Walt Disney World Resort Deluxe Resorts, while pricey, are a great option when wanting to create a memorable stay. These resorts offer the highest resort quality that Disney World has to offer; as well as a unique combination of resort amenities, restaurants, and proximity to the parks. That’s why you’ll see a lot of Disney World guests make a visit to these resorts a part of their vacation plans.
Added Benefits of Deluxe Resorts
Not only will you be staying at the nicest resorts on Walt Disney World Property but there are also several key benefits. It’s important to take these in to account because it adds a lot of value to the stay.
I don’t think you can ever underestimate the proximity of the deluxe resorts to Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, or Animal Kingdom depending on the resort. The Contemporary and Grand Floridian are less than a 10 minute walk from Magic Kingdom. How nice is that after a long day? I love the Monorail but a quick walk back to my room is always a winner!
Guests at Deluxe Resorts receive Extended Evening Theme Park Hours at magic Kingdom and EPCOT on select evenings. As of today, there are an additional 2 hours only for Deluxe Guests to enjoy the park. This is a huge benefit and can greatly increase the chances you get to ride all your favorites . Listed below are the rides available at each park:
Magic Kingdom Park
- It’s a Small World
- Astro Orbiter
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
- Country Bear Jamboree
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- Haunted Mansion
- Mad Tea Party
- Mickey’s PhilharMagic
- Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- Space Mountain
- Swiss Family Treehouse
- The Barnstormer
- The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Tomorrowland Speedway
- Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid
- Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room
EPCOT
- Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along
- Frozen Ever After
- Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind – New!
- Mission: SPACE
- Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
- Soarin’ Around the World
- Spaceship Earth
- Test Track
- The Seas with Nemo & Friends
Bay Lake Deluxe Resorts
Bay Lake is located alongside Magic Kingdom and has 4 of the Deluxe Resorts located within walking distance, Monorail, or Friendship Boat ride.
- Disney’s Contemporary Resort
- Disney’s Grand Floridian
- Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
- Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
So if you plan on spending a lot of time at Magic Kingdom or going to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, these are great options to consider. Each of these also have very unique restaurants that are worth a trip even if you aren’t staying there. A personal favorite is character dining at Chef Mickey’s inside Disney’s Contemporary Resort.
EPCOT Deluxe Resorts
The Deluxe Resorts surrounding EPCOT are a great option for exploring EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. There are 3 Deluxe Disney Resorts located here.
- Disney’s Boardwalk Inn
- Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
- Disney’s Beach Club Resort
We stayed at Disney’s Beach Club Resort in December and it was great for park hopping. We would spend the morning at Magic Kingdom or Hollywood Studios and park hop to EPCOT to end the day. The 10 minute walk from EPCOT to the room was worth the price on its own. We have a preschooler that uses a stroller and the convenience of not getting on and off transportation was great.
If you’ve never spent time around the Boardwalk, its worth a trip over. There is a lot going on in the area and they have a mix of restaurants that cater to everyone.
Other Deluxe Resorts at Walt Disney World
The last but definitely not least, Disney World Deluxe Resort is Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. It may be the most unique in the entire list and I highly recommend watching the video to get full tour.
If you’ve ever wanted to stay overnight at a zoo or on safari, this is the place for you. There are 4 savannahs that surround the park and provide amazing views of the wildlife that lives on the grounds. There are also rooms that overlook the savannahs where you can see African wildlife, including zebras, giraffes, gazelles, kudu and flamingos.
I know there are other non Disney Deluxe Resorts such as Swan and Dolphin, but I really wanted to just stick to official Disney for this post. My plan is to create another post that really digs in to those resorts and how they compare with their closest Disney Deluxe Resort.
Affiliate Disclosure
Sometimes I use affiliate links. That just means that I may earn a commission when you use one of the products or services that I write reviews for. My goal is to write blog posts about my experience and share that with you. If you end up purchasing based on a review on the site, I might get back a few dollars to plan the next Disney World Trip. I’m trying to find a good balance where I take more trips and provide more reviews!