First trip - Value or Deluxe?

[KELLY]

I think that you and your kids will find the value resorts to be absolutely magical. Many people here will try to "upsell" you to a Deluxe, but you really don't need to spend twice as much on a resort to have a wonderful vacation.

I feel the same. We like to take the money we save by staying value. To do pirates league,BBB and other things for the kids. Yes all 4 of us stay in a value for 14 nights( the horror). Lol.

With that said we may upgrade the dining plan this trip and if we do that we we will stay at a moderate but the price dirpffrence is minimal at that point.

 

[jmcghee2024]

You didn't say if you have boys or girls...for boys the Carribean resort has pirate themed rooms and the Royal rooms at POR are amazing for girls. Poly is more adult in my taste. But I also agree with the suggestions for Animal Kingdom...if you get a room with a view of the animals!

 

[MichiganDVC]

You need to come strong if it's your first Disney trip for the kids. Roll Contemporary room with a Bay Lake view in the A frame like a boss. You can do value or something else every subsequent trip.

You want easy access to the MK an being able to freaking WALK to your room after Wishes is the greatest thing ever. We'd stay there every time if we could afford it with young kids.

I completely agree with this statement in every possible way.

 

[MichiganDVC]

Its probably too late, but my two cents:

1. Deluxe dining plan will be a nightmare. We just did 4 days of regular dining plan last August (just us two adults) and it was a forced march. The Quick service meals can be the size of a normal dinner! On top of that, you have to eat a Table Service meal that day. Whew! If you had 3 TS meals a day, you literally would just be going from restaurant to restaurant all day.

A previous poster mentioned going to a signature restaurant or two... Are your 6-8 year olds (soon to be 7-9) really interested in sitting through several 2 hour meals at a Signature restaurant? If they do like and have the patience for long, sit-down meals, then go for it. Otherwise, you're in for a world of hurting with 3 Table service meals a day.
I would get the regular dining plan, that's all.

2. It seems like you are set on AoA. In case you're still on the fence, another 2 cents:
Everyone has commented on the theming, etc... I'm sure kids would like AoA theming as well as any deluxe resort. However, you also have to consider proximity to parks and restaurants. If you stay at AoA and have any dining plan at all, you will not be eating TS at your resort. They have no table service restaurant. No dinner at your resort ever. (Poly has two TS restaurants, plus monorail access to several more)

If you stay at AoA, you will take a bus to and from every park every day. At Poly, you take monorail or choice of two boats from MK; monorail to EPCOT.
Some bus rides can be empty and relaxing. Others are standing room only, especially at night when the parks close.

The BEST thing about Deluxe resorts vs. Value:
1. Close, if not walking distance, to parks = few bus rides
2. Table Service restaurants on site

FYI- there is so much just to see and do at the parks if you've never been, I wouldn't worry about the "special" pirate or princess programs. Your kids won't even know they exist and they are better saved for future trips when you are a little less rushed to try to see everything...

 

[HerRoyalHighness]

I would do port orleans for a first trip.

I agree. Or a budget like Pop or Art of Animation.

Your kids won't give a hoot about the resort compared to the park. Save that for the next trip.

 

[mike the canuck]

I recently stayed at Art of Animation and I loved it. The Little Mermaid rooms were really nice. I would highly recommend this resort. The Big Blue pool has underwater speakers! How cool is that? I will be staying there again. Here are some videos I took of the resort:

Animation Hall lobby tour: http://youtu.be/T7zTLlxVdV4

Cars wing and pool tour: http://youtu.be/bEHo_97ABwc

Tour of the Big Blue Pool: http://youtu.be/Sov9jQCmZoA

Little Mermaid room tour: http://youtu.be/H1Gnima3Abg

Landscape of Flavors Food Court Tour: http://youtu.be/qJ-3LVHFqcI

Hope you enjoy the videos! I hope they are helpful too!

 

[Angeejoe]

I recently stayed at Art of Animation and I loved it. The Little Mermaid rooms were really nice. I would highly recommend this resort. The Big Blue pool has underwater speakers! How cool is that? I will be staying there again. Here are some videos I took of the resort:

Animation Hall lobby tour: http://youtu.be/T7zTLlxVdV4

Cars wing and pool tour: http://youtu.be/bEHo_97ABwc

Tour of the Big Blue Pool: http://youtu.be/Sov9jQCmZoA

Little Mermaid room tour: http://youtu.be/H1Gnima3Abg

Landscape of Flavors Food Court Tour: http://youtu.be/qJ- Hope you e...reat videos! Thanks for sharing!! :happytv:

 

[Mousemommy1]

I am probably chiming in too late here, but I say for a 1st visit go value!

On the 1st trip that we brought our girls (they were 3 and 5) we stayed at POP, and they loved all of the huge icons, etc... On top of that, we were NEVER in the room...the girls could not wait to get to the parks and we were there from open to close.

