Deciding on a Disney resort can be more exhausting than chasing around a toddler all day. There are so many choices, all the resorts blend together and how do you know which ones to avoid? Here's our list of the 8 worst Disney resorts and why you should not book them. 8. Disney's Beach Club Resort-Standard and Garden View Rooms With the best pool on property you would think the rest of the resort would live up to the hype. Nope! This resort is HUGE with very long hallways and is hard to navigate with young kids. You will get your 10,000 steps in before you even get to the parks in the morning. The vibe of the resort is early 20th century New England seaside but the rooms fall flat on this. The rooms are clean but bland and look like your average room at a Hilton, not a room you paid $650 a night for. The rooms are devoid of warmth, theme, and charm: the style is totally plain and nondescript, there aren’t any whimsical touches, and the new look isn’t an extension of the resort’s overarching theme. The standard view rooms overlook the parking lot and the Garden or Woods view just look at weeds. There's nothing magical about these rooms at all. There are several excellent table service restaurants onsite (Yachtsman Steakhouse-Yumm!) but the quick service options leave much to be desired. The Beach Club Marketplace is it's main quick service option but the menu is very small with only a handful of oddly put together items to choose from. You are better off walking over to Epcot or the Boardwalk for a quick service meal. Pro Tip: Book a Concierge Water View room for good location, access to snacks all day, and a great view. 7. Disney's Coronado Springs Resort-Standard Rooms Coronado Springs is on almost every worst hotel list and rightfully so. The resort is massive and requires you to take a bus just to get to the park bus station. You will even need to take a bus to get to the pool depending on where your room is. Who wants to load a stroller and 8 kids with all their crap onto not one, but two buses just to get to Magic Kingdom? No thanks! Forget finding something to eat quickly, the convention center makes the main buildings feel like a street fight waiting to happen. The pool is nice here with a slide and fantastic Margaritas, so it's not all bad. Margaritas do make everything better! Pro Tip: Set on this resort? Book at room in the new luxurious Gran Destino Tower instead for an upscale experience. 6. Disney's Contemporary Resort The Contemporary is cool to look at from afar but once you get there, that's where the coolness ends. Who wants to sleep in a train station? You are woken up every morning at 6am to the sound of the monorail loudly rushing by. If that's not annoying enough, once you fall back asleep you will be woken up 5 minutes later from the dishes clanking at the restaurant below. When you walk out of your room and look down, all you see are people eating...gross! The pool is about the same as any community pool you can find at home. There is nothing uniquely Disney about the grounds at this resort at all. The same can be said about Bay Lake Tower - the only great thing about this resort is its Theme park View, that being said, it's cramped and you trip over yourself, spouse, and suitcases if you are in a studio. The bigger rooms need updating badly. The proximity to the parks is the one main perk of this resort so if that's what you want, then this is the resort for you. Pro Tip: Book a Theme Park View and watch the fireworks nightly from your room. 5. Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort-Pirate Rooms Do you like walking miles to get something to drink or eat? Then stay in the Pirate rooms at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort, they are 8 thousand miles away from any sort of humanity. Who wants to walk 15 minutes just to get a drink of water, with kids in tow. Distance aside, there is a reason the pirate rooms are the least booked category of any Disney resort hotel. The double beds in these rooms are big pirate ships with a very thin mattress. They are massive and make the small room feel even more cramped. Who can even sleep in a double bed with someone else anyways? The rooms are so cramped that there is no where to put your suitcases let alone a stroller. If you like the pirate motif, you will also love the musty smell. These rooms are tired and need a major refurb. Pro tip: Skip the pirate rooms and book a preferred room here for close proximity to the food court, pool, and Skyliner. 4. Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort First, the new rooms are really nice–an unequivocal upgrade. They balance theme and style, sporting functional improvements and smart design choices. There’s also no shortage of fun Disney details, including vibrant character art and other clever touches that make SSR’s rooms “distinctly Disney.” Thankfully the rooms at this Deluxe Villa property were recently refurbished because that's the only redeeming quality. Do not stay here without a car, your feet with thank me later. The pools are nice but good luck trying to find a place to sit, chairs are scarce and there is no staff anywhere to help. Food is also an issue at this resort. You have to take a bus to get food from most rooms, that alone is a nightmare with little ones. The quick service doesn't have a lot of options for kids and what they offer for adults was not great. Save your money and go to McDonalds. Pro Tip: Rent a car if you stay here, book a preferred room, or choose a different property altogether. 3. Animal Kingdom Lodge Kidani Village Of the Deluxe Villa resorts, Animal Kingdom Lodge Kidani Village is the worst. When measuring distance from the parks, it literally is in Africa! The resort only offers bus transportation to all four parks making for a very long day with tired little ones. While the rooms are very large with amazing safari views, that's where the magic ends. Kidani Village does not have a quick service restaurant on site, so if you are looking for a quick breakfast, you will have to trek over to Jambo just to grab a muffin. The hallways in the resort are ridiculously long, you will get lost just going to the lobby. To access the pool (which I’ll admit is very nice) you have to walk through a parking garage, eew! Pro Tip: Skip Kidani and stay at Jambo House Villas for that same cool vibe with the animals but better amenities. 2. Disney's Grand Floridian Resort The Grand Floridian is Walt Disney World’s flagship property, with rack rates to match. The Grand is far and away the most expensive hotel at Walt Disney World, and whether it’s worth the money is debatable. The lowest rate you will see at this resort is $757 per night with the average being closer to $900. This nightly rate is not even remotely commensurate with its quality. Yes, the resort is full of amenities but the rooms lack so much that it's hard to see past that. The rooms are dated without all the modern lighting, storage, and features you expect at this price point. The beds are comfortable, but that's it. They definitely need a refurb of the rooms here. Common areas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa are much nicer. The hotel is inarguably grandiose and sophisticated, and the execution of the Victorian theme is incredibly well done. Most areas offer tremendous detail and a sense of luxury, with a handful of locations being stuffy or overly reminiscent of grandma’s house. For the most part, the Grand Floridian feels imbued with a sense of sophistication. The lobby makes a strong first impression, and the common areas are exactly what you’d expect of Walt Disney World’s flagship resort. Personally, for this amount of money–even understanding that staying on property at Walt Disney World costs a premium–I expect perfection. The Grand Floridian is a far cry from perfection, and simply not worth the exorbitant rates it charges, at least in my opinion. If luxury were my utmost concern, I’d book the Four Seasons. If I weren’t so worried about luxury or were taking a trip more geared towards kids, I’d book Disney's Polynesian Resort. Pro Tip: Stay at Disney's Polynesian Resort for newer rooms and better amenities. 1. Any of the Disney All Star Resorts If your resort is a large aspect of your vacation and you plan on spending a lot of time there, you may not think too highly of the Value Resorts. From my experience, this goes for all of the Value Resorts, especially the three All Star Resorts, which differ from one another little besides in theme. You will feel like herded cattle staying at any of these resorts. There are always big “groups” of people here, whether it be cheerleaders or football players who often run rampant over the resort. The rooms are tiny with no room for luggage or a stroller. Bring earplugs because the walls are paper thin and you will undoubtedly hear your neighbor snoring. There are no table service restaurants at any of these resorts and the food at the food court is a crap shoot. The pools are always mobbed and dirty with no slides and no towels. If you want a towel, you have to go to the lobby, wait in the long line and ask a crabby cast member for one. Good luck fighting the masses to get breakfast in the morning, those lines are longer than the ones in the parks. When you leave the park after a long day and all you want to do is get into your bed, you might as well take a nap on the sidewalk. The All Stars share the furthest bus corral at every