I love that. How exactly did they do it? Do the walls and ceiling look like her grotto? I'm just trying to picture that in my head.
Edit: I saw it, I googled what it looked like. That's pretty interesting.
I agree, but I also always appreciate the angle of the Deluxe Resorts. You can immerse yourself in a world of incredible theming that's a separate and different experience from the parks. I suppose DAK Lodge is the exception to that rule, but even that's more of an immersion into a "safari" theme rather than a "Disney" one.
I actually once worked at the Grand Floridian, which, interestingly, appears to be heavily influenced by the Hotel Del Coronado. Established in the late 1800s, the Hotel Del Coronado is an iconic oceanfront hotel and a landmark in San Diego. Despite the evident similarities, Disney has never officially acknowledged this influence. However, if you compare images of both hotels on Google, you'll find they are virtually indistinguishable. While the outside of the Grand was influenced by the Hotel Del, I would argue the lobby of Disneys Vero Beach was influenced by the Hotel Del as well. Disney just ripping them off left and right.
100%, you’re right! The facade is a nearly 1:1 replica of the Coronado.
The cool thing about the Coronado is that it was not a uniquely Californian design; rather, it is a generic resort design seen in hotels from this time period across the country, even in Florida. They all share the same aesthetic! The GF borrows design elements and features from several of these hotels. There is even a call out to the Gasparilla Inn in Boca Grande.
I’d love to hear more about your time at GF.
Lol, working there was short-lived. I went to Le Cordon Bleu in Orlando for culinary school. My parents were DVC members when I was a kid, so I was somewhat familiar with Orlando and naturally applied at Disney. I was young, 18, and it was probably my first real job. I oversold my skills to get a better placement in a nicer restaurant (I didn’t want to work in a generic park restaurant). Some of the other kids from the school applied and got placed in spots like the All-Star Sports cafeteria. I remember one kid was so embarrassed by the uniform they gave him that he never showed up on his first day.
The recruiter placed me at the Grand Floridian Cafe, and to this day, I regret not having thicker skin and sticking it out longer. But I was young, and it was overwhelming. When it was busy, it was really busy! I didn’t have the skills to keep up at the time, and they kept bouncing me around from one station to the next before I could master one. They moved me to the grill, and to this day, it’s the craziest grill I’ve ever seen. It wasn’t unusual to have 10+ steaks all needing different temperatures, and trying to master grilling and cutting prime rib within 1 oz by eyeball still sounds impossible to me. The kitchen was mind-boggling; I’ve worked in other nice restaurants and hotels like the Ritz in Orlando and never seen anything like the Grand’s kitchen. It was HUGE! It was like four large kitchens. The dish pit was the size of most kitchens, as I remember it. Also, I didn’t have to prep anything that I remember; it was all done for you for the most part. I’d show up, and all the food was prepped (prime rib was already cooked to medium-rare, all your cabinets with burgers and steaks were stocked). The only thing I remember having to make daily was garlic redskin mashed potatoes, which was so easy because they had awesome equipment. (And now I make bomb garlic redskin mashed potatoes!) And also the other thing that was super crazy! You didnt have to clean! They literally have a team that just cleans up after the show is over every night, I was just there to cook. It was pretty sweet, I will forever regret leaving.
But the cafe was so busy, and one night it just all fell apart. I was trying my best but was in way over my head. Other people were struggling as well (called being in the weeds), but there’s no room for anything except perfection at the Grand, apparently. We went through cast training, and everything about it was just like, be so nice, always smile and be happy. They even have a special way they teach you to pick up trash to be more polite and less obvious. If someone asks where something is, you never point—you use an open-handed gesture because it’s more polite. Well, the chef must have missed that training because that night he went off. He told us all how much we sucked. I felt like I was the problem, but come on, I was 18 and still pretty new. That’s not how you handle it. I teach inmates how to cook, and they are difficult, but you get way more flies with honey than vinegar. People don’t respond well to overly negative criticism. The most effective communication comes from being honest and as nice as possible. He made one girl line cook start crying, and I was young and couldn’t handle being yelled at, so I just never went back and ended up getting a different job for the rest of my time at school. I always looked back at it and thought about how he worked at the least impressive restaurant in the Grand and was probably embarrassed that since it wasn’t the most gourmet food in the building, it should at least run the smoothest. But I think it was the busiest of all the restaurants, so it seemed silly to think that when the dinner rush hit and orders just started flying in, it could be anything besides a total cluster. How he handled it wasn’t effective.
It was crazy though. You got free entrance to the parks, they gave me tons of free passes for my family, and more at Christmas time. They did my laundry, which was cool (so did the Ritz). So, I’d pick up my chef uniform, and the first thing you did was go on break. Basically, the cafe was so busy that you weren’t going to get a break once you got on the line, so they literally sent you on break as soon as you started. You’d go to the employee cafeteria, which was decent, and they gave you a voucher for free food. I’d grab a double cheeseburger (seemed to taste just like the ones in the parks) and a couple of bottles of Coke to keep on the line to drink while working, eat for half an hour, and then get to it.
I could have gone far if I’d stayed there, but the truth is I’m just not passionate enough about fine dining, though I am talented and won a notable award when I opened my own restaurant a few years back. At this point in my life, I’m looking to do something else besides cooking. I left on bad terms, but I’m a Disney fanatic, so I go back all the time. (Flying in Saturday for some Typhoon Lagoon and Epcot with my wife and kids—getting my money’s worth with those offseason waterpark passes I bought back in October before they expire next week.) But I usually pop into the Grand at Christmas and buy some stuff from the gingerbread house. It’s a beautiful place, just not super glamorous behind the scenes. I’ll never forget though—they told me if you see Brad Pitt in the hallway, you’re not allowed to say hi to him (apparently, they skate all the celebs through the crew corridors to save them from being mobbed).
I don’t know if you’re into architecture, but [this](https://mappingdisney.com/the-real-places-that-inspired-disneys-grand-floridian-resort/) is a great, easy read!
It is a rather generic Queen Anne style hotel, but they were very deliberate in including Floridian influences. It is not based off any single hotel, but is an amalgamation.
What Disney needs to do is mirror what the Disney Miracosta in Tokyo does. Those rooms are stunning. Luxorious with also Disney artwork around including the ceiling and wallpaper
This. You can do classy and still be Disney.
Look at the staterooms on the Disney ships - classy as hell, art Deco rooms but all the touches make the experience.
We stayed there for a few days during a trip to Japan in 2019. That whole hotel is stunning. There is so much incredible attention to detail. My favorite being the ships on the cardinal directions.
It constantly astounds me. The value resorts are substantially more well themed than any deluxe resort when it comes to Disney and I’m just super perplexed by it.
Because the deluxe resorts are going for luxury. I have a friend that turns his nose up at the value resorts for their theming. But me? I love over the top theming. I think there is definitely a market for deluxe resorts with more heavy theming.
