Just wanted to let you know that I'm b-wolf95. Yeah, kind went on an Anarcey spree and had my species changed somewhere between all the crimes, it was a whole thing.
Y'all Chuck E. Cheese's may be good idea for kids for Village Marketplace near by Pleasure Island as it could opened in mid 1990s as the kids will enjoy to playing games, eating pizzas as birthday parties with Chuck E. and his gang.
Sorry, Chuck E. Cheese's will not be a part of Disney Springs. Besides, another popular, child-friendly restaurant is setting up shop in the Marketplace, anyway.
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Village Marketplace
Ever since the Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village opened in 1975, the Marketplace has served as Walt Disney World’s biggest hub for merchandise. As part of a massive refurbishment this area of Disney Springs received in 2021, the Marketplace was divided into two distinct areas, both united under the name “Village Marketplace.” In the area closer to Town Center and Pleasure Island, known as “the Pierside”, the American Craftsman style is prevalent. The Pierside was established in the 1930s, in the wake of the success of the marketplace established in the residential area.
Shopping at the Pierside
World of Disney: The largest Disney store in the world, World of Disney offers every kind of Disney merchandise you can think of. Elaborate murals and giant character sculptures depict the various Disney characters, while a giant screen in the center of the store plays classic Disney clips.
LEGO Imagination Center: Marked by a giant LEGO sea serpent and various LEGO depictions of classic Disney scenes, the LEGO Imagination Center offers all sorts of the popular building toys. Minifigures, elaborate kits, and even LEGO-inspired clothing are on sale here.
Crystal Arts by Arribas Brothers: Offering crystal goods, with craftsmen offering live demonstrations.
Basin: Offering bath, beauty and other healthcare products.
Sir Edward’s Haberdasher: This favorite from the days of the Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village sells quality men’s clothes.
Twenty-Eight & Main: Neighboring Sir Edward’s is this old-fashioned shop selling vintage ensembles for men and women. It’s quite a nice place to go if you want to find something to wear for Dapper Day.
Von Otto’s Antiques: Named after Walt Disney World’s original antiques buyer, Otto Rabby, this shop specializes in all sorts of antiquities from all over the world.
Tren-D: Offering the latest and greatest in Disney apparel and accessories, this is a store for any and all fashionistas.
Dining at the Pierside
McDonald’s: Of course, one of the most famous restaurants in the world had to have a location at Springs. As part of the Disney Springs transformation, McDonald’s opened a new location along the banks of the springs (where T-REX stands today). In a style similar to its old location, an elaborate carpentry style, marked by a clock tower, blends in with the American Craftsman stylings of the Pierside. Inside, artistic depictions of the McDonaldland gang – Ronald, Sundae, Grimace, Hamburglar, Birdie, and all the rest – can be found along the walls.
In addition, a new eating garden was built, allowing guests to eat with a great view of the springs. The eating garden involves a few tables with umbrellas to protect guests from the elements, as well as hidden fans and misters to alleviate the Florida heat. Of course, all the classics are on the menu, from Filet-O-Fish and Chicken McNuggets, to French fries and McFlurries, all the way up to the classic Big Mac. Another McDonald’s on Walt Disney World property can be found along Osceola Parkway, along the road leading towards Disney’s Art of Animation Resort.
Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop: If you want some of the finest ice cream treats in all of Walt Disney World, drop by here. Sundaes, shakes, floats and malts are all on the menu here, in addition to that famous Ghirardelli chocolate.
The Daily Poutine: A snack stand offering upscale takes on a Canadian delicacy.
Jamba Juice: Built along the water’s edge, this is the place to go if a smoothie is what you’re seeking!
Dockside Margaritas
Joffrey’s
Starbucks
Wetzel’s Pretzels
The residential area itself, known as “the Village”, is greener with winding paths reminiscent of walking throughout a scenic park in a residential area. Many of the buildings in the area stay the same as they’re reminiscent of a residential area, but some older buildings are reskinned to become a part of this scenic residential area. Plus, given that Disney’s Mythica was finishing up construction around the time the refurbished Marketplace opened, these worldly influences helped serve as a nice gateway for those who wanted to visit the new park after spending some time at Disney Springs.
Shopping in the Village
Thingamabobs: Thingamabobs is a store dedicated to various pieces of Disney memorabilia that fulfills specific niches for fans while providing interesting things to look at for the regular guests. Much like Ariel, the store is full of a random assortment of merchandise, but unlike her, there’s definitely more than 20 thingamabobs! Some examples of merchandise that can be bought here is a replica of a Tron disc, a Thunder Mountain Railroad Train miniature, a miniature replica of the Shrink Ray from Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, and many other pieces of memorabilia that a niche Disney fan would love to have.
Aromas: As if the name didn’t tip you off, Aromas specializes in all things scent – candles (both one and two wick), incense, fragrance plug-ins, and wax for wax melts.
The Art of Disney: An elaborate display of art and animation, with all sorts of unique goodies on display: cels, lithographs, sculptures, paintings, figurines. Interviews with prominent animators and demonstrations of animation are often held here.
H&M: The exterior of this two-story store is reminiscent of Coastal Contemporary throughout Florida and combines the older wooden looking buildings with the newer buildings that incorporate less wood in a perfect blend combining both mediums. This store will be two stories with multiple entrances and exits. The home belonged to a former seamstress that lived at Springs, and this can be told by the decorations within the store with concept drawings depicting various fashionable outfits and old style plush mannequins and stands that show off the store’s clothing.
Once Upon a Toy: Redesigned to be housed within a Germanic Baroque abode, this place is every kid’s dream come true. The shop has been redesigned, top to toe, to be themed around the abode of a German toymaker. Charming wooden architecture and a whimsical atmosphere mark the store. Toys and games are on sale here, as well as, as Walt Dated World said of its predecessor, Toys Fantastique, “high quality toys ranging including Breyer horses, Madame Alexander dolls and teddy bears made from mink fur.” There is even a Build-Your-Own Potato Head station, and an elaborate display featuring the resort’s famous Monorail Playset. A toy Monorail glides past various toys depicting the various landmarks of Walt Disney World.
Disney’s Days of Christmas: Continuing the Germanic Baroque architecture is this relocated and expanded store. The exterior is decorated with pine garland, and the rooftops are miraculously covered with snow. The smell of Christmas pine is pumped outside and inside the store. The interior of the store resembles what one would think Santa's Workshop would look like with plenty of work tables holding decorations for sale, walls of ornaments, various Christmas trees on display, and even a faux fireplace with stockings decorating it. Oh, and be sure to look out for displays all around the store, both inside and out, centering around a Disney take on “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”
Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique: Wrapping up the block of Germanic Baroque architecture is this iconic Disney experience. Here in this enchanted salon, children can be transformed into their favorite Disney characters.
2R’s Reading and Riting: A French country cottage sitting across the way from Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique houses an upscale bookstore.
Flower Garden: Specializing in plants – both real and fake – as well as elaborate floral arrangements. Found in the same complex that houses Earl of Sandwich.
The Spice and Tea Exchange: For tea enthusiasts, this shop offers all sorts of teas, spices, sugars, mugs, graters, and all sorts of other unique and relaxing wares. Found in the same complex that houses Earl of Sandwich and the Flower Garden.
Windjammer Dock Shop: You have to enter through here in order to reach Cap’n Jack’s. The shop naturally sells all sorts of nautical things.
Pearl Factory: Retrieve a pearl from within an oyster and turn it into a most memorable souvenir.
Rainforest Cafe Retail Village: Merchandise – toys, clothing, snow globes and other home decor – inspired by the famous restaurant.
Goofy’s Candy Co.: An elaborate candy store, with all sorts of confectionery on sale. It’s also quite the popular place to have a birthday party!
Lefty’s: A kiosk offering everything for left-handed people.
Swings n’ Things: A waterside kiosk selling hammocks.
Dining in the Village
Cap’n Jack’s Oyster Bar: This Marketplace hotspot has been delighting guests ever since the Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village opened in 1975. This adults-only lounge specializes in cocktails and appetizers, and since this is a nautical-themed eatery, seafood is the biggest name on the menu. Plus, guests can enjoy these bites to the sweet sounds of live jazz performances.
Rancheros: One of the many immigrants to come to Springs was an Argentinian named Sebastian Fernandez, a man with knowledge of how to get good cuts of meat out of the cattle from years and years on his family's cattle ranch. When it came time to convert his ranch home into his dream steakhouse, he took the opportunity and ran with it. Guests are welcomed into the Fernandez household which has been converted into a restaurant, this is evident from the decorations throughout the restaurant being old photos of Fernandez’s big family being rancheros in Argentina, heirlooms for Argentina, and other knick-knacks.
Rainforest Café: A giant volcano marks the entrance to the Rainforest Café, the legendary restaurant utilizing Audio-Animatronics and unique greenery to simulate the feeling of being in the rainforest. Within the walls of the Rainforest Café, guests dine in a heavily-immersive rainforest environment, complete with raging apes and elephants, heavy rain and sudden thunderstorms. There are also living animals in the form of fish, who live in a giant saltwater tank. On the menu are salads, sandwiches, steak, seafood and pasta, in addition to many unique desserts – including the legendary Volcano cake! This particular location is also home to the Lava Lounge, a full bar.
Earl of Sandwich: The famous sandwich shop set up its very first shop right here in Springs. I’m not kidding – the first Earl of Sandwich restaurant opened in what was then Downtown Disney in 2004, and has been delighting guests ever since! Their famous “hot sandwiches” are the biggest draw, but salads, wraps, and a wide array of desserts are also quite pleasing.
Entertainment at the Village Marketplace
Captain’s Tower: This Disney Springs icon is a popular place for various events throughout the year.
Marketplace Carousel: A classic carousel, hand-crafted in Italy. During the refurbishment, the carousel was relocated to a new location surrounded by a stunning garden of native flowers and shrubbery. This new prime location enhances the carousel by giving it a better atmosphere, but the carousel retains much of its charm.
Marketplace Train: Found on the outskirts of the Captain’s Tower, the classic Marketplace Train remains in place with some new updates! Its backstory now ties it to the Tower as the owner – Cap’n Jack himself – is also known for collecting miniature trains, and has set up a train for guests to ride. The miniature train now goes around a miniature set depicting modern day Springs with plenty of miniature details such as store logos, Disney characters shopping and dining, miniature food, and more!
Waterside Theater: This theater, located across the way from World of Disney, offers occasional entertainment throughout the year. It’s quite the common place for Festival Disney and Disney Magic Music Days participants to perform at. During the holidays, the stage plays host to The Glory and Pageantry of Christmas, a live re-enactment of the Nativity.
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As one can tell, the Village Marketplace was a concept I borrowed from The Sorcerer's Apprentice, as devised by Team Garfield: @tcool123, @DashHaber, @MickeyWaffleCo., @montydysquith-navarro and @TwilightZone. For the most part, the way I have the Village area of the Marketplace set up would follow their map to a T, with the following exceptions: The Art of Disney would replace Amazon 4-Star, Rancheros moves and replaces MrBeast Burger and Kylie Cosmetics, Once Upon a Toy remains (so bye-bye, Build-a-Bear), and Goofy’s Candy Company is rebuilt across the way from Thingamabobs – this is because where it is on the map is where Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is (both in my Mirror universe, and in real life). And of course, this takes place in a universe where the pedestrian bridge spanning the lagoon was never built. Therefore, Cap’n Jack’s remains open. Hence, Rancheros moves.
Join me tomorrow, February 27, for a trip to the West Side!
Well, to be honest, in the wake of Universal's news of expansion in Vegas and Frisco, Texas, I have been mulling over the idea of doing "regional" Disneylands. Like, you'd only get the one park and maybe one hotel. But the big thing would be how they are presented. I was watching a series on YouTube of a man known as "Mr. Moose" creating a Disneyland in Planet Coaster, and in one of those videos, he had this to say about his park:
"This park isn't meant to be like Anaheim or Orlando, where it's a massive, massive crowd-draw. It's meant to be a park that doesn't bring in a ton of crowds and it's meant to be more calm and almost like Disneyland Paris, in terms of, like, a nice evening stroll."
That's what I'd like to imagine these "regional" Disneylands could be like. That way, people across the country could have access to a Disney experience without having to pay too much of a pretty penny. Plus, depending on location, they wouldn't have to be open year-round, so they'd still be able to generate a strong profit in the "on" season.
But beyond America, I have been considering the possibility of adding more international resorts to the mix. I mean, the stuff that has been created here and in competitions over the years has certainly left an impression on me.
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West Side
Established as part of the Springs Centennial Expo, this former exposition center continues to exude the fun and excitement of the 1950s, a time when it felt like humanity was about to reach new horizons.
Entertainment
Cirque du Soleil: The shape of the Expo’s circus tent is one of the most defining elements of the West Side. Although the days of the typical circus are long-since past, the show held within the tent is sure to inspire that same sense of childlike wonder. In 1999, Disney teamed up with the legendary Cirque du Soleil to create La Nouba, a celebration of imagination. A cleaning lady discovers a portal leading to a strange new world, and the “Cirques”, the strange people that inhabit that world soon wander into the world of the “Urbains”. In 2018, it was announced that La Nouba would be retired and replaced with a new show: Drawn to Life. This show is based more in line with the classic worlds of Disney, and involves a young girl stepping into an unfinished animation piece, a gift from her deceased father.
Characters in Flight: The giant hot-air balloon that once marked the Springs Centennial Expo still stands, offering guests dramatic views of Walt Disney World, and of Central Florida itself, from 400 feet in the air.
AMC Disney Springs 24: One of the largest movie theaters in Central Florida, the AMC Disney Springs 24 offers guests a chance to watch the latest flicks. Although the usual movie fare of popcorn, candy, nachos and soda is available, if you want a full meal, six of the 24 theaters are “Dine-In” theaters. There’s also MacGuffins Bar & Lounge, a bar named after that most crucial of movie plot points.
Splitsville Luxury Lanes: For all the bowling fans out there, this place offers 30 lanes, in addition to billiards and other entertainment. A built-in restaurant offers pizza, sushi and more delicacies.
The Eight Ball: Located directly above Sci-Fi Dine-In, Moonwalk, Shooting Star Milkshake Bar and Blast Off (more on them later), The Eight Ball is a pool hall offering at least 20 tables for guests to shoot billiards, whether novice or advanced. The Eight Ball is divided, with 10 tables reserved for the under-21 crowd, and 10 reserved for the above-21 crowd, complete with bar. The under-21 tables oftentimes have live billiards lessons, so that all ages can learn to play like a pro.
Moonwalk: A trampoline park serving as a next-door neighbor to Sci-Fi Dine-In. This place is inspired by the 1950s fascination with space. Designed in a Googie, cartoon-ish style, this trampoline park lets you bounce and feel the gravity amid B-movie esque dioramas of what lies beyond this Earth.
Dining
House of Blues: One of the most famous restaurants in Disney Springs, this restaurant offers classic soul food, and other American and international delicacies, to the sweet strains of live musicians. The House of Blues is quite a popular place for famous music acts to drop by on their tours. And every Sunday, the Gospel Brunch brings people in from all over. The Smokehouse walk-up window offers some of the restaurant’s signature dishes to-go.
Jaleo by Chef José Andres: This Spanish-influenced restaurant offers delicious food in a festive atmosphere. Pepe offers quick-service takes on Spanish cuisine.
Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater: This West Side hot spot serves the ultimate in thematic dining. Though the restaurant’s aged façade - the West Side Water District - suggests otherwise, we are instead immersed into a faux, outdoor realm of endless night, where vintage roadsters sit before a flickering, black-and-white movie screen. In a car-shaped booth of our own, we chow down on scrumptious morsels while watching scary clips on the big screen: attacking aliens, marauding mummies, rampaging robots and more, all to the orchestral themes of Bernard Herrmann and Bernhard Kaun. Naturally, animated shorts and skits intersperse the rather monstrous imagery, including an old favorite.
Shooting Star Milkshake Bar: Named after, of all things, a Phineas and Ferb reference – complete with a life-size replica of the neon sign used to advertise the boys’ intergalactic hot spot – this idea, courtesy of @Evilgidgit (he originally created this place for a revitalized Disney Village, under the name Carlo's Milkshakes), is a good place to go once you’ve finished a meal at the Sci-Fi Dine-In. The ice cream or milkshake parlour seemed to be the go-to place for teenagers in the ‘50s for romance or just to hang out. It makes sense to include a homely, cozy ice cream parlour here in the ‘50s-inspired West Side. Complete with a checkered floor, comfy seats at the counter, and a romantic soundtrack, the parlour offers delicious, sweet-flavored milkshakes and ice cream, with fifty flavors, one for each American state.
