Welcome back to another Disney Top 5.
This may seem like a very random Top 5 list, and I’d have to agree with you. However, on our last trip down there, I did something that I have always done on just about every Walt Disney World trip I’ve ever been on. Whenever possible, if my Disney resort has one, I make sure to have some chill time in a hammock. I mentioned that fact to my daughter, and she posed the question, “Have you ever done a Top 5 list on your favorite Disney hammocks?” Despite 17 years of MousePlanet articles, the surprising answer was in fact, “No…I have not.” That realization set my wheels in motion.
I’ve always been a hammock person. What’s not to love about chilling in a hammock? The mere mention of a hammock conjures up images of beaches, palm trees, and lazy days of summer. That’s all in my wheelhouse for sure. We always had a hammock in the yard between two giant trees at my family’s house near the beach out east on Long Island, and I spent many an afternoon and late night swaying back and forth peacefully. One of my daughter’s favorite things to do is to take her portable hammock out to a park, find two perfect trees, and tie up for a while with a good book. You can’t do that in a Disney park or resort, mind you, but my love of chilling in a hammock definitely rubbed off on her. I even had a hammock in my dorm room at college, which was a big hit on my floor, trust me. When I first started going to Walt Disney World and spotted hammocks scattered throughout the Disney resorts, it was a match made in hammock heaven.
Hammock time at Disney can be a fun time with the kids, but these choices are based on “me time,” something that can be a rarity when you’re in the midst of your hectic Disney vacation. All the more reason to carve out some quiet time to sway back and forth at your favorite resorts. People often fail to realize that the Disney resorts can be remarkably tranquil, despite being situated in one of the busiest tourist destinations on Earth. If you’re looking for peace and quiet at the end of a park-storming day, seek and you shall find. I certainly have, and here are my Top 5 choices of hammock spots at Walt Disney World.
5 – Ol’ Man Island – Port Orleans Riverside
You would expect hammocks on the beach style resorts like the Polynesian and Caribbean Beach, as you’ll see coming up. But you might not expect them at Port Orleans Riverside Resort. This was a Barry family staple when the kids were young. We stayed here for at least four to five years in a row. At the time, the rooms in the Alligator Bayou section of Riverside were the only Moderate rooms that accommodated five, making it a perfect fit for my wife, me, and the three kids. We’ve returned to Riverside several times recently, and it remains a favorite of ours.
The hammocks are tucked away on Ol’ Man Island in the center of the resort. Here you can find the feature pool, a great pool bar, playgrounds, a firepit, the classic fishing hole, and just a few hammocks scattered along the main walkway that circles the island. These classic rope hammocks are completely shaded, which is a valuable commodity in the Florida swelter. While the fenced-in pool has specific hours each day, Ol’ Man Island is open 24 hours, so you can always find your way out there and chill out for a while. One of the things to love most about Port Orleans Riverside is its lush landscaping. As far as Walt Disney World goes, Riverside is probably the best example of an old-growth Central Florida landscape. When designing this resort, they left more trees and plants native to the area intact than anywhere else on property, so swaying back and forth in one of Riverside’s few hammocks is a unique treat.
4 – Caribbean Cay – Caribbean Beach Resort
This was the first Walt Disney World resort where we ever stayed as a family, so it holds a special place in our hearts and minds, and we’ve been back several times since. It’s hard to beat the vibe here; bright colors, beautiful landscaping, palm trees galore, and a true Caribbean vibe make this a favorite among the Disney faithful. If you’ve ever been to an actual Caribbean island, you know that hammocks on the beach are a ubiquitous sight at most resorts. So when Disney was building their own version at the Caribbean Beach Resort, they made sure to include hammocks on the man-made beaches surrounding Barefoot Bay in the center of the massive resort. Indeed, the beach hammocks are blissful here.
However, one of the best things about Caribbean Beach is the island in the center of the resort, Caribbean Cay. This is where you’ll find winding pathways, a wonderful playground, several gazebos with nice big chairs facing the bay, the grassy area where they show nighttime movies, and a wonderful sandy spot looking out over the water with the only two coveted hammocks on this little island.
Caribbean Cay is also open 24 hours as a pathway connecting the two halves of the resort, but, unfortunately, the areas with the hammocks are locked up at dusk. So be sure to snag one of them during the day. They’re nice and secluded, sitting under the canopy of palm trees and lush vegetation that make Caribbean Cay such a peaceful and beautiful spot to hide and relax. There are only two, so you might have to wait for your turn.
