First Timer, Where to Stay?

[tcycmc]

I have decided to stay on Disney property for the first time. I am wondering what would be that best place to stay for this trip. My husband and I are traveling with our two children ages 4 & 2. It took some time convincing my husband due to the cost and lack of amenities that some of the offsites offer.
Which resort do you think is best for a first-timer.

Is there access to microwaves at the hotels other than the home away from home? To prepare quick breakfast/ snacks

How expensive are the meals onsite?

Which resort has the best transportation, and water activities?

 

[scrap-n-mom]

You should stay at the Beach or Yacht Club. It has the best pool of them all, it is a close walk to Epcot, boat ride to MGM, and the bus transportation is great. Our kids were 9,7,2 the first time we stayed at the Yacht club. They loved it! Food can add up, but we found that we usually only eat 2 meals, with a snack. You can bring easy breakfast items for the room, and eat a late lunch or early dinner out. You should definitely try Cape May for either breakfast or dinner. It is buffet style, which is great for kids.

 

[Disney Doll]

I would second the Yacht Club/Beach Club nomination. It's beautifully located, has a great pool, has a character breakfast right on site. You certainly have the ability to do breakfast in the room. My DSIL did this with her kids when they were smaller. She had a cooler with milk & juice, had a box of cereal and some doughnuts...good to go!!! They changed the ice in the cooler a couple of times a day,and it worked fine.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

With your children being so young my first vote would be for GF or Poly since they're on the monorail to MK. Little ones seem to spend a lot of time in the MK (I know mine did and they were 5, 4 and 2). Of course they are pretty expensive, if you're interested in the moderate I would vote for POR, and with little kids you can't go wrong with All Star Movies or Pop Century. As long as you stay onsite you'll feel the Disney Magic. You can rent a refrigerator for $10 a day, or if you 're driving bring a cooler. We always bring snacks for the kids. I agree that we usually only eat two regular meals (usually breakfast and dinner) and something light for lunch. If you can bring lots of water and juice since they're expensive in the park. Don't forget the refillable mugs - they're one of the best deals at Disney.

 

[LuvTigger]

While I love the deluxes, it sounds like cost is a consideration. If so, I think any of the All Stars or POP would be great for the kids. Even as an adult, I enjoyed staying at the AS Resorts. They have huge pools, and have fun themes for the kids.

If you can afford it though, I would at least go for a moderate because the size of the rooms are larger, and things are just a little less hectic at the mods than the values. I also like POR, and POFQ has a fun pool too. Also, you can rent a boat from either of the two and go down the river all the way to Downtown Disney. BF and I did that once, and we've also rented boats from Wilderness Lodge a couple of times too.

As far as meals go, while there are expensive restaurants, there are also some good deals to be had. At the value resorts, I actually thought their food courts were pretty good. Once I even ordered a kids size and it was plenty for me! Also, if you have a car, consider driving out to Crossroads just outside DD. A friend and I stayed at ASSp and ordered the pizza delivery. It was HUGE!!! We only ate half the pizza! And the cost was pretty good, it was a meal that included salads and drinks.

Good luck in your planning!

 

[las3888]

You didn't mention your budget, but to maybe avoid some sticker shock you might try sticking with a moderate or AS...We like PO-R, but you will get a different opinion all over the boards as to which one is one's favorite. The meals are expensive at Disney - just like in the parks. Most resorts offer some type of food court or fast food type restaurant where it's sort of cafeteria-style where you can just grab a box of cereal and milk in the AM or make your own toast etc. It isn't cheap, but it isn't sit-down expensive either. I THINK you can request a microwave at Disney resorts, but don't quote me on that - they may charge you a daily fee. You could always bring down a box or 2 of breakfast bars or granola bars for a quick breakfast in the AM to help save some $.


That being said, if you can afford it, it is nice to stay at a monorail resort with your small kids. Kids love the monorail and it is easy to get in and out of MK that way. The EPCOT resorts are also spectacular and the Boardwalk offers alot of entertainment, plus walking access to MGM and EPCOT.

One option would be to check from dreams unlimited to see if they have any Swan/Dolphin discounts. If you are a govt worker or teacher the cost may be as low as $139 or so. I think it can be as low as $149 at various times of the year for the general public. We love both S/D and again you can't beat the location. They are top notch resorts and some feel they don't have a Disney feel, but we think they absolutely do.

Keep us posted on your decision!

 

[KevinFSU]

Quite honestly, this is a useless question. You will probably get a post on most or every resort at Disney, and that certainly doesn't help you at all. Your best bet is to go on the Disney web site and look at each resort you might be interested in. I would also try and find photos of each resort (lots of pictures out there) and see which one appeals to you. I know someone on this board as a Coronado Springs website with a lot of pictures. I think the AllEars website has a bunch of photos too.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Kevin, very true! I've gotten laughs before when people ask for suggestions and every single hotel is then suggested.

Maybe if the poster gives more guidelines she would get some advice that is more tailored to her situation.

tcycmc, do you have a budget? How long are you staying? Do you want a basic room with no frills, monorail access, etc, etc. The monorail resorts offer wonderful transportation to the MK and Epcot, but that comes at a price. With young children you will probably be spending a lot of time at the MK. Don't overlook Wilderness Lodge since it has a boat to quickly get to the MK and is not as pricy as the monorail resorts.

Good luck! Keep in mind there is not one perfect place since there is such a variety of resorts and everyone has their favorite(s).

We stayed at the Poly our first couple of visits, which has great transportation, but is not cheap.

T&B

 

[wannabee princess]

Definitely need to know what kind of $$ you are thinking about spending. Comparing budget to deluxe is like comparing apples to oranges.

If you want the advantages to staying onsite, but funds don't allow for the higher end, you would be fine to stay at the All Stars. The Movies has a great theme for little ones - large dalmations, etc. You will have a lot of families similar to yours - wanting to be onsite, but not wanting to break the bank.

If however, your funds allow for moderate, I think POFQ is a good choice. It is smaller and less spread out and the pool theming is nice. It is the first stop on the PO bus route, so you should get a seat with the little ones on your way to the park. The added benefit of the boat ride to DD is nice! You can also go over to Riverside to use the restaurant and pool there.

If you want to go deluxe, the monorail resorts or WL are a great advantage to those who want easy access to MK. Theming would be the deciding factor here. You have the access to more water activities easily if you are on the lagoon.

Meals can be expensive, however you should also be able to share meals, because portions are large. You will spend more for a "fast food" meal than you do at say McDonalds, but you can split a meal since it is larger. I have never done so, but I do know that people take coolers (if driving) pack them with half gallon of milk, juice and have cereal. mini muffin packets or granola bars for bfast a day or two. We like to have one big meal a day - either early lunch or early dinner usually. None of us are big bfast eaters though. Occasionally we plan a late breakfast - closer to lunchtime, and then eat a hot dog (Casey's at MK is very good) later.