1 night stay-where?

[mdubm]

Long story short- we're having to rearrange a night of our trip. We had planned on doing a split stay (we have 4 nights at YC). We currently have our last night booked at Poly, but I need to actually switch and add a night to beginning of trip instead of end. We paid $420 for Poly (amazing). For the first night, Poly is $620, which is a no-go.

Because this is the beginning of our trip, I'm looking to stay somewhere where we can entertain ourselves for the afternoon, has a nice pool, let's us take in the fun atmosphere of another resort. I'm traveling a 4yo girl and 14month boy, and DH. Options (feedback, please):

Art of Animation Family Suite $387
Contemporary Garden Wing $390
Wilderness Standard $321
Boulder Ridge Studio $355
BoardWalk 1 bedroom villa $430
BoardWalk Standard $336
AK Kidani deluxe studio standard $350
AK Jambo studio savanna $430

Sooo many options! I'd love to hear people weigh in.

 

[Jess G]

I would do Kidani or Boulder Ridge.

 

[LAM378]

I would do AoA or AK. AoA is a lot of fun, especially for little kids. It's definitely not deluxe but the atmosphere is great. The food court there and at Pop (walkable) are very good, really nice pools with a splash pad for your kids, and the family suites are colorful and comfortable. It would be a fun way to immerse yourself in Disney on the first day of your trip.

AK is an experience in itself. You could spend the entire day just exploring the resort and viewing all the animals.

 

[SyracuseDisneyFan]

Art of Animation

 

[DisneyPrincess5]

If I were you given these choices, I would choose a room in the MK resort loop so either Contemporary or Wilderness Lodge.
The Boulder Ridge Studio room isn't that much more than a standard room so I'd spring for that. On the other hand, Contemp would allow you to monorail ride and more easily access nearby sights. I'd choose either. Both have great food options, environment is A+ for both.
I'd want to do it this way to get the MK resort experience in addition to the Epcot resort experience. It's flexible in terms of accessing other areas and more emersive in the Disney experience.

 

[21stamps]

I would choose Wilderness Lodge. There's enough to do there to fill an entire day..and you can take the boat over to Ft Wilderness for Chip n Dale's campfire and visit the stables beforehand (I haven't been to the campfire, but heard it was great)

 

[wdwmamamouse]

Sounds like you are not going to the parks that day...AKL is such a fantastic resort but not convenient to the parks --this may be just the time to stay there and enjoy all this resort has to off---- the animals, pool, firepits and great restaurants!
We love WL - great location with watercraft to Contemporary/monorail, MK and Ft Wilderness ..good food options and beautiful lodge decor.
They both have interior rooms so no matter the weather, you'll have great lobbies to hang out in-
Both these deluxe hotels are less expensive than the others and are really wonderful choices with lots of Disney magic

 

[jlsHouston]

Personally I'd add a night to my YC reservation rather than make it a triple move stay. I just did that in March and it was a hassle and I was only moving myself and another adult, no kids. I don't really like anyplace on your list except BWI standard room and ask for a room close to elevator. Or I'd do a pool view at AKL Jambo, not a Savannah view because it just seems like the Savannah rooms are so far from the lobby. I guess CONT Garden Wing would be okay but when we stayed at BLT once I wasn't too impressed with the pools. POLY, BC/YC, GF, BWI, SSR, and AKL are my favorite resorts in that order. I recently was inside a Nemo suite at AoA. No way would I do AoA ever.

 

[TwisterMomma]

When are you going? We just stayed in Boulder Ridge. It was okay, but I'd avoid it right now until the construction is finished--the walk from the villas to anything right now is realllly long.

I'd do Animal Kingdom personally. Then the main Wilderness Lodge building. Boardwalk is fun, but since you are already in that area for part of your stay I'd do something else. Plus the theming and pool there is meh for kids. I know the Contemporary is popular, but I really think it is the most boring hotel ever, especially for kids

 

[Mrhappyplace]

If you aren't planning on going to any of the parks that day I'd say do AKL, I'd opt for the cheaper of the two choices. If I were planning on visiting a park I'd probably choose Boardwalk as it gives you easy walking access to two parks.

 

[nickys]

I would do AKL, whether Jambo or Kidani.

The resort is amazing and there's so many activities during the day that it will seem like a mini vacation all of it's own. Don't worry about a savannah view, because there are loads of places to watch the animals. Plus you have some great restaurants and two exciting pools, one of which has a viewing area over the savannah (and is the only place to see some of them).

 

[Gaston's gal]

Do you have dining reservations at all that day? That would determine for me where I would stay. If not, then I would pick Kidani for the great pool and animal viewing or AoA for the fun theming and more QS choices for dinner that night.

 

[larryz]

Because nobody else said it, CR Garden Wing. I like the size of the rooms, and you've got the whole CR lobby to play in to get in the WDW mood.

 

[ryguy]

Swan and Dolphin are nice options for a one night stay.