Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Hello Mouse Ears universe. Thank you again for coming back and joining us on the Mouse Ears podcast. Your go to source for all things travel, but mostly Disney. Sponsored by of course, Fairy tale journeys travel. Whether you're a first time visitor or a pro at the parks, we are here to bring you the latest news, any insider secrets and fun stories from the happiest and most magical places on earth. Make sure to give us a like and follow on whatever platform you either listen to or watch us. Don't forget to check out themousharesblog.com where we dive even deeper into Disney trips, Disney tips and all other park magic in one location.
On today's episode, we are ranking the Walt Disney World Deluxe resorts.
So join us as we unlock the magic, the thrills and the unforgettable experiences you won't want to miss. Now let's jump into today's episode.
Just wear a yacht club. We'll get there.
Let's move on to something that we can all probably agree on. Polynesian top two.
[00:01:31] Speaker B: Yes, easily. Yes, easily.
[00:01:34] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:01:34] Speaker A: I mean especially. And this was even before the Island Tower open.
[00:01:39] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[00:01:40] Speaker A: I mean, hello. Has anybody done Trader Sam's? I mean we have, but have you guys done Trader Sam's?
[00:01:45] Speaker C: We've tried multiple times.
[00:01:48] Speaker B: Every time it's packed to get in.
[00:01:50] Speaker A: It's a long. That is the where.
[00:01:52] Speaker C: So now we haven't been in since it opened.
[00:01:56] Speaker A: That is true. It was really cool when we, when it was and I think it's, it.
[00:01:59] Speaker C: Has to be even better now.
[00:02:01] Speaker A: So here, that's your side tip. People start lining up at like 3:30 in the afternoon.
[00:02:08] Speaker C: I think it. Oh, does it open at three or does it open at four? Four, four. So yeah, by three people lining up and that's like a, you know, good luck at night. Good luck.
[00:02:19] Speaker A: We legit. We just threw away all of our souvenir glasses that we spent an entire paycheck on at Trader Sam's when it opened.
[00:02:25] Speaker C: I think we threw all of them.
[00:02:26] Speaker A: We didn't throw them all away.
[00:02:27] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:02:29] Speaker A: Why? Because we're hoarders.
[00:02:32] Speaker C: I mean, so are we, but.
[00:02:35] Speaker A: Yeah, there you go. All of that.
[00:02:37] Speaker C: No, no, no, I get it. We too, we too are hoarders. We cannot. I, I can't, I can't judge. I don't judge. I don't judge.
[00:02:47] Speaker A: I could, I could easily say if, if the Polynesian had the old lobby with the waterfall.
[00:02:54] Speaker C: The waterfall is missing.
The waterfall is missing.
[00:02:58] Speaker A: Now I, we all know the great restaurants, transportation. Yeah, still crappy bus Service. But you are much closer to the TTC for the Epcot monorail.
And you have boat service to Magic Kingdom.
[00:03:15] Speaker C: Yep. I would put this at number one.
[00:03:18] Speaker B: I'm gonna have to agree on that.
[00:03:19] Speaker C: You got the bungalows. You do have a new tower. So now they have a new restaurant and a new bar on top of phenomenal views.
The theming Moana.
Great. Fantastic. You're giving me water theme while giving me Disney. Thank you. That is all I ask.
[00:03:36] Speaker A: And you know, Moana goes along with very much with the Polynesian culture that esteemed after that.
Why couldn't they figure out something with a contemporary? I have no idea.
But I'm on. I could.
I could get behind Polynesia being at number one.
[00:03:54] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:03:55] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:03:56] Speaker C: And Polynesian is very often sold out. I mean, one day, dream, dream bucket list, like hotel stay would be one of the overwater bungalows.
You. I love, love the smell and the sounds of the pollen. Unusual. As soon as you walk in, I just. I just. I freaking love it. And then on top of that, you've got dole whip available to you at the Polynesian. Just walking around, you do feel.
