I am looking for some Disney expert opinions here. I am planning a large family vacation for my husband and I and our daughters families in May 2022. So that is 6 adults and 4 grandchildren. The grandkids have never been to WDW before so I really want the trip to be a great experience. We are planning on renting DVC points for a two week stay at AKL to immerse them in a complete experience. We only have two options for 2022 and that is either May or October. My preference is for May if that’s possible. Do you think WDW will be back to normal, in other words no restrictions? I know Disney likes to always go above and beyond in their precautions to keep their guests and CMs safe but now that we have information on the vaccine roll outs what do you think? This would be a very expensive endeavour as we are from Canada and really want a great experience with the grandkids. Thoughts and opinions?
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To WDW or not in May 2022
- Thread starter Wendylet
- Start date
Yes we had thought about a split stay but both families were really not into moving after a week especially with real little ones. I can understand that. We might have to break up the weeks in order to book anyway because of the large number of points required. It really is stressful not knowing what will be happening in the world at that time. Thank you for the advice. I might just be getting more conflicted as time goes on!
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AV8trix172
New Member
Wendy,
Have you considered contacting a travel agent specializing in Disney Word? It’s your first visit and planning a trip with a fairly large family and small children can be stressful even with experienced guests.
lynda
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aliceismad
Well-Known Member
Just FYI, Disney will move your luggage for you, which makes moving much easier in my opinion. We did a split stay last time, and both check outs and check ins were very fast. We said goodbye to one hotel, went to Epcot, and hopped the monorail to our next hotel for an afternoon nap. It worked out well for us because we took an afternoon break most days anyway. Moving locations allowed us to see more of the properties and enjoy different dining options and pool areas more easily.
One thing I would note at AKL is that if you plan to eat there more than once or twice, you may wish to check the menus. I think the restaurants are fabulous, and my daughter has no problems with more adventurous options, but different people have different preferences.
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ELG13
Well-Known Member
I'd be so bold as to recommend the cabins at fort wilderness for a large group and for a stay that long. It's a quick boat ride to MK and while there's not a ton of THEMING my kids (6 and 9) love it there. It's a good mix of disney but also offers you a little bit of a break from the chaos. The pools are great and so are the dining options (assuming they are all open). There are also playgrounds all over the place and renting a golf cart to get around and see the wildlife is one of the many things we look forward to when we go!! You could hold off on booking a bit to see how this pandemic plays out if you didn't do DVC points. We have always been End of Sept beginning of October disney trippers but the crowds, pre pandemic, were getting large. It was no longer their slow season because word got out about what a great time of year it was. We are booked for April/may this year and I'm really looking forward to it!!
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My 2 cents... I do honestly think that by May of 2022 we should not be forced to wear masks especially with so many people being vaccinated this year. I would recommend early May before the humidity gets too high. I've been in both May and October numerous times but it seems that you are leaning more towards May.
Animal Kindgom Lodge itself is one of my absolute favorite resorts. I love the theming!! You definitely chose a great hotel in Kidani. If the distance from the parks does not bother you, then it's even better!
Keep in mind that DVC rooms are released to DVC members much earlier than they are to the general public/travel agents for booking. If you want to go with points, and you already know this, you are taking a chance since it is not refundable.
Personally with nothing set in stone, I would go the route of booking with a travel agent. I may be a bit biased since I have been selling travel for over 20 years but I do have my reasons.
You can change the dates if need be and not be penalized, you have everything bundled together (room, tickets and if/when dining plans return), you also have someone that will help with the ton of work that it takes when traveling with a large group. Believe me, it's a lot of work. (I've booked large groups for years so I know lol) You also don't want the stress of putting this together. You want to be able to enjoy planning and going on vacation so working with someone who is extremely knowledgeable is also ideal.
Again, just my 2 cents
Pam
Animal Kindgom Lodge itself is one of my absolute favorite resorts. I love the theming!! You definitely chose a great hotel in Kidani. If the distance from the parks does not bother you, then it's even better!
Keep in mind that DVC rooms are released to DVC members much earlier than they are to the general public/travel agents for booking. If you want to go with points, and you already know this, you are taking a chance since it is not refundable.
Personally with nothing set in stone, I would go the route of booking with a travel agent. I may be a bit biased since I have been selling travel for over 20 years but I do have my reasons.
You can change the dates if need be and not be penalized, you have everything bundled together (room, tickets and if/when dining plans return), you also have someone that will help with the ton of work that it takes when traveling with a large group. Believe me, it's a lot of work. (I've booked large groups for years so I know lol) You also don't want the stress of putting this together. You want to be able to enjoy planning and going on vacation so working with someone who is extremely knowledgeable is also ideal.
