We reside on the left coast, so Disneyland is a right of passage for our family. But when we had the opportunity to fly to Orlando for the Disney Dream Christening Cruise, we jumped at the chance to spend a few extra days exploring Mickey’s other home. As a kid, I dreamed of visiting Walt Disney World. I’d always heard that it was HUGE and so much cooler and better than Disneyland, but you need to go and get the chance to compare, so you can make your own decision. Just for the record, we did this week-long trip to Disney all on public transportation and left our car seats at home (dreamy). Using Disney transportation at Walt Disney World is super easy and fun for the kids as long as you know a few less-than-obvious details.
Magical Transportation
One important tip is if you are staying at a Walt Disney Resort Hotel, and planning to bus and monorail it around the park (which I recommend), than book your free airport transfers to/from your hotel aboard the Disney’s Magical Express. The added bonus: if you book ahead of time, you can bypass baggage claim and hop on the bus sans-luggage – they will deliver your bags to your room after you check in. (We recommend packing a few items such as swimsuits just in case you make it to the hotel before your bags).
If you want to spend a majority of your time at The Magic Kingdom and Epcot like we did, I highly recommend staying in one of the resort hotels on the monorail line that has direct service to these two parks. These are Disney’s Polynesian Resort, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, and Disney’s Contemporary Resort with the adjacent Bay Lake Tower which was our favorite of the properties. I will be sharing tips from our experience visiting the parks this month, starting with our favorite places to stay. First up, Disney’s Bay Lake Tower at the Contemporary Resort.
Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
This in my opinion, is the optimal place for families wanting a hip and modern place to stay, close proximity to the Magic Kingdom, space to spread out with a full kitchen and laundry, and great views of Bay Lake and the opposite Magic Kingdom park. In addition, the vibe of the Contemporary is hip and cool, with modern furnishings and swanky restaurants that serve great wine AND mickey mouse shaped meals for the kids – and the monorail runs right through the hotel.
Photo: Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort is the perfect modern hotel for hip parents and kids looking for quick access to Magic Kingdom or Epcot by monorail.
Photo: Wave at Disney’s Contemporary Resort is both kid friendly and pleasing for parents seeking a cool break from the park.
More to come in our series of posts on where to play and stay in Disney World. Do you have a favorite place to stay near the Magic Kingdom, or a tip for playing in the park? Leave a note in the comments and share with us!
Have a magical day!
Note: We booked our own accomodations for our family’s stay at Bay Lake Tower.
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