What Do You Consider to Be a Good Disney World Hotel View?
Guests who opt to make a Walt Disney World hotel room request typically do so because they want to have a specific resort location or they want to have a specific view. While most folks agree that a good room location is one close to the resort’s transportation or restaurants, there is more debate about what does or doesn’t constitute a good room view. I was reminded of this when, during a stay at Disney’s Boardwalk Villas resort, I posted the photo below, the view from my room, with the caption, “I won the resort view lottery during this trip.” A friend replied, “It’s colorful, but is a view of the kiddie play area a win?”
I responded, “As someone who has had a view overlooking the dumpsters at Wilderness Lodge more than once, I’m happy with what I got.”
While a view of dumpster is unlikely to be anyone’s preferred vacation vista, I later realized that what I initially perceived to be snark was probably just an expression of a different opinion about what constitutes a good hotel room view.
A classic example of this plays out at Bay Lake Tower and the Contemporary Resort. At these hotels, you have the option to select “standard view.” “lake view,” or “theme park view” when making your reservation. The most expensive choice is “theme park view” where you can see Space Mountain and Cinderella Castle off in the distance, as well having a seat from your balcony for the nightly fireworks show (during non-pandemic times). Sounds good, right? Well, maybe. But those fireworks are awfully loud and distracting if you’re trying to get a baby to sleep at night. And that look at Magic Kingdom comes first with a giant foreground filled with acres of parking lot. On the other hand, the lake view rooms overlook placid waters and gentle boat traffic – a more relaxing and restful view for many, with the bonus of a lower price.
At other Disney resorts, water views, which can include pools, lakes, or rivers, are more expensive than garden views, which might be forested areas. If you want a peaceful scene, woodland might be better than kids playing Marco Polo all afternoon.
Some guests have strong opinions about their room “view” at the value and moderate resorts, but, for me, that discussion is moot. These hotels don’t have a balcony or patio from which you can view the surroundings. And as a woman who often travels to Walt Disney World alone, I keep my curtains drawn whenever I’m in the room, making whatever view I have invisible.
When you think of a great view at Walt Disney World, what are you picturing?
- The Magic Kingdom castle
- A sandy, beach-like area
- The resort feature pool
- The resort quiet pool
- Spaceship Earth
- Tower of Terror
- A forested area
- Something else
Let us know what you think.
And remember, no matter what your preferences are, remember that TouringPlans offers a tool that allows you to see the view from every hotel room on Disney World property. You can use it to request a view that right for your personal preferences.
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It depends on the resort- we stayed at GF Villas recently and kids loved watching the monorails go by I found the standard view there very peaceful. At Wilderness Lode lake view is obviously better than dumpster view and at AKL I try to get the standard view villas that allow partial savanna view. I’d love to try Boardwalk view someday.
Because we enjoy staying at Saratoga Springs Resort, I always enjoy a view of Disney Springs if I’m staying in Congress Park or one of the fountains if I am in one of the different areas. I always worry about getting the dreaded parking lot view. -Andrea
“What are you picturing?” Why not all of the above? Well, not quite all of the above, but….
My favorite rooms with a view are the lake view at Contemporary Resort. An amazing lake view, plus “a sandy, beach-like area,” check. “The resort feature pool,” check. “A forested area,” check. If you get the right room, “Spaceship Earth,” check. AND, out your hotel room door, you can look out the big glass windows at the end of CR and see “The Magic Kingdom castle.”
Thank goodness for split stays, or I’d never stay in another resort room.
I know this is vague but an “interesting” view edges out most noise. Views of Magic Kingdom from floors 5+ at BLT are wonderful, even at the expense of some of the trucks and deliveries that occur on the extreme North end. But a pool view at Pop is not worth it.
A close up nature view isn’t all that exciting for us, despite its serenity. I’m talking Yacht club woods views where the woods are 20 feet from your balcony. It’s very enclosed feeling. Same as some rooms at Boulder Ridge. Courtyard views at Port Orleans FQ are so much nicer and a better price point too. Granted you don’t have a nice little balcony to sit on.
I guess in summary does the view lend itself to being ‘transported’ to somewhere else? If so, that’s a win – no matter if the view is of a themepark or a courtyard.
What it looks like outside my window is less important than how noisy it is for us. Sure, it’d be nice to have something pretty to watch from my balcony, but when we stayed at Wilderness lodge we were right outside the pool gate and it looked great! But they played loud music until 10 at night, and it drove us nuts. Parking lots are similarly noisy with car doors slamming, and I think I’d be actively upset to be woken up by garbage trucks in the morning. A view out on an empty forest is the most likely to be peaceful, so that’s my preferred…with the exception of Safari-view rooms at AKL!