assorted recreational activities including Disney movies in the evenings.

The resort features 1 table service restaurant:  Maya Grill; and includes 2 quick-service restaurants: Pepper Market and Cafe Rix; as well as lounges & poolside snack bars.  Convention Center  and conference facilities are available at the resort as well.

Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort® is a moderate level resort located in the Animal Kingdom® area, and convenient bus transportation will take guests to all other parts of the Walt Disney World® Resort.  

Sunday Spotlight - Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort

Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort_® first opened at Walt Disney World_® Resort on October 1, 1988.  It was the first of a new category of moderately priced hotels on the property, and at the time of its’ construction, one of the largest hotels in Florida.  The new grade of hotel was designed to cater to guests seeking Disney-style themed accommodations, without luxury amenities and prices.

The resort itself is themed to tropical islands of the Caribbean, with building styles echoing that of Barbados, Martinique, Aruba, Jamaica, and Trinidad North & South. The buildings themselves use cool pastels, white wood railings and vividly colored corrugated metal roofs to impart the theme.  The various island neighborhoods of the resort stretch around the central 45-acre lake, with a mile-and-a-half long promenade for pedestrian, bicyclists and joggers.

Caribbean Beach features a total of 2,112 guest rooms, all accommodating up to four guests, plus one child under 3 in a crib.  All of the rooms have two double beds, or one king-sized bed.  A number of the rooms were recently converted into “Pirate Rooms”, which included added adventures.  These specially themed rooms feature  pirate-ship beds, buccaneer accessories, and swashbuckling décor from stem to stern. 

The resort includes 1 themed feature pool:   Fuentes del Morro Fort, a swashbuckling-themed Spanish fortress with two waterslides and whirlpools, as well as 6 quiet pools conveniently located throughout the resort.  Other recreation includes a children’s water play area;  playgrounds; walking/jogging trail, catch & release fishing; a marina for watercraft rentals; bicycles & surrey bike rentals; video game arcade; and assorted recreational activities including Disney movies in the evenings.

The resort features 1 table service restaurant:  Shutters at Old Port Royale; and includes 1 quick-service restaurant:  Old Port Royale Food Court; as well as lounges & poolside snack bars.

Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort_® is a moderate level resort located in the Epcot_® area, and convenient bus transportation will take guests to all other parts of the Walt Disney World_® Resort.  

Sunday Spotlight - Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground

Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground_® first opened at Walt Disney World_® Resort on November 19, 1971, just about six weeks after the debut of the Magic Kingdom Park_®.  Surrounded by the existing forests found along the shores of Bay Lake, this rustic playground was designed to provide opportunities for visitors to “bring their own accommodations with them” – whether by tent or RV.  The campground is nestled on 750 acres of pine and cypress trees, surrounded by quiet trails and gentle wildlife, like deer and rabbits where guests can feel as if they're far away from the bustle of modern civilization - even though the Magic Kingdom is just a short boat ride away!

The resort is comprised of both campsites and cabins.  There are 784 campsite locations and 409 cabins. 

On the campsite side, there are 4 different types of campsites, including new Premium Campsites, that can accommodate everything from tents to pop-up trailers to 45-foot and longer vehicles, with a maximum 10 Guests per site.  Amenities vary, but each campsite is equipped with:

• Privacy-enhancing landscaping
• Water, cable television hook-ups and electrical hook-ups
• Premium picnic table and charcoal grill
• Sewer hook-up (at most campsites)
• High-speed Internet access is available at an additional fee

On the cabin side, the cabins can accommodate up to six guests, plus one child under 3 in a crib.  They each feature a double bed, a set of bunk beds, and a separate living room with pull-out sofa, a bathroom and full kitchen.  There’s an outdoor patio deck with picnic table, charcoal grill and private parking space.  Plus daily housekeeping is provided. 

The resort includes two pools, a children’s pool and water play area, white sand beach for sunbathing, canoeing, tennis, fishing, marina for watercraft rentals, an arcade and other assorted recreational activities.  The Tri-Circle D Ranch is located at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort where guests can enjoy the petting farm, pony rides for the little kids or horseback riding for the bigger ones!  

The resort features table-service dining at Trails End Restaurant which offers an all-you-care-to enjoy breakfast and dinner, or simply enjoy the a la carte lunch menu; and Crockett’s Lounge offers pizza, nachos and a full service bar.  Guests will also find a seasonal Character Dining experience at Mickey’s Backyard BBQ; and you don’t want to miss the most popular Dinner Show available at all of Walt Disney World_® Resort – the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue found at Pioneer Hall not far from the resort’s boat dock and the petting farm. This all-you-care-to-enjoy family-style dinner show is one of the longest continuously running musical shows in the nation, tracing it’s beginnings back to 1973. It sells out quickly, so be sure to get reservations early – you can reserve your table up to 180 days in advance.

Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground_® is a resort that can be considered both a value and moderate level resort - value for the fact that camping accommodations can be found for as little as $19 per night depending on site type and season - and moderate level for the home-like cabins.  It is located in the Magic Kingdom area of Walt Disney World.  Convenient boat transportation runs daily to and from the Magic Kingdom, and convenient bus transportation will take guests to all other parts of the Walt Disney World_® Resort. 

Sunday Spotlight - Disney's Port Orleans Resort

Disney's Port Orleans Resort_® first opened at Walt Disney World_® Resort as two separate resorts:  Disney’s Port Orleans Resort which opened on May 17, 1991 and Disney’s Dixie Landings Resort which opened on February 2, 1992.  On March 1, 2001 both resorts were merged together into one larger single resort, with the former Dixie Landings resort being rebranded as Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside, and the original Port Orleans Resort being rebranded as Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter.

The resort is themed to invoke the bustling river life of the old South and the “gay paree” of the American Frontier – New Orleans.  The French Quarter portion was designed to resemble the French Quarter’s style and architecture, while the Riverside section was designed to invoke both southern plantations in the Magnolia Bend section, and bayou dwellings further up the river in the Alligator Bayou section.  The Sassagoula River connects both portions of the resort with other waterways of Walt Disney World_®, and provides nice boat transportation to the Downtown Disney_® Area. 

Port Orleans features a total of 3,056 guest rooms, with 1,008 rooms found in the French Quarter; 1,024 rooms found in Riverside and 1,024 found in Magnolia Bend.  About 500 rooms throughout the Magnolia Bend section of Riverside are currently being refurbished as “Royal Rooms” with a princess-inspired theme. 

The resort includes 2 themed feature pools:  Ol’ Man Island with a rustic saw-mill theme; and Doubloon Lagoon with a sea-serpent themed slide.  Additionally there are multiple quiet pools located throughout the resort.  Other recreation includes children’s playgrounds; the “Fishin’ Hole” where guests can rent cane poles and bait for some old-time catch & release fishing; a marina for watercraft rentals; bicycles & surrey bike rentals; horse-drawn carriage rides in the evenings; and video game arcades.

The resort features 1 table service restaurant:  Boatwright’s Dining Hall; and includes 2 quick-service restaurants: Riverside Mill Food Court and Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory; as well as 2 lounge/bar locations: River Roost, Muddy Rivers and Scat Cat’s Club.

Disney’s Port Orleans Resort_® is a moderate level resort located in the Downtown Disney_® area.  Convenient boat transportation will take guests directly to Downtown Disney_®, as well as bus transportation to all other parts of Walt Disney World_® Resort.  The resort is classified as a Moderate level resort, and most rooms will accommodate up to 4 guests; however rooms in Alligator Bayou will accommodate up to 5 guests, as they include a trundle bed, which makes Disney’s Port Orleans Resort a great option for many families.