Need help w/ 1st deluxe experience - 1st on-site visit in a long time

[G&CsMom]

Oops, the details! We are up in the air with dates, Late January to March. Yeah we will have a stroller with us (we don't love using it unless really needed). 2 days in the parks - MK & TBD, 2 days to hang out.

This is first time since being a baby. He is sensitive to crowds/sounds. I don't want to completely overwhelm him.

Since you aren't planning a lot of park time but MK is a definite, I would choose GF for several reasons.
-With a stroller, the monorail or walking to MK is a huge plus being able to leave him in the stroller for comfort and a feeling of security if he is sensitive to crowds and noise cannot be undervalued. Also, he can stay in the stroller if going to Epcot via monorail.
-If you decide to go to Ak or DHS, we have found GF buses to rarely be crowded unless coming home at park closing. We have had many a bus ride where there were less than 10 of us on the bus.
-Basically all the rooms have a balcony. This will be a great place to hang out when your little one is taking a nap or going to bed early.
-The kids splash play area is really nice. Their pools are also zero entry which is also great for little kids.
-You can spend downtime exploring all the resorts on the monorail without removing him from his stroller.
-If there are "accidents" and you need to clean some clothes, each outer building at GF has its own laundry room which is very convenient.
-You can watch the EWP and the fireworks from the hotel without being in the pushy crowds at MK.

Although I also love the Polynesian, the DVC construction there could be bothersome when your little guy needs to nap and the second floor rooms have no patio or balcony. The resort is also very busy in the evening with both resort guests and people visiting the resort amenities.

 

[MissViv]

I know you said no to Contemporary but right now it is my favorite resort. I have stayed at Contemporary, AKL, WL, Poly, GF & Yacht Club. Out of these I would consider Contemporary or Poly. I love staying on the monorail and the walkway to MK is fantastic! No waiting in lines for monorail at the end of the day.

They also have Incredible rooms (redecorated) and Chef Mickey's and the Monorail running through the resort is just really magical! I guess I am nostalgic about it but it would probably be my first choice. Love the garden rooms too - lower priced and quiet.

 

[wdwfan22]

Yacht club is my favorite. Rooms are well maintained and location great. The new rooms at grand Floridian are amazing to. Those two would be my first choices. Poly is good to but always feels crowded. Contemporary is cool, but I’m not a fan of the new rooms. I don’t care for wilderness lodge or animal kingdom lodge. They have grand entrances but the rooms are nothing to write home about. They are small and remind me of a moderate.

 

[correcaminos]

I would do either Polynesian or WL at that age.

I'd skip Epcot area resorts if doing MK more. The busing is always hit or miss to MK it seems at those. The pools are not great for little ones IMO at either Y/BC or BW. Those stays at the pools with a preschooler were not fun.

I actually am not a fan of GF at all really. Just stayed in June for the first time in forever and I remember why I dislike it location wise. If ever going to Epcot, the monorail around the resorts is a pain. It takes less time to walk to the TTC than to monorail - both ways honestly. The path to MK is long and not shaded. It does have decent food choices, but the pools are always so crowded. Really it's my least favorite of the monorail resorts.

Location wise Polynesian cannot be beat with the quick walk to the TTC. But I adore the WL as well. The boat ride to MK is fantastic.

 

[Disney4family]

We enjoy the Contemporary.
You can see Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, and Donald walk around Chef Mickey's while dining at the Contempo Cafe (if you're not dining at Chef Mickey's - then you get pictures and hugs!).
You can also have fun waving to the people in the monorail as they go by as you dine at the Contempo Cafe.
The walk is shorter than the one to/from the Grand.
It's also the first monorail stop on the loop. The Grand would be the last stop.
It's also only one stop away from the TTC and transferring to the Epcot monorail.

 

[JohnD]

I know you said no to Contemporary but right now it is my favorite resort. I have stayed at Contemporary, AKL, WL, Poly, GF & Yacht Club. Out of these I would consider Contemporary or Poly. I love staying on the monorail and the walkway to MK is fantastic! No waiting in lines for monorail at the end of the day.

They also have Incredible rooms (redecorated) and Chef Mickey's and the Monorail running through the resort is just really magical! I guess I am nostalgic about it but it would probably be my first choice. Love the garden rooms too - lower priced and quiet.

