Expert Disney Planning Tips by Undercover Tourist

Selecting A Walt Disney World Resort Hotel Featuring MichaelDoesDiz

• Undercover Tourist • Season 1 • Episode 3

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Welcome to the Expert Disney Planning Tips podcast!

In Episode 3, our host, Rachel, is joined by fellow Disney pro, MichaelDoesDiz, to discuss Walt Disney World Resort hotels! We'll break down the resort tiers, highlight the benefits of staying on-site and reveal our best tips so you are ready to pick the right resort for your next stay. And, of course, it wouldn't be an Undercover Tourist Podcast without us sharing how you can save money on your resort stay.

Hop in to get all the scoop including:

  • Benefits of Staying On-Site
  • Overview of Tiers: Deluxe, Moderate & Value 
  • How to Save Money When Booking Your Resort
  • Key Considerations
  • Tips and Tricks 


🐸  Let Us Help You Plan and Book Your Next Vacation! 🐸 


💚 We’d Love to Stay In Touch! 💚 

Rachel (00:00:02):

Welcome to the Expert Disney Planning Tips podcast, where we bring together Disney Pros to share our tips for making your vacation extra. Magical. Undercover Tourist is the trusted name and discount theme park tickets with over 20 years of experience under our frog belts. You can find us online@undercovertourist.com. On top of saving you some green. We've also created comprehensive planning tools to make planning your next vacation as stress free as possible, including the number one ranked crowd calendar, our comprehensive blog park plans, and so much more. Hello and welcome to the Expert Disney Planning Tips podcast. I'm your host Rachel with Undercover Tourist, and today I am so excited to be joined by Michael from Michael Deses to talk about choosing your Wal Disney World Resort Hotel. Michael, I am so excited to have you here today.

Michael (00:00:54):

I am so happy to be here. Yay.

Rachel (00:00:56):

Well, I cannot wait to talk more about hotels with you, but for anybody who might not be familiar with you, Michael is a Disney World regular who is equally obsessed with Starbucks and Goofy. But Michael, you might just also have more annual hotel stays at Disney Resorts than anybody else that we know.

Michael (00:01:12):

I know I have been down there quite a bit in the last couple of years.

Rachel (00:01:17):

I know we've chatted together in the past about Disney World Hotels on a live, but I'm so excited to have you back because we have a little bit more time to really dive into your insight and even more detail so that way people know exactly what they should when it comes to choosing your Disney World Hotel. When we talk about your Disney World Vacation planning timeline. In our very first episode, we talked best times to visit with Molly. The second episode we talked about which tickets were right for you with the Mouse lits, and now we get to talk about hotels. So you've chosen how long you want to go. Now the question is where should you stay? So Michael and I are here to help. Michael, I think previously you mentioned you've stayed at nearly every single Walt Disney World Hotel <laugh>. Where was the last place that you stayed?

Michael (00:01:57):

Yeah, so the last place that I stayed when I was down at Walt Disney World was actually the Swan, but the last official Walt Disney World Resort that I stayed at was Grandes Cino Tower at Coronado Springs.

Rachel (00:02:10):

Those are both amazing picks and I know we have more to share about each of those in just a few minutes as well. With over 26 Walt Disney World Resort hotels to choose from, it is natural to have some questions. So Michael and I want you to leave today's podcast feeling ready to choose the hotel that's right for your next Walt Disney World visit. So here's what we'll be sharing today. First, we'll share the benefits of staying onsite at a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel. Then we'll share an overview of the different tiers of Walt Disney World Resort hotels. We'll also be sharing how you can save some money when booking your Walt Disney World Hotels. We'll also share some considerations for choosing your hotel, and we'll share some tips and tricks along the way because those actually do exist when it comes to your hotel stay. Yeah, they do. And like I mentioned along the way, we're gonna share some of our personal favorites and some hidden gems too. Before we jump in, of course, I wanna share that you can save money on every single hotel that we are talking about today through Undercover Tourist. So can't wait to tell you more about that. Are you ready, Michael?

Michael (00:03:08):

I'm ready.

Rachel (00:03:09):

Let's do it. All right. Let's start things off by talking about the benefits of staying on site. So everything that we're gonna talk about in this section is offered at all of the Walt Disney World Resort hotels. I know when it comes to choosing a location to stay or when you're deciding whether you wanna stay onsite or offsite, the first thing that people mention is the Disney bubble. Yes. Michael, can you tell us a little bit more about that? What is the Disney bubble?

Michael (00:03:33):

So the way that I think about the Disney bubble is once you are driving on the road and you go through the big gates that say, Walt Disney World, the most magical place on earth, you've got Mickey on one side of you and Minnie on the other side of you <laugh>. As soon as you enter those gates, you are inside of the Disney bubble. So for me, it's kind of being in there and then not really leaving that magical place and that magical kind of head space that you're in once you cross that border.

Rachel (00:04:04):

Totally agree. It's a way to kind of keep you immersed in the magic immersed on property. So you kind of don't have to leave the bubble, I mean, until it's time to sadly say goodbye. But there's complimentary transportation all around the resort. So from the hotel to the theme parks, to the water parks, to Disney Springs, all of the Disney World hotels have at least a bus system, but others have different modes of transportation as well, which we'll get into more, um, in just a few minutes. Michael, what's your preferred mode of transportation when you're at Disney World?

Michael (00:04:34):

Yeah, so I love the monorail. I am such a monorail guy. Like if I could stay at the contemporary 10 out of 10 trips, I absolutely would. And I would take the monorail or I'd walk.

Rachel (00:04:45):

I grew up loving the monorail. There was something like so special and so Disney about seeing the monorail as a kid, as an adult, I'm with you, walking beats anything else a hundred percent of the time. But I also really love the boats. I don't know what it is. Okay. I love getting on, I love hearing you like woo whoop, and they're taking

Michael (00:05:04):

Off

Rachel (00:05:04):

On today.

Michael (00:05:05):

They're like very relaxing. It's like it's Yes. A moment of zen while you're at Disney.

Rachel (00:05:12):

For sure. I can't even count how many kids I've seen asleep on the boat too, which is, I mean a testament to that how

Michael (00:05:17):

Relaxed and how many, how many Michaels you've also seen asleep on the boat. <laugh>,

Rachel (00:05:22):

Hey, it happens. It's a big day for everybody.

Michael (00:05:25):

Sure is.

Rachel (00:05:26):

Another great perk is that you get complimentary parking for onsite guests only at the hotel, and if you're a hotel guest at the theme parks.

Michael (00:05:34):

Yeah, it's pretty cool.

Rachel (00:05:36):

Yeah. And that saved you 25 bucks, right? Just for standard parking?

Michael (00:05:39):

It does. Yes, it sure does. It's 25 bucks for standard parking, $50 for preferred parking. So I do think also you're able, if you are a hotel guest or an annual Passholder, dvc, whoever has free parking mm-hmm. <affirmative>, you can then upgrade for $25 to preferred parking if

Rachel (00:05:57):

You want to. You sure can. Because my husband and he always likes to upgrade. He's preferred parking all the way. I,

Michael (00:06:03):

I feel that, you know, sometimes when I'm at like Epcot or Studios specifically mm-hmm. <affirmative>, it's quick walk very quick from preferred. It is. I know.

Rachel (00:06:13):

And like we said, it's a big day for everybody. So the less steps you have to take at the end of the day, the better off everybody is. So now there is no longer a complimentary mode of transportation from the airport to the hotels. There are lots of other great options. Of course, there's rental cars, there's the Sunshine flyer, there's mirrors, there's a ton of options. Just know that you will need to arrange transportation from the airport to your Disney World Hotel.

Michael (00:06:36):

Yep. I would say that for me personally, a rental car is 10 out of 10, my favorite mode of transportation, <laugh> <laugh>. I'm able to grab it on my own time. I'm able to kind of load up my stuff, bring it over to the resort, park it, and then from there I can get around property however I want to, whether it's using the rental car or using Disney Transportation, but I'm kind of in my own.

Rachel (00:07:01):

You're in the Michael Bubble?

Michael (00:07:02):

I am in the Michael Bubble <laugh>.

Rachel (00:07:06):

It's okay. Some like, yeah, there are people who really want like their own space, especially with kids too. Sometimes it's like, do I wanna wait for this Uber? It's just an easy way to kind of control your surroundings and know that you've got, you know, a reliable motor transportation that gets you where you need to go one

Michael (00:07:19):

Time. Absolutely. Yep.

