Art of Animation vs. Ft. Wilderness with Little Kids

[Tom P.]

Hi folks,

Got a difficult decision to make, and one which I think seems a very odd conundrum: do we pay *more* for a value resort or less for a moderate?

Here's the scoop: we are going to Disney World this fall. We have a large family and all the kids are small. Specifically, ages 8, 6, 5, 3, and 1 when we go. So we need something like a suite, villa, or cabin to accommodate us.

We'd booked a family suite at Art of Animation. When free dining came out, though, we were able to score a cabin at Fort Wilderness with free dining, but couldn't get one at AoA. We switched, because it was like a thousand dollar savings over the course of a 9-night stay. But now we're not so sure we're making the right call.

We've made two family trips before, and both times stayed at Port Orleans Riverside. It was nice. No question the grounds are beautiful. But while we were satisfied with it, we didn't feel that the theming was really that appealing for small children. Hence why we decided to "downgrade" to a value and do AoA, which looks awesome for kids. Great theming, tons of activities, the pools, the arcade, etc. all just look great. But then free dining came out, we switched.

But now we're kinda feeling the same way about FW. Yeah, it looks like an awesome resort. And the cabins are nice and spacious. But it still feels like it's just not going to be nearly as appealing to little kids as AoA, and also the transportation situation at FW makes me think we may be in for a lot of headaches herding that many small children from Point A to Point B.

So what do you all think? Am I out of my mind for considering spending a grand more to go "down" to a value resort? Or is AoA really going to be so magical for the little ones that it's worth it?

Thanks,
Tom

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

We stayed at both of these resorts last fall with our 7 and 2 year olds. All 3 of the adults (Mom, Dad, and Grandma) in our group preferred the Cabins at FW, and my older daughter LOVED the bunk beds. It was so much quieter than AoA. We loved that we did not share a wall with anyone, so when our little one became loud at night, it did not seem to be such a big deal (I am assuming that capacity at both resorts is 6 + a baby in a crib, since you have 7 in your group).

The pool area at AoA is awesome for kids, but so is the one at FW. We also really enjoyed the campfire with Chip and Dale, seeing the horses at FW, and watching fireworks on the beach. Transportation can be a bit of a pain, but really, we found the buses to be very convenient. We had to walk a short distance to get to the bus stop, but no farther than we had to walk to get to the AoA bus stop. Transportation might take a bit longer, but it is peaceful and the buses were never crowded.

Will you have your own car? We really enjoyed being able to park right outside our cabin. That was awesome - not having to haul everything for the kids into the cabin. If we forgot something in the car, we could just step outside instead of having to hike back to our car at AoA. Having the porch also seems to add space and make us feel less cramped.

Even if you will not have a car, I think it is certainly worth saving money to stay at FW. Both are awesome resorts, but we got better, more peaceful sleep at FW (AoA was pretty loud at night), and we loved all of the activities at FW, too.

Sure, it is themed like a campground. If you personally hate that sort of thing, then avoid it. But to me, FW still feels like Disney. And you can always take the boat over to Wilderness Lodge or The Contemporary if you feel you need different resort activities. You can enjoy all of the resort activities except for the pool at all the other resorts.

 

[Terra Nova guy]

I have not stayed at FW. But the Suites at AoA are fantastic, especially with smaller kids. My DD (6) loved the splash pad, pool and theming. As much as I would like to try the cabins at FW, the transportation issue (without your own car) makes it less practical in my mind, especially with small kids. You also get two bathrooms at AoA suites, which is helpful with that many kids. I also did not have any problems with noise at AoA. Even though AoA is technically a value resort, it doesn't feel like one. I think it's worth it and more practical.

 

[Hopefully]

We loved the Cabins at FW with ours when they were little. Once prepared for the transporation I did not find it burdensome. We just set our expectations and planned a little extra travel time. The boat to the MK is a nice relaxing ride. Watching the fireworks and the Electrical Water Pagent from the beach was great. We loved the atmosphere and having the extra space. I would suggest you get a grocery delivery from a service like Garden Grocer. We loved having breakfast in the Cabin and also having cold drinks and snacks whenever we returned.
With savings that great, you could consider renting a golf cart for transportation within the campground. My kids considered that another "attraction".
Good Luck

 

[Tom P.]

Thanks so much, folks, for the great replies!

Every reply so far has mentioned the transportation at FW. Can anyone elaborate a bit more on that? Is it just that it takes longer to get from place to place? We will have a car with us, since we're driving to Florida, but we've always preferred to use the internal Disney transportation rather than drive to the parks. Is renting a large golf cart going to be a requirement for us to effectively make use of the transportation? Or will we be able to reasonably walk to the bus stops?

Also, what about the boat to the Magic Kingdom? Is there usually a long wait for that, or is it reasonably convenient?

