Best DVC Resort with an Infant

[Prince John Robin Hood]

The Poly would be great. The studios are spacious, and you can use the second bathroom for the pack n play. This way you get a quiet spot for the baby for naps while you relax in the rest of the room. The Poly us great because you can monorail to both Magic Kingdom and Epcot.

We did this years ago and it worked great. DS had the bed under the TV and DD had her pack n play in the 2nd washroom. Monorail resorts definitely make life easier with little ones.

 

[brazzledazzler]

Hi! I have an 8 month old and we’ve been going to WDW since he was 4 months. (We’ve been 4x for 2-3 night stays). My 2 cents:

- Save points/money and book a studio if you don’t plan to be in the room all day long and/or don’t mind chilling on the balcony during nap time. My son sleeps in our room currently, so having him (and our toddler) in our studio is no biggie. Balcony is great to relax on while kids sleep (unless at Poly & you can use the 2nd bathroom hack!)

- If you are planning a week long stay, and points are not an issue—splurge on the 1 bedroom. The convenience of a separate nap area might be desirable.

- For studios—We’ve stayed at SSR, BWV, BLT & Poly. Winner is…Poly for MK or BWV for Epcot. Both are convenient access to parks. BLT was close, but the splash pad was non-existent (unless you walk to Contemporary), didn’t have dining in the BLT building, and the room is very small. Poly is spacious, easy to get to with a stroller and quick to board boats and monorails to parks.

-Kitchenettes in studios work perfect for cleaning bottles, storing breast milk or formula,

MK is the best for wee ones, but babies honestly don’t care where you go or what you do. We can walk around Epcot and chill out or go on rides and our son is happy either way! So, stay in resorts YOU want. Once your kid is older, trust me, they will let you know what rides they want to go on & that may direct you to one park over the other.

Happy planning!

 

[brazzledazzler]

The Poly would be great. The studios are spacious, and you can use the second bathroom for the pack n play. This way you get a quiet spot for the baby for naps while you relax in the rest of the room. The Poly us great because you can monorail to both Magic Kingdom and Epcot.

We did this recently with our baby and it was genius! Pack n play fits great in the bathroom.

 

[suebeelin]

BLT one bed would be my choice with an infant- 2 bathrooms, washer/dryer, huge 1bd, full kitchen and easy walk to MK. Monorail a little bit of a walk (to contemporary) but you don’t have to break down your stroller.

If you have little ones, that’s the park you’ll probably go to most often. Breaking down a stroller constantly was the part of the trip that I disliked the most (while getting on/off bus).

I would have recommended BWV/BCV for Hollywood/Epcot if you have older grade school children…. Like I said, I hate breaking down strollers. Which park will you want to go to most often (and run back to your room easily)?

my vote would be a 1bd at BLT. Walking (not waiting behind crowds to get into public transportation with a baby) would be super important to me.

 

[Skywalker3]

Agree w the previous posters on staying in either a monorail resort, or Epcot resort. Either place would allow easier access to 2 parks, over folding/dealing w a baby/stroller on a bus. We are 1 bedroom people, so would vote for that, (full kitchen, washer/dryer,) probably BLT, since you can walk to MK. But if not wanting to rent that many points, the Poly studio would be my next choice, or 1 bedroom at BWV.

 

[GinnyBear's_mom]

I would choose a monorail resort since that gives you access to MK and EPCOT without folding the stroller, BLT being our top choice.

If you choose the Poly, make sure you get a good rain cover for your stroller and ponchos for yourselves, September has lots of daily, strong thunderstorms and unlike BLT and VGF there's no covered walkway to get from the bus or monorail to your room. That's the main reason DH doesn't want to stay at Poly ever again since we mainly vacation during the rainy season due to my job.

As others mentioned, folding/unfolding the stroller to get on/off a bus will probably become your least favorite part of the trip (we are finally free of strollers after 3 kids and 10+ trips to WDW) and no matter what stroller you bring for an infant you will probably come to hate it by the end of your trip. My biggest tip is not to store anything in your stroller because what goes into those pockets and storage areas will probably fall out when you are folding/unfolding the stroller at the bus stop. Also, a backpack does a much better job at storing all you need in the parks compared to a diaper bag and is easier to take/store on rides with you.

