If you are looking for a unique, and surprisingly affordable, way to experience the Walt Disney World Resort, consider renting a private boat! Private boat rentals are available at both the Epcot Area and Magic Kingdom Area Resorts. I recommend renting a boat from one of the Magic Kingdom Resorts, as there is so much more to see on the Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake.

The Seven Seas Marinna at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort offers multiple types of small boat rentals for 2 – 10 guests. The 8 – 10 passenger boats can also include a driver if you’d prefer to just sit back and enjoy the experience. 

I recently spent one-night after a Disney Cruise at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, and we decided we did not want to do a park but rather spend the day simply enjoying our Resort and all it has to offer.  After a few hours at the pool, we decided to rent a 2-person Sea Racer from the Seven Seas Marina and spent about an hour and a half exploring the Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake.

This was a very special way of seeing the Monorail Resorts on the Seven Seas Lagoon, but my favorite was sailing past Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and exploring Bay Lake. If you aren’t familiar, Bay Lake sits behind the Contemporary Resort and is where Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground is located.

We were able to get an up-close look at the new Cabins built for Copper Creek at Wilderness Lodge. You can see these Cabins from the water taxi, but it was nice to take it at our own pace and get really close.

There’s plenty of active fish and game warden’s out on the lakes at all times, making sure everyone is staying safe. And when that giant ferry comes through, they certainly make sure all of the smaller boats stay out of the way!

Our hour and a half experience cost about $80, and was worth every penny! It was a wonderful way to spend an afternoon outside of the parks. I would do it again in a heartbeat!

View of Grand Floridian from the water

In May 2019 I had the opportunity to stay in a Club Level room at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. I also booked a Theme Park View room, as I wanted to truly experience all that this beautiful resort has to offer.

Disney’s Contemporary Resort has 2 clubs: Atrium Club, which offers standard rooms and is located on the 12th floor, and the Tower Club, which offers Suites and is located on the 14th floor. I was staying in a standard room, so I was part of the Atrium Club on the 12th floor.

Being a Club Level guest, I was greeted in the lobby and brought directly up to the Club Lounge, where I was checked in via an iPad. I was introduced to the Cast Members at the Concierge desk, who are available for pretty much anything you would need assistance with during your stay.

The Club Lounge is available all-day with complimentary food and drinks (including alcohol). I’ve stayed Club Level at many different Disney Resorts, and although the types of food items available in the Club Lounges do vary by Resort, they are fairly consistent in the amount of food, and the “staples”. The menu does change daily, but there is always plenty of food available.

In the morning,  there were specialty coffees, lattes, cappuccinos, pastries, hard-boiled eggs, fruit, bagels…I could go on and on.

In the late morning, snacks come out for the remainder of the day. Snacks can range from candies, pretzels, veggies with dip, hummus, pita chips, fruit, and of course juice, soft drinks, beer, wine, and coffee are available all day long.

In the evening, the hors d’oeuvres are put out. Most of the food is similar to other restaurants found at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, such as California Grill, and The Wave…of American Flavor. I’ve seen everything, including specialty salads, macaroni and cheese, chili, soups, and tons of breads and dips. You can absolutely make a full meal out of the offerings in the evening!

Later in the evening, the desserts come out. Some of the offerings could be cookies, cakes, pudding, fruit…again, the list goes on and on. Cast Members will also put out a collection of after dinner cordials and liquors. Dessert is my favorite time of day when staying Club Level!

I stayed in a Theme Park View room, located on the 12th floor, where the views of the Magic Kingdom and Seven Seas Lagoon are to die for! The best part of my day was stopping at the Club Lounge to grab a glass of wine and a few desserts, which I brought back to my room. I sat on my private balcony, sipped my wine, and nibbled on desserts while having a front-row view of the Fireworks over the Magic Kingdom.

If you are early risers, it is also worth noting how special it was to grab a latte at the Club Lounge, sit on my private balcony and watch the sunrise over the Seven Seas Lagoon, while also watching the Magic Kingdom “come to life”.

Sunrise over the Magic Kingdom

These rooms are not cheap (approximately $900/night before any available discounts) but they are completely worth it for the experience.

As we prepare for Walt Disney World to reopen this summer, the number one question on travelers’ minds seems to be “Is there still Magic at Disney World?”

It’s true that during this transitional time of Disney World reopening there are going to be some pretty big changes to some of the experiences, but remember – change is not always a bad thing! Crowds are going to be low, and Disney is going to be working even harder to make sure every guest has a truly spectacular experience. 

Must Love Travel’s Laura and Jennie take some time to chat about this hot topic, and answer the big question: “Is there still going to be Magic at Walt Disney World?”

Take a look and let us know your thoughts in the comments!