Morimoto Asia: Owned by Masaharu Morimoto, best known as one of the Iron Chefs, this restaurant offers Asian cuisine from all across the continent. A quick-service option for Morimoto – Morimoto Street Food – is also open. This restaurant replaced Bongos Cuban Café in 2019.
Häagen-Dazs
Joffrey’s
Starbucks
Wetzel’s Pretzels
YeSake
Shopping
Blast Off: Another @Evilgidgit idea! Set your course for a step back into the Space Age, a time of endless opportunity and optimism. Tying in with Moonwalk, the shop has a white, silver, and blue retro-futuristic aesthetic, with curving ceiling arches, resembling a mix of a NASA command center, the House of the Future, and something from the mind of Gene Roddenberry. Models of imagined rockets and UFOs hang from the ceiling, and every aisle is lined with exclusive merchandise celebrating a glorious dream of flying cars and jetpacks; a tomorrow we have yet to reach.
M&M’s Store: Following in the footsteps of its sister stores in Las Vegas, New York City, London and Shanghai, the M&M’s Store brings the fun and excitement of one of the world’s best-loved candies to Disney Springs! Originally a Florida Mall institution that opened in 2005, it set up shop at Disney Springs in 2021. Among the features of this shop are unique M&M’s merchandise – clothing, kitchenware and even golf balls, interactive dispensers, a chance to customize your own M&M’s candies, and of course, the famous Flavor Wall, where you can select a grab bag of M&M’s in various types of colors and flavors.
Disney’s Candy Cauldron: A fanciful candy store themed around the Queen’s laboratory from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
DisneyStyle: A trendy boutique featuring Disney-inspired clothing.
Marvel Super Hero Headquarters: A one-stop shop for all your Marvel needs.
Pele Soccer: A soccer-based emporium, named after the Brazilian soccer legend.
Pop Gallery: An art kiosk.
Star Wars Galactic Outpost: A one-stop shop for all your Star Wars needs.
Sunglass Icon by Sunglass Hut: Quality sunglasses.
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If you couldn't tell, Sci-Fi Dine-In, Moonwalk, Shooting Star Milkshake Bar and Blast Off and The Eight Ball all take up the space that, in our real-life WDW, would belong to DisneyQuest/NBA Experience. The idea for The Eight Ball came from @Corey, who devised it for his own ideas for a fifth district.
Four districts down, only one to go! Join me tomorrow, February 28, as we discover the fifth and final district of this Mirror Disney Springs: the Lights District! See you then!
Given that each area reflects a different period in time, it seems only natural that the Lights District follow suit. The Lights District represents Springs in the ‘70s and ‘80s, the era when nightlife was being revolutionized. The club scene began to flourish. Art Deco and neon made a revival. It’s clear that a party atmosphere permeated the ‘70s. In fact, stepping into the Lights District, you’d be forgiven for assuming you suddenly appeared in the bustling metropolis of Miami. Plus, given that Walt Disney World – and Disney Springs – was born in the 1970s, it only makes sense to have a ‘70s-themed area to bring the complex rather full-circle, time-wise. In fact, this district opened its gates on March 22, 2025 – 50 years to the day that the original Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village opened.
Most of the things you will see here were created by the team I gave a shout-out to at the start, but I tossed in a few things myself, and slightly altered a few things that I thought didn’t gel with the overall theme of the land. Let’s begin with how the team discussed the overall aesthetics…
As guests park their car in the new Tangelo Parking Garage, they will be thrilled to know that parking is an ease for the Lights District. After parking guests go down the elevators or stairs to the ground floor, and walk along a path with potted flowers and plants through two small parking lots as the back of the Cirque du Soleil tent looms over the Lights District. Making a left, guests will arrive into the Lights District and be embraced by the colors and sounds of the eighties. The fusion of art deco architecture, neon lighting, and a color scheme derived from Miami Vice create an area of nostalgia for guests to take in with their eyes, and plenty of places ready for social media pictures. Throughout the district the outdoor speakers are all tuned into DSN75, the local radio station housed within the Lights District hosted by local Springs personality Clifford. (Yes, the same Clifford from The Jim Henson Hour and Muppets Tonight.)
In the center of the Lights District is Inspiration Plaza, host to a brand new fountain. Within the fountain a large tower of water continuously flows as smaller towers rise and fall around it. Outdoor patios for the nearby restaurants allow guests to see other patrons dining on food they may want to try for themselves. The Museum of Inspiration stands tall within the plaza, and offers a break from the art deco designs inspired by Miami Beach with tile mosaics decorating parts of the building.
But at night, the Lights District transforms, its festive atmosphere growing even more festive, thanks to its titular lights! The neon lining the buildings and signs throughout the Lights District buildings gives the entire district a new atmosphere with a lively glow. The fountain within Inspiration Plaza has begun to put on a mini light show in sync to the DSN75 Radio Station, which has switched to popular songs heard at parties. Tricks of light make the tile mosaics of Dreamscapes and Fiesta Tropical dance throughout the night. The glass block windows of Sing It have light move through them like bars of music going up and down with how loud the singers are within. Lights hidden with the arch of the Sugar Rush Raceway make the imprinted tire seem to move.
Small lasers will be located throughout the district projecting dots onto the ground making the ground come to life as it seemingly dances. Large spotlights will be setup on top of the Dreamscapes building, the 8TRAX and Sounds of Light buildings, and even from the top of the Cirque du Soleil tent in the West Side, allowing for large spotlights of color to swing throughout the area allowing for large segments of color to run between buildings. The lighting at night transform The Lights District into a district wide party where the fun never stops, and guests to the most happening place in all of Orlando.
Clubs & Entertainment
8TRAX: An old Pleasure Island hotspot, reborn for a new generation. At 8TRAX, you can come down with a case of “disco fever” as you boogie to the beat of ‘70s music. But on Thursdays, and only on Thursdays, 8TRAX comes alive with the sounds of the ‘80s.
The D Show: According to Wikipedia, “The 1970s saw a renaissance of the game show”, and as such, the Lights District is home to the KSLD television broadcasting station, home of The D Show. Inspired by the 1998 computer game, The D Show is “the big Disney game show that everyone can play!” Or in other words, The D Show is a trivia game show that spans the Disney lexicon. Now, as I said, the original D Show computer game came out in November of 1998 (Mulan being the most current film represented in the game), but this show would have an updated lexicon to include the most recent Disney films. And for an example of how the game is played, this link leads to a 30-video YouTube playlist featuring most of the “episodes” found on the two discs of the original game. This is one of a few family-friendly entertainment experiences here at Disney Springs, so showtimes run both during the day and during the night.
Fiesta Tropical: It cannot be denied that Floridian culture has a huge Latin American influence. As such, this multi-floor club offers a full night’s worth of dancing to the Latin beat, featuring prominent Latin artists.
Neon Armadillo Music Saloon: Another favorite from the old days of Pleasure Island, having originally entertained guests from 1989 to 1998, here is a place where y’all can kick up your boots to the sounds of a live country band. This club also features a bar and Western-inspired grub.
Sing It!: Who doesn’t love karaoke? This perennial nighttime staple naturally makes a home here at the Lights District. Here in this swanky nightclub, guests can try their hands at karaoke … or just take in performances.
Sounds of Light: Another Pleasure Island classic reborn, originally known by the name of “BET Soundstage Club”, the latest sounds in hip-hop, soul and R&B are the sounds you’ll hear at this club. An enthusiastic DJ is on hand to help get everyone on the dance floor.
Attractions
Disney’s Dreamscapes: Located within the Springs Museum of Inspiration will be Disney’s Dreamscapes, an escape room complex home to plenty of rooms allowing for a large capacity and six distinct themes that encourage guests to come back for more. Five of these rooms are based around a certain theme: Toy Story, Aladdin, Star Wars, Mickey Mouse and Guardians of the Galaxy. One room specifically changes themes with each season. January and February bring Pirates of the Caribbean, Spring brings an ever-rotating theme (usually the latest Disney release), Summer brings Phineas and Ferb, September and October bring The Nightmare Before Christmas and the Christmas season (November-December) brings Frozen. The prices for these escape rooms will be competitive with local establishments and cost each adult around $30, and each child $25. Special prices may be given to groups of eight or more. To experience these rooms, you must make a reservation online or in person. Each party gets a 15 minute grace period. Once that is up, your reservation will be given to another party.
The Grid: Based on one of Disney’s more recognized ‘80s releases, guests can play laser tag from within the world of Tron. The lobby is modeled after the headquarters for ENCOM. As guests enter into the digital world, guests will be able to choose what distinct arena they wish to play in: The Solar Sailer or The End of the Line Club. The Solar Sailer is aimed for all ages and is modeled as a vehicle storage center. The visuals are somewhere between Legacy and the original film. Lightcycles, Recognizers, and Solar Sailers fill the space and act as obstacles. The End of Line Club is aimed at those looking for a challenge in the arena. It is centered around the nightclub from Tron Legacy. On busy nights, this laser tag arena even has a live DJ in the center of it playing 80’s hits from artists like Madonna to George Michael.
The Muppets’ Putt-Putt Pandemonium: As was already established, Clifford runs the local radio station. But what of the abandoned television station right next door? Well, within those doors, the wacky world of the Muppets and the wacky world of miniature golf collide. Each of the 18 holes is made to look like it was made up by a certain Muppet. We begin, as always, with Kermit, sitting in the swamp underneath a glorious rainbow. Fairly simple hole. It only gets more complicated from here…
Other holes include Dr. Honeydew and Beaker’s “Golf Labs” where the golf ball is the subject of the latest experiment; Fozzie’s Banana-rama course, festooned with banana peels (Watch your step!); and The Great Gonzo’s Stunt Course, where your golf ball can try its own stunts! And who could forget Miss Piggy’s show-stopping number? And oh, what’s this? Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem want to be involved! They parked the bus right in the middle of the course though! Hit the ball up into the bus (and then get into the bus) to continue this hole by shooting it out the first escape in the back and into the hole. It all leads up to Sam Eagle’s “glorious three-hour finale!” What better way to end a show than with fireworks? Unfortunately, this time you are hitting the ball into the fireworks shop setting of a chain reaction of fireworks to end your fun and dangerous time at The Muppets’ Putt-Putt Pandemonium.
Sugar Rush Raceway: Much like how The Grid takes guests inside a video game, Sugar Rush Raceway offers another chance for guests to enter the virtual world. Here, guests can actually race down the Sugar Rush racetrack, as seen in Wreck-It Ralph, in this elaborate, indoor go-kart experience. Making use of electric go-karts with RFID technology (this will not only allow photos and videos to be sent directly to guests’ MagicBands, but also help to prevent collisions), helmets and ADR goggles, guests will feel like they’ve jumped into the world of Sugar Rush, joining Ralph, Vanellope, Felix and Sgt. Calhoun for a wild race that would put Mr. Toad to shame. (For safety reasons, the raceway will have a height requirement of 48 inches, an age requirement of at least 6; guests under 18 must have a liability waiver signed by a parent or legal guardian. For guests under 18 they must be 54 inches or taller to ride solo.)
The VOID: Step Beyond Reality: By combining state-of-the-art virtual-reality technology, physical sets and multi-sensory effects, including touch and smell, The VOID invites Lights District visitors to become active participants in uniquely themed environments. Surrounded by 3D imagery and sound in an immersive story by ILMxLAB and The VOID, brave heroes walk around freely without a tether as they explore an exciting new world. Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire, Ralph Breaks VR!, and Black Panther: Wakanda Escape are among the three featured adventures. Interact with popular characters and each other in a virtual environment designed to capture the groundbreaking technology - and the magic of illusion.
Dining
Johnny Rockets: As BoJack Horseman once said, “Nothing was bigger in the 80s than 50s nostalgia.” The chrome, the neon, the fun atmosphere, the music... A 50s throwback diner is a natural fit for the Lights District! And no throwback diner chain is a better fit for Disney than Johnny Rockets! Just take a look at this quote from their website: “Johnny Rockets is more than a restaurant, it’s an escape-from-the-ordinary experience that brings every day – and everyone – an excuse to celebrate, making memories and meals that live beyond the booth.” The attitude and core beliefs of Johnny Rockets, along with their incredible food, will be a great match for Disney Springs! This will also help serve as a reasonably priced option for food that appeals to younger, pickier eaters as well as older, more discerning guests.
Olette’s: Blending Art-Deco with the unique style of Kingdom Hearts, Olette’s brings the Twilight Town hot-spot to life, with meals inspired by the worlds seen in the hit game series. And yes, sea-salt ice cream is the main dessert.
Pub Sub Hub, presented by Publix: Few brands are as quintessentially tied to Florida history (especially the spring/lake towns of central Florida) than Publix Supermarkets. The first store opened in Winter Haven, just a 45 minute drive away from Disney Springs. While primarily just a grocery store, there are two things that have set Publix apart from the competition: Excellent, Disney-level customer service and the most delicious subs ever made! It is not uncommon for Floridians to go to Publix just to get their subs and sweet tea. There has never been a way to get these amazing Pub Subs (as they are affectionately called) outside of the grocery stores... Until now! The Pub Sub Hub is a new experiment design to take this iconic Floridian food to a whole new audience! Delicious Boar’s Head deli meats and cheeses, chicken strips, and sweet tea, all in a new stand alone sub shop! With an exterior modeled after the original Publix supermarket, this new dining location is sure to be a hit!
Zaroorat Cafe: If Evangeline gets some of its visual influence from The Princess and the Frog, it seems only natural that Zaroorat gets its influence from The Jungle Book. A vast menu offers family-style Indian cooking, as well as other “bare necessities”. In fact, that’s what “zaroorat” means in Hindi: “necessity”!
Shopping
Apple: Where better for this shop to be located than here in the Lights District? Its white-toned, neon-lit aesthetic blends in beautifully here!
Clifford’s Studio: Inspired by both The Jim Henson Hour and Muppets Tonight, this store specializes in media -- DVDs, Blu-rays, video games, CDS, and all that. In addition, this store also features tons of Muppet merchandise. You can even interact with an animatronic Clifford!
Morphe: A makeup store with a neon color scheme.
Raceway Pit Stop: Here, you can purchase your on-ride video and design your very own Sugar Rush kart!
Spirit Jersey: According to the original prompt, “There are few things that have become as popular among the Disney fandom as Spirit Jerseys. They are right up there with #PurpleWall and Specialty Cupcakes in terms of popularity. A store dedicated to these over-sized sweaters makes perfect sense! The store will sell the entire Disney line of Spirit Jerseys including a brand new specialty line dedicated to Disney Springs with a sweater designed to represent each of the four districts.”
Xion’s Database: An electronic store specializing in all manner of Kingdom Hearts merchandise.
Regarding the map they made of this district (again, see the link above), Apple replaces Football Legends; Sounds of Light, The VOID and 8TRAX replace the Distadium; the KSLD Television Station/The D Show replaces the Springs Community Theater, and the Neon Armadillo replaces The Gator Stomp and Evangeline, which have moved over to Pleasure Island.
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And with that, our tour of Disney Springs is complete! I must credit @MANEATINGWREATH for his vivid description of The VOID, as that came from his Mirror Disneyland thread; and once again, all credit for the original concept of the Lights District comes from those I mentioned at the start of this post!
Join me again on Thursday, March 2, as we explore Athel Island, an area meant to bring new life into Discovery Island! See you then!
Once again, I apologize for missing a promised posting date, so here is the next post, better late than never.
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Athel Island
Walt Disney World is a place where you can live a beautiful fantasy or an exciting adventure. The young and the young at heart can play together in an escape from the real world that we all live in. This was showcased more than ever in Walt Disney World’s earlier years at Discovery Island, a now abandoned section of the resort's property. Discovery Island opened in 1974 as Treasure Island, and was a sanctuary for tropical wildlife such as birds, snakes and primates. Located in the middle of Bay Lake, between the Contemporary Resort, Wilderness Lodge, and Fort Wilderness, the island occupied a prime location, and was a popular draw for long-stay visitors who wanted more than just to visit the parks. In 1998, following the opening of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, attendance to the island began to dwindle, and it closed for good in 1999, 25 years to the day when it first opened.
On October 1, 2001, when the 100 Years of Magic Celebration kicked off, it was announced that Discovery Island would be turned into Athel Island, which he described as “an exciting half-day park experience that will allow guests of all ages to have their own adventure!” Thus, with great fanfare, Athel Island opened exactly 30 years to the day as its predecessor did: April 8, 2004.
Backstory and Mythology
A group of travelers led by the legendary explorer Ezkiel Athel get caught in a deadly storm and shipwreck on an island in the middle of an uncharted region of the Pacific Northwest. When they arrive, all they discover is an odd shaped rock shaped like an idol of sorts. After going through the island, there's no other inhabitants on the island, not even deer or any sort of wildlife. Once they have explored, they find that they enjoy the island, with it's rushing creeks and bursting geysers. However, they find that the most beautiful trait of the island is the gorgeous mountain that rises above the treetops.