You feel like you're somewhere else while still being in Disney, that you don't always get that, you know, the pollen at the Contemporary, you don't get that feeling.
[00:04:40] Speaker A: Polynesian makes you feel like you are disconnected, even in the hustle and bustle of Disney World because you're walking through those longhouses and all you see is. Is tropical stuff, which is the same way Old Key west is two people.
[00:04:59] Speaker C: Nope.
[00:05:00] Speaker A: It's the exact same way.
I'm not gonna let it go.
So. But. But I think. I think. I think the Polynesian deserves the number one slot.
[00:05:14] Speaker C: And I think it's also the number one spot a lot because the transportation. The buses can be a little bit spotty. But. But you also get. And we didn't necessarily talk about this with the other ones, but we had other opinions. I love being able to have the option of staying at or eating dinner at Ohana. And they pipe in the music and you get to watch the fireworks or even from the pool area. And you're. You're still submerged in that theming while getting that Disney Magic Kingdom feel.
[00:05:43] Speaker A: And that's one thing that we didn't. We did not mention it at the grand like we should have. But you can go get yourself one of those lava guava, whatever those drinks are called from the pool bar, and then lay out and watch the fireworks on the beach in the beach chairs or on One of the, you know.
[00:06:00] Speaker C: One of the swings anymore.
[00:06:02] Speaker A: The hammocks are gone.
Oh, that's sad. Casey and I used to do that too, on our dates.
[00:06:07] Speaker C: That's awesome. Well, just. But. But the way that the whole landscape is groomed in Polynesian, I really like it.
You've got a lot of, like, areas that are like artificial grass areas for kids to run out and play. You've got the nice pool. You've got, you know, you've got the boat launches, too. If you're just trying to get, like, even, like, to the Grand Floridian, I mean, you don't have to get onto the monorail. Like, it's freaking awesome.
And then on top of that, you'll some. I mean, I mean, this is across all. All resorts. You'll have, like, the characters sometimes around there. And you do have Lilo and Stitch at Ohana for breakfast. But then, yeah, you know, if. If Brooks was here, he would absolutely want me to pay respects to the teriyaki noodles.
So, you know, teriyaki noodles are fantastic.
[00:07:01] Speaker B: And might I add Pog Juice location. See another top three.
[00:07:05] Speaker A: It was wonderful. If you were gonna mention that.
[00:07:07] Speaker B: I mean, it. It's. It's not a. Yeah, yeah. It's not a coincidence, people. They have Pog Juice. They're a good resort.
[00:07:15] Speaker A: Teriyaki noodles, Pog juice.
[00:07:17] Speaker B: I have had the teriyaki only. They are very good. And the pot stickers, those hot stickers are really good. Kona Cafe, Ohana are Both are. Are some of my favorite restaurants on. On Disney.
[00:07:32] Speaker A: Cooks down there.
[00:07:33] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:07:34] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, yeah. And a lot. And I am a big coffee person. I absolutely love their coffee.
[00:07:41] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:07:42] Speaker B: So it's this. This is easily by far number one in my book.
[00:07:47] Speaker C: Yeah. Yeah.
[00:07:48] Speaker A: I think.
[00:07:49] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:07:49] Speaker A: I think that was very well said for the four of us. No fighting on this one.
[00:07:55] Speaker B: Yay.
[00:07:55] Speaker C: This is not too bad, people. We did not discuss this before.
[00:07:59] Speaker A: No.
[00:08:00] Speaker C: Let me tell you.
[00:08:01] Speaker A: We decided this topic what it was, what, like, 9:30 this morning. I'm.
[00:08:06] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:08:07] Speaker A: I'm sitting at the Atlanta airport. Steph goes, what are we doing for our topic tonight?
So we did well, but okay. Brand new resort, the Riviera Resort, just opened up, you know, few years back.
[00:08:24] Speaker C: French Riviera. Yep, yep.
