Need Resort Recommendations for a Father Son Trip

[Maukey]

Hello my fellow Disney fans, it's been a long time. So a little background. Growing up I was a yearly Disney guest. My father owned a timeshare and I grew up going to Disney every summer. This continued all the way through college and I continued it once I gained a family of my own. In 2009 I took my family on our dream Disney vacation. My son was 2 and my daughter was 10. My wife and I surprised them. My daughter had no idea where we were going until we pulled up to the famous Walt Disney World Where Dreams Come True sign. We stayed at the Polynesian in a MK View Room. That was our best trip ever to Disney, and unfortunately our last. Life took us away from Disney. Fast forward to today, and my son, who's now 16, wants to do a father son trip to Disney. I am so excited as it's been over 10 years since I've been after going yearly. This leads me back to these boards I use to frequent quite often.

I'm looking for resort recommendations from those of you who have more recent experience than I do. We're looking at going this summer in June or July. We will be driving down so we will have a car. As I stated, this will be a father son trip. I'm 43 and my son is 16, both of us in good health and mobile. We are both introverts that are very chill and love to relax. We aren't heavy pool people so having the best pool is not a big deal for us. We will spend a great deal of time at the resort though so things to do around the resort would be a plus. Price is no object, but if possible, would love recommendations in each class (value, moderate, and deluxe). We still aren't sure how much time we're going to spend at the park, so I would like options in all the classes so we can choose our resort accordingly.

Thanks in advance for all your help contributing to my most exciting time of a Disney trip, the planning!

 

[happily single]

Value: Pop Century is my favorite. I do not like any of the All Stars
Moderate: Port Orleans followed by CSR.
Deluxe: Yacht Club; Poly. I did not care for either AKL or SSR

 

[DL1WDW2]

Contemporary Deluxe because Monorail going thru the middle is pretty freakin awesome or Poly just because it was your family .
Love Contemporary to walk to MK and more important at the end of the night when huge long lines for the monorail , ferry back to TTC or boat transport or bus back to resort…You can just walk back to your room!
Plus no matter what the weather , staying on monorail gives you 3 different resorts, lobbies, and all those restaurants . You’re not stuck in a room cause bad weather. And I guarantee you will look out one side of the resort for the sunrise and the other side for sunsets! Be sure to go to the outdoor balcony on the gift shop level to watch the monorail close up plus firework view… And do not miss the nightly Electrical Water Pageant Parade ! It travels from Grand Floridian to Poly to Fort and then Contemporary every night !
I also love Riviera but you can check out the SkyLiner without staying at the Riviera
And if you stay at POP, I always ask for the PoP Preferred Pool View location when I make my reservation … I love all the families having fun and this is the best location for that plus POP has SkyLiner and a bridge that connects to the Art of Animation to walk around and check it out too!
So fun and I am so excited for your trip planning .
Is this for this summer ? Get busy making your reservations !

What about Universal ?

 

[matt and beth]

BWV hands down. At his age you can truck (walk) to HS or Epcot which is perfect. Hit every single rope drop and have the time of your lives. If price is no object it starts and end here. Maybe a Swan or Dolphin as a back up

 

[Maukey]

Contemporary Deluxe because Monorail going thru the middle is pretty freakin awesome or Poly just because it was your family .
Love Contemporary to walk to MK and more important at the end of the night when huge long lines for the monorail , ferry back to TTC or boat transport or bus back to resort…You can just walk back to your room!
Plus no matter what the weather , staying on monorail gives you 3 different resorts, lobbies, and all those restaurants . You’re not stuck in a room cause bad weather. And I guarantee you will look out one side of the resort for the sunrise and the other side for sunsets! Be sure to go to the outdoor balcony on the gift shop level to watch the monorail close up plus firework view… And do not miss the nightly Electrical Water Pageant Parade ! It travels from Grand Floridian to Poly to Fort and then Contemporary every night !
I also love Riviera but you can check out the SkyLiner without staying at the Riviera
And if you stay at POP, I always ask for the PoP Preferred Pool View location when I make my reservation … I love all the families having fun and this is the best location for that plus POP has SkyLiner and a bridge that connects to the Art of Animation to walk around and check it out too! So fun and I am so excited for your trip planning .
Is this for this summer ? Get busy making your reservations !

What about Universal ?

Thanks so much for the info. Yes it's for this summer. I know it's last minute, a big no no for a Disney trip. My son and I just kind of had a why not now moment which lead to the decision to do this trip. We've actually gone to Universal a few times since the last time we've gone to Disney. My plan for this trip is Disney, Disney, Disney.

