Hi, we are planning a wdw 8 night stay next year and have been looking into all the different resorts we thought the bay lake tower looked pretty good but have now looked again and have come up with a completely different list so which resort out of The Grand Floridian Villas, The Yacht Club, The Beach Club, The Polynesian and The Boardwalk would you recommend for a family of 5 2A & 3C ages 11, 8 and 3?
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Which of these resorts would you recommend
- Thread starter carlnlisa
- Start date
Just to update my husband has eliminated The Polynesian from the short list
Courtneylee212121
Member
My personal favorites are the contemporary and animal kingdom lodge.... Out of your choices 1. Polynesian... 2. Grand Floridian ... And 3. Boardwalk
The contemporary resort is so convenient and has the best atmosphere IMO
ESP for your age group! Bay lake towers is also AWESOME !!!!!
The contemporary resort is so convenient and has the best atmosphere IMO
ESP for your age group! Bay lake towers is also AWESOME !!!!!
75disney
Well-Known Member
I would vote the Contemporary as well. But given your choices, Beach Club. It has a phenomenal pool complex which kids those ages will not want to leave. Cape May Cafe is great for breakfast or dinner and Beaches and Cream is awesome. Plus you are within walking distance or a short boat ride to your other two choices if you want to go there to eat or check them out. Finally, you can walk or take a boat to 2 parks: Epcot and HS. BC is centrally located on property as well so it is not too long if a bus ride to get to MK and AK.
zurgandfriend
Well-Known Member
We always stay in the magic Kingdom resort area. The monorail is great to have with small children.
Part of your decision might come down to your sense of style, and the style you like. While people love the Contemporary, we would never stay there, since the style of the rooms and decor is simply not to our liking. We loved our stay at the Boardwalk, since that is more in line with what we prefer. The Beach and Yacht Club are similar as well, and NYwdwfan is right that Stormalong Bay is the best pool complex on resort. If you like more posh, then the Grand Floridian might be more to your liking. We haven't stayed there yet, but will on a future trip. We have also stayed at Old Key West, Saratoga Springs - both the main resort and Treehouses, Port Orleans Riverside and French Quarter, and the cabins at Fort Wilderness.
While people do say that the monorail resort is best for small children, one thing to remember is that you have to take a bus to AK and HS, and I have NOT heard good things about the buses from the monorail resorts. In addition, when the monorail is down, and you just arrived at the monorail station, it can take Disney quite some time to get buses up and running to take over for the monorail, so that "quick" trip to MK or EPCOT, might become more than an hour! I really don't think you can go wrong at any of them!
While people do say that the monorail resort is best for small children, one thing to remember is that you have to take a bus to AK and HS, and I have NOT heard good things about the buses from the monorail resorts. In addition, when the monorail is down, and you just arrived at the monorail station, it can take Disney quite some time to get buses up and running to take over for the monorail, so that "quick" trip to MK or EPCOT, might become more than an hour! I really don't think you can go wrong at any of them!
jlsHouston
Well-Known Member
I love it, I'm trying to figure out how to print it!
NYwdwfan
Well-Known Member
I just PMed you the link I used.
NYwdwfan
Well-Known Member
When we stayed at GF a few years back, my husband found it a bit uncomfortable - guestwise. I did not. He overheard a mother explaining the Princess Tea as "similar to what we do in the Hamptons". He now prefers the Beach Club. The decor has a similar feel - bright and airy. But the Beach Club has a more "kid friendly" vibe - maybe the pool has something to do with it. I absolutely love being able to walk to 2 parks and not rely on the transportation system as much. And I can't get enough of the "clean linen" smell in the lobby. There's nothing like it.
Marijil
Well-Known Member
1. Polynesian 2.Beach Club 3. Yacht 4. GF Villas 5. Boardwalk
jlsHouston
Well-Known Member
Ah.... If GF is on the list then I would recommend it even though I have not stayed there yet, it is still on the list....however I have stayed at the POLY which is on the monorail line and has nice large rooms and very good food options right at the resort and the GF has all that too plus it is just a beautiful resort IMO. Last summer when we were at the POLY we were told we could visit the pool at the GF for a day since the POLY has no hot tub and the GF does....so we spent the afternoon at the big pool that has the slide near the water play area and loved it. We also ate at Gasparillas several times alternating with Captain Cooks and of course we always character dine at 1900 Park Fare for at least one dinner...