I recently got a reservation for a standard room in the Garden Wing of the Contemporary. I'll be there the last week in September. Judging by the WDW website, those aren't themed to Incredibles. But I'll find out when I get there. I'm actually doing a split stay. Sun-Wed., Contemporary. Wed-Sat. AK Lodge.

 

[the_rich]

AKL is my favorite but Wilderness Lodge is a close second. Whispering Canyon Cafe was probably my best experience at a Disney restaurant (best food would be Jiko). I never waited more than 10 mins for a bus and you also have the option of a boat to mk. I would pick Polynesian as my next choice. I've never had any desire to stay at the GF.

 

[disneyfireman]

Contemporary...period. If you can afford it...you cant beat it. 2nd palace Poly. love the whole theme... G.F. is a bit pretentious. I would not pay deluxe prices for any other deluxe resort. Just the monorail loop. WL is always the cheapest Deluxe....its kinda a moderate plus...but I do love it...

 

[MaryJaneP]

Choice of deluxe resort should probably be driven by who, in your party, the resort choice will most impact. Different choices for adults versus children (i.e. quantity and target age of theming). Having stayed at CR (garden wing and tower), Poly, and BC (others not deluxe), for younger ages, proximity to MK favors CR (Poly 2nd, BC 3rd), we would and have frequently chosen CR. For older crowd, WL and AKL seem to be viable choices and ones we hope to choose to stay at (more than just visit) in the future.

 

[pixie225]

Have done WL, Poly and Contemporary. Past visits were mostly WL, which we love. Our last stay was at Contemporary in the Garden Wing. Thought we would hate it - but it now has taken over first place for us. Easy walk to MK, monorail service, food options all good.

 

[Tom 55]

As I was planning my this years trip to Disney. I had rented DVC points for a 2 bedroom villa at Saratoga Springs last year. So thought to do that this year. This year it was just wife and I so I looked at DVC studios. Was surprised by the pricing of the studios at Grand Floridan .Not much different from the Saratoga Springs pricing..

 

[Marianm]

Having always stayed at a monorail resort we did boardwalk this time. It was fine. But I won’t go back.
I’ll stick to one of the 3 monorail resorts.

 

[IanDLBZF]

For MK Deluxe Resorts, out of the four I've stayed at, personally in regards to theming Wilderness Lodge and Contemporary take the cake.
It's so easy to get to MK, especially from Contemporary since you also have the Monorail. Both have surprisingly good food options too.

 

[thomas998]

With a 3 year old a monorail is a good idea. And honestly while you seem dead set against it, the Contemporary is actually the best option of the monorails hotels. No it isn't a nicely themed as the other monorails. But it is the best for ease of access to the MK. The walk if you choose to go that route is very quick, but the best part is that at the end of the day when you are going back and your 3 year old is cranky it is the first stop on the monorail.

Now if I was planning based on 2 days outside of the parks, I might put AKL or Wilderness at the top... but I would never ever do AKL if I was going to the parks unless you have a car of your own, it is too far from everything and the transportation by bus can often be a nightmare especially when you are going back from the parks to the hotel.

Lastly, if you are doing the 2 days outside the park at the end or beginning of your vacation then you could do 2 different hotels. We've done it when one we wanted wasn't available for the full vacation or when we split out time between Disney and Universal. If you don't have a car it can be a bit of a pain with the luggage but even with no car it is not that much for a taxi. And if you do consider that, I might leave Disney's resorts for those 2 days and go to Cabana Bay at Universal, it is cheaper than any Disney deluxe but for a 3 year old the pool with a lazy river is probably much more fun than they would have at the Disney pools. You also would have bowling in the resort which isn't mini golf but might give you something to do instead. If you do go there consider a suite as it gives you an extra living area with an additional TV that can make things nice if your just staying in to relax those 2 days.

 

[SyracuseDisneyFan]

Animal Kingdom Lodge or Bay Lake Tower

 

[StantonZ]

I'm not sure a 3 year old will remember anything from the trip; we didn't take our kids until they were 8+.
Having said that, you can't beat a stay on the monorail (since you can afford it). Our family trips to the Contemporary/Poly had a huge (positive) impact on me (when I was about 10 years old).

 

[Kingoglow]

Easy. With the detail you are describing, go for the Grand Floridian every time. Monorail resort, closest to Mk. Quiet resort, with excellent food and beverage options. Lots of transportation options to and from the MK to make it super easy for your family to move around, back and forth, for naps. Did I mention quiet?