Rachel (00:07:21):

And I should say too, that Undercover Tourists does offer discounts on rental cars and you can get even deeper savings when you bundle your resort hotel, your Disney World Resort Hotel with your Disney World tickets and a rental car. Yeah. So all onsite hotels also offer early theme park entry benefits. Michael, do you wanna tell us a little bit about that?

Michael (00:07:40):

Yeah, so I, I think it's one of the absolute best things about the Walt Disney World Hotels is the fact that you get into the parks 30 minutes early. So I know 30 minutes doesn't sound like a whole lot of time, but if you're at the Magic Kingdom and you're rope dropping and you are there for that extra 30 minutes, you can get so much done and such a jumpstart on your day.

Rachel (00:08:01):

Honestly, we call it a frog leg up around here. Yeah. But you can do so much in that time. I'm almost ashamed to tell you how I use my 30 minutes early in, um, animal Kingdom. But I know that when you're at Animal Kingdom, people either head towards Avatar, right. Or they kind of go towards Everest. I will ride Everest like four or five times in a row before my day has even started

Michael (00:08:22):

<laugh>. I totally thought you were gonna be like, oh my gosh, I go straight to Cali River

Rachel (00:08:26):

Rapids dinosaur Dinosaur is where I head. No, it's, I mean, it's not that unpopular of an opinion because Everest is amazing. Yeah. But that is, I will truly like write it over and over and over and it's like walk on during that time often. Yeah. So it's, I mean, just to give you an idea of how valuable those 30 minutes are every morning

Michael (00:08:44):

Space Mountain for me,

Rachel (00:08:46):

I Oh yes, yes.

Michael (00:08:48):

I'm part of that crew that's like running through the park towards tomorrow land. Yes,

Rachel (00:08:52):

Absolutely. And I guess that's a good note too. The one thing you should know about early theme park entry is that only certain sections of the parks are open. So when you go to Magic Kingdom, that's fantasy land and tomorrow land right now, um, and at Animal Kingdom, of course some of the animals are still sleeping and the habitats don't open until later. So just look that up before you go. So that way you make sure that you're using that time efficiently, you know where you're headed, go to Everest, go get your Space Mountain done, ride 'em over and over if you want. But again, that 30 minutes is really invaluable.

Michael (00:09:19):

You can also get a jumpstart on the Starbucks line.

Rachel (00:09:22):

Yes, yes. If you're a coffee drinker and you're just there for the S Star's, go get in line for sure. Another benefit that is offered, and this is only for deluxe hotel guests, but it's extended evening hours. Michael, you wanna tell us a little bit about how that works?

Michael (00:09:36):

Yeah, so like Rachel said, it's fur, those deluxe hotel guests and that actually also includes the swan and dolphin with the extended evening hours. The park is actually open for an additional two hours after all of the other park guests and normal day guests are able to leave for the day. So like sometimes it'll be over at Epcot, sometimes it'll be over at Magic Kingdom. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. But being able to have those extra two hours to go run around and feel like you have the park two yourself is amazing. Sometimes, like I'll do extended evening hours over at Magic Kingdom and to be able to just go on Thunder Mountain as many times as I want to do it. Yes. And sit in row 15. It's everything. Yeah. No

Rachel (00:10:17):

Way I use Exactly. It's so great. I actually, when I went in, I used that time to get like empty Main Street photos I was leaving and I have some photos of, yeah. You know, you see the people that are like sitting on the ground. I did not lay on the ground, but I did take some empty Main Street photos where you can see the castle behind you and there's nobody else in the shot, which like, you don't get it any other time. So that's a huge benefit for deluxe guests. Yeah. And this next benefit is a huge deal too. So Walt Disney World Resort hotel guests also get earlier access to booking individual lightning lanes. So those are the ala carte kind of priced rides that you pay a little bit extra to access. And that is Tron, guardians Avatar, flight of Passage. And what am I missing, Michael? Some Dorse Mine train. Yeah.

Michael (00:11:00):

Did you say Rise?

Rachel (00:11:02):

Rise through resistance? That's the other one. Yes. Rise. Yeah. Yeah. So it's invaluable if you're trying to ride some of those big e ticket rides, particularly Tron and Guardians go pretty quickly. But yeah, if you are an onsite hotel guest, you can book your individual Lightning Lane selection at 7:00 AM but you can only do that if you're staying on site. So everybody else has to wait until Park open to make that that reservation. So that's huge. Again, frog leg up on that planning, <laugh>, something else that you get to do as an onsite hotel guest. You get Advanced Dining reservations, um, for that you can book for the full length of your stay. So rather than jumping on at that 60 day mark and having to get on every day of your trip, you get to, you know, book for the whole time, which is is nice. I don't wanna have to get up more than one time. I'd have to book that at 5 45 Eastern. No. So,

Michael (00:11:45):

No, me neither. <laugh> <laugh>.

Rachel (00:11:48):

What's always on your ADR list, Michael, if you're hopping on to get reservations,

Michael (00:11:52):

You know, that one rotates for me. So that's a tough one. Cinderella.

Rachel (00:11:58):

So Cinderella's Royal table is always huge.

Michael (00:12:00):

Woodies.

Rachel (00:12:01):

Yeah. Rodeo Roundup just opened today. Yeah. So that's a big one at Hollywood Studios on People's list, of course, character Dining Link, chef Mickey's, like you mentioned, Cinderella's Royal Table goes fast. Um, Tusker House is another one that tends to go pretty quickly. Um, so all of those are great choices, but yeah, if you're wanting some of those in-demand restaurants or character dining experiences, you gotta be, gotta be on top of it.

Michael (00:12:22):

I will tell you, I have never ever done an advanced dining reservation. Oh wow. I know. That's why that question took me by, by surprise a little bit.

Rachel (00:12:34):

It's okay. I So do you do walk up, tell me your race?

Michael (00:12:37):

No, I am a, a night before day of just kind of go with the flow, see what's available, kind of guy. I,

Rachel (00:12:44):

I like it.

Michael (00:12:45):

Yeah. I don't really ever have that far in advance. Something that I'm that passionate about or like that I know that I'm gonna be in the mood for mm-hmm. <affirmative> that I just kind of wait until I'm, till I'm there and, and I play it by ear and I hope for the best.

Rachel (00:13:01):

I like it. I've, yeah, like cut back on how many I need to go to. And I have also found that, um, the, so I should say too, I should back up and say like, if you're not on at 5:45 AM for these, like Michael is saying, it's not the end of the world truly. No. Like people do cancel, um, up until like the day of and there's also now a walkup availability list. Yeah. That is hugely helpful. So, um, not all hope is lost if you aren't logging in, but I will say it is nice to get to book Yes. Your whole trip in advance versus like day by day like we were saying. So 100% nice benefit there. One other thing that you get to do a little bit early and you get a tiny discount on is Magic Band or Magic Band plus orders. So you can go into my Disney experience and get about $10 off. I actually just ordered mine for my upcoming trip. But I should say too, I know, I'm so excited. It's actually should be in the mailbox, so I should go look after this and see. But Michael, do you use Magic Mobile or are you a magic band kind of guy?

Michael (00:13:57):

You know, it's interesting. So I phased out my magic band wearing after they were not giving them out complimentary, um mm-hmm. <affirmative> at the resorts. And for a very long time I have been using Magic Mobile and I've been using it on both my Apple Watch and my phone. But ever since they released the Magic Band Plus mm-hmm. <affirmative>, and at first I was like, no, I'm not gonna cave. I'm not gonna get one. I'm not gonna do it. I ended up getting one and I really enjoy it. I love that it like vibrates and lights up with things. Yeah. But more importantly, I find that for the rides and the attractions that Auto Link your PhotoPass pictures using that technology and you don't have the ability to actually go tap something to like link your PhotoPass picture to your account like Guardians and now Trod. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. I actually find that the magic band works better than my Apple Watch and I don't know why, but I would say like eight times out of 10 with my Apple Watch only, I don't get the picture and I really want the picture.

Rachel (00:15:06):

Yeah, I'm with you. I, I stopped doing Magic Band for a little while just because I thought it was like I forgot, which I also have an Apple Watch and sometimes it felt like clunky to have both. So I was like, well I have my Apple Watch, I don't need anyone. So, but I did just order the Magic Band Plus for all of the same reasons that you just talked about. I'm excited to watch it interact with things. Um, as a mom too, when you're there and you've got your hands full, you the last thing you wanna do is go digging through <laugh>. Totally. They're like your backpack and trying to figure out where your phone is and you feel the pressure as people are lining up behind you and you're trying to get everyone scanned in. Like it's so much easier just to have it on your wrist and get it taken care of. So super nice benefit.

