Best resort for a 4 year old

[CariCloud]

So we are planning our 2017 trip. It will be our son's first. He will be 4 and a half. This will not be our only trip hopefully. We want this trip to be a 4 year old's utopia. We are thinking of staying at WL but I was wondering if there was a resort best suited for a 4 year old. It seems all the cartoonish theming is in the values. As a little girl I always wanted to stay at the contemporary because of the monorail but we always stayed off site. So what are your resort suggestions? I have never stayed on site btw.

 

[Boynton1234]

We just got back and originally booked the WL but due to the pool closure we moved to AKL and my 4 year old loved the animals ! The pool area was amazing with activities for kids and a waterslide. Also had disney movies by the pool at night ! We all had a great time.

 

[erinmarie2224]

This past september we looked at AOA but also thought it might be a bit too much for us - even though DD3(almost) would have loved the pool and LM.

We ended up at YC and loved it. She really loved the pool. Having the sand bottom and zero entry was awesome. We didn't find it stuffy (often complaint about YC) but did find the walk to the closest quick service in BC a little far.

Edit: We are looking at WL next time for proximity to MK but absolutely would stay at YC again.

 

[disneygolfer1985]

It depends on when you go, but if you plan on utilizing the pool I would recommend either Polynesian or the Beach Club. Both have good pools, with the Beach Club being the cream of the crop. I remember staying at the GF when I was 3, but stayed at the Beach mostly from 5-15 in 5 trips and really loved it.

 

[MOpGrad2013]

Hi there! Have a 3 year old (going on 4 in Jan) and to begin, only you know your son's interests. Each resort offers a bit of different decor, but at the end of the day..it's a bed. Based on pictures of the resorts, DS prefers any of the values. Meanwhile, I would prefer something more relaxing so I think WL is wonderful. Choose what you want, IMHO and your son will have a great time. Parks, characters, swimming...there is so much that we have to be wary of overstimulation.

Enjoy planning and have a great time!

 

[Skullcrusher]

I would go for AOA or POP for a child that young. Just because the theming is in your face as you have said is what you are looking for on this first trip.

 

[canadiandisneymommy]

Another vote for AKL

 

[WDWFan06]

Contemporary because you can walk to the Magic Kingdom.

 

[IBLarsen]

Having stayed a Wilderness Lodge with with my then DS8 and DD6, Hubby and I LOVED everything about it, but the kids didn't really care. There isn't really anything that stands out to the kids. We are going back in March and they are now 11 and 9, and have asked if we can stay somewhere else. We found a good deal and booked POR because DD loved the pics of the Royal Rooms she saw online, and the pool looks fun. DS doesn't care as much at age 11, and even as ALL boy, he thought the fireworks that light up on the headboards in the Royal Rooms look cool!
The pirate rooms at Caribbean Beach might be fun for a 4 year old boy! Along with the beach style pool. You can look up different rooms and resort (pools) online and show your son pics to see what he gets excited about?
And as other posters said, AKL may be good, what kid doesn't love animals?

The kids that age don't care about 'fancy' resorts, they get excited about anything themed in the room itself and the pools.

 

[LP808]

Whatever room your budget allows. My kids first trip (DS3, DD9, DS1), all they cared about was the pool. We were at POR, and for days they stayed in the quiet pool before I told them to just try the main pool. Then I couldn't get them off the water slide. Oh, and riding the bus so they could talk to strangers. They were more interested in the trivial things like walking around the resort just to see everything (like little lizards and bugs they haven't seen before at the bus stops).

My personal opinion would just be to pick whatever hotel will make YOU and your budget happy. Your kiddo will just be so thrilled to be in WDW that it probably wouldn't matter.

 

[chamonix]

A 4 year old will probably want to spend a lot of time at magic kingdom, so anywhere on the monorail will be great, or your plan of the WL is good too.

 

[bobnrobhall]

Caribbean Beach has some very nice Pirate Rooms that my son thought were pretty cool. It also has a nice water slide/play area for younger kids. We've also stayed at the All Stars and POP and although they look fun on the outside the inside of the rooms are pretty ordinary and neither myself nor my kids were impressed.

 

[Holly Quinlan]

I would say WL or AKL would work well for a 4 year old. We stayed at WL last year with my almost 4 year old son and he loved it. He loved walking over the bridge and finding hidden things carved in the wood plus all the train stuff over at the villas

 

[Mousemommy1]

Of the 6 resorts my girls have stayed at, they still say that WL is their absolute favorite! (It is ours as well)

They were 5 and 7 when we stayed there. They are 10 and (almost 8) now and still always want to go back to WL.

