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.

Fancy and Funky Outtakes!

Fancy and Funky Outtakes!

Featuring all the fancy (and not-so-fancy) things that didn’t make it to the Seven Seas Lagoon blog posts! Starring: vultures, Disney Vacation Club, that mysterious water show I keep mentioning, and gingerbread masterpieces!  So come revel in the best of the fancy and funky with me J.

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.