[00:08:27] Speaker A: We've looked into buying DVC points into that one.
Yes. That's the one you liked on the.
[00:08:33] Speaker C: Yes, yes, Casey, you have. Yes.
[00:08:38] Speaker A: It also liked Riviera.
Anyway, they have. So they're the ones that started this new room category being, like, the tower. It's Only two people. And it's very, I mean, take a studio and cut it in half and I think that's about your, your room size. But you'll get to see some of the fireworks from Fantasmic. You also get to see fireworks from Epcot with Luminous.
So very like the scene. I would take that. When I look at Riviera, I do think like, wow, that is a grand hotel. Just that. That's what I think. And it's, it is, it's, it is. It's very well groomed, neat that the pool area has nothing, you know, exciting about it. It's, you know, at least to me, your transportation happen. You know, options being the buses and the Skyliner, because it does have its own Skyliner station there.
Like, what are we thinking? Because that list is getting very.
Yeah. Tight.
[00:09:54] Speaker C: I'm hard set on it being number four.
[00:09:56] Speaker B: I agree.
[00:09:57] Speaker C: Hard set. I can accept that.
[00:10:00] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:10:01] Speaker C: And I, I do love the Riviera. I haven't stayed there yet. I have heard nothing but positive feedback. And Michael and I literally, we've been standing at like the lobby entrance overlooking the pool and just like, we need to stay here.
[00:10:20] Speaker B: Very grand. Like you said, it is a grand feeling hotel.
[00:10:25] Speaker C: One of the most beautiful, unique features about this and it's like subtle, but it's also not at the same time, is when you do come out of the Skyliner terminal, whatever you want to call it, and you're walking towards the Riviera Resort and you have this little tunnel and on either side you have these stunning, beautiful, incredible mosaic artwork. One is Peter Pan and then the other side they have like the, the Tangle tower with Rapunzel. And it's just. Oh, it is stunning. Like, it really envelops that whole elegance that the Riviera, you know, is all about. And the rooms, they're elegant. That's what they are. They're pristine. They're gorgeous.
You, you, you might not have screaming theming, but the overall feel of those rooms and the resort is like that top notch quality that I feel like the Grand Floridian used to have that should have now. I do think that feeling is more present at Riviera, personally at this point, with the exception of obviously the Grand Floridian has location where Riviera doesn't. Yes. Is it close to the Epcot? 100%. It's, you know, in the Epcot area.
I'm not like a huge, huge, huge fan of like people being able to watch you from the Skyliner if you're in the pool and Stuff like that. It's not that big of a deal, but it's like those little things where like we have other pools where you have like that secludedness that I feel like is a little bit better just overall feeling. You do have Topolino's terrace and that's top notch restaurant. That's a good top of the rest. Top of the resort overlooking the, the lake and the Caribbean beach resort. And you've got the characters in their so cute outfits as like their painter's outfits in the morning for. Only for breakfast though.
And then you know, fantastic lunch and dinner menu as well. I mean you can't, you can't discount fee just how well they did that restaurant. I think it's, it's, it's always. It's a very popular restaurant. Even Brooks, I know he's, he's raved about it too. And even Bar Riva. Phenomenal, phenomenal. Quick service.
I think the grooming, landscape and everything is really cute. I do think they did a good job with everything else. I do think the lobby is kind of lackluster. Like it's a little bit small and meh. Not my favorite lobby. So I don't get the grand feeling with the lobby, but I get the grand feeling driving in and getting to the room and eating at Topolino's and oh, I have the skyliner right there and the feeling of newness.
[00:13:26] Speaker A: I definitely think they do that grand feeling is the entire thing.