Whatever you decide, make the decision soon as there are already weeks in September that are booked up for various studio or 1 bedroom room categories at the DVC monorail resorts.

 

[Donna M]

....If you choose the Poly, make sure you get a good rain cover for your stroller and ponchos for yourselves, September has lots of daily, strong thunderstorms and unlike BLT and VGF there's no covered walkway to get from the bus or monorail to your room.....

No matter where you stay, make sure to have rain gear. I waterproofed the stroller and had a poncho that fit over it. I had strong clips to hold it in place when we went on rides. We saw many covers blown off with wet seats.

 

[AliceIn]

If you choose the Poly, make sure you get a good rain cover for your stroller and ponchos for yourselves, September has lots of daily, strong thunderstorms and unlike BLT and VGF there's no covered walkway to get from the bus or monorail to your room. That's the main reason DH doesn't want to stay at Poly ever again since we mainly vacation during the rainy season due to my job.

We found that you can go through the buildings at the Poly to get less wet! When the kids were smaller, though, we were usually already at the hotel when the midday rain came through.

 

[Brian Noble]

I'd definitely get a 1BR, and I'd be tempted to be at a quieter location than the Seven Seas area, instead choosing a place where the resort itself is more of a draw.

For us, the ability to put our kids in a different room behind a door that closes was nearly a necessity on vacation---the eldest in particular was a light sleeper and did not react well if her sleep was disturbed as an infant/toddler. I will also admit to feeling very resentful each time I had to sit quietly in a darkened hotel room hoping my kids would fall asleep. (I wasn't the most serene of fathers back then.) Finally, don't underestimate the value of the washer/dryer and kitchen with kids.

We also tended to spend less time on the go once the kids came along, preferring to shepherd everyone's energy rather than "do one more thing." So, having a peaceful place as a retreat is helpful, particularly with some integration with nature. Of the resorts I've visited so far (BLT, BCV, BWV, BRV, OKW, and SSR), the latter three (BRV, OWK, SSR) fit that aesthetic better. Of those three, BRV has an advantage that it is more compact, so easier to handle unexpected needs for food, etc. BLT could work too, especially with a lake view (those are *lovely*) but I think BLT/CR are a little bit "energetic" in vibe and are not as relaxing as the others.

Finally, I'd recommend renting a car, and using it to get back and forth to most places except maybe MK. Having a screaming kid makes the 15 minute wait for a bus seem much much longer than it is.

 

[GinnyBear's_mom]

We found that you can go through the buildings at the Poly to get less wet! When the kids were smaller, though, we were usually already at the hotel when the midday rain came through.

When we visited in August 2 years ago, it rained morning, noon and night for 3 days- we had to get full rain gear on just to fill up mugs or get something to eat. That's when DH said 'never again!' with young kids at the Poly. Same with staying at the Boardwalk - if it is raining and you need to get a mug refill or food you have to get everyone in their ponchos.

 

[Fauntleroy]

Haven’t traveled to WDW w/our 1 yr old yet (pandemic, etc.), but have always felt everything about BLT screams “easy button” when it comes to logistics- not only for you and your child- but also for any grandparents, aunts, etc. that may be along as well.

 

[EBQ9112]

So, it seems from what everyone has said there are both pros and cons to just about each and every resort, whether easy on off for monorail, walking in rain to get to food, extra bathroom vs extra room, washer & dryer vs not. Seems so many have suggested BLT and Poly due to proximity and ease of stroller use. My Wife wondered if anyone has had any experience with Saratoga or OKW in 1bd villa's. For some reason she seems drawn to that. I think she feels at this time we may want to drive to the parks instead for convenience for us. Anyone had any experience with either of these resorts and driving to the parks themselves vs Disney transportation.

 

[CarolynFH]

So, it seems from what everyone has said there are both pros and cons to just about each and every resort, whether easy on off for monorail, walking in rain to get to food, extra bathroom vs extra room, washer & dryer vs not. Seems so many have suggested BLT and Poly due to proximity and ease of stroller use. My Wife wondered if anyone has had any experience with Saratoga or OKW in 1bd villa's. For some reason she seems drawn to that. I think she feels at this time we may want to drive to the parks instead for convenience for us. Anyone had any experience with either of these resorts and driving to the parks themselves vs Disney transportation.

