If you were going with a 4yo and 22-month old twins...

[lemondog]

Would you get 2 rooms at a value (or moderate if we can get a code), or 1 room at the Contemporary?

There are pros and cons to both. With the value there are 2 rooms, so they can nap in one room while we hang out in the other. Plus, from what I understand they will guarantee connecting rooms with kids that young.

However, with the Contemporary we are RIGHT THERE at the MK, which will be our main park. Plus monorail access to Epcot and a boat to Ft. Wilderness to spend a day hanging there. It would be a bit more expensive (we would get a garden-view wing room) but it's a nicer hotel and much closer to our "base park" so I can live with the difference. However, we'll all be in 1 room, and that will include 2 pak n plays.

Some other things to know:
-My parents will be staying at Ft. Wilderness in their RV, and the CR is closer to that.
-We're going in January, during value season
-Concerned about possible refurb at the CR during this time. Has anyone heard any news on this?

Any thoughts? TIA!

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

I'd go with the CR. Plenty of room for two pack n plays.... or you could do one child in a pack n play and the other one on the daybed with a bedrail. Then you and your dh in one queen and your 4 year old in the other queen with two bedrails. That would allow for more floor space.

Good Luck!

 

[Keith]

Are you taking your stroller(s) to the parks and taking the bus?
It is a pain to take the stroller on the bus. Folding it up and carrying it on, and also waking the child up if he's sleeping. The monorail is much more convenient for this. We took a stroller when we stayed at CBR, and I was glad when our stroller broke the 2nd day there. After that, we rented one and didn't have to take it on the bus.

 

[Aimeedyan]

No doubt, Contemporary. I have no children yet, but after staying at a value and moderate, I told my husband recently that the first time we take a preschooler to Disney, we will stay at a monorail hotel without a doubt. Lugging things on and off the value and moderate buses are enough to drive us crazy, with no kids, I can't imagine with kids.

If it's an option, that's what I would do. =)

 

[lemondog]

Oops, forgot to mention we will be driving and will be taking our own car to the parks. Unless, of course, we stay at the CR, then we'll use the monorail for MK and Epcot.

Thanks! Please keep the advice coming. I have never been to WDW with kids and want to make this as painless as possible!

 

[Jennyvelaz]

IMO...
Rent points from a DVC member and stay in the 1BR at the BCV or BWV! It is a boat ride to MGM, a stroll to Epcot , and your major park, MK is a comfortable car ride away! We did stay at the POLY with our two yr old twins and the monorail was a plus, but keeping them calm, cooperative, and patient for the trains can be a different excursion! If you have your own car you can park it and use it on your busy MK days. The pool at BCV is phenomenal for your aged kids. The twins would love the sandy pool!
The 1BR kas a kitchen so you would save on food for the week and separate rooms for napping!
Bring your double stroller (umbrellas are easier) and rent a third single for your other daughter at the parks if needed.
There is a rent/trade board if you need rental information. Someone could need to get rid of points or lose them so you may make out in the end!
Don't hesitate to ask! They'll have a great time!

 

[justhat]

I would go with 1 room at CR too. Much more convenient with the kids, plus you won't have to drive to all the parks (which can get to be a pain, strapping 3 kids into carseats, loading the stroller, bags, etc.). You'll also have the boat to Ft. Wilderness (or WL, not sure if it goes to both) which would be easy for visiting your parents or spending the day there.

 

[riopooh]

I would definitely stay in the Magic Kingdom area. We just got back from a visit with two 4 yo's and although they enjoyed Epcot - They LOVED the Magic Kingdom. We stayed at the Wilderness Lodge Villas and I would second whoever suggested renting DVC points -only I would suggest the Villas at Wilderness Lodge for their proximitity to the MK and Ft Wilderness. We broke up everyday with a snack/lunch in the villa, a swim and then dinner and then out again - so much more relaxing than trying to get the 2 4yos and the 6 yo to eat/behave in the resturants - cheaper and healthier too!!!

 

[Keith]

You'll also have the boat to Ft. Wilderness (or WL, not sure if it goes to both) which would be easy for visiting your parents or spending the day there.

The boat from CR goes to WL and FW.

 

[the kabuki]

We just went through this same thing. Three kids 11,7,3 plus me and DH. The choice was between 2 connecting at POP or 1 at AKL. Ended up with connecting at POP. Have to say it was really nice having the extra space, bathroom. But our kids are a older than yours. If mine were that little and didn't need the extra space, I would go with Contemporary , only because as they get older you more than likely won't do connecting rooms at CR due to the cost and will probably end up doing 2 rooms at POP like we did.

 

[blessedby3]

I would go with the CR-no question about it!! We stayed there last time and our kids were older and we felt is was just sooooo convenient. Our favorite park is the MK and it was great to be a monorail ride away. With such young kids and strollers it would be very easy for you since you can just roll them onto the monorail without having to fold the srtollers up and put in a car or bus. I would even take our 2 older kids for a monorail ride when my DH was trying to get our youngest to sleep in the room. They loved just riding around and we got to ride in the front a few times because there were never too many people waiting in the CR at night. The CR also has a great game room for older kids and we would do that a lot also. I loved the CR and we were spoiled by staying there. Now I dont want to stay anywhere else!

 

[TJA]

Another strong vote for CR. We have some experience staying at Disney with twins -- we took our DD's when they were 7 months old (stayed at AKL), 13 months old (stayed at CR), and 18 months old (stayed at Poly).