 

[lustergirl]

I would think a child that age would love the animals at AKL

 

[tim123]

So we are planning our 2017 trip. It will be our son's first. He will be 4 and a half. This will not be our only trip hopefully. We want this trip to be a 4 year old's utopia. We are thinking of staying at WL but I was wondering if there was a resort best suited for a 4 year old. It seems all the cartoonish theming is in the values. As a little girl I always wanted to stay at the contemporary because of the monorail but we always stayed off site. So what are your resort suggestions? I have never stayed on site btw.

Four Seasons Presidential suite.. Im sure he will have those precious memories for the rest of his life..Don't you remember everything from when you were 4?

 

[Ladcassidy]

WL is a great choice for a family with young kids: can't overvalue the easy access to MK combined with lower prices than the monorail resorts.

 

[Eastern]

We found a good deal and booked POR because DD loved the pics of the Royal Rooms she saw online, and the pool looks fun. DS doesn't care as much at age 11, and even as ALL boy, he thought the fireworks that light up on the headboards in the Royal Rooms look cool!

We stayed there when my kids were in the 10 yo age range and the thing they really liked about this place was the lizards. The property is very lush and the lizards would jump out all over the place. (they are very small and cute)

 

[KonaKaiTom]

The first question I have, as a PP asked -- what's the budget???
Yes, you are correct that the over the top, in your face, theming is the values, and the least are the deluxes.

However, the price of the deluxes is, generally, adjacent to a park - which means you can either monorail, launch, or even walk right into that park. Moderates and Values are bus transportion=not that there is anything wrong with that. The GF, Poly, WL and CR are all adjacent to MK, while YC/BC/BW are walking into Epcot resorts. With the age of your son, I would highly recommend staying near MK as I'm certain that will be the park of his choice.

One of the favorite resorts we stayed at when the kids were young was FW in a cabin. There was a lot of upside as it has launch service right to the MK, you can also take a different launch to the CR and then take the monorail to the TTC and take the Epcot monorail from there right into Epcot -- which is 8 minutes and a young child would enjoy a lot more than the bus ride. Nothing like flying in over future world!

A couple of other benefits of FW for a 4 1/2 year old -- there are lots of activities that would interest him. Pony rides, petting zoo, chip and dale's fireside marshmellow roast, hay rides and more. The cabins have a bedroom with a full bed and bunk beds and there is a murphy bed in the living room -- so, I'm pretty sure his bedtime is earlier than yours, which means you could put him to bed and then be able to relax without disturbing his sleep. The cabins also have a full kitchen as well as a deck with gas grill. There is only 1 bath, but we have made it work with up to 5 people in the cabin. Also, given that he may be tired, it is nice to be able to take the launch back and let him take a little rest in the afternoon - the launch probably takes 15 minutes running time.

The price of a cabin at FW is about 15% higher than a moderate. Just an FYI, both WL and AKL are deluxes, but are at least 20% below the price of the other deluxes -- and can be bargain shopped at times - -They are both BEAUTIFUL. The drawback to AKL is it is adjacent to AK which means it is far away from everywhere else. Because WL is not on the monorail, it is a launch only to the MK, but as I said, only 15 minutes.

I hope this helps.

Tom

 

[CariCloud]

Four Seasons Presidential suite.. Im sure he will have those precious memories for the rest of his life..Don't you remember everything from when you were 4?

YES! Though I think you were being a bit facetious I do remember! I am originally a Floridian and my very first trip to Disney was for my 4th birthday. I remember all the rides, I remember getting caught in the rain and my mom putting a trash bag with holes cut in it on me as a poncho because she didn't have money for Disney ponchos. I remember I insisted on wearing gummy shoes and my feet smelling like cheese at the end of the first day at MK because of it. I remember meeting Mickey and feeling completely panicked because it was scary but not running away because I didn't want my brother to make fun of me. I remember the getting scared at the haunted mansion. I remember the Days in Suite we stayed in with a kitchen and tropical bedding and some weird boat painting on the wall. I remember it was awesome...even though we were on a budget and at an off site budget hotel. I even remember my mom almost killing my brother because he was messing around with the camera and opened it and exposed all the film and so we have no pictures of the trip :/

However I want my son to remember that and even more! So I will definitely take into account some of the awesome suggestions on here. I have looked at the resorts as a whole but haven't thought about looking at how the rooms are themed as some have suggested Thanks!