Don’t Miss This at Walt Disney World’s Monorail Resort Hotels

Whether you’re staying at a Disney Value, Moderate, Deluxe, or Deluxe Villa Resort Hotel, there’s no shortage of fun activities and delicious food options at hand.  

We like to devote a day during each Walt Disney World vacation to enjoy our Disney Resort Hotel – its feature pool and quiet pools, walking paths, quick service, and table service locations, maybe a campfire or movie under the stars.  

But there’s no reason a Resort day has to be spent at the Resort you’re staying at! 

With dozens of captivating Hotels across Disney property, your options for shopping, dining, and adventuring are nearly limitless. Today, we’ll show you what to see and do at Disney’s Monorail Resorts – but it’s best to use this as a jumping-off point because there’s so much to see and do at every Disney Resort Hotel that you’ll just have to discover it for yourself.

Disney’s Monorail Resort Hotels

Disney’s complimentary transportation system makes it easy to get to Resort Hotels throughout Walt Disney World.  

All Disney Resort Hotels can be accessed by bus from Disney Springs and from Disney’s Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom Parks. Depending on the Resort you want to visit, you might also be able to hop on Disney’s Skyliner, a water taxi, or the Monorail.

Disney’s Monorail Resorts are all just a quick ride away when you board Disney’s highway in the sky!  

Deluxe Resorts along the Monorail route are: Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, and Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. You can even zoom from one to the next if you want to experience all three during your Resort day.  

Grand Floridian Lobby Pianist

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa boasts possibly the most magnificent Hotel lobby on WDW property.  

We’re talking soaring ceilings, elegant palm trees, dangling crystal chandeliers, oversized bird cages a velociraptor would find spacious, ornate Victorian architecture, and a to-die-for scent that has become so popular you can now bring it home with you as a candle or room spray.

But one of the best things about the Resort’s lobby is the Grand Floridian Lobby Pianist. Several times a day, the pianist serenades Guests from the grand piano, which somehow takes the already impressive opulent vibe here up a notch.  

So grab a seat in a perfectly plush armchair, and let the sights, smells, and sounds carry you away.

‘Ohana

Enjoy the tastes of Polynesia by dining at the coveted restaurant ‘Ohana for breakfast or dinner.  

Meals are family-style (or all-you-care-to-enjoy) and include yummy staples like Pineapple-Coconut Breakfast Bread, Honey-Coriander Chicken Wings, Spicy Peel-n-Eat Shrimp, and Guest favorite ‘Ohana Bread Pudding.  

Make sure you bring your appetite and book reservations early!

Grand Canyon Concourse Mural

If you’re staying at or stopping by Disney’s Contemporary Resort, you simply can’t miss the stunning Grand Canyon Concourse mural created by Mary Blair.  

If you’ve ever ridden “it’s a small world”, you’ve seen Blair’s whimsical, colorful work! In the Contemporary Resort lobby, she created a 90-foot-tall work of art facing four different directions that depicts the story of the Grand Canyon with vibrant, child-like modernist flair.

You may even spot the infamous five-legged goat!

Steakhouse 71

If you’ve visited Disney’s Contemporary Resort before, you may have dined at The Wave… of American Flavors. This table service restaurant has been replaced by Steakhouse 71, but still offers some Guest favorites from its former life as The Wave, including their unique take on Bacon and Eggs.

Steakhouse 71 offers tasteful 1970s decor and hearty dishes like Walt’s Prime Rib Hash, French Onion Soup, and Vegetable “Wellington”, along with some creatively reimagined offerings like PB&J Chicken Wings.

Shopping

At each of the three Disney Monorail Resort Hotels, Guests will find shops containing merchandise that is unique to that Resort. Our favorite Resort for shopping is Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.  

At Basin White, you can create your own custom bath salts, while at Curiouser Clothiers you’ll find designer clothing with a Disney flair.  

M. Mouse Mercantile has all the Mickey-themed merchandise you could ever hope for, and Sandy Cove Gifts and Sundries offers the H20 line of products (soap, shampoo, conditioner) that you’ll find in Disney Resort Hotel rooms.

Enchanted Rose

If you have any Beauty and the Beast fans in your party, Enchanted Rose at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is a must!  

This beautifully renovated lounge takes its cue from the classic 1991 animated film and is full of gorgeous but subtle nods to the movie: formal French furniture, a gigantic gold chandelier symbolizing Belle’s iconic ball gown, a garden room representing the forest outside Beast’s castle, and even a library.  

For an extra dose of romance, sit on the patio and enjoy some appetizers and drinks while you watch the sunset and the stars come out above you.

Views 

It’s tough to pick just one Monorail Resort Hotel for views because all three boast excellent views.  

Sit in the lobby of Disney’s Contemporary Resort for an utterly unique view of the Monorail as it zooms through the building, or dine at California Grill for stunning views of Magic Kingdom.  

At Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, head to the beach for a great view of Cinderella Castle, or check out the marina area at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa to watch Disney Enchantment’s fireworks.

Bottom Line

While you won’t be able to use the pools at a Disney Resort you’re not staying at, there’s more than enough to keep you entertained when you go Resort hopping at Disney’s Monorail Resort Hotels.  

Fair warning, though – each of these Deluxe Resorts is seriously fabulous, and they might make it difficult to stay anywhere else on your next Walt Disney World vacation!