Michael (00:15:45):

I will also say that the Plus is amazing because of the fact that it's now able to be used at Disneyland. Yes. In addition to Walt Disney World. And you can use the same magic band for both parks. So I have like all of my stuff loaded onto one magic band. Yeah. And it's really easy coast to coast and I just keep it in my backpack at

Rachel (00:16:06):

All times. I'd like to say this is a very true fact unless you're my husband and then I need one for each resort. So. Got it. That's all. Okay. Um, <laugh>

Michael (00:16:15):

<laugh>,

Rachel (00:16:16):

The next one is kind of, it's not like I, I don't think it's like a conventional, you're not gonna see this listed on Disney's website, but I really love the TV stations at the hotels. Um, we're gonna talk about, Michael and I are gonna talk about our favorite benefit next, but it's really a way that it keeps you kind of immersed in the magic. I love the info channel at the Wal Disney World Resorts. I turn it on every morning when I get Richie. Really? I feel so much less. Yeah, I

Michael (00:16:42):

Really do. Nope, you're not alone.

Rachel (00:16:44):

They play like this, this fun Disney music. Yeah. That's all like instrumental and it's got your name on it and it'll talk about, you know, the park hours and weather and resort information and tips and tricks. It's bad enough. Like I am addicted enough that when we went to Fort Wilderness to hook up our rv, I was like genuinely concerned. Like what if I hook up the cable and there's not resort TV one, but there there is Spider

Michael (00:17:06):

Alert. I know when I did an RV last year there and I hooked it up and it was there, I was shocked and I was so Oh, so good. Happy about that.

Rachel (00:17:15):

It's great. I feel

Michael (00:17:16):

You. Of course I

Rachel (00:17:16):

Get it. There's Disney plus complimentary too. Yes. But I mean it's just an extra magical touch, so love it.

Michael (00:17:21):

It is.

Rachel (00:17:22):

But that brings us to kind of, I think both of our favorite benefit to staying on site, which is the immersive theming. Um, all over, at every single resort hotel at Disney World, there is such fun theming. So you can enter Route 66 or you can go to the Big Easy and see some Tiana touches around there. You can even bunk with the Incredibles at the Contemporary. So no matter where you stay, it's gonna be totally magical. You're gonna feel that magic. Michael, do you have a favorite Disney World Hotel theme?

Michael (00:17:52):

I do. Um, I would say that my absolute favorite is actually Wilderness Lodge. I Ooh, love the feeling as soon as you walk in and it just kind of like takes you outside of like that normal Disney feeling and gives you this like rustic really cool feel. I love the way that they did the whole property. I love the Geyser outside. I love the dining options, just kind of like the way that they leaned into everything. And as a runner up to that, I will say I love the incredible rooms over at the contemporary, the tiny details. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> like when you open a drawer up or you open the closet up and there are like incredible things printed inside of them. I just think it's great.

Rachel (00:18:38):

Yeah. Super fun. I totally agree. There are so many great on-site themes, but I think that my favorite, so we are Fort Wilderness regulars. I feel like everybody's heard me say that, but <laugh>, we tend to bring our RV to Fort Wilderness and my husband is not a theme park person in any way, shape or form, but he is a Fort Wilderness person. So it feels like you are camping out in Frontier Land really and truly. There's special music in special area in certain areas. You've got the big trees overhead, there's squirrels and Wild Turkey and for, um, pet owners that might be bringing their pets along with them. It's the only dog park on site too. So it's a, it's a really fun theme. It's also convenient for everybody that goes. I would say my second favorite theme is actually, um, port Arlene Riverside. Oh. I just think it's so like picturesque and beautiful. Yeah. And I love walking between those resorts. I know who walks on vacation, especially at Disney World, but I do. Um, and I think that it's just so beautiful in the morning if you're walking over from Riverside to French Quarter to get like a beignet or a coffee in the morning. That view with the fountains is just gorgeous. It

Michael (00:19:50):

Really is. I really love that view too. <laugh>,

Rachel (00:19:53):

It's so pretty. We'll also give Honorable mention, and Michael touched on this a little bit, but there's a couple of good neighbor hotels that may offer similar onsite benefits. So things like early theme park entry or extended evening hours. So Michael already talked about it a little bit, but Swan Dolphin, which is at the end of the Boardwalk District. So that means that it's a boat ride or even a walk away from Hollywood Studios in Epcot is such a fantastic pick.

Michael (00:20:16):

Yeah. So I will say for me personally, I love, love, love the Swan Dolphin. I am a proud Marriott Bonvoy titanium Elite member. Oh, I know. That means I've stayed 75 nights or more in a year. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, which is bunkers. But um, I love it. I'm able to use and redeem my Marriott points there. And to Rachel's point, they are so convenient. I'm able to walk right over to Epcot or Hollywood Studios and the, I do love the fact that they have a lot of those Disney benefits. The fact that you get the early magic, the deluxe evening hours, which is like Yeah. Wildly awesome. Huge. Yeah. And you get the 7:00 AM individual lightning lane there.

Rachel (00:21:02):

It's crazy.

Michael (00:21:03):

I it's wild. I mean the only thing I will say is that the buses, you don't get a Disney bus system anymore. Right. So they now have their own proprietary bus system. So it will take you to the transportation and ticket center if you're going to the Magic Kingdom. Not directly to the front gates of the Magic Kingdom.

Rachel (00:21:23):

It's an important note cuz it's, I mean it's extra steps. You're walking a lot. Yeah. Um, I will say too, I love their fireworks views. They have rooms to have fireworks views. Yeah. Um, my kids are, they love kids clubs and my oldest is sometimes pretty standoffish about that kind of stuff. She's like, you're leaving me where with who? Uh, but she loved it. She had nothing but great things to say. I came back from, we went to jelly rolls one night, my husband, I love it. Which is so fun. But we came back and they were telling us all about the s'mores that they made and what a great time that they had. So Swan Dolphin is an excellent pick. You will find that it's has less like Disney theming to it. It's, it's a hotel that is on Disney property, but I mean the amenities can't be beat. There's several pools. It's super fun.

Michael (00:22:06):

And they also have the newer, the third tower that they recently opened as well. Yes. The Swan Reserve. Yes, the Swan Reserve. So I have stayed there too. Um, and it's really nice. It's an autograph collection hotel, so Ooh, it's kind of bougie. Yeah.

Rachel (00:22:20):

Love it. So let's talk a little bit about the Walt Disney World Resort Hotel tiers. There are three main tiers to the Disney World Hotels. The most noticeable difference is the price point between these tiers. So we're gonna start low and move our way up, but there are a few more subtle differences between these tiers. So let's talk about it Michael. Yeah,

Michael (00:22:37):

Let's do it.

Rachel (00:22:38):

So let's start with the value resorts. And you can think of those as kind of the base level of hotel. They're gonna be the lowest price point. The smallest rooms. You're gonna have a food court as your main dining option. You'll have a pool but no water slide with a splash pad area for the tadpoles. And they're gonna be set up kind of like a motel layout. So you'll have your room door and your window kind of facing an external walkway. Now I say all of that, but I should still say all that said, it's still a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel. They're still gonna feel totally magical. Those food courts are kind of second to none. Like they're delicious. You're gonna find options for everybody, including allergy friendly options. They also have different like cakes for celebrations that you can have them pipe some icing on to say Happy birthday.

(00:23:23):

So they are no less special. So when I say base level, I don't mean basic, um, I guess is what I'm saying. So those value resorts that we're talking about include pop century, the three All Stars Resorts, which are movies, sports, music and art of animation. Uh, particularly the Little Mermaid rooms. And it's important to note that two of those options actually offer family suites and that would Art of animation and all Star music. And those family suites have two bathrooms, which for larger families is a game changer in those hectic mornings when you're trying to get off to the theme parks. Two of those options also offer the Skyliner as a transportation option. The three All stars are just bus only. So those are the ones where you'll just find a bus system as the mode of transportation. So Michael, what's your favorite value resort?

Michael (00:24:09):

So for me it's actually Pop century. I

Rachel (00:24:12):

I almost said we should do 1, 2, 3, go. Cause I knew it was gonna be the same as mine. I also love pop, but go for it. Tell us more, Michael.

Michael (00:24:19):

Yeah, I love Pop. It's a fun, energetic kind of vibe at pop century. I love the themeing of the different decades. Um, and I love the pool area there. And to your point, I absolutely love the fact that you can take the skyliner from there. That makes it very, very, very easy. They have a good food court. All of the rooms are very recently refreshed and updated. Mm-hmm <affirmative>. And I love the layout of the room. I love the way that I'm able to kind of shove my stuff under the bed. Yes. I, it's really great. It's a great, great place to stay.