Again, just my 2 cents
Pam
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With children that young and their doting parents and grandparents in tow, I suggest looking at a resort as close to the Magic Kingdom as possible, so that you can maximize your experiences in that magical "little people" park. The Wilderness Lodge, for example, has DVC units available, and is a quick boat or bus ride to and from the MK for mornings, evenings, and afternoon naps. (First-hand experience!) As others have said, the downside of Animal Kingdom Lodge is the transportation: you have to take the bus (or a car or rideshare) everywhere you go, and the travel logistics seem progressively more cumbersome as the trip continues.
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I didn’t realize that Disney would do the handling of the luggage. That’s very convenient. I guess it is an opportunity to see more than one resort. We were always concerned about losing a full day in the middle of the trip. I will have to give that some thought and talk to the family. That’s a great suggestion.
We actually do have one family of picky eaters but they are also the more frugal ones and they have indicated they would eat more meals in their villa and maybe just look to breakfast at the resort before heading out for the day. Looks like Mara might be the go to for them.
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I had actually thought of the cabins but I was looking at DVC and the only cabins they show are at Copper Creek and they are quite pricey. Plus the families are so different which makes things more difficult. One family is very much into camping and hiking and the other into things being a bit more polished. Not that either would complain really since I am footing the bill! I had thought about the wait and see approach also but it’s quite a bit more money to book without points but I may have to consider it!
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We had considered the importance of being close to MK as this is the park we will mostly be going to. I felt the main hotels there were too expensive and not really themed at all. I do have to speak to the girls about this with the really little ones, whether they want the ability to leave for naps and come back, or just leave for the day then. Wondering if the dads just want the ability to escape
. We were also looking at Copper Creek villas. Is it really onerous to travel from AKL lodge to the parks?
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aliceismad
Well-Known Member
The Poly is very well themed, but if you're looking at DVC rentals, they only have studios and the bungalows (which are pricey). Wilderness Lodge is also beautiful. Boulder Ridge has 2 and 1-bedroom options. I know the Copper Creek cabins are pricey. There are also non-DVC cabins (the cabins at Fort Wilderness), so you might be limiting yourself when looking only at DVC.We had considered the importance of being close to MK as this is the park we will mostly be going to. I felt the main hotels there were too expensive and not really themed at all. I do have to speak to the girls about this with the really little ones, whether they want the ability to leave for naps and come back, or just leave for the day then. Wondering if the dads just want the ability to escape
Are the grownups interested in golfing or dining at Disney Springs? Saratoga Springs or Old Key West might be a good option for that, although again they are not adjacent to any of the parks. My understanding is that SS also generally has the most availability and is thus easier to rent. What about a spa day? Will you be going to the water parks? What about minigolf? Your touring style(s) might have a lot of influence over what might be best for your party.
If you google Distances from Theme Parks to Disney Resorts, there are some resources you might be interested in, but I'm not sure if we're allowed to post competing site links here. I will say that being able to wheel a sleeping kid onto the monorail in their stroller is a very convenient thing.
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Disstevefan1
Well-Known Member
Oh boy, I hope all will be back to pre COVID conditions by May 2022!!!! Right now its reported deaths are down, so we might be turning the corner...
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yensid67
Well-Known Member
MY 2 CENTS...
I would wait until the end of 2021 to make ANY travel plans! Things right now are looking good to be better by the end of the year, so 2022 should be a good year for a little normalcy!
I am not planning a WDW trip until 2025 or 2026!!!! DEFINITELY WILL BE BACK TO NORMALCY BY THAT TIME AND...I just bought a car so I have a car payment until March 2026
I would wait until the end of 2021 to make ANY travel plans! Things right now are looking good to be better by the end of the year, so 2022 should be a good year for a little normalcy!
I am not planning a WDW trip until 2025 or 2026!!!! DEFINITELY WILL BE BACK TO NORMALCY BY THAT TIME AND...I just bought a car so I have a car payment until March 2026
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ELG13
Well-Known Member
The cabins at fort wilderness always have good deals that run so you'd probably be able to get them for a decent price but maybe not as cheap as DVC points are. I honestly have never compared them. They're definitely not nearly as posh as copper Creek but the kids would love it and the ferry ride to magic kingdom definitely makes returning for naps and middle of the day breaks a lot easier.
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We have talked extensively about what everyone wants to do. Mostly parks but also a bit of time in Disney Springs but no golfing at all. We might do a car rental for a day so some of the men can take off together for part of a day. Also one couple wants to do Universal so that would be a pool day for the rest of us with the four grandchildren. We thought we would do one day at a water park as well. For the kids the pools are just as exciting as the parks I think!
We might now be looking at a split stay but I do really wonder about the ability to move this number of people around without losing a whole day in the middle.
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I really hope so too. I guess I am getting a bit gun shy about things with seeing this slowdown in vaccine roll outs coupled with the unknowns associated with the different variants that are appearing on the scene.
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I would really like the ability to wait that long until I book. However with renting points you really need to be in the game at a minimum 7 months early and preferably 11 months so I think I would have to make a decision sooner than that. Buying a car definitely trumps a trip to Disney!
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