DVC Stay with young kids

Tinkerfan4ever

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Getting close to booking our 2023 trip. (Oct 2023) This one will be special because we will have our first grandchild with us! The trip will be myself and husband, daughter 16, friend of family age 5, daughter 23, SIL 23, grandchild who will be 1.

We are looking at 2 bedroom villas. I want all of the "bigs" on beds and not pull out couches, so I know we will need a dedicated 2 bedroom.

We have stayed at almost all of the DVC resorts, so I am familiar with most of them, but never looked at them while thinking about a 1 year old!
SIL has never been to Disney and I want the resort to have the wow factor. A splash pad would be great for the grand and our 5 year old friend.

We have stayed at most of the DVC resorts, I just can't decide which 2 bedroom is best for this crew!
Hit me up with your best advice for littles and dedicated 2 bedroom recommendations.
 

CaptainAmerica

Premium Member
Will you have a car?

If you'll have a car, will you use the car?

Will you use the kitchen?

My answers are all downstream from these questions.
 

Tinkerfan4ever

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Will you have a car?

If you'll have a car, will you use the car?

Will you use the kitchen?

My answers are all downstream from these questions.
No car.
We will use the kitchen for sure for breakfast. We always do a grocery order from somewhere. I would think that my daughter, SIL, Grand and the family friend will come back to the hotel every day for a mid day nap. They could possibly use the kitchen a little more for the kids.
 

nickys

Premium Member
Bay Lake and Kidani will have the extra bathroom which could be invaluable.
Bay Lake doesn’t have the wow factor per se but it’s location is pretty darn unbeatable! Especially for naps.
Of all the resorts in the MK area, WL might be the best combination of wow and convenience for little ones.
Kidani certainly has the wow factor but is less convenient. 2 pools, a great splash pad, underground parking.
OKW has oodles of space.
 

Tinkerfan4ever

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Bay Lake and Kidani will have the extra bathroom which could be invaluable.
Bay Lake doesn’t have the wow factor per se but it’s location is pretty darn unbeatable! Especially for naps.
Of all the resorts in the MK area, WL might be the best combination of wow and convenience for little ones.
Kidani certainly has the wow factor but is less convenient. 2 pools, a great splash pad, underground parking.
This.... all of this!!!!

Our last trip we stayed at Bay Lake. The location, monorail and Steakhouse 71 were awesome. Bay Lake tower felt kind of dull. (Please don't flame me! LOL, I really think I would feel differently about Contemporary vs Bay Lake)
We have stayed at Kidani a few times. The hotel has the wow factor, the food is very good, but I dread strollers on bus rides. And long bus rides for naps.
I have stayed at Wilderness Lodge (hubby has not) and I really like the hotel and food. Pools are good too, and if I recall, a splash area for littles? But is the wow factor enough to give up the monorail and an extra bathroom?

First world problems.... but they are so much fun!
 

DryerLintFan

Premium Member
This.... all of this!!!!

Our last trip we stayed at Bay Lake. The location, monorail and Steakhouse 71 were awesome. Bay Lake tower felt kind of dull. (Please don't flame me! LOL, I really think I would feel differently about Contemporary vs Bay Lake)
We have stayed at Kidani a few times. The hotel has the wow factor, the food is very good, but I dread strollers on bus rides. And long bus rides for naps.
I have stayed at Wilderness Lodge (hubby has not) and I really like the hotel and food. Pools are good too, and if I recall, a splash area for littles? But is the wow factor enough to give up the monorail and an extra bathroom?

First world problems.... but they are so much fun!

I have no input on the DVC, but I can tell you that for a first timer it ALL has the wow factor and for kids the wow factor doesn’t even matter.

You might be over valuing the wow factor.
 

CaptainAmerica

Premium Member
Of all the resorts in the MK area, WL might be the best combination of wow and convenience for little ones.
I agree with this, but wouldn't stay at Boulder Ridge until the refurb is complete.

If OP just needed the beds and didn't care to have the kitchen, I would have suggested three Studios at the Polynesian, but since she wants the kitchen, that option is out.
 

Tinkerfan4ever

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I agree with this, but wouldn't stay at Boulder Ridge until the refurb is complete.

If OP just needed the beds and didn't care to have the kitchen, I would have suggested three Studios at the Polynesian, but since she wants the kitchen, that option is out.
I hadn't even thought of studios at Poly. I loved staying there. I just thought the kitchen would be a necessity with a 1 y/o... but maybe I have to leave that up to my daughter.

I have no input on the DVC, but I can tell you that for a first timer it ALL has the wow factor and for kids the wow factor doesn’t even matter.

You might be over valuing the wow factor.
My SIL just thinks we are crazy for going back every year... I really want him to love it too. I probably am thinking about it too much.... I just have to take him to Galaxy Edge before we go anywhere else and I think he will be hooked too!
 

DryerLintFan

Premium Member
I hadn't even thought of studios at Poly. I loved staying there. I just thought the kitchen would be a necessity with a 1 y/o... but maybe I have to leave that up to my daughter.


My SIL just thinks we are crazy for going back every year... I really want him to love it too. I probably am thinking about it too much.... I just have to take him to Galaxy Edge before we go anywhere else and I think he will be hooked too!
Welllllllll,….. don’t count on that,… my partner is obsessed with Star Wars so I was really excited to take him to Galaxy’s Edge because I thought he’d be obsessed with it. He said it was okay but because it was so cramped and crowded it was one of his least favorite areas of the park. His favorite thing ended up being the Safari ride sitting next to my daughter pointing out all the animals with excitement.