3 – Island Tower – Polynesian Village Resort
I guess this would be the newest entry on this list. The most recent of Disney’s DVC resorts, the Island Tower at the Polynesian Village Resort, has only been open since December 2024, and it already feels like it’s always been there. They didn’t leave a whole lot of room between the building and the Seven Seas Lagoon, but they managed to fit a nice, small stretch of “beach” adorned with rock work, palm trees, and yes, a nice selection of hammocks. I was on my own one night recently, down there visiting my sons, and they were both working late shifts. I took it upon myself to order some food from Captain Cook’s and head over to the tower to watch and listen to Happily Ever After. I was pretty happy leaning against a palm tree with my Hawaiian pizza, enjoying the fireworks! What an incredible spot. The only thing that would have made it more incredible would have been if I managed to snag one of the hammocks!
After the fireworks crowd thinned out, I managed to get some proper hang time in one of the hammocks, and boy, is this a great spot. Perfect view of Cinderella Castle off in the distance. The lights from the Grand Floridian are reflecting on the water. Hawaiian music is playing softly in the background. This is my new favorite spot outside of Main Street to watch Happily Ever After for sure, and it’s an awesome place to settle into one of the hammocks and chill for a while, especially at night.
2 – Coronado Springs – Cabanas Beach
I recently posted a Top 5 about our new favorite resort, Disney’s Coronado Springs and, along with my daughter prompting me to write this article, the Coronado Top 5 helped me realize that I needed to dive into my top 5 favorite hammocks. I’ve placed this particular spot at number 4 on my list of the Top 5 things to love about Coronado Springs, and what a spot it is. We’ve stayed at Coronado three times: once in Gran Destino Tower, once—most recently—for just a night in the Casitas section, and once for several days in the Cabanas. This section of the resort is designed to evoke a more beachy Mexican vibe, and it succeeds with beautiful landscaping, numerous palm trees, and low, cabana-style buildings scattered along a stunning beach. As luck would have it, that beach is dotted with an impressive number of hammocks.
Some are in the shade of palm trees, and some are out in the sun, but all of them are nestled alongside Lago Dorado, the lake that makes up the center of this lovely resort. I took advantage of these hammocks located right outside my door several times, both during the day and at night. I’d have to say that I preferred nighttime the most. I’ll just quote my last article and say that, “I tell you this: a hammock, the lagoon next to me, and the reflected light of the Gran Destino Tower on the water – maybe a cocktail down in the sand – and I’m not sure I could have been much happier!
1 – Polynesian Village Beach
Well, as it turns out, I can be much happier! On a recent visit to Walt Disney World, not long after watching Happily Ever After at the Tower next door, I found myself wandering down to the beach at the original Polynesian Resort, which has long been one of my favorite spots anywhere on Disney property. We’ve stayed at the Polynesian several times, and it’s always a treat when we do. Even when we don’t stay there, we often end up there, dining at Kona Cafe, shopping in the shops, or simply walking around and enjoying the atmosphere. On that recent trip I sat in one of the Adirondack chairs on the beach close to the bungalows with a tasty cocktail in hand, when I suddenly realized that one of the few hammocks on the beach was indeed empty!
The vibes that night in the hammock were pretty amazing. Just about all of the fireworks crowd had dissipated, except for a handful of giggling friends who were obviously having a great time on the beach that night. The soft Hawaiian music was playing out of the speakers. The lights on the boat dock were reflecting on the water. Off in the distance, I could see Tron lighting up Tomorrowland. The water pageant was finishing its nightly run around the lagoon. I just sat there and swayed in the breeze, listening to the sounds of the ferryboats coming and going back and forth to Magic Kingdom. It was blissful, and it cemented this spot as one of my all-time favorites anywhere in Walt Disney World, instantly becoming my favorite spot to score a hammock and spend some time. Give it a try next time you’re there. You won’t regret it.
So, there’s my unusual and very specific Top 5 spots to while away your time in a hammock at Disney World. These spots reinforce something I’ve always believed since the very first time I set foot on Disney property: that, despite Walt Disney World being busy and full of people and lines, if you put in a small amount of effort, you can find some impressively tranquil spots to relax. Seek out the rocking chairs at the Yacht Club, or the Discovery Island Trails at Animal Kingdom, the gazebos on Caribbean Cay, or any one of these or other hammock spots at Walt Disney World, and you’ll see just what I mean. As much as I love being in the parks, these quiet spots at Disney are the things I miss the most when I’m back home.
That’s all for this time. Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you next time with another Disney Top 5.
