How great is CR for families with little kids???

[SleepingUgly]

Our top two choices -- AKL or CR

AKL is great for animals and relaxing atmosphere and the fact that it's new. However, the transportation issue has me worried.

CR is great for convenience (can walk to MK) and for being on the monorail (easy access to Epcot and other monorail resorts). We can get the kids back to our rooms quickly for a nap if they get cranky. But is the resort that "kid friendly"?

BTW, we have two little girls -- ages 5 and 2. The 2-year-old will turn 3 during our trip. They both love animals and trains, and will pretty much be happy staying wherever and doing whatever. We've never been to WDW before, and people keep telling me that we should stay as close to MK as possible, due to our kids' ages. What does that mean, exactly? Do families with smaller kids just find that they spend more time at MK, despite all of Mom's hard work and planning, heh.

Any thoughts? (I asked this question on another board, albeit worded differently, so sorry if this looks familiar to you!)

Linda

 

[JessetheCowgirl]

If you plan on bringing your own stroller and spending lots of time at MK, then I vote for the Contemporary. (or the Poly---which we just returned from and love).

Dealing with the bus and stroller for EVERY outing (which you would at the AKL) is just not worth it for me. Although I do love the AKL.

My kids loved watching the monorail coming and going in the lobby of the CR.

 

[beattyfamily]

CR is one of my most favorite Disney resorts! I've stayed there 3 times now out of 7 trips and will stay there again this November/December for my 40th birthday!

Yes, it's very kid-friendly. It has many pros. Only con I can possibly think of is most of the newer resorts have a nicer pool but that's it.

CR is really, IMHO, the heart and central place of Disney and the magicl. It was Walt's baby after all.

The views are amazing. It's SO convenient to MK and to many great restaurants like Chef Mickey's, to the GF's 1900 Park Fare, to the Poly's Ohana's and to Epcot.

The walk from MK to CR is only 5 to 10 minutes! It's great when the park closes so you can avoid the crowds on the monorail and buses.

I cannot stress how convenient it was on our trip this past August when it was SO hot. We went back and forth from the CR to MK then back for a swim or a change of clothes or to eat and then back to MK again and you are there SO fast. Faster than any other resort and with kids, it's great!

Most people spend most of their time at MK with little ones for two reasons; it's a very large park and cannot be done in one or even two days and because it is MOST kids favorite park.

 

[nygrl]

you cant beat the convience of the cr when you have little ones!

 

[DissyLove]

I love the CR-and if you and your family plan to spend most of your disney vacation at the MK and Epcot, then you can't beat a monorail hotel. So nice for naps, snacks, etc. You are there in minutes.

If you are spread out at all parks, I'd say go to the AKL or another.

I think the CR is kid friendly-it's disney!!! It is all pretty kid friendly to me! Either way, enjoy!!!

 

[SleepingUgly]

OK, we are there for eight days, and I had planned 2 days at MK, one at AKL, one at MGM, one at Epcot, one to Sea World, one to Cape Canaveral, and one "just to relax" day. We will also have park hopper tix, and I was thinking that most afternoons/evenings, we would return to Epcot, since it would be less crowded and we could take nice walks in the World Showcase. However, if most kids gravitate towards MK, we may want to return there more often, so I am curious as to how much little kids really enjoy MK? I mean, how many rides on Dumbo could a person take???

Linda

 

[DissyLove]

I am telling you little kids LOVE the MK!!! There are many more rides for them there than in any other place-In fantasyland alone, there is tons to do (besides dumbo, don't miss Mickey's philharmagic, Snow White, Peter Pan, Pooh's Adventures, and It's A Small World)

Then of course tomorrowland (Buzz, Astro Orbiter....etc...) Tons and my kids often want to do many rides over and over. I personally would plan on 2 days for the MK with little ones, but you will know what works best for your family.

Also don't forget the nightime activites at the MK like Wishes and at Epcot.

Have a nice time!