After figuring out how to survive in the unforgiving, but beautiful wilderness, the villagers learn how to fish for food, which plants are edible, how to build homes and other survival techniques. As the community grows, they learn more and more about the wild and discover new artifacts and items unknown to the outside world. So, they decide to have traders go out into the world to trade and spread the stories of the island, which they have named Athel Island after their heroic leader. But they also believe their prosperity is due to the idol who looks over the island and gives the villagers good karma for every day and every night…
General Theming
The theme of the island is based off of the wilderness of an untouched Pacific Northwest island, featuring giant redwood trees, rocky creeks, and multiple geysers across the island.
Attractions & Amenities
The park features many adventurous activities for guests to enjoy. Guests can have their own adventure at the following experiences…
The fun, adventure and mystery of Athel Island set in even before you get there, because even the boat ride is a journey within itself. Guests travel to Athel Island on small steam ships, reminiscent of the boats found on the world-famous Jungle Cruise, or the existing launches ferrying guests between Magic Kingdom and Wilderness Lodge / Fort Wilderness. These steam ships will depart from the Contemporary, Polynesian Village, Wilderness Lodge and River Country.
After boarding their vessels, guests are treated to a 15 minute cruise around Athel Island as they are told of the history of the island. The cruise ends with a short trip through Goff Caverns, a beautiful natural cavern lit by stunning multi-colored crystals, geysers and waterfalls. The boat enters the caves underneath the mountain, where the guests see several scenes before arriving at the dock. Guests will encounter AA bats, see the beautiful caverns and escape an active geyser, which erupts out of the caverns and out of the side of the mountain, adding a layer of kinetics akin to that at Typhoon Lagoon. Guests can disembark their boat on Athel Island inside Goff Caverns, emerging out of the caves into the central village, from where they can experience the many attractions on the island.
Rising up from Bay Lake is a new structure that will become an iconic landmark of Athel Island. Mount Athel rises six stories in the air and is the primary location for more physically demanding activities. The mountain will have a light brown appearance save for patches of grass in various spaces. Redwood trees will be strategically placed so they're smaller as they go up the mountain and bigger near the bottom, giving it a forced perspective look of appearing much taller than it actually is.
Hollowed out within the mountain is a series of man-made caves for safe “cave exploration” on the Cave Exploration Trails. Think of this as a network of caves all tying back into each other, essentially a big maze with three different cave paths all criss-crossing at various points. This is similar to Injun Joe’s Cave on Tom Sawyer Island, except on a grander scale, and with elements of Disneyland’s Rainbow Caverns thrown in. The cave exploration trails inside Athel mountain will have some small interactive halls with projection effects, AA bears, diamonds and more. One of the games the guests can play is similar to the indoor queue game from the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. MagicBands and park tickets can be tapped to the games and interactive elements for a personalized touch (like the guest’s name appearing in the waterfalls).
Going up the mountain will be various Wilderness Hiking Trails, where you can hike all the way to the top of the gently sloping mountain. There will be three trails, one of which is the most extreme and uphill. One trail is the lightest and fastest way to get to the peak, and the other is essentially the “Scenic Route”, winding its way around the mountain in such a way to afford great views of the surrounding areas.
Rock Climbing Walls will also be naturally worked into the sides of the mountain, again at various levels ranging from a 20 foot Kid’s Climb to the 70 foot expert course to get to the very top.
Brave guests will also be able to partake in one of the most popular outdoor activities in modern day tourism...the Zipline! Once again, there will be three different ziplines at various points along the mountain. One right at the peak will give guests a real rush as they careen down at a steep angle, by far the most thrilling offering of the entire park!
Slightly below the peak guests can ride a Scenic Zipline that is much longer than the “thrill” version but not nearly as steep of an incline, affording guests a lot of good views as they zip back down to the bottom. Finally about 40 feet up will be a beginners zipline where you can go back down the mountain at a relaxing pace, minus any steep incline. Perfect for kids who are unsure rather or not they're ready for the bigger courses.
Also starting on the side of the mountain is the Treetop Adventure. Nestled among the trees is a small building in the style of the Wilderness Lodge, where guests can put on their safety harnesses. From here, another zipline takes guests down the mountain and into the redwood forest below, where they will begin their high-ropes adventure. Several unique challenges face the guests on this aerial course, passing over most of the island before returning guests the the base of Mount Athel. You must be at least 48” tall to take on this adventure.
Throughout the park, there are countless weather-resistant animal audio-animatronics. These AAs will be similar to the ones in the extinct Nature’s Wonderland attraction at Disneyland.
Guests can also go to the Fishing Pond, or Salmon Creek Fishing Point. Here you can rent fishing poles and catch a variety of different kinds of fish. However, you must throw back all of the fish to keep the ecosystem of the park intact.
For the kids, the Geyser Splash Pads will be a great place to cool off in the hot Florida sun. Tying part of the backstory into this attraction, everyone from the entire family can enjoy the geysers just like the villagers on the expedition did.
We also have the Wilderness Explorer Adventures locations. At these locations, added in 2009 around the time Up first came to theaters, a cast member will present the guest with a question, task or challenge which, when completed, will earn the guest a Wilderness Explorer Badge (sticker). This does not replace the current setup at Animal Kingdom, but is instead complimentary. Certain badges can only be found at Animal Kingdom, while certain others can only be found at Wilderness Retreat, so to collect a full set, guests must visit both parks. Although the Up characters are here, ties to the movie will be kept loose in order to keep a more consistent theme throughout the island.
Finally, we have Russell’s Balloon Tour, added in 2010, a suspended dark ride where the riders sit in a basket underneath a faux hot air balloon, travelling over most of the island, and even out over the water. This peaceful attraction allows a view of the island for those who aren’t keen on riding down the ziplines or running through the trails. The balloons gently rock and bob up and down to enhance the sensation of flight. The balloons travel through the thick forest, winding over the many paths and buildings, before they travel out over the open water of Bay Lake. Turning and returning to shore, the balloons enter a rocky canyon filled with mist, much like the one in Up, catching a glimpse of the Spirit of Adventure docked in Muntz’s cave (using forced perspective to make it appear larger than it actually is), and then passing Kevin. As Kevin flees into the forest, the balloons follow, returning to the station near the base of the mountain.
The traditional Carl, Russell, and Dug meet ‘n’ greet characters will be out and about near the docks here, but with a couple special surprises. Dug’s voice collar will work, and he’ll be able to interact with the guests via an unseen cast member feeding lines based on the activity of the people around the dog. Expect many “Squirrel!” and “Oh, please, will you be my prisoner!” jokes. Joining the trio will be the highly-popular Kevin, making her second home here – the first one being in Animal Kingdom, of course.
Along the creek, the Adventurer’s Canteen quick-service restaurant will be featured that serves a variety of seafood, meats and greens. A wooden terrace overlooks Bay Lake, as the location occupies the former Discovery Island dock area. This location is only open for lunch. Among the selections on the menu are garden salads, fish tacos, fish and chips and a gourmet bacon cheeseburger.
Easter Eggs
No Disney experience is without its Easter Eggs! Throughout the island are subtle references to the island's past and different Disney references only fans would understand! These include tie-ins with Wilderness Lodge’s backstory, references to Discovery Island’s real past, references to Rainbow Caverns and the Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland at Disneyland, and references to various Imagineers.
MyMagic+ Implementation
MyMagic+ as many will know is a way Disney has made planning a trip less stressful. MyMagic+ comes with several features--namely, the upgraded FastPass system, the MagicBands and My Disney Experience. However for Athel Island only two out of three of these great features will be used, those two being the MagicBands and My Disney Experience.
On My Disney Experience, guests will be able to check the time for the next ferry to Athel Island. They can also use this same feature to find out when the next ferry is leaving from Athel Island. If wanted guests can take a survey made just for Athel Island. Using this survey, My Disney Experience can help guests find what's best to their liking on Athel Island. On My Disney Experience, guests will also find out which activities are closed for the day whether it be by weather or anything that may occur. Finally guests will of course be able to see what time Athel Island opens and closes along with various activities located on the island.
The MagicBands will of course still be used to enter the park, if, of course, the guests have one. If not, their park ticket can get them in. With scanners that can track Magic Bands within the park guests can be welcomed to the park by name by the cast members. The cast members can even suggest activities based on their Athel Island Survey results on My Disney Experience.
In sum, Athel Island will be a place where every guest of the Walt Disney World Resort can come and have the adventure of a lifetime! Oh, and by the way, shout-outs are in order for @DisneyPrincess1993,@RMichael21, @tcool, @orlando678-, @TheOriginalTiki, @MCParradox and @JokersWild; because I got the idea from them, an idea which they created for The Creator Games back in 2015. Most of this came directly from the original Athel Island idea, while the Up-inspired elements were borrowed from MCParradox and his Wilderness Retreat, which was also created as a way to rejuvenate Discovery Island.
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I think I'll upload the next post later today, as it is a very short one -- covering the various golfing options here at MWDW. See you then!
Well, it certainly has been a long time, hasn't it? Here, at last, is the post about golf at Walt Disney World.
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Golfing at Walt Disney World
For those who love to swing the old nine-iron, Walt Disney World has got you covered with seven golf courses and two mini-golf courses. The golf courses include…
Disney’s Palm Golf Course: Opened October 1, 1971. 18 holes.
Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course: Opened October 1, 1971. 18 holes. Both this and the Palm are located near the Magic Kingdom Resort Area.
Disney’s Lake Buena Vista Golf Course: Opened October 1, 1972. 18 holes. Located nearby Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa.
Disney’s Oak Trail Golf Course: Opened 1982. 9 holes. Directly accessed from Shades of Green.
Walt Disney World Pelican Grove Golf Course: Opened May 1, 1991. Located where Disney-MGM Studios would end up being built in our real-life WDW; and built specifically because Marriott wanted a specialty golf course to compliment the Swan and Dolphin.
Disney’s Osprey Ridge Golf Course: Opened January 23, 1992. 18 holes.
Disney’s Eagle Pines Golf Course: Opened January 23, 1992. 18 holes. Both this and Osprey Ridge are located nearby Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground.
The two miniature golf courses are…
Fantasia Gardens: Opened May 20, 1996. Located steps away from the Walt Disney World Swan. Two courses with 18 holes each. Fantasia Gardens features holes divided into five segments themed around a sequence from the original Fantasia, complete with elaborate sculptures (those sequences being “Toccata and Fugue in D Minor”, “The Nutcracker Suite”, “The Pastoral Symphony”, “Dance of the Hours” and “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”); and Fantasia Fareways offers more of a challenge, complete with hazards seen at a typical golf course.
Winter Summerland: Opened March 12, 1999. Fittingly located steps away from Blizzard Beach, this mini-golf course was, according to lore, the creation of Santa Claus himself! He set up the place as an off-duty vacation site for his elves, and he set up two separate courses: a “Summer” course featuring surfboards and palm trees, and a “Winter” course featuring hockey sticks and ice castles.
Not only that, but Walt Disney World is also a part of the PGA Golf Tour! Ever since the resort opened, the golf courses have been the home of the Walt Disney World Golf Classic. Not only was it a popular part of the PGA Tour, but since many golfers on the tour were Florida natives, the WDW Golf Classic meant that their families could come to see them play! Jack Nicklaus was the first to win the WDW Golf Classic, and since then, champions have included such golf legends as Tiger Woods, Ryan Palmer and Hal Sutton.
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Now, the next post will be coming out on Wednesday, March 15, and I swear I will get it uploaded on that date. That particular post will cover the various ways one can say "I do" amid the magic of Walt Disney World. That's right, we're gonna be talking about weddings at the Most Magical Place on Earth! See you then!
Once again, I am one day late with this post. Sorry about that, y'all. Well, here is the next post, better late than never.
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Weddings at Walt Disney World
Since 1991, couples have had the chance to say “I do” right here at Walt Disney World with Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings. In fact, weddings here became so popular that in 1995, Disney’s Wedding Pavilion opened on-property, just a short walk away from Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. This beautiful, opulent white chapel offers ceremonies for all types of weddings – religious and secular – and is most noted for being set up in such a way that one can see Cinderella Castle in the distance, a powerful backdrop for the ceremony. But of course, nowadays, there are plenty of places for guests to be married here at Walt Disney World.
For example, if you want to tie the knot inside one of the theme parks, you most certainly can. The Magic Kingdom offers weddings from the Main Street train station or in the shadow of Cinderella Castle, or for that matter, amidst the glitz and glamour of Hollywoodland; EPCOT offers wedding locations all around World Showcase, although the crème de la crème is the American Adventure Rotunda, a rather stately place for receptions; Disney’s Animal Kingdom offers ceremonies in front of the majestic Tree of Life, and receptions in the Asia courtyard, in the shadow of Expedition Everest; and Disney’s Mythica features ceremonies in Anglia, with a dramatic backdrop of Pharos Lighthouse and the peaks of the park, followed by a reception in the Library of Alexandria. If you wish, you can even time the reception so that guests can enjoy World of Myth!
If you wish to be married at one of the resorts, there are certainly plenty of options. Apart from the Wedding Pavilion, you can also be married along the waters of Crescent Lake, or amid the rustic charm of Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside, or against the savanna of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. Those are just a few examples of a wide variety of locations.
Not only that, but each wedding is completely customizable. You can work within a budget or just go nuts. Disney allows guests to pick and choose everything – the food served, the décor, the transportation, even the entertainment. Brides and grooms can even wear gowns and suits inspired by Disney princes and princesses. Replicas of Cinderella’s iconic ballgown, glimmering white with hints of silver and gold, are the most popular among brides. And gentlemen occasionally sport capes, a la Florian or Phillip, or emulate the dashing uniforms of Prince Charming and Prince Eric. And yes, you can invite two of your favorite Disney characters to the reception, if you’re so inclined!
But that’s not even the best part: For $50,000, you can take part in the ultimate Disney wedding: the Magic Kingdom After Hours event. This event includes…
A ceremony either on Main Street, U.S.A. in front of the Partners Statue, or in the Plaza Rose Garden. No matter what, you’re getting hitched in the shadow of Cinderella Castle!
A reception either at Cinderella’s Royal Table or the Fantasyland Courtyard (Aside from being its own separate location, the Royal Table serves as the back-up in case of inclement weather.); or at Be Our Guest Restaurant or the Animation Lobby at Hollywoodland.
Dinner – buffet at the Animation Lobby and Fantasyland Courtyard, table-service at the Royal Table and Be Our Guest.
Guests arriving to the ceremony in Main Street Vehicles, and the bride arriving in Cinderella’s coach.
And the piece de resistance, a one-night stay for the newlyweds at Cinderella Castle Suite.
In fact, this one was so popular, that in 2016, to celebrate 25 years of Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings, the price was brought down to $25,000. Nowadays, it is possible to get this package for both prices, but the $25,000 option leaves out the night in the Suite.
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Rather a short post, but one that should give you a taste as to how Disney provides an extra touch that helps make weddings even more magical. Well, I'm going to be taking a few days off, but I will be back -- on-time -- on Sunday, March 19; and in that post, we'll start exploring the hotels of Mirror Walt Disney World. See you then!
Yeah, I think that would be for the better. To be honest, I haven't been feeling well lately. But I definitely feel a lot better today, so here comes the next post!
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The Hotels of Walt Disney World
A prominent vacation resort surely needs hotels, and Walt Disney World has got them in spades. In fact, Walt Disney World is home to a whopping eighteen hotels on-property. These hotels are divided into three categories: Deluxe, Moderate and Value; and all of them are filled with the same level of theming and immersion as the theme parks and as Disney Springs. They are also located within four distinct resort areas: the Magic Kingdom Resort Area, the EPCOT Resort Area, the Animal Kingdom Resort Area and the Mythica Resort Area.
Now, I’ll go through each of these resorts in order of their opening date, and give a brief glimpse at what they are like.
Disney’s Contemporary Resort
Location: Magic Kingdom Resort Area / Category: Deluxe / Opened: October 1, 1971
The flagship resort of Walt Disney World, Disney’s Contemporary Resort may be one of the most recognized icons in all of Walt Disney World. Its 15-story, A-frame shape is a familiar visage for all Walt Disney World visitors. The resort is famous for its Grand Canyon Concourse, so named for the elaborate Mary Blair mural depicting the Grand Canyon. Found on the fourth floor of the resort, this is where most of the shops and restaurants are located, and the Walt Disney World Monorail glides right past it! The resort’s main tower is flanked by two Garden Wings, one on each side of the tower (Bay Lake Tower does not get built in this Mirror universe).