Rachel (00:24:52):

It is convenient. I love the Mickey Pop bar and yeah, me too. Those refreshes all really took the rooms, they made them like light and bright and beautiful. They're just so fun. Um, I think art of animation is also really fun. Uh, again, particularly those little mermaid rooms are more in that value price point. The family suites are a little bit more, uh, but they're so fun. You get to be in there with aerial on your shower curtain. It's just a, and you've got these over the top kind of sculptures around the resort to go take your, your selfies with super fun. So let's move on to moderates. That's the next tier in our list and that is what most undercover tourist customers reserve because it's a moderate price point. You've got some additional amenities and like I mentioned, they are all super fun. You'll find immersive theming here. So those resorts include Coronado Springs, which you heard Michael talk about earlier. Caribbean Beach Resort, port Orleans Riverside, and Port Orlene French Quarter. You'll have some less over the top theming but still lots of special touches. Michael, what's your favorite kind of hidden detail that you've seen in a moderate resort? I

Michael (00:25:54):

Think for my favorite hidden detail in a moderate resort is just everything at Porter Lean's French Quarter. Yes. I love Porter Lean's French Quarter. It is the smallest of all of the resorts on Disney property. It's tiny. So you just kind of are able to walk in. There's your room, there's no bus from A to B to C mm-hmm <affirmative>. And it's just simple. But I love the fact that everything there really does feel like you are walking the streets of New Orleans. Like yes, down to the outside of the rooms, the lobby, the restaurant, uh, the bars, the beignets, which are delicious. <laugh>

Rachel (00:26:36):

So good. Yeah, there's also like cobblestone streets. Like they really, when we say immersive they they put you there. Yeah, mine are, I mean I'm a frog so I, this stands in, of course this would be mine, but at Port Arlene's Riverside in the actual shower curtains, there's little hidden frogs in them. So it's just a fun detail because it's meant to be very princess and the frog esque. Right. So it's just a fun detail. A lot of times when you check into these resorts too, you'll find some Mardi Gras colored beads. So like the purple and green and yellow in the shape of a mickey when you get into your room, which is just an extra fun touch.

Michael (00:27:10):

It is, it's very cute.

Rachel (00:27:11):

Moderates will offer all that values offer, but we add on a water slide, an onsite table service dining option. These are also gonna be more motel style. Two of these resorts also offer a fifth kind of pulldown sleeper and they are so cute now I should say more so meant for kids like not super adult size if you got like a six foot teenager <laugh>. But Caribbean Beach has a little mermaid kind of pulldown option. Porter Lean's Riverside has Louis the alligator from Princess and the Frog and Coronado has the option to get a true pullout couch in certain rooms as well. So great options if you have five people in your party. The Port Orleans resorts also have a boat service to Disney Springs and then Caribbean Beach has Skyliner option to Hollywood Studios and Epcot. And Michael, I know we touched on this a little bit earlier, but I know that there is a favorite moderate that kind of feels like a deluxe. Tell us more.

Michael (00:28:05):

Okay. With pleasure. So this one is absolutely the Grand Dino Tower at Coronado Springs. I am obsessed with it. It has become one of my favorite hotels on property. So the coolest thing about Grand Dino is that it's just like a normal hotel. You walk in, there's an elevator and it takes you up to your room. I love that. I don't love the idea of having to schlep from point A to point B to point C to try and figure out where my room is. And they make it so easy. The elevators are super cool. They're like very modern elevators where you touch the floor and it'll tell you which elevator to go to. Mm-hmm <affirmative>. There's also a club level at Grand Tino, which is super cool, especially at a moderate resort. Yeah. And the rooms are fantastic. They are very modern. They are very well done. And overall, I mean it's just a great place to be. There's also a wonderful restaurant at the top of Grand Dino. Mm-hmm <affirmative>. Um, and then there's a lounge next door that's open really late and it's actually one of the only places on all of Disney property that you can see all four theme parks and Blizzard Beach. So I love to go up there and just like hang out after a long day at the parks. It's called Dolia Lounge. It's wonderful. It's one of my favorite places on property

Rachel (00:29:27):

And Molly said the same thing. So it gets high regards from two people who I trust very, very much. So I'll definitely have to check it out. If you're listening, make sure you mark it down on your list too for next time. I will say too, Coronado Springs also went through a similar kind of refurbishment recently over the past couple of years where all of the rooms feel very bright and clean. Similar to like we were talking about with pop, you've got room under the beds to put your luggage. Just beautiful views. I guess I'm finding out as I'm talking through all of this with you Michael, that I really love fountains cuz I was gonna mention yeah the big fountain in the middle of the lake, there's a waterfront restaurant. It is, it's just beautiful to walk out there at night. And then there's also a waterfront restaurant that kind of sits over the water and they've got Somer University. It's just a great property overall.

Michael (00:30:11):

Yep. And they've made it a lot easier too at Coronado with the addition of all the walkways that they added in. Just it's a wonderful place.

Rachel (00:30:20):

<laugh>. Yeah, that is one that they do have an in at the end of the night. There's more of an internal bus loop that'll take you around to, to get you closer to to your room if you're a little bit further away, which is nice. Last but not least, we have the deluxe tier. So that one is gonna have the highest price tag, but they're also the most luxurious properties. And these are Michael's favorites, <laugh>. So Michael, tell us more about Deluxe Hotels.

Michael (00:30:44):

Oh, with pleasure. So I love the deluxe resorts. I mean, to my point before, I really, really like the fact that for the most part you're able to kind of go in, take an elevator right up to your room and and really kind of be situated. These deluxe resorts are the contemporary Wilderness Lodge, Polynesian, grand Floridian Beach Club Boardwalk in Yacht Club, which is over near Epcot Animal Kingdom Lodge, which is near Animal Kingdom. And you can take the bus over and Riviera, they're just such a great, great group of different hotels.

Rachel (00:31:17):

They sure are. So they have everything that moderates have, but the rooms are inside the main buildings. There's fine dining or sometimes character dining onsite. And like Michael was talking about earlier, they also offer that extended evening hours perk. Deluxe hotels also often offer villas. So those are resorts like Old Key West, Saratoga Springs and Riviera. So all of those are villas and those will be suites with full kitchens. Now at these deluxe hotels too, transportation is kind of a different beast. So like Michael was talking about, animal Kingdom Lodge only has bus transportation, but all of the other resorts offer kind of a secondary mode of transportation. Whether that's walking the monorail, the Skyliner or a boat. And then Old Key West and Saratoga Springs both also have boat service over to Disney Springs. Undercover Tourists also has a hotel comparison matrix on our site for you to compare all of these properties by different filters.

(00:32:11):

Whether that's these tiers we just talked about, value, moderate and deluxe. The transportation mode offered or the benefits available if you're not sure whether you'll get that extended evening hours benefit. Now that said, we went through these three tiers, right? Value, moderate, and deluxe. There are a few other onsite properties that don't necessarily fall into these categories. One of those is the Fort Wilderness Resort, which includes cabins and campsites. It doesn't count as a deluxe. So no extended evening hours. It has some of the other perks. It has boat transportation to Magic Kingdom. The cabins can sleep six people. And there's also one of uh, like a fan favorite show onsite, which is hoop de Do Review. It's kind of dinner and a show. It's super fun. Another onsite property that doesn't quite fit into these categories is shades of green for active and retired US service members. And then not necessarily a different tier, but there are some different accommodations at each of these resorts that's a little different. So some of them are kind of like bucket list items. Michael, I'll be interested to hear if you've stayed at any of these at Saratoga Springs. There are these tree houses, have you seen

Michael (00:33:15):

Those? So actually Saratoga Springs is the only Walt Disney World resort that I've never stayed at. Ah. So I want to not only stay there, but like stay in a tree house. That just sounds so cool.

Rachel (00:33:28):

They are. So I, I took the boat from Port Orleans. I was staying at French Quarter at the time and two Disney Springs and on the way you'll see the tree houses, but this was a night ride as well. So there were like fireflies and it was just so beautiful seeing the tree houses out there. But I mean, it's so cool. That's definitely on my bucket list. There's also these cabins at Wilderness Lodge that you can see on the boat from Fort Wilderness or if you're going to uh, wilderness Lodge, you can see them from Magic Kingdom. But they have like outdoor jacuzzis. Have you seen those Michael?

Michael (00:33:59):

I've seen them. I've never stayed in one. Um, but wow. They look good. <laugh>. I

Rachel (00:34:04):

Know they're, they're on my list for sure. And then there's the bungalows at the Polynesian.

Michael (00:34:09):

Those are my bucket list that is like, I want to stay in a bungalow. They sound, they look and look. Yes. Amazing. I mean

Rachel (00:34:17):

They look right out of a travel magazine for like Bali, you know those over, over water bungalows that you see, which I know Disney World is not Bali, but they, it has the same kind of feel and they look so cool. So those are definitely on my list. All of that in mind. Michael, tell me your top three favorite places that you've stayed on site.

Michael (00:34:36):

Okay. I would say that my number one has and will always be the contemporary <laugh>. It is easy, it is classic. And when I think of like OG Walt Disney World, I think of the contemporary. Yeah. That's number one for me. Number two, I'm going to say yacht club because Ooh, I don't think Yacht Club gets enough love and it's so easily situated over on the boardwalk, but it's so nice and upscale too. Yeah. And it actually holds my favorite restaurant on all of Disney property, which is Yachtsman Steakhouse. Ooh. Uh, it's not talked about often, but I love Yachtsman Steakhouse.

Rachel (00:35:26):

I would never have guessed. I

Michael (00:35:28):

Feel like isn't that wild? Yeah, it's like such an anomaly. Um, nobody would ever guess that, but that is my favorite spot. Um, and then I would to say my third favorite of all is probably Wilderness Lodge. I love Wilderness Lodge and I love the boat transportation over to the Magic Kingdom. Geyser Point is one of my favorite lunch spots. They have a phenomenal burger and just the ambience of it, of sitting outside on the water, nothing compares to it in my opinion.

Rachel (00:35:59):

Yeah, those are great picks. Yeah, thanks. I think mine would be Fort Wilderness. Shocker. <laugh>.

Michael (00:36:05):

Wow. And then

Rachel (00:36:05):

I'm surprised you're like falling over, aren't you? You never would've guess. I know. And then Corona Springs for all of the reasons that we just talked about. The other one that I really, really love Onsite is Pop, which we also talked about. So we've kind of covered all of my favorites as we've gone through these. But they're all really great picks at different price points for, for different families. They all have different, you know, ways to meet people's needs. They've got different onsite dining, they've got different cool touches. So three really great picks from each of us there. So now you've learned about onsite hotel options and all of their benefits. Let's talk, let's talk about how to save money when you are booking your Walt Disney World Resort Hotel room. Booking your hotel is probably either the first or second big line item on your budget for this vacation. It's a, I mean it's a big undertaking. It's your home base for a week <laugh>. So you want you and your wallet to feel comfortable with this purchase. So we've got some tips on how to save money. So,

Michael (00:37:04):

So true. It's so important. I mean it, it really is like probably in my opinion, the biggest decision that you're making of the whole trip. Yeah. It can really kind of dictate your whole stay.

Rachel (00:37:14):

It sure can. So I know a lot of people are familiar with Undercover Tourist as a discount ticket provider, but we also offer everyday savings on these Walt Disney World resort hotels just like we do for tickets. So as you're looking at our website, you can see the savings in Green of course on the site as you're looking through those right now you can book for the end of 2023 when it comes to hotel inventory. We'll of course let you know as soon as we hear about 20, 24 dates. But it's important to book early. I mean people are already starting to look at summer vacations. I think they're starting to look at Halloween Vacations, the holidays and then somehow we're already into 2024. So the sooner that you can book the Better as dates can and do sell out. So these savings, these everyday savings with undercover tourists also increase when Disney has Special Room offers.

(00:38:02):

And I'm so excited to say that there is one that is currently running, you can save up to 25% on Walt Disney World Resort Hotel stays for select dates between July 11th and September 28th. 20 23, 20 5% on top of or discounted rooms is huge. So those are on it is huge. It's, it's, you can't beat it. So no, those are on sale from March 28th through September 14th. And if you're booking after that window, go ahead and check out our hot deals page or sign up for emails to hear more about the promotions that we have going on because they happen pretty frequently. Like I mentioned though, there are everyday savings on hotel stays. So don't worry if the dates that you're looking at don't have that extra promo attached when you're booking through Undercover Tourists. While Disney World Resort Hotel stays are also fully refundable, as long as you cancel at least five days prior to check-in, which should give you a little bit of extra peace of mind there. A little bit of flexibility in case plans change cuz we know that sometimes they do. And Michael, I know that you have booked through us before. Tell us a little bit about your experience booking through Undercover Tourist.

Michael (00:39:02):

Yeah, absolutely. So I mean it could not be easier every single time that I do it. So as soon as I know that I need a hotel room down in Orlando, first thing I do is head on over to the Undercover Tourists website. I go to hotels, go to Orlando, and then I filter down by Walt Disney World Resorts. I then very full transparency, will often go to the Walt Disney World website to take a look at what the prices are and they are always the same or better over on Undercover Tourists, which is awesome. Makes things super easy. And to your point Rachel, like having the customer service team there and having that five day cancellation is everything. So I recently had booked a stay at Coronado and I had a change of dates. I literally just called, they ended up canceling my reservation and then rebooking it for me to make it super easy. So it was great. It makes it easy and like you don't feel so locked in when you know that you're able to cancel if you need to And like yeah, if you also ended up, let's say a new promotion came or something like that, that ended up giving a better price, you could always cancel as long as it's within five days and then rebook it too. So Yep.

Rachel (00:40:18):

Lot of options. I'm so glad you had. Yeah, exactly. I'm so glad you had such a great experience. It's our mission at Undercover Tourists to be there every step of the way. Whether we're saving you money on your tickets or your hotel stay, whether we're giving you advice for a future trip that you don't have planned or whether you need some help with an order that you've already, you know, made through us, we're here to help. So I'm just, I'm glad to hear it Michael. Yeah, I hope that everybody listening has a great experience too. One other question that we get a lot is, and I'll ask you both of these cuz I know you know the answer to both of this, Michael. Okay, can I connect my hotel reservation to my Disney experience when I've purchased through Undercover Tourist?

Michael (00:40:57):

Why Yes, Rachel, you can <laugh>. Um, so it's actually really easy. As soon as you've booked your hotel room through Undercover Tourist, you will get an order confirmation email has all the information in it, but most importantly it has like your confirmation number. You're able to take that number, go plop it right into the, my Disney Experience account, either on the app or on the Disney World website. You link it up and all of a sudden it just shows up. It's like, Hey Michael, would you like to start your check-in for your stay at the boardwalk? Um, very, very simple.

Rachel (00:41:29):

Yes, it is so easy to see your reservation of my Disney experience. I hooked my own up yesterday and it was, I wanna say the entire process from like purchasing and I can't guarantee this will happen every time, but like within 15, 20 minutes my order came through, I was hooked into my Disney experience. You would not know that you did not buy direct. Like we offer the exact same hotel rooms just at a, at a lower rate. So

Michael (00:41:54):

It really is seamless. That's the best way that I could describe it.

Rachel (00:41:57):

The second question that we get all of the time is, am I still eligible for all of the onsite benefits that you would get by booking directly through Disney when I purchased through Undercover Tourists? So things like early theme park entry or extended evening hours. If, if that was something that you were eligible for.

Michael (00:42:13):

Uh, yeah, 100% <laugh> <laugh>. It's the best part.

Rachel (00:42:18):

Yeah. Yep. Exact same hotel reservation. Just not, nothing

Michael (00:42:23):

Changes

Rachel (00:42:23):

Disney. Exactly. When it comes to actually choosing your hotel, we've given you the different tiers. We've talked a little bit about the onsite benefits when it comes to actually selecting which, while Disney World Resort Hotel you want to stay at, what should you be thinking about and how do you make that decision, Michael?

Michael (00:42:42):

I mean, you have to think about a whole bunch of different things. So one of the first things you're obviously gonna think about is budget. I mean that's the most important because you have to start here. Like even now different trips have different types of budgets. For me, um, it, it really kind of depends on the goal and the purpose of that stay. Am I going to be spending a ton of time at the resort? Am I going to be spending very little time at that resort? Is it kind of just a crash pad for me to, to use to sleep in? So lots of different things to think about there.

Rachel (00:43:14):

Yeah, totally agree. So when it comes to budget to, like Michael said, that's where you need to start. And when it comes to budget, we talked a little bit about the savings that Undercover Tourist has, but you can also bundle your hotel tickets and even your car rental to maximize your savings when you're booking your Disney World vacation through Undercover Tourist and that's up to 30% off. So huge savings there. So that's one way to kind of lighten the load on that budget. Yep. Another thing to consider, which is why I've kind of been dropping these tidbits Michael and I have about different sized rooms, is thinking about the party size that you're visiting with. So standard rooms have an occupancy of four people. So if you're going with more than four people, you'll need to think about who's sleeping, where are you gonna get adjoining rooms, you need more than one room is a suite maybe right for you.