Don’t oversell it. And don’t pin your hopes to any one thing.
 

correcaminos

Well-Known Member
As much as I adore AKL I wouldn't do it with strollers and until we know for sure when the cultural reps return. I really love Kidani but it would be lower on my list. I'd knock out OKW and SSR for similar reasons with strollers and buses. I've done it enough that it's my pass.

I think my gut says do CCV but that one can be harder to get into (why we added on there). BLT is great for convenience but really lacks the wow to me, but that would be a choice as well. VGF is also another good one but more points for sure.

If you ever would consider a few studios, PVB is my HUGE win. Grounds, pools, and location it's my #1 favorite.

We did only Epcot or MK areas with little ones to keep down on things, only issue with Epcot resorts are the busses to MK can be awfully slow and very full. Plus they will be harder to book with F&WF.
 

Tinkerfan4ever

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I talked to my daughter last night - She really wants to stay in the MK area because of daily naps. So BLT, Poly, Grand or WL.
The kitchen is actually not as important to her as I thought, she said we could do with microwave and toaster. But she really felt in room laundry was important. (I had really like the Studios at the Poly idea especially with monorail and extra bathrooms).
The 4 of us that have been there before voted between BLT, Poly, WL and AK.... and of course we had each one of us pick a different resort! (none of use want to stay at the Grand)

We actually own at Boardwalk, so I likely will book there at 11 months to be 100% we have accommodations booked. Then at 7 months look what is available between BLT, Wilderness Lodge, and Poly.

(And my sisters and parents have been talking about a trip as well.... they might be going the same time staying at either Pop or Art!) Now to wait a full year!
 

LuvtheGoof

Grill Master
Premium Member
I talked to my daughter last night - She really wants to stay in the MK area because of daily naps. So BLT, Poly, Grand or WL.
The kitchen is actually not as important to her as I thought, she said we could do with microwave and toaster. But she really felt in room laundry was important. (I had really like the Studios at the Poly idea especially with monorail and extra bathrooms).
The 4 of us that have been there before voted between BLT, Poly, WL and AK.... and of course we had each one of us pick a different resort! (none of use want to stay at the Grand)
Well, you certainly can't go wrong with any of those choices! Our last trip was at the Poly a few months ago, and was our third trip there. We love the resort, and while we usually book a 1 bedroom for the 2 of us, we are ok with the lack of washer/dryer in the room there. If that is an absolute deal killer if she has to have it, then, while it's not our cup of tea (though we have stayed there), BLT would probably be the best choice since you have the monorail to 2 parks. JMHO.
We actually own at Boardwalk, so I likely will book there at 11 months to be 100% we have accommodations booked. Then at 7 months look what is available between BLT, Wilderness Lodge, and Poly.
Even though we own all of our points at SSR, we love the Boardwalk, and plan on adding there in the near future to get that 11 month booking window. We've been lucky enough to book it at 7 months during Food & Wine several times.

Like you, we always book SSR at the 11 month window to ensure that we at least have someplace to stay (don't get me wrong, we love it there so have no problem if we can't get anything else!), and then we look right at 7 months to the day to see what else is available. Well, actually, I look the day before, and then again about 10 minutes before the booking window opens at 8am to see what still might be available. The only 2 we have an issue with are Boulder Ridge and Copper Creek. We've stayed at the rest.
(And my sisters and parents have been talking about a trip as well.... they might be going the same time staying at either Pop or Art!) Now to wait a full year!
The long wait is the hardest, though since we go 2 or 3 times a year, it's rarely more than 6 months between trips. Hope you have a great trip, and you'll have to let us know where you end up!
 

correcaminos

Well-Known Member
I talked to my daughter last night - She really wants to stay in the MK area because of daily naps. So BLT, Poly, Grand or WL.
The kitchen is actually not as important to her as I thought, she said we could do with microwave and toaster. But she really felt in room laundry was important. (I had really like the Studios at the Poly idea especially with monorail and extra bathrooms).
The 4 of us that have been there before voted between BLT, Poly, WL and AK.... and of course we had each one of us pick a different resort! (none of use want to stay at the Grand)

We actually own at Boardwalk, so I likely will book there at 11 months to be 100% we have accommodations booked. Then at 7 months look what is available between BLT, Wilderness Lodge, and Poly.

(And my sisters and parents have been talking about a trip as well.... they might be going the same time staying at either Pop or Art!) Now to wait a full year!
A warning WL is going to be harder to get with a 2 bedroom. Hopefully BRV is being refurbed which will take out inventory and CCV is hard to get. More as an FYI.

I will say we like in room laundry but we had no issues using the laundry room at PVB. Good luck when it comes time to book!
 

correcaminos

Well-Known Member
No love for Beach Club?
Not with littles honestly. The main pool can be incredibly hard with small ones. To the point we didn't even use it much until mine felt safe going outside the pool to use the water slide. It's honestly disjointed. I know many love SAB but I dislike it immensely. No one in my family ranks it as a top pool even as my offspring has aged.

Unless Epcot or DHS is your favorite I find it more of a pain to get to MK. The busses consistently to MK from BC have been among the slowest. And that's not a park I drive to. It used to be way higher on my list... until I had a kid myself and saw how it was with much younger ones. Better suited for older kids (maybe 7 or 8 or so) or adults IMO
 

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