I love the lobby at the GF, even my grandkids love the lobby and stairway...and we love the shops....in fact one of the first things I do the first 24 hours on property is hit that Basins and Bath shop and buy a boat load of bath bombs for us !!! We take amazing bath soaks our entire visit at WDW!!!
The other resort I love that you mentioned is Beach Club. I stayed there 2 summer ago and it is a favorite too. THe rooms are big bright with lots of storage and the pool is amazing as the wonderful map from @NYwdwfan fan displays. BC has Cape May for character dining in the mornings, probably my favorite buffet for breakfast of all the restaurants on property. Beaches and Cream has great bacon cheeseburgers, they have a nice little salon where you can get massages too, the porches are great to sit on and people watch, the nightly movies on the beach are fun for the kids, you are a short short walk away from the International gateway into Epcot, boat rides to HS, Boardwalk and the amazing Flying Fish restaurant across the water and don't forget to walk over to the Dolphin and have either breakfast or a fantastic salad from the Fresh Med restaurant....and they have Mandara Spa over at the Dolphin too which is a nice spa that runs specials and always a treat for me. In other words Beach Club has location location location!
Also have been to Boardwalk twice. Now I like the Boardwalk. Again nice big clean rooms, lots of storage, nice colors, very nice lobby and grounds, varied food options, some quite good, boat rides to EPCOT or HS, or not a far walk, love their pool too, and their quiet pools have excellent hot tubs with powerful jets for sore muscles! The downside to the BWI for me has been you can get really stuck into a room in the south forty area and I don't handle that well...but of all the resorts BWI probably has the nicest CMS working there.
I've stayed twice at POLY and love that place but I would avoid at this time due to construction.
Never stayed at Yacht Club but can't see where that would not be a nice place and it shares alot with the BC, like the pool and porches, easy access to both properites food establishments.
I still want to try the Contemporary too but not too interested in the Bay Lake Tower place...wouldn't pass on it for the right price but not a priority place to try.
SO I vote Grand Floridian and Beach Club second. Have fun with your selection!
I love the lobby at the GF, even my grandkids love the lobby and stairway...and we love the shops....in fact one of the first things I do the first 24 hours on property is hit that Basins and Bath shop and buy a boat load of bath bombs for us !!! We take amazing bath soaks our entire visit at WDW!!!
The other resort I love that you mentioned is Beach Club. I stayed there 2 summer ago and it is a favorite too. THe rooms are big bright with lots of storage and the pool is amazing as the wonderful map from @NYwdwfan fan displays. BC has Cape May for character dining in the mornings, probably my favorite buffet for breakfast of all the restaurants on property. Beaches and Cream has great bacon cheeseburgers, they have a nice little salon where you can get massages too, the porches are great to sit on and people watch, the nightly movies on the beach are fun for the kids, you are a short short walk away from the International gateway into Epcot, boat rides to HS, Boardwalk and the amazing Flying Fish restaurant across the water and don't forget to walk over to the Dolphin and have either breakfast or a fantastic salad from the Fresh Med restaurant....and they have Mandara Spa over at the Dolphin too which is a nice spa that runs specials and always a treat for me. In other words Beach Club has location location location!
Also have been to Boardwalk twice. Now I like the Boardwalk. Again nice big clean rooms, lots of storage, nice colors, very nice lobby and grounds, varied food options, some quite good, boat rides to EPCOT or HS, or not a far walk, love their pool too, and their quiet pools have excellent hot tubs with powerful jets for sore muscles! The downside to the BWI for me has been you can get really stuck into a room in the south forty area and I don't handle that well...but of all the resorts BWI probably has the nicest CMS working there.
I've stayed twice at POLY and love that place but I would avoid at this time due to construction.
Never stayed at Yacht Club but can't see where that would not be a nice place and it shares alot with the BC, like the pool and porches, easy access to both properites food establishments.
I still want to try the Contemporary too but not too interested in the Bay Lake Tower place...wouldn't pass on it for the right price but not a priority place to try.
SO I vote Grand Floridian and Beach Club second. Have fun with your selection!
Boardwalk-empire
Member
Boardwalk. It's beautiful, plenty of entertainment, and LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION.
Pocahontas
Well-Known Member
Yacht or Beach club.
