Can you help us pick a resort?

[vanryan]

Yeah!!! We are going back in April!!!:sohappy:

Our first trip we stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge (The third day it opened, we were the first to use the room!)

Second trip we stayed in a Castle View room at the Polynesian.

(My husband's step mom works there and we get the great family discount!!!)

I am almost afraid to go again, hard to top the first two trips!

Here's the dilemma:

1st: We have 3 kids, ages 7, 5 and almost two at the time of the trip. The monorail was heavenly with the kids. So we have to factor in transportation.

2nd: Our kids love to swim and had a great time in both pools, but were afraid of the Volcano slide at the Polynesian. So a gentler slide would be good.

3rd: Thought maybe the Beach Club, but looked at pictures on Deb Will's site and thought it looked to fancy for little kids.

Question: What do you all think we should pick for our next resort?

 

[goofyman]

You may want to look again at the BC. We stayed there last year with our 9 &10 yr old. It's a 2 min walk to Epcot and off to monorail from there.. They have one of the best pools and slides in WDW, the kids loved it! It really is not overly fancy, say like the Floridian. They have a Character breakfast right there as well.
You may want o look at wilderness lodge , beautiful down home resort with fun places to eat and a nice pool with a calm slide. No monorail but a quick boat ride from resort to MK. This is our fav. place. But what ever you chose you can't go wrong they are all great! I guess that's the poblem though...Have a great trip!:sohappy:

 

[Nansafan]

The Contemporary has a nice pool as well with a slide. The rooms in the Tower have a great view on either side, (MK or Bay Lake) and the Food and Fun Center has one of the biggest resort arcades. An arcade has always been important to us. Son is now 15. We stillf visit WDW every year and a resort with a good arcade is a must. According to the old Birnbaum books we have it was the biggest arcade on property at one time (I think DisneyQuest is the only one that is bigger).

 

[DisneyPhD]

If the slide at Poly scared them, the one at SAB will also. The good news is there is so much more to do at SAB then just the slide, the kids (all of them and you) will love it. Y&B is great. Beaches and Cream is the best (but too bad there is not other "food court" type place. Being so close to Epcot and BW you have many choices for food. Considering trying to get a room in the BCV if you can, so your family can slipt up and have more room, kicten and washer and dryer.

We are new DVC member and our home is VWL but our next trip (and first ad DVC members) is to BCV becuase I think the pool with be good for our then 23 month old DD.

Also consider PO RS, it has a great pool, play scape and good food court.

 

[Marijil]

If your into something a little different...try the FW Cabins...there is so much going on in the campground the kids will love it...here is the most important thing...rent a golf cart, trust me the fun level goes way down without it. Its pricey but worth it(the carts)... there are movies, pools, marina, hayride, petting zoo/ponyrides, horseback riding, fishing, Hoop Dee Doo, plus a couple of theme parks....we love it!

6/02 FW Cabins
11/01 Polynesian
11/00 Dixie
11/99 Port Orleans
1/99 FW Cabins
1/97 Dixie
10/95 Wilderness Home
6/94 Wilderness Lodge (grand opening)
11/92 Honeymoon at Disney Inn
7/88 Contemporary

 

[copper]

I loved the Beach Club! There were lots of kids there and they have that great pool. I stayed at the Wilderness Lodge and wouldn't go back because of the small rooms and the terrible transportation. We stayed our last night at the Dolphin because my other sister was staying there and absolutely loved it. My twin girls are 8 and it is now their favorite resort. They have large beach (bigger and nicer then Beach Club) with a playground, hammocks and watered sand box. The pool is three pools connected. It has a large waterfall, bridges and waterslide. There is also a large lap pool at both the Swan and Dolphin. The dining choices were great at the Dolphin. Buffets, large counter service and sitdown meals are available at both hotels. There were kids in every hotel Wilderness, Beach and Dolphin. For my next stay I'd like to stay at the Beach/Yacht Club, Polynesian or the Dolphin again. The beds at the Dolphin weren't good but the Bellhop told us that they are refurbishing the rooms very soon.

 

[niteobsrvr]

Originally posted by DisneyPhD
If the slide at Poly scared them, the one at SAB will also. The good news is there is so much more to do at SAB then just the slide, the kids (all of them and you) will love it. Y&B is great. Beaches and Cream is the best (but too bad there is not other "food court" type place. Being so close to Epcot and BW you have many choices for food. Considering trying to get a room in the BCV if you can, so your family can slipt up and have more room, kicten and washer and dryer.

