Best resort for 1 year old?

[DisneyWisher]

Disney will provide it and I do suggest Clorox wipes so you can clean it. DD29 took her own but we live in FL and went up in 2 cars so it wasn't a problem. My other DD27 just had baby in December and we are going in Sept, she will get Emma used to it prior to going. Especially since the "mattress" part is so thin. Good Luck!!

 

[cheerforchelsea]

We stayed at CS with a 18 month old over Thanksgiving. It really worked out well. Transportation was no problem and the dressing/sink area had the sliding doors instead of a curtain. We were able to put her down for a nap or at night and close the doors so she was not disturbed while the rest of the family was in the other part of the room. Of course we opened the doors after she was sleeping for good ventilation. I just can't make myself pay the price for a deluxe resort for every trip....and I like to go to WDW a lot!

 

[davedmaine]

So my family is planning a WDW trip for early next year when my daughter will be 1 - 1 1/2. What resort do you think would be best for a 1 year old? I think considerations would be ease of transportation to resorts and maybe some play structure or other outdoor area she could play at. I think POLY and GF are out of our budget but beside those which do you think would be best? We could also possibly do a split stay between two resorts.

Honestly, she's one. Any of them will be fine. She'll have a good time anywhere and won't remember anything anyway. Don't over think it..

 

[RapunzelsGoodMom]

I've taken my son once already and we are going again in a few weeks and he is just about that age. The first time we did BLT for the walk back and forth since he'd be napping during the day. DD3 LOVED the monorail and closeness.....he probably would have been thrilled anywhere (they're so fun and love everything at that age) but really it was for my comfort that we stayed there. DD thinks the bus/monorail are great so everything would have been fine and DS1 is great so long as he naps.

Stay where YOU want to stay that makes you feel better. DS1 would probably have just fallen asleep on the bus but we were going in low season so I could afford a better room, closer to MK where we were spending our time. But really, it's all about you at this phase....enjoy it while that lasts!

 

[ready2vacation]

Honestly, she's one. Any of them will be fine. She'll have a good time anywhere and won't remember anything anyway. Don't over think it..

As a mom of a 16 month old, I suspect she is concerned as much for her own ease and comfort as the baby's

 

[FireflyTrance]

Yeah, right now she will sleep in her stroller, but I don't know if that will continue, and if not we will have to go back to the resort for a nap in the middle of the day

As a mom of a 16 month old, I suspect she is concerned as much for her own ease and comfort as the baby's

 

[jenjersnap]

Pick the resort that appeals to you (and that includes transportation considerations that will make your life easier) . There will be something there to interest the toddler.

I will give my personal opinion, but feel free to disregard. . Unless renting a car, I wouldn't stay at one of the far bus only resorts like AKL, AOA or Pop unless I had no other option. They are wiggly at that age and I would be afraid, personally, of having to stand on a bus with my little one in my arms. YC/BC has a wonderful sand-bottomed kids area. My then-toddler camped there with a bucket and shovel for hours. You would have to bus it to MK and AK, but it is centrally located. I like WL very much too and, if you are spending most of your time at MK, it is great. The main pool isn't zero entry which is unfortunate. BLT's studios can likely be rented in your budget but I have heard they are very small. Also, be aware that renting points from a DVC owner is a non refundable transaction. This is why we haven't rented yet - making the commitment at least 7 months out is scary. Still, if those things are ok with you then BLT's location is absolutely ideal.

 

[Collette]

If you would like to stay at AKL, I would stay there. Like WL, in case you have a rainy day, the lobbies at both places are beautiful to hang out in and to let your daughter wander around with you.

 

[staceyeid]

Hello!!

We stayed at AKL last Sept when DD was 1 and 1/2. We loved the resort and the theming and stayed club level so the free snacks throughout the day were great. The only downside was the room size. We had a basic 2 queen bed room. There was very little room for DD to play and she mostly played on the balcony where we were in constant fear of her tossing a toy to the animals We had a rental car so transportation wasn't an issue. The splash park at Kidani (the vacation club side of the resort which is open to all Animal Kingdom Lodge guests) was a huge hit and we spent all day there. She loved it since at that age splashing and running is more fun than swimming/wading.

The second part of our stay was at the Treehouse Villas at Saratoga Springs and wow the space difference was amazing. My parents were also there and it was so nice to have a separate living area to hang out in while she slept. But again the resort is far from everything except Downtown Disney but with a rental car it was fine.

We're renting points and getting a 2 bedroom at Wilderness this September. The price savings is amazing (about half off the standard rate) but there are a few downsides (prepayment in full, cancellation/reschedule not guaranteed) but for us the savings outweighed the risks. We paid $9/pt. some sites charge as much as $13/pt so do your research. Lots of threads over in the Disney Vacation Club (DVC) section of the forums.

And like most we assumed DD would have no lasting memories of the trip. 6 months later and she still talks about it. She says '"Dumbo, push button, up!!" So while she may not remember it when she's 20, I think the trip itself provided so many new experiences and interactions that have honestly helped to shape who she is becoming. She started talking up a storm during and immediately after the trip and hasn't stopped since.