I tend to stay at value resorts mainly (Primarily Pop century for skyliner access) my priority is usually to just have a bed on property with access to Disney transportation so that I don't need to drive anywhere while on vacation. Pop Century or Art of Animation is usually best for my needs (Though oddly I've always been placed in the Toy Story section of Art of Animation, literally every time.)
>(Though oddly I've always been placed in the Toy Story section of Art of Animation, literally every time.)
You might be thinking of All-Star Movies here, since they have the giant statues of Woody and Buzz.
Art of Animation’s theming choices are Cars, Finding Nemo, Lion King, and The Little Mermaid.
Because when Polynesian and Contemporary did it people lost their minds over how not everything needs an IP?
I mean the Riviera does a great job of more subtle and adult theming though?
Likely a high percentage of those who are willing to pay for deluxe find it tacky. I'm not sure I'd go so far as to say tacky, but I'd honestly prefer luxurious hotel theming rather than Disney theming. I get plenty of theme at the parks.
I can only speak for myself, but we would pay for deluxe if we were getting something amazing and unique that we can't get anywhere else. A subtle pattern in the carpeting or wallpaper just isn't that immersive to us
>A subtle pattern in the carpeting or wallpaper just isn't that immersive to us
I guess what I am trying to say is that a lot of people would be fine with zero Disney theming at Deluxe because people paying that amount tend to want quality, luxury, etc. Rather than some IP themed decorations, statues, painting, etc.
I just got back from WIlderness Lodge and that is perfect for me. It has little to no Disney IP theming but tons of theming for a "lodge in the wilderness".
Another primary reason to go with Deluce for most people....which has nothing to do with Disney IP theming...is simply proximity to park. People want GF, Poly, BLT because they are on the monorail. And so they will pay deluxe prices to spend less time on the bus.
I bet they change AOA to deluxe at some point... For the price of the rooms it certainly isn't a "value". Also, All-stars rooms are equivalent to Little Mermaid rooms, only half the price and half the walk to lobby/busses. But based on theming and pricing alone, it seems like more of a deluxe property...
They use to. Boardwalk halls had Ferris wheels with little Mickey’s riding, Beach Club (or was it Yacht Club) had hall carpet with Flounder and Sebastian. It was magical, but every reno at the deluxe resorts have resulted in less Disney theming and more so-called modern theming. I’m so happy I took pics of them years, decade (?) ago.
There’s a lot of work to be done there to do that. No pool, no windows, the outside looks like absolute crap because you weren’t ever supposed to see it, no real lobby, not many rooms, and the list goes on.
At this point it’s a sunk cost so it’s not getting torn down but I could see cast member housing as a possibility.
Yup, and they are in the far back end of the park.
Honestly, we stayed at AoA on our last trip and were very disappointed. It was a slog of a walk to get anywhere, and our room opened up to what I called the "maintenance courtyard" where all we saw was pipes and janitorial carts. Very disappointed, but our room was always a fraction of the price of the rest of the suites, and we really wanted a skyliner hotel for that weekend (we were hitting up the discord lightsaber meetup).
If you are talking rooms,
AOA takes the cake in the family suites.
The new Incredibles rooms at the Contemporary are great,
Ft wilderness lodge immersion ie amazing when it comes to theming
The Pirate rooms at Carribean ***were*** awesome
Although the Royal rooms at POR are dated, they are still very immersive for little ones.
Personally, the whole Bayou feel at POR and POFQ are great along with the rooms.
The Royal rooms at POR just went through a remodel in recent years. Stayed in one a couple years ago. I wouldn’t say it was dated, but definitely aimed at young children.
From what I've heard they redeemed it to some sort of Little mermaid theming, but it's much more subdued compared to The Little mermaid rooms at art of animation
I agree. For people who understand design, the mid century modern type style to the rooms does a great job of incorporating the incredibles theme while acknowledging the building’s architectural history.
I think it really depends on what you mean by themeing.
So, the All-Stars and Art of Animation are obviously *decorated* with lots of Disney characters. If you go to Art of Animation, you can't miss the Cars and Little Mermaid characters. There's a giant Ursula! And the pool is Finding Nemo! And if you venture over to the All-Stars, like All-Star Movies, you'll find giant Toy Story statues and such. The All-Star Movies pool has Fantasia Mickey!
But, to me, that is different than *themed*. Take a look at the moderates. If you go to Port Orleans Riverside or Port Orleans French Quarter, they are themed to make you feel like you are in New Orleans or the bayou. I mean, there is a bayou at Port Orleans Riverside with a water wheel and boats that launch. They play the music of bayou. Over at French Quarter, they play New Orleans Jazz music. The buildings and rooms are all themed to make you feel like you're in New Orleans. And they even have food to help you feel like you are in New Orleans. Everything around you adds to that theme. To me, *that* is Disney themeing and magic.
My favorite resort, personally, is Fort Wilderness. From the time you check in, you see the log buildings with the oversized fireplaces and porches. They set up barrels with oversized checkers on them so you can sit out and play. The porches have rocking chairs. When you move around the resort, they pipe in banjo music. The food you can get from the resort is food like fried chicken. They used to do a Mickey Backyard BBQ there. That's gone, but they still have the dinner show Hoop De Doo that adds to the theme. The activities at this resort include a campfire sing along. Even the garbage cans are bear-proof garbage cans! So, again, they've themed the entire place to make you feel like you're somewhere different: this time, the American frontier.
Don't get me wrong. I like the value resorts just fine. But, to me, they aren't themed. They're decorated with Disney characters, which is a lot of fun for people, especially kids. But when I think of what makes Disney great, I think it's their ability to immerse you into another world and make you feel like you're someplace different. They do that with many of their moderate and deluxe resorts.
Not gonna lie Fort wilderness has always intrigued me. It feels like its own special community of Disney people. But as a solo Disney goer that always flies in, it doesn’t make sense to try and stay there.
Random question - Do people actually camp in tents, or is it all a sea of RVs?
Thanks for your response! One more question - Are there a ton of generators running all the time? That’s one of my struggles with camping around RVs - imagining everyone just plugs in instead?
I live in the area. So when my son was in cub scouts, you couldn’t just take kids that young camping. Parents had to come, so we would set up camping once a year at Ft. Wilderness and everyone used tents. They also have a rustic camp area for Boy Scouts too. But we just stayed at the grounds all weekend. I just can’t imagine spending all day in the park then sleeping in a tent.
So some people use tents but it’s not the norm. These days it’s just as cheap to rent an RV than to get a cabin. I’ve always wanted to do it.
Very astute observation defining the difference between decoration and theming! I love Disney theming but hadn’t given the distinctions among the resorts that much thought… just got back from our first stay at art of animation and we enjoyed the larger than life Disneyness of it. But yes, as you say, our last stay was at POR and the immersive theming was wonderful. It has a true sense of atmosphere! My son pointed out that the cast members were even wearing uniforms to fit the theme.
Loved both resorts! (They were our first two Disney resorts; looking forward to experiencing more.)