 

[beattyfamily]

OK, we are there for eight days, and I had planned 2 days at MK, one at AKL, one at MGM, one at Epcot, one to Sea World, one to Cape Canaveral, and one "just to relax" day. We will also have park hopper tix, and I was thinking that most afternoons/evenings, we would return to Epcot, since it would be less crowded and we could take nice walks in the World Showcase. However, if most kids gravitate towards MK, we may want to return there more often, so I am curious as to how much little kids really enjoy MK? I mean, how many rides on Dumbo could a person take???

Linda

Two days is good but are you planning all day at each park? That might be tiring. See that's what's so great about CR. You could head to MK early and then take a break and head back again in the afternoon.

We probably schedule at least 2 MK days (but leave maybe around 3 or 4) and then head back for another half day...my girls have to end our Disney trip there!).

There are many rides for little ones at MK, more than any other park. There's all of Fantasyland, Toontown, Buzz and Astro orbitor and Tomorrowland Transit Authority and there's the Tiki room, Jungle cruise, POTC, Alladin's Carpet ride, Country Bear Jamboree, and not to mention all the rides the 5 year old can do like Splash Mountain, Thunder Mountain, and possibly even Space Mountain.

MK takes a long to do if you want to do everything the little ones would enjoy!

 

[nygrl]

OK, we are there for eight days, and I had planned 2 days at MK, one at AKL, one at MGM, one at Epcot, one to Sea World, one to Cape Canaveral, and one "just to relax" day. We will also have park hopper tix, and I was thinking that most afternoons/evenings, we would return to Epcot, since it would be less crowded and we could take nice walks in the World Showcase. However, if most kids gravitate towards MK, we may want to return there more often, so I am curious as to how much little kids really enjoy MK? I mean, how many rides on Dumbo could a person take???

Linda

you havent said when you are going. just keep in mind that at a busy time of year you will have long wait times in line for rides so that will take up alot of your 2 days. you might want to go early one morning or later at night for just a few hours to beat the crowds and staying at the cr is so convient for comming and going to mk. just so you know the busses to mgm and ak are also great from the cr.

 

[TJA]

Another vote for CR. Somebody above touched on the stroller/bus/monorail subject, but I'd just like to add that we stayed at AKL with our double stroller and it was a royal pain unloading it and folding it up for each bus ride to and from a park. At CR, you can just roll your stroller right on and off the monoail. It really makes for a much more relaxing trip.

I also always have a plan before going to WDW as far as how many days at each park (we've recently taken our twins 3x to WDW -- at 7 mos. old, 13 mos. old, and 18 mos. old). I can tell you from experience that we rarely, if ever, stick to our plan once we get there. So many things just "come up," such as the kids want to go "here" rather than "there," etc. Maybe one wants to nap right during a planned time to see a show. Or it could even be raining one morning to change our plans a bit. Things happen. So we always seem to end up splitting our days up and hopping all over the place! This is where a monorail resort comes in handy. We stayed at CR when our kids were 13 mos. old. We ended up walking over to MK countless times. Sometimes it would be 8:00 at night and we'd just decide to take the short walk to MK and watch Wishes and have a snack. It was a fantastic time and very convenient staying at CR. Not to mention Chef Mickey's is a lot of fun for the kids!

I noticed you mentioned spending time at World Showcase at Epcot. While you are there, take note of the "International Gateway" which leads to a boat that you can take to MGM. It's a nice alternative to taking a bus and you can see the Epcot resorts. It's a very beautiful area over there.

 

[mlg32]

We took our first trip to WDW last August and our DD were 5 & 3. We stayed at the AKL which was the most beautiful resort we just loved it there--the pool was fabulous. BUT----we stayed for 7 nights and planned to do all parks but ended up spending most of our time at MK because the girls loved it there! We rode the rides in Fantasyland over and over we saw wishes probably 4 times. We did however leave the parks everyday around 1 or so and went back to the resort because it was so hot and the girls were exhausted by then, This time we are going in May and staying at the Poly to be closer the MK. By the end of our last trip our 3yr old hated the bus. It was a 20 minute trip and just to long when you do it several times a day. I would say definetly go the CR route for convenience to MK, Epcot and all of the great "Kid" restaurants.