In 2019, Disney’s Contemporary Resort got a massive upgrade, turning the Garden Wings and pool area into “Perfect Park Acres.” The Garden Wings became surrounded by lush gardens and gazebos, among the most beautiful gardens ever devised for Walt Disney World; with futuristic plant carvings, foliage, and plenty more “park”-oriented things to do. With increased outdoor seating for the Sand Bar, shaded areas, a new lazy river section nearby the pool, and as you go further into the two Garden Wings, lush rose gardens invite you in as you can sit by a more secluded quiet pool, play basketball in the park, or just relax on one of the two dozen benches in shaded areas around Perfect Park Acres.
Amenities
Disney’s Contemporary Resort offers four restaurants and five lounges.
California Grill: The resort’s flagship restaurant, located at the very top of the Contemporary Tower. Authentic Californian fare – seafood, sushi, steaks – is on the menu, while dramatic views of the Magic Kingdom provide a powerful setting. It’s quite popular to dine here at night, to get front-row seating for Happily Ever After. A lounge is also included here.
Chef Mickey’s: Located in the Grand Canyon Concourse, this popular character dining buffet offers breakfast, lunch and dinner with the classic Disney gang.
Contempo Café: Also on the Grand Canyon Concourse, Contempo Cafe offers freshly-prepared goods.
Hoverburb: Following the tremendous success the Patina Restaurant Group had with Space 220 at EPCOT, Disney hired them to design a new, futuristic-themed restaurant. Located on the grounds of what was once the circular pool, the Hoverburb offers elaborate meals, all accompanied by a dramatic view of Bay Lake.
Steakhouse 71: Located on the first floor of the resort, a few feet away from the check-in area, Steakhouse 71 offers delicious meals in a sleek, ‘70s-inspired setting. A lounge is also included here.
Contemporary Grounds: A coffee bar found in the lobby.
Outer Rim: A lounge on the Grand Canyon Concourse.
Sand Bar: A lounge by the pool. As part of Perfect Park Acres, this place received a major upgrade in not only menu but in design, now implementing the old 1975 Tomorrowland spires on both sides of the building.
There are three shops, all of them on the Grand Canyon Concourse. Fantasia, so named because it’s stylistically themed after “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”, offers toys, plush, pins and other accessories. Of course, the Monorail playset is among the toys found here, fitting given one of the Concourse’s main draws. The nearby Fantasia Market offers snacks, soft drinks and books. Bay View Gifts offers Contemporary Resort-themed merchandise, artwork, clothing and kitchenware. There’s even a display case filled with all sorts of freshly-made baked treats!
The Grand Canyon Concourse is also home to the Game Station, a modern arcade.
As part of the Perfect Park Acres initiative, the old pool area was completely transformed. Now, guests can take a dive in the all-new Gravity Pool, which is twice the size of the original pool. The pool even includes The Wormhole, a water slide that combines indoor and outdoor effects, ending in a 15 foot dive under a footbridge and coasting into the water below. There are also smaller, quiet pools located at both Garden Wings.
For recreation purposes, there are jogging tracks, two tennis courts, a basketball court, a health club, and yoga every Tuesday and Thursday. Plus, given the resort’s proximity to Bay Lake, you can go boating and fishing, too! And out on the green, nightly campfires and movie screenings always bring in crowds.
Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort Location: Magic Kingdom Resort Area / Category: Moderate / Opened: October 1, 1971
The beauty of the South Seas is replicated here at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. The glorious Great Ceremonial House, known for its indoor waterfall garden, is only the beginning of the utter immersion in tropical paradise this resort offers. Beyond the Great Ceremonial House are eleven longhouses where guest rooms are located, each one named for a different Pacific island: Aotearoa, Fiji, Hawaii, Niue, Rapa Nui, Rarotonga, Samoa, Tahiti, Tokelau, Tonga and Tuvalu. Most of these longhouses rest along white sandy beaches on the edge of the Seven Seas Lagoon. You can’t swim in the lagoon, but the beaches are open for sunbathing and sandcastle building!
Amenities
Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort offers seven restaurants and four lounges.
Barefoot Bar: A poolside bar, located near the Lava pool.
Capt. Cook’s: A quick-service eatery near the resort’s lobby in the Great Ceremonial House.
Kona Café: Located on the second floor of the Great Ceremonial House. Offers American-inspired breakfast and Asian-inspired lunch and dinner. The Kona Island coffee bar is right nearby, and offers extended seating in the evening.
Oasis Grill: A poolside bar offering cheeseburgers and chicken wraps. The Oasis Bar is located nearby.
‘Ohana: An elaborate family-style restaurant, offering character breakfasts with Lilo and Stitch and elaborate dinners cooked over a roaring fire pit.
Pineapple Lanai: A poolside stand offering the famous Dole Whip.
Kau’i-Pono Polynesian Revue at Luau Cove: To a meal featuring roasted chicken, pork ribs, fresh pineapple, rice and vegetables, we can take in the spirit of Polynesia in an elaborate and authentic tribute to the culture of Hawaii. And by the way, the show itself is named after the two people who helped to develop it: the late, great Kau’ihealai Mahikoa Brandt – affectionately known as “Auntie Kau’i” – and her husband, Pono.
Tambu Lounge: Located next to ‘Ohana. Specializes in frozen pina coladas.
Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto: Named for the infamous Jungle Cruise salesman, Trader Sam’s offers specialty drinks and small plates in a densely-themed area.
There are two shops. BouTiki offers souvenirs, resort-themed merchandise and some baked treats. Moana Mercantile is the place to go for Disney character merchandise, toys and clothing; as well as snacks and soft drinks.
For recreation, there are two swimming pools – the Oasis pool and the Lava pool – a health club, and boating and fishing options on the Seven Seas Lagoon.
Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground Location: Magic Kingdom Resort Area / Category: Value / Opened: November 19, 1971
Located on 750 acres of dense forest, Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground offers a more “natural” approach to spending the night. There are plenty of places for guests to bring their own RVs and trailers, or just set up the old tent and “rough it.” If you’re not into the whole camping scene, you can always rent a cabin.
Amenities
Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground offers four restaurants and one lounge.
The Chuck Wagon: An old camper provides classic foods like burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches and salads. Come nightfall, they also offer s’more kits and marshmallows.
Crockett’s Tavern: In this rustic bar, cocktails, soft drinks and pub fare are on the menu.
Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue at Pioneer Hall: Perhaps the most well-known dinner show in the Central Florida area, the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue is one of Fort Wilderness’ biggest draws. Started up in 1974, and not letting up since, this wild ‘n’ wacky show stars the Pioneer Hall Players: singers Jim Handy and Flora Long, dancers Johnny Ringo and Claire de Lune, and comic relief Dolly Drew and Six-Bits Slocum. As guests enjoy a frontier feast of chicken, ribs, beans, potatoes, salad and cornbread, with strawberry shortcake for dessert, the Pioneer Hall Players sing and dance up a storm, oftentimes inviting the audience to join them in their frivolity.
Trail’s End Restaurant: A down-home buffet is a popular place to go for breakfast, lunch or dinner. P&J’s Southern Takeout offers goods from Trail’s End to-go.
There’s only one shop here: the Meadow Trading Post.
Since this is a campground, there’s a whole bunch of stuff to do here at Fort Wilderness. You can go boating via canoe or motorboat, try your hand at fishing and even archery, rent a bike, take a dip in one of two pools, play a little basketball, tetherball, tennis or volleyball, take a romantic carriage ride or a rustic wagon ride, and go horseback riding. You can even explore the Tri-Circle-D Ranch, where the horses that pull the Magic Kingdom trolley live, and a built-in blacksmith shop. There’s also a nightly campfire sing-along and marshmallow roasting featuring Chip ‘n’ Dale, leading up to a screening of a Disney flick.
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa Location: Magic Kingdom Resort Area / Category: Deluxe / Opened: June 28, 1988
Elaborate, elegant, luxurious…these three words perfectly describe Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. Inspired by the legendary Hotel del Coronado in California and the Mount Washington Resort in New Hampshire, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa brings the glory of late-19th century Victorian panache into the modern age. As soon as you enter the resort’s grand lobby, you know you are in for a treat. Stained-glass, chandeliers and an old-fashioned cage elevator let us know that we have returned to a simpler, more elegant time. Elaborate suites and rooms offer luxury and comfort, and there’s plenty to do around the resort and on the marina.
Amenities
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is home to six restaurants and five lounges.
Citricos: The flavors of Southern Europe are offered in this dinner-only restaurant. A built-in lounge offers the finest of wines.
Garden View Tea Room: So named because it offers lovely views of the Grand Floridian’s verdant gardens, this place offers a traditional British afternoon tea every day, in addition to a special princess-based tea party in the morning.
Gasparilla Island Grill: A 24-hour stand offering sandwiches and salads.
Grand Floridian Café: A simple, relaxing café on the veranda.
Mizner’s Lounge: Located on the main building’s second floor, this upscale bar features the finest wines and luxurious bar food. The Grand Floridian Society Orchestra performs nightly across the way from the lounge, and the windows offer dramatic views of the resort’s courtyard and Seven Seas Lagoon.
Narcoossee’s: Enjoy a luxury meal along the banks of the Seven Seas Lagoon. A built-in lounge is also open here.
1900 Park Fare: An elaborate character buffet, themed around a turn-of-the-century fair, complete with carousel horses and an old pipe organ. Classic British characters – Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Mary Poppins, Alice and the Mad Hatter – appear for breakfast, while Cinderella and Prince Charming – as well as Cinderella’s infamous stepfamily – host dinner.
Victoria & Albert’s: The epitome of high-class cooking in Walt Disney World. In keeping with the late-19th century theme, it’s named after the English monarch of the time, Queen Victoria, and her husband, Prince Albert. The menu is an ever-changing array of the finest gourmet food in Central Florida. Depending on the time, anywhere from seven to ten courses are featured over the course of the night’s high-class feast.
There are four shops here, two on the first floor of the main building and two on the second floor. On the first floor, we have Summer Lace, offering swimwear and other clothing, and Sandy Cove, offering gifts and sundries. On the second floor, there’s M. Mouse Mercantile, a Disney character merchandise store and Basin, a store offering bath supplies.
The “spa” portion of the resort’s name comes from Senses – A Disney Spa. In this relaxing spot, you can enjoy wonderful pampering treatments, from facials to massages. In addition, the Senses complex is also home to a health club, and the Ivy Trellis salon, where guests can come for anything related to hair-care.
A small arcade, Arcadia Games, is built near the Gasparilla Island Grill.
Recreation is abound here at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. There’s boating, fishing, a half-court, and two large pools...not to mention an Alice in Wonderland-inspired water play area. Furthermore, the Palm, Magnolia and Oak Trail golf courses are located nearby the resort.
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort Location: EPCOT Resort Area / Category: Value / Opened: October 1, 1988
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, the first resort to open outside the Magic Kingdom Resort Area, brings the vibrancy of the Caribbean Islands to Walt Disney World. Surrounding Barefoot Bay are seven different compartments, each one named after a different Caribbean island: Aruba, Barbados, Dominica, Jamaica, Martinique, Tobago (which opened in our real-life WDW as “Trinidad North”) and Trinidad. These seven compartments are set around Old Port Royale, the central “port of call” of the resort. Here is located the guest check-in area, the food court, the main shop and an elaborate, sit-down restaurant.
The resort has seen two major additions ever since it opened. In 1998, to celebrate the resort’s tenth anniversary, Dominica opened across the way from Trinidad, thus creating a full loop all the way around Barefoot Bay; and in 2018, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort underwent a massive refurbishment. Old Port Royale was given a complete overhaul, completely re-theming its amenities and moving check-in from the Custom House to a new location within Old Port Royale. Despite this change, Customs House remained the home of the resort monorail station.
Amenities
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort offers three restaurants and one lounge:
Banana Cabana: An open-air bar located not too far away from Sebastian’s Bistro.
Centertown Market: An indoor food court offering quick-service goods.
Sebastian’s Bistro: A table-service restaurant offering authentic Caribbean meals, in addition to Latin flavors and authentic wine.
Spyglass Grill: A walk-up location serving all three meals. Located nearby the pool in the Trinidad area.
The main shop here at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort is Calypso Trading Post, which offers Disney character merchandise, in addition to sundries and swimwear, perfect for those who want to relax in the hot Caribbean sun. This was the only component of the original Old Port Royale to retain its old theme – its bright colors and wooden animals offering a festive mood.
Recreation abounds here. In addition to lavish swimming pools – the biggest one being Fuentes del Morro at Old Port Royale – there’s also biking and boating, a running trail, fishing, and two special pirate excursions on Barefoot Bay.
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The 2019 Contemporary refresh was an idea that I borrowed from @spacemt354 and @TheDesignPirate's 50 for the 50th thread from 2017. I thought it was just too good not to use!
As you can see, all the resorts I talked about in this post were those that opened in the 1970s and the 1980s. It will take me about four posts to cover all the resorts. The second will focus on the first half of resorts that opened in the 1990s; the third will focus on the second half; and the fourth will focus on the resorts that opened in the new millennium, as well as Disney's "Good Neighbor Hotels." I will see you all in the next post!
My biggest hope right now is to get all four posts regarding the hotels uploaded over four consecutive days; so with that in mind, let's move on to the next leg of the hotels.
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Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin
Location: EPCOT Resort Area / Category: Moderate / Opened: January 13 and June 1, 1990
The only hotels on Disney property not operated by Disney themselves, the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin are operated by Westin and Sheraton. Despite the ownership, they are still treated as official resorts among the line-up. Designed by Michael Graves, the resort reflects Florida’s tropical beaches – waterfalls, palm trees, and giant, stylized swans and dolphins marking each resort. The Swan is the smaller of the two, with the Dolphin being larger, marked by its large, turquoise pyramid.
Amenities of the Walt Disney World Swan
The Walt Disney World Swan offers three restaurants and one lounge.
Garden Grove Café: Inspired by an upstate park and garden, the Garden Grove offers buffets for all three meals, with character breakfasts on weekends, and character dinners nightly.
Il Mulino New York Trattoria: An elaborate, family-style trattoria, offering Italian classics and wood-fired pizza.
Java Bar: Located in the lobby, this is a popular place to go for a quick breakfast before your day of fun in Walt Disney World.
Kimonos: A Japanese-inspired sushi bar, complete with nightly karaoke sessions.
For shopping, the Swan features the character merchandise-driven Disney Cabanas.
Amenities of the Walt Disney World Dolphin
The Walt Disney World Dolphin offers seven restaurants and one lounge.
Cabana Bar and Beach Club: A poolside bar offering burgers, flatbreads and chicken.
The Fountain: Homemade ice cream, sundaes and malts.
Fresh: Healthy options for breakfast and lunch.
Fuel: A snack bar offering sandwiches, salads and baked goods.
Phins: A lounge located in the lobby.
Picabu: A 24-hour cafeteria.
Shula’s Steak House: Named for its original owner and operator, the late, great Don Shula – the legendary coach behind the only undefeated season in NFL history – this upscale location offers fine cuts of meat and delicious sides. Plus, if you’re brave enough, you can try the legendary 48 oz. Challenge. Finish that mighty steak in one sitting, and you’ve got a spot in the 48 oz. Club!
Todd English’s bluezoo: Coastal cuisine is the biggest draw here, coming from American and international influence.
For shopping, there are three places to go: Accents (offering clothes), Disney Gifts & Sundries (character merchandise and necessities) and the Cabana Beach Hut(a poolside stand offering water and pool-based wares).
The Mandara Spa is open for business here, offering all the latest self-care treatments.
The Dolphin also offers an arcade, a children’s care area, a fitness center
Together, the Swan and Dolphin offer nightly campfires, rental boats and several pools.
Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts Location: EPCOT Resort Area / Category: Moderate / Opened: November 5 and 19, 1990
Surrounding the 25-acre Crescent Lake, Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts take us back to the glorious days of New England seaside resorts, with Disney’s Yacht Club Resort based on the seaside hotels of the 1880s and Disney’s Beach Club Resort based more on the upscale beach cottages that were popular at the time. In fact, the Beach Club is also home to villas exclusive to Disney Vacation Club members.
Amenities of Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
Disney’s Yacht Club Resort offers four restaurants and a lounge:
Ale & Compass Restaurant: Themed around an old lighthouse, the Ale & Compass offers breakfast buffets and table-service fare for lunch and dinner.
Crew’s Cup: Located next door to Yachtsman Steakhouse, the Crew’s Cup is the place to go to down pilsners from ports the globe over.
