Help me choose a resort for a stay with preschooler

[PoorSkippy]

I'd be interested to hear what everyone would recommend for our next stay:

My friend, her four-year-old, and I will be sharing a room. We really enjoyed AoA in the past but are concerned that the Little Mermaid rooms are going to be too small for our party now. She doesn't mind sharing a bed with her child, but didn't realize they were only doubles, and is hesitant about those rooms for that reason. Also, the mermaid rooms are quite a hike for a little one just too big for a stroller. The suites are really out of budget, especially considering that any future room discount is likely to be only 10% off, at best; for that a deluxe would almost make more sense...

Anyway, with our traveling party, and considering our past positive experiences at AoA, would you choose:

-to just deal with the mermaid rooms at AoA?
-POFQ?
-Coronado?

I'm torn because I don't have any past experiences on which to judge the buses, food courts, and theming from a kid's perspective at these two resorts. (CB is too expensive on our dates, and the POR theme is really not appealing to our group)


Thank you!

 

[4disneylovers]

It has always been my opinion that the values are themed best for children. I prefer the size of room and queen beds at moderated but the theming is not Disney wow for children (or me).

I have heard Mermaid is too far to walk. We go to Pop or Movies for values. I have stayed at FQ and liked it.

 

[French Quarter]

Are you willing to pay for a Deluxe? When my kids were little, I shelled out the extra cash for the sake of location and boy, did it make a difference. It was so helpful to be on the monorail or a boat ride away from the monorail (in the case of WL). It saved so much time and energy and meant that we could get back to the room easily if needed (which was more piece of mind than actual necessity, in our case).

 

[PoorSkippy]

I've been to AoA a few times with this same child, but he was stroller-age. I never minded the walk to the mermaid rooms, but I'm willing to bet that after a park day he will.

I'm afraid I'm a little spoiled by AoA's food court (which we, admittedly, don't use too much anyway, but I like the good option close-by), and the bus service there, to me, seems near-perfect. I know everyone's experiences with buses can be different, but I've heard mixed things about every other resort besides Pop (not an option for us); even the deluxes seem to have shoddier bus service.

I really don't think deluxes are in our budget unless a really great deal is announced and the prices for AK or WL drop for some reason.

I'm so stumped! Coronado seems to have a nicer playground and pool than POFQ? POFQ on a map also doesn't look to be that much less of a walk from the furthest corners to the bus stop.

 

[unkadug]

Coronado is big... perhaps @JenniferS can give you information on Bus Stops and walking distances, etc.

 

[JenniferS]

Coronado is big... perhaps @JenniferS can give you information on Bus Stops and walking distances, etc.

Walking around the resort isn't as onerous as it looks, as there are numerous bridges that cut across the lake. Certainly getting from the rooms to El Centro was much quicker than traversing around Pop Century.

As to the bus stops, I can't help you. We always have a rental car. In 20 days, we only ever took a bus once - to MK. The bus stop was steps from our room, but the wait seemed inordinately long. It may, in fact, have been an average wait, but we're accustomed to just getting in the car and going.

The resort is beautiful, the pool is great fun, pool towels are plentiful, and Pepper Market kicks AoA's food court's butt.

 

[HRHPrincessAriel]

My kiddo loved the royal Rooms at Riverside

 

[French Quarter]

I'm so stumped! Coronado seems to have a nicer playground and pool than POFQ? POFQ on a map also doesn't look to be that much less of a walk from the furthest corners to the bus stop.

If those are the two choices, POFQ wins hands down. Coronado feels very conventiony to me and not family-vacationy. Don't be fooled by the map you looked at; POFQ is a tiny resort and takes no time at all to get from one part of the resort to any other.

 

[Disvillain63]

Of the three you listed...most definitely POFQ. If you want a value, then you will have a double, not a queen, no matter which one you choose. Coronado is huge and if you're near the playground, then you're far from the food court.

Wilderness was always a favorite for our whole family. Sometimes you can rent DVC points cheaper than staying at a mod or value.

 

[plutofan15]

When our kids were toddlers we did the cabins at Fort Wilderness campground. They have a dedicated bedroom which let us put the little ones to sleep earlier than us while we were able to watch some TV, have a drink or some dessert. Just some time to relax. The cabins also have a full kitchen so you can have snacks and breakfast/lunch in the cabin. Plus the cabins are freestanding so there are no neighbors on the other side of the wall or above and below you. Just an option.

 

[RandomPrincess]

As a parent of a four year old where every you stay get the lowest floor. Nothing like trying to keep a little kid from running around the room and disturbing the people below you.

 

[sophie_the_pooh]

We stayed at CSR in September with our 4 year old son and we all loved it! The theming is nice, we all enjoyed the walk to the food court in the morning or back to the room later in the day, especially my son who liked to cross the bridges, walk in the sand and lay in the hammocks. He also really liked the main pool and must have went down the slide about 20 times! He played a little at the Dig site playground, which he enjoyed, but liked the pool better. We ate at Pepper market and Cafe Rix and all found many things we liked (ok, my son developped a mickey waffle obsession and had them almost every morning...!). No trouble with the buses, never waited more than 10 minutes, except maybe once or twice when it got busier. We will definitely be going back!

 

[Kosmo1986]

I have stayed at all 3 in the passed year.
I would choice POFQ. It is the smallest of the resorts and it is really easy and convenient to get around. The buses are great there too and it is very pretty.
AOA has the best theming for a child and a great food court BUT (and it is a big but) it takes a long time to walk from little mermaid to the buses/food court. We don't have kids, we are in great shape and exercise regularly and I still think the walk was rough.
Coronado was very pretty too and not as much walking as AOA but probably my least favorite out of the 3

 

[MickeyMomV]

The pirate rooms at the CBR are pretty cool for boys. We stayed there when my son was 7 and he loved it. Little bit of a walk but it was not near as bad as our last trip to CSR in Feb. I would have been happy to pay for Golf Cart Shuttles at CSR.....

 

[Weather_Lady]

The pirate rooms at the CBR are pretty cool for boys. We stayed there when my son was 7 and he loved it. Little bit of a walk but it was not near as bad as our last trip to CSR in Feb. I would have been happy to pay for Golf Cart Shuttles at CSR.....

I think the OP said they were hesitant about double beds, though -- the pirate rooms are very cool, but they're double beds, aren't they?

 

[Weather_Lady]

I second the poster who recommended POFQ. Unless you plan on spending lots of time in your room, the little one isn't going to have much time to enjoy the decor or theming wherever you are, and POFQ has the advantage of being the only moderate resort that has a small, easily navigable footprint. My children enjoyed the decor and theming at PORS (where we stayed on their first trip to WDW) even if it wasn't particularly loud or saturated with colorful characters -- they were so ecstatic to be in Disney World, they thought everything was awesome. All they cared about was whether there was a pool, and a way to get to the Magic Kingdom!

 

[MickeyMomV]

I think the OP said they were hesitant about double beds, though -- the pirate rooms are very cool, but they're double beds, aren't they?

You are correct. They are doubles according to the WDW web site. I must have repressed that memory hoping to never have to relive it.

 

[slappy magoo]

Is Wilderness Lodge in your budget? Or you could try to rent DVC points for a studio in the Wilderness Villas? Beautiful resort, fun pool, and a boat ride to MK.

 

[PoorSkippy]

Thank you everyone for the input

Weather_Lady was right: double beds were the concern at AoA, or else it would've been an easy choice!

As it turns out, the dates and the exact composition of our traveling party are now up in the air, so I'm waiting for more information before I can even make a decision...

 

[JPPT1974]

Have fun my friend. Hope that you have a blast you and your loved ones!