Saratoga Springs struggled to find its identity before becoming part of the Disney Vacation Club. It’s the only resort within walking distance of Downtown Disney (shopping/entertainment complex), and Walt Disney himself once viewed it as a residential community with shopping center access. But in 1975, the company switched gears and made it a villa resort [...] Read more...
U.S. travelers stay in hotels or timeshares or campsites. Europeans, however, rent homes – and more Americans should follow their lead. A one-week Orlando-area home rental can upgrade a vacation and save money at the same time. Orlando has many rental homes, from condos to six-bedroom mini-estates, with most owned by out-of-state or out-of nation [...] Read more...
“Hard Rock” is not exactly a theme, at least not in the same way other Universal/Disney hotels use the word “theme.” California-styled Spanish architecture describes Hard Rock’s external design, and contemporary describes the interior. Lobby décor ranges from standard hotel fare to kinda-cool chic. The rock angle comes from multiple museum-like displays featuring famous bands’ [...] Read more...
If you want to vacation in Hawaii completely immersed in the sights and sounds of the island, Universal’s Royal Pacific Hotel probably isn’t for you. It’s a deluxe hotel with a Pacific island theme; but if judging it against other themed hotels – the kinds that appear around Orlando parks more than anywhere else – [...] Read more...
Many non-Disney hotels say they have a theme because they purchased coordinated chairs, pictures, and bric-a-brac from their favorite hotel supply warehouse. Not so at Portofino Bay, possibly the best hotel (for theming) at Universal Studios Orlando. If you want an Italian-themed resort close to a theme park, Portofino Bay is the only game in [...] Read more...
The Boardwalk resort completes Disney’s northeast coast vacation theme: The Yacht Club is at the marina; the Beach Club sits a few blocks from the water; the Boardwalk is where everyone goes for entertainment. Officially, it’s the Boardwalk Inn and Villas, with the “Inn” part referring to the hotel and the “Villas” part referring to [...] Read more...
Wilderness Lodge’s central lobby, like its architectural twin, Animal Kingdom Lodge, has a grandeur that cannot be described. It’s not that the space is unique – many grand hotels have seven-story atriums – however, few feature décor that runs counter to the space. In the case of Wilderness Lodge, the pine/Native American style seems curiously [...] Read more...
You can’t replicate steamy Pacific Islands without a relaxing atmosphere. If the three Disney hotels on the main monorail system were clothing, the Grand Floridian would be formal attire, the Contemporary would be a business suit, and the Polynesian would be casual Friday. Polynesian room sizes and amenities, on average, compare similarly to the other [...] Read more...
Disney does an interesting thing when it themes resorts. In the real world, you expect certain things to happen when you pay more for a hotel room – a notch above budget gets at least a decent-sized television. Two notches above that might include wood furnishings and an extra sitting room. A few notches above [...] Read more...
Two key reasons for staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge and Villas: Phenomenal Dark Continent décor and, top of the list, a view of the (fake) African savannah and a few hundred wild animals from your balcony (though not all rooms have balconies or face the savannah). No other Disney property offers anything this unique. The [...] Read more...
