Wilderness Lodge Part Two

My continued exploration of the Wilderness Lodge: winding upper levels, cozy Vacation Club Villas, and a glimpse of the only Disney park to ever close.

Walt Disney World Dolphin

TENTH LOCATION

Walt Disney World Dolphin

What is this fancy place?

The Dolphin is the second tall and imposing resort designed by Michael Graves; it is the Swan's magnificent counterpart and wows with its colorful palette, huge statues and waterfalls, and swanky interior.

Like the Swan, the Dolphin has a bubbly colorful exterior, and a more fancy first-class interior. As I try to find a writing space, I begin to realize how business fancy the Dolphin actually is.

Beach Club Part 2

So a while ago I did a post about the Beach Club and mourned the loss of the Solarium (a parlor in which to sit and nap basically). I wasn't sure if they were simply refurbishing it, or doing away with it entirely.

The doors have reopened!
Speak friend, and enter!

I decide to visit the Beach Club today, purely to check out the Solarium, and I'm rewarded for my efforts.

It's reopened! Couches and outlets thrive! And unfortunately, a television thrives as well. Curse the TV! Not another distraction! I can feel...my writerly super powers...draining....

It's very quiet here and quite deserted, although there's some minimal foot traffic to-and-from the nearby DVC villas. The chairs and couches are all comfy, and almost every single one is near an outlet, so I go about testing chairs and tables and overall looking very strange as I investigate. Eventually I settle upon a couch near a window, enjoying having a proper table in front of me.

But I had sort of thoughtlessly put myself in range of the TV, and ergo accomplished very few writerly things, as I was suckered in by the Disney Channel.

You may have gotten me this time, television! But next time, I will prevail!

Walt Disney World Swan

NINTH LOCATION

Walt Disney World Swan

What is this fancy place?

Pack your briefcase and your Mickey Ears, it's time to mix business and pleasure at the Swan and Dolphin!

The Swan and Dolphin are sister resorts, cozied up right across from each other, and they share many amenities (very similar to the Yacht and Beach Club symbiotic relationship!). The Swan and Dolphin are both "conference" type resorts, meaning they were designed and built with business-people in mind. 

These resorts are not actually owned and operated by Disney; that honor falls to the Tishman Hotel Corporation, who was hired to build EPCOT, and contracted to build these resorts as well. The result is a combination of Disney-values and business-atmosphere, wrapped up in a splash of eye-popping color and "bigger-is-better" design.

Disney's Beach Club

EIGHTH LOCATION

Disney’s Beach Club

What is this fancy place?

Time to stretch out on the sand and soak up the sun! This quaint New England style resort opened in 1990 and offers guests sand-and-surf fun at a picturesque location.  Enjoy movies on the beach, catch-and-release fishing, a sand-bottomed pool and a boat ride to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios. Like the other EPCOT Area Resorts, the Beach Club takes guests back to the early 1900s…so grab your Edwardian swimsuit and hit the waves!

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge

SEVENTH LOCATION

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge

What is this fancy place?

Jambo! Welcome to the Animal Kingdom Lodge! Hop on board for a trek through the African safari, and spend a night in a tribal lodge with animals grazing outside your window.  The Animal Kingdom Lodge opened in 2001, and is based off of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park, most notably Africa. It is a tasteful representation and amalgam of various African countries and tribes, with exciting features such as a safari, campfires, live music, cultural demonstrations, and a wonderful surplus of native artifacts.

Disney's Yacht Club

SIXTH LOCATION

Disney’s Yacht Club

What is this fancy place?

Raise the anchor! Hoist the sails! And get ready for a fancy high-seas adventure at the Yacht Club! Disney’s Yacht Club opened in 1990 and is based off of New England yacht clubs. It has a distinctly early 20^th century influence (which most of the EPCOT Area Resorts have), and is completely nautical-themed from the decorative portholes to the sand-bottom pool. So put on your captain’s hat and get ready to dive into formal fanciness of the hardiest kind.

Disney's Wilderness Lodge

FIFTH LOCATION

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

What is this fancy place?

Want to enjoy the sounds and sights of geysers without leaving Disney? You can, at the fanciest lodge in the south! Disney’s Wilderness Lodge opened in 1994 and is located on Bay Lake, near the Contemporary. It is based on the Old Faithful Inn at Yellowstone National Park. It offers the best of the west to guests who want to escape to the majesty of the mountains. With cowboy and Native American influences, and a wildlife touch, the Lodge is a rural beauty built to impress.

Disney's Contemporary Resort

FOURTH LOCATION

Disney’s Contemporary Resort

What is this fancy place?

Get ready to experience fanciness from the future! The Contemporary Resort is Tomorrowland’s counterpart, and has all the sleek lines, wavy lights, indoor monorail tracks, and futuristic beauty one could ask for. It opened in 1971 (so one of the first on-site hotels), and is located on the man-made Seven Seas Lagoon. It provides monorail, boat and bus transportation.

Disney's Polynesian Resort

THIRD LOCATION

Disney’s Polynesian Resort

What is this fancy place?

Disney’s Polynesian Resort opened in 1971, as one of the first on-site hotels. It sits on the man-made Seven Seas Lagoon, and provides boat, bus and monorail transportation. Like other Lagoon resorts, the Polynesian corresponds to a land in the Magic Kingdom, and is Adventureland’s counterpart. The Polynesian is a South Seas inspired resort; the resort’s main building is the Great Ceremonial House, and the rest of the hotel is broken up into 11 longhouses, named after islands of Polynesia.  The Polynesian is also home to the luau and fire show, Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show.

EPCOT – Wonders of Life Pavilion

SECOND LOCATION

EPCOT – Wonders of Life Pavilion

What is this fancy place?

Who remembers Body Wars?!?!?! *raises hand* Ahem! Anyway….

EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow) is the second Disney theme park. It opened in 1982 as a celebration of human innovation and progress. The Wonders of Life Pavilion debuted in 1989 in the “Future World” area of the theme park. The focus of the pavilion was human health. It originally hosted EPCOT’s first thrill ride: Body Wars (which was directed by Leonard Nimoy!). The pavilion closed in 2007, but since then the Disney higher-ups have been giving it a new, seasonal purpose. While the original pavilion will always hold a fancy place in my heart, I decided to check out what new fanciness awaits the pavilion…. 

Wonders of Life Pavilion

Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa

FIRST LOCATION

Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa

What is this fancy place?

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa: the flagship resort of Walt Disney World. It opened in 1988 as a Victorian style resort, echoing the feel and theme of Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom. It sits right on the man-made Seven Seas Lagoon, and includes boat and monorail transportation to the Magic Kingdom.