On their 2nd trip, we stayed CBR, just to step it up a little bit...we actually liked POP more, and stayed in the parks solely because we didn't want to be at CBR, lol.

On the 3rd trip, they had a more been there done that attitude and so to step it up we did WL CL, which they LOVED...and because they had already been to the parks twice, they were 100% fine with having full resort days (we had 2 over an 11 day trip) and were loving kicking back and enjoying the resort (at this point they were 8 and 5).

Their 4th trip is coming in April (they will be 8 and 6), and we are doing YC CL...they are psyched to hang in the lounge and spend just as much time at the resort as in the parks...again, it's going to be their 4th trip, (and DH and My 9th trip), so no need to rush around and see everything like in your 1st visit.

I totally vote values for a 1st visit.

 

[mike the canuck]

Great videos! Thanks for sharing!!

Thank you Glad you enjoined them

 

[scillacc]

I have been many times, staying only in moderate and value and in dec 2014, when I'm taking my two granddaughters who will be 4 and a half, I'm staying at all star movies or art of animation little mermaid room. The suites at art of animation are quite expensive, almost on the par of a moderate. Don't waste your money on a deluxe, kids don't appreciate all the stuff, they'll love the enormous icons and things they can relate to. I've taken my 4 kids, as a single mom, many times and if it was between going and staying at a resort I could afford, or going and staying at a deluxe, we'd never have been able to go. May I have one suggestion? I gave each child ,under the age of 10, money each day to spend on souvenirs, the older children got it for the week. That way when the 10 or 15 dollars was gone, it was gone, and it was enough that they could get something 3-5 dollars a few times during the day. Remember, every ride drops you off into a store. Very hard to get away from that. Please enjoy your trip. I'd def buy the photo pass CD ahead and save yourself 50 dollars!

 

[jlsmith376]

With young children if you have the budget for it I'd stay at one of the resorts on the monorail. Access to the monorail is a huge benefit. Poly is a great resort and the kids will LOVE the pool and slide. The TS restaurants there are fabulous, and you would also be within close proximity to many other dining options at the other resorts as well as MK and Epcot (via monorail).

I'm sure the rooms at AoA are neat, but you probably won't be in the room that much. Easy access to transportation, dining options and amenities such as the pool are important.

 

[lovesdumbo]

I'm sure you'll love AoA. My first trip with my kids I stayed at Poly and loved it and returned for 3 more trips. I was afraid to try anywhere else. Then I wanted to go for a short quick trip and tried ASMo. I was so nervous before the trip that I would hate it but I really enjoyed it. Have stayed at many other resorts and have always had a great trip no matter where we stay. My 13yo DD would say Poly is her favorite and DS(12) would say BWI and DD(10) AKL but all of them would happily stay at any value resort too. I am going to WDW in May with just my youngest and when I asked her if we should stay at a moderate resort she said she thought Pop was a better choice for us.

I figure we'll probably head out early in the morning for a table breakfast....go to a park from there...and then when we get tired and ready for a break, we will go sit down again somewhere for lunch! My kids are very active so they won't be wanting to go back to the room to lay down or anything like that! I figure we'll probably leave the room in the morning and not go back until late in the evening!

But if you want a table service lunch you have to book that in advance so you'll be sitting down when you thought in advance you would be tired and hungry.

 

[1971DBday]

Poly! We find the dining plans to be to much food and we have never come close to the cost of the plan for what we actually spend. My kids are now 16, 13 and 6 and we have stayed at the Poly for the last 4 trips and it is so magical! Things that the Poly will have that the value won't will be a slide at the pool, a view of Cinderella's Castle, fireworks at night, water pageant and monorail. My kids also enjoyed the arcade and the its proximity to the pool.

We have never stayed at a value but we have stayed at two moderates. The only reason we have not done a value is because we do like the pool time and a slide is a must for the kids. Being from Chicago area we will swim in Nov/Dec.

This year we are trying the BC! We'll see how the change goes.

 

[TwistGrl101]

Everyone has their own opinions. We personally love to stay deluxe, as we like to spend a lot of time at the resort and pool. We also got the deluxe dining plan last trip, and really enjoyed it. You and your husband can enjoy signature dinners while your kids visit the awesome kids club for a few hours.

It really depends on what kind of family you are. My aunt will only stay value, because to her the hotel is just a place to sleep. For us, it's part of the whole vacation experience. We stay at BC...you can walk to Epcot, take a boat to HS, the kids will love the pool.and slide, there are great dining options all in walking distance, you can walk the Boardwalk at night, etc.

You need to figure out what works best for your family. Do you want to do lots of character meals? Do you want to come back to the resort to relax every day? Etc...

 

[robinb]

You and your husband can enjoy signature dinners while your kids visit the awesome kids club for a few hours.

You don't need to stay Deluxe to do that. Anyone can, including offsite guests and locals.

 

[mericletwins]

You don't need to stay Deluxe to do that. Anyone can, including offsite guests and locals.

She said that in reference to the deluxe dining plan, not the deluxe hotel.