DH and I stayed at SSR in June and drove just about everywhere except to MK. The SSR villas just finished a lovely remodel last summer and are beautiful, and you can’t beat being able to park directly in front of your building, meaning no long walks from parking lot to your villa. Every building has elevators too, which is an advantage OKW doesn’t have, meaning if you’re not on the ground floor at OKW you’ll be hauling the stroller up a flight or two of steps. We were in Paddock (standard) building 45 and loved that location because the Carousel bus stop was right in front of our building and the Paddock pool was a short walk away. So for y’all I’d recommend SSR over OKW and I think that with an infant a 1 BR with laundry & kitchen would have great advantages over a studio.

 

[yesdnil]

Okay, after my first infant, I was VERY concerned about how much extra work it was to travel with a baby and wanted everything to be perfect. With my second kid now, I've gotten a lot more laissez-faire about the needs of babies, so take my advice (and all advice for that matter) with a grain of salt. What works for your family might not be what works for every family, so if going your own route feels right, it probably is right! But alas, you've asked for advice so here goes.

Resorts:
We've stayed non-DVC with a baby at Beach Club and Port Orleans French Quarter, and DVC at Copper Creek (2 bedroom, 1 bedroom, and cabin) and Animal Kingdom Kidani Village (2 bed). Taking our kids to Grand Californian (2 bed) in a couple weeks as well. They're all good. Disney has the same cribs and playpens available at all the resorts, and there's plenty of room for them in any of the resorts. If bed-sharing works better for your kiddo (it did with my first but definitely not my second), Disney has bed rails available at all resorts. Laundry in-room at a one or two bedroom is great, but if you're staying studio or non-DVC, the laundry rooms are great. Usually you can use an app or website that tells you when your machine is ready, and the rooms are open all night. Oh, and bring a white noise machine!! You'll probably already have one near your baby's sleep space at home, so just get a second for travel or pack that one, and plan to use it in the room.

Transportation:
Unless you're getting a seat for your infant on the airplane, it doesn't make a lot of sense to travel with a car seat. Public transportation like the boats and buses doesn't require car seats, and the Minnie vans have reliable car seats in good shape whenever you need a direct ride somewhere. In the parks, think about how you want to carry your baby around. I'm a huge fan of baby wearing and use a Tula soft buckle carrier on a daily basis, so that's how I carry my babies around the parks. If you would prefer to push your baby in a stroller, rent one from an outside vendor (they are all fine! Don't stress over the minute differences in ratings!) but keep in mind that a good amount of the time you will need to park the stroller and somehow carry your baby and all of your things. Disney is NOT the time to experiment with baby wearing for the first time unless you want a very sore back and a very grumpy baby. So if baby wearing is at all a part of your baby carrying plan, start long before you head to the parks and if possible, connect with a local baby wearing organization that can help you choose a carrier and show you how to properly secure your baby in it. Baby wearing also means you don't feel stuck when your baby falls asleep and you were about to get in line for a ride or onto the bus or wherever else you can't leave them in the stroller.

Feeding:
If you breastfeed, great, you can pop some milk in your baby anytime anywhere, like in line or even on a ride or during a show. If you bottle feed, you can also feed baby anytime, you'll just need to put a little more planning into traveling with milk supplies. If your baby is over 6 months and starting solids, I like to bring a "restaurant kit" in my baby bag with a sectioned feeding mat (like the EZPZ), a handful of baby spoons, and a long sleeved apron. Your baby can eat all they want for free from buffets until age 3 (very convenient), and other restaurants are fine with you sharing food from your own plate or you can order baby a side dish or ask for them to bring out something simple like rice or yogurt or sliced veggies or whatever (they often won't charge you for this)

Mobile babies:
Okay, one of the only tricky things about Disney with a baby between around 4 months and 18 months ish is that your baby is going to want floor time to scoot around and play without being held, but there are not many safe places to do this! Baby care centers kind of help with this but sometimes they can be packed, so also plan on stops for "down" time at relaxation areas, or my favorite tip, go to the lobby of any of the resorts. Baby crying at Epcot? Walk out the back and let your baby crawl around the Beach Club lobby, or just put them in the sand for a while. Etc. You'll be a pro at finding safe ground for your baby by the end of this first trip, but it'll probably be scary at first.