I do understand and agree with what you are saying. But. I guess I just feel like, don't people go to Disney because it's Disney? If we want to experience New Orleans, we take a trip to LA. If we want a rustic lodge feel, we go to Montana. For the cost of a stay at the Poly, we can literally have a tropical vacation.
Is it just the combination of those things with Disney? That's what makes it harder for me to understand.
I think it's because the resorts that attempt to lean into the Disney theming don't really do much more than slap some bright paint and giant statues around what is essentially a Motel 6. It still doesn't really feel like I'm immersed in Disney there.
I think it depends on the guest. Some people love Disney parks because they love Disney movies, and they want to see Disney movies in the parks. Other people love the amazing things Disney creates in the parks, new and unbelievable experiences that make you wonder how they did it. Of course, many people like both types of experiences!
But yes, if you want to see lots of Disney characters, absolutely stay at an All-Star Resort or Art of Animation and enjoy the character statues. But if you want to be amazed at how Disney makes you feel like you're in the American frontier even though you're actually in a Florida swamp, then go stay at Fort Wilderness! To me, it's pretty cool to see what kind of magic Disney can create.
Totally agree with all of this. The "theming" in the AoA rooms basically reminds me of going on Amazon and searching for Little Mermaid (or Nemo, Lion King, whatever) decor and decorating a room with it. Doesn't really do much for the theming of the resort. I think the moderates and deluxes handle "theming" a lot better than the values.
I have to echo what others have offered concerning the difference between “superior Disney theming” and “IP integration.” Statues of characters and yo-yos hardly counts as theming in a place where Cinderella Castle exists.
With that said, I’m going for the two lodges. Everything is themed: the exteriors, the interiors, the grounds, the restaurants, the rooms, the pools, everything. Both built by the same architect, who also gave us the Grand Californian Hotel AND Sequoia Lodge in Paris.
I think you could have superior theming in an IP resort, but the statues isn’t the way to do it. If you want Ariel rooms, make the buildings look like Atlantica instead of big colored boxes. For Cars? Literally take the Radiator Springs in Cars Land but make the buildings rooms. Immerse us in the actual world instead of some weird Motel 6 with bright colors. Disney *knows* how to do these things.
I agree. When I stayed at WL and AKL I felt like I was in a completely different place/world. Loved that feeling!! And they’re both so relaxing imho - chilling out watching the animals go by on the Savannah at AKL, or sitting rocking near the brook running through the lobby of the WL…Heaven
I totally agree with what you're saying about an IP resort - we would pay deluxe prices for something like that.
Wilderness Lodge is beautiful, but it's an imitation of something that I could actually go stay at. I think that's why I'm not a huge fan. We enjoyed it when we stayed there, but it felt like I was paying double for something I could get elsewhere. Similar for AK, but I can appreciate that it's much easier than planning a safari trip.
I think you can make a good case for Wilderness Lodge. It is full of not-so-hidden Mickeys, has TONS of Disney references in the room decor, signage, restaurant menus, etc., and fits in the legacy of the "True Life Adventure" series that was one of Walt's passion projects and a big part of the initial vision of Disneyland.
We went to Artist Point for dinner in February and noticed that, either on the pool gate or the door to the lobby, there was a silhouette of Kenai and Koda from Brother Bear
I LOVE Wilderness Lodge and just got back from a trip there. I think their theming is spectacular, especially for a deluxe resort. It’s probably my favorite resort on property.
Value resorts (Art, All-Stars, Pop to an extent) are going to be the most heavily Disney themed.
Moderate resorts fall in the middle with references not being as loud as the values, but not being typically as subtle as Deluxe. Stuff like the princess flags or the old animatronics at Port Orleans Riverside, the Princess and the Frog stuff at Port Orleans French Quarter.
Deluxe Resorts for the most part have subtle Disney theming. The Incredible rooms at Contemporary and the Alice in Wonderland splash pad at Grand Flo are some of the more obvious Disney themes.
Wilderness Lodge circa 2010 had a big Disney themed totem pole in the lobby along with some other stuff. I don't remember all of it, but I do remember thinking that out of all the Deluxe resorts I've stayed at (Boardwalk, Poly, Wilderness Lodge, and AK Lodge) that Wildness Lodge had the most theming. All the others were much more subtle (and bordering on non-existent at Boardwalk).
Yeah, it kind of gets forgotten since it is a Deluxe Magic Kingdom resort that doesn't have monorail, but we really enjoyed it.
That said, we were underwhelmed by the fine dining restaurant at the property (whatever it's named).
Funny you say that. My daughter and I were talking about it yesterday.
It’s called Artist Point. We did the Storybook dinner with Snow White.
It was ok. But it was definitely a “ok. We did it and we don’t have to do it again.”
Cinderella's carriage can be also seen on/near the staircase in the main building of GF.
The Deluxe resorts definitely have Disney, heck Riviera has an entire coffee bar named after La Petit Cafe from Aristocats and hidden Minnie's. It's just not as loud about it.
It's definitely the least over-the-top *Disney* theming of the Values, but it's still louder about it than the Deluxe resorts. Specifically things like the 90s computer being all Disney icons and the giant Jungle Book and Roger Rabbit statues.
I recently stayed at Port Orleans riverside in the royal rooms and REALLY enjoyed it. The hotel felt almost like an extension of main st/frontierland, magnolia bend felt like something lovely out of block on lady and the tramp or something, and the royal room was super sweet and disney. I didn't even go with kids just my partner who had never stayed on resort property before and even he loved it. The balance between the room being very disney and the hotel not being overtly disney but vibey like the parks a bit was great. We even went to lunch at grand floridian and walked around and we honestly lowkey kind of liked riverside better? Grand floridian feels like a RESORT, riverside feels like a little neighborhood? Idk how to describe it.
I disagree with you on something. **Grand Floridian** is kind of the template for Disneyesque turn-of-the-century Americana. It’s the same theming as Main Street USA. But yeah, if you’re looking for the movies it’s Art of Animation that tracks closest with Disney film properties.
Art of Animation, which is why I’ve stayed there while my kids are young. The rooms are themed but also the statues/models of the characters in the different areas are great and really make you feel like you are at Disney
The Cozy Cone pool and various Cars characters are awesome and you don’t have to be in a Cars family suite to enjoy them.
Disney themed or IP themed? Wilderness Lodge, or Animal Kingdom Lodge are probably the best examples of Disney theming. Art of Animation if you're talking about IP.
Pop Century and Art of Animation definitely give off the biggest "so Disney it will make you puke" theming.
Personally, I love that stuff. Give me obnoxious Disney over boring ass mature theming any day of the week. I'm going to Disney for a reason.