[00:13:32] Speaker C: Yes, it's gorgeous. It's a gorgeous resort. And you have Le Petit Cafe and you just, you walk and you got this like cute little, you know, grab and go. And then next to it you have that lounge. I can't remember what that lounge is called. Freaking cool too. I mean you've got these little pockets of just uniqueness that really makes this resort again. Also has DVC rooms. That feeling of home while still have elegance and luxury. So really I think four is fantastic only because I know what my number two is at this point and, and frankly if it had access to more transportation and closeness to other whatchamacalls, theme parks, you know, it would be a contender for number two or so to speak. And actually now I'm getting ahead of myself. That's what I gotta say, Michael.
[00:14:28] Speaker B: I concur.
[00:14:29] Speaker C: Okay, great. Fantastic.
[00:14:33] Speaker A: That. Yes, yes, I'm, I am on board with the Riviera as our number four.
We've kind of already said it. We're in agreeance. Saratoga should be number 11.
[00:14:49] Speaker C: Yep. So it's still a great hotel. I'VE stayed there a couple of times. You got quiet, you've got a great, you've got a great rest, you got great restaurants there.
You've got the golf course, pools. All right, but yeah, there are better options.
[00:15:10] Speaker A: And not just that, you know, and a lot of these other resorts too. But you know, you, you do get some quaint and quietness if you're staying in different places or you can kind of request. And that's all it is, is a request. But try to be in the Congress park area because then you have a beautiful view over Disney Springs without the hustle and bustle and staying over there. And then we also have the walk path to Disney Springs. You have your own pool over there. It's just.
[00:15:41] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:15:41] Speaker A: So nothing bad about Saratoga.
That is. I mean, that's my parents, one of my parents favorite places to stay.
That's usually where we always end up staying because that's where their home resort is.
[00:15:54] Speaker C: But it's a great resort. It's just of the deluxe resort. It's just going to be down on the list for me at least get the horse the. The Kentucky Derby theme, which is unique.
[00:16:09] Speaker A: But yeah, we're down to our last two. And the slots we have open are the number two slot and the number 10.
And our last two resorts are Wilderness Lodge and the Yacht Club. All I'm going to say we're all.
[00:16:26] Speaker C: On the same page.
[00:16:27] Speaker A: All I'm going to say is, people, you know, please don't come at us. No, but we would love to see y'all. It's all good fun in the comments of what? Of how you'd rank these 11.
But I think we're pretty much all in agreeance that Wilderness Lodge deserves the number two slot.
[00:16:44] Speaker B: Okay.
I'm so glad you said that. For a second I was like, oh my gosh. I don't. I'm not in the loop. Are they gonna say it's going down to the bottom? Because I'm gonna fight this one tooth and nail.
[00:16:57] Speaker A: No. So, okay, you were going to fight tooth and nail, Mike, Why would you. What is it, what is it to you for?
[00:17:05] Speaker B: Well, I have a deep love for full wilderness. You know, the lodge and the campgrounds. We visit the campgrounds a lot. Absolutely love it. The lodge though, to me, I remember staying there when I was younger and the pool just being. To me, just, oh my gosh, this is the coolest pool I've ever seen in my life. Just the, the property there. I love the wilderness theme. I'm a big outdoors kind of guy. So for me that the property there is, is, is unbelievable. You know, you have the food, you have access to all the campsite amenities. So if you want to go to the stable, there's a lot of things to do here. If you don't want a park day and you want kind of a day to enjoy the, the resort, this, this is your resort. I absolutely love for wilderness.
You know, the food, I, I like barbecue too. I, I, I love the theme. So for me this, this is easy easily. For me, I, I would have liked to see this at number one. But honestly, Polynesian deserves it because they've got it all and the food they've got, they've got everything. So Poly definitely deserves number one. But this, this is an absolute number two. This can't to me, this will always be in my top two.
Always.
Yeah.
[00:18:26] Speaker C: Yeah. Great pool, great location. It might not have monorail access, but you got the boat launches, which is great. It's secluded, so it's kind of quiet.
[00:18:37] Speaker A: That lobby really does not have the hustle and bustle like beach club.
