Bumping and updating this thread.
I recently stayed at the Bay Lake Tower at the Contemporary (July 2019), and as one would expect when paying nosebleed-level prices for a room, the slumber was wonderful. Out of curiosity, I checked the mattress one day, and it turned out to be a Simmons; specifically, the "Beautyrest Recharge by Simmons Hospitality."
So whatever mattress brands Disney has used in the past is one thing. Here and now, in 2019, and at this specific hotel, they use Simmons.
There seems to have been a time when Disney used to sell their resort mattresses, but not anymore. Simmons Hospitality, however, has a “Guest Purchase" program whereby you can purchase the same mattresses used by specific hotels. By happenstance, Disney's Bay Lake was among the listed hotels, and the corresponding mattress was listed as the "Disney Pillow Top.”
I personally have a Purple.3 at home and love it, but I will admit, the Simmons gave the Purple a run for its money.
A few other Disney hotels were listed (Beach Club, Boardwalk, and also the Grand Californian for those looking to purchase their dream
Disneyland mattress) and those turned up various other Simmons models, including the:
- DIsney Value Plush
- Disney Moderate Plush
- Disney Deluxe Plush
It makes sense that a hotelier like Disney, with a wide range of resorts at different price points, would use different mattresses at different properties. My best guess is that Disney uses the same Simmons models at comparable resorts. For example, the Bay Lake is considered a “Deluxe Villa,” many if not most of which are annexed to a “Deluxe Resort Hotel.” So it stands to reason that if this specific “Disney Pillow Top” is being used at the Bay Lake, it is probably also used at the Grand Floridian, and the Polynesian, and Animal Kingdom Lodge, and all the other resorts in the “Deluxe” tier. I did not have the time, money, or inclination to stay at one of these other resorts to test this theory, but would be curious if other 2019 visitors to any of these resorts find the same mattress under the sheets.
That said:
I think part of the mattress comfort also comes from the linens/bedding, which are typically not the kind you can easily buy from Target or BBB or Macy's. Like this Simmons subsidiary, there are manufacturers that cater to the hospitality industry, and it's hard to buy their linens at retail (unless you want to buy a 30-pack of flat sheets, for example, which makes total sense if you're a hotel and zero practical sense as a consumer.)
As best as I can tell, hospitality linens tend to eschew ridiculously high thread counts. I personally think thread counts are the analog equivalent of camera pixels, having more to do with marketing than whether the picture actually looks good. “Look everyone! I just bought 2000-count pima sateen percale combed ultra-organic domestically imported 117% cotton sheets!" OK, that’s great, but are they actually comfortable? Many hospitality sheets are also cotton/poly blends, which sounds downmarket but makes them smooth, cool, and - very important if you’re a hotel - ultra-durable.
I recently bought new sheets manufactured by one such hospitality company (Thomaston Mills) and MAN do they make a difference - however comfortable your mattress is, these sheets elevate it. I have no idea what bedding DIsney buys - I failed to check while I was there - but I would bet dollars to Mickey-Mouse-shaped donuts that they purchase their linens from someone like Thomaston, if not Thomaston themselves.
The flip/down side: You’re not going to find hospitality-grade bedding festooned with images of Elsa or Moana or Mater or any other Disney character. Your color palette consists of white, white, and white (or if you’re feeling really saucy, taupe). But then again, that’s the color of the sheeting at Disney world; white is the de-facto hospitality bedding color.
SO:
To replicate the Disney slumber experience:
- It looks like a Simmons Hospitality mattress is what you’re looking for.
- Consider buying hospitality-grade bedding as well. You have a single choice of color: white.
- I didn’t talk much about this (as it has nothing to do with either mattress quality or bedding quality) but investigate “triple sheeting” as a way of making your bed. This has quickly become the standard in the hospitality industry, and if you’re really trying to replicate the “hotel room” experience - Disney or elsewhere - you need to employ triple sheeting.
Best,
Frank