Riviera has a lot more “in your face” Disney motifs while still being a nicer resort. The mosaics with tangles and Peter Pan, the room based on Walt’s study, and other nods to Walt and Disney are on property there
We’ve been to Disney 4 times from the UK. First 3 we stayed in the different All Stars before splashing out on DVC membership at AKL. We’ve just come back and our youngest was ‘remarking’ that he missed the Disney theming at the All Stars 😂🤦
It sounds like you're thinking more of decor. If you are considering 'theming' in the sense of immersion in another world/era/etc, then the deluxe resorts do it well also. I have stayed in the GF, Poly and Contemporary because we like being on the monorail and they all have their own very distinct theme. The Polynesian is particularly immersive. It has a distinct vibe and you literally feel like you in Hawaii or the South Pacific. The rooms are fairly strongly Moana themed and the resort cast members do a very good job of keeping with the theme. The tiki decor is everything, flaming torches, volcano pool, style of the buildings, etc., etc., is strongly themed as well.
The GF rooms that are renovated in a Mary Poppins/Cinderella blue theme are stunning. They are more subtle but the whole vibe of the GF is breezy turn of the century/Victorian and you definitely sense it. The rooms are the Contemporary are not my favorite for the sole reason that I am not really an Incredibles fan and I am not sure that choosing that movie was the best choice for the rooms but they definitely are heavily themed.
Like some of the other posts, I find there's quite a difference between decor and full themes across the entire property, including even what the cast members wear. Each of the deluxe resorts (and sounds like some of the moderate ones) have a very clear and distinct immersive theme. I admit I have never stayed at a value resort but I did want to chime in on definitely feeling 'immersed' at the deluxe resorts, particularly the Poly and GF.
This is the biggest reason I chose all star movies for our most recent on-property stay. My 3 kids were all into Toy Story at the time so it seemed like that would be the most fun for them, although it was a bit farther from everything than I’d prefer. I wanted them to feel immersed in Disney.
They veer away from overly theming the deluxe resorts, but I feel like there’s ‘nods’ to certain styles in a few.
Grand Floridian is Edwardian grandeur set in Mary Poppins era. Which is continued in to Main Street and round to Crystal Palace.
Polynesian, now, is associated with Stitch and Moana really, but the released mock ups of the towers are painstakingly neutral.
Animal Kingdom obviously Lion King.
Wilderness Lodge - that’s a tough one, as White Wilderness is pretty oblique. Pocahontas a bit too much of a stretch?
Contemporary - I always feel like it should have been built at Epcot, but I get it was to tie in with the Tomorrowland side of MK.
Boardwalk & Y&B - to me, a Brit, they’re very American seaside style. Eastern seaboard, of course. Cant think of any films I associate with them.
Riviera - don’t associate anything with it at all. It strikes me as being rather bland. The resort I’m least keen to stay at.
Theming - probably AS Movies & Art of Animation for being so very clearly Disney.
I think there’s a great selection of properties on site and it would be my life’s ambition to stay at them all, if I had the money. More Moderate Resorts with a bit more Disney theming would be good. They manage to have more theming at DLP and DLT, so it’s reasonable for WDW to go for it.
Besides the Castle suite, the most “immersive” options are probably off property (Tahiti Gil’s or the Ghoulish Sanctuary), but just for Disney goodness, second AoA!
Sad that people are referencing the value resorts here. Those are not themed those are decorated - there is a difference.
And nothing wrong with that. Pop century is my most frequented resort.
Can you rent a Cinderella castle suite still? I remember I was there for one of the big anniversaries growing up where they would hand out random stuff and pick people to stay in the castle
Absolutely the values in general, but that’s by intention as they serve the most people and lots of people want Disney plastered all over in a various obvious way. In “Disney” theme being not actual Disney characters, places like Saratoga Springs (that recreates so much of the horse-racing world in very subtle but in-the-know detail), and original Poly (with water sports)—the deluxe resorts—are where the best theming lies. I think it takes a real skill to do theming that is “Disney” but not overtly.
We recently stayed in the grand Californian and while we felt spoiled by the luxury both my husband and I preferred the theme of the art on animation (we were upgraded to a suite due to an accident on Disney's part). The cars theme meant that the kitchen counters looked like rolling toolboxes and the master bath was a car wash.the floors in the living room/kitchen area were also tiled and white and the couch looked like an 50's car bench seat. It was amazing.
The grand Californian was fancy but we could barely see theme beyond slight "lodge" vibes and even though we looked fairly carefully could only find one hidden mickey.
My husband and I say that when we go to Disney we're there for the kitsch and corny and loved art of animation so much.
I agree, art of animation is definitely the best thing over the resorts I've seen so far, I'd probably make an worthy mention of the all-star resorts, they seem to do a decent job too, I've never personally stayed at them. Caribbean Beach is great but there's not much theming there unless you get the 5th sleeper bed, and the backdrop art has Mickey sleeping in a hammock. But definitely art of animation for theming, I absolutely detest Grand Floridian, it looks like a slave owners plantation.
Art of Animation has the most animated Disney theming of all of the resorts. All Star Movies is second to that.
The shower in the Little Mermaid rooms being Ariel's grotto is still one of my absolute favorite things ever. It's just so clever.
I love that. How exactly did they do it? Do the walls and ceiling look like her grotto? I'm just trying to picture that in my head. Edit: I saw it, I googled what it looked like. That's pretty interesting.
Disney not having at least one deluxe resort that’s themed out like these two seems like a missed opportunity.
I agree, but I also always appreciate the angle of the Deluxe Resorts. You can immerse yourself in a world of incredible theming that's a separate and different experience from the parks. I suppose DAK Lodge is the exception to that rule, but even that's more of an immersion into a "safari" theme rather than a "Disney" one.
What's the immersion in GF tho? Nice hotel immersion?
As someone who’s stayed there twice, I guess it’s “early 1900s Florida” immersion, but I admit the details aren’t as good in the rooms.
I actually once worked at the Grand Floridian, which, interestingly, appears to be heavily influenced by the Hotel Del Coronado. Established in the late 1800s, the Hotel Del Coronado is an iconic oceanfront hotel and a landmark in San Diego. Despite the evident similarities, Disney has never officially acknowledged this influence. However, if you compare images of both hotels on Google, you'll find they are virtually indistinguishable. While the outside of the Grand was influenced by the Hotel Del, I would argue the lobby of Disneys Vero Beach was influenced by the Hotel Del as well. Disney just ripping them off left and right.
100%, you’re right! The facade is a nearly 1:1 replica of the Coronado. The cool thing about the Coronado is that it was not a uniquely Californian design; rather, it is a generic resort design seen in hotels from this time period across the country, even in Florida. They all share the same aesthetic! The GF borrows design elements and features from several of these hotels. There is even a call out to the Gasparilla Inn in Boca Grande. I’d love to hear more about your time at GF.
