Need advice on where to stay?

[carrie-david]

Hi,
My family and I are traveling to Orlando the end of November. We have 2 boys ages 3 & 1. We have not been to WDW for a family vacation before and need some advice on where to stay. So, for all you veterans out there: Where would you recommend? We'd like to stay at one of the Disney Resorts. Our plans our to let the boys take a nap during the afternoon and then return to the parks later. Thanks so much!
Carrie

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

Hello Carrie and Welcome to the DIS!!

I have two boys ages 1 and 3!!! My favorite place to stay is Old Key West. It's GREAT!!! Actually, I would recommend any of the "home away from home" resorts. They are all perfect for families. The one and two bedroom villas have a full kitchen, dining table, jacuzzi, and laundry room, which really comes in handy with small children! They also provide a crib and high chair in your villa. Oh, and you can get bedrails too.

The deluxe resorts on the monorail are also great! You can load the kids up in the stroller and then just push them right onto the monorail. (no taking them on and off the bus, folding up the stroller,etc) We like the Grand Floridian a lot. All the deluxe resorts are very beautiful, but also the most expensive.

If a moderate resort is more in your price range I would recommend Caribbean Beach Resort. It was recently renovated and is my favorite moderate.

There are lots of choices. I guess it just depends on your budget and taste.

 

[jennymouse]

You really can't go wrong with any of the Disney Resorts. Even the All Star resorts are fun for children the ages yours are. Animal Kingdom Lodge would be fantastic for little or big animal lovers. Of course, with the ages of your children you'll probably be spending lots of time at Magic Kingdom....the Wilderness Lodge is only a boat ride away...it's theming is perfect for little boys too. You'll get many different answers here, it's best to research on your own then come here to ask any specific questions you may have. Good luck deciding!

Oh, and welcome to the DIS!

 

[Carrieberry]

Hi Carrie!

First I would decide which park you will probabaly spend the most time at. My kids are 4 and 6 now, but when they were 1 and 3, Magic Kingdom was the be all, end all! If you can afford to stay in a deluxe hotel, Wilderness Lodge would be the best choice for your young kids. It's not on the monorail, but it is very close to the MK.

Don't make the same mistake we did on our first trip, do your homework on the resorts, and coming here was the smartest thing to do! I didn't know about these boards back in 1998, but I found them soon after we got back. The only down side to the deluxe hotels is no food courts. They do have small cafe type places, but if you are going to be eating mainly counter service, and your going to need milk and stuff, you might opt for a moderate.

On our first trip with out 3 year old (I was five months pregnant with #2!) we stayed at the Poly in the concirege level building. The travel agent recommended Wilderness Lodge, but noooooooo, we had to stay at the Poly. Big mistake. It was way too far away from everything (at least a 20 MINUTE BUS RIDE!), and it had a long hike from the rooms to the Transportation center. The pool was boring, and the little cafe place was constantly mobbed, with lines going out the door. Not fun with a screaming two year old as I'm sure you can imagine!



Everyone here has opinions on the different resorts, and I have to agree, if you can stay at any the home away from home resorts those are ideal. We will be renting DVC points on our next trip, so we can have the microwave and mini fridge. You might want to look into doing this too. You can find more information on it over on the DVC board. If I had to recommened a moderate, our favorite is Port Orleans French Quarter. It is right in the middle of WDw property, it has a nice food court, a boat to Downtown Disney, and it is small, so it's never too far from a bus stop or the food court.

Of course my two boys think All Star Movies is awesome, so wherever you decide to stay, the other poster was right, you can't go wrong at any Disney resort.

The best advice I can give you is: Take you own double stroller if possible because you'll be surprised at how much you'll need a stroller away from the parks!!


Let us know what you decide!

 

[MickeyMonstersMom]

For a great description of each resort, including cost, try www.wdwig.com and check out the resort section. It has photos and maps too!

For a detailed analysis of the pros and cons of each resort, buy the Unofficial Guide. It's also a fantastic resource on nearly all aspects of WDW, including rides, dining, transportation, and touring tips.

And of course, keep checking back here! Often other people will ask questions that I hadn't even considered, and are a great help.

Lori