Finally, regarding the theming, I'll admit that we much prefer the more Disney-oriented theme of AoA to the camping theme of FW. No question that if the two were side by side at the exact same price, we'd pick the more "Disneyish" choice. But we're trying to balance cost vs. the best experience and, ultimately, I know the kids will have a great time either way -- it's Disney World!

 

[GetMom]

Have you checked to see if free dining rooms at AoA have opened up? There was a ton more availability for my dates this weekend when I checked than the first week of the promotion. I know I saw some AoA rooms on there.

 

[CatKel1202]

We were in a similar dilemma and decided that AofA just looked too awesome to pass up for our son's 4th birthday and first trip to WDW. Also, I was worried we were going to have to get a golf cart if we wanted to avoid walking long distances. We thought we had missed out on free dining until we checked again this weekend and magically got it! Keep checking!

 

[Jarmo]

Thanks so much, folks, for the great replies!

Every reply so far has mentioned the transportation at FW. Can anyone elaborate a bit more on that? Is it just that it takes longer to get from place to place? We will have a car with us, since we're driving to Florida, but we've always preferred to use the internal Disney transportation rather than drive to the parks. Is renting a large golf cart going to be a requirement for us to effectively make use of the transportation? Or will we be able to reasonably walk to the bus stops?

Also, what about the boat to the Magic Kingdom? Is there usually a long wait for that, or is it reasonably convenient?

Finally, regarding the theming, I'll admit that we much prefer the more Disney-oriented theme of AoA to the camping theme of FW. No question that if the two were side by side at the exact same price, we'd pick the more "Disneyish" choice. But we're trying to balance cost vs. the best experience and, ultimately, I know the kids will have a great time either way -- it's Disney World!

We've stayed at the cabins and have visited family staying at AoA. The trouble with transportation at FW is you may have to catch an internal FW shuttle to the main bus stop, then wait for the bus to wherever your'e going. It essentially adds one more leg to your trip, but it's not the end of the world. We visit in the off season so we had never seen an issue with long waits for the MK boat. In fact we preferred to drive everywhere except MK, because the boat drops you right at the gate.

Unless your kids are avid campers, I would bet money they'd prefer the pools and atmosphere at AoA. Adults will definitely appreciate the quiet at the cabins more, and the cabins also provide better sleeping arrangements for a group that large. The full kitchen at the cabins is another consideration. On the other hand, AoA will provide a second bathroom with is great. Lastly, although you couldn't get free dining at AoA, did you check to see if there is a room only discount during your trip that might offset the cost?

 

[tgbanks3]

Have you checked to see if free dining rooms at AoA have opened up? There was a ton more availability for my dates this weekend when I checked than the first week of the promotion. I know I saw some AoA rooms on there.

We were in the same boat. We had AoA Nemo rooms booked and just recently FD opened up for Lion King rooms, so we made the switch. Gonna save us over a grand. To the OP, keep checking on rooms and see if anymore at AoA open up.

 

[1234lucky]

We stayed at the cabins recently. I found the internals buses to be extremely efficient. There are two lines (purple and orange I think) that go past the cabins and we never had to wait longer than a few minutes for an internal bus. Our walk to the bus stop was minimal because we were at the beginning of the loop. I expected to find it to be a big hassle but it was no big deal at all.

The boats to MK also were frequent and I can't remember waiting more than 10 minutes. They were also not crowded (except for one boat that also stopped at wilderness lodge on the way home in the rain when the park emptied out).

I found the busses to the parks were also not crowded except for the Epcot bus which was shared with wilderensss lodge.

We went thinking we'd rent a golf cart if the transportation was problematic and never did.

 

[HopperFan]

Have stayed at the cabins when my youngest of 3 was 9, and can't even imagine staying with young kids - if you plan to do the resort activities. Loved the cabin itself even though the bedroom was extremely tight with little room for luggage/clothes etc. I also didn't like that there was a door in the bedroom to go outside so we slept in there with the youngest in there and put the older kids in the living room - which meant no extra evening time to stay awake at kids bedtime. We liked that we could park at the cabin, which was great because other than 1 trip to MK on the campground transportation system we found that driving was so much faster to everywhere. Due to the requirement to take an interior bus everywhere we ended up not enjoying any of the activities. We prefer to stay at a resort. We like to leave our room and walk to the pool, walk to the food court, walk to the bus that goes direct to the parks. Much more relaxing. Our cabin we had to walk almost as far as we would at a resort, but all we got was an bus that looped around and finally got to our next mode of transportation to go to the parks, transfer, then another bus or boat ride. My sister had a double stroller (cabin next to us) and it was a hassle.

The kitchen or free dining is a plus for here given the numbers it sleeps, but my plan would be get in the car and leave each day. You have Free Dining so that is great, but know that the resort experience will be much different than AoA. I suggest you google image the campground to get a feel for it.

PS I don't know that there is a large golf cart big enough for you all. Everyone must be seated. Maybe an offsite rental but not sure. Maybe read down in the Camping Forum.

