Everything 3 Experts Have Said About Disney World Hotels, From Weird Rules to Instant Regrets

Take it from the experts, there are some dos and don’ts to staying at Walt Disney World’s hotels.

We polled some of the most experienced Disney hotel experts on our team to find out their thoughts on Disney’s weirdest hotel rules, their favorite pleasant surprises, and instant regrets they’re avoiding in the future!

Instant Regrets

Let’s start with some unexpected regrets:

Staying at Pop Century or one of the All-Star Resorts during a cheerleading weekend is always a mistake. No disrespect to the competitors or their families, but for those not involved, the hotels are overcrowded with loud practices going on and young ones up really early to compete, which can lead to an overstimulating environment that’ll have you counting down the hours until your star is just plain over.

While staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge is always a treat, our experts warn that you’ll be in for quite a trek if your room is in the Jambo House section of the resort. Specifically, if you are staying at the far end of either the Kudu or Zebra trail, you can expect a LONG walk to and from the lobby area each and every day of your stay.

Weird Rules

Next up, let’s talk rules. Now, Disney World has a lot of rules: some official, some not. These ones stuck out to our experts.

Disney’s Polynesian Resort offers some of our favorite dining options on property, which makes the hotel a major destination for guests not staying there. This is where the hotel’s… interesting parking rules come into play. Guests who are staying at the hotel can park there, guests who have a reservation at one of the restaurants which take reservations can park there by presenting their reservation at the gate, and guests eating at one of the establishments that don’t take reservations — including Wailulu Bar and Grill, Tambu Lounge, or Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto — can park at the resort beginning after 2:00 PM.

Disney has cracked down on pool hopping between resorts, which likely comes off as bizarre to longtime guests who haven’t been to the resort in a while. Speaking of pools, a quick tip: Each Disney resort has a feature pool and at least one quiet pool, so we’d advise taking a quick tour of all of the pools at your resort during your stay. Find the one you like best and remember that for next time; that way, you can request to be closer to the pool of your choice for your next stay.

Pleasant Surprises

While regrets must be avoided in the future and rules have to be prepared, we’re wrapping up with something a bit more pleasant: SURPRISES!

Let’s start with one of our favorite hotels: Port Orleans French Quarter. This highly themed resort features immersion on par with the Deluxe Tier hotels and offers a relaxing and cozy atmosphere, along with a bevy of snack and dining options, all while being one of the more affordable options of Disney’s Moderate Tier.

Finally, let’s circle back to the Animal Kingdom Lodge. While not guaranteed, you can request a partial savanna view upgrade. If available, you’ll get a partially obstructed view facing the Savannah that’s closer to the lobby, all for the price of a standard room!

Next time you’re staying at a Disney World hotel, be sure to keep these thoughts from our experts in mind. Stay tuned to AllEars for more Disney World tips.

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What are your Disney hotel tips? Let us know in the comments below!

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