Let's Take a Riverboat to the Riverside

Close your eyes for a moment….picture landscaping perfection, gorgeous gardens, you can smell the warm south and hear banjos playing in the distance. Now open your eyes; you're in the middle of Port Orleans Riverside, my favorite of the moderate resorts, where you will more than get what you pay for. Prepare yourself for some exercise; the property is spread out, but the benefits to walking are truly abounding, as everywhere you turn it is sure beauty. Some Riverside Facts:
Rooms –
2048 Guest Rooms
Disabled accessible rooms available
All rooms non-smoking
Buildings offer elevators and stairs
Each room includes -
Alarm Clock
Ceiling Fan
Coffee Maker & Setup
Dial-Up Internet*
Hair Dryer
In-Room Wall Safe
Iron and Board
Mini-Refrigerator
Table & Chairs
Telephone*
Television - ABC, Disney Channel, ESPN & more
Vanity Area
Voice Mail

Dining –
Food Court
Riverside Mill Food Court – Excellent selection
1 Full Service Restaurant
Boatwright's Dining Hall – Has an excellent reputation – reservations are a must
Pool Bar
Lounge
In-Room Dining: 4pm to 11:30pm (limited menu)
Recreation -
6 Pools Feature Pool water slide
Child pool
Whirlpool spa
Children's playground
Arcade
Marina/boat rental
Family fishing hole
Jogging trail
Carriage rides
Bike rentals
Transportation -
Motorcoach transportation
Disney Theme Parks
Disney Water Parks
Downtown Disney®
Disney Resort Hotels**Requires one transfer at a Disney Theme Park
Water launch to:
Downtown Disney®
Port Orleans: French Quarter
Walking Distance to:
Port Orleans: French Quarter
Disney Resort Benefits
Merchandise location (gifts, sundries)
Self service laundry facilities
Valet laundry service

Whether or not you’re looking to stay in a Mansion or in the Rustic South, you will not go wrong in either. This resort offers the feeling of family togetherness; the pools are cozy, the carriage rides take you back to yester year, the fishing hole brings back memories of stories we have all heard passed on for years. This is the perfect resort for runners, with trails lining the property for early morning runs. You will forget you are on vacation at Walt Disney World when you step into the surroundings of Port Orleans Riverside…sit back, relax, and enjoy the old South!

