Dates Set - Planning Next Trip - Need Opinions!!!

[scanne]

Well, we have decided to go from July 28th to August 6th, 2005. TEN DAYS!

We will be celebrating our daughter's 1st birthday and mine and DH's 5 year anniversary!!! I want to stay at a deluxe. We will have 2 small children (a one year old and an-almost-three-year-old), my paretns, my 83 year old grandmother and my aunt. We are getting 3 rooms (although I'd love a Grand Villa)! What resort do you recommend? Right now I have the Contemporary listed in my signture, but I am not 100% sold on it. I just need a resort with rooms large enough for two kids to run around and not be cramped (which leaves out WL for me because I think those rooms are really small). So i'd love your thoughts and opinions. Oh, and the other deluxe that's out is the Grand Floridian. I'd love to stay there again, but DH isn't too fond of it.

THANKS!

 

[4greatboys]

Even if you dont get a Grand Villa why not a 2 bdrm at one of the DVC resorts? I really like having the kitchen. We dont really cook so to speak but we do heat up things in the microwave and I love having the fridge handy. Since there are 7 of us we buy atleast 2 gallons of milk and water to freeze for the parks.
We will be staying 5 nights at the Contemporary Resort in Dec but Im looking forward to it. The rooms are big and I do like its on the monorail line.

 

[zipDdoodah]

I would suggest Poly. We did a lot of walking around the resort on our trip last week and really want to stay there in the future. The pool is awesome (although there's no hot tub), and from what I've read the rooms are quite a bit larger than at WL. We were very cramped at WL. It was DH, myself, DS 6, DS 4, and DD 2. Next time we will definitely opt for larger accomodations. Another huge perk to the Poly is that it is on the monorail loop too! I think Contemporary would be fun, but if you're not sold on it then choose a resort that you really think you will enjoy. Good luck!

 

[Leota]

If you're going to spend most of your time at MK - I'd go stick with the Contemporary. That seems the most handy with 2 very small children. Plus, I've heard the rooms are quite spacious - I assume with a 1 & 3 year old, you travel with alot of "equipment"!

The other place that's nice with little ones, is Fort Wilderness Cabins (just to make things more confusing) The transportation isn't as convienent as CR, but you can't beat the room, privacy & price. We stayed there our first 3 trips when my DS was a little tyke - It was nice to be able to put him to sleep in the bedroom & have a seperate room for DH & I to relax & watch some TV & talk.
Also, the kitchen is handy for bottles, baby food etc... snacks - COFFEE. There are also several activities on the resort grouonds that are geared toward the littlest ones.
One more thing that is nice about the cabins - FW seems so quiet & removed from the bustle - Nice if your little guys get over-stimulated at the Parks. It was always a very welcome break in the day for us.

 

[MELSMICE]

If you want full service then stick with the CR or even a FW cabin as someone else suggested.

Also, someone else mentioned a 2BR DVC unit. I would seriously look into this. Check over on the Rent/Trade Board. Average cost to rent is $10/point. It's a great option. OKW has the largest units & there would be more than enough room for your 2 DD's to roam around!!!

If your parents or grandmother just want to hang at the room one day these units are as big as a condo - with a nice size porch. The 2nd & 3rd floor wing rooms at the CR do not have a balcony/patio. Also, you can't beat having the full kitchen plus washer & dryer - especially being there for 10 days & 2 children. You'll save both time & money with the laundry facilities alone, not to mention that kitchen!

Good luck deciding.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

We have three little kids and love GF. All the activities for the kids, (Wonderland Tea Party, Pirate Cruise and Grand Adventures in cooking) are there. The pools are great and my kids love watching the fireworks at the Marina while enjoying ice cream from Gasparilla's. Everytime that we were there a family of ducks would be walking by the marina and they loved that too. The rooms are great and the whole atmosphere is relaxing after the hustle and bustle of the parks.

 

[yecats]

Plenty of great ideas stated above. I would have to tell you to look into renting points for DVC stay at either OKW (Grand Villa) or 2bd at WLV. Renting points for week day stays (from DVC owners) aren't bad but the points double for weekend stays so it may be worth your while to pay for weekend nights in cash instead of buying points (this way you can also apply discounts to the cash weekend nights when the discounts come out). This plan will take a bit of working but plenty of people do this. If you decide to do this, I would suggest staying at VWL as your closer to MK where your kids will want to spend a lot of time. OKW is a wonderful place but not as convenient as VWL but either way at least you'll have a condo type unit with more room for everyone to spread out a bit.

As for a hotel stay, then Poly or Cont. would also work great for your family. Everyone may want their own room anyway so your parents may be in one room and your aunt and grandmother in another (no toes being stepped on) with great access by monorail to two parks which means it is easier for everyone to get back to the hotel to take naps.

Ft Wilderness is a good option but you would need to rent 2 cabins as there is only a full bed and two bunk beds for kids in the main bedroom and pull down murphy bed in the living room.

Lastly, you may not want to rule out a stay at WL. Rooms with discount codes can be cheaper than various rooms needed at Poly or Contemp. You can get a room with bed and bunks for your family and kids and then you would only need the pnp for your 1 year old. Your extended family can then have their own rooms as well (codes usually for standard room are around $120-$130). This way you wouldn't have 4 adults in any room and no waiting around for the bathroom. Then again, you may want to check into pricing to rent a Jr. Suite for your parents, aunt and grandmother (cost split between the 4 may be reasonable) and that would put them all in one larger room with a bit of room to spread out.

At least you have time to plan, its part of the fun.