Hurricane Hanna’s Waterside Bar & Grill: So named due to its proximity to the Stormalong Bay pool, this place not only offers quick-service wares like seafood rolls, sandwiches and burgers, but you can enjoy a full bar here, as well!
Market at Ale & Compass: A snack bar located within the Ale & Compass area, freshness is the name of the game here. For all three meals, house-made, quick-service goods are offered.
Yachtsman Steakhouse: This upscale joint offers some of the finest steak and seafood in all of Walt Disney World.
Disney’s Yacht Club Resort only has one shop: the Market at Ale & Compass.
A tennis court can be found on this side of the resort complex.
Amenities of Disney’s Beach Club Resort
Disney’s Beach Club Resort offers three restaurants and a lounge.
Beach Club Marketplace: A quick-service eatery within the resort’s major shop, offering hot breakfast items and to-go lunch and dinner items, like sandwiches and salads.
Beaches & Cream Soda Shop: Perhaps the place to go for unique ice cream treats in Walt Disney World, Beaches and Cream is famous for all sorts of frozen treats: malts, milkshakes, and of course, sundaes. Though many unique sundaes are on the menu, none can match that of the legendary Kitchen Sink. Of course, if you haven’t a sweet tooth, lunch and dinner options are available here, as well.
Cape May Café: This delightful spot offers two unique buffets: a breakfast buffet with appearances from classic Disney characters, and a delicious clambake buffet for dinner.
Martha’s Vineyard: Named for the famous Massachusetts island, this place offers authentic Northeastern wines.
Like the Yacht Club, the Beach Club only has one shop: the Beach Club Marketplace.
Volleyball nets are set up along the beaches of this resort.
The two resorts share quite a few amenities. The Ship Shape health club is located in-between the two, and both resorts offer nightly campfires and marshmallow roastings. The famous Stormalong Bay pool, with its sandy bottoms and shipwreck slide, is located right between the two wonderful resorts. But the water fun doesn’t stop there – boating on Crescent Lake is also quite the popular sport around here.
Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter Location: Mythica Resort Area / Category: Value / Opened: May 17, 1991
The charm of the French Quarter comes to life here at this resort. Seven building clusters surround a natural park courtyard, complete with overgrown hedges, wrought-iron fences and plenty of magnolias. A 19th-century mint houses check-in, food and merchandise. Oh, and fun fact, at the registration windows, you’ll see a series of musical notes. If you were to sing them, you’d be singing “When the Saints Go Marching In”! The atmosphere is so festive, it feels like a Mardi Gras celebration may break out at any minute!
Amenities
Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter offers four food and drink locations.
Tiana’s Place: Having replaced Bonfamille’s Café in 2014, this table-service restaurant will make you feel like you’re in the dining room of a swinging New Orleans hotspot. The place is even inspired by Tiana’s Palace, the restaurant seen in the finale of The Princess and the Frog. Here, the focus is on Southern comfort food and Cajun cuisine, all embodying the spirit of New Orleans, served with the utmost, five-star service hospitality. The Disney Tourist Blog proposed this next idea, and I thought it was too good not to use: In a way similar to Topolino’s Terrace at our real-life Disney’s Riviera Resort, Tiana’s Place offers character-dining for breakfast and lunch, where we can rub shoulders with Tiana herself, alongside Naveen and Louis; and sophisticated, signature dining for dinner. All meals are served to the sweet sounds of Tiana’s house band, the Crawfish Crooners.
Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory: Designed to emulate a warehouse for Mardi Gras parade floats – complete with giant masks, props and heads overlooking the area – this food court offers some authentic New Orleans grub, in addition to more typical food court fare.
Louis’ Lounge: Formerly known as Scat Cat’s Club, this quiet spot is a nice place to go for a drink or two. Live jazz musicians even perform nightly here, the stage currently being held by a band known as Big Easy Swag.
Mardi Grogs: This pool bar offers delicious Mardi Gras-inspired cocktails, as well as small plates, like nachos, fruit and cheese plates, pretzels and croissants.
The resort’s main shop is Jackson Square Gifts & Desires. Right next door is the resort’s arcade, South Quarter Games.
Port Orleans – French Quarter is also well-known for its swimming pool: Doubloon Lagoon. Its most distinct feature is the famous sea serpent slide at the pool’s edge – the slide, naturally, being its tongue.
Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside Location: Mythica Resort Area / Category: Value / Opened: February 2, 1992
If the French Quarter represents the vibrancy of the city, then Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside focuses on the more rural side of New Orleans, with two distinct areas: Alligator Bayou, themed around the city’s famous bayou, where guests sleep in wooden cabins, and Magnolia Bend, themed around the riverside mansions of days of yore. These two areas surround Ol’ Man Island, a recreational area along the same line as Tom Sawyer Island at the Magic Kingdom.
When this resort first opened, it went by the name of Disney’s Dixie Landings Resort. The resort changed to its current name on April 1, 2001, and that was because the term “Dixie”, a term often used to refer to the Confederacy, was gradually fading out of favor, and likewise, the idea of having the resort be themed as an old cotton plantation during the time of slavery did not bode well as the new millennium began.
In 2021, the magic of The Princess and the Frog extended over to the Riverside, as the Oak Manor and Parterre Place mansions on Magnolia Bend saw the arrival of Royal Guest Rooms. As the story goes, Tiana has invited many of the other princesses to New Orleans, and when they returned to their kingdoms, they did leave behind a little piece of their story…and you’ll find those little mementos throughout the room. Some are obvious, like the Magic Carpet found on the floor, but some are subtle, like the fact that the luggage bench is designed to look like Sultan, the footstool dog from Beauty and the Beast.
Amenities
Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside offers two restaurants and two lounges.
Boatwright’s Dining Hall: This table-service eatery offers Cajun dishes and other Southern classics.
Muddy Rivers: Located on Ol’ Man Island, this is the place to go for some alcohol near the pool.
River Roost Lounge: This happening spot is located in the main lobby, and it’s famous – or should that be infamous? – for serving as the place to go to see one of Walt Disney World’s most beloved entertainers, Yeeha Bob Jackson.
Riverside Mill: In this rustic setting, an elaborate food court offers five distinct food stations, each one providing unique and different offerings.
Like its sister resort, Port Orleans Resort – Riverside only has one shop: Fulton’s General Store. Animatronic depictions of Disney characters getting into store-keeping shenanigans mark this one-stop shop, offering Disney merchandise, necessities, sundries and snacks.
The Medicine Show Arcade provides a place for all avid gamers to go.
There’s a lot of stuff to do around this neck of the woods. On Ol’ Man Island alone, you can take a dip in the pool and go fishing. Furthermore, you can rent a bike, or even take a relaxing jaunt around the entire Port Orleans complex in a horse-drawn carriage.
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Well, there you have it for now. I'll be along tomorrow with Part Three of Four. See you then!
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Location: Magic Kingdom Resort Area / Category: Moderate / Opened: May 28, 1994
The majestic Pacific Northwest comes to life at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. This elaborate resort, which is the proud recipient of a AAA Four-Diamond Award, beautifully blends the rustic beauty of nature with the modern hotel experience. When you enter, you’ll find yourself in an eight-story lobby, decorated with two giant, authentic totem poles. There are plenty of outdoor things to do, fully immersing guests in the beauty of nature, not unlike its neighbor, Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground.
In 1998, Disney Vacation Club introduced a villa extension – Boulder Ridge Villas – to the resort; and in 2017, they turned the southern wing into the Copper Creek Villas, and introduced some cabins.
Amenities
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge offers four restaurants and a lounge.
Artist Point: In this elaborate spot, representing the painters who used the Pacific Northwest as their inspiration, one can enjoy elaborate breakfasts by morning, as well as a character dinner inspired by Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Geyser Point Bar & Grill: A waterside spot offering small plates and a full bar.
Roaring Fork: A quick-service eatery.
Territory Lounge: A lobby lounge offering fine Pacific Northwest alcohol and snacks.
Whispering Canyon Café: One of the rowdiest spots in the resort, this place offers breakfast, lunch, dinner… and all sorts of crazy shenanigans. Whatever you do, do not ask for ketchup!
The Wilderness Lodge Mercantile is the only place to shop here. There’s the typical wares found in every other resort shop – Disney merch, sundries, necessities, as well as merch exclusive to Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.
The Buttons and Bells Arcade is on hand for all gamers.
Like its neighboring campground, the Wilderness Lodge offers a lot to do: biking, fishing, swimming, boating, campfires, as well as a health club and a salon. Likewise, in the Copper Creek Villas area, you can enjoy the Carolwood Pacific Room, a room designed for all those who want to unwind.
Disney’s BoardWalk Inn & Villas Location: EPCOT Resort Area / Category: Deluxe / Opened: July 1, 1996
In 1996, Crescent Lake came to life with the arrival of Disney’s BoardWalk Inn & Villas. This glorious spot recalls the bygone, turn-of-the-century days when Coney Island was the height of amusement parks. The Inn & Villas recall the old getaways along the Eastern seaboard, offering the utmost in comfort. The resort rooms are built directly above the various components of the BoardWalk itself.
The BoardWalk is one of Disney’s most unique entertainment districts. It’s not uncommon to see surreys and bikes riding along the wooden boardwalk, or to see people being entertained by carnival street performers or trying their hand at classic midway games. Much of the resort’s restaurants and amenities are on the BoardWalk itself, so I’ll just group everything together here.
Features of the BoardWalk
AbracadaBAR: This vintage bar offers some mystical beverages, and you can enjoy them as magicians stroll through, performing their illusions.
Ample Hills Creamery: Offering a healthier – but still delicious – take on ice cream.
Atlantic Dance Hall: An elaborate nightclub inviting guests 21+ to kick their heels up.
Belle Vue Lounge: A speakeasy offering classic radio tunes and board games. Definitely the place to go for some old-time charm.
Big River Grille & Brewing Works: Guests can watch brewers making beer live as they enjoy their fare at this pub.
BoardWalk Bakery: A stand offering the finest sandwiches and baked goods.
BoardWalk Pizza Window: A stand offering delicious pizza, by the slice or by the pie.
BoardWalk Carts: Various carts set up along the BoardWalk, offering classic carnival food like hot dogs, pretzels, funnel cakes, cotton candy, nachos and such like.
The Cake Bake Shop by Gwendolyn Rogers: A local favorite from Indianapolis, Indiana offers delicious food and some luscious sweets.
Flying Fish Café: Watch as seafood is prepared before your very eyes at this elegant hotspot.
Games of the Midway: Classic midway games are here for your enjoyment. Test your strength, test your aim, test your luck!
Jellyrolls: A speakeasy where dueling pianos provide accompaniment to some delightful drinks and savoury snacks.
Side Show Games: A typical arcade.
Trattoria al Forno: Italian classics are the name of the game here, with lunch and dinner offering family-style service, and breakfast offering all adventurers the chance to dine alongside some of Disney’s most famous adventurers: Rapunzel and Flynn Rider, and Ariel and Prince Eric (although Merida and Elena of Avalor have been known to join the adventure should one of the regular attendees not be able to make it).
Furthermore, the BoardWalk Inn & Villas also have the Dundy’s Sundries shop in the lobby, a tennis court, and a health club – not to mention three pools, including the famous Luna Park pool, a Coney Island-inspired spot with a water slide themed as a wooden roller coaster!
Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort Location: Animal Kingdom Resort Area / Category: Value / Opened: August 1, 1997
Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort has strong Southwestern influence, being inspired by the explorers and artists of Mexico and South America. Set around a 22-acre lake called Lago Dorado, the resort’s rooms are divided into three distinct areas: casitas, ranchos and cabanas. The resort’s main amenities – restaurants, shops, check-in, as well as a convention center – are all held within a building called “El Centro.”
Amenities
Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort offers six restaurants and two lounges.
Café Rix: A quick-service eatery located within El Centro.
Laguna Bar: A spot located outside the resort’s lobby, so named because it’s right on the edge of Lago Dorado.
Maya Grill: A dinner-only table-service restaurant offering Mexican specialties.
Pepper Market: The resort’s resident food court, themed around a bustling marketplace.
Rix Sports Bar & Grill: Another table-service spot located within El Centro, open for all three meals and featuring a lounge built within.
Siestas Cantina: A pool bar located nearby the Dig Site.
Three Bridges Bar & Grill: Located right in the middle of Lago Dorado, the flavors of the Southwest take the forefront at this elaborate spot.
The resort’s only shop is Panchito’s Gifts & Sundries, a Southwestern marketplace offering the typical wares: Disney merchandise, resort merchandise, necessities, sundries, Grab-n-Go options and even authentic Southwestern goods.
There’s a wealth of things to do. There’s a health club, bike rentals, an arcade, and four pools – chief among them being the Dig Site, themed around an old Mayan pyramid. However, the Ranchos pool is themed around The Three Caballeros, complete with statues of Donald, José and Panchito in the middle of it, Panchito’s pistols shooting out water, showering guests who get caught underneath. (As you can tell by the picture above, since All-Star Music is not built here, this particular element comes to Coronado Springs instead.)
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort Location: Animal Kingdom Resort Area / Category: Value / Opened: January 15, 1999
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort celebrates the proud legacy of Disney animation. There are eight compartments to this resort, each one themed around a different Disney animated film from each decade: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1930s), Fantasia (1940s), Peter Pan (1950s), The Jungle Book (1960s), Winnie the Pooh (1970s), The Little Mermaid (1980s), The Lion King (1990s), and Toy Story (representing “the future of animation”).
The resort’s main amenities – restaurants, shops and check-in – are all held within a replica of the Team Disney building at the Disney Studios in Burbank, complete with statues of the Seven Dwarfs “holding it up.”
The lobby within is incredible. Storyboards, character sketches and concept art from all eight films represented here line the walls. Unique lighting fixtures change colors. It should feel as if we have stepped into a whole new world.
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort takes up the space that, in our real-life WDW, is held by Disney’s All-Star Resorts.
Amenities
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort offers two restaurants and one lounge.
Animator’s Palate: The popular addition from the Disney Cruise Line was a natural fit for an animation-centric resort. Here, guests enter into a dining room that is completely black and white. Throughout the course of the table-service meal, the paintings of various Disney characters along the walls are magically transformed into color. The meal ends with a film highlighting great moments from Disney animated classics and then the entire room bursts into an array of colors, with even the servers’ costumes changing from black and white to color. Even after the Cruise Line Animator’s Palate got a massive refurbishment, this one remained the same, and it still does. The Art of Animation Animator’s Palate is the only one that still offers the original 1998 experience. In addition, character meals are offered here. Although five characters appear throughout the meal, don’t expect to see the same ones each time you come here. Animator’s Palate makes use of a rotating cast of characters: Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, Pluto, Snow White, Pinocchio, Cinderella, Peter Pan, Aurora, Winnie the Pooh, Ariel, Belle and the Beast, Aladdin, Woody, Buzz, Hercules, Tiana and Rapunzel. And tying in with the restaurant’s theme, their costumes get a similar color-changing makeover.
Landscapes of Flavor: The resort’s food court. Amid portraits of backgrounds from the eight films, we dine in a cooly-lit, yet nonetheless beautiful, area offering all sorts of unique foods.
Sorcerer’s Laboratory: Enjoy some mystic brews along the banks of the Fantasia Pool at this lounge.
The resort’s only shop is the Ink and Paint Shop, offering the typical wares: Disney merchandise – again, with an emphasis on representing the eight films represented here – resort merchandise, necessities, sundries and Grab-n-Go options.
Each compartment has each building cluster decked out in a style reminiscent of the film it represents. For example, Toy Story has the Green Army Men found along the roofs of each building, and Winnie the Pooh and Snow White are set around forests; with the former re-using elements from the Snow White-inspired Disney Inn, now Shades of Green. There are even giant statues of the various characters from the films, fully immersing guests in their world. The rooms in each compartment are not outright themed to the films, but they do utilize a design motif inspired by the film – appropriate wall colors, unique designs on the bed headboards, and even an authentic movie poster on the wall, taken from one of the film’s many releases (or, in Winnie the Pooh’s case, the three original shorts and Many Adventures).
There are three pools and a splash zone. The main pool is the Fantasia Pool, located directly in the center of the resort, marked by a statue of Sorcerer Mickey. The two other pools are the Never Land Pool, which marks the Peter Pan compartment; and the Under the Sea Pool, which marks the Little Mermaid compartment. The splash zone is called the Dawn Patrol Splash Zone, located in the Jungle Book compartment. Marked by a hillside, upon which we see Colonel Hathi leading his patrol, a statue of Winifred sprays water out of her trunk and onto guests. A small statue of Hathi Jr. stands nearby.
For other recreation, there is an arcade, play areas in the Winnie the Pooh and Toy Story compartments – in fact, when Pooh’s Playful Spot closed in 2010, it was moved over here – and a walking trail around the resort.