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge

The Animal Kingdom Lodge is perhaps the best hotel on the Walt Disney World property. Spectacular scenery and interior design instantly whisk hotel guests into a world of African charm. In fact, the Animal Kingdom Lodge is known to be favored by celebrity clientele for their own family visits to Disney World.
The earthy decorative tones and authentic African artifacts make the Animal Kingdom Lodge feel incredibly warm and inviting. Staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge gives visitors the convenience of staying at a Disney World site, without being surrounded by Disney characters.
The Animal Kingdom Lodge has a charm that appeals to both adults and children. The animals striding across the savannahs in the morning and evening enthrall all age groups and the peacefulness is a welcome change from the hustle and bustle of the Disney theme parks. The Animal Kingdom Lodge is little part of Africa that Disney got exactly right. It is relaxing and inviting, and transports you to world that seems thousands of miles away from Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, and yet guests are only a few short minutes away by bus to all the major Disney theme parks. The Animal Kingdom Lodge could stand alone as a super hotel outside of Disney, and it would still be worth the visit.
One of the great things about staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge or any Disney hotel, is the way they cater to children. When you consider going to visit Disney World in Florida, one of the main considerations will be cost. But when you take all of the amenities into consideration, the extra money you spend on a Disney hotel is totally worth it.
The Animal Kingdom Lodge provides so many extra activities for children that it truly makes their stay something special. At dusk, children can borrow night-vision goggles and look at the animals directly from the hotel grounds onto the savannahs, to get a close view and appreciation of the wildlife. There are always friendly guides on hand to explain more about the animals’ behavior. This is nice little touch to the after-dinner experience. It’s like going on a night-time safari! During the day, there are other activities for the children. If it’s wet outside, then out come the arts and craft supplies, and the beautiful Animal Kingdom Lodge lobby is turned into a giant play area for the children. The Animal Kingdom Lodge staff is there, encouraging them to take part in new crafting projects. While you’re there, make sure to check out the notice board by the Boma restaurant for list of daily activities and their scheduled times.
The 360 pool at the Animal Kingdom Lodge is themed, like a little oasis in South Africa. Surrounded by palm trees, the Uzima pool has Zero entry on one side, and is suitable for most disabled guests.
At most times of the day you will find three lifeguards on duty to assist any swimmer in the 9,000-square-foot, themed feature pool. There are views of the savannah from the pool, and nestled away in the shrubbery on the side of the main pool are two warm bubbling spas. There is also a small children’s play area and a children’s pool, located close to the restrooms for convenience.
At the Animal Kingdom Lodge poolside, you will find a bar, complete with African-style thatched roof. The bar serves delicious smoothies both alcoholic and non- alcoholic, as well as other tasty sundries. Towels are provided at the Animal Kingdom Lodge pool-side, so there is no need to take towels from your room or pack extra large beach towels when vacationing here. Adjacent to the pool, again neatly tucked away out of view, is a massage and fitness centre.
When the little ones have had enough of the pool, take them to try Simba’s Club House. They provide excellent childcare, with all the facilities that you would expect. They will even provide meals, so that parents can have a romantic evening alone. If you have older children, check out the small amusement arcade which boasts video games and other electronic entertainment.
The poolside experience at the Animal Kingdom Lodge is a relaxing and very different from any other Disney hotel. It’s a great experience for both adults and children, and is a welcome rest from the theme parks.

Animal Kingdom Lodge Rooms
The interior decor at the Animal Kingdom Lodge is well thought out, and typifies all that you associate with staying in an African lodge on safari. The beds have carved wooden headboards, giving an authentic feel, and the comforters have a colorful, almost patchwork quilt-like design that presents a symbolic African theme. Each of the rooms features handcrafted furniture and art, made from rich woods and vibrant colors. Accommodations at the Animal Kingdom Lodge range in size from Standard Rooms to One- and Two-Bedroom Suites. Rooms are also available with bunk beds and roll away beds.

The bathrooms at the Animal Kingdom Lodge are well designed with both a shower and a shallow bath, and just outside the bathroom area, there are two separate wash basins for your convenience.

Take advantage of the balcony view, if your room has one, as the Animal Kingdom Lodge has 24-hour viewing opportunities to see animals in their habitat. A great time to catch them is in the early evening or early morning. In fact, one of the best memories that you can take away with you from the Animal Kingdom Lodge is to sit having breakfast out on your balcony, overlooking one of the beautiful Savannahs, and enjoying seeing the giraffes feed.



Animal Kingdom Lodge Dining

Dinning at the Animal Kingdom Lodge is a wonderful experience, a real culinary adventure. There is something for everyone, and as you would expect from a Disney hotel, and children are thoroughly spoiled.
Eat breakfast at The Mara, where you can pick up a selection of bagels, pastries, cereals, and fruits, or take a trip to Boma, the restaurant. This self-service buffet-style restaurant provides a feast that will more than keep you going until lunch time. The Safari Breakfast consists of eggs, bacon, and hash browns. And if that isn’t enough, try the wonderful pancakes with delightful maple syrup that is to die for!

If you’re not at the theme parks, the Animal Kingdom Lodge serves food all day long. Try a delicious club sandwich made from thick bread rolls or juicy chicken breast. Or, call in at the Mara for a wonderful section of fast food, from burgers and pizza, to healthy wraps and fresh fruit salad. And if that is not enough, go to Boma for a meal that will more than likely take the rest of the afternoon to consume!