We are new DVC member and our home is VWL but our next trip (and first ad DVC members) is to BCV becuase I think the pool with be good for our then 23 month old DD.

Also consider PO RS, it has a great pool, play scape and good food court.

Can we please stop the abbreviation madness?????

I am not picking on anyone here. I am jsut using this as an example. Even as a disney fan and employee, I had to stop trying to decipher the acronyms. Please everyone keep in mind that there are first time visitors to this site and those of us who just cant keep all the different variations of resort and ride acronymns straight.

 

[niteobsrvr]

Originally posted by vanryan
Yeah!!! We are going back in April!!!:sohappy:

Our first trip we stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge (The third day it opened, we were the first to use the room!)

Second trip we stayed in a Castle View room at the Polynesian.

(My husband's step mom works there and we get the great family discount!!!)

I am almost afraid to go again, hard to top the first two trips!

Here's the dilemma:

1st: We have 3 kids, ages 7, 5 and almost two at the time of the trip. The monorail was heavenly with the kids. So we have to factor in transportation.

2nd: Our kids love to swim and had a great time in both pools, but were afraid of the Volcano slide at the Polynesian. So a gentler slide would be good.

3rd: Thought maybe the Beach Club, but looked at pictures on Deb Will's site and thought it looked to fancy for little kids.

Question: What do you all think we should pick for our next resort?

Look up info on Port Orleans or Carribean Beach on the Disney website. Great areas for Kids and adults and nice foodcourts. However transportation could be a drawback because it is nothing but busses and they are typically more crowded at these resorts than your experiences at the Magic Kingdom Resorts or Animal Kingdom Lodge.

You also may want to consider Wilderness Lodge or even the Homes at Fort Wilderness. You have the optionof water transportation from these locations. Again check things out on the Disney website. They have a lot of good information there and pictures are worth a thousand words.

 

[kosherkid411]

The resort we always stay at (when we have the money) is the Wilderness Lodge. It has a really cool slide and pool. The geyser that erupted amazed my counsins (11 and 9). The rooms are nice, and some rooms have bunk beds, so the older too, can have those. Transperstaion is nice. Special WL boats take you directly to the Magic Kingdom, and another boat takes you to the TTC. The food is good. Breakfast is awesome in the food court for kids. This is definatly one of the best resorts there.

 

[dreamer]

Sounds like you like top-notch. Beach Club, Boardwalk or Wilderness Lodge are your best choices.

Beach Club is very close to Epcot and Boardwalk restaurants and evening entertainment -- 5 minute walk. Out kids loved it and the pool is great.

 

[Yellow Shoes]

Personally, I don't think that the Beach Club is too stuffy for kids--it is far more relaxed than Yacht Club.

Have you considered the Boardwalk? I think that the circus themed pool looks like great fun (although the Keister Coaster slide would probably be too much)

Wilderness Lodge is a super fun place for kids. There are daily craft activities, bedtime storytelling in front of the fireplace, hidden Mickey searches, and animal tracks in the concrete. Whispering Canyon is a great fun restaurant.

However, the Lodge has the smallest rooms of the Deluxe resorts (but also the lowest price!). I would suggest for 5 people that you investigate a suite or 2 connecting rooms. If your kids are up to it, the bunks are really nice (my kids refuse to share a bed, so my husband and I have to split up. Never really liked that arrangement )

 

[copper]

I just returned from the Wilderness Lodge and it is too small for a family of Five unless you get a suite. Like I said before, unless you hit it right, the transportation is a problem here. I live on Long Island in NY and I'm used to waiting in traffic etc. but really hated waiting for a bus a long time while on vacation. I wouldn't really catagorize this resort as a deluxe it's more on the scale of a moderate and I think your paying for the proximity to the Magic Kingdom. The housekeepers didn't do anything special for the entire trip and I was there 5 nights! At the All Stars we had towel characters made up and they always aranged my kids stuffed animals in funny ways. Not that this is a big deal but they don't give you any stationary like the other Deluxe resorts.
I love Disney and always have a great time no matter where I stay but I would pick another Deluxe resort that has bigger and brighter rooms. The rooms at the Wilderness Lodge were dark. The largest rooms so far were at the Contemporary. You may want to look into the Boardwalk Villas if you want a kitchen. It saves a ton of money on food and is very convient. It's one of my favorite's but it doesn't have a beach.

