Shades of Green at Disney World! Room Tour & Resort Tour

Shades of Green at Walt Disney World Resort! Join us for our first stay at Shades of Green, an Armed Forces Recreation Center Resort.

We are so excited to share the final vlog in this series. Shades of Green offers veterans and their families the opportunity to stay on property at certain times of the year. Active and retired military and their families can stay year-round. Tim is a veteran so he was able to sponsor our Labor Day weekend stay at this picturesque resort.

There are a number of booking options for rooms ranging from standard to poolside as well as several types of suites. We booked a standard room and were assigned a poolside room in the Magnolia section. We shared a tour of the room which was quite spacious with accommodations up to a party of five. There were two queen beds separated by a nightstand as well as a single sleeper sofa. Additional features included a table with two chairs and a large dresser with TV in the main living space. There was a small fridge and coffee maker with supplies as well. While there was not enough space in the closet for our luggage, there was plenty of hanging space and a small safe as well. The bathroom was split with the commode and shower enclosed and a double vanity sink in a separate space. We appreciate this feature as a family of four. The balcony overlooked the Mill Pond pool. We enjoyed the space in the quiet of the morning. The room was a bit of a walk to and from the elevators. We were a good distance from the parking garage as well. If and when we stay again, we plan to request to stay in the Palm section.

The resort grounds are lovely. The outdoor spaces off the lobby are tranquil and we enjoyed sitting outside and taking in the views. The fountains and gazebo add to the ambiance. The lobby itself is welcoming. It reminded us of Wilderness Lodge in many ways. The patriotic Mickey makes for great photo ops. The check-in area is just off to the right when entering the resort and Java Cafe is close by as well. Just down the stairs from the check-in area are two of the resort's dining options. Garden Gallery is open for breakfast and in the evening, take-out orders are offered. We enjoyed the breakfast buffet offerings and the price was very reasonable. Mangino's is an Italian restaurant open for dinner. Out by the Mill Pond pool is Evergreens. We did manage to dine there during our stay. This sports bar offers a variety of pub-style foods and drinks. Express Cafe is a quick-service style dining location near the bus stops and room service is also offered.

The resort shop, The Exchange, offers a variety of merchandise and souvenirs. From food items to toiletries and tons of Disney-themed gifts, the shop was definitely a highlight. There is an on-site ticket and reservation desk as well. While we did not visit the desk, there were signs around the resort with offerings for reduced ticket prices for local Orlando attractions. We appreciated seeing these offerings.

Shades of Green has two pools, a feature pool and a quiet pool. As we have shared, our room was located along the Mill Pond Pool. There was music and game playing at the pool throughout our stay from mid-morning to late evening. There are poolside games such as ping pong, a waterslide, and a splash area for littles as well. The Magnolia Pool, the quiet pool, features a hot tub and plenty of poolside seating.

We had a fantastic stay at Shades of Green. We would love to stay again and enjoy even more of the resort offerings. A special thank you to our service men and women and their families, we celebrate you!

We certainly hope you enjoyed the vlog as we enjoyed sharing our day with you! Onward to our next adventure!