park, and because they share buses, the wait in line is at least three buses deep just to get on. Plan to stand the entire way back. Staying at the All Stars is like drawing the short stick. Pro Tip: Spend a little bit more and book Art of Animation for a better value property option. Want to find out our 8 favorite Disney resorts? Fill out the form below for a free quote! Mickey's Dream Vacations is a full-service travel agency, specializing in Family & Romance Travel. We take the stress out of travel planning. Let’s face it, traveling with kids sometimes feels like that Dickens quote: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” Best of times because children delight in the simple things, like jumping on a fluffy hotel bed or building a sandcastle. But they can easily get tired or bored, and hello, we’ve entered Whine City. Hawaii, though, is such a family-friendly destination, it’s not a question of finding great things to do with the kids so much as narrowing down all the activities. Here are some of the best kid-friendly activities in the Islands. Check Out the Lava Twice a day, it’s gonna blow! Well, in a controlled manner. The daily lava show at the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, near downtown Honolulu, lets kids get up close and personal with molten basalt cinder rock, poured out by a staffer wearing a cool space suit. Then take the littles to play inside the giant volcano model before heading to the museum’s planetarium to learn how Polynesian wayfinders navigate by the stars. Meet a Seahorse A pregnant male? Whaaat? Blow the kids’ minds during a one-hour tour of an eco-friendly aqua-farm, where, yes, the daddy seahorses are the ones who give birth. At Ocean Rider Seahorse Farm on Hawaii Island, near Kona, more than 25 species of seahorses are bred and hand-raised. Learn about breeds like the sea dragon, and maybe even get to hold a seahorse. Eco-bonus: The family-owned company works to help vulnerable wild seahorse populations. Slurp Noodles Hawaii takes its noodles very seriously, and no island more so than Maui. Sam Sato’s, in business since 1933 and famous for its “dry mein” noodle dish, is in Wailuku and is considered by locals a must-do pilgrimage. Insider’s tip: It’s only open for breakfast and lunch. For noodles at dinnertime, try Star Noodle, near Lahaina. It makes its ramen, udon and saimin noodles in house, daily. Parents will appreciate the sake options. Spend All Day in the Water What’s better than the beach? A mind-blowing pool…steps from the beach. Sheraton Waikiki has your family covered with two distinct pool areas, including Helumoa Playground, the property’s beachfront water experience — and a family favorite. Older kids might take a wet and wild spin down Helumoa’s 70-foot-long water slide or play in the interactive fountain area, while the youngest of kiddos can wade in the shallow pool. As for the adults? Rest easy in chaise water loungers or an oceanfront cabana, as you watch your little ones make a splash. Hike to a Waterfall Burn off kids’ energy with a hike through a lush rainforest. Oahu’s Manoa Falls Trail is just over three miles round-trip. The pièce de résistance is the 150-foot waterfall, though the bamboo thicket is impressive, too. For safety’s sake, avoid the trail after heavy rain, and always stay on the path. The path can be muddy, so leave the brand-new white sandals at the hotel. Watch Chocolate Grow If they’ve been reading “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” kids might be interested to find out where chocolate really comes from. Hawaii is the only state that grows cocoa beans commercially. Lydgate Farms, on Kauai’s east side, has a “branch-to-bar” tour and tasting, where a guide takes you through the process of growing cacao trees and harvesting and processing the cacao beans, with extensive tastings of chocolate and exotic fruits, like sapodilla and eggfruit. Bonus: Kids under 12 are free. Paddle to the Turtles Turtle Town is just off Makena Beach on Maui. This stretch of coastline has coral reefs favored by Hawaiian green sea turtles — gentle giants who can grow to four feet long and up to 350 pounds. An outrigger canoe tour lets your family get close (respectfully, as these are a threatened species) and learn about Polynesian culture. Hawaiian Paddle Sports has a tour specifically for families with small children or first-time paddlers. Mickey's Dream Vacations is a full-service travel agency, specializing in Family & Romance Travel. We take the stress out of travel planning. The desire for grandparents and grandkids to reunite and travel together has never been stronger. It’s why Beaches Resorts is taking the Skip-Generation Vacation experience to another level and