Caught in a web of options here & can't make a decision!
I'm planning a 5-night stay with my family (wife & 2 kids [4, 2]) in January 2017. Joining us will be one of my friends, and his wife & 2 kids of the same age.
Two years ago my family stayed at the Wilderness Lodge Villas, and I became convinced the additional room in a suite was SO important in keeping the stress down. I really liked feeling like the kids had room to move around and play so we weren't in a big hurry to leave all the time. There's nothing worse than being on vacation in a room w/ two toddlers at 6:30 a.m. and feeling like you have to get outta there even though there's really nowhere to go!
So here's the cycle I've been in stuck in:
1. With kids this age, first thought was AoA. They're the perfect age for the larger-than-life Pixar theme everywhere. Figured we'd be all set w/ a Nemo or LK suite to be pretty close to the main building. Turns out my friend doesn't want to pay the $300/night. He said he'd be fine with a Little Mermaid single room, but that puts them far away from us, far away from food and the bus stop, and in a pretty cramped room.
2. Next thought was ASM, as it's the only other place with suites below $400 where my friend can also get a more modestly priced room. And the more I thought about it, I liked the idea of saving $75/night ($225/night at ASM vs. $300/night at AoA). This seemed like a good middle-ground, buuuuut... someone told my wife that the All-Star resorts are dingy, so she doesn't want to stay there. And quite honestly, I'm wondering if it would just be worth the extra $75/night to do AoA.
3. The other option is giving up the suite and going with a single room w/ a bit more square footage (via a Moderate resort). BUT... 1) I'd be giving up the suite; 2) Convenience is a decent consideration for me and I don't want a ton of bus stops or walking at the end of a long day; and 3) Most of all I just feel like I'm doing my kids a disservice at a really perfect time in their life to stay at a Disney-themed resort! Sure the whole trip will be fun for them, but a more kid-friendly theme would make it that much better.
Would love to hear anyone's thoughts or opinions on any of the above. Thanks!
I'm planning a 5-night stay with my family (wife & 2 kids [4, 2]) in January 2017. Joining us will be one of my friends, and his wife & 2 kids of the same age.
Two years ago my family stayed at the Wilderness Lodge Villas, and I became convinced the additional room in a suite was SO important in keeping the stress down. I really liked feeling like the kids had room to move around and play so we weren't in a big hurry to leave all the time. There's nothing worse than being on vacation in a room w/ two toddlers at 6:30 a.m. and feeling like you have to get outta there even though there's really nowhere to go!
So here's the cycle I've been in stuck in:
1. With kids this age, first thought was AoA. They're the perfect age for the larger-than-life Pixar theme everywhere. Figured we'd be all set w/ a Nemo or LK suite to be pretty close to the main building. Turns out my friend doesn't want to pay the $300/night. He said he'd be fine with a Little Mermaid single room, but that puts them far away from us, far away from food and the bus stop, and in a pretty cramped room.
2. Next thought was ASM, as it's the only other place with suites below $400 where my friend can also get a more modestly priced room. And the more I thought about it, I liked the idea of saving $75/night ($225/night at ASM vs. $300/night at AoA). This seemed like a good middle-ground, buuuuut... someone told my wife that the All-Star resorts are dingy, so she doesn't want to stay there. And quite honestly, I'm wondering if it would just be worth the extra $75/night to do AoA.
3. The other option is giving up the suite and going with a single room w/ a bit more square footage (via a Moderate resort). BUT... 1) I'd be giving up the suite; 2) Convenience is a decent consideration for me and I don't want a ton of bus stops or walking at the end of a long day; and 3) Most of all I just feel like I'm doing my kids a disservice at a really perfect time in their life to stay at a Disney-themed resort! Sure the whole trip will be fun for them, but a more kid-friendly theme would make it that much better.
Would love to hear anyone's thoughts or opinions on any of the above. Thanks!