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What do you think, guys? As I'm sure you may have noticed, Art of Animation is a relatively new concept that wasn't featured in the original MWDW. But that's not the only new resort added to this particular iteration of MWDW -- there's another one that will be featured in tomorrow's post! See you then!
And now, here are the final three hotels found in MWDW, as well as a brief blurb about the Good Neighbor Hotels.
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Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Location: Animal Kingdom Resort Area / Category: Deluxe / Opened: April 16, 2001
Ever wanted to stay amid the majesty of Disney’s Animal Kingdom? With Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, those dreams can become a reality. Themed around a southern African game lodge, this place is bursting to the brim with authentic African design and details. And it’s all surrounded by a lush savanna, where living, breathing animals roam mere inches away from your room’s balcony. There are giraffes, gazelles, birds, zebras and a whole host of other animals.
In 2007, Kidani Village opened, an extension of the resort featuring DVC villas, with the main lodge building gaining the name “Jambo House”.
Amenities
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge offers four restaurants and three lounges.
Boma – Flavors of Africa: An African marketplace hosts a veritable buffet of authentic African meals.
Jiko – The Cooking Place: A tranquil, sunset-inspired spot offering a sophisticated take on the food culture of Africa. Jiko also hosts the Cape Town Lounge and Wine Bar, offering authentic South African wines.
Maji and Uzima Springs: A couple of poolside bars.
The Mara: A quick-service eatery offering meals from Africa and America.
Sanaa: Located in Kidani Village, this table-service eatery offers food of Africa and India.
Victoria Falls: Located on the Jambo House mezzanine, not too far from a rushing waterfall, appetizers, cocktails and South African wine is offered.
Each component of the resort has a gift shop. The Jambo House has Zawadi Marketplace, featuring gifts from Africa in addition to the regular resort gift shop stock, and Kidani Village has Johari Treasures, featuring similar stock.
Although views of the animals are the biggest – and most popular – thing to do here at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, there’s plenty more in store: basketball, tennis, swimming, an arcade, shuffleboarding, a health club, and even a barbecue pavilion!
Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa Location: Mythica Resort Area / Category: Deluxe / Opened: May 17, 2004
Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, which replaced the Disney Institute, is so deluxe that it was made exclusively for Disney Vacation Club members. Yes, while quite a few resorts offer DVC villas in addition to typical resort hotel rooms, this resort is nothing but villas. This is deliberate, as this resort recaptures the charm of a New York country retreat, the kind commonly seen in the 1800s. And for a more “rustic” approach, you can stay in one of the Treehouse Villas, located along the banks of the Sassagoula River.
Amenities
Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa offers two restaurants and two lounges.
The Artist’s Palette: A loft which used to house a prominent artist offers simple, quick-service goods for all three meals.
Backstretch Bar and On the Rocks: Two poolside bars.
Turf Club Bar & Grill: Horse-racing was all the rage for the upper-crust in the 1800s, and this dinner-only spot pays homage to that sport. A built-in lounge offers the chance to play pool.
Ah, but if that’s not what you’re in the mood for, Saratoga Spring also offers pizza delivery service. Yes, that’s right, you can get pizza, breadsticks, salad, chicken tenders, sandwiches, drinks and desserts delivered right to your hotel room. This is a special perk that Saratoga Springs shares with only four other hotels on WDW property: Caribbean Beach, Port Orleans French Quarter, Port Orleans Riverside and Art of Animation. In addition, in-room dining (read: room service) is offered at all other Disney resorts.
The resort’s main shop is located within The Artist’s Palette, offering various gifts and sundries.
The resort’s spa, Senses, is the place to go for those times when you just want to unwind. There’s massages, facials, manicures, pedicures, aromatherapy and almost every kind of skin care and relaxation method under the sun.
Beyond all that, Saratoga Springs has golfing at the nearby Lake Buena Vista golf course, tennis, biking, five pools, a health club and an arcade.
Disney’s Villa Avventura Resort Location: Magic Kingdom Resort Area / Category: Deluxe / Opened: August 12, 2018
Have you ever wondered why there’s such a huge stretch of land along the monorail track from the Transportation and Ticket Center to the Contemporary? Well, that’s because in the early stages of planning the resort, there were plans to build what was called “the Venetian Resort”, a resort themed around the natural beauty of Venice. However, these plans never made it past the drawing board. Even a subsequent attempt to revive the concept, now dubbed the “Mediterranean Resort”, failed to get off the ground. Therefore, it was quite a surprise for many when at the 2015 D23 Expo, it was confirmed that Disney was, at last, going to go ahead with a new version of the project.
I admit, the only reason I have this concept is, although I felt creatively stifled by Port Disney, I did not want to lose the Novus Harbor concept. Hence, I decided to craft it into a hotel. Furthermore, the influence came from three other sources: the Hotel MiraCosta at Tokyo Disney Resort, the Grand European Resort concept from Season 3 of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (devised by @Sam Magic, @DSquared and@JokersWild), and @D Hulk’s Villa Cielo. And once again, I must shout-out the ones with whom I first developed Novus Harbor for The Sorcerer’s Apprentice: @PerGron, @Disney Dad 3000, @Pi on my Cake, @spacemt354, @Evilgidgit and @Brer Oswald.
Disney’s Villa Avventura Resort is the first-ever resort hotel to be themed around S.E.A., and is designed as something of a retreat for any and all members of the organization. In fact, the story of how S.E.A. was formed is imprinted on a stone slab in the resort’s entrance courtyard.
The Society of Explorers and Adventurers was founded on August 12, 1538, in the quaint Italian village of Porto Paradiso by two bold adventurers.
The first was Professore Vincenzo Conoscenza. He grew up in a small agricultural village in Italy near the rolling hills of Tuscany. His father was a humble farm owner and his mother a housewife, and Vincenzo’s task was to tend to a flock of sheep, protecting them from the dangers that lurked in the wilderness. Vincenzo did his job well, but rather than spending his days watching sheep, he aspired for so much more. Vincenzo enjoyed reading anything he could get his hands on. Vincenzo must have read Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey at least 1,000 times by his adulthood.
At the age of 18 and at the height of the Renaissance in Italy, Vincenzo left to apprentice under the great Leonardo da Vinci in Rome. Being exposed to some of the world’s greatest works while apprenticing, from the astrological studies and philosophies of the Far East including The Art of War by Sun Tzu, The Book of Rites by Confucius, among others, to the legendary epics of Ancient Greece, to the religious texts of India and the Middle East. Having read and learned from every book in Rome’s ever-expanding Library, Vincenzo ended his apprenticeship with da Vinci, instead, deciding to travel the world and learn from as many cultures and legends as possible. He traveled by camelback across the Sahara through Egypt to Morocco, visited the Byzantine Empire, traveled on the back of a mighty elephant through India, visited the empire of the Congo, traveled to China, Japan, and Russia, and then traveled through all of Europe, finally setting in to study at Oxford University. Studying to get his doctorate, he finally completed his studies and returned to Italy, settling down in the small canal village of Porto Paradiso.
The second was Eureka Idéa, a Greek explorer. Named not only for the famous exclamation of discovery coined by Archimedes, but also the Greek word for “idea”, Eureka fell in love with adventuring at an early age, and explored the vast corners of the world, long before those other famous explorers did. He scaled Everest long before Edmund and Tenzing, he discovered North America long before Vespucci – or even Columbus – and he claimed the North Pole long before Amundsen. He happened to meet Vincenzo whilst he was traveling Greece, and the two became fast friends, going on many adventures together. However, when Vincenzo left for Oxford, Eureka remained in Greece.
Meanwhile, Vincenzo opened up a library in an old church building, hosting the largest collection in the known world, having collected books, scrolls, and other texts from all over the world. However, the prospect of the New World and its many riches in both gold, resources, and stories proved too much for Vincenzo that he teamed up with Eureka, and the duo approached some of the other remarkable people they met in their travels and founded an organization known as Società di esploratori e avventurieri, later to be translated to the Society of Explorers and Adventurers. Given that S.E.A. travels the world, it’s obvious that Porto Paradiso is usually left empty, with members across the world traveling to find new adventures and new discoveries. As such, Vincenzo and Eureka established the Villa Avventura here in Florida as a retreat where any adventurer could stay. Today, Villa Avventura stands as a hub of science, innovation and a vibrant enthusiasm for knowledge and adventure.
Disney’s Villa Avventura Resort opened on August 12, 2018, 480 years to the day when S.E.A. was founded. However, in-story, the resort dates as far back as the late 1500s, a few decades since Ponce de Leon settled in Florida. Vincenzo and Eureka were among the first Europeans to come to Florida in the wake of Leon’s settlement, and they enjoyed their time there so much, they decided to set up a retreat for all S.E.A. members, current and future. Aesthetically, the resort is crafted in the styles of Mediterranean Europe around the time of the Renaissance – specifically, their homes of Italy and Greece. Expect to see a lot of the same kind of building design that you would find in places like Rome or Athens. Cyprus trees and blooming flowers mark the lush gardens of the resort. The northernmost walkways of Villa Avventura, along a path that leads along the edge of Seven Seas Lagoon, is aligned diagonally, so that guests along this perimeter may enjoy postcard-perfect views of Cinderella Castle. The lobby, like the Grand Floridian, is a work of art. A harmonic blend of Renaissance and Mediterranean, the Lobby is home to grand Stucco, decorative pillars and an elaborate, colored dancing fountain. Throughout Villa Avventura, we can see the various treasures that members of S.E.A. have collected, including some of the most prized possessions of Vincenzo and Eureka.
The rooms themselves are decorated in a modern style, but still possess hints of Italy and Greece. Beautiful furniture lines the rooms. Mauve drapes frame large window views, with western views looking towards Seven Seas Lagoon and the Magic Kingdom, and eastern views looking out towards Bay Lake. All rooms on the top-most levels feature balconies overlooking those glorious views. Framed artwork is a combination of oil paintings and vintage photographs detailing various S.E.A. adventures. Bathrooms are airy and opulent, marrying Mediterranean and Floridian ambiance. They feature marble floors and more wrought iron lighting. A separate adjoining room for the bathtub and shower features tile murals of Villa Avventura in a Grecian style, floating atop a cumulonimbus cloud.
Amenities
Disney’s Villa Avventura Resort is home to three restaurants and a lounge.
Astronomer’s Lounge: The main table-service restaurant of Villa Avventura, the Astronomer’s Lounge is the headquarters of prominent S.E.A. member Stella Vedere. Stella is an incredible astronomer – her love of space is practically in her blood! After all, her name is a rough translation from Italian for “I see stars.” Kong Jian, another pioneering S.E.A. member hailing from China, was the love of her life and her partner in research. Stella and Kong worked together to create the first rocket ship in 1556, which Kong piloted, becoming the first astronaut. Unfortunately, an accident happened and now he is lost out in space. So, Stella charts the stars not just for the thrill of discovery, but in hopes of finding a way to rescue her lost love. To help with her research, Stella came to Porto Paradiso to work alongside some of the brightest minds and best adventurers in the world. One of the first members of S.E.A., she helped form the organization as a way to gather exceptional people with a similar thirst for knowledge and discovery together.
Now, she invites guests into her observatory here at Villa Avventura to share in delicious food and to come together for lively discussion. Her hope is to inspire others to always reach for the stars and to never give up on love! Stella can often be found in person doing research and greeting guests in the Astronomer’s Lounge! There are three themed dining rooms in the Astronomer’s Lounge. The Research Room is full of Stella’s work charting the stars and the Renaissance era tools she uses to do it. The Prototype Room is full of models and test versions of Kong’s rocket and Stella’s attempts to build ones that could be used to find him. Lastly, the largest dining room is the Starlight Room. A real working planetarium where guests can dine among the cosmos! Wherever you’re seated, it is sure to be amazing! And what's on the menu? Honoring both Stella and Kong, the menu is a mix of Italian and Chinese dishes, with enough distinct foods to satisfy even the pickiest of eaters.
Fibonacci Café: A quintessential part of any journey to Villa Avventura is a trip to the Fibonacci Café. Named in honor of the Fibonacci Sequence of numbers, this coffee and pastry shop is famous for their Gelaffles, and for their prices. A Gelaffle is a sandwich combination of a Belgium Waffle and Italian Gelato, topped with powdered sugar, and coming in a variety of waffle/gelato combos. The cafe was established by an old lady named Valentina. Now, she isn’t a S.E.A. member herself, but she is quite a popular lady, thanks to her kind heart and baking skills. Try one of her famous cookies, and you’ll find out why the members of S.E.A. have officially dubbed her their “honorary nonna!”
Villa Scoperta: Held next door to Fibonacci, right along the waterfront, this quick-service eatery offers various things to fill you with enough energy to explore Walt Disney World. Expect such things as pizza, pasta, signature burgers, salads and fruit.
High Spirits Lounge: This club was a popular place for S.E.A. members to come and just enjoy each other’s company. The drinks flow like a river, the appetizers come from various places around the world, and there are plenty of in-jokes to satisfy any hardcore Disney fan.
There are three shops here, two on the first floor of the main building and one on the second floor.
Tesori di Avventura: The resort’s main shop, found on the second floor, selling the usual wares – plush toys, resort merchandise, t-shirts, writing utensils, mugs, hats, and more are all here. References from other S.E.A. members can be found, as if to say that many a member has passed through here – beautiful carpets, unique bric-a-brac, mounted animal heads, etc.
The Crow’s Nest: A nautical-themed boutique established by prominent S.E.A. member Captain Patrique Altomare.
Silas’ Goods: A shop established by Altomare’s long-time confidante, Silas the Red. Although Silas is not an official member of S.E.A., he is nonetheless a trusted confidante and supplier for the members of S.E.A., even accompanying them on a number of their adventures. Look around the shop and you’ll find remnants of some of these adventures lining the walls, from his journeys to Romania researching vampires with Professore Conoczena, or old ship parts, the only remains from a sailing gone awry with Captain Altomare. For you though, the newest visitors to Novus Harbor, Silas’ Goods supplies all sorts of necessities that you'll appreciate during your visit. You’ll find everything from unique maps of the park drawn in a Renaissance style, and a one of a kind field guide documenting all sorts of nautical creatures – a must have for your journeys in Walt Disney World. Accompanying these numerous field items, will be toy “inventions” befitting the period, various flasks and mugs for your favorite beverage and all manner of S.E.A and Renaissance inspired memorabilia.
Captain Patrique Altomare (which is Italian for “high sea”) is a French-Italian pirate, smuggler, and privateer who has sailed the “seven deadly seas”, through wind, weather, and the flu, forever on the hunt for new adventures and discoveries. As a child, Patrique felt landlocked, quite literally in fact, despite living so close to a canal in southern France. His Ma had run off with a donkey salesman long ago, leaving his Pa to raise their son alone. A cold, unloving man, Pa was a hard laborer, and wanted his son to follow in his footsteps, to build brick walls ‘til his back and legs failed him. Patrique wanted more in life, to be free and explore the world beyond his small home.
When he was old enough, Patrique hopped onto the first barge on the canal and sailed away to adventure. Through a series of mishaps, bribes, and one incident that involved a pesky seagull and a piano suspended on ropes, Patrique became captain of the Italian privateer ship, La Polaris, working for the government to raid enemy vessels and unsuspecting ports, to bring back their goods and valuables for profit. But, Captain Altomare found his journeys to not be for profit or destruction, but for discovery. To encounter new people, cultures, and tales from both land and sea, discover forgotten kingdoms and precious treasures. He became enthralled with the endless possibilities of world travel, preferring to spend more time on sea than on land.
But, eventually, a close encounter with a whirlpool in the West Indies nearly wrecked his ship. Patrique managed to sail La Polaris back to Italy, docking at a port he was not familiar with, with his ship in tatters. It was here that he met a number of intelligent and impressive individuals, who shared his passion for exploring the world and its secrets. He became a founding member of S.E.A., returning to the sea every now and again once his ship was fixed, to find rare and lost treasures and bring them back to the society. He had kept some of his more valuable finds for himself, and eventually decided to set up a shop in the port, deciding to decorate with his years of sailing and pillaging.
Villa Avventura also houses Biblioteca Occidentale, a small library so named because Vincenzo set it up as a satellite extension of the library he set up in Porto Paradiso. Here, guests can come in, sit on a lush, comfy chair or couch, and just relax with a good book. It’s a quiet, tranquil spot. It also connects to the High Spirits Lounge, and people can bring their drinks and appetizers in here.
Instead of an arcade, Villa Scoperta has the Explorer’s Workshop, the main center-of-operation for American S.E.A. member Joseph Davis and place for all members of S.E.A. to get inventive! In this interactive walk-through, we can make our own experiments and interact with bizarre, Steampunk-esque machines. There are major rooms in the workshop. For example, in Camellia Falco’s room, you can help her design flying machines, and even make a miniature one to take home! In Vincenzo’s room, you can customize your own maps of the world...and maybe even make your own island! In Eureka’s room, the spirit of new ideas is brought to life as you can put down on paper your own ideas for just about anything!
Banquet halls are available for private functions. These two-story rooms feature ornate ceiling paneling and beautiful chandeliers.
Villa Avventura’s eclectic worldly charm makes it a fantastic intimate setting for weddings! Chapel Cielo, found on the picturesque rooftop level, takes full advantage of this incomparable fairy tale atmosphere. The simple, understated interior features oak-paneled ceilings and soft pink stucco walls. Tall apse windows beyond the altar provide perfectly-framed romantic views of Cinderella Castle. The windows’ iron framing includes curlicue cloud shapes to accentuate these heartwarming pastoral views. Wedding receptions are held nearby on the rooftop, taking place within an airy and white tent structure. The tent may be open air or sealed, weather depending, with circular skylights shaped like Mickey Mouse ears. (Interior banquet halls are available upon request.) Furthermore, a dedicated Bridal Salon helps with all aspects of planning and orchestrating a wedding, from rehearsals to floral arrangements. This is provided in conjunction with Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings.
The main pool is the Pool of the Gods, an outdoor pool themed around the ancient Roman ruins. Here, guests will be able to explore the beauty of Imperial Rome, and also enjoy themselves in the cool and relaxing waters. Of course, there’s also a waterslide. A hot tub is found within the ruins along the edge of Seven Seas Lagoon. It’s quite a popular place for fireworks viewing. For other recreation here, there’s boating, fishing, a tennis court and a half-court.
Not only that, but over the course of the past year, I was thinking about what @Suchomimus wondered about the original MWDW hotels: Would they be enough? In my Mirror Walt Disney World, we only have eighteen hotels, and given that WDW is a tourism mecca, it is a possibility that there wouldn’t be any room in their hotels. Well, I looked it up, and as it turns out, Walt Disney World has their very own Good Neighbor Hotels program!
Good Neighbor Hotels
I’m sure many of you are familiar with the Disneyland version of the Good Neighbor program, and Walt Disney World has a similar system in place. The Good Neighbor program is set up with hotels surrounding Walt Disney World that are independently owned and operated, and they are divided into three categories: Premium (hotels similar to DVC villas, sleep up to six to eight guests), Standard(hotels with rooms that sleep up to four guests) and Suites (hotels with rooms that sleep up to six to eight guests). And these are not just your average cheap motels. Good Neighbor Hotels are specifically chosen by Disney if they live up to certain expectations – for example, they must be AAA-approved, they must meet Disney’s standards for quality and service, and they must be “comfortable, convenient and close.”
Indeed, Good Neighbor Hotels offer you the same level of quality and service you would get if you stayed on-property, although in most cases, with a considerably cheaper price, thus ensuring that any guests who want to visit Disney World in this Mirror universe can still find a good place to stay, even if they can’t stay on Disney property. And as for “close”, each Good Neighbor Hotel is within two to fourteen miles away from Walt Disney World. And if you decide to spend your vacation at one of these hotels, you get access to a wide variety of perks typically only enjoyed by WDW resort guests…as well as a few perks enjoyed only by Good Neighbor guests.
Extra Magic Hours – allowing guests to get into the four parks of Walt Disney World one hour early, or stay two hours late. Certain parks have certain days they offer this perk.
An expanded Advanced Dining Reservations (ADR) window.
An opportunity to purchase a vacation package, as well as an opportunity to purchase park tickets on-site.
Early access to purchasing event tickets.
The Resort Information Channel (Walt Disney World Tour) available among the hotel TV channels.
Complimentary breakfast every morning; as well as complimentary evening receptions every evening.
Complimentary shuttle service taking guests to Disney Square, the epicenter of any day’s journey through Walt Disney World. (At certain hotels, complimentary shuttle service is also available for other Orlando hotspots – ex. Universal Orlando, SeaWorld, etc.)
Or, if you prefer to drive yourself, free parking is available at the parks for all resort guests and Good Neighbor guests.
Here is a list of all eligible Good Neighbor Hotels, divided into the three categories. Bear in mind, some of these hotels will be listed in two categories at the same time.
Premium Good Neighbor Hotels
Courtyard by Marriott / Marriott Village Hotels
Crowne Plaza Orlando
Delta Orlando Lake Buena Vista
Floridays Resort Orlando
The Grove Resort & Water Park Orlando
Margaritaville Resort Orlando
Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate
Sheraton Lake Buena Vista Resort
Standard Good Neighbor Hotels
Comfort Suites Maingate East
Courtyard by Marriott Lake Buena Vista at Vista Centre
Delta Orlando Lake Buena Vista
Grand Orlando Resort at Celebration
Hilton Garden Inn Orlando / Lake Buena Vista
Holiday Inn Orlando Southwest – Celebration Area
Holiday Inn Express & Suites – South Lake Buena Vista
Holiday Inn Resort Orlando – Lake Buena Vista
Hyatt Place Orlando / Lake Buena Vista
Margaritaville Resort Orlando
Rosen Inn Lake Buena Vista
Suites Hotels
Best Western Plus Kissimmee – Lake Buena Vista South Inn & Suites
Blue Tree Resort at Lake Buena Vista
Buena Vista Suites
Caribe Royal Orlando
Comfort Suites Maingate East
Embassy Suites Orlando – Lake Buena Vista
Embassy Suites by Hilton Orlando – Lake Buena Vista South
Embassy Suites by Hilton Orlando International Drive Convention Center
Fairfield by Marriott Celebration
Fairfield Inn & Suites Lake Buena Vista
Fairfield Inn by Marriott Village Hotels in Lake Buena Vista
Floridays Resort Orlando
The Grove Resort & Water Park Orlando
Hampton Inn & Suites – South Lake Buena Vista
Hawthorn Suites
Holiday Inn Resort Orlando Suites – Waterpark
Home2 Suites by Hilton Orlando International Drive South
Homewood Suites by Hilton Lake Buena Vista – Orlando
Lake Buena Vista Resort Village & Spa
Meliá Orlando Suite Hotel
Residence Inn Orlando Convention Center
Residence Inn Lake Buena Vista
Sonesta ES Suites – Lake Buena Vista
SpringHill Suites Orlando Theme Park / Lake Buena Vista and TownePlace Suites Orlando Theme Park / Lake Buena Vista (Both share the same hotel complex)
SpringHill Suites Orlando Lake Buena Vista in the Marriott Village
SpringHill Suites by Marriott Orlando Kissimmee
SpringHill Suites Orlando Convention Center / International Drive Area
WorldQuest Orlando Resort
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And those are the resorts of WDW! I admit, I'm not really sure I have much to do in terms of overall descriptions. I do have a timeline set up similar to @MANEATINGWREATH's Mirror Disneyland 2.0; and a resort information TV loop. And of course, I do have a few attraction walk-throughs to share. So expect those posts to come a bit more sporadically as time goes on.
But I can tell you this, though. When May starts, I'm considering starting another project within this thread. If you may recall when I was going through Animal Kingdom, MEW came back and expressed a hope that he would return to complete Mirror Disneyland. But the thing is, if he ever returns, I don't know if Disney-Universal Studios will remain part of MDL. And I have been interested in laying out how DHS could work in this MWDW. So, maybe in May, I'll start doing a MWDW 3.0 Hollywood Studios walk-through. Let me know what you think, and I'll see you in the next post!
And now, here are the final three hotels found in MWDW, as well as a brief blurb about the Good Neighbor Hotels.
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Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Location: Animal Kingdom Resort Area / Category: Deluxe / Opened: April 16, 2001
Ever wanted to stay amid the majesty of Disney’s Animal Kingdom? With Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, those dreams can become a reality. Themed around a southern African game lodge, this place is bursting to the brim with authentic African design and details. And it’s all surrounded by a lush savanna, where living, breathing animals roam mere inches away from your room’s balcony. There are giraffes, gazelles, birds, zebras and a whole host of other animals.
In 2007, Kidani Village opened, an extension of the resort featuring DVC villas, with the main lodge building gaining the name “Jambo House”.
Amenities
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge offers four restaurants and three lounges.
Boma – Flavors of Africa: An African marketplace hosts a veritable buffet of authentic African meals.
Jiko – The Cooking Place: A tranquil, sunset-inspired spot offering a sophisticated take on the food culture of Africa. Jiko also hosts the Cape Town Lounge and Wine Bar, offering authentic South African wines.
Maji and Uzima Springs: A couple of poolside bars.
The Mara: A quick-service eatery offering meals from Africa and America.
Sanaa: Located in Kidani Village, this table-service eatery offers food of Africa and India.
Victoria Falls: Located on the Jambo House mezzanine, not too far from a rushing waterfall, appetizers, cocktails and South African wine is offered.
Each component of the resort has a gift shop. The Jambo House has Zawadi Marketplace, featuring gifts from Africa in addition to the regular resort gift shop stock, and Kidani Village has Johari Treasures, featuring similar stock.
Although views of the animals are the biggest – and most popular – thing to do here at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, there’s plenty more in store: basketball, tennis, swimming, an arcade, shuffleboarding, a health club, and even a barbecue pavilion!
Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa Location: Mythica Resort Area / Category: Deluxe / Opened: May 17, 2004
Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, which replaced the Disney Institute, is so deluxe that it was made exclusively for Disney Vacation Club members. Yes, while quite a few resorts offer DVC villas in addition to typical resort hotel rooms, this resort is nothing but villas. This is deliberate, as this resort recaptures the charm of a New York country retreat, the kind commonly seen in the 1800s. And for a more “rustic” approach, you can stay in one of the Treehouse Villas, located along the banks of the Sassagoula River.
Amenities
Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa offers two restaurants and two lounges.
The Artist’s Palette: A loft which used to house a prominent artist offers simple, quick-service goods for all three meals.
Backstretch Bar and On the Rocks: Two poolside bars.
Turf Club Bar & Grill: Horse-racing was all the rage for the upper-crust in the 1800s, and this dinner-only spot pays homage to that sport. A built-in lounge offers the chance to play pool.
Ah, but if that’s not what you’re in the mood for, Saratoga Spring also offers pizza delivery service. Yes, that’s right, you can get pizza, breadsticks, salad, chicken tenders, sandwiches, drinks and desserts delivered right to your hotel room. This is a special perk that Saratoga Springs shares with only four other hotels on WDW property: Caribbean Beach, Port Orleans French Quarter, Port Orleans Riverside and Art of Animation. In addition, in-room dining (read: room service) is offered at all other Disney resorts.
The resort’s main shop is located within The Artist’s Palette, offering various gifts and sundries.
The resort’s spa, Senses, is the place to go for those times when you just want to unwind. There’s massages, facials, manicures, pedicures, aromatherapy and almost every kind of skin care and relaxation method under the sun.
Beyond all that, Saratoga Springs has golfing at the nearby Lake Buena Vista golf course, tennis, biking, five pools, a health club and an arcade.
Disney’s Villa Avventura Resort Location: Magic Kingdom Resort Area / Category: Deluxe / Opened: August 12, 2018
Have you ever wondered why there’s such a huge stretch of land along the monorail track from the Transportation and Ticket Center to the Contemporary? Well, that’s because in the early stages of planning the resort, there were plans to build what was called “the Venetian Resort”, a resort themed around the natural beauty of Venice. However, these plans never made it past the drawing board. Even a subsequent attempt to revive the concept, now dubbed the “Mediterranean Resort”, failed to get off the ground. Therefore, it was quite a surprise for many when at the 2015 D23 Expo, it was confirmed that Disney was, at last, going to go ahead with a new version of the project.
I admit, the only reason I have this concept is, although I felt creatively stifled by Port Disney, I did not want to lose the Novus Harbor concept. Hence, I decided to craft it into a hotel. Furthermore, the influence came from three other sources: the Hotel MiraCosta at Tokyo Disney Resort, the Grand European Resort concept from Season 3 of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (devised by @Sam Magic, @DSquared and@JokersWild), and @D Hulk’s Villa Cielo. And once again, I must shout-out the ones with whom I first developed Novus Harbor for The Sorcerer’s Apprentice: @PerGron, @Disney Dad 3000, @Pi on my Cake, @spacemt354, @Evilgidgit and @Brer Oswald.
Disney’s Villa Avventura Resort is the first-ever resort hotel to be themed around S.E.A., and is designed as something of a retreat for any and all members of the organization. In fact, the story of how S.E.A. was formed is imprinted on a stone slab in the resort’s entrance courtyard.
The Society of Explorers and Adventurers was founded on August 12, 1538, in the quaint Italian village of Porto Paradiso by two bold adventurers.
The first was Professore Vincenzo Conoscenza. He grew up in a small agricultural village in Italy near the rolling hills of Tuscany. His father was a humble farm owner and his mother a housewife, and Vincenzo’s task was to tend to a flock of sheep, protecting them from the dangers that lurked in the wilderness. Vincenzo did his job well, but rather than spending his days watching sheep, he aspired for so much more. Vincenzo enjoyed reading anything he could get his hands on. Vincenzo must have read Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey at least 1,000 times by his adulthood.
At the age of 18 and at the height of the Renaissance in Italy, Vincenzo left to apprentice under the great Leonardo da Vinci in Rome. Being exposed to some of the world’s greatest works while apprenticing, from the astrological studies and philosophies of the Far East including The Art of War by Sun Tzu, The Book of Rites by Confucius, among others, to the legendary epics of Ancient Greece, to the religious texts of India and the Middle East. Having read and learned from every book in Rome’s ever-expanding Library, Vincenzo ended his apprenticeship with da Vinci, instead, deciding to travel the world and learn from as many cultures and legends as possible. He traveled by camelback across the Sahara through Egypt to Morocco, visited the Byzantine Empire, traveled on the back of a mighty elephant through India, visited the empire of the Congo, traveled to China, Japan, and Russia, and then traveled through all of Europe, finally setting in to study at Oxford University. Studying to get his doctorate, he finally completed his studies and returned to Italy, settling down in the small canal village of Porto Paradiso.
The second was Eureka Idéa, a Greek explorer. Named not only for the famous exclamation of discovery coined by Archimedes, but also the Greek word for “idea”, Eureka fell in love with adventuring at an early age, and explored the vast corners of the world, long before those other famous explorers did. He scaled Everest long before Edmund and Tenzing, he discovered North America long before Vespucci – or even Columbus – and he claimed the North Pole long before Amundsen. He happened to meet Vincenzo whilst he was traveling Greece, and the two became fast friends, going on many adventures together. However, when Vincenzo left for Oxford, Eureka remained in Greece.
Meanwhile, Vincenzo opened up a library in an old church building, hosting the largest collection in the known world, having collected books, scrolls, and other texts from all over the world. However, the prospect of the New World and its many riches in both gold, resources, and stories proved too much for Vincenzo that he teamed up with Eureka, and the duo approached some of the other remarkable people they met in their travels and founded an organization known as Società di esploratori e avventurieri, later to be translated to the Society of Explorers and Adventurers. Given that S.E.A. travels the world, it’s obvious that Porto Paradiso is usually left empty, with members across the world traveling to find new adventures and new discoveries. As such, Vincenzo and Eureka established the Villa Avventura here in Florida as a retreat where any adventurer could stay. Today, Villa Avventura stands as a hub of science, innovation and a vibrant enthusiasm for knowledge and adventure.
Disney’s Villa Avventura Resort opened on August 12, 2018, 480 years to the day when S.E.A. was founded. However, in-story, the resort dates as far back as the late 1500s, a few decades since Ponce de Leon settled in Florida. Vincenzo and Eureka were among the first Europeans to come to Florida in the wake of Leon’s settlement, and they enjoyed their time there so much, they decided to set up a retreat for all S.E.A. members, current and future. Aesthetically, the resort is crafted in the styles of Mediterranean Europe around the time of the Renaissance – specifically, their homes of Italy and Greece. Expect to see a lot of the same kind of building design that you would find in places like Rome or Athens. Cyprus trees and blooming flowers mark the lush gardens of the resort. The northernmost walkways of Villa Avventura, along a path that leads along the edge of Seven Seas Lagoon, is aligned diagonally, so that guests along this perimeter may enjoy postcard-perfect views of Cinderella Castle. The lobby, like the Grand Floridian, is a work of art. A harmonic blend of Renaissance and Mediterranean, the Lobby is home to grand Stucco, decorative pillars and an elaborate, colored dancing fountain. Throughout Villa Avventura, we can see the various treasures that members of S.E.A. have collected, including some of the most prized possessions of Vincenzo and Eureka.