Overall:
In the entire realm of places you could take your baby, Disney World is one of the absolute easiest places to do so. Plan the trip YOU want and your baby will happily fit in to it. And if you forget something, it's Disney, not Mars. There's grocery stores, and Target, and Amazon prime, and concierge service at your resort. I know the urge to have everything figured out ahead of times is so strong (especially with a first baby), but you also don't know your own baby's temperament yet. So try to leave space for the unknown and trust that it's going to be easier than you think.

Sending you the best wishes on the birth of your little one!!

 

[yesdnil]

... driving to the parks themselves vs Disney transportation.

Don't do it.

Lol. You can if you want. We've done it. But it's a lot more of a hassle than you think, ESPECIALLY with all the baby stuff. In fact, we did it on our last trip and said never again.

The distance you have to walk between parking lots and the parks is a lot further than going from the skyliner or bus or whatever to the entrance, and in the case of Magic Kingdom you aren't even parking at the park, you're still taking transportation in.

And it's a lot of getting baby in and out of a car seat, versus holding them. There were a couple times where my family all drove back and I intentionally rode the bus with the baby who was just needing to be held and napping on my chest the whole bus ride, even if that meant it took me an extra 10-20 minutes to get back.

 

[RoseGold]

Any of the studios have plenty of room for two adults and a crib and stroller. I would go Poly, because you can put them in the second bathroom.

 

[Goofy-Runner]

In our experience we loved OKW when the kids were little. Much larger rooms and a quieter resort area. We always had a car, so drove to the parks so that we could quickly leave when they had enough and needed their nap. Hated trying to bring a stroller and gear onto a bus with a fussy baby. Not as convenient to the parks but we just adjusted our expectations of amount of time in the parks.

 

[lovethesun12]

Isn't VGF the only DVC resort with room service right now? With everything changing so much I'm not sure that's the case but that alone would be enough of a perk with an infant to keep my reservation.

I'd personally keep the studio booked and just eat at different restaurants so wouldn't have to worry about a dishwasher, lol. I found a studio more than enough space with an infant. You will still have access to a washer/dryer, you are on the monorail, you have room service. From personal experience, I would not want to mess with a reservation with DVC Rental Store. That said they seemed to have straightened out a lot of their issues since I rented pre-pandemic.

You did mention advice for travelling with an infant and I have to share that when I traveled with a younger baby (8 months) I found the baby care centers at the park to be really convenient. Well set up for changing/feeding etc.

 

[brazzledazzler]

Don't do it.

Lol. You can if you want. We've done it. But it's a lot more of a hassle than you think, ESPECIALLY with all the baby stuff. In fact, we did it on our last trip and said never again.

The distance you have to walk between parking lots and the parks is a lot further than going from the skyliner or bus or whatever to the entrance, and in the case of Magic Kingdom you aren't even parking at the park, you're still taking transportation in.

And it's a lot of getting baby in and out of a car seat, versus holding them. There were a couple times where my family all drove back and I intentionally rode the bus with the baby who was just needing to be held and napping on my chest the whole bus ride, even if that meant it took me an extra 10-20 minutes to get back.

I think waiting for a bus is the worst with young kids/baby, especially now that buses are running even slower due to staffing issues. We are up early with our kids (baby and toddler) and we just drive to any park that we can't take direct transit to (Skyliner, Boat, Monorail).

 

[brazzledazzler]

Okay, after my first infant, I was VERY concerned about how much extra work it was to travel with a baby and wanted everything to be perfect. With my second kid now, I've gotten a lot more laissez-faire about the needs of babies, so take my advice (and all advice for that matter) with a grain of salt. What works for your family might not be what works for every family, so if going your own route feels right, it probably is right! But alas, you've asked for advice so here goes.

