I would love some opinions. These are the things that are important to us. We are considering moderate or deluxe. Let's see what fits the bill:
- Three kids - ages 7, 4, 1 (he'll be in a crib)
- A good selection of dining options that are somewhat easily accessible - either by walking (preferrably), or a single leg of boat/bus/monorail
- We will be spending a lot of time at the pool/resort, given the ages of our kids
- We will be spending more time at MK than other parks, but will be going to all 4. Taking a bus to MK is fine by us.
- Stayed at WL previously and loved it. Want to try somewhere different.
I know, we'd probably be happy at any resort. Just pretend you are me and what would you pick? Thanks so much!!
OK, you will be happiest in a resort that will easily fit 5 people and you aren't interested in a value, which knocks out the suites at Art of Animation. Still gives you great choices.
Any of the monorail resorts would be great due to proximity to the Magic Kingdom, either by monorail, boat or walking (Contemporary only). There are many great dining options on the monorail line, not to mention those available to you by a short boat trip To Wilderness Lodge or Fort Wilderness Campground. The Pool at the Polynesian is brand new and has just reopened, with the kids area slated to open shortly. There is also a nice themed pool at the Grand Floridian, with a new kids water area themed to Alice in Wonderland. Of these 3, my choice would be the Polynesian.
Epcot Resort Area: There are 3 choices right outside the back International Gateway entrance to Epcot. The Yacht and Beach CLub has the most elaborate pool on property, Stormalong Bay. It is restricted to only guests of those properties, and is like a mini waterpark. There are many, many selections for food at any of the restaurants in those 3 resorts, not to mention, the restaurants in the Swan and Dolphin and right inside Epcot. Epcot and Disney's Hollywood Studios are a boat ride away, or if you prefer to walk, Epcot is a pretty short walk, whereas the Studios is a bit farther, but doable. The buses will stop at all of these resorts, so, sometimes the waits can be a bit long, and the buses only run to Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Downtown Disney, and the Waterparks, unless there is inclimate weather. Of the 3, I would choose the Beach Club, followed by the Boardwalk. The Yacht Club is much more adult oriented and often has many convention guests.
The 4 moderate resorts: I have stayed at all of the resorts, and to me, with little children, the easiest to navigate was, by far, Port Orleans French Quarter. It is a smaller land area and very centralized. The pool is great for little ones, and best of all, there is only one bus stop and it is right outside. You can request to be close to the foodcourt and bus stop, which will make your life much easier. We stayed here when my nieces were 3 and it worked out really well. There isn't a full service restaurant within that building, but Boatwrights is a short boat ride away at Port Orleans Riverside, and you have a choice of the 2 foodcourts, which have different menus. Now, if you are looking for "themed rooms", the 2 moderate resorts that offer those are Port Orleans Riverside (Royal Princess Rooms)- Port Orleans does have rooms that will sleep 5 in the Alligator Bayou section and The Caribbean Beach Resort (Pirate Themed Rooms)- these rooms are slightly larger in square footage than the other moderate resorts. Both of these resorts are somewhat spread out and have multiple bus stops. Of the 2, I would have to choose Port Orleans Riverside for its relaxing atmosphere and the rooms that can sleep 5. It is also part of the Port Orleans French Quarter area, so you have your choice of pools and food courts as well as a boat that will take you between them as well as to Downtown Disney, which has a great selection of places to eat. Lastly is Coronado Springs Resort. Of the 4, this is my least favorite. Like the Yacht Club, it caters more to convention guests and large groups. It is a very pretty resort and has a nice pool and play areas. It also has multiple bus stops. There is a full service restaurant that is open for dinner only, and a food court, Pepper Market.
With these things in mind, if you are going to choose a deluxe, I would probably choose The Polynesian, just for being on the monorail and near the Magic Kingdom... plus the whole pool area is brand new. As for choosing a moderate, I would go with one of the 2 Port Orleans resorts. At this point, it really comes down to your budget. Good luck, and hope you have a wonderful time!
