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Best resort for kids?
- Thread starter Jawi
- Start date
Tigger&Pooh
Active Member
Any of the value resorts will have larger-than-life character theming.
MickeyLuv'r
Well-Known Member
I would not say there is one best hotel, especially because every child is an individual with their own opinion. I think most kids would enjoy all of them.
If price is no object, or no object within a specific category of hotel, then I'd let the children do some research and decide what looks good to them. Like show them images of all the pools, and let them choose which one looks to be the most fun.
They might really enjoy the character figures at the value resorts. Some might especially enjoy the Little Mermaid/Cars/Nemo themed rooms at Art of Animation. If they like animals, one of the AKL hotels might be a top pick. If they like Pirates the pool at CBR might be a top pick.
All the deluxe hotels have water slides, and fun themed pools. The value resorts don't have pool slides, but some have themed splash areas. DO make sure whichever you choose though that the pool will actually be OPEN- several of the WDW pools are being renovated.
(Also worth mentioning: Universal has some fun themed rooms, like Minions and soon-to-open How to Train Your Dragon themed rooms at Helios. Another worthy mention is the Marriott's new Villatel property. It opens in March and will have elaborate pools/water slides plus apartment-style rooms with adorable, themed bedrooms for kids. )
Back to WDW hotels, Poly is crazy $$$, but the pool has a volcano theme with a water slide running through the volcano.
With online check-in, guests no longer need to go to the front desk, but I think all the WDW hotel lobbies have a kid area with a television playing Disney cartoons. I think all of them also have gift shops and arcades. Boardwalk has some neat touches like a detailed miniature carousel. Gf has a live pianist every afternoon who plays mostly Disney songs. That might not sound like something everyone would enjoy, but it is pretty common to see children dancing to their favorite Disney songs.
Last, there is the food. The mods and values have the biggest food courts, but the offerings across all of them are somewhat similar. The mods and deluxes have table service dining. Dining at your hotel is convenient, but the theming of the some of the options might also more appealing than others. Like princess meals or watching the castle fireworks over dinner.
If price is no object, or no object within a specific category of hotel, then I'd let the children do some research and decide what looks good to them. Like show them images of all the pools, and let them choose which one looks to be the most fun.
They might really enjoy the character figures at the value resorts. Some might especially enjoy the Little Mermaid/Cars/Nemo themed rooms at Art of Animation. If they like animals, one of the AKL hotels might be a top pick. If they like Pirates the pool at CBR might be a top pick.
All the deluxe hotels have water slides, and fun themed pools. The value resorts don't have pool slides, but some have themed splash areas. DO make sure whichever you choose though that the pool will actually be OPEN- several of the WDW pools are being renovated.
(Also worth mentioning: Universal has some fun themed rooms, like Minions and soon-to-open How to Train Your Dragon themed rooms at Helios. Another worthy mention is the Marriott's new Villatel property. It opens in March and will have elaborate pools/water slides plus apartment-style rooms with adorable, themed bedrooms for kids. )
Back to WDW hotels, Poly is crazy $$$, but the pool has a volcano theme with a water slide running through the volcano.
With online check-in, guests no longer need to go to the front desk, but I think all the WDW hotel lobbies have a kid area with a television playing Disney cartoons. I think all of them also have gift shops and arcades. Boardwalk has some neat touches like a detailed miniature carousel. Gf has a live pianist every afternoon who plays mostly Disney songs. That might not sound like something everyone would enjoy, but it is pretty common to see children dancing to their favorite Disney songs.
Last, there is the food. The mods and values have the biggest food courts, but the offerings across all of them are somewhat similar. The mods and deluxes have table service dining. Dining at your hotel is convenient, but the theming of the some of the options might also more appealing than others. Like princess meals or watching the castle fireworks over dinner.
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jaklgreen
Well-Known Member
All of them. I don't think that there was a single resort that my kids didn't love. Kids really don't see things in the way that you think that they do. All kids care about is if there is a pool. So if anything, I would go with the one where you think the pool is the best.
Tigger&Pooh
Active Member
So true! No matter where we went the question was always "is there a pool?" Didn't matter how fancy, just a pool.
Tom P.
Well-Known Member
I would highly recommend Art of Animation. For some reason, it often gets overlooked when talking about the value resorts, with many people defaulting to Pop Century, but we absolutely love AoA. It is by far our favorite of the value resorts and a wonderful choice for kids, especially young kids.
Ayla
Well-Known Member
I think it is overlooked because other than the LM rooms (which are a HIKE from everything), it isn’t a value.
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
It’s DAKL to be honest
Tom P.
Well-Known Member
Everyone has different opinions, but I disagree. First, I don't think the Little Mermaid rooms are as bad in terms of walking to the main building as people seem to suggest. Second, yes, the other sections of the resort are more expensive, but that is because they are family suites. If you compare them to, say, what it would cost a family to get two standard rooms, their cost is not particularly unreasonable or out of line with other value resorts.
In any event, we just adore Art of Animation. The only reason we don't stay there now is that our family has outgrown it. (We're now a family of eight, so even a family suite is not sufficient. Unless we want to pack into multiple standard rooms, which is cramped, our on-property choices now are pretty much limited to DVC villas.)
Smiley/OCD
Well-Known Member
Our kids always loved POP & AoA…as far as the pools go, when they were young, they enjoyed the pools…once they were old enough to realize how much time they were missing in the parks, pools no longer really made a difference.
Plus the fact that we usually went in April or September/October when the weather wasn’t as unbearable.
Plus the fact that we usually went in April or September/October when the weather wasn’t as unbearable.
Tom P.
Well-Known Member
Our kids, even as they have gotten older, still love "downtime" from the parks. We always try to build days into our itinerary, if possible, to have "resort days" and time when we're not committed to doing anything in particular. The main pool at Art of Animation is great and our kids always liked it. The only downside to the value pools is that our kids like water slides, which you don't get there. Other than that, though, they're very nice.
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plutofan15
Well-Known Member
When our kids were that age they loved staying in the cabins at Fort Wilderness. They liked being able to go play outside the cabin and being able to make a little extra noise in the room - nobody above, below or beside you. They also enjoyed the extra activities offered in the campground. We usually rented a golf cart and enjoyed just riding around the resort. Plus with the full kitchen and separate bedroom, we liked being able to have snacks and drinks easily available. Plus we could stay up and relax after the kids went to bed.
Figgy1
Well-Known Member
Royal Pacific, Express Pass
erstwo
Well-Known Member
Took my kids (8 & 10) to the Grand Canyon - we were there maybe 5 minutes before they asked to go back to the hotel to swim.