 

[sharadoc]

Not only is the cabin cheaper but you are getting the regular dining plan there, which is great especially if you want to do buffets.

The campground is wonderful for young kids. There are so many activities at the main pool, a petting zoo, canoeing, playgrounds, tether ball on the beach. You can take a boat to MK, which I suspect you may want to spend a good deal of time there. Every night you can go to a sing-along with Chip and Dale and see a movie, then go over to the beach to watch the MK fireworks and the Electrical Water Pageant.

The internal buses at the Fort come all the time, then you're on the bus about 10 minutes to get to either the Settlement to take the boat to MK, or to the Outpost, where you take a bus to all the other parks. It takes less time than a large resort with multiple bus stops, and If you want to, you can drive to the other parks, or drive to the Outpost parking lot where the park buses leave from.

Fort Wilderness definitely gives more options for older ones when younger ones are napping. The cabin pool is lovely, has a hot tub and is surrounded by trees. For an extra fee, you can go horseback riding or take archery lessons, or go fishing.

It's amazing.

If you want a suite with Free Dining, have you looked at All-Star Music? Their suites are usually less and the resort is fun. You have two pools there plus a kiddie pool, and you can use all the pools at All-Star Sports and Movies. There's plenty of a "kid" feel, you can park fairly close to your room, and the buses are good there.

 

[Jimsig]

Be sure to check out the FW section here at http://www.disboards.com/forums/camping-at-disney-world.24/ lots of great people there as well to help you.

Here is a map of FW. Be aware that the Orange Bus route is incorrect on this map (it's an old map). It actually now takes a left on Peacock Pass then a right and another left back on to Fort Wilderness Trail. http://www.wdwinfo.com/maps/FWMap.pdf

If you think you will be spending more time and days at MK FW is nice and close which is a help.

We stayed at FW last Oct with our them 5yo DD and will be staying again this Nov. She loved it. Had a blast at the pool and wants to go on a Pony ride this time. We found no issues with the internal busses. We stayed in the 2800 loop and would walk to the Outpost when taking a bus to a park (reminder you need to take a boat to the MK).

Something to think about in your situation you might think about putting the 4 older kids in the bedroom maybe along with the 1yo in the pack in play and you guys use the pull down Murphy Bed in the living room. As I am sure the kids go to bed earlier then you guys it allows you to stay up later.

 

[HHMcG]

My family has stayed AoA but not in the Cabins (YET). I think the Cabins are good for a long stay so you can take advantage of all the extras that resort offers. Plus it is a better $$ deal.

However, hearing your description of how you and your kids like the disney theming I think AoA seems like a better fit.


Some other things to consider: What is your touring plan? Will you be headed back to the room for naps? (That dreaded Cabin transportation might make it harder.) Do you have lots of downtime planned or non-stop park time? (the extras at the Cabins would be fun and relaxing during that down time.)

 

[Tom P.]

Well, folks, I appreciate all the input, but this actually became a moot point this morning.

My wonderful wife checked Disney's site and found free dining available at AoA. She called our TA immediately, and the TA was able to get it! So we are now booked at AoA *and* with the free dining! Problem solved.

I do appreciate all the input everyone provided, though.

 

[sharadoc]

My family has stayed AoA but not in the Cabins (YET). I think the Cabins are good for a long stay so you can take advantage of all the extras that resort offers. Plus it is a better $$ deal.

However, hearing your description of how you and your kids like the disney theming I think AoA seems like a better fit.


Some other things to consider: What is your touring plan? Will you be headed back to the room for naps? (That dreaded Cabin transportation might make it harder.) Do you have lots of downtime planned or non-stop park time? (the extras at the Cabins would be fun and relaxing during that down time.)

PLEASE - it's not that bad. It takes longer to get around the larger mods walking than it does to get to the boat dock at Fort Wilderness on a bus. The bus replaces walking at the Fort, so you get further in the same amount of time (does that make sense?Lol)

I would love to time someone walking from AofA Little Mermaid room to the bus, wait for the bus to a park, then go to a park vs. Fort Wilderness bus to Outpost, wait for bus to a park, then go to a park. I bet it's similar, just feels different.

 

[sharadoc]

Well, folks, I appreciate all the input, but this actually became a moot point this morning.

My wonderful wife checked Disney's site and found free dining available at AoA. She called our TA immediately, and the TA was able to get it! So we are now booked at AoA *and* with the free dining! Problem solved.

I do appreciate all the input everyone provided, though.

Hi, just making sure you realize you're getting Quick Service dining plan at AofA vs. the regular Table Service at Fort Wilderness. So any character meals, buffets, or sit down restaurants will have to be out of pocket, or pay to upgrade your dining plan.

I think that's the worst thing about Free Dining is that the Family Suites cost more than a mod but get the Value Resort dining plan.