introducing a Beaches GrandEscapes vacation! The man posing with Elmo has been wearing a swimsuit since yesterday. The woman taking their picture is still glowing from a morning spa treatment. “He’s a little cuter than you, honey,” the woman says. The subtle jab indicates they’re husband and wife. But grandparents? It’s hard to tell. They’re so youthful and energetic as they move around the cabanas and pools at the Beaches Resort in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, their flip-flops accentuating the pace of their steps. They kick a soccer ball on the beach, bite into warm cookies, laugh easily, and post pictures for Instagram — “stunning pics,” according to their envious followers. The only giveaways that they’re old enough to be grandparents are the 8-year-old girl and 5-year-old boy who call them “Papa” and “Nana.” The sunshine and happiness at Beaches has enveloped them so completely that the four of them act as if it’s the first day of summer vacation — Papa and Nana included. They’d forgotten how it feels to be so carefree. They’d almost forgotten how it feels to be together. A family poses for a Made for Memories photoshoot, part of the new GrandEscapes package only available at Beaches Resorts. Every time the grandparents pause for a photo with their grandkids, they present a living picture of the GrandEscape at the three Beaches Resorts in Ocho Rios, Negril, and Turks and Caicos. It’s a turnkey all-inclusive Caribbean resort vacation specifically designed for the grands. It’s also Beaches’ resounding answer to the re-emergence of skip-generation, or skip-gen, travel where the parents step aside and allow the grandparents to take the kids away for a week. Mom and Dad can stay home and enjoy a week alone, or book their own trip to a couples-only Sandals Resort. Either way, they’re assured that the GrandEscapers are having the times of their lives, breathing the warm tropical air, hearing the friendly Caribbean voices, and swimming in the most magnificently colorful ocean. Cocktails and mocktails are always flowing at Beaches Resorts’ swim-up pool bars. For more than a year, grandparents everywhere had been out of the picture, protected with a minimum distance of six feet, if not complete isolation from the family. They’d been among the 70 percent of Americans who dreamed of traveling in a way they’d never dreamed or traveled before. Craving the getaway or getaways and imagining the grandkids alongside them. A GrandEscape at Beaches brings those cravings to real life, only more relaxed, more fun, more alive, and more purely Caribbean than they ever imagined. Grandparents, more than anyone, have been suffering from cabin fever, pandemic fatigue, and social-distancing burnout. “Health is wealth. And what’s a better investment of health and wealth than making extraordinary memories with the grandkids?” says Nana. It doesn’t take an Instagram post to see that a GrandEscape at Beaches is the heroic answer to Nana’s rhetorical question. An island resort created for families with a powdery beach and the friendliest staff you’ve ever met. All the pizza and pancakes you could want. Soft beds and endless views of the sea. Snorkeling with tropical fish and dancing with Sesame Street characters. Playing on the golf course and in the XBox Lounge. A place so friendly everyone says “welcome home” even though it seems a million miles away. “We have a lot of help spoiling the grandkids,” says Papa, referring to the entertainment, watersports, and restaurant teams at Beaches Resorts. Observe again grandpa’s damp swimsuit and grandma’s hand clutching a Margarita. It isn’t just the grandkids who are being spoiled. Pictured here: The French Village Pool at Beaches Turks & Caicos. Papa and Nana have been pool-and-sea-ready since they arrived with the grandkids at Beaches three days ago. The ease of a luxurious all-inclusive skip-gen vacation is one of the main reasons they booked a GrandEscape. Planning? It consists of choosing a stretch of five, seven or ten nights. “Our only responsibility was to arrive and unpack the swimsuits,” says Nana. “Since then, we’ve done what we want whenever we want to do it.” The kids sleep in while the adults make the first footprints on the beach. They eat bacon and papaya for breakfast and brick-oven pizzas for lunch. Grandpa goes down the waterslide a gazillion times and comes out of the water laughing every single time. They watch movies from the pool one night and party at a beach bonfire the next. When the kids wake up, the whole family will enjoy a complimentary Sesame Street Character Breakfast. “It sounds simple, but there aren’t many places where you can say ‘it’s easy to have fun here,’” says Nana. “My husband and I like to relax