Help me pick a resort - newbie with 2 little ones

[mamalisa08]

I'm new to this site and forum but see there are tons of veterans on here with great advice

My husband and I are thinking of planning a trip to WDW this October. We have a 1 year old and 3 year old. My main question right now: which resort do you recommend given that we will need to use a stroller? I've had those that are monorail-accessible highly recommended but of course they are all pretty expensive. If we can't swing one of these, which do you recommend? The thought of lugging a double stroller onto a bus sounds pretty daunting frankly. And then there is the question of renting there or bringing our double BOB (not small but comfortable and free). Also, we are flying from SFO, so we have a very long flight.

Anyway, sorry for the rookie questions. Any help/insight is greatly appreciated on which hotel we should choose.

Thanks!

 

[dparksfan]

My dh's fave is Wilderness Lodge, which you can take the boat over from the Magic Kingdom, and is not as $$ as the monorail resorts, but is nice and has a wonderful pool/ambience. We have stayed at all levels, and if you can't swing the MK resorts then any of the values are worth it, esp. with the large fun structures outside of each building. Your kids are young enough to just enjoy the sights. My kids loved them!
We always broke down our strollers waiting in line..there's many strollers and most people are apt to help if needed.
BTW, SFO is our airport too! Good luck making this decision!

 

[mamalisa08]

My dh's fave is Wilderness Lodge, which you can take the boat over from the Magic Kingdom, and is not as $$ as the monorail resorts, but is nice and has a wonderful pool/ambience. We have stayed at all levels, and if you can't swing the MK resorts then any of the values are worth it, esp. with the large fun structures outside of each building. Your kids are young enough to just enjoy the sights. My kids loved them!
We always broke down our strollers waiting in line..there's many strollers and most people are apt to help if needed.
BTW, SFO is our airport too! Good luck making this decision!

OMG, we live in Dublin! LOLOL. Thanks Carol for your input! I was wondering about WL.

P.S. I am really afraid to all sleep in the same room. It seems like that won't work? Boys go to bed earlier than us so we will just sit there and try to be quiet? I dunno... I was hoping to find a bigger place but they are so much money. Or maybe we should do one of the value suites... hm. This is so hard!

 

[danceintherain]

The first thing you have to decide is your budget. The Deluxe resorts are nice, but pricey.

The only hotels where you could use your stroller without collapsing it are those on the monorail, of which the Contemporary resort is the least expensive, and those in the Epcot resort area, from which you can walk to both Epcot and Hollywood Studios (the walk to Hollywood Studios is long, but possible). All the hotels in this area are priced the same for standard rooms, except the Swan/Dolphin which aren't Disney owned.

I believe, you would have to collapse it on some of the ferries, though I am not positive about that.

If you require separate sleeping spaces, your least expensive option would be a family suite in a value resort. This would require you to use buses to all the parks, which of course means removing your children from, and collapsing your stroller.

One of the ways people circumnavigate the in the same room issue is by utilizing the balconies at the Deluxe resorts. They put the kids to sleep, then sit on the balcony until they are ready themselves. This is obviously most pleasant in rooms with a view, and not all rooms at Deluxe resorts have balconies, so if you want to aim for this option you should definitely research to that effect.

We tend to crash pretty early when we're back in our room at Disney, so we haven't had a problem with the baby sleeping while we want to be awake.

We haven't found the stroller on the bus to be an issue, but we only have one child. It was easy enough for one of us to manage the stroller, while the other managed the sleeping child. I can imagine how frustrating it would be to handle if both children were sleeping, when you boarded the bus. However, unless you only intend on going to two park, or have your own car, you will have to take a bus somewhere.
It was definitely nicer to have our own stroller, because it was a familiar place for our son to relax.

 

[Andrew78]

Hi my twins will be 14 months when we go, but the only rooms that are larger are going to be the deluxe villas which are often very expensive. The all star sometimes has suites which would meet your budget but have extra room.

We want morre room as exactly what will we do when the kids sleep, but I believe at the CR MK view we can at least go outside and watch that

 

[ElizabethB]

If you can manage it -- and can find a good discount -- I think your best choice is the Contemporary garden wing rooms first floor with patio. The rooms are large and comfortable, you can spend time on the patio after the kids are in bed (bring some wine plus bug spray) plus you can walk the kids back and forth to MK in their strollers. You an also keep them in their strollers when going to Epcot by monorail.

Another option would be to rent points for a one bedroom DVC villa. The value family suites are a good option, except for the bus. Rather than take the bus, I would rent a car and drive to the parks. (We hate the buses.)

Best option by far is the CR. Look for a discount.

 

[Aliceacc]

If you can manage it -- and can find a good discount -- I think your best choice is the Contemporary garden wing rooms first floor with patio. The rooms are large and comfortable, you can spend time on the patio after the kids are in bed (bring some wine plus bug spray) plus you can walk the kids back and forth to MK in their strollers. You an also keep them in their strollers when going to Epcot by monorail.

