Best Disney World Villas

Fitness center, free Wi-Fi, children's activities, babysitting, shuttle and monorail service

Staying at the Contemporary is as close as you can get to living in Tomorrowland. This resort, one of the original 1971 hotels to open back when Walt Disney World only had one theme park, has a retro-futuristic feel—the monorail even runs through the inside of the building. 

In the hotel is one of Disney’s best restaurants, California Grill, which is the ultimate spot for watching Magic Kingdom fireworks while you have dinner. Other notable on-site: Chef Mickey’s character dining, and the new Steakhouse 71, which is an homage to Walt Disney and the early days of the parks. Bay Lake Tower, attached to the Contemporary by a sky bridge, has its own pool with a 148-foot water slide, but guests can use the resort’s other two pools as well.

 Fitness center, free Wi-Fi, children's activities, laundry, shuttle and water taxi service, bike rentals

This sprawling resort has beach vibes for days, especially in the sandcastle-themed pool with a waterslide and dry sauna in the castle. The hotel is built around a golf course and also offers outdoor activities like fishing and bike rentals. Reviews mention rooms in Old Key West that are more spacious than at other resorts, and renovations adding rain showers have brought in positive comments from guests. However, reviews also mention limited on-property dining—there’s only one table service and one quick-service restaurant for a resort with over 600 rooms. Plus, guests note that some rooms are a very long walk from the main buildings and largest pool.

Fitness center, free Wi-Fi, children's activities, babysitting, shuttle and water taxi service

Saratoga Springs is unique among Walt Disney World resorts because it has two totally different options for large parties. The grand villas, which are part of the resort buildings, sleep 12 adults. The treehouses, which really are lofted cottages in a forested area, sleep nine adults. Reviews of the treehouses mention that they’re better for parties who have their own cars and don’t mind driving to amenities. For more resort convenience, opt for the grand villas, which are closer to pools, dining, and theme park shuttles. 

Activities on property include golf, tennis, bicycling, basketball, outdoor movies, and evening campfires

Fitness center, free Wi-Fi, children's activities, shuttle and monorail service

The Grand Floridian is the quintessential Disney luxury hotel, with touches that range from enormous floral arrangements around the lobby to intricate, birdcage-inspired elevators that go to the main building’s higher floors. 

This resort is home to some of the best dining on Disney property, the newly renovated, ultra-fine Victoria and Albert’s. The grand villas are a little bit of a walk from the main building, which has the resort’s shops and restaurants, and reviews mention the lack of food options in the villa building. 

Fitness center, free WiFi, children's activities, babysitting, shuttle and water taxi service

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge has extensive options for larger parties. There are waterfront cabins that sleep up to eight adults and feature private hot tubs on the cabins’ screened-in porches. The three-bedroom grand villas sleep up to 12 adults with large living/dining areas, balconies for each bedroom, and bathrooms with separate soaking tubs with water views.  

On Bay Lake, the Electrical Water Pageant sails by every night. Resort activities include tennis courts, fishing, jogging trails, a game room, and an outdoor cookout area.

Fitness center, free WiFi, children's activities, evening entertainment, shuttle service

If Wilderness Lodge is the fancy, West Coast-inspired woodlands resort, Fort Wilderness is the more rustic retreat inspired by the California frontier. The property is home to the Tri-Circle D Ranch, where you can ride horses and ponies, and take wagon and carriage rides. Other outdoor activities include archery, fishing, canoe, and kayak rentals, and Segway tours. There are several dining options, including the beloved Hoop De Doo Musical Revue, an all-you-can-eat dinner theater experience. The Wilderness Cabins at Fort Wilderness sleeps six adults, and there are golf carts for guests to use to get around the property.

At night, there are movies under the stars and campfire singalongs that sometimes feature appearances from Disney’s famous chipmunk duo, Chip ‘n’ Dale, themselves. 

Fitness center, free WiFi, children's activities, spa, shuttle service, babysitting, room service

Of all of the singular experiences at Walt Disney World, a stay at Animal Kingdom Resort might just be the most unique. The hotel buildings surround a savannah full of wildlife. There are villas in both sections of Animal Kingdom Lodge, Jambo House, and Kidani Village. Both sleep 12 and have similar views. The 2,300 square foot grand villas in Jambo House, though, have their own game rooms included. Jambo House also has evening activities like marshmallow roasting at the fire pit and movies under the stars. In addition to table service and quick-service restaurants, Animal Kingdom Lodge also offers dinner with an animal specialist, and a gourmet safari dinner.