Which resort under $300/night w/young kids

[Wendysofftoneverland]

Trying to figure out where to stay next year. We are planning a trip for next year's Flower and Garden Festival/my birthday, which means most park time will be at Epcot, though I do want a half day at Animal Kingdom and a day at Magic Kingdom. Probably getting 4 day park hoppers. We also will be spending a day or 2 just at the resort, Disney Springs, or maybe Sea World.

Our kids will be 6 and 3. When we went this spring, we felt too cramped at All-Star Movies. We are currently booked at Shades of Green, though if the Epcot monorail doesn't reopen, I wonder if we would be happier somewhere else. I like the room size at Shades, but I don't know if the kids will like it. I have only stayed there once, on a girls' trip with my sister for the Princess Half Marathon several years ago.

Hoping Port Orleans reopens, because we have never stayed there and the kids' splash ground looks nice, as does the boat to Disney Springs (assuming it reopens). We stayed at Coronado Springs once, but it was so disconnected from everywhere else and there was no splash ground, just a basic kiddie pool.

Our all-in budget (parking, taxes, resort fees) is $300 a night, so it looks like Swan and Dolphin aren't options. Thought about Pop, but it is pretty much All-Star Movies with a Skyliner. Maybe CBR? Just so undecided where to stay.

 

[NicoleLarson]

I would definitely keep SoG. At 3 and 6, the kids won't care where they stay...they're at WDW steps away from the MK! A deluxe is not within your budget so that leaves moderate and value. You've said that the values are too small so that just leaves moderates. CBR would be your only option since you don't like CSR. You might be able to get CBR at a discount but it will likely still be more than SoG. CBR is very large and spreadout. You can take the skyliner to Epcot. It's definitely not the fastest mode of transportation but has the cool factor, like the monorail. Which I noticed you mentioned taking the monorail to EP. Taking a bus to EP from SoG would almost always be much faster than the monorail. I'm assuming you would walk all the way to the TTC from SoG? Thats a pretty decent walk, then you have to go through security wait for the monorail, etc. I guess my point is, that I wouldn't let whether or not the EP monorail running be my deciding factor for staying at SoG or not.

 

[Lorajo]

We are staying at the Dolphin in the fall. We are within your budget although the rates vary by night

checking Swan/Dolphin through the Bonvoy Marriott app is the easiest way to price it

We love staying at the boardwalk area

 

[Cabius]

I'd stay at Shades of Green. You can always walk over to the Poly to enjoy the atmosphere and dining so the kids still feel like they get a magical resort experience. From experience, I doubt the 3-year-old will care, and the 6-year-old might prefer a more "magical" resort, but Shades of Green is still really nice, and the room size/quality/location for that price can't be beat.

If you were dead-set on relocating elsewhere, I'd definitely say CBR. Especially if you can be on the North side of the resort, with easy walking access to the Riviera and skyliner, it's quite lovely.

 

[Wendysofftoneverland]

Maybe we will do a split stay with a Skyliner resort for the coolness factor (though I assumed it was the fastest mode of transit to Epcot/HS from Skyliner resorts). Maybe we can handle squeezing into a Pop room for a couple nights before switching to SoG. Or splurge on CBR for a couple nights (looks like it would be $90 more per night v. SoG...not sure if it is worth it since the rooms are smaller).

Yeah, we were planning to walk to TTC to catch Epcot monorail. We hate having to get everything out of the strollers and fold them for bus travel, especially since our stroller doesn't always fold easily.

I will have to check out the Marriott app for Swan and Dolphin. The website was showing the resort fees and taxes pushed it over budget, but maybe they will have some discounts as it gets closer to March.

Maybe Shades of Green will be the best option, but we were trying to avoid having to rely on the bus or pay $25 to drive to parks from Shades of Green.