Main Street Top 10's

So I know its cliche, but it sparks good debate and discussion and its a good way for me to get my opinion out about certain Disney Theme park topics. So I begin my first Top 10 with the Top 10 Disney Resorts.

#10 Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa
When Disney shows us this ultimate of the ultimate resorts at Disney World what resort comes to mind?  The Grand Floridian right, Disney has built this dream of the ultimate Disney vacation resort over the years.  The Grand Floridian has some flaws and strengths depending upon your view point.  The resort is not tailored to kids sure there are few kids touches around the resort.  The lack of guest rooms also can be a good thing or a bad thing based on how you look at it.  The lack of rooms makes the resort very intimate and privet and quiet sounds like a honeymoon and wedding location not a place to have a lot of kids running around.  The Location keeps this resort on the list come on its walking distant to the Magic Kingdom.  This is the most over rated of the Disney Resorts its advantages are also its down fall depending on the way you look at it.  For honeymooners, weddings, and Romantic get aways this is the resort for you.


#9 Disneyland Hotel
The blue print in which all Disney Resorts were modeled after.  The Disneyland Hotel opened in 1955 after Disneyland had opened.  At the time the Disneyland Hotel was the first Resort tailored towards kids and families and began a change in how hotels to make them more family friendly.  The Disneyland Hotel has evolved and changed with the times getting major remodeling projects over the years and it hangs on to its nostalgia quit well.  The Down fall of this hotel is that it lacks any real type of theme that holds the hotel back.  It also is the farthest hotel form any of the Disneyland Parks.



#8 Disney's Wilderness Lodge
The first of the mega resorts that Disney created in 1994 based on the the Wilderness Lodges in the National Parks all over the northwestern part of the Untied States.  The First mega lobby done by Imagineers the lobby at Wilderness Lodge gives you that jaw dropping moment that not to many hotel lobbies can give you also the overall theme is done very well and transports you to a different place and time.  The resort has two of the  best resort restaurants Artist's Point a restaurant specializing in Northwester cuisine.  The other is the ultimate kids restaurant if your looking for a quiet meal this is the wrong place.  The thing holding this resort back is its not on the monorail line also there isn't much to do around the resort unless you go to the wilderness camp ground.

#7 Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa
The newest of all the Disney Resorts it is comprised of two of Disney World's oldest Resorts the Disney Institute (if you want to go even further back The Disney Village Resort) and the Treehouse Villas have been brought back to the guests.  Disney's Saratoga Springs is located right across Lake Buena Vista from Disney's Marketplace.  Resort is Vacation Club only so the rooms are equipped  with kitchens and are ment for long stays or groups with large families.  Lake Buena Vista golf course is located around the resort and provides great access for the avid golfer.  The up side it is close to Downtown Disney and Typhoon Lagoon.  The down side is it is far from any of the Disney theme parks.  As well if you do not have a large family this isn't the resort for you .

#6 Disney's Port Orleans 
The largest of all Disney Resorts with 3,056 rooms Port Orleans is the marriage of  Disney World's  two of Disney's Moderately priced resorts Disney's French Quarter and Disney's Dixie Landings.  The Resorts bring guests two the old south and to New Orleans. The French Quarter and Riverside provide guests with a true southern feeling. With a cult fallowing resort has blossomed over the years into one Disney World's most beautiful and well themed Resort.  Also another thing bring guests to this resort over and over is the feel that you are the only ones there the resort is huge and is divided by a canal that takes guest by boat to Downtown Disney.  The landscape has grown into the resort providing the true southern feeling around the resort with live oaks with Spanish moss hanging from them and tall magnolia trees.  The most underrated resorts at Disney World Disney's Port Orleans has evolved into one of the most popular resorts for guests.  The down sides to this resort are the lack of true sit down restaurant as well as the sheer size it can take a good 20 minutes to walk back to some rooms at the resort from the bus stations and late at night after a long day at the parks that can seam like hours.

#5  Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground 
Opened one month after the Magic Kingdom  Disney's Fort Wilderness offered guests the opportunity to ruff it in the great out doors.  Offering guests the ability to pitch a tent, bring in an RV, or for the less adventurer some folks there are cabins.  The resort allowed guest from all over the United States the opportunity to stay and come to Disney World.  When it comes to amenities this Resort is the best by far with miles of walking trails, horse back riding, boating, fishing, bike riding, pools and so on and so forth.  One thing that separates the Campground from the other resorts is the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Review.  The Hoop Dee-Doo Review is one of the longest running shows at Walt Disney World.  Shows can be almost impossible to see during the busy times and reservation are sometimes made close to a year in advance.  If you have a small budget or want to get back to nature the For Wilderness Resort and Campground is the place for you.



#4 Disney's Yacht and Beach Club

Disney's Yacht and Beach Club is two resorts in one with two different theme's under the same roof. The Yacht Club is set to a nautical theme with rooms based on sailing the seven seas. The Beach Club represents beach house from all along the east coast.  There are three things that make this an outstanding resort and make it stand above most of the other Disney Resorts. The pool at the Yacht and Beach Club has be voted the best of the Disney pools with a sand bottom pool a wonderful water slide and a lazy river this is by far the best Disney pool.  Location Location Location is key in any Disney resort but this ones idea walking distance to World Showcase and a boat ride to the Disney Studio's and finally it shares the boardwalk with Disney's Boardwalk.

#3 Disney's Aulain Resort
Disney's Aulain Resort is a Disney vacation club resort located in KO Olina Hawaii not even opened.  The hype and look of this resort has all the "Disney Geeks" buzzing.  Set as a true Hawaiian resort Aulain has amazing pools and located right on the beach this resort may be the best resort Disney has ever created.  Aulain may have one of the greatest pools ever set around a volcano the pool has multiple water slides a lazy river, there are also pools for adults and kids as well.  The resort may have one of the best spa's located in Hawaii.  Guests can also go on adventure based excursions around Hawaii.  The only thing holding this resort back are there is no theme parks very close set in Disneyland or Disney World this would be #1 on any list.


#2 Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge 

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge is the resort with the best room view on the planet.  There are live animals walking around outside of your room.  This resorts lobby mirrors that of the Wilderness Lodge but with some improvements the first is the large window at the end of the open lobby that opens up to the savanna.  Also the suspension bridge also gives guests a unique view of the lobby.  Guests at Animal Kingdom Lodge are also privileged to a special sunrise safari at Kilimanjaro Safari where guest are taken on a slower and more sight seeing safari. Animal Kingdom Lodge's location is practical being right next to Animal Kingdom, but its all most 30 minute bus ride to Magic Kingdom keeps this resort from the top spot.  It still is the best at Walt Disney World.

#1 Disney's Grand California Hotel

This is Disney's greatest hotel to date Disney's Grand California Hotel has the jaw dropping lobby of Wilderness lodge and Animal Kingdom Lodge.  It has all the luxury of the Grand Floridian and has some of the best restaurants at any Disney Resort.  Now lets get to the reason its number 1the view most of the rooms have views right into Disney's California Adventure as well as its own gate into the park.  Location wise this park is the closest of any of the Resorts in the US to a theme park and is within steps of both Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure.