Wednesday, October 14, 2015

10 Reasons Walt Disney World is For Everyone

The craziest thing people ever say to Francis and me is "meh, I'm not really into the Disney thing." If your idea of "the Disney thing" is amusement parks, costumed characters, and mediocre food, boy are you missing out. OUR Disney thing is luxury resorts, fancy dinners, beautiful scenery, and every type of recreation you can think of. You could easily spend a week at "Walt Disney World" without ever going to a park.


1. Show me another hotel in North America with a savanna outside your window! We had a savanna view room at Animal Kingdom Lodge on our honeymoon, and the giraffes showed up outside out room at 4pm every day. Check out the Wanyama Safari sunset tour of the grounds, followed by a chefs table dinner with South African wine pairings at Jiko: The Cooking Place. Also check out Sanaa restaurant  at Kidani Village for an excellent savanna view while you dine.


2. Boardwalk Inn & Villas - This Coney Island styled resort also features a chef's table wine dinner at Flying Fish Cafe, the Atlantic Dance Hall night club, and Jellyrolls piano bar. On the boardwalk, you can rent a surrey bike and check out street performers.


3. Walt Disney World has four gorgeous, award-winning golf courses managed by Arnold Palmer Golf Management. Magnolia is certified by Audobon International as a Cooperative Wildlife Sanctuary. Palm had a complete redesign in 2013 and is rated 4 stars by Golf Digest. Lake Buena Vista Golf Course has hosted the PGA Tour, the LPGA Tour, and USGA events. Oak Trail is a 9 hole walking course that is also a Cooperative Wildlife Sanctuary. You can rent clubs and also get lessons from PGA pros.


4. Yes, you can watch a baseball game at Walt Disney World! ESPN World of Sports is the spring training home of the Atlanta Braves. This complex also hosts basketball, cheer and dance, cross-country, track & field, field hockey, football, golf, gymnastics, lacrosse, soccer, softball, AND MORE. It's a sports lovers paradise.


5. Do you like camping? The campgrounds and cabins nestled in the cypress forest of Fort Wilderness are for you! Fort Wilderness has endless outdoor activities, including archery, horseback riding, boat, canoe, and kayak rentals, waterskiing, fishing, basketball, volleyball, and jogging trails. 


6. A plane ticket to Orlando is way cheaper than any international airfare, and you can visit 11 countries at Epcot! This fountain in France is my favorite, and my daydreams always include sitting beside it with a Grand Marnier slush and a cheese plate from Les Halles Boulangerie Patisserie.


7. Bora Bora? No, the new over-water bungalows of Polynesian Resort! These Villas are part of Disney Vacation Club, but you don't have to be a DVC owners to stay here. This is at the top of my WDW Bucket List! Also at the Polynesian resort, you can have a late dinner at Ohana, get a cocktail in a pineapple, and watch the fireworks. 


8. Right under Polynesian on my bucket list is the Yacht Club, ever since I found out their pool is waaaaay bigger than I thought. Stormalong Bay is 3 acres, and there are 3 other leisure pools in addition to that! Also at the Yacht Club is the Yachtsman Steak House. Swimming all day and then a ginormous steak? I can surely die happy after that.


9. Speaking of fine dining, the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is home to Victoria & Alberts, which has a Five Diamond rating from AAA, Four Stars from Forbes Travel Guide, and a Zagat score of 29. The Chef's Table dinner, pictured here, is a 13 course dinner that begins with a champagne toast, and is considered to be a once in a lifetime experience.


10. We had to throw this one in for fun. There are only two T-Rex restaurants in the United States - one at Walt Disney World and one in Kansas City. We always eat there when we go to WDW. The bar area pictured in the background is the coolest. It's like Rainforest Cafe, except instead of a thunderstorm, there's a meteor shower.

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