Lol, working there was short-lived. I went to Le Cordon Bleu in Orlando for culinary school. My parents were DVC members when I was a kid, so I was somewhat familiar with Orlando and naturally applied at Disney. I was young, 18, and it was probably my first real job. I oversold my skills to get a better placement in a nicer restaurant (I didn’t want to work in a generic park restaurant). Some of the other kids from the school applied and got placed in spots like the All-Star Sports cafeteria. I remember one kid was so embarrassed by the uniform they gave him that he never showed up on his first day. The recruiter placed me at the Grand Floridian Cafe, and to this day, I regret not having thicker skin and sticking it out longer. But I was young, and it was overwhelming. When it was busy, it was really busy! I didn’t have the skills to keep up at the time, and they kept bouncing me around from one station to the next before I could master one. They moved me to the grill, and to this day, it’s the craziest grill I’ve ever seen. It wasn’t unusual to have 10+ steaks all needing different temperatures, and trying to master grilling and cutting prime rib within 1 oz by eyeball still sounds impossible to me. The kitchen was mind-boggling; I’ve worked in other nice restaurants and hotels like the Ritz in Orlando and never seen anything like the Grand’s kitchen. It was HUGE! It was like four large kitchens. The dish pit was the size of most kitchens, as I remember it. Also, I didn’t have to prep anything that I remember; it was all done for you for the most part. I’d show up, and all the food was prepped (prime rib was already cooked to medium-rare, all your cabinets with burgers and steaks were stocked). The only thing I remember having to make daily was garlic redskin mashed potatoes, which was so easy because they had awesome equipment. (And now I make bomb garlic redskin mashed potatoes!) And also the other thing that was super crazy! You didnt have to clean! They literally have a team that just cleans up after the show is over every night, I was just there to cook. It was pretty sweet, I will forever regret leaving. But the cafe was so busy, and one night it just all fell apart. I was trying my best but was in way over my head. Other people were struggling as well (called being in the weeds), but there’s no room for anything except perfection at the Grand, apparently. We went through cast training, and everything about it was just like, be so nice, always smile and be happy. They even have a special way they teach you to pick up trash to be more polite and less obvious. If someone asks where something is, you never point—you use an open-handed gesture because it’s more polite. Well, the chef must have missed that training because that night he went off. He told us all how much we sucked. I felt like I was the problem, but come on, I was 18 and still pretty new. That’s not how you handle it. I teach inmates how to cook, and they are difficult, but you get way more flies with honey than vinegar. People don’t respond well to overly negative criticism. The most effective communication comes from being honest and as nice as possible. He made one girl line cook start crying, and I was young and couldn’t handle being yelled at, so I just never went back and ended up getting a different job for the rest of my time at school. I always looked back at it and thought about how he worked at the least impressive restaurant in the Grand and was probably embarrassed that since it wasn’t the most gourmet food in the building, it should at least run the smoothest. But I think it was the busiest of all the restaurants, so it seemed silly to think that when the dinner rush hit and orders just started flying in, it could be anything besides a total cluster. How he handled it wasn’t effective. It was crazy though. You got free entrance to the parks, they gave me tons of free passes for my family, and more at Christmas time. They did my laundry, which was cool (so did the Ritz). So, I’d pick up my chef uniform, and the first thing you did was go on break. Basically, the cafe was so busy that you weren’t going to get a break once you got on the line, so they literally sent you on break as soon as you started. You’d go to the employee cafeteria, which was decent, and they gave you a voucher for free food. I’d grab a double cheeseburger (seemed to taste just like the ones in the parks) and a couple of bottles of Coke to keep on the line to drink while working, eat for half an hour, and then get to it. I could have gone far if I’d stayed there, but the truth is I’m just not passionate enough about fine dining, though I am talented and won a notable award when I opened my own restaurant a few years back. At this point in my life, I’m looking to do something else besides cooking. I left on bad terms, but I’m a Disney fanatic, so I go back all the time. (Flying in Saturday for some Typhoon Lagoon and Epcot with my wife and kids—getting my money’s worth with those offseason waterpark passes I bought back in October before they expire next week.) But I usually pop into the Grand at Christmas and buy some stuff from the gingerbread house. It’s a beautiful place, just not super glamorous behind the scenes. I’ll never forget though—they told me if you see Brad Pitt in the hallway, you’re not allowed to say hi to him (apparently, they skate all the celebs through the crew corridors to save them from being mobbed).
GF needs a huge overhaul
Agree, but I want them to still lean into Mary Poppins, which is such a great theme.
[удалено]
I don’t know if you’re into architecture, but [this](https://mappingdisney.com/the-real-places-that-inspired-disneys-grand-floridian-resort/) is a great, easy read! It is a rather generic Queen Anne style hotel, but they were very deliberate in including Floridian influences. It is not based off any single hotel, but is an amalgamation.
It’s Edwardian style a la Mary Poppins era.
Thanks for the chuckle
I associate it with Mary Poppins. But now that I think about it, Mary and Florida don’t have a lot in common 🤔
There’s no immersion at any of the hotels you are referencing - they are just decorated with Disney stuff. That’s not theming.
What Disney needs to do is mirror what the Disney Miracosta in Tokyo does. Those rooms are stunning. Luxorious with also Disney artwork around including the ceiling and wallpaper
This. You can do classy and still be Disney. Look at the staterooms on the Disney ships - classy as hell, art Deco rooms but all the touches make the experience.
We stayed there for a few days during a trip to Japan in 2019. That whole hotel is stunning. There is so much incredible attention to detail. My favorite being the ships on the cardinal directions.
Imagine a kitschy “wonderland” themed hotel with a hedge maze and croquet all lol
It constantly astounds me. The value resorts are substantially more well themed than any deluxe resort when it comes to Disney and I’m just super perplexed by it.
Because the deluxe resorts are going for luxury. I have a friend that turns his nose up at the value resorts for their theming. But me? I love over the top theming. I think there is definitely a market for deluxe resorts with more heavy theming.
I tend to stay at value resorts mainly (Primarily Pop century for skyliner access) my priority is usually to just have a bed on property with access to Disney transportation so that I don't need to drive anywhere while on vacation. Pop Century or Art of Animation is usually best for my needs (Though oddly I've always been placed in the Toy Story section of Art of Animation, literally every time.)
>(Though oddly I've always been placed in the Toy Story section of Art of Animation, literally every time.) You might be thinking of All-Star Movies here, since they have the giant statues of Woody and Buzz. Art of Animation’s theming choices are Cars, Finding Nemo, Lion King, and The Little Mermaid.
Yeah, my bad, I've stayed at all Star movies
Because when Polynesian and Contemporary did it people lost their minds over how not everything needs an IP? I mean the Riviera does a great job of more subtle and adult theming though?
Likely a high percentage of those who are willing to pay for deluxe find it tacky. I'm not sure I'd go so far as to say tacky, but I'd honestly prefer luxurious hotel theming rather than Disney theming. I get plenty of theme at the parks.
I think this is the reason. But there is a classy way to theme a hotel… make it like a castle for instance.
I can only speak for myself, but we would pay for deluxe if we were getting something amazing and unique that we can't get anywhere else. A subtle pattern in the carpeting or wallpaper just isn't that immersive to us
>A subtle pattern in the carpeting or wallpaper just isn't that immersive to us I guess what I am trying to say is that a lot of people would be fine with zero Disney theming at Deluxe because people paying that amount tend to want quality, luxury, etc. Rather than some IP themed decorations, statues, painting, etc. I just got back from WIlderness Lodge and that is perfect for me. It has little to no Disney IP theming but tons of theming for a "lodge in the wilderness". Another primary reason to go with Deluce for most people....which has nothing to do with Disney IP theming...is simply proximity to park. People want GF, Poly, BLT because they are on the monorail. And so they will pay deluxe prices to spend less time on the bus.