[00:18:40] Speaker C: No.
[00:18:41] Speaker B: No, it does not.
[00:18:44] Speaker A: Yes. How about, how about that? What is it? Like seven story, you know, stone masonry fireplace that they have.
[00:18:52] Speaker C: Yes, right.
[00:18:54] Speaker A: You know, with actual rocking chairs that you could just sit, Casey could sit and knit for hours in front of that.
[00:19:03] Speaker C: I love that. I think I'll sit next to you and read. I'll sit next to you and read. And what? We just have a whole, a whole girls night.
[00:19:10] Speaker A: There's your non park day right there.
[00:19:11] Speaker C: Yep.
And then, and then you've got a geyser. Is it geyser?
[00:19:18] Speaker B: Right?
[00:19:18] Speaker C: That's how you say it. Right. Okay. You got a geyser, which is kind of unique too. That's awesome.
You've got cabins, you've got villas, you've got, you've got a lot of options.
[00:19:29] Speaker A: Can I let me talk about.
[00:19:30] Speaker C: Please do.
[00:19:31] Speaker A: How cool the Copper Creek cabins are.
We got to stay there. And it was, it was my parents, it was us, it was my brother and soon to be sister in law because they're getting married in July. And then my sister and her boyfriend at the time, well, I guess they're still together. So my sister and her boyfriend, we all stayed in that for two nights. I think we were in.
[00:19:58] Speaker C: I thought we were just there for the one night and then we moved.
[00:20:01] Speaker A: I thought, I thought it was too nice. Either way, whatever it was, it's. I just like the overwater bungalows. They are awesome. Well, you walk in like, like and I'm with Mike on this one. I'm an outdoorsy guy, so I love Wilderness Lodge. It probably is. It is right up there with Old Key west at this point. It really is not down at number, you know, nine, but it's up on my list.
But no, the. The Copper Creek Cabins. The coolest part about it, Florida. We know. What, what. What does Florida have 11 months out of the year? Mosquitoes. Copper Creek had their. Their back porch sitting area is screened in with a pool.
It's not. It's not actually a hot tub. It's actually a pool to, you know, to a point. But so getting to sit out there and not getting eaten alive by mosquitoes or, you know, sit. The little pool thing with. With a couple of cold beers, you know, on a. On a hot day, like, oh, yes, I'm there.
It is cool. I'm mentally there right now.
[00:21:16] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:21:16] Speaker C: I mentally want to be there and wait. Do you have anything more to add about them? Please do.
[00:21:23] Speaker B: No, if you do.
[00:21:24] Speaker A: I mean, Boulder Ridge is great too. So if you're, you know, paying cash or on DVC once, there's nothing wrong with Boulder Rich.
So that's it.
[00:21:34] Speaker C: You also have a story point. Storybook. What is it? Yes, I forgot the name. Storybook Point.
Their restaurant.
[00:21:45] Speaker A: It's Artist Point. Is it Artist Point?
[00:21:47] Speaker C: No, Artist Point is at Saratoga. No, no, no. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's the.
It's the Snow White. It's the Snow White Restaurant.
Correct. Michael changed the. I had the resort details here, and he's. He's so into this episode. He's, like, looking at all the deluxe resorts. And I'm really just hoping that after this, he's like, all right, what resort are we going to next? If that's the case, I won't be upset, but for now, I did have my notes here. It's no longer there. It's something.
I can't remember what it was.
It's the story. Artist Point.
[00:22:22] Speaker A: See?
[00:22:22] Speaker C: Thank you.
[00:22:23] Speaker A: I knew it was Artist Point.
[00:22:25] Speaker C: Thank you. So that one is a character dining experience that's only there for dinner.
[00:22:31] Speaker A: I believe that is an experience. You are right.