In night, take a trip to Jiko, the cooking place, which features cuisines from around the world, and a South African wine list which would put most exclusive restaurants to shame. Don’t worry about the children; there are always favorites like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

The Jiko Disney Dining Experience was designed by Jeffrey Beers, and inspired by the Disney movie The Lion King. Twin wood burning ovens are the centerpiece of the open kitchen.

Once you have completed your meal, take coffee in the seductive Victoria Falls Bar, overlooking Boma. You can have dessert here, if you wish, sample more African wine, or relax with a gourmet coffee.
With the adjacent hotel lobby lounge catering to children, with large and tastefully integrated TVs playing Disney Cartoons, you know that your children will be entertained.

If you haven’t stayed at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, you should consider it for your next vacation. The amenities are top-notch, the atmosphere is bar-none, and the memories made will be forever treasured.

I LOVE DISNEY WORLD!!!

I LOVE DISNEY WORLD

I love Disney World. I make no secret of it and I have been known to cry when the train pulls up in front of the Magic Kingdom first thing in the morning. I love Disney, and it’s magical to me. You can’t convince me or my family otherwise. Believe it or not, my family seems to calm down amidst the constant magic of Disney World. It is the measure for all successful vacations: nothing is as fun, tiring, imaginative, or inspiring as Disney World.

My family tries to go every 18 months or so. We can usually go a full 12 months before we start going into Disney World withdrawal. You think I exaggerate, but I assure you, I do not. Even my husband will sometimes look me straight in the eye and say, “How long until we go back to Disney World?” There is no higher endorsement for a vacation than that, I assure you.Here are my best tips for you if you’re planning a Disney World vacation.

1.Stay on property. It can be pricey, but it’s very worth it. There are three levels of hotels: Value, Moderate, and Deluxe. We have stayed at

• Port Orleans Riverside (moderate; New Orleans theme)
• The Yacht Club (deluxe; nautical theme and best pool on property–it has a sand bottom!)
• The Wilderness Lodge (deluxe; Grand Canyon and family resort of the 1950s theme–very Craftsman)
• The Polynesian (deluxe; Hawaiian theme; on the monorail so it’s very easy to get to Magic Kingdom and EPCOT)
• The Boardwalk (deluxe; themed like the old Boardwalks of the late 1800s/early 1900s; walking distance to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and EPCOT)
• Pop Century (Value; larger than life theming, great food court)

My favorite of the three resorts where we’ve stayed is the Port Orleans Riverside (a moderate). It wasn’t too far from anything, and it had a boat launch to Downtown Disney that was very convenient. It’s a great resort that isn’t too spread out. Also, if you have five in your family, it’s currently the only moderate resort on the DW property that allows five in a room (on the Bayou side). Otherwise you will have to book two rooms. FYI: Make sure when booking two rooms that you confirm they are adjoining (connecting) and not adjacent (close to), especially with kids involved.

2.Use the Dining Plan. I definitely recommend the Dining Plan. You can use your Dining Plan for one counter service meal, one full service meal (also called Table Service), and one snack for each night you are staying at a DW resort. The full service meals can be used to eat at a character meal. You are not limited to using one of each type of meal for each day. In other words you can use all your counter services in one day, or two counter services and a table service one day. Everything is lumped together on your card and just taken off as you use it which is very convenient. For the price (about $38/day/adult and $10/day/child), you’re getting more food than you can imagine. It definitely costs more if you go out-of-pocket. Keep in mind that it can cost more than $35 for one adult table service meal. So essentially you’re getting free food and snacks. Trust me, it will pay for itself.

3.Make ADRs. ADR stands for Advanced Dining Reservations. You can make your ADRs 90 days from your arrival date and I highly suggest you do. Without ADRs you’ll end up waiting for a table that may never become available. First priority is given to those who have an ADR. I have even made an ADR, gotten the time wrong, showed up at the restaurant and explained myself, and was put ahead of others without an ADR. It pays to make the ADR. It’s an especially good idea to make your ADRs as soon as you can if you would like to eat at Cinderella’s Castle or are planning on attending a hard-ticketed event. For example, many people love to eat at The Liberty Tree Tavern just before Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. Therefore it fills up fast. To ensure you have a table, you need to make your ADRs 90 days from your arrival date.