on the beach and have a drink or two. We can do that. But we also want to actively enjoy them instead of watching from a distance. We finally have the time back to bond with our grandkids again.” This is why a Beaches GrandEscape makes so much sense in 2021. Grandparents of today have a higher-powered toolkit: The energy. It’s often the grandparents’ ideas to snorkel after breakfast, play pool volleyball after lunch, and go kayaking before sunset. “We all have the ability to wear each other out,” says Papa. The time. Moms and Dads are squeezed for hours, let alone days. Grandparents can get away for longer periods of time — without being interrupted on the lazy river by a call from the office. “We’re living in the moment,” says Nana, “and the moments at Beaches keep coming, nonstop.” The means. Baby Boomers and Gen Xers are more financially stable than grandparents of previous generations. It bears repeating: “Health is wealth.” No one regrets investing in the trip of a lifetime. The peace of mind. With the Beaches Platinum Protocols of Cleanliness in place, constantly disinfecting surfaces and maintaining a distance from guests, the only thing grandparents and grandkids need to focus on is spending time reconnecting with each other. “We feel so safe here in paradise,” says Nana. Most important of all, grandparents and grandkids discover right away at Beaches that they’re very much in touch with each other, with similar ideas for the perfect vacation: An immaculate beach and gorgeous sea just a few steps from the suite. A giant pool and waterpark a few strides in the other direction. Fresh smoothies at the pool … wait, make that fresh smoothies in the pool. And two more cookies apiece on the way back to the suite. Are you ready to bring your own GrandEscapes adventure to life? The time has finally come! Grandparents and grandkids can officially book their own GrandEscapes vacation at Beaches Resorts now through January 9, 2022 for travel August 28 - October 5, 2022 so they can catch up on laughter, make up for the time spent apart, and enjoy a great vacation made for family-fun. All Beaches Resorts GrandEscapes vacations of five nights or more will automatically receive a special ‘Made for Memories’ family photoshoot with three complimentary printed photos plus the choice of:
Mickey's Dream Vacations is a full-service travel agency, specializing in Family & Romance Travel. We take the stress out of travel planning. You can’t choose your family, but you can choose an awesome room. Once upon a time the family room occupied a unique space in family life. Unlike other rooms, the family room didn’t have a specific, set purpose. It was a place that came with an open invitation for play, imagination, creativity, leisure, laughter and the purest of all family experiences – unconditional fun. Today’s family rooms typically have more screens and devices. And, because of those, a little less eye contact. As for that unconditional fun thing? The good news is that as long as there are families, there will always be that. And the great news: You’re about to meet several family vacation destinations that have taken the family room concept to a whole new dimension. Despicable Me Kid’s Suites: Loews Portofino Bay Hotel – Universal Orlando Resort Let’s start with a bad example. Not the rooms, of course. But the little yellow characters who inspired them. The Minions. What better way to the reward children for being good most of the time than a room themed by creatures who’ve behaved badly since the beginning of time? The Despicable Me Kid’s Suites at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel let kids be kids while parents enjoy every creature comfort in their own adjoining room. While the kids will have a blast in their Minion-themed suite, with custom-designed missile beds and Minion-inspired bedding complete with Gru’s scarf, an earth-shattering family experience awaits at Universal’s all-new Volcano Bay water theme park. Just a lava rock’s throw from the volcano are fabulous family suite cabanas befitting this tropical paradise. Stocked with plush seating, a refrigerator keeping the water and snacks cool, fluffy towels and concierge service, the cabana might be one of the most popular attractions in the park. The family suite cabana offers privacy and space that accommodates up to 16 people. And several dozen Minions. At Universal, they’re one big, happy family. Disney’s Art of Animation Resort-Themed Family Suites The amazing thing about Disney Animation is that it’s so vivid and magical that you sometimes feel you’re living inside the story yourself. Hold that thought, and that feeling. Because at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, your family will be