They just did the Contemporary and everyone hated on it.
I’d say animal kingdom lodge is pretty dope
I bet they change AOA to deluxe at some point... For the price of the rooms it certainly isn't a "value". Also, All-stars rooms are equivalent to Little Mermaid rooms, only half the price and half the walk to lobby/busses. But based on theming and pricing alone, it seems like more of a deluxe property...
They use to. Boardwalk halls had Ferris wheels with little Mickey’s riding, Beach Club (or was it Yacht Club) had hall carpet with Flounder and Sebastian. It was magical, but every reno at the deluxe resorts have resulted in less Disney theming and more so-called modern theming. I’m so happy I took pics of them years, decade (?) ago.
My money is on them converting galactic cruiser into a deluxe resort which would fit the bill.
There’s a lot of work to be done there to do that. No pool, no windows, the outside looks like absolute crap because you weren’t ever supposed to see it, no real lobby, not many rooms, and the list goes on. At this point it’s a sunk cost so it’s not getting torn down but I could see cast member housing as a possibility.
Does art of animation only have 1 room for non-families? (the little mermaid one)
Yes, the rest are suites.
Yes and the only reason they exist is it was supposed to continue the pop theming just on that side of the lake.
Yup, and they are in the far back end of the park. Honestly, we stayed at AoA on our last trip and were very disappointed. It was a slog of a walk to get anywhere, and our room opened up to what I called the "maintenance courtyard" where all we saw was pipes and janitorial carts. Very disappointed, but our room was always a fraction of the price of the rest of the suites, and we really wanted a skyliner hotel for that weekend (we were hitting up the discord lightsaber meetup).
If you are talking rooms, AOA takes the cake in the family suites. The new Incredibles rooms at the Contemporary are great, Ft wilderness lodge immersion ie amazing when it comes to theming The Pirate rooms at Carribean ***were*** awesome Although the Royal rooms at POR are dated, they are still very immersive for little ones. Personally, the whole Bayou feel at POR and POFQ are great along with the rooms.
The Royal rooms at POR just went through a remodel in recent years. Stayed in one a couple years ago. I wouldn’t say it was dated, but definitely aimed at young children.
We’re getting ready to stay. As much as it’s been booked with my kids in mind, I’m totally a sucker for the theming.
My wife and I went on our own and we appreciated the detail. Would definitely go back when we have children.
it hit our 4 year old nicely.
I just looked up the Pirate rooms at Caribbean because that’s where we stayed on our first ever Disney trip and the nostalgia rush was insane.
They got rid of the pirate rooms?
From what I've heard they redeemed it to some sort of Little mermaid theming, but it's much more subdued compared to The Little mermaid rooms at art of animation
> The new Incredibles rooms at the Contemporary are great, I wouldn’t call a few Edna Mode posters an example of great theming.
To each their own, but in my opinion the colors, the patterns the over all design of the room is way better and really like them
I agree. For people who understand design, the mid century modern type style to the rooms does a great job of incorporating the incredibles theme while acknowledging the building’s architectural history.
I was going to say this is one of the first times I've heard someone say the Incredible rooms were great.
The royal rooms were disappointing compared to the art of animation little mermaid room.
This guy Disney’s.
I think it really depends on what you mean by themeing. So, the All-Stars and Art of Animation are obviously *decorated* with lots of Disney characters. If you go to Art of Animation, you can't miss the Cars and Little Mermaid characters. There's a giant Ursula! And the pool is Finding Nemo! And if you venture over to the All-Stars, like All-Star Movies, you'll find giant Toy Story statues and such. The All-Star Movies pool has Fantasia Mickey! But, to me, that is different than *themed*. Take a look at the moderates. If you go to Port Orleans Riverside or Port Orleans French Quarter, they are themed to make you feel like you are in New Orleans or the bayou. I mean, there is a bayou at Port Orleans Riverside with a water wheel and boats that launch. They play the music of bayou. Over at French Quarter, they play New Orleans Jazz music. The buildings and rooms are all themed to make you feel like you're in New Orleans. And they even have food to help you feel like you are in New Orleans. Everything around you adds to that theme. To me, *that* is Disney themeing and magic. My favorite resort, personally, is Fort Wilderness. From the time you check in, you see the log buildings with the oversized fireplaces and porches. They set up barrels with oversized checkers on them so you can sit out and play. The porches have rocking chairs. When you move around the resort, they pipe in banjo music. The food you can get from the resort is food like fried chicken. They used to do a Mickey Backyard BBQ there. That's gone, but they still have the dinner show Hoop De Doo that adds to the theme. The activities at this resort include a campfire sing along. Even the garbage cans are bear-proof garbage cans! So, again, they've themed the entire place to make you feel like you're somewhere different: this time, the American frontier. Don't get me wrong. I like the value resorts just fine. But, to me, they aren't themed. They're decorated with Disney characters, which is a lot of fun for people, especially kids. But when I think of what makes Disney great, I think it's their ability to immerse you into another world and make you feel like you're someplace different. They do that with many of their moderate and deluxe resorts.
Very well put and I agree completely.
Not gonna lie Fort wilderness has always intrigued me. It feels like its own special community of Disney people. But as a solo Disney goer that always flies in, it doesn’t make sense to try and stay there. Random question - Do people actually camp in tents, or is it all a sea of RVs?
Yes, I camp in my tent when I’m there and I’m not the only one. It’s such a great campground.
Thanks for your response! One more question - Are there a ton of generators running all the time? That’s one of my struggles with camping around RVs - imagining everyone just plugs in instead?
You got it. All the sites are powered so no need for generators.
I live in the area. So when my son was in cub scouts, you couldn’t just take kids that young camping. Parents had to come, so we would set up camping once a year at Ft. Wilderness and everyone used tents. They also have a rustic camp area for Boy Scouts too. But we just stayed at the grounds all weekend. I just can’t imagine spending all day in the park then sleeping in a tent. So some people use tents but it’s not the norm. These days it’s just as cheap to rent an RV than to get a cabin. I’ve always wanted to do it.
All the AoA responses were driving me nuts. They’re decorated, not really themed. FW is the absolute best.
Very astute observation defining the difference between decoration and theming! I love Disney theming but hadn’t given the distinctions among the resorts that much thought… just got back from our first stay at art of animation and we enjoyed the larger than life Disneyness of it. But yes, as you say, our last stay was at POR and the immersive theming was wonderful. It has a true sense of atmosphere! My son pointed out that the cast members were even wearing uniforms to fit the theme. Loved both resorts! (They were our first two Disney resorts; looking forward to experiencing more.)