(00:44:01):

So as a reminder of those fifth sleeper options that we talked about, Caribbean Beach Resort and Port Orlene Riverside Resorts have those fifth sleeper options. If maybe you have a fifth little tadpole that's going with you that would enjoy kind of the pull down option. Yep. Some options that sleep six people would be the Art of animation, family Suites, the All Star Music Family Suites and the Fort Wilderness cabins. So also great ideas, great options for bigger families. Michael, you mentioned something really interesting which is kind of the length of stay and the type of visit that you're doing. Yes. Tell us more about that.

Michael (00:44:38):

Yeah, so I mean it, it really kind of depends. So in terms of the type of traveler and like how much I'm going to be spending the time in my room, I really try to think through that depending on each time that I go down. One example of this is race weekends. So I'm really, really big in the run Disney World. So for example, in January the last two years I did the Dopey Challenge, which is running the 5K 10 k half marathon and marathon four days in a row it's 48.6, Ugh, 48.6 consecutive miles. It's a lot. So like I know that as soon as I'm done with those races in the morning, yeah I want to go spend almost the entire rest of my day in the hotel. So I'm thinking in those situations more about kind of, okay, what's closest to the parks and what is like where am I gonna have the most comfortable room and the most amount of space.

(00:45:40):

Yeah. Which one has the best hot tub? Which one has a great bathtub for me to use? So I'm thinking more about that during those race weekend stays versus like this upcoming stay where I'm staying at Grand Dino, I am going to be spending my time, I'm going down for the launch of Happily Ever After yay. And for tran's opening day and just to kind of run around and do flatware and garden festival, I know that I'm going to spend very little time in the hotel room. Mm-hmm <affirmative>. So like for a stay like that I didn't need a deluxe resort. I also double checked and there are no deluxe evening hours corresponding with my couple of days there. So I'm not missing out on that benefit. So I'm kind of always judging what the purpose of my trip is and really to your point, like what type of traveler I want to be on each specific vacation to Walt Disney World.

Rachel (00:46:33):

I think that is great advice. And there are some families that are like open to close every day. They're theme park warriors, right? They're in it. Yeah. To see everything and do everything for those types of people. Is staying at a deluxe gonna make the most sense? Maybe, maybe not though because if you're not spending very much time in your room, you know, maybe it's worth it for you to spend that money elsewhere. Yeah. There are some families that they know they're gonna head into Magic Kingdom for a couple of hours and push a stroller back to the hotel after a couple of hours and want to have some pool time or some quiet nap time. In that case, maybe having something you know, closer or that has the, you know, the higher amenity tier is gonna work better for them. So it really just depends on you and your family and what you've got on your agenda.

(00:47:16):

We kind of roped this next one into what we're already talking about, but location is key too. So proximity to the parks, transportation time, but also things like location within the resort, which you kind of touched on with Grand Dino. So if you're staying elsewhere at Coronado, like I mentioned sometimes that bus route or the walk from the back to the front is gonna be a little bit longer. Yeah. So you'll wanna look at where you're staying in the resort itself in terms of Walt Disney World, but you'll also wanna look at where your room is on the property.

Michael (00:47:46):

And one thing I'll say with that too, and it's something that you can actually book through undercover tourists, is there are preferred rooms at some of the different resorts. Mm-hmm <affirmative> and those preferred rooms, they're not often very much more expensive than the standard rooms sometimes I've even seen them for like $20, $30 more a night. But you are in a preferred location is really what that means. So if you're over at pop century, it means that you're gonna be right near the lobby. You're not gonna be in the nineties building all the way in the back. Yeah. If you're at Port Orlene Riverside, you're gonna be in one of those front areas. You're not gonna be all the way in the bayou. So something to think about too.

Rachel (00:48:28):

Great advice. Another room type that you'll see on undercover tourists that some people might not be familiar with because I know I wasn't familiar with it for a while, is club level Michael? Yes. I know that you've stayed in a club level room. What was that like?

Michael (00:48:42):

It's pretty cool. Um, so <laugh>, I will say that club level is a special room category at very select Disney resorts. Um, it offers some extra magical perks. So I, if you're staying club level typically offers some kind of like light meals, snacks, refreshments throughout the day, very much depending on which club it is. So I have had the opportunity to stay club level at Contemporary Grand Floridian and Grand Dino, which is the only moderate resort that has a club level, which I think is just awesome. And I will also give a shout out. They are like the nicest people in the entire world that work in that club level. Um, that one's called the Kronos Club. It's very cool, but I don't know grand when I did it at Grand Floridian, we were so blown away by the food offerings in the club level. Really? Yeah. The like evening hors d'oeuvres that they had, they had an entire prime rib carving station and a pasta bar. So we ended up Wow. I know we ended up canceling our dinner that night and we ate dinner in the club level also. I know unlimited, unlimited drinks in there as well. So, um, for me, very happy to have a plethora of Diet Coke and water. But they do at certain times of the day, offer beer and wine for those people who do drink alcohol.

Rachel (00:50:12):

Yeah. So depending on your family, that might be a viable option. Again, we do offer that at select hotels through undercover tourist. And again, it kind of depends on the type of traveler that you are, right? So if you're not gonna be at the resort and you're gonna miss out on some of those, you know, prime rib carving station times for maybe it's not right for your trip. If you think you're gonna, you know, you'd rather spend money at some of the onsite, you know, dining options if you've been saving up to go to Cinderella's Royal Table, again, maybe not the best option for you, but for other families who are doing lots of resort time or maybe have older kids with different needs, like it could be a great option. So something to look at for sure. So Michael, knowing these considerations, I know you probably get this question a lot from your audience. Yeah. Let's say you have a family of first timers, there's four of them, they're staying for about a week. How do you go about recommending hotels them? And maybe these are just in line with your favorites, but tell me more about how you might tell them or recommend where they should stay for their trip.

Michael (00:51:09):

Yeah, so I think the first thing I say to do is to go and take a look at what the availability is for the dates that they're looking for and then kind of take a look at the different price points. So I, I think you kind of have a rough understanding when you're going into the planning process of mm-hmm. <affirmative> how much you want to spend per night. And if you go onto the website and you see that the rooms at Grand Floridian are 1200 a night, you may not wanna spend $7,000 on just your hotel room. Yeah. Which does not come with any other perk other than where you're staying. So that's usually the first step. Um, from there I usually will kind of lean into the transportation piece to kind of say, how convenient do you want this to be? And I will very often tell people, especially if you are coming for the first time, two of my favorite places to stay.

(00:52:04):

And, and by places I mean areas. One is the Magic Kingdom Loop. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, so really mm-hmm <affirmative> Contemporary, um, Polynesian, grand Floridian, but also kind of some of those Magic Kingdom area hotels like Wilderness Lodge, Fort Wilderness that people may not always think of. Um, and then my other area, and this might be my preferred area, is the Epcot area Resorts. Yes. That are all kind of along the boardwalk there that allow for walking over to either Epcot or Hollywood Studios and those boats and the skyliner like Yacht Club Beach Club Boardwalk and then Swan Dolphin. That cluster right there is just out of this world.

Rachel (00:52:46):

It's amazing. I was talking to my team the other day and they were kinda laughing at me, but I'll see what you say. Um, I was saying that St in the Epcot area too is wonderful when you've gone like eating around the world at a festival to just get a nice walk home. Like whoa, yeah, I've had my fill today and now I'm gonna get some extra steps in and kind of walk it off on the way home. But it's such

Michael (00:53:06):

A, a nice walk. 100%. It's the best walk. Um, and I'm gonna show you, they, I don't think we're doing a video podcast so no one else will be able to see this <laugh>, but I'll show you. I was at Epcot and it was Food and Wine Festival time and I was there very late with a friend and we were walking around, I ate all the different foods and at the end of the night <laugh>, I like don't remember doing this cuz I think I was in such a food coma <laugh>. I like woke up the next morning and was like looking through all of my photo pass pictures and I had all of these pictures of just myself in the photo booth on the Boardwalk <laugh>. Like I, they're the funniest pictures cuz I was so tired and out of it. Um, yeah, I'll find these momentarily, but oh,

Rachel (00:54:02):

I cannot wait.

Michael (00:54:03):

Anyway, long story short of that was really great walking home from Epcot after I was in a food coma. Yeah. And I just walked right back to my resort. It was like 15 minutes and I was back.

