Resort Hopping Suggestions

[blreinsel]

Hi all! I'm posting this thread in a couple of places so you may come across it elsewhere.

I recently posted my PTR for my upcoming June 2016 trip. We will be spending one day resort hopping and this will be a first for us! So I'm looking for some suggestions on the "must-do's" of your favorite resorts. We're going to try and hit as many of them as possible. I'm looking for QS dining spots, food/drink suggestions, gift shops, activities, photo opportunities, and anything else you can think of!

If you'd like to read my PTR, you can find it here:
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/the-princesses-return.908683/

Thanks in advance!

 

[Bairstow]

If you're trying to hit as many resorts as possible, you should probably concentrate on the Monorail Loop (Polynesian, Contemporary and Grand Floridian) and the EPCOT area deluxe resorts (Yacht/Beach, Boardwalk, Swan/Dolphin). The monorail will get you to and from all the monorail resorts (with Wilderness Lodge also easily accessible by boat from the MK landing) and the EPCOT deluxes are all walking distance from each other via the boardwalk and serviced by water taxi.

Captain Cooke's at the Polynesian and Beaches and Cream at the Yacht Club are especially nice places for lunch, though Beaches and Cream is getting hard to get in to these days.

Another option is Animal Kingdom Lodge. Its quick-service lunch place, The Mara, is only so-so, but exploring the grounds lobbies, and animal exhibits of the AKL complex can easily take half a day. If you don't mind paying a bit more for lunch, there's Kidani Village's Sanaa, which is much better than The Mara.

 

[rael ramone]

If you don't have a specific 'no ticket' day, you might consider spreading them out among park days.

On a Magic Kingdom day, instead of eating at one of the 'feed stations', get on the monorail to the Poly, and either eat at Kona (TS, but I really like it) or the already mentioned QS Captain Cooks. Check the gift shop, walk the grounds, perhaps walk over to the Grand Floridian and check that out - during the hottest and most likely most crowded park hours - then head back to MK for the night.

Since the 'Studios' in it's present form IMHO isn't a full day park anymore, a walk over to Epcot will bring you past the Crescent Lake resort area - Boardwalk you can get a relatively decent sandwich at the bakery or more simple fare at the pizza window or hot dog stand - or spring for TS dining - if you have a park hopper you can then go to Epcot as long as you get there before it closes.

As of my last trip AK still closes early - so a good cap to the day is to head over to the AKL lodge for dinner. Get a ressie at either Boma or Jiko, and IMHO the AKL lodge has the best gift shop for a hotel on property.

 

[blreinsel]

Thanks for the tips so far! Keep em' coming!

 

[danyoung56]

Rent Sea Rayders from either the Contemporary or Poly marinas, and spend a fun hour bombing around the Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake.