Hotels in Magic Kingdom Proximity Ranked – Which Is Best and Why to Stay

Sleeping in the Magic Kingdom sounds like a dream to many Walt Disney World fans. You could wake up and be ready for an exciting theme park day from your hotel in Magic Kingdom. However, this magical dream must remain a dream for most people. Only a few select amount of people have ever stayed at the hotel in the Magic Kingdom.

Within Cinderella Castle, a suite was created. This sleeping area within the castle has an entire suite ready for top VIPs to stay. This suite is only available to the public during very limited contests or charity events like the one held to support Give Kids the World.

The Cinderella Castle Suite is four stories above the park in Cinderella Castle. The majestic living area looks exactly like what you would envision the interior of this castle to look like. However, staying in this hotel in the Magic Kingdom fails to be something you can book.

However, Walt Disney World Resort offers several excellent high-quality hotels that may not be a hotel in the Magic Kingdom, but they are very close to the Magic Kingdom.

Best Magic Kingdom Hotels

Walt Disney World Resort contains several excellent options for people wishing to stay near the Magic Kingdom. For those who have visited Magic Kingdom before, those hotels you see while traveling to Magic Kingdom are often referred to as the Magic Kingdom hotels. Another common name for them is the Monorail Resorts.  In addition to those, some other quality hotel options exist.

This resource will cover all the hotels close to the Magic Kingdom. You may not be able to stay at a hotel in the Magic Kingdom, but guests have several options close by with easy transportation options directly to the Magic Kingdom. These options serve as the closest thing to staying at a hotel in Magic Kingdom.

Deluxe Disney Resorts

The most luxurious resort hotels at Walt Disney World are known as Deluxe Resorts. Several of those hotels reside near Magic Kingdom. They all include easy transportation directly to the Magic Kingdom theme park. Accessing transportation options to the most attended theme park in the world matters a lot during your exciting Disney vacation.

Walt Disney World Deluxe-level hotels offer unique advantages over other Walt Disney World and non-Disney-owned hotels. These advantages include things like:

• Larger standard-size rooms than most Walt Disney World Resort hotels
• Higher standards regarding theming in the common areas and hotel rooms
• Higher quality table service dining as well as more signature-level dining
• Club/Concierge level room options
• Pools with waterslides, whirlpools, and splash areas for kids
• Guests can rent watercraft on Seven Seas Lagoon or Bay Lake when available.

For those looking to stay as close to Magic Kingdom, these nearby Deluxe-level hotels are great options. They are:

• Disney’s Contemporary Resort
• Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa
• Disney’s Polynesian Resort
• Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

There are additional Walt Disney World Deluxe-level hotels with direct bus transportation to Magic Kingdom. However, those Disney-owned hotels reside farther away from the Magic Kingdom. Our discussion of the hotels near Magic Kingdom will begin with the four hotels listed above.

Hotel Magic Kingdom Proximity Ranked: Disney’s Contemporary Resort

Disney’s Contemporary Resort stands as the most recognizable Walt Disney World Resort hotel. When many people think of hotels at Walt Disney World, they visualize the Disney Monorail traveling through this hotel. Yes, the Disney Monorail literally travels through this hotel. People unfamiliar with Walt Disney World have some concept or picture in their minds of that Disney hotel that a monorail goes through.

Disney’s Contemporary Resort reminds many of a futuristic hotel layout. Nonetheless, this resort hotel was built over 50 years ago. As a result, it displays some classic Disney retro vibes. The concept of clean lines and a more open look happened at this hotel long ago.

The Disney-style theming is more understated here than other Walt Disney World-owned hotels. However, the rooms at the Contemporary have been refurbished with a touch of “The Incredibles.” This dash of Disney Intellectual property will not overwhelm you like being the babysitter for Jack Jack in the “Incredibles” movies.

Convention

Disney’s Contemporary Resort contains ample convention space. This leads to a more business-like feel in some areas of the hotel. Based on this, this hotel often feels busier than some of the other Disney-owned Deluxe-level hotels. Of course, this business-like feel faces a sharp contrast in the main dining area where the whimsical Chef Mickey’s restaurant resides.

Disney’s Contemporary Resort pulls guests into the idea of an exciting stay with all the activity in the common area. This atmosphere sets the tone for the guests’ thrilling day at Magic Kingdom or another of the Walt Disney World theme parks.

The lobby and other common areas at the Contemporary Resort look like they could be at many upscale hotels in the world. However, guests will know they are staying at a Disney hotel near the Magic Kingdom by a few unique touches.

The rooms in the main building of Disney’s Contemporary Resort have balconies with great views. Several accommodation styles are available at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, such as the small Garden Wing room that sleeps three guests. Guests can also book the luxurious Club Level two-bedroom suites that sleep eight. Many room types exist in between those room levels.

The Disney Monorail allows Disney’s Contemporary Resort guests to travel easily to the Magic Kingdom. Still, guests staying here can also utilize a short walking path to reach the Magic Kingdom entrance. This walk should take about ten minutes. We often find walking faster than taking the monorail system to get to Disney’s Contemporary Resort. We walk this path often, leaving the Magic Kingdom to visit Disney’s Contemporary Resort for a meal. This can be relaxing after spending time at the Magic Kingdom.

Disney’s Contemporary Resort: Dining

An excellent advantage of staying at Disney’s Contemporary Resort involves the dining choices. The Contempo Café provides solid quick service options for guests. At this location, guests can enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The quick service location has improved its dinner menu in the past few months. Guests can also purchase refillable beverage mugs for various beverages during their stay.

One of the most sought-after signature table service dining options on Walt Disney World property can be found here. The California Grill provides views, great service, and fine dining. Many cast members have worked at The California Grill for decades.

This table service restaurant provides an exquisite view of the nighttime fireworks at Magic Kingdom. Though not a hotel in Magic Kingdom, The California Grill restaurant offers massive windows facing towards the fireworks each evening.

Fireworks Viewing

In addition, California Grill features an outdoor observation deck for people dining at California Grill.  Guests dining at the time of the fireworks or having eaten earlier in the day may go out on the patio for fireworks viewing. They even play music that matches the fireworks display.

Disney’s Contemporary Resort also provides two more table service restaurants, Chef Mickey’s and Steakhouse 71. Chef Mickey’s is a highly sought-after reservation. Guests can meet Mickey and the gang there. The dining style is buffet. This dining experience revolves around having most of the characters come to your table to interact and take photos with you. Based on the current operation procedure, either Mickey or Minnie will be stationed in a different area where guests must line up to meet after their meal.

Steakhouse 71 offers a higher quality of food than Chef Mickey’s. Of course, you will not see any Disney characters here, though. Steakhouse offers guests reasonable Disney theme park pricing with a different menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Disney’s Contemporary Resort has stood the test of time. Some guests say that the facility needs some updating. Nonetheless, this Disney-owned hotel near the Magic Kingdom provides excellent rooms for your vacation. Disney’s Contemporary Resort provides a wonderful stay, especially for guests visiting the Magic Kingdom.

Hotel Magic Kingdom Proximity Ranked: Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa

Disney’s Contemporary Resort comes to mind first when considering a hotel near the Magic Kingdom. However, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort provides guests with the most elegant hotel near the Magic Kingdom.

Disney’s Grand Floridan Resort and Spa makes an excellent choice for those looking for classic Victorian elegance. Of course, with elegance usually comes a higher price point. None of the hotels near Magic Kingdom qualify as inexpensive. However, the Grand Floridian Resort usually costs the most. With that cost, guests receive some incredible amenities and features.

For our purposes, the ability to hop on the Disney Monorail to leave this hotel to arrive at the Magic Kingdom quickly makes an excellent advantage to staying here. The ride on the monorail can make your Walt Disney World vacation feel like you are staying at a hotel in Magic Kingdom.

This Disney-owned hotel is styled as a Victorian-era luxury property. The lobby area looks enormous. We enjoy just sitting here during our visits to the Grand Floridian. Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa displays a refined, sophisticated look. This hotel also offers guests a spa to take some time away to relax during their Disney vacation.

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa property contains a fantastic wedding venue. The concept of excess and grandeur permeates the entire resort, making you feel special. In addition, the views from this hotel make for some excellent photos to last a lifetime.

The lavish common areas at Disney’s Grand Floridian are paired with some of the larger hotel rooms near the Magic Kingdom. Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa has the largest standard rooms, measuring 440 square feet. For those looking for a hotel near Magic Kingdom with a bit more space within your hotel room, this hotel offers that.

Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

This deluxe-level hotel provides top-of-the-line dining options. Any conversation about signature dining at this hotel should start with the award-winning Victoria & Albert’s. Victoria & Albert’s does have a strict dress code to match the high level of dining. The elaborate high-quality dining involves multiple courses prepared specifically for the guests. To show how signature the dining rates here, small children are not allowed to dine at Victoria & Albert’s. For those looking for an incredible meal of unspeakable quality, Victoria & Albert’s reigns as the top restaurant on Walt Disney World property.

Disney’s Grand Floridian also presents guests with three more table-service dining options. On top of that, guests can enjoy a lounge and a quality quick service dining option.

The three table service options at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort each offer excellent food. These restaurants are Narcoossee’s, a seafood restaurant; Citricos, Mediterranean-based upscale dining; and The Grand Floridian Café, with a brunch-style menu until 2:00 p.m. every day. A significant advantage of the Grand Floridian relates to dining options.

Regarding lounges, The Enchanted Rose at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa offers one of the best environments around. Though some guests express concern over the price of beverages here, the quality remains high.

Gasparilla Island Grill at this hotel provides quick service dining options for guests to enjoy before and after visiting the Magic Kingdom. This place serves snacks and meals from 6:00 a.m. until midnight each day.

For some Walt Disney World frequent visitors, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa makes their favorite place to stay near the Magic Kingdom. Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa provides an elegant option for guests wanting to stay as close as possible to being at a hotel in the Magic Kingdom.

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Hotel Magic Kingdom Proximity Ranked: Disney’s Polynesian Resort

As the name indicates, this Disney-owned hotel takes guests to a slice of the Polynesian Islands. This hotel on the Disney Monorail loop transports guests easily to the Magic Kingdom. Like the previously mentioned hotels, you can also see the Magic Kingdom from this hotel. While it may not be a hotel in Magic Kingdom, you are near the world's most popular theme park.

Disney’s Polynesian Resort brings guests into the Tiki-inspired vibe of South Pacific culture. This hotel near the Magic Kingdom provides a more relaxing feel than the other two Disney Monorail hotels.

A cast member will greet guests arriving at Disney’s Polynesian with a lei upon your arrival. This hotel features lush landscaping and tropical music, making the theme magical across the resort hotel. We find Disney's Polynesian Resort provides a respite from everyday life during our Disney vacation.

Once you enter your room, the island feel continues. These rooms come with all the amenities you might imagine. Families can enjoy a night pretending to live the Polynesian life.

In fact, the Seven Seas lagoon area here offers a white sandy beach facing the Magic Kingdom. We love this view from Disney’s Polynesian Resort. This area is not designed for swimming. Disney’s Polynesian Resort and other hotels previously mentioned have phenomenal pools for swimming.

If that view does not overcome you, do not forget that this tropical island-themed resort offers dole soft serve and an excellent view of the Magic Kingdom fireworks with music.

Dining

In addition to a quick service stand, Pineapple Lanai, serving Dole soft serve, several other dining options exist at Disney’s Polynesian Resort. We adore the dining options here. At Disney’s Polynesian Resort, Ohana remains the most desired table service dining reservation at Walt Disney World. Ohana provides a character breakfast with Lilo and Stitch and a dinner option as well. Both meal times are served family style for all you care to enjoy dining.

If you cannot get an advanced dining reservation to Ohana, Kona Café serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals. The signature Tonga Toast attracts many guests to Kona Café for breakfast.

The quick service option at this resort can be found downstairs. Some consider Captain Cook’s one of the better quick service options at a Walt Disney World hotel. We prefer others over this one. Still, you can get a quick service version of Tonga Toast and a few more unique quick service options at this location.

Lounges

Disney’s Polynesian Resort also presents guests with two of the most popular lounges at Walt Disney World. Tambu Lounge, just outside of Ohana, serves beverages and some of the Ohana dinner menu. If you crave the noodles at Ohana, you can order them at this lounge.

A challenging lounge to enter would be Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto at Disney’s Polynesian Resort, which is also located downstairs on the same level as Captain Cook’s can be found downstairs at the Polynesian Resort. This place draws a crowd starting in the afternoon, so be prepared for that. Trader Sam’s is known for its fun atmosphere and tropical drinks served in tiki mugs.

This resort makes a great place to explore and unwind. Like most deluxe hotels, Disney’s Polynesian Resort offers various room styles and options. If you stay here, you should be able to find a room to fit your group’s size and needs while enjoying the Polynesian vibe.

Hotel Magic Kingdom Proximity Ranked: Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

Unlike the three previously mentioned Disney-owned hotels, this hotel does not reside on the Disney Monorail loop. However, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge provides a short boat ride to the Magic Kingdom.

Guests should not be fooled into thinking this rustic-looking resort does not measure up to a top-level hotel at Walt Disney World. This resort hotel provides some of the top benefits of any hotel around the area.

This resort transports guests to the style of a fabulous national park lodge in the American West. Of course, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge provides far more luxuries than those a historic lodge might offer. This Disney hotel near Magic Kingdom offers a wide variety of room types.

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge presents a more casual approach to a Disney vacation. Guests enjoy spacious rooms here. This resort hotel offers some large villas for larger groups to stay. In fact, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge also has waterfront cabins at the Copper Creek Villas section with a hot tub on an outdoor porch.

Being across the water from the Magic Kingdom, guests take the Disney water transportation to easily arrive there. That may not be staying at a hotel in the Magic Kingdom. Still, the relaxing boat ride to and from the Magic Kingdom provides a lovely experience.

Wilderness Lodge Dining

Besides the atmosphere and rooms, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge presents guests with several styles of dining options. For example, Storybook Dining at Artist Point takes guests into the world of Snow White for a character dining experience. If you dine here, please be nice to the Evil Queen.

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge also offers an all-you-care-to-enjoy dining option at Whispering Canyon Café. If quick service is more your speed, then Roaring Fork makes a good choice for you. The Geyser Point Bar & Grill, the pool bar for this resort hotel near Magic Kingdom, provides excellent views and quality beverages.

If the idea of staying in a luxurious lodge-type setting appeals to you, then this hotel makes a good choice for a Magic Kingdom trip.

Hotel Magic Kingdom Proximity Ranked: The Best

Each of the four previously mentioned Disney Deluxe hotels provides easy access to the Magic Kingdom and incredible amenities. Though I prefer Disney’s Polynesian over the other three options, this group of hotels consists of the best choices if you want to stay close to the Magic Kingdom. Once again, we wish we could stay at a hotel in Magic Kingdom, but these make nice second choices.

Hotel Magic Kingdom Proximity Ranked: Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground

Disney's Fort Wilderness is a great choice if you are looking to balance saving money on vacation housing while staying near the Magic Kingdom. As the full title of the property states, this choice offers campground accommodations.

With over 800 campsites and 300 cabins, this back-to-nature resort provides good, wholesome family fun. Guests can tent camp, rent spots for their RVs, or “glamp” while staying at one of the cabins. In fairness, the cabins make great options for larger groups not wanting to be squeezed into a tent or RV.

Though this location lacks the luxury amenities of the Disney Deluxe hotels, your budget will not be as stressed by staying here. However, you have to sacrifice a little compared to those better options. Of course, depending on the RV or the cabin you stay in, that sacrifice might not be as much.

Boat Transportation

For guests staying here, you can take a boat to the Magic Kingdom to enjoy that theme park. Disney's Fort Wilderness contains many recreational opportunities if not going to one of the Walt Disney World theme parks. Some of them include archery lessons, horseback rides, and a Segway tour through the forest. You can even visit the horses at the Tri-Circle-D Ranch. The property of Disney’s Fort Wilderness Lodge covers an immense area, so internal bus transportation runs continually to get you from one place to another.

In terms of dining, the Hoop-Dee-Do Musical Revue happens here. The long-running dinner show features “corny” comedy and musical numbers to entertain guests in the theatre here. This dinner show utilizes all-you-care-to-eat dining with fried chicken and ribs.

Trails’ End Restaurant, the quick service dining choice at this resort, was remodeled earlier this year. The new version features a new pizza station and more grab-and-go options. This makes a good place for campers to pick up a meal for the group.

Though Disney’s Fort Wilderness lacks the luxury of the Deluxe hotels, it makes up for it with a lower price tag and unique amenities. This cannot be considered the worst option for a Magic Kingdom trip by any means.

Hotel Magic Kingdom Proximity Ranked: Shades of Green

Shades of Green at Walt Disney World provides high-quality resort accommodations for only United States Military members and their families. Walt Disney World does not own this hotel. The United States Department of Defense owns this hotel near the Magic Kingdom.

This hotel is a great option based on location and price point for military members and their families. This hotel is near Magic Kingdom. However, people staying here face some challenges getting to the Magic Kingdom.

This hotel offers a scheduled shuttle service to the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC) for guests visiting the Magic Kingdom and Epcot.  Guests must take the monorail or a ferry boat from the Transportation and Ticket Center to reach Magic Kingdom.

Guests staying here should know that the transportation back to Shades of Green may involve going to the TTC using Disney transportation. After that, the official Shades of Green bus picks up at the TTC every 20 minutes.

Despite the weakness of transportation from Shades of Green, this hotel offers food value for military families. Shades of Green makes an excellent choice for military families, often costing half the price of a comparable Walt Disney World hotel. Once again, this would not be a hotel in Magic Kingdom. Still, it provides a high-quality hotel near Magic Kingdom.

Hotel Magic Kingdom Proximity Ranked: Other Options

If none of the above hotels work for your Walt Disney World vacations, plenty of options still exist. This resource will mention a few more options to close out this discussion.

Non-Disney Owned Options Near the Magic Kingdom

Many non-Disney-owned hotels are available to choose from within a reasonable distance of the Magic Kingdom. We created a resource listing many of the nearby hotels in this category with shuttles to Walt Disney World theme parks. Of those, we would recommend a few options over the rest for easier access to the Magic Kingdom. They are:

• Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort
• Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin (along with the Swan Reserve)

Though Walt Disney World does not own these hotels, they offer excellent amenities and shuttle service to the Transportation and Ticket Center. The Four Seasons Resort ranks as one of the nicest hotels in the Orlando area. For some Disney style, it also offers an official Disney character breakfast on select days. Technically it may be the closest non-Disney-owned hotel to Magic Kingdom. Still, you will need to traverse the Transportation and Ticket Center before entering the Magic Kingdom.

The Swan and Dolphin are both located near the Boardwalk area of Walt Disney World. Based on the location, guests can take boat transportation to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot. Also, since Marriot owns these hotels, Marriot reward points can be used for savings at these hotels.

The Rest of the Walt Disney World Hotels

Walt Disney World owns and operates a wide range of “on-site” hotels for guests to enjoy. All these hotels offer direct shuttle bus access to Magic Kingdom. Guests staying at these hotels avoid the need to stop at the Transportation and Ticket Center before using other transportation to reach the Magic Kingdom. This advantage when visiting the Magic Kingdom reduces travel time and hassle. However, these hotels do not offer as short of a travel time to Magic Kingdom as the Deluxe-level hotel. Still, that direct bus route to Magic Kingdom adds some ease to your Walt Disney World vacation.

Looking to Plan a Trip to Walt Disney World?

Even though staying at a hotel in Magic Kingdom might never happen for most of us, a Walt Disney World Resort vacation comes with plenty of magic. The writers at MickeyVisit continue to update the website with valuable information to help you plan your next Walt Disney World vacation. We have included some more resources to help with your vacation planning below. In addition, MickeyVisit provides a free DEALS newsletter to aid subscribers with new updates and opportunities to save on their vacation.

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Hotels in Magic Kingdom: Frequently Asked Questions