Rachel (00:54:13):

That's great. Yeah. Yeah. I'm in total agreement obviously. But in the mornings too, it's, it's great. It's a short walk, it's really easy to do so you can't beat the convenience there walking in either area. Let's talk about tips and tricks for your hotel stay. I know you mentioned this at the beginning people, I think that people don't really understand how many tips and tricks there truly are for when you're staying onsite. So we're gonna dish it, we're gonna share everything that you need to. Let's do it

Michael (00:54:37):

To know. Let's,

Rachel (00:54:39):

One of my tips, I know I mentioned my bougie husband, um, but he loves the minivan service at Walt Disney World. They are these cute little, they are actual minivans but it's spelled like mini mouse because it has these cute little red dots around it. But these are booked through Lyft, so they're rides share options with actual cast members that drive you around. They are a little bit on the pricier side, so it generally runs about $35 plus tip. But if you're thinking about the end of the day you've got a family of five or six, you need a booster seat or a car seat, it's an an amazing option. The other nice thing about minivans is they will drop you directly at your building or your campsite and they can also drop you directly at the front entrance of Magic Kingdom.

Michael (00:55:24):

It's the best. There's literally nothing like it. Not having to schlep from the TTC and which is the transportation and Ticket center to get over to the front gates of the Magic Kingdom. There's nothing like being dropped off in the bus loop.

Rachel (00:55:39):

They are amazing.

Michael (00:55:40):

I don't stand by that

Rachel (00:55:41):

<laugh>. It's, it's amazing. Minivans are just the best and the cast members are always so wonderful. They'll, they'll do trivia with you, they'll ask your kiddos questions to keep them entertained. Sometimes they've got screens to watch movies but they always have music and it's always different depending on where you're going. So what you hear is different on every trip and, but it's top-notch service super friendly. So can't be the convenience.

Michael (00:56:04):

And I think that takes us back even to when we were talking about the Disney bubble, like mm-hmm <affirmative>, that is the epitome of the Disney bubble. It's taking you in a really cool Disney five transportation option around property and really keeping that Disney fe going while you're from point A to point B and not necessarily having to think about like how you're getting anywhere, anything in the real world. It's just like, let me hop in this minivan and go.

Rachel (00:56:33):

Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely.

Michael (00:56:35):

Okay. I have a, I don't know if this is a tip or a trick, but it's definitely something that is fun at the Walt Disney World Resorts. Yeah. So a ton of the different resorts have fun activities that you're able to do. Some of them are free, some of them are paid enhancements, which are also super fun. But one of my favorites and if you know anything about me during the pandemic, I pivoted, I was laid off for my actual day-to-day job and I started a tie-dye company and I ooh um, sold 15,000 tie-dye items and it was like, that's amazing. It was a lot of hard work but it was a lot of fun. So I love tie-dye and they offer the Mickey Mouse tie dyeing at the different resorts where you can actually tie dye a hidden mickey into the middle of the shirt.

(00:57:27):

And I just think that is one of the coolest activities that you can do on property. And then you're not only doing something fun but you're also leaving with something that you're able to enjoy and wear and have a memory from all at the same time. So that's one. And then the other activity on property is 110% s'mores. I love s'mores. S'mores are my favorite dessert. <laugh> give me like a graham cracker and a marshmallow and a piece of chocolate. All gooey and melty and oozy now. But I love them and so many of the different resorts offer sports and it's fun. They

Rachel (00:58:08):

Do. Yeah. It's, there's so much to do and that's something we talked about with the mouse SLTs in our last episode is like, don't underestimate how much there is to do, like plan your rest days but also plan for some super fun stuff on site to do. Totally. There's Surrey bikes and fishing and you know, biking at Fort Wilderness and there's of course the paid stuff like you were talking about like woodworking and saying Korea university like we chatted about so, so much to do. The other thing I would say is, you know, we talked about kind of the motel setup for the values and the moderates. What people will do is if they are celebrating or sometimes even if they're not celebrating, they'll bring like stickers and fun decorations for their windows. So that way as other people are passing by you can kind of see it. So just a fun way to kind of bring some extra magic to your trip, especially if you're there celebrating like a birthday like I mentioned earlier too, there's also those cakes in the food courts that you can order and have customized for your celebration. Yeah.

Michael (00:59:04):

Um, and putting the stuff on your windows and your door and everything like that is also a very, very, very convenient and easy way to see which one is your hotel room in a sea of a ton of different rooms that all look the same. Um, and I love that it's like you don't have to think and you're just walking back to the room and you're like, that one is mine.

Rachel (00:59:26):

Absolutely. What other tips do you have Michael?

Michael (00:59:30):

So I think that one of them for me is probably mobile, ordering your food at the hotels and the resorts. So it's something that I'm very passionate about in the parks, um, because waiting in line is not fun and is not how I typically like to spend my time. So being able to mobile order my food, usually in the parks you think about it and it's like, oh I'm gonna be walking from the jungle cruise towards the front of the park and I'm gonna mobile order my corn dog nuggets at Casey's and they're gonna be ready as soon as I walk past it and then I eat them. So same thing at the resorts, like the fact that I can be sitting in my room and be like, okay, I'm getting ready right now. I just took a shower. I am beautifying myself and the rest of my party is all kind of getting ready.

(01:00:22):

I'm gonna mobile order my breakfast downstairs at XYZ restaurant. Yeah. I've been able to do it and then you just go downstairs, show your code, grab your food, eat, start your day, no lines, no hassle, love it just kind of makes everything, makes everything easy. And I love that they have made it easier to do some of the nicer restaurants with mobile ordering too. So two of my standouts that I'm like mobile order these, I'm screaming that at you. One of them is the bread service at Sonata at Animal Kingdom Lodge. It's the best, it's amazing. It comes with three different types of non and then like nine different dipping sauces. Yeah. The fact that you can mobile order it to go is awesome. And then the second one is the cheeseburger at Steakhouse 71. If you haven't had it, get it like, I don't know why you haven't had it yet, but go eat it <laugh> and you can mobile it.

Rachel (01:01:21):

It's waiting for you. It is, it's waiting for you. Okay. I had and I've like, it's rare that stuff is bad but I, when we were at Coronado spring, no when I was at uh, Riverside, I mobile ordered a Turkey sandwich that was like stupid good. Uh, everybody that was there was like wow, this is like unexpectedly very delicious. Not that you would expect anything different, but it's a Turkey sandwich.

Michael (01:01:42):

Yeah, okay. I had that happen at Porter Leans though recently with A B L T and it was like, it should not have been as good as it was. Yeah. And then I got it and I was like, was it at boat rights? Yes. Yeah, that's where mine was too. Huh.

Rachel (01:01:58):

So boat rights ladies and gentlemen add added that one to your list too for unexpectedly good things too. Yeah, not, not basic delicious. No. And the same thing at Coronado Springs too. I, I loved being able to go on and see the menu and mobile order and it was also delicious. But that's my go-to. Like you come home from the parks on a rest day, you put your feet up, right, you look through the menu, you go pick up your mobile order and you get to watch some resort TV one in your room <laugh> while you

Michael (01:02:24):

Enjoyed, you have also, this is new or like not new but like just came back, they are slowly starting to bring back in room dining at some resorts. So, um, I know that at the Grand Floridian you can order room service.

Rachel (01:02:41):

Nice.

Michael (01:02:42):

Yeah. Nice. I'm a big fan of room service. I like, just like, it just

Rachel (01:02:46):

Feels so luxurious.

Michael (01:02:48):

It does. There's nothing like eating a steak in bed in your bathroom <laugh>.

Rachel (01:02:53):

I love it. Love it. On the other hand, if you have children and you don't want to serve them a steak in bed, um, a lot of these places have pizzas, like full size pizzas for I wanna say like 20 bucks too. So it's an amazing deal. You can't beat it. But same thing. Go rest if your, if your kiddos will rest. Um, everybody take a break, watch a Disney movie. Great way to do it. The other thing I wanted to mention, there's a couple of things that are complimentary and of course it depends on your family and your comfort level, but cribs and playpens are complimentary at Disney World Hotels they are limited in quantit quantities so you have to call to request and complimentary life jackets are also available at the pool. So two things you don't need to worry about packing unless you feel strongly about 'em.

Michael (01:03:34):

I actually didn't know that and that's a really fun tip.

Rachel (01:03:38):

I think so too. I think it's very convenient.

