Long ways out but never too early to start planning.

GotEarsSayCheers

GotEarsSayCheers

Member
So I am planning a trip for early December 2019. We would go earlier but right now we have a 5 yr old son and 2 yr old daughter. We want to wait a bit until my daughter is almost 4 and my son is almost 7 as we feel it would be more enjoyable for everyone. We are still in the air as to where we want to stay but have narrowed it down to 3 places... CBR . PO Riverside or Art of Animation. I know its a long ways out but I wanted to post because I am super excited and planning is part of the fun.

Bonus: We will be taking my parents along and surprising them THIS Christmas with their hotel reservations and park tickets along with a few fun vacation things. They are Disney freaks and will be super excited.

If anyone can give some insight on to which resort out of the 3 we should choose any advice is appreciated. I have stayed at Riverside and CBR but have yet to stay at AOA
 
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KrzyKtty

KrzyKtty

Well-Known Member
I have never stayed at AOA, so no help there. During our previous vacation we switched from CBR to POR and loved it. It was a beautiful and great Resort as I am sure you know. We switched from CBR because of the construction. It wasn't something we wanted to deal with on our trip, but I'm not sure if it will be done by then.
 
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popcenturylover

popcenturylover

Well-Known Member
We've stayed at AoA, CBR, & POFQ. For theming I would have to go with AoA. For quiet I would go with a PO resort. The pools at all of them are great! Little ones would probably like AoA the best. (splash pad, pools, & theme.)
 
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Rsj88

Rsj88

Well-Known Member
To be fair we have only stayed at AoA of the three but our kids 3 and 9 LOVED it! The pools and theming were fantastic. If your parents are Disney freaks I’m sure they will enjoy it even if it is over the top. I have heard wonderful things about the other resorts but while my kids are little, we are enjoying the over the top very Disney theming :)
 
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JillC LI

JillC LI

Well-Known Member
I don't think you can go wrong with any of them, but I'd probably say AoA for the theming for little ones (even though I've never stayed there). As an aside, we took our first family trip to WDW when our kids were 5 and 7, and it was perfect. We didn't need a stroller (although I will say that our kids had learned to be great walkers at a young age because we were constantly going places by foot), and both kids were able to truly appreciate all the magic, the characters, etc. They were hooked, and we've been back to a Disney park (including DLR or DLP) every 18-24 months ever since (9th visit coming up this December!).
 
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updownandsideways

updownandsideways

Member
See you there I'll be at wilderness lodge dec 2-13. I have stayed at riverside I would get preferred room or river view to get closer to the main lobby it's a great resort awesome food court
 
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Smiley/OCD

Smiley/OCD

Well-Known Member
Again, Art of Animation!!! For kids, and this 53, 50, 20 & 17 y.o. family, it's our favorite resort. You'll be able to fit all 5, there's 2 showers, and you are immersed in all things Disney 24/7! The Nemo pool is great, good food court and bus service (we've found) is very good...PACKED, but very good. I would recommend Nemo, Lion King or Cars, but out of the 3, we like Nemo the best...centrally located in the resort. They have indoor room entrances so it is quieter than a Pop Century, but if you want an even quieter suite, try to get the top floor so no one is jumping on the floor above you. I will just warn you that the resort is VERY active, but IOHO, AoA is the best Disney themed resort on property! If you want quiet, AoA is not for you...but if you want the kids (and grandparents) to have a magical time, AoA is the resort.
 
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bsiev1977

bsiev1977

Well-Known Member
GotEarsSayCheers said:
So I am planning a trip for early December 2019. We would go earlier but right now we have a 5 yr old son and 2 yr old daughter. We want to wait a bit until my daughter is almost 4 and my son is almost 7 as we feel it would be more enjoyable for everyone. We are still in the air as to where we want to stay but have narrowed it down to 3 places... CBR . PO Riverside or Art of Animation. I know its a long ways out but I wanted to post because I am super excited and planning is part of the fun.

Bonus: We will be taking my parents along and surprising them THIS Christmas with their hotel reservations and park tickets along with a few fun vacation things. They are Disney freaks and will be super excited.

If anyone can give some insight on to which resort out of the 3 we should choose any advice is appreciated. I have stayed at Riverside and CBR but have yet to stay at AOA
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First of all, early December is in my opinion the best time to go. Weather is nice, and all the Christmas stuff at the resorts and parks makes things even more special.

Art of Animation is fantastic. Your kids would love all the character statues in the different areas of the resort. The pools are awesome, and the food court there is top notch. It’s my go to resort now. The standard rooms are great when I’m on a solo trip, and in December 2015 I stayed in one of the suites with my sister and niece.

The suite would work out nicely for your family. You could get your parents a Little Mermaid standard room, and the suite for you, wife/husband and your kids. The suite had a big king bed, a fold out couch that would fit two people. And the little kitchen table has a Murphy bed that folds down onto it.

Edit: another bonus, unless things have changed since my solo trip in December 2016, AoA has its own busses. Only one pickup location at AoA, and no sharing with other resorts
 
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bsiev1977

bsiev1977

Well-Known Member
Smiley/OCD said:
Again, Art of Animation!!! For kids, and this 53, 50, 20 & 17 y.o. family, it's our favorite resort. You'll be able to fit all 5, there's 2 showers, and you are immersed in all things Disney 24/7! The Nemo pool is great, good food court and bus service (we've found) is very good...PACKED, but very good. I would recommend Nemo, Lion King or Cars, but out of the 3, we like Nemo the best...centrally located in the resort. They have indoor room entrances so it is quieter than a Pop Century, but if you want an even quieter suite, try to get the top floor so no one is jumping on the floor above you. I will just warn you that the resort is VERY active, but IOHO, AoA is the best Disney themed resort on property! If you want quiet, AoA is not for you...but if you want the kids (and grandparents) to have a magical time, AoA is the resort.
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Totally agree with everything you said. When I was there with my family, we stayed in a Nemo suite. We had the misfortune of getting a lower floor room, very near the entrance door. People coming in and out didn’t seem to understand that other people were in the resort, possibly trying to sleep. Next time we go I’m definitely requesting an upper floor room right in the center of the building.
 
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Sirwalterraleigh

Sirwalterraleigh

Premium Member
GotEarsSayCheers said:
On property or off?
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On...

There are wholesale travel agencies that lock in steep discounts a year or more in advance. Savings are much greater than the 15-25% “standard discounts” of Disney’s “Kohl’s pricing” policies.

You can get them for all the “categories”...which are going away soon...but much more so for the deluxes.
 
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MomofPrincessGrace

MomofPrincessGrace

Well-Known Member
If your parent's are going too, check the prices of a suite at AoA vs. 2 rooms at POFQ. We stayed in AoA when my daughter was 5, and she loved the themeing. We stayed at POR last year and she LOVED the waterslides at POR and POFQ.
 
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