The rooms themselves are decorated in a modern style, but still possess hints of Italy and Greece. Beautiful furniture lines the rooms. Mauve drapes frame large window views, with western views looking towards Seven Seas Lagoon and the Magic Kingdom, and eastern views looking out towards Bay Lake. All rooms on the top-most levels feature balconies overlooking those glorious views. Framed artwork is a combination of oil paintings and vintage photographs detailing various S.E.A. adventures. Bathrooms are airy and opulent, marrying Mediterranean and Floridian ambiance. They feature marble floors and more wrought iron lighting. A separate adjoining room for the bathtub and shower features tile murals of Villa Avventura in a Grecian style, floating atop a cumulonimbus cloud.
Amenities
Disney’s Villa Avventura Resort is home to three restaurants and a lounge.
Astronomer’s Lounge: The main table-service restaurant of Villa Avventura, the Astronomer’s Lounge is the headquarters of prominent S.E.A. member Stella Vedere. Stella is an incredible astronomer – her love of space is practically in her blood! After all, her name is a rough translation from Italian for “I see stars.” Kong Jian, another pioneering S.E.A. member hailing from China, was the love of her life and her partner in research. Stella and Kong worked together to create the first rocket ship in 1556, which Kong piloted, becoming the first astronaut. Unfortunately, an accident happened and now he is lost out in space. So, Stella charts the stars not just for the thrill of discovery, but in hopes of finding a way to rescue her lost love. To help with her research, Stella came to Porto Paradiso to work alongside some of the brightest minds and best adventurers in the world. One of the first members of S.E.A., she helped form the organization as a way to gather exceptional people with a similar thirst for knowledge and discovery together.
Now, she invites guests into her observatory here at Villa Avventura to share in delicious food and to come together for lively discussion. Her hope is to inspire others to always reach for the stars and to never give up on love! Stella can often be found in person doing research and greeting guests in the Astronomer’s Lounge! There are three themed dining rooms in the Astronomer’s Lounge. The Research Room is full of Stella’s work charting the stars and the Renaissance era tools she uses to do it. The Prototype Room is full of models and test versions of Kong’s rocket and Stella’s attempts to build ones that could be used to find him. Lastly, the largest dining room is the Starlight Room. A real working planetarium where guests can dine among the cosmos! Wherever you’re seated, it is sure to be amazing! And what's on the menu? Honoring both Stella and Kong, the menu is a mix of Italian and Chinese dishes, with enough distinct foods to satisfy even the pickiest of eaters.
Fibonacci Café: A quintessential part of any journey to Villa Avventura is a trip to the Fibonacci Café. Named in honor of the Fibonacci Sequence of numbers, this coffee and pastry shop is famous for their Gelaffles, and for their prices. A Gelaffle is a sandwich combination of a Belgium Waffle and Italian Gelato, topped with powdered sugar, and coming in a variety of waffle/gelato combos. The cafe was established by an old lady named Valentina. Now, she isn’t a S.E.A. member herself, but she is quite a popular lady, thanks to her kind heart and baking skills. Try one of her famous cookies, and you’ll find out why the members of S.E.A. have officially dubbed her their “honorary nonna!”
Villa Scoperta: Held next door to Fibonacci, right along the waterfront, this quick-service eatery offers various things to fill you with enough energy to explore Walt Disney World. Expect such things as pizza, pasta, signature burgers, salads and fruit.
High Spirits Lounge: This club was a popular place for S.E.A. members to come and just enjoy each other’s company. The drinks flow like a river, the appetizers come from various places around the world, and there are plenty of in-jokes to satisfy any hardcore Disney fan.
There are three shops here, two on the first floor of the main building and one on the second floor.
Tesori di Avventura: The resort’s main shop, found on the second floor, selling the usual wares – plush toys, resort merchandise, t-shirts, writing utensils, mugs, hats, and more are all here. References from other S.E.A. members can be found, as if to say that many a member has passed through here – beautiful carpets, unique bric-a-brac, mounted animal heads, etc.
The Crow’s Nest: A nautical-themed boutique established by prominent S.E.A. member Captain Patrique Altomare.
Silas’ Goods: A shop established by Altomare’s long-time confidante, Silas the Red. Although Silas is not an official member of S.E.A., he is nonetheless a trusted confidante and supplier for the members of S.E.A., even accompanying them on a number of their adventures. Look around the shop and you’ll find remnants of some of these adventures lining the walls, from his journeys to Romania researching vampires with Professore Conoczena, or old ship parts, the only remains from a sailing gone awry with Captain Altomare. For you though, the newest visitors to Novus Harbor, Silas’ Goods supplies all sorts of necessities that you'll appreciate during your visit. You’ll find everything from unique maps of the park drawn in a Renaissance style, and a one of a kind field guide documenting all sorts of nautical creatures – a must have for your journeys in Walt Disney World. Accompanying these numerous field items, will be toy “inventions” befitting the period, various flasks and mugs for your favorite beverage and all manner of S.E.A and Renaissance inspired memorabilia.
Captain Patrique Altomare (which is Italian for “high sea”) is a French-Italian pirate, smuggler, and privateer who has sailed the “seven deadly seas”, through wind, weather, and the flu, forever on the hunt for new adventures and discoveries. As a child, Patrique felt landlocked, quite literally in fact, despite living so close to a canal in southern France. His Ma had run off with a donkey salesman long ago, leaving his Pa to raise their son alone. A cold, unloving man, Pa was a hard laborer, and wanted his son to follow in his footsteps, to build brick walls ‘til his back and legs failed him. Patrique wanted more in life, to be free and explore the world beyond his small home.
When he was old enough, Patrique hopped onto the first barge on the canal and sailed away to adventure. Through a series of mishaps, bribes, and one incident that involved a pesky seagull and a piano suspended on ropes, Patrique became captain of the Italian privateer ship, La Polaris, working for the government to raid enemy vessels and unsuspecting ports, to bring back their goods and valuables for profit. But, Captain Altomare found his journeys to not be for profit or destruction, but for discovery. To encounter new people, cultures, and tales from both land and sea, discover forgotten kingdoms and precious treasures. He became enthralled with the endless possibilities of world travel, preferring to spend more time on sea than on land.
But, eventually, a close encounter with a whirlpool in the West Indies nearly wrecked his ship. Patrique managed to sail La Polaris back to Italy, docking at a port he was not familiar with, with his ship in tatters. It was here that he met a number of intelligent and impressive individuals, who shared his passion for exploring the world and its secrets. He became a founding member of S.E.A., returning to the sea every now and again once his ship was fixed, to find rare and lost treasures and bring them back to the society. He had kept some of his more valuable finds for himself, and eventually decided to set up a shop in the port, deciding to decorate with his years of sailing and pillaging.
Villa Avventura also houses Biblioteca Occidentale, a small library so named because Vincenzo set it up as a satellite extension of the library he set up in Porto Paradiso. Here, guests can come in, sit on a lush, comfy chair or couch, and just relax with a good book. It’s a quiet, tranquil spot. It also connects to the High Spirits Lounge, and people can bring their drinks and appetizers in here.
Instead of an arcade, Villa Scoperta has the Explorer’s Workshop, the main center-of-operation for American S.E.A. member Joseph Davis and place for all members of S.E.A. to get inventive! In this interactive walk-through, we can make our own experiments and interact with bizarre, Steampunk-esque machines. There are major rooms in the workshop. For example, in Camellia Falco’s room, you can help her design flying machines, and even make a miniature one to take home! In Vincenzo’s room, you can customize your own maps of the world...and maybe even make your own island! In Eureka’s room, the spirit of new ideas is brought to life as you can put down on paper your own ideas for just about anything!
Banquet halls are available for private functions. These two-story rooms feature ornate ceiling paneling and beautiful chandeliers.
Villa Avventura’s eclectic worldly charm makes it a fantastic intimate setting for weddings! Chapel Cielo, found on the picturesque rooftop level, takes full advantage of this incomparable fairy tale atmosphere. The simple, understated interior features oak-paneled ceilings and soft pink stucco walls. Tall apse windows beyond the altar provide perfectly-framed romantic views of Cinderella Castle. The windows’ iron framing includes curlicue cloud shapes to accentuate these heartwarming pastoral views. Wedding receptions are held nearby on the rooftop, taking place within an airy and white tent structure. The tent may be open air or sealed, weather depending, with circular skylights shaped like Mickey Mouse ears. (Interior banquet halls are available upon request.) Furthermore, a dedicated Bridal Salon helps with all aspects of planning and orchestrating a wedding, from rehearsals to floral arrangements. This is provided in conjunction with Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings.
The main pool is the Pool of the Gods, an outdoor pool themed around the ancient Roman ruins. Here, guests will be able to explore the beauty of Imperial Rome, and also enjoy themselves in the cool and relaxing waters. Of course, there’s also a waterslide. A hot tub is found within the ruins along the edge of Seven Seas Lagoon. It’s quite a popular place for fireworks viewing. For other recreation here, there’s boating, fishing, a tennis court and a half-court.
Not only that, but over the course of the past year, I was thinking about what @Suchomimus wondered about the original MWDW hotels: Would they be enough? In my Mirror Walt Disney World, we only have eighteen hotels, and given that WDW is a tourism mecca, it is a possibility that there wouldn’t be any room in their hotels. Well, I looked it up, and as it turns out, Walt Disney World has their very own Good Neighbor Hotels program!
Good Neighbor Hotels
I’m sure many of you are familiar with the Disneyland version of the Good Neighbor program, and Walt Disney World has a similar system in place. The Good Neighbor program is set up with hotels surrounding Walt Disney World that are independently owned and operated, and they are divided into three categories: Premium (hotels similar to DVC villas, sleep up to six to eight guests), Standard(hotels with rooms that sleep up to four guests) and Suites (hotels with rooms that sleep up to six to eight guests). And these are not just your average cheap motels. Good Neighbor Hotels are specifically chosen by Disney if they live up to certain expectations – for example, they must be AAA-approved, they must meet Disney’s standards for quality and service, and they must be “comfortable, convenient and close.”
Indeed, Good Neighbor Hotels offer you the same level of quality and service you would get if you stayed on-property, although in most cases, with a considerably cheaper price, thus ensuring that any guests who want to visit Disney World in this Mirror universe can still find a good place to stay, even if they can’t stay on Disney property. And as for “close”, each Good Neighbor Hotel is within two to fourteen miles away from Walt Disney World. And if you decide to spend your vacation at one of these hotels, you get access to a wide variety of perks typically only enjoyed by WDW resort guests…as well as a few perks enjoyed only by Good Neighbor guests.
Extra Magic Hours – allowing guests to get into the four parks of Walt Disney World one hour early, or stay two hours late. Certain parks have certain days they offer this perk.
An expanded Advanced Dining Reservations (ADR) window.
An opportunity to purchase a vacation package, as well as an opportunity to purchase park tickets on-site.
Early access to purchasing event tickets.
The Resort Information Channel (Walt Disney World Tour) available among the hotel TV channels.
Complimentary breakfast every morning; as well as complimentary evening receptions every evening.
Complimentary shuttle service taking guests to Disney Square, the epicenter of any day’s journey through Walt Disney World. (At certain hotels, complimentary shuttle service is also available for other Orlando hotspots – ex. Universal Orlando, SeaWorld, etc.)
Or, if you prefer to drive yourself, free parking is available at the parks for all resort guests and Good Neighbor guests.
Here is a list of all eligible Good Neighbor Hotels, divided into the three categories. Bear in mind, some of these hotels will be listed in two categories at the same time.
Premium Good Neighbor Hotels
Courtyard by Marriott / Marriott Village Hotels
Crowne Plaza Orlando
Delta Orlando Lake Buena Vista
Floridays Resort Orlando
The Grove Resort & Water Park Orlando
Margaritaville Resort Orlando
Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate
Sheraton Lake Buena Vista Resort
Standard Good Neighbor Hotels
Comfort Suites Maingate East
Courtyard by Marriott Lake Buena Vista at Vista Centre
Delta Orlando Lake Buena Vista
Grand Orlando Resort at Celebration
Hilton Garden Inn Orlando / Lake Buena Vista
Holiday Inn Orlando Southwest – Celebration Area
Holiday Inn Express & Suites – South Lake Buena Vista
Holiday Inn Resort Orlando – Lake Buena Vista
Hyatt Place Orlando / Lake Buena Vista
Margaritaville Resort Orlando
Rosen Inn Lake Buena Vista
Suites Hotels
Best Western Plus Kissimmee – Lake Buena Vista South Inn & Suites
Blue Tree Resort at Lake Buena Vista
Buena Vista Suites
Caribe Royal Orlando
Comfort Suites Maingate East
Embassy Suites Orlando – Lake Buena Vista
Embassy Suites by Hilton Orlando – Lake Buena Vista South
Embassy Suites by Hilton Orlando International Drive Convention Center
Fairfield by Marriott Celebration
Fairfield Inn & Suites Lake Buena Vista
Fairfield Inn by Marriott Village Hotels in Lake Buena Vista
Floridays Resort Orlando
The Grove Resort & Water Park Orlando
Hampton Inn & Suites – South Lake Buena Vista
Hawthorn Suites
Holiday Inn Resort Orlando Suites – Waterpark
Home2 Suites by Hilton Orlando International Drive South
Homewood Suites by Hilton Lake Buena Vista – Orlando
Lake Buena Vista Resort Village & Spa
Meliá Orlando Suite Hotel
Residence Inn Orlando Convention Center
Residence Inn Lake Buena Vista
Sonesta ES Suites – Lake Buena Vista
SpringHill Suites Orlando Theme Park / Lake Buena Vista and TownePlace Suites Orlando Theme Park / Lake Buena Vista (Both share the same hotel complex)
SpringHill Suites Orlando Lake Buena Vista in the Marriott Village
SpringHill Suites by Marriott Orlando Kissimmee
SpringHill Suites Orlando Convention Center / International Drive Area
WorldQuest Orlando Resort
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
And those are the resorts of WDW! I admit, I'm not really sure I have much to do in terms of overall descriptions. I do have a timeline set up similar to @MANEATINGWREATH's Mirror Disneyland 2.0; and a resort information TV loop. And of course, I do have a few attraction walk-throughs to share. So expect those posts to come a bit more sporadically as time goes on.
But I can tell you this, though. When May starts, I'm considering starting another project within this thread. If you may recall when I was going through Animal Kingdom, MEW came back and expressed a hope that he would return to complete Mirror Disneyland. But the thing is, if he ever returns, I don't know if Disney-Universal Studios will remain part of MDL. And I have been interested in laying out how DHS could work in this MWDW. So, maybe in May, I'll start doing a MWDW 3.0 Hollywood Studios walk-through. Let me know what you think, and I'll see you in the next post!
I hope you adding Roger Rabbit's Hollywood (Maroon Studios and Toontown), Muppet Studios, Dick Tracy's Crimestoppers, Backlot Studio Tour addition like Journey Into Center of the Earth segment, Pee Wee Herman comedy show, and Mickey's Movieland for MWDW 3.0 Hollywood Studios.
Here's my ideas for Roger Rabbit's Hollywood attractions
Roger Rabbit's Runaway Trolley
Benny's Wild Hollywood Taxi Tours (the ride will take places in Hollywood instead Toontown)
Baby Herman's Runaway Baby Buggy Ride
Toontown Tower Hotel (a family version of Tower of Terror)
Toon Coaster (a dueling roller coaster inspired by RollerCoaster Rabbit short)
I hope you adding Roger Rabbit's Hollywood (Maroon Studios and Toontown), Muppet Studios, Dick Tracy's Crimestoppers, Backlot Studio Tour addition like Journey Into Center of the Earth segment, Pee Wee Herman comedy show, and Mickey's Movieland for MWDW 3.0 Hollywood Studios.
Here's my ideas for Roger Rabbit's Hollywood attractions
Roger Rabbit's Runaway Trolley
Benny's Wild Hollywood Taxi Tours (the ride will take places in Hollywood instead Toontown)
Baby Herman's Runaway Baby Buggy Ride
Toontown Tower Hotel (a family version of Tower of Terror)
Toon Coaster (a dueling roller coaster inspired by RollerCoaster Rabbit short)
Can you please stop mentioning Roger Rabbit? It's not fair to everyone else (like the original posters) to have to hear this over and over again. You've been doing it for years.
Can you please stop mentioning Roger Rabbit? It's not fair to everyone else (like the original posters) to have to hear this over and over again. You've been doing it for years.
Does anything get built where Art of Animation/Pop Century is built in our WDW? Is Tower of Light still part of this project? Also, how would Universal Orlando look in this world?
(sorry for bombarding you with questions)
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