Since the creation of Walt Disney World, Disney has worked hard to have hotels that fit in with their theme parks. Heavily themed places to stay, that still offer all of the amenities of real world hotels has been the goal for over 50 years. There are over 40 Disney hotels worldwide and more being added every few years. A Disney trip is still all about theme parks but the hotel offerings are an exceptional bonus with wonderful pools, dining, theme and more. In this post, we’ll share our top ten Disney hotels that we’ve stayed at!

Unlike our hotel rankings at WDW, Tokyo and Disneyland, this post will not factor in value. To rank our favorites, I treated this exercise like someone else was paying for a stay here and these are the top 10 I’d pick. If anyone would like to do that for us, we’re all ears! Obviously, this takes a few hotels out of the picture. For example, Pop Century is one of the best places to stay in Disney World when factoring in value but doesn’t make my top 10 if someone else is paying. In a way, this list is more of a bucket list top ten for fans who want to try out hotels. It also leans more heavily on our favorites versus trying to be objective.

This list will also evolve over time because there’s plenty of hotels we haven’t stayed at. Here are 5 other Disney hotels in the world that I’m most looking forward to trying but haven’t been to yet:

• Grand Californian (DL) – We visit this hotel almost weekly, as it’s only a mile away from where we live. That makes it a little hard to justify staying here but we love the architecture and dining options.
• Contemporary A-Frame (WDW) – We’ve stayed at Bay Lake Tower which is the DVC side of the Contemporary. But staying inside the hotel’s A-frame is our biggest blind spot at Walt Disney World at this point.
• Disney’s Explorers Lodge (HKDL) – Having not been to Hong Kong (yet), all three of the options look interesting. Explorers Lodge would be my top pick though, as it looks unique and I like the lodge style more than Victorian architecture generally.
• Disneyland Hotel (DLP) – The splurgiest of splurges, the Disneyland Hotel in Paris is gorgeous and would be an absolute dream.
• Fantasy Springs Hotel (TDR) – This new Tokyo Disney hotel has been met with mixed reviews but I’m still very curious and parts of the outside (from inside the park) look immaculate.

Now that we’ve run through what I haven’t stayed at, it’s time to get to our actual list! There were a few tough omissions. Boardwalk Inn and Disneyland Hotel (California) were the closest to making the top ten, thanks to location and charm. Several Walt Disney World moderate resorts (and Pop Century) along with Toy Story Hotel in Tokyo Disney all had a fighting chance as well but lost out to more luxurious options.

We’ll start with number 10 before making our way down the list. I’ll add a little blurb about each one. I’ve factored in rooms, amenities, theme, location and more into the rankings. Let’s get to it!

10. Port Orleans – French Quarter (WDW)

The lone moderate resort in the top ten is French Quarter. This has long been a favorite of mine thanks to the color and how quaint the experience is. I love a grandiose lobby and grounds but French Quarter showcases that Imagineering knows when to show restraint. The location along the river adds to the hotel’s charm, as do the color of all the doors. While some hotels lose sight of what they are (Polynesian’s new tower, I’m looking at you), French Quarter feels perfect in every way even without the glamour of other spots on the list.

9. Disney Ambassador Hotel (TDR)

While this hotel doesn’t quite keep up with two other Tokyo Disney hotels on this list, it’s beautiful in its own right. Tucked just to the right of Ikspiari, Tokyo Disney Resort’s shopping and entertainment district, the Ambassador offers a spot close to the monorail. The hotel’s theme is a Mickey-fied version of old time Hollywood, with the rooms and amenities being the main driver in making this list.

8. Grand Floridian (WDW)

Speaking of glamour, Grand Floridian this low on the list is a controversial take. If you’re swept away with the Victorian style then it would likely be higher for you. I’m not quite there but there’s no doubting that the entire place is beautiful. On top of that, the dining and location are among the best at Disney World. This being number 8 let’s you know how strong the rest of the list is!