Best option by far is the CR. Look for a discount.

I agree.

Economize in some other way. That accessibility to the Magic Kingdom is a HUGE benefit. Just think of being able to WALK a cranky 3 year old back to his room at the end of the night instead of fighting the crowds for a spot on any form of transportation. That single option makes the Contemporary a huge frontrunner for any family with young kids.

And honestly, our kids tend to pass out almost instantly when we get back to the room. So we can leave the lights and TV on with absolutely no problem. (Though that may be an indication of how noisy our house is on a normal basis more than anything else.)

And, yes, bring your stroller. You can gate check it on the plane, which means you keep it right up until the very last minute. So you'll have it in the terminal. Your kids are likely to be pretty tired-- you won't have to walk them through that huge airline terminal. You'll have it in the resort and if you choose to hop from one park to another.

 

[Have3Kids&aHusband]

We stayed at the WL with our little ones when they were 4 1/2, 2 1/2 & 8 months and again when getting closer to 6, 4, & 2. The first trip with the three wasn't so bad in price bc the 2 1/2 & 8 month old were free. Also, it was easy to stroll them onto the large boat however at times you may need to go onto the small one. Also, you'll still need to go on buses at times.

My recommendation is get two umbrella strollers that's what we did. (You'll need buses from any of the monorail resorts to get to AK & DHS.) My friend gave us these clips to connect the two strollers. They were very easy to undo & put together. Yes, it took an extra two minutes to get going, but it was well worth not having our bulky stroller. Plus we had a very easy to use Carter's stroller that was compact when closed up & didn't take up space. That one the baby could be on an angle if needed. It also had a storage bottom & cup holder. I had gotten that one for our first trip to Disney with our oldest when she was 18 months. It was well worth the $25. I found it at Target. I think you can find that one on-line too. We're bringing all three strollers next year on our trip in July. Although the oldest will be 7 1/2, she will get tired from walking in the heat & I'm sure she'll try to take a seat in her siblings. Luckily she's a peanut.

 

[herb102211]

Our favorite is the Beach Club. It is a deluxe resort but not quite as expensive as the monorail resorts. You can walk to Epcot (about a 5 minute walk). You can also walk to Hollywood Studios (15-20 minutes) or take one of the boats. If you have a park hopper, you can cut through Epcot and take the monorail to the TTC and then to MK. If MK closes after Epcot, then you would have to take the bus back. Essentially though, the only park you would need a bus for would be AK and if you went to any of the waterparks. We really like the laid back atmosphere of the Beach Club. The pool is probably the best in WDW and you're kids will really enjoy it!

 

[mamalisa08]

Thanks guys, this is super helpful. I like the ground level CR idea, along with possibly the 2 umbrella strollers. ... off to do more research.

 

[jaceraden]

I just wanted to add a quick 2 cents.

If budget is a big deal - try a value resort. I took my 1 and 3 year olds BY MYSELF last December and stayed at All Star Sports. I had a slick double stroller from Orlando Stroller Rentals (it folded up like a dream while I held my squirmy 1 year old in my other arm). We still had a fantastic time, the resort was great for me since I've never stayed on property before, it was a great deal $$$ wise and Sports is the first pick up/drop off so I almost always got a seat and nice and close to the door. I can only imagine it would be even easier if you have a second parent there to help with the kiddoes and stroller.

By all means stay somewhere with easier access if you've got the $$$ but I just wanted to let you know that bus service and a value resort with a 1 and 3 year old is still pretty awesome in my opinion.

Have fun!

 

[Verstehen]

Just remember that if you stay somewhere where your only option is the bus and you decide to rent a car, you'll still have to contend with the parking lot trams. I drive to the parks quite a bit and I can tell you the trams are often held up by families collapsing their strollers and ushering their little ones in.

I would recommend renting DVC points. You have a better chance of finding a good deal for the space you want, and you'll have an extra room for you and your husband. I recommend Boardwalk, Beach Club, Bay Lake Tower, or Wilderness Lodge. Each has at least one non-bus option to at least one park.

 

[pmaurer74]

we just stayed at the Poly in May and I loved the monorail... when it was working since we went back and forth a lot to MK. If we can afford it we want to stay at GF next time or go back to WL. We disliked lugging the double stroller onto the busses but the ones that are lower are no so bad as long as you don;t go back and forth a lot in the same day. If you like EPCOT there are the EPCOT resorts as well that you can walk to EPCOT or take the ferry to HS. I would take your stroller and gate check it at the airport so you can use it while traveling and at the resort.

If you do choose the Poly, the elevators are small and we had a tough time with the double stroller so I would request a ground floor room. The Poly also has the zero entry pool and the beach for the kids. WL has a small playground and a little round kiddie pool.