As far as CR goes, it was our favorite trip with the twins so far. We stayed in a north wing room facing bay lake and loved it. Even with 2 pack'n plays and a double stroller, there was still plenty of space to move around in our room. Will your 4 year old be taking naps there? If not, what works for us is that our twins tend to take cat naps right in our stroller, so we don't normally go back to our room for naps. We would not leave home without our double stroller because the twins are extremely comfortable in it, it has snack trays for them, lots of storage for us underneath, etc. Plus, by staying at CR, we didn't have to fold up the stroller, etc., when going to MK or Epcot. We'd also plan our MGM time on the same day as Epcot so that we could boat over to MGM from Epcot. The only time we ever had to fold up our stroller for a bus was to go to AK.

Also, another benefit to choosing CR is that you can walk back and forth to MK. It only takes about 10 minutes. We found ourselves walking over to MK at night just to watch Wishes. No lines, no people -- just a quick walk to MK and back. Very easy!

Another benefit of staying at CR is the restaurants. I haven't known a child yet who doesn't enjoy Chef Mickey's. How convenient it is staying right in the same resort. We didn't make PS's (went during regular season) for Chef Mickey's -- we'd just walk over from our room whenever we felt like it and we'd have a 20-30 minute wait tops. So we'd browse the shops, etc., while we waited.

The last I heard re the construction at CR was that it should be finished by early summer 2005. I don't know if that time frame has changed at all. Anyone?

Let us know what you decide!

 

[poohluvrs]

Were going next fall w/ our 2 1/2 year old TWINS!!! Booking at a resort on the monorail was a no brainer for us, I want ease and luxury on my vacay, I would go w/ the CR if I were you!!!

 

[KristiKelly]

Another vote for renting DVC points & getting a 1 Bedroom villa. For 1 week in a 1 bedroom at Beach Club Villas (awesome pool) or Villas at Wildenrness Lodge (closest to MK but not on monorail) in January would cost around $2000.00 (200 DVC points). This might seem like more than you were planning on spending but keep in mind that you will have a full kitchen. Eating some meals in, esp. breakfast, can be a big money & time saver. You would also have a washer & dryer, I know how much laundry 1 toddler, much less 2, can go through. We can pack less having a W&D.

Or you could look into the cabins at Fort Wilderness, you'd be close to your parents that way too. This past January, there were codes out for AP holders for a cabin the price was $144/ night. There's no guarantee that this will be offered next year but I have seen the cabin codes very reasonable in the past. These sleep 6 I believe and have a full kitchen.

You can see pics of the cabins & DVC accomodations at www.allearsnet.com

 

[Loops]

Hmmmm....tough decision. We went to Disney in 2003 with our then 1 year old twin boys and 4 year old daughter. We stayed at Port Orleans. It was hard w/ gettting on the bus with the double stroller and 3 kids. We often came across some nice people that gave us a hand with the stroller.

We are going to Disney next month with our now 2 1/2 year old twins and 6 year old daughter. We are staying at Port Orleans again and haven't decided on the stroller issue yet.

The Contemporary sounds good because of the monorail the rooms are bigger too so space might not be that big of an issue....and you probably won't be spending all that much time in the room anyway.

 

[SB in KY]

Have you thought about the cabins at Ft Wilderness?? Since the grandparents will be there already it might be very convienent for you...that way you would have a kitchen and a place to put the little ones down to nap/sleep while you all still had a place to visit, etc.

The CR would definately be the most convienent location, and the rooms are big enough for 2 pack and plays....but being closer to the grandparents might be really nice as would the kitchen and extra space. You can park right by your door at Ft Wilderness which is a decided plus with little ones. You would want to drive to all of the parks except maybe the MK (nice boat service from Ft Wilderness) and it is such a nice environment for the kids...plenty of room to run and play etc. You might even request when you make the reservation to be near an RV loop so they can put you close to your parents.

Cost wise I think it would be about the same as a wing room at the CR, but you could probably save some by keeping breakfast and sandwich stuff in the cabin for quick meals when you did not want to eat out. (and think how nice it would be for the little darlings to have some quality time with Grandma while you and spouse had some quality time at the parks!!)

 

[A4Disney]

Would you get 2 rooms at a value (or moderate if we can get a code), or 1 room at the Contemporary?

There are pros and cons to both. With the value there are 2 rooms, so they can nap in one room while we hang out in the other. Plus, from what I understand they will guarantee connecting rooms with kids that young.

However, with the Contemporary we are RIGHT THERE at the MK, which will be our main park. Plus monorail access to Epcot and a boat to Ft. Wilderness to spend a day hanging there. It would be a bit more expensive (we would get a garden-view wing room) but it's a nicer hotel and much closer to our "base park" so I can live with the difference. However, we'll all be in 1 room, and that will include 2 pak n plays.

Some other things to know:
-My parents will be staying at Ft. Wilderness in their RV, and the CR is closer to that.
-We're going in January, during value season
-Concerned about possible refurb at the CR during this time. Has anyone heard any news on this?

Any thoughts? TIA!

One room at the Contemporay without a doubt!!!

 

[LibertyLover]

Having just taken a 2 year old to WDW in January, I would definately go for the CR. We split our stay between AKL and Poly and if I had it to do over again, I'd have just stayed at the Poly. Being on the monorail was so convenient. We spent a lot of time at the MK and hopping on the monorail to get DD2 back to the room whenever she needed to rest, play, eat, etc, or we did, was great.

 

[monorailsilver]

I vote for the CR too. You can ask for a bottom floor room to this way you can sit outside & one of you can take your 4yo swimming/game room while the other 2 nap.

 

[COKOMommy]

Definitely the CR! Before we bought into DVC, we stayed at the CR when my oldest was about to turn four and my youngest was 15 months -- had a FANTASTIC experience. They loved the monorail, and we got MK views so we got to see the fireworks at night, plus the water parade.