 

[animegirllover]

How about trying Grand Floridian?

 

[Tramp]

Small kids?....gotta go with a monorail hotel if you can. As you know, the monorail is SO convenient when crankiness sets in. The faster you can get back to your room, the better.:lol:

Maybe you should consider a Contemporary Hotel Tower room. It's the first monorail stop when returning from the Magic Kingdom OR it's within a very short walking distance. The view of the Magic Kingdom is best, Chef Mickey's is at your doorstep and there's a fun atmosphere in the hotel in general.

Wasn't the Animal Kingdom Lodge great?:sohappy:

 

[leeocean]

Originally posted by copper
I just returned from the Wilderness Lodge and it is too small for a family of Five unless you get a suite. Like I said before, unless you hit it right, the transportation is a problem here. I live on Long Island in NY and I'm used to waiting in traffic etc. but really hated waiting for a bus a long time while on vacation. I wouldn't really catagorize this resort as a deluxe it's more on the scale of a moderate and I think your paying for the proximity to the Magic Kingdom. The housekeepers didn't do anything special for the entire trip and I was there 5 nights! At the All Stars we had towel characters made up and they always aranged my kids stuffed animals in funny ways. Not that this is a big deal but they don't give you any stationary like the other Deluxe resorts.
I love Disney and always have a great time no matter where I stay but I would pick another Deluxe resort that has bigger and brighter rooms. The rooms at the Wilderness Lodge were dark. The largest rooms so far were at the Contemporary. You may want to look into the Boardwalk Villas if you want a kitchen. It saves a ton of money on food and is very convient. It's one of my favorite's but it doesn't have a beach.

This person must have hit the WL at a bad time. I admit the rooms are smaller than other deluxes but the hotel is gorgeous. The theme is terrific. The resort is more of a hotel than a motel. The food court is small and is never crowded. When we went this past Januray, we never had to wait more than 10 minutes for a bus. We loved the pool and the hot tub was fabulous, especially at night. I didn't notice the rooms to be dark at all. With the curtains open, it was just as bright as any other room I have seen. The WL is one of the best resorts in Disney because it is small and intimate, unlike other resorts.

 

[RandeB]

Originally posted by goofyman
You may want to look again at the BC. We stayed there last year with our 9 &10 yr old. It's a 2 min walk to Epcot and off to monorail from there..

This is a bit misleading...sure it's a short walk to EPCOT's back gate, but then you have to walk all the way through the park and beyond to get to the monorail.

Having stayed at no deluxe other than Polynesian, but checking it all out over the weekend, I'd vote for the Contemporary just based on the ability to walk to the MK from there....you can avoid the crowds when you choose to. I would definitely walk to MK from Contemporary every time rather than do the monorail loop.

 

[Scooter]

Sounds to me like The Contemporary Resort would be the place for your family this trip.

You still have the convenience of the Monorail. (The kids will think it's awesome when it runs right htrough the 4th floor concourse..I'm a Grown-Up and I still do)

They have a playground for your youngest and a huge Arcade for the two other kids. Just had them some $$ and sit in the near-by Food and Fun Center and relax with a Cup of Java or a Coke slushy..Mmmmmm and let your kids run wild in the Arcade.

There are two pools...one with a slide and a Quiet pool that is very relaxing and almost never busy.

If the Monorail is crowded you can walk to The Magic Kingdom in about 10 minutes.

And of course there is Chef Mickeys...an interactive character buffet that the kids will Love.

There is also a Childrens Program called The Mouseketeer Clubhouse if you want to spend a romantic evening together with out the kids.

Have fun !!!!

 

[goofyfan13]

Wow what a coincidence! My family stayed at AKL the first week it opened and we're going back in April too!! Any way back to the subject. I personally am a huge fan of AKL, Poly and WL. My personal suggestion would have to be WL if you wanna do something new. I think personally its a great resort. When I was a younger, I loved going out and watching the geyser. The pool area is great also, in my mind it's in my top 3. Whatever resort you pick I hope you have a great trip!

 

[roysta123]

If you like the monorail, try the Contemporary. It is awesome!

 

[Lance]

The Contemporary's water slide isn't too extreme, and it's a great resort....and you can just take the boat over to the WL and let the kids try out that pool...