[00:22:35] Speaker C: And if you remember from a few episodes back, it was actually like season two, we did March Madness, and Elise Woodley was passionate about this restaurant and talked very, very highly about it. And just the experience, it's unique. You won't have these characters at a Disney dining sit down anywhere else. You'll only get it here. And it's really just worth going. I mean, the way that the characters interact with you, it's just different. The food is phenomenal. And again you've got this phenomenal theming of being completely embraced in like the forest and like the fairy book, fairy tale book style theme.
I mean 10 out of frickin 10 with wilderness lodge and the theming, you know, and then that's not even mentioning holidays. You've got the biggest Christmas tree of all. The mother of all Christmas trees at Wilderness Lodge was which, which makes the coziness factor like that much higher. And people, I mean the way that people flock to the Grand Floridian to see the, the Christmas decorations or the Easter eggs, you know, for Easter now and things of that nature. People flock to Wilderness to see the Christmas tree, to get that cozy feeling. Very different than the 20 other resorts that we have water themed. Yes, I said it.
Is it Florida? Yes, it's Florida. This is different.
I love it. I just, I really, yeah, just everything about it is just fantastic. I, I, I, I've never heard anyone complain about Wilderness Life Lodge. Have you guys? Like no one complains about Wilderness Lodge.
[00:24:29] Speaker B: Not much to complain about.
[00:24:31] Speaker C: And, and here's another.
We love the new DVC expansion that the Polynesian just had. It was phenomenal. I mean we all had very low expectations or at least I'll speak for myself. I mean I saw the building and I was just like what? This looks awful. This doesn't look Disney. This looks like you're forcing a hotel tower. Well, they did a fantastic job. Thank you Disney Imagineers. So that gives me hope for the DVC expansion that Wilderness Lodge is about to receive in the next few years. Yes, I want DVC in there and I haven't even seen what that building looks like.
So I think they'll do it justice. And I'm really excited for the future of Wilderness Lodge.
Yeah, it's a, it's a 2. It's a 2.
[00:25:23] Speaker B: It's a two, it's a 1. But we can't have two ones. So.
[00:25:27] Speaker C: Yep.
The only reason it's not a 1, it's because of the lack of transportation. And it's not even that lacking. It's got both.
[00:25:36] Speaker B: That's the wilderness experience.
[00:25:40] Speaker A: The wilderness must be explored.
[00:25:43] Speaker B: Exactly, exactly.
[00:25:47] Speaker A: So let's talk about the elephant in the room now and why we're putting yacht club at 10.
[00:25:53] Speaker C: Take it away, Calton.
[00:25:55] Speaker A: Has anybody ever walked into that lobby once? I never have once.
It to me it, and it is another. You know, they do have convention space there. I think that's great.
Do they have any restaurants?
[00:26:11] Speaker C: They do the Alen Compass.
[00:26:13] Speaker A: They do have Yachtsman. I've never eaten at Yachtsman yet.
[00:26:16] Speaker C: I forgot about Alen Compass. Yeah, obviously. Phenomenal. You know, that's where my roommate worked when I worked at Peaches. My roommate worked at Alen Compass.
[00:26:25] Speaker A: Oh, nice. So obviously I. It's nothing bad about the yacht club.
[00:26:35] Speaker C: No, there's nothing bad. You can even take friendly. It's pet friendly. They take care of your pets.
Important.
[00:26:43] Speaker A: It's important.
So we're putting it down at number 10, I think, because we legit have no other place to put it.
[00:26:54] Speaker B: Yeah, just let's. I think we should reassure everyone that, you know, this list is based on a lot of things and personal opinion. Is it. I think we should maybe do this episode every six months or to a year or so and update the list and that'll just. You know, I'm going to challenge us to stay at more of these resorts so we can get more feedback, get more experience inside these hotels. And we should also do a. An episode on the food and the restaurants, because that will definitely challenge us. Well, that's not even a challenge. That's gonna happen regardless the challenge. We're gonna go out and eat as much as we can because a lot of these restaurants are. Are very good, and I want to try all of them. So. And I think my lack of either staying or having a positive experience there is kind of skew my.