MaryJaneP
Well-Known Member
Location and pools = BC/YC. Location alone tie BC/YC and CR/BLT. We have done both CR and BC, 2A and 3C in one room at each resort. Which park will your family want to be close to? If MK, then CR/BLT is a walk away. If EPCOT and/or DHS, then BC/YC is a walk/short boat ride away.
This is what worries us, both of us a fair few tattoos and DH has stretched ears and we both favour the rockabilly look so even though we prefer deluxe places to stay we don't look the part and have been judged in the past by guest occupying the same hotel, it usually doesn't bother us but we really don't want the kids to feel uncomfortable.
NYwdwfan
Well-Known Member
I'm not saying you WOULD get judged - but I would think that if it's going to happen anywhere, it would be there. I would really recommend BC. And I would also suggest making a dinner reservation at GF - either 1900 Park Fare or Grand Floridian Cafe - so you can spend a little time in the hotel and see how it appeals to you. I have a friend who swears by the place - her motto is "I go on vacation once a year and I am going to treat myself". Everyone has their own opinion of what is best for them. If you are unsure of the place I would save it for another trip!
There isn't one park we prefer to be closer to as we are planning on going to all. That being said my husband and older children are very keen and excited to try the water parks, I am it to concerned about going so if the little one is having a tired day when they go I will stay back at the resort with him. I don't know if that makes a difference location wise
jlsHouston
Well-Known Member
Well you could also look at the cabins at Ft Wilderness....I personally don't think I would like staying in one but they do sleep 6 people, they are a more expensive moderate option and a bit cheaper if they are discounted than the list of deluxe resorts you have listed. My grandkids who are 9 and 7 now love going to the Chip and Dale campfire they do nightly there. The entire area is very laid back and woodsy and it is a boat ride or bus ride to all the parks. My brother in law stayed in one of them years ago with his family and they rented one of those golf carts to get around the resort because it is quite sprawling. Alot of onsite activities for kids too. In fact my grandkids told me if we could stay there they were sure their pawpaw would come back to WDW for a visit...lol...I was like well fine y'all can all stay in a cabin I will be up at the lodge...lol...
Anyways, I wouldn't worry too much about other guests observations about appearances, half the time I look like I am still in my pjs wandering around the world, and people tend to be really absorbed in their own families and experiences at WDW. There are fat people and skinny people and all different colored people and tatted people and pierced people that visit WDW and we all seem to look right at home there.
If you think GF would be a bit too pretentious then definitely consider one of the EPCOT area resorts. Whether Boardwalk or Beach Club or Yacht Club they are all wonderful resorts. If you really want to stay on a monorail resort then the CONT or BLT might be perfect for your family and it definitely has a great location in reference to MK and good food choices and speaks of the modern look Walt Disney himself loved. I would avoid the POLY this year because of all the construction. Grand Floridian would be my first choice for the reasons I listed earlier.
Another less expensive option onsite is the moderate resort Port Orleans Riverside. It is close to the Downtown Disney area and I think can sleep a family of 5. I ate a Boatwright's last November for the first time and saw the lobby there and it looks like a really nice resort. There was a horse and carriage outside giving buggy rides to people. It has a boat marina and you can take the boat to Downtown Disney from that resort.
Good luck with your selection process!
Anyways, I wouldn't worry too much about other guests observations about appearances, half the time I look like I am still in my pjs wandering around the world, and people tend to be really absorbed in their own families and experiences at WDW. There are fat people and skinny people and all different colored people and tatted people and pierced people that visit WDW and we all seem to look right at home there.
If you think GF would be a bit too pretentious then definitely consider one of the EPCOT area resorts. Whether Boardwalk or Beach Club or Yacht Club they are all wonderful resorts. If you really want to stay on a monorail resort then the CONT or BLT might be perfect for your family and it definitely has a great location in reference to MK and good food choices and speaks of the modern look Walt Disney himself loved. I would avoid the POLY this year because of all the construction. Grand Floridian would be my first choice for the reasons I listed earlier.
Another less expensive option onsite is the moderate resort Port Orleans Riverside. It is close to the Downtown Disney area and I think can sleep a family of 5. I ate a Boatwright's last November for the first time and saw the lobby there and it looks like a really nice resort. There was a horse and carriage outside giving buggy rides to people. It has a boat marina and you can take the boat to Downtown Disney from that resort.
Good luck with your selection process!