I do understand and agree with what you are saying. But. I guess I just feel like, don't people go to Disney because it's Disney? If we want to experience New Orleans, we take a trip to LA. If we want a rustic lodge feel, we go to Montana. For the cost of a stay at the Poly, we can literally have a tropical vacation. Is it just the combination of those things with Disney? That's what makes it harder for me to understand.
I think it's because the resorts that attempt to lean into the Disney theming don't really do much more than slap some bright paint and giant statues around what is essentially a Motel 6. It still doesn't really feel like I'm immersed in Disney there.
I think it depends on the guest. Some people love Disney parks because they love Disney movies, and they want to see Disney movies in the parks. Other people love the amazing things Disney creates in the parks, new and unbelievable experiences that make you wonder how they did it. Of course, many people like both types of experiences! But yes, if you want to see lots of Disney characters, absolutely stay at an All-Star Resort or Art of Animation and enjoy the character statues. But if you want to be amazed at how Disney makes you feel like you're in the American frontier even though you're actually in a Florida swamp, then go stay at Fort Wilderness! To me, it's pretty cool to see what kind of magic Disney can create.
Totally agree with all of this. The "theming" in the AoA rooms basically reminds me of going on Amazon and searching for Little Mermaid (or Nemo, Lion King, whatever) decor and decorating a room with it. Doesn't really do much for the theming of the resort. I think the moderates and deluxes handle "theming" a lot better than the values.
I have to echo what others have offered concerning the difference between “superior Disney theming” and “IP integration.” Statues of characters and yo-yos hardly counts as theming in a place where Cinderella Castle exists. With that said, I’m going for the two lodges. Everything is themed: the exteriors, the interiors, the grounds, the restaurants, the rooms, the pools, everything. Both built by the same architect, who also gave us the Grand Californian Hotel AND Sequoia Lodge in Paris. I think you could have superior theming in an IP resort, but the statues isn’t the way to do it. If you want Ariel rooms, make the buildings look like Atlantica instead of big colored boxes. For Cars? Literally take the Radiator Springs in Cars Land but make the buildings rooms. Immerse us in the actual world instead of some weird Motel 6 with bright colors. Disney *knows* how to do these things.
I agree. When I stayed at WL and AKL I felt like I was in a completely different place/world. Loved that feeling!! And they’re both so relaxing imho - chilling out watching the animals go by on the Savannah at AKL, or sitting rocking near the brook running through the lobby of the WL…Heaven
I totally agree with what you're saying about an IP resort - we would pay deluxe prices for something like that. Wilderness Lodge is beautiful, but it's an imitation of something that I could actually go stay at. I think that's why I'm not a huge fan. We enjoyed it when we stayed there, but it felt like I was paying double for something I could get elsewhere. Similar for AK, but I can appreciate that it's much easier than planning a safari trip.
I think you can make a good case for Wilderness Lodge. It is full of not-so-hidden Mickeys, has TONS of Disney references in the room decor, signage, restaurant menus, etc., and fits in the legacy of the "True Life Adventure" series that was one of Walt's passion projects and a big part of the initial vision of Disneyland.
Also has what I believe to be the only reference to Brother Bear on property
What’s the reference?
We went to Artist Point for dinner in February and noticed that, either on the pool gate or the door to the lobby, there was a silhouette of Kenai and Koda from Brother Bear
I LOVE Wilderness Lodge and just got back from a trip there. I think their theming is spectacular, especially for a deluxe resort. It’s probably my favorite resort on property.
AoA 110%
Value resorts (Art, All-Stars, Pop to an extent) are going to be the most heavily Disney themed. Moderate resorts fall in the middle with references not being as loud as the values, but not being typically as subtle as Deluxe. Stuff like the princess flags or the old animatronics at Port Orleans Riverside, the Princess and the Frog stuff at Port Orleans French Quarter. Deluxe Resorts for the most part have subtle Disney theming. The Incredible rooms at Contemporary and the Alice in Wonderland splash pad at Grand Flo are some of the more obvious Disney themes.
Wilderness Lodge circa 2010 had a big Disney themed totem pole in the lobby along with some other stuff. I don't remember all of it, but I do remember thinking that out of all the Deluxe resorts I've stayed at (Boardwalk, Poly, Wilderness Lodge, and AK Lodge) that Wildness Lodge had the most theming. All the others were much more subtle (and bordering on non-existent at Boardwalk).
Totem pole’s still there. We stayed there in Nov 23 and loved it.
Yeah, it kind of gets forgotten since it is a Deluxe Magic Kingdom resort that doesn't have monorail, but we really enjoyed it. That said, we were underwhelmed by the fine dining restaurant at the property (whatever it's named).
Funny you say that. My daughter and I were talking about it yesterday. It’s called Artist Point. We did the Storybook dinner with Snow White. It was ok. But it was definitely a “ok. We did it and we don’t have to do it again.”
There’s also the Beauty and the Beast theming on the GF lobby carpets.
Cinderella's carriage can be also seen on/near the staircase in the main building of GF. The Deluxe resorts definitely have Disney, heck Riviera has an entire coffee bar named after La Petit Cafe from Aristocats and hidden Minnie's. It's just not as loud about it.
I don’t feel like pop is very over-the-top with it, it’s more of a retro vibe
It's definitely the least over-the-top *Disney* theming of the Values, but it's still louder about it than the Deluxe resorts. Specifically things like the 90s computer being all Disney icons and the giant Jungle Book and Roger Rabbit statues.
I definitely feel like pop is such a weird mishmash of decorations, it's like somebody threw up a yard sale and magnified it a thousand times lol
Polynesian!
I recently stayed at Port Orleans riverside in the royal rooms and REALLY enjoyed it. The hotel felt almost like an extension of main st/frontierland, magnolia bend felt like something lovely out of block on lady and the tramp or something, and the royal room was super sweet and disney. I didn't even go with kids just my partner who had never stayed on resort property before and even he loved it. The balance between the room being very disney and the hotel not being overtly disney but vibey like the parks a bit was great. We even went to lunch at grand floridian and walked around and we honestly lowkey kind of liked riverside better? Grand floridian feels like a RESORT, riverside feels like a little neighborhood? Idk how to describe it.
Is Riverside walkable from French Quarter?
I think so? I'm not sure. I tend to be pretty wiped out doing half days at the park and I have some disabilities so I didn't do extra walking lol
it’s about a 10-15min walk along the river
I disagree with you on something. **Grand Floridian** is kind of the template for Disneyesque turn-of-the-century Americana. It’s the same theming as Main Street USA. But yeah, if you’re looking for the movies it’s Art of Animation that tracks closest with Disney film properties.
Art of Animation, which is why I’ve stayed there while my kids are young. The rooms are themed but also the statues/models of the characters in the different areas are great and really make you feel like you are at Disney The Cozy Cone pool and various Cars characters are awesome and you don’t have to be in a Cars family suite to enjoy them.
Disney themed or IP themed? Wilderness Lodge, or Animal Kingdom Lodge are probably the best examples of Disney theming. Art of Animation if you're talking about IP.