Which actually I've been kind of on par with what you guys have been saying and. And where we play. I haven't really been off on any of where we place these, but I definitely.
I definitely visited.
Meaning I'm the guy with all the cameras and all her bags and stuff while she's taking the pictures and getting you all the. The content. Yes. I've totally seen the support all of these places, and I'm sweating.
So. But.
But I think definitely we should revisit this. It should be like a live list for us, you know, like, hey, you know, they did this or they did this or, wow, we got to stay there. And you know what? This is not where this should be. And just as an update to ensure everyone that we're gonna give everything a fair chance.
[00:28:33] Speaker A: Well, we can come back to this one. And I think that one. I think we should do it live. Like, right. Let's get on Facebook.
Get. We'll work with the chat. Okay. We'll work with the chatboard and. And. And figure that. And we'll take this list and compare it and a select amount of time on, you know, maybe Wilderness Lodge will take the number one spot. We, we don't know.
[00:29:03] Speaker C: Maybe Old Key west will move up.
[00:29:05] Speaker A: Stop.
[00:29:06] Speaker B: Exactly.
Maybe we'll do a Mets trip and we'll stay at Old Key west so we can show everyone what it's truly worth.
[00:29:17] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:29:18] Speaker A: Not number nine, I'll tell you that much.
[00:29:20] Speaker B: Yeah, I'm not okay with that. One out of all of them I'm not okay with. But because I do see, I, I keep the keys is I'm a Floridian. True intro night.
I love Key west and I think Key west is a, is a great theme to have for anything in Florida because it is so iconic. You know, it's. What are they going to have one of the swamp, you know, the Everglades? They kind of. You wilderness gives you the wilderness. But Key west is iconic for Floridians. So I still think, in one way.
[00:29:49] Speaker C: Or another, I still think we need to do justice for Yacht Club. They've got a great pool. Great, great pool. It's pet friendly. It's still walking distance from Epcot and the boardwalk, even though it's on the floor. Farther side. Farther side.
[00:30:06] Speaker B: So do we want to move boardwalk further down and no. Push up Old Key west to number seven and do a little flip flop right there. I like that change because honestly, we, you know, I didn't, I didn't know Boardwalk was a, was a hotel either until I looked up and I saw rooms. I'm like, it's a hotel there. I thought it was just the shops.
[00:30:29] Speaker C: There's too much to do at the boardwalk today. Could not get down any more pegs.
[00:30:33] Speaker B: Yeah. But at this point, this is all about us. This list is obviously our list.
We'll let it sit, we'll come, we'll revisit this in six months.
[00:30:45] Speaker A: I sit here and look at it and go, it's like, what, what would you move? I mean, even putting Saratoga at 11 doesn't do justice.
[00:30:55] Speaker B: Correct. You know, it's so just as a.
[00:30:59] Speaker A: Refresher for everybody, we have. So Starting at number 11, Saratoga Springs Resort, over in the, the Disney Springs area. Coming in, number 10 is going to be the Yacht Club, Epcot Resort. Number nine, Old Key West Disney Springs Resort area.
[00:31:19] Speaker B: Temporary, temporary, temporary. It's a temporary nine.
[00:31:23] Speaker A: The, the contemporary Magic Kingdom Resort, we've got at number eight, number seven being Boardwalk, another Epcot Resort, the Grand Floridian Magic Kingdom Resort. In number six, we got Beach Club at Epcot Resort. At number five, the Riviera at number four. I think this is like a Hollywood Studios resort, I think is what they classify it as. Animal Kingdom Lodge number three. Animal Kingdom Park Resort number two should be tied with number one. Maybe we could just make two number ones. I don't know. We'll figure.
Yep.
Wilderness Lodge, Magic Kingdom Resort at number two. And then crowning the. Taking the crown for this one. Polynesian.