 

[GrtWtNorth]

Just remember that if you stay somewhere where your only option is the bus and you decide to rent a car, you'll still have to contend with the parking lot trams. I drive to the parks quite a bit and I can tell you the trams are often held up by families collapsing their strollers and ushering their little ones in.

Driving is great for handling strollers and little ones. I think I'm paying somewhere between $100 and $200 a week for a car. On my last visit, I spent $10-15 on gas. However, when I drive, I skip the trams entirely. It's faster for us to push our stroler across the entire parking lot than to go through the hassle of loading and unloading a parking lot tram.

(Note: we still went through the folding-stroller-ballancing-kids performance to ride the bus to MK. Busing to MK is much more convenient than driving.)

IMO, the most important consideration about your resort isn't about the size of the room or transportation options, it's about your family's bed-time routine. What do you do when you put your kids to bed? Do you go to bed at the same time? Some resorts (moderates and delux?) have curtains between the sink / closet area and the rest of the room. One of our travel-friends frequenty retreat there (or the bathroom) to read novels while his kids fall asleep in the dark. My family goes to bed all at the same time when we're on vacation. If you and your partner want some awake time while your kids sleep in a dark quiet space, you should consider a family suite. (Suites are much cheaper off-property than on-property, but transportation and extra magic hours are important considerations.)

 

[dparksfan]

If you're worried about staying in one room, it's not the same as other destinations. We were all so tired when we got back to the room, that everyone passes out! The moments you are worried about are fleeting. I have always based my hotel decision on budget/theme. Sometimes the Swan/Dolphin is good for location and the price has been good. It's right next to the deluxes near Epcot, but less pricey. Wherever you choose, it should be a wonderful trip. Enjoy the experience!

 

[05MM08MM]

Are you planning to visit all of the parks or mostly go to the MK? If visiting other parks are you planning to park-hop any? A 1 & 3 year old will wear out pretty easily, so I am guessing you will be taking a mid-day break each day.

Unless you have the budget to stay at a deluxe/monorail resort for your entire stay and plan to mostly go to the MK you are going have to deal with something. Even if staying at the CR, if you are leaving DHS, AK or DTD in the evening to head back to your resort would you rather walk a little futher into the parking lot (skipping the tram) to get in your own quiet and comfortable personal vehicle to wait in line to get out of the parking lot vs waiting with two small children and 1 or two strollers to get onto a bus that could become a claustophobic's nightmare. Those are you worse case senerios but are also quite possible. Many things to consider really, have to look at the whole trip, weight out the options and see where you are at. No matter what you will be at one of the most Magical places ever, so just enjoy it.

 

[buzznina]

I asked this same question 6 years ago when we were taking our DD (10 months then) on our first family trip. I ended up biting the bullet and staying at the POLY. I would look at your budget and suggest not to bust it on the resort, look at resort themes and photos and pick a few that interests you the most and then compare them. When the trip was over, we had a great time but found that after the 1st bus trip the stroller thing was not an issue. My DW and I got into a routine and rarely have any issues and now we have taken 2 strollers for the past couple of trips since our 2nd DD was born. I take the strollers and a bag or two and my DW handles the girls. We never get on a bus that already has standing room only, we move off to the side to let other folks in and wait for the next bus. Once I get on the bus I head straight to the back doors and stand with the strollers. WDW will exhaust everyone, our DDs fall asleep in the stroller, so we stopped trying to go back to the resort. At night we lay with them in bed and once they fall asleep (usually in a short time) we are still able to talk or watch TV without waking them. The balconies are nice but if you are going in the summer it can also be like sitting in a sauna with Orlandos humidity Since our 1st trip we have stayed mainly at the Mods, they just fit our family well and do not break the bank. Final tip, just relax and enjoy yourself, to many families want to do and see everything and I have seen many of melt downs and I am not talking about the children

 

[FourBees]

You need to decide if budget is more important or convenience. If budget is more important I would suggest you book connecting rooms at a value and put the boys in one and yourselves in the other. If convenience is more important you should probably stay at one of the resorts on the monorail. Or another option would be CSR. I think they have what they call a Junior Suite which is one room with a Queen Bed and a connecting room/parlor that has a murphy style bed. Good luck.

 

[mamalisa08]

Thanks everyone, this is all so helpful. We can afford the deluxe, it's just, do we want to? Fourbees, when you mention convenience versus cost... I'd probably choose convenience so I am sort of in my comfort zone this time around. Maybe on future trips we'd choose to do a moderate or value when we know our way around a bit. And yes, we are going to be doing an afternoon nap/pool time every afternoon so that factors in.

I am leaning toward the Poly or Contemporary right now. I think we will either bring our gigantic double BOB or rent a double stroller from one of the local companies that is a bit smaller.

I can't believe how complex this vacation is to plan. LOL.

And as many of you have suggested, we are going to try to just have fun and take it in. With such young kids, we don't have much of a choice. I won't push them to go all day. It's just too much.