We spent the majority of our time at MK which is why we chose Wilderness. Her favorite things were Small World, the Dreams Come True show in front of the castle, the parades, first haircut at barber shop (ok that was more for me but at $18 and free mouse ears it's such a bargain!), Pirates and of course the Kidani splash park. Epcot was fun for adults but not a ton of stuff for DD. She enjoyed the safari at Animal Kingdom (we did the sunrise savannah which is for AKL guest only, can't remember if club level was required) and she liked some of the shows at Hollywood Studios. This time we're planning 3 MK days, 1 AK and 1 Epcot. Not sure if we'll do Hollywood Studios. Although Doc McStuffins is there so we might have to. If only Dora was Disney...

If you have any questions just let me know. You are going to have so much fun and DD will be just fine whatever resort you choose. Oh and I recommend getting Photo Pass so you can get tons of family pictures. We pre ordered and it was $119 for a DVD with an unlimited amount of your photo pass pictures. Worth every penny for the pictures we got.

 

[MistressMerryweather]

Thank you for the suggestion We have a pack and play but DD has yet to actually sleep in it. Can you rent a pack and play from Disney or do you have to bring it yourself? Although it is sort of portable it is still a big item to have to bring along.

We always bring our own. If we didn't, I'd definitely invest in one of these.
I'm not sure why Disney doesn't provide them anyway and clean them with the sheets.

I found that the Values were very baby friendly. We stayed at AOA, last trip with our 1.5yo and it was great because of the "water pad" with sprinkles and the zero entry pool was great for her. She loved the bright colors and loved to touch and point at everything.

 

[FireflyTrance]

Thanks for the suggestion! I think I will get one of those. I was asking my cousin who has a baby and many Hotels (not just Disney) provide pack and plays, so it would be a good investment for this and future trips.

We always bring our own. If we didn't, I'd definitely invest in one of these.
I'm not sure why Disney doesn't provide them anyway and clean them with the sheets.

I found that the Values were very baby friendly. We stayed at AOA, last trip with our 1.5yo and it was great because of the "water pad" with sprinkles and the zero entry pool was great for her. She loved the bright colors and loved to touch and point at everything.

 

[FireflyTrance]

Thank you for taking the time to write all this out! Personally I want to stay at AKL, I just have concerns with DD needing to nap and being far away from the resort. Possibly we will do a split stay though, since it seems like there is a lot to do at AKL without even leaving the resort. A friend stayed there with younger children and they LOVED the water area. AK is also my favorite park, but I think MK will have the most to interest DD.

Hello!!

We stayed at AKL last Sept when DD was 1 and 1/2. We loved the resort and the theming and stayed club level so the free snacks throughout the day were great. The only downside was the room size. We had a basic 2 queen bed room. There was very little room for DD to play and she mostly played on the balcony where we were in constant fear of her tossing a toy to the animals We had a rental car so transportation wasn't an issue. The splash park at Kidani (the vacation club side of the resort which is open to all Animal Kingdom Lodge guests) was a huge hit and we spent all day there. She loved it since at that age splashing and running is more fun than swimming/wading.

The second part of our stay was at the Treehouse Villas at Saratoga Springs and wow the space difference was amazing. My parents were also there and it was so nice to have a separate living area to hang out in while she slept. But again the resort is far from everything except Downtown Disney but with a rental car it was fine.

We're renting points and getting a 2 bedroom at Wilderness this September. The price savings is amazing (about half off the standard rate) but there are a few downsides (prepayment in full, cancellation/reschedule not guaranteed) but for us the savings outweighed the risks. We paid $9/pt. some sites charge as much as $13/pt so do your research. Lots of threads over in the Disney Vacation Club (DVC) section of the forums.

And like most we assumed DD would have no lasting memories of the trip. 6 months later and she still talks about it. She says '"Dumbo, push button, up!!" So while she may not remember it when she's 20, I think the trip itself provided so many new experiences and interactions that have honestly helped to shape who she is becoming. She started talking up a storm during and immediately after the trip and hasn't stopped since.

We spent the majority of our time at MK which is why we chose Wilderness. Her favorite things were Small World, the Dreams Come True show in front of the castle, the parades, first haircut at barber shop (ok that was more for me but at $18 and free mouse ears it's such a bargain!), Pirates and of course the Kidani splash park. Epcot was fun for adults but not a ton of stuff for DD. She enjoyed the safari at Animal Kingdom (we did the sunrise savannah which is for AKL guest only, can't remember if club level was required) and she liked some of the shows at Hollywood Studios. This time we're planning 3 MK days, 1 AK and 1 Epcot. Not sure if we'll do Hollywood Studios. Although Doc McStuffins is there so we might have to. If only Dora was Disney...

If you have any questions just let me know. You are going to have so much fun and DD will be just fine whatever resort you choose. Oh and I recommend getting Photo Pass so you can get tons of family pictures. We pre ordered and it was $119 for a DVD with an unlimited amount of your photo pass pictures. Worth every penny for the pictures we got.