062 Choosing a Walt Disney World Hotel

With so many accommodation options at Walt Disney World -- from value, moderate and deluxe to villas and off-site hotels and vacation rentals -- making a choice can be overwhelming. This week we chat with Kelly Stilwell, one of our Disney experts, to get her take on the best places to stay in Disney.   ON THE PODCAST 00:30 - Talking with Tamara about Orlando theme parks 05:30 - Universal Orlando Resort's Volcano Bay 06:33 - Pandora - new at Animal Kingdom 09:32 - Fireworks Star Wars dessert party 12:55 - Talking with Kelly about Disney hotels 16:15 - Different Disney hotel resorts 22:28 - Kelly’s favorite resorts 33:20 - When to book and deals 37:38 -  Festivals at Epcot 42:20 - Favorite travel gear 45:12 - App of the week ABOUT KELLY STILWELL Kelly Stilwell is the writer, photographer and social media influencer behind Food, Fun & Faraway Places. A former stockbroker, Kelly discovered she is passionate about food and travel and loves sharing the fun with her readers. Follow Kelly on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin, and Pinterest. CHOOSING A DISNEY WORLD HOTEL There are over 25 Disney resort hotel locations, with more to come. These resorts are divided into four types; value, moderate, deluxe and villas. The Value resorts are the most affordable while the Moderate are a little nicer. The rooms are not much bigger in the Moderate compared to the Value resorts, just a little nicer. There is a big jump from the Moderate resorts to the Deluxe resorts. The Villas are what you would think of as a condo. The Beach Club is a favorite in the Deluxe category and Art of Animation is popular in the Value category. There is a lot to be said for staying on site in Disney. It may cost a bit more, but for first time visitor this would be a great experience for you and your kids. If you are a foodie you may want to look into the different festivals that they have at Epcot. Make sure you are spending some time relaxing on your vacation. Spending all of your time at the parks is very exhausting especially for your kids. FAVORITE TRAVEL GEAR Kelly can not stress enough the importance of wearing comfortable shoes! She also tends to carry a sweater with her. Though it may be really hot and sweaty outside, when you go indoors with air conditioning blasting it can get pretty chilly. APPS OF THE WEEK Both the Universal Orlando App and the My Disney Experience Apps are very helpful when you are in the parks. Both apps help show wait times and allow you to find nearby restaurants or facilities. MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST Tips for Volcano Bay Disney World hotel planner E book printable packing lists Free printable packing lists FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD! If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play and leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcase and We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Thanks for listening!