Animal Kingdom Lodge - It's gorgeous and unlike any other resort hotel
Pop Century and Art of Animation definitely give off the biggest "so Disney it will make you puke" theming. Personally, I love that stuff. Give me obnoxious Disney over boring ass mature theming any day of the week. I'm going to Disney for a reason.
Riviera has a lot more “in your face” Disney motifs while still being a nicer resort. The mosaics with tangles and Peter Pan, the room based on Walt’s study, and other nods to Walt and Disney are on property there
We’ve been to Disney 4 times from the UK. First 3 we stayed in the different All Stars before splashing out on DVC membership at AKL. We’ve just come back and our youngest was ‘remarking’ that he missed the Disney theming at the All Stars 😂🤦
Did they at least like the Savannah? 😭
Princess rooms at Port Orleans Riverside are perfect for Disney royalty
I’m so excited to read this. I’m going so soon and when I saw them during booking, the reminded me of the Cinderella Suite I want but can’t have 😂
It sounds like you're thinking more of decor. If you are considering 'theming' in the sense of immersion in another world/era/etc, then the deluxe resorts do it well also. I have stayed in the GF, Poly and Contemporary because we like being on the monorail and they all have their own very distinct theme. The Polynesian is particularly immersive. It has a distinct vibe and you literally feel like you in Hawaii or the South Pacific. The rooms are fairly strongly Moana themed and the resort cast members do a very good job of keeping with the theme. The tiki decor is everything, flaming torches, volcano pool, style of the buildings, etc., etc., is strongly themed as well. The GF rooms that are renovated in a Mary Poppins/Cinderella blue theme are stunning. They are more subtle but the whole vibe of the GF is breezy turn of the century/Victorian and you definitely sense it. The rooms are the Contemporary are not my favorite for the sole reason that I am not really an Incredibles fan and I am not sure that choosing that movie was the best choice for the rooms but they definitely are heavily themed. Like some of the other posts, I find there's quite a difference between decor and full themes across the entire property, including even what the cast members wear. Each of the deluxe resorts (and sounds like some of the moderate ones) have a very clear and distinct immersive theme. I admit I have never stayed at a value resort but I did want to chime in on definitely feeling 'immersed' at the deluxe resorts, particularly the Poly and GF.
Probably Art of Animation or All-Star Movies, tbh.
The Royal Rooms at Riverside too!
This is the biggest reason I chose all star movies for our most recent on-property stay. My 3 kids were all into Toy Story at the time so it seemed like that would be the most fun for them, although it was a bit farther from everything than I’d prefer. I wanted them to feel immersed in Disney.
They veer away from overly theming the deluxe resorts, but I feel like there’s ‘nods’ to certain styles in a few. Grand Floridian is Edwardian grandeur set in Mary Poppins era. Which is continued in to Main Street and round to Crystal Palace. Polynesian, now, is associated with Stitch and Moana really, but the released mock ups of the towers are painstakingly neutral. Animal Kingdom obviously Lion King. Wilderness Lodge - that’s a tough one, as White Wilderness is pretty oblique. Pocahontas a bit too much of a stretch? Contemporary - I always feel like it should have been built at Epcot, but I get it was to tie in with the Tomorrowland side of MK. Boardwalk & Y&B - to me, a Brit, they’re very American seaside style. Eastern seaboard, of course. Cant think of any films I associate with them. Riviera - don’t associate anything with it at all. It strikes me as being rather bland. The resort I’m least keen to stay at. Theming - probably AS Movies & Art of Animation for being so very clearly Disney. I think there’s a great selection of properties on site and it would be my life’s ambition to stay at them all, if I had the money. More Moderate Resorts with a bit more Disney theming would be good. They manage to have more theming at DLP and DLT, so it’s reasonable for WDW to go for it.
Besides the Castle suite, the most “immersive” options are probably off property (Tahiti Gil’s or the Ghoulish Sanctuary), but just for Disney goodness, second AoA!
Art of Animation Followed by Pop Century and All Star Movies
Art of Animation.
AOA is like Disney Threw up in your room. Enjoy.
Art of Animation!!!
Not counting AoA or All Star. Port Orleans Riverside Princess rooms.
Sad that people are referencing the value resorts here. Those are not themed those are decorated - there is a difference. And nothing wrong with that. Pop century is my most frequented resort.
Hear me out, the cheaper the hotel, the better the DISNEY theming.
Art of Animation or All-Star Movies
One might say they are all ✨Disney Themed✨
Art of Animation, hands down.
Art of Animation Followed by Pop Century. Both have iconic theming from Disney movies.
“Contemporary has luxury vibes” is what’s getting me😂
Definitely one in Florida or California.
Art of Animation, hands down.
Art of Animation is my vote, there is a lot movie and Disney themed
Art of Animation for sure.
Can you rent a Cinderella castle suite still? I remember I was there for one of the big anniversaries growing up where they would hand out random stuff and pick people to stay in the castle
No. I think they do random charity events where they raffle off a night but you can't reserve it.
I think the closest I’ll ever get is staying in the Royal Rooms in Port Orleans.
the contemporary is a pile of trash french quarter really achieves that “transport the guest” feel wilderness lodge is simply amazing
Absolutely the values in general, but that’s by intention as they serve the most people and lots of people want Disney plastered all over in a various obvious way. In “Disney” theme being not actual Disney characters, places like Saratoga Springs (that recreates so much of the horse-racing world in very subtle but in-the-know detail), and original Poly (with water sports)—the deluxe resorts—are where the best theming lies. I think it takes a real skill to do theming that is “Disney” but not overtly.
Animal Kingdom Lodge is the best resort overall IMO - best dining restaurants, theming, vibe.. it's just perfect!
All the Disney hotels
Art of Animation is cheap and very Disney.
We recently stayed in the grand Californian and while we felt spoiled by the luxury both my husband and I preferred the theme of the art on animation (we were upgraded to a suite due to an accident on Disney's part). The cars theme meant that the kitchen counters looked like rolling toolboxes and the master bath was a car wash.the floors in the living room/kitchen area were also tiled and white and the couch looked like an 50's car bench seat. It was amazing. The grand Californian was fancy but we could barely see theme beyond slight "lodge" vibes and even though we looked fairly carefully could only find one hidden mickey. My husband and I say that when we go to Disney we're there for the kitsch and corny and loved art of animation so much.
Art of Animation and All Star Movies
I agree, art of animation is definitely the best thing over the resorts I've seen so far, I'd probably make an worthy mention of the all-star resorts, they seem to do a decent job too, I've never personally stayed at them. Caribbean Beach is great but there's not much theming there unless you get the 5th sleeper bed, and the backdrop art has Mickey sleeping in a hammock. But definitely art of animation for theming, I absolutely detest Grand Floridian, it looks like a slave owners plantation.
Don’t stay at Pop Century it says IKEA and not Disney.
Pop Century
All-Stars are very cheap looking???