4.Buy the Park Hopper. It isn’t that much more than a regular park pass, and the more days you are there, the cheaper it is to add a day or utilize the Park Hopper option. The Park Hopper option allows you to visit more than one park on any given day and gives you great flexibility. If you’re done with Animal Kingdom by lunch (and you very well may be) you have the option of visiting another park later in the day. Or if you’ve just had dinner and were at EPCOT all day but are close to Magic Kingdom, you can pop over to see the fireworks that night. We’ve done this several times.

5.Plan your route. Know which park you’re going to on which day. This helps with your ADRs and also with how your day will go. Make a loop (start at one end and work your way around) instead of criss-crossing. Seriously, get the map and map it out. Look at the shows and parades and decide what you want to see and when you need to be there. Understand that there is too much to do and you cannot get it all done in one trip. Don’t try! We’ve been five times and we have yet to do it all. I think you could go every year and still have something new each time.

6. Seek out the Magical Moments. My family were surprised by how many times “special” things happened to us on our trip. Some of it was the pixie dust that Disney sprinkles around , but most of it was stuff I researched ahead of time. Small things like wearing matching Mickey family shirts got us a lot of attention from the cast members and characters with the added bonus of making my kids easier to spot in a crowd. Getting there early to the Pirate Tutorial as well as the Jedi Training shows secured us a great spot to be chosen to participate. (A sign scrawled on a napkin that read “the force is strong with this one!” didn’t hurt either!) When we stumbled onto the Kim Possible Adventure and signed up to help save the planet- my kids were thrilled and thought this interactive espionage mission was a highlight of the trip…most of the Disney visitors were asking us where to get a “kimmunicator” and how did we find out about it… the answer is all in the planning!

If you’d like help in planning a trip as wonderful as mine turned out to be, I’d be glad to help! I can give you any and all details on how to make it happen- heck, I can do it all for you and all you have to do is show up and enjoy it! (Come to think of it, that’s just what my husband does! ;0)

Bay Lake Towers in Walt Disney World

Disney’s Bay Lake Towers
by: WDWTravels Agent Alyson Morrissey
Alyson@wdwtravels.com
1-888-626-1642

This last time I visited the World, just a few weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to visit the new Bay Lake Towers at the Contemporary Resort, the newest Disney Vacation Club Resort!

Being a DVC member myself who owns at Bay Lake Towers this was an extra special treat. To sum it up it one word, WOW, Disney really has out done themselves yet again, they brought the sleek look, cleans lines and modern feel of the
Contemporary to the DVC Villas and exceeded expectations.

We entered BLT from the Contemporary's 4th floor via the sky bridge, guests staying at BLT will check in at the Contemporary and proceed to the Towers using this bridge.

Looking out from this bridge you have amazing views of the Magic Kingdom Resorts, Bay Lake, and of course of Magic Kingdom itself.

After taking the bridge over we then got in the elevator and headed to the 15th floor to view the magnificent 3 bedroom Grand Villa, over 2400 square feet of Disney living!

The villa is complete with 3 bedrooms, 3 full bathrooms (with a whirlpool tub in the master bath), a complete kitchen, dining room, a loft on the second floor, a huge laundry room (bigger than mine at home), and inviting balconies with gorgeous views of the resort grounds, Bay Lake, or the Magic Kingdom.

It is amazing!!

After touring the villa we then went out the second floor entrance (16th floor) to go tour the Top of the World Lounge and observation deck, note this area is exclusive to DVC members staying at BLT. The lounge opens up at 5pm and you can order drinks and appetizers, if you care to stay for the fireworks at the Magic Kingdom you have the perfect view just outside on the Observation deck, they even pipe in the music from Wishes so you have the complete experience.

What an amazing resort, great location, wonderful amenities, and fabulous views.

I know I can not wait until Dec when I get to experience it first hand!!!