living inside that same wonderful experience, with your favorite characters everywhere you turn. Here a Simba, there a Scar, Ariel, Nemo and a Car. Family suites are movie-themed: Lion King, Finding Nemo, Little Mermaid and Cars. For treats and eats, Landscape of Flavors features five distinct and delectable food shops. Your family will also love the choice of three incredible pools. The biggest is the Big Blue pool, inspired by Finding Nemo. The Cozy Cone pool is a recreation of Radiator Springs from Cars. And the Flippin Fins pool will have you splashing alongside Ariel herself. Be nice because we hear she likes to splash back. The Lair Suite at Nickelodeon Hotels and Resorts Riviera Maya The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles-themed Lair Suite at the new Nickelodeon Hotels and Resorts Riviera Maya is the perfect place to relax, swim (in an infinity pool that runs the length of the suite), and enjoy a pizza party, of course. This rooftop penthouse suite can accommodate up to five guests. Cowabunga! Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge- Savannah View Room This family-centric hotel sits across from Disney's Animal Kingdom park in Orlando, Florida, yet it feels like it was plucked from the plains of an African safari. Inspired by a traditional kraal (village) and surrounded by four savannahs, the lodge is home to 30 wildlife species — zebras, giraffes, flamingos, and gazelles — some of which can be spotted wandering past room windows. Experts are even on-hand to answer questions about the animals, and guests can also book private safaris around the grounds. But the massive, 972-room property is not without a dash of Disney magic in the form of evening campfires with s’mores, outdoor movies, storytelling sessions, restaurants serving African-inspired cuisine, an arcade, and an 11,000-square-foot pool that will delight kids and adults alike. Pirate Rooms: Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort Why should that Sparrow fellow and Captain Hook keep all the spoils of pirate life to themselves? At Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, you and the kids can do some shivering of the timbers yourselves, in pirate-themed rooms that would be the envy of any buccaneer. Where else on the Seven Seas can you sleep in a pirate ship? Not on, in. Each bed is a pirate ship unto itself with pirate flags, rigging, even cannonballs down below. There are only three words for this bedtime adventure. All together now. Yo ho ho. When it’s time for some ship to shore action, you and the little pirates can attack the nearby pool and water slide (we hear it’s just off the port bow). Built in the style of a Spanish citadel, this zero-entry pool features two high adventure slides and water cannon. Ascend the spiral staircase to the top of a turret for an 82-foot trip down the big slide. Let the swashbuckling begin! Jurassic World Kids' Suite at Loews Royal Pacific Resort-Universal Orlando The Loews Royal Pacific Resort features Jurassic World Kids' Suites with two rooms (one for parents and another for kids) complete with dinosaur prints on the floor and gyrosphere beds designed to make kids feel like they're navigating jungle terrain in search of Velociraptors and Pterodactyls. These suites sleep up to five guests. Mickey Mouse Penthouse at the Disneyland Hotel-Anaheim California The ultimate place to overnight at the Disneyland resort in Anaheim is the Mickey Mouse Penthouse at the Disneyland Hotel. This signature suite features floor-to-ceiling windows with stellar views of the parks. It also features unique artwork, including photos of Mickey and Walt Disney rarely seen by the public, and Mickey Mouse motifs like a Mickey Mouse light on the living room ceiling. The swanky penthouse, featuring an interior design with "Mickey's" signature colors of black, white, red and yellow, occupies an expansive 1,600 square feet and includes an open living room, dining and kitchen area, two bedrooms and two and one-half bathrooms. The suite brings to life all the fun that Mickey Mouse represents. 727 Fuselage Suite-Hotel Costa Verde, Costa Rica Forget lay-flat seats on a plane-visit Hotel Costa Verde in Costa Rica and sleep inside of an actual airplane! The 727 Fuselage Suite is a refurbished 1965 Boeing 727 airframe that once flew with South Africa Air and Avianca Airlines. The two-bedroom suite sits in the treetops of Costa Rica near Manuel Antonio National Park, as if it just crash landed there. The hand-carved teak furniture makes you feel like you're in a treehouse, despite being inside a plane! Mickey's Dream Vacations is a full-service travel agency, specializing in Family & Romance Travel. We take the stress out of travel planning. |