Resorts:
We've stayed non-DVC with a baby at Beach Club and Port Orleans French Quarter, and DVC at Copper Creek (2 bedroom, 1 bedroom, and cabin) and Animal Kingdom Kidani Village (2 bed). Taking our kids to Grand Californian (2 bed) in a couple weeks as well. They're all good. Disney has the same cribs and playpens available at all the resorts, and there's plenty of room for them in any of the resorts. If bed-sharing works better for your kiddo (it did with my first but definitely not my second), Disney has bed rails available at all resorts. Laundry in-room at a one or two bedroom is great, but if you're staying studio or non-DVC, the laundry rooms are great. Usually you can use an app or website that tells you when your machine is ready, and the rooms are open all night. Oh, and bring a white noise machine!! You'll probably already have one near your baby's sleep space at home, so just get a second for travel or pack that one, and plan to use it in the room.

Transportation:
Unless you're getting a seat for your infant on the airplane, it doesn't make a lot of sense to travel with a car seat. Public transportation like the boats and buses doesn't require car seats, and the Minnie vans have reliable car seats in good shape whenever you need a direct ride somewhere. In the parks, think about how you want to carry your baby around. I'm a huge fan of baby wearing and use a Tula soft buckle carrier on a daily basis, so that's how I carry my babies around the parks. If you would prefer to push your baby in a stroller, rent one from an outside vendor (they are all fine! Don't stress over the minute differences in ratings!) but keep in mind that a good amount of the time you will need to park the stroller and somehow carry your baby and all of your things. Disney is NOT the time to experiment with baby wearing for the first time unless you want a very sore back and a very grumpy baby. So if baby wearing is at all a part of your baby carrying plan, start long before you head to the parks and if possible, connect with a local baby wearing organization that can help you choose a carrier and show you how to properly secure your baby in it. Baby wearing also means you don't feel stuck when your baby falls asleep and you were about to get in line for a ride or onto the bus or wherever else you can't leave them in the stroller.

Feeding:
If you breastfeed, great, you can pop some milk in your baby anytime anywhere, like in line or even on a ride or during a show. If you bottle feed, you can also feed baby anytime, you'll just need to put a little more planning into traveling with milk supplies. If your baby is over 6 months and starting solids, I like to bring a "restaurant kit" in my baby bag with a sectioned feeding mat (like the EZPZ), a handful of baby spoons, and a long sleeved apron. Your baby can eat all they want for free from buffets until age 3 (very convenient), and other restaurants are fine with you sharing food from your own plate or you can order baby a side dish or ask for them to bring out something simple like rice or yogurt or sliced veggies or whatever (they often won't charge you for this)

Mobile babies:
Okay, one of the only tricky things about Disney with a baby between around 4 months and 18 months ish is that your baby is going to want floor time to scoot around and play without being held, but there are not many safe places to do this! Baby care centers kind of help with this but sometimes they can be packed, so also plan on stops for "down" time at relaxation areas, or my favorite tip, go to the lobby of any of the resorts. Baby crying at Epcot? Walk out the back and let your baby crawl around the Beach Club lobby, or just put them in the sand for a while. Etc. You'll be a pro at finding safe ground for your baby by the end of this first trip, but it'll probably be scary at first.

Overall:
In the entire realm of places you could take your baby, Disney World is one of the absolute easiest places to do so. Plan the trip YOU want and your baby will happily fit in to it. And if you forget something, it's Disney, not Mars. There's grocery stores, and Target, and Amazon prime, and concierge service at your resort. I know the urge to have everything figured out ahead of times is so strong (especially with a first baby), but you also don't know your own baby's temperament yet. So try to leave space for the unknown and trust that it's going to be easier than you think.

Sending you the best wishes on the birth of your little one!!

All of this! Mom of 2 Disney babies (been going with DD since she was 6 months and DS since he was 4 months --they are now 3 and 8 months), and basically no matter where you stay you can figure it out with babies. Disney makes it super easy to travel with young ones.

I think with my second I definitely became more flexible, and I've breastfed on dark rides (Hello, Spaceship Earth!), baby carried for naptime and managed blowouts at restaurants (oh the stories!). You know you're baby and what they can and can't handle.

Enjoy the trip!