The Magic Kingdom Resorts.
[00:32:15] Speaker C: There's maybe one or two changes, but for the most part, I'm not, I'm not upset. And for the record, Riviera is an Epcot resort.
[00:32:23] Speaker A: Epcot. Thank you.
[00:32:25] Speaker C: So, but yeah, I feel like people need to also, when they look at these resorts, think geographically. What, what is your focus for your trip? You know, what are you trying to get out of it? Especially, you know, you have some phenomenal room views. You've got animals in Savannah. You've got, you know, theme park with fireworks. You know, you've got a bunch of other things that really come into play when it comes to choosing your resort and something that we didn't talk about. There's a lot, a lot, a lot of benefits to staying out of the Lux Resort.
One of them is extended evening hours, for instance. We didn't even touch that topic. We were really focusing more on, like, the extended experience. The theme, what can you find at the resorts?
But there's a lot more to deluxe resorts than just those things. So don't sleep on deluxe resorts. I feel like at the end of the day, some of the price points might seem a little bit steep. But really, I mean, no matter what the list says, you can't do wrong at a deluxe resort. You're still at Disney. You're still the most magical place on earth, literally. And you're still one way or another going to get the Disney difference experience.
So it's just a matter of there's a resort for everyone and a resort for every type of vacation you're trying to get out.
This is just our opinion from being frequent visitors and just forced opinion Hilton.
We will see what the public says about Oki West.
[00:34:08] Speaker A: Yeah, I want to see people's thoughts and changes.
So if, if your list, which it should differ from ours, how would you rank these 11 resorts? That's your homework when this comes out.
Well, today, because it just came out, we just dropped it.
Yeah, let's. Let's wrap it on up. So we had a trivia question back a little bit ago, though. Steph, go ahead, take it away with our trivia.
[00:34:40] Speaker C: So if you remember, because I totally forgot we had a trivia Question. Question was what was the official name for Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa when it first opened? The answer might show Shop queue. The first Disney Deluxe Resort opened. And the only reason I'm saying this is it wasn't the first resort that opened. It was the first categorized Disney Deluxe Resort opened on June 28, 1988. Hey, Michael, that's your birth year.
And was originally called Grand Floridian Beach Resort.
Water. What's with all the water?
[00:35:21] Speaker A: Well, it's Seven Seas Lagoon.
[00:35:25] Speaker C: That's right.
It changed to what we call it now, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa in the fall of 1997. So that's a lot of. That's, That's a lot of years. Almost 10.
[00:35:38] Speaker B: It's got nine years.
[00:35:39] Speaker C: Grand Floridian Beach Resort.
[00:35:41] Speaker B: I didn't know that.
[00:35:42] Speaker C: Neither did any of us.
[00:35:44] Speaker A: I didn't.
[00:35:44] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:35:44] Speaker A: No way.
[00:35:45] Speaker C: None of us. All right, Kelton, wrap it up.
[00:35:49] Speaker A: I think that does it for this week's episode of the Bouncers podcast. As always, don't forget to join our Facebook group. Also, follow us. Follow along with us. Social medias like Tick Tock, Instagram X used to be Twitter and Facebook to stay up to date with all things travel, but mostly Disney. If you are interested in having a fairy Tale journeys agent book your next trip, please visit fairytalejourneys.com and make sure to let them know that we sent you guys from the podcast. Lastly, if you found this episode helpful, funny, maybe a little sad, could be kind of angry at us. We hope you share it with a friend or leave us a review. Wherever you listen, we have a great episode next week talking about club life level. So make sure you. You don't listen to that one.
Mike, Casey, thanks for coming in and fighting with us, you know, on this because it was, it, it was a good episode.
So like Mike said, we'll. We'll revisit this in a few months and see what has changed or maybe stays the same. But until then, y'all have a great week. We will see you on the next episode. Bye out everyone.