Michael (01:03:41):

Yeah, I think so too. Now I think that another one is the fact that there is a $6 package handling fee if you order from Amazon or anything like that, I am a huge Instacart. That's like my big thing whenever I get to Orlando is I do Instacart and I love it. Your hotel room will always have a mini fridge and it's at least the place to be able to put some stuff. One of my most recent like it's not a discovery because everyone's been doing it like forever, but for me personally it's new is Uncrustables and ordering a box or two of them as soon as I get to Orlando. Along with like some other simple things I order like some water bottles and Gatorade and things like that that I'd rather pay like a dollar for a water bottle or a Gatorade than the $4 or whatever I'm paying in the Disney gift shop. So I do a little Instacart, Instacart shop, $6 package handling fee very easy. Um, and then I just kind of have some sustenance without having to pay a ton of extra money while I'm there.

Rachel (01:04:54):

Yeah. Something to get you going. Especially if you've got a big family. So things like yogurt, string cheese, easy stuff to kind of keep in there and those Yeah. Another place to put your leftovers. Michael, I definitely thought you were going a different direction with what you put in your mini fridge.

Michael (01:05:08):

Oh I mean, yeah. Uh, obviously one of my biggest hot tips ever if you want to do it is I love getting an iced coffee the night before with no ice in it. I will often do it as like the last thing that I'm doing in a park. So if I'm leaving the Magic Kingdom, if they are open until 11:00 PM Starbucks is open until like 10 59 <laugh>, I will be on Main Street. There is no line I go in, I get a venti iced coffee with no ice in it and then I put it in the hotel mini fridge and when I wake up in the morning and roll over and I am like ugh, why is it 6 58 right now? And I have to book my virtual queue in two minutes. I at least have a beautiful cup of ice coffee waiting for me. And it's, I think

Rachel (01:06:00):

That's a great tip.

Michael (01:06:01):

Just your happiness and then you can just walk to the ice machine on your floor and fill it up.

Rachel (01:06:06):

Exactly. Such a great tip. Speaking of coffee and Phillips, okay, um, I am actually a big good transition Rachel. Thank you. Good transition.

Michael (01:06:16):

Yeah,

Rachel (01:06:16):

Thank you so much. So I am a big fan of the resort cups at the Disney World Hotel. So they are refillable, they're $20 for the length of your stay. And just to do a little math cuz I, we frogs love saving some green and we like getting down to the actual math of it. Fountain drinks and coffee are about 4 29 each. So if you're doing five fills, you've made your money back on that. Now those cups are not good in the parks but they are good at any of the resort hotels. So if you're going to any of the other hotels, you get a refill. So if you're a big Diet Coke person, if you're a coffee drinker and you just want it black or with a little bit of cream, it's a great option for you and your family.

Michael (01:06:56):

And if you're an ice coffee drinker, you could fill it up with hot coffee the night before and then you could stick that in the fridge and also wake up with ice coffee in the morning, which I have never actually thought of and might start doing. I will say that I love the resort cups. I have way too many of them in a cabinet, same in my kitchen. Um, but like if you want a Diet Coke, let's say you are staying over at port leaves, go grab a Diet Coke, drink it with you on your way out, throw it in your backpack and then if you're gonna go do a little monorail crawl later in the afternoon after you've been in the Magic Kingdom for a few hours, you could fill it up at the contemporary and then at the Polynesian and then at the Grand Floridian and like you've just made your money back in that one day just from drinking Diet Coke. Absolutely. You're basically like making money by drinking.

Rachel (01:07:46):

So at that point Yeah, for sure.

Michael (01:07:48):

Yep.

Rachel (01:07:49):

And they're super cute too. They're just like fun to bring home. Like they're

Michael (01:07:52):

Fun souvenir too. I mean absolutely. Same thing like the popcorn buckets.

Rachel (01:07:56):

Exactly.

Michael (01:07:57):

No shortage in my house. <laugh>.

Rachel (01:08:00):

Same here. Same here. They're everywhere.

Michael (01:08:03):

One other tip that I have is if you're going to be doing a split stay, so that's if you are staying for part of your stay at one Disney resort and then part of your stay at another Disney resort. I'm gonna kind of take this in two different directions here. The first one I would say that if you're doing it work from the lower tier to the higher tier. So start with a value or a moderate work your way up to a moderate or a deluxe if that's what you're gonna be doing. Cuz that way you end with like the bougier of the two mm-hmm. <affirmative> and you are not setting yourself up for any kind of disappointment. Yeah. As you're working your way through that split stay. And then the other piece of that is split stays are very easy at Disney, they will make sure to get your luggage from the first resort to the second one. All you have to do is leave your luggage with the bell desk and tell them where it's going and they will transfer it. It's like

Rachel (01:08:57):

Magic. It's so easy to do. I know like magic it,

Michael (01:08:59):

Everything's kinda like Tinker Bell. Tinker Bell is like putting her pixie dust on your luggage and it just shows up.

Rachel (01:09:06):

So convenient. Yeah. I have a two-parter tip two when it comes to my Disney experience and staying on site. So first tip is make sure that your entire party is linked in my Disney experience as your hotel guest. You can do that at the front desk if you're having trouble with the app, but when you go in for early entry or extended evening hours, they're gonna wanna scan either a magic band or your phone and they'll sometimes verify everybody that's in your party. The other thing that I would say is make sure that your sound is all the way up on your phone if you are using your phone to unlock your door because it does have kind of a magical sound as you put your phone to the door to unlock it. So extra fun tip for tadpoles who can be door unlocking helpers. Any other tips, Michael?

Michael (01:09:50):

Okay, so my last and final tip, because I am a huge character guy, I love Disney characters. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, there is a character caravan and it goes around from hotel to hotel on Disney property. And it's so fun. There are two of them right now. One of them is like red green, blue primary colors and it says like Mickey Mini Goofy Donald Pluto Chippendale on it. And then the other one is all decorated for the 50th anniversary, which is ending in a couple days. So I imagine that it'll go back to the normal ca character caravan, but they are filled with some of your favorite Disney characters and they will just randomly pop up at your resort. So always be on the lookout for them. They kind of look like a fun little rv. Um, and y if you see it pull up, wait, don't like leave what you're doing in that moment. Stay and watch and see who comes out. I've had some really, really magical experiences with those character caravans. Like one time I was at a resort and the Tweedle came out of one and I was just like so blown away and I was like, oh my god. Tweedle D and Tweedle Dumber in the lobby right now. <laugh>. Um, very recently I saw Mr. Penguin and Rafiki at Art of Animation. Wow.

(01:11:08):

I know. And then like I've had a lot of really cool experiences. Chip Dale and Daisy seem to love to hang around Coronado Springs. So, um, always be on the lookout because that is kind of to wrap things up and really kind of bring it all together. That's why you're staying at a Disney resort. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, that's why you're staying on property. And that's the Disney difference right there. When we were staying at Porter Lean's for an undercover touristed event, I was outside with the mouse lits and we were just talking and all of a sudden Peter Pan came running up to us and it was like, what just happened? Why is Peter Pan running around? Porter lean's Riverside right now and we had no idea. And mouse lit, one was sitting on her laptop like trying to get a couple things done and all of a sudden Peter Pan came over and was like, ha ha and <laugh>. It was just great.

Rachel (01:12:00):

Oh, I love it.

Michael (01:12:01):

And those are some of the like interactions that you'll remember forever. Especially if you have some little kids. Yeah.

Rachel (01:12:08):

Magic around every corner. Yeah. Some of it is unexpected too, which is why I think it feels so special. Yeah. But yeah, you're right. Those are the moments that your kids will talk about the, you know, the, the DJ that was at the pool or the trivia that they wanted the pool. Totally pool or seeing goofy or miss. I would talk about seeing Mr. Penguin. That's incredible. I

Michael (01:12:26):

Love Mr. Penguin.

Rachel (01:12:27):

That's so cool. So yes, magic around every corner. Just a magical experience in total. This has been so much fun, but so much fun. So we talked a little bit about the benefits of staying onsite at a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel. We talked about the three different tiers of Walt Disney World Resort hotels. We talked a little bit about how to save money when you're booking your hotel stay. We talked a little bit about what to think through when you're booking your hotel and we went through some of our favorites as well as tips and tricks. So all of that in mind, we hope that we've given you all of the information that you need to select your next Walt Disney World Resort Hotel. Stay. Michael, this was so much fun. Where can people so fun find more of you?

Michael (01:13:05):

You can find me over on Instagram at Michael does Dizz and that's Dizz with a z.

Rachel (01:13:10):

Well thank you again so much for being here Michael. And thank you to everybody for hopping along with us. Bye. Happy planning. Bye. If you enjoyed the expert Disney Planning Tips podcast, please let us know in ratings and comments. Make sure to visit our site for discounts on theme park tickets, hotels, and more. And follow us on social at Undercover Tourist on YouTube, TikTok, Twitter and Facebook. And at Theme park frogg on Instagram.