7. Wilderness Lodge (WDW)

Moving down the water from Grand Floridian is one of Imagineering’s thematic masterpieces. Wilderness Lodge is gorgeous, copying the feel of a national park lodge and then upscaling it. There’s no better place to be during the Christmas season than the lobby at Wilderness Lodge. Outside of the lobby is beautiful too, with water streaming down all the way to the pool. Boat transportation, dining and the rooms all make Wilderness Lodge one of the best places to stay, or even just visit, during a Walt Disney World vacation.

6. Polynesian Village Resort

There’s one huge drawback to this hotel that would have made the top 5 otherwise – the new DVC tower. From an aesthetic perspective, it just doesn’t belong. If you disregard the tower, Polynesian’s theme is executed to near perfection. The beach somehow feels organic and the pool is a blast. Dining has dipped a bit in recent years here (although the new Wailulu Bar & Grill is fantastic) but remains strong. Not to be overshadowed, the Poly has some of our favorite rooms we’ve ever stayed in.

5. Aulani

Perhaps Disney’s most luxurious hotel, I was unsure if I should include this standalone Oahu option. There’s no theme park attached but Aulani serves as a beautiful hotel for a trip to Hawaii. Joe Rohde helped design Aulani and that is clear from the thematic design and thoughtfulness of the layout. If there’s a mark against the hotel, it’s that the food options are limited and the area isn’t my favorite. Putting that aside, Aulani is one of the best hotels Disney has ever created.

4. Beach & Yacht Club

I’m cheating on this one a little bit, including both the Yacht & Beach Club. Technically, I prefer the Beach Club by the slimmest of margins. For all intents and purposes, these two hotels are basically the same and feature the best Disney hotel pool out there – Stormalong Bay. Riding that giant pool complex and location next to Epcot gets the Yacht & Beach Club an easy top 5 finish. Spending a rest day here is a blast! If there’s a nit to pick, the lobbies and theme are a little less interesting than others on the list. If you have a waterslide inside of a giant pirate ship I’m willing to forgive a lot though.

3. Tokyo Disneyland Hotel

The most underrated of Disney hotels, Tokyo Disneyland Hotel is stunning and has an incredible location that’s steps away from the park entrance. Oftentimes I think this hotel plays second (or third) fiddle to Hotel MiraCosta and Fantasy Springs Hotel. But the beautiful rooms, incredible service and overall package has us questioning why this is overlooked. In terms of flagship resorts (including the Disneyland Hotel and monorail resorts in WDW) this is our favorite that we’ve stayed in.

2. Animal Kingdom Lodge

Any hotel with giraffes, rhinos and other wild animals outside of the rooms will make the list. Maybe you don’t like giraffes as much as I do but those fellas bring a lot of joy! That they went above and beyond makes Animal Kingdom Lodge incredibly special. A few of my favorite Disney World restaurants are at the hotel and the Jambo Lodge lobby is hard to beat. The rooms have some beautiful detailing. Did I mention that there’s giraffes outside??

1. Tokyo DisneySea Hotel MiraCosta

You know what’s better than giraffes? Looking out your hotel room window and seeing the greatest theme park ever built. Hotel MiraCosta is magnificent, acting as the backdrop to Tokyo DisneySea’s Mediterranean Harbor. Inside of the hotel is no less impressive, with beautiful rooms, restaurants and a pool so elegant that you feel like you’re a movie star. One of very few Disney hotels that is actually inside of a theme park, there is no experience like a room that overlooks the park as it closes at night and before it opens in the morning.

Those are our favorite Disney hotels in the world! What are yours? Let us know in the comments, along with any questions you might have. Planning a Disney trip? Check out our Travel Guides to help get you there! Here’s a link to discount tickets at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. If you enjoy what you’re reading here on Wandering in Disney please subscribe to the blog via email or WordPress and like our social media pages. You can find all of those things on the right side of this page. Thank you very much for reading, we appreciate it!