Disney Resort Hopping

by Elizabeth
(Newark, NJ)

When I am in Orlando, one of my absolute favorite things to do is go hotel-hopping at the Walt Disney World Resort. There are over a dozen resorts on property and each one has its own unique flavor. Most people who visit Walt Disney World spend the majority of their time in the parks and very little at their hotels. This is fine, but I find that exploring the nooks and crannies of the different resorts can be an adventure that might even warrant a vacation all its own.

The Pop Century resort, for example, has gigantic statues of favorite Disney characters and objects from throughout the second half of the century scattered around the layout. The Sassagoula Floatworks restaurant at Port Orleans French Quarter is decorated with a huge assortment of Mardi Gras masks and tidbits.

Watching the Magic Kingdom fireworks from the beach of the Polynesian or the halls of the Grand Floridian is a little-known bonus that many long-time park-goers love.

I have visited Walt Disney World numerous times and each time I find something new. One of the best things about this is that, unlike the Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon water parks (or certain rides like Splash Mountain), it's easy to do all year round. It's easy to hotel-hop in the off-season and even the on-season crowds don't make a huge difference.

Parking-wise, it's a little difficult or sometimes expensive to just drive up to a bunch of different Disney resorts and poke around, but if you are staying in one resort you get any easy pass into the others. If you don't want to stay at one, you can always park at the Transportation and Ticket Center for a flat fee and take one of the many convenient buses to any hotel on property. Disney hotel-hopping is a wonderful addition to any Orlando because there is just so much to discover!

Learn more about planning an Orlando vacation, including renting a timeshare in Orlando.