 

[john7994]

Hello my fellow Disney fans, it's been a long time. So a little background. Growing up I was a yearly Disney guest. My father owned a timeshare and I grew up going to Disney every summer. This continued all the way through college and I continued it once I gained a family of my own. In 2009 I took my family on our dream Disney vacation. My son was 2 and my daughter was 10. My wife and I surprised them. My daughter had no idea where we were going until we pulled up to the famous Walt Disney World Where Dreams Come True sign. We stayed at the Polynesian in a MK View Room. That was our best trip ever to Disney, and unfortunately our last. Life took us away from Disney. Fast forward to today, and my son, who's now 16, wants to do a father son trip to Disney. I am so excited as it's been over 10 years since I've been after going yearly. This leads me back to these boards I use to frequent quite often.

I'm looking for resort recommendations from those of you who have more recent experience than I do. We're looking at going this summer in June or July. We will be driving down so we will have a car. As I stated, this will be a father son trip. I'm 43 and my son is 16, both of us in good health and mobile. We are both introverts that are very chill and love to relax. We aren't heavy pool people so having the best pool is not a big deal for us. We will spend a great deal of time at the resort though so things to do around the resort would be a plus. Price is no object, but if possible, would love recommendations in each class (value, moderate, and deluxe). We still aren't sure how much time we're going to spend at the park, so I would like options in all the classes so we can choose our resort accordingly.

Thanks in advance for all your help contributing to my most exciting time of a Disney trip, the planning!

I guess there are a lot of options ...
- If you were into golf, I would suggest SSR and an easy walk to Disney Springs
- If you are into being around a lot of walking accessible resorts and want to explore, I like the idea of BC, YC, BW, Dolphin/Swan area, plus you would have easy access to boating/fishing activities and the Skyliner near Epcot's IG
- If into the nature / animal vibe then AKL

 

[DL1WDW2]

The last time we stayed at the Contemporary, we booked a pontoon .
At first it was OMG we are going to be our own Captain of this pontoon … but it was about as easy as driving a car . No problem parking it back at the dock ! it was hourly rate . That would be a fun surprise memory of a lifetime .
We figured out how to use Bluetooth to connect to the speakers onboard the pontoon and kinda blasted the Yo Ho Yo Ho A Pirates life for me ! We had so much fun and my grandkids (14&16 ) want to do this again next trip!
Yes I am a fun grandma thanks to Disney ! And Universal Studios!

And do not forget to book Sci Fi at HS . First & only request from my grandkids guaranteed every trip for dining ! It is not easy to book . As soon as you are within 60 days you can book thru My Disney Experience with or without hotel reservation !

 

[loves to dive]

This is tough to answer because there are so many variables. For deluxe we prefer the epcot resorts. By 16 I'm not sure how much time most boys are going to want to spend in MK which means the monorail resorts don't hold as much interest. Being able to walk to both epcot and HS are a huge plus for us. The type of tickets would also matter some. Single park or hoppers. How long is the trip. Heck, a split stay might even work.

For moderate Coronado springs is our favorite. Again close to epcot and HS, lots of food options.

For value to be honest we usually book one of the all stars since the sky liner is not something we enjoy and your only option for epcot and HS. Summer months mean thunder storms. Thunder storms mean the sky liner gets shut down with no advance warning.

For a split stay I'd throw in a few nights at AKL. Great resort with lots of animal viewing opportunities, we just find for us a few nights is all we need there.

Swan and dolphin are also options for Epcot resorts. Not owned by Disney but right in the middle of the walkway to Epcot or HS. Not in your face Disney but nice resorts.

 

[gottalovepluto]

So excited for you two!

Value: Pop Preferred Room (*it’s the only Value I’ve stayed at so take this with a huge grain of salt lol) due to Skyliner DHS/EP access. Yes, it goes down when it storms. But when it’s not down it’s far superior to a bus. Preferred will keep you close to the action.

Mod: CSR GDT. That’s the Gran Destino Tower at CSR. Rooms are spacious and beautiful and the tower is beautiful. It was the last hotel all the NBA players stayed at when quarantined during Covid so even Disney knows the rooms are nicer than their deluxes Food is a covered walk away and Barcelona Lounge has espresso drinks in the morning.

Deluxe: tough! I’m going to hedge my bets and say EP area instead of a specific hotel. With a kid of 16 DHS is definitely on your list and EP ought to be as well. The boat access is sooo nice. Normally I would say also consider Swolphin to save some dough but if you can get a deal at BC,YC or BWI and you have that extra spending money staying in the Disney bubble is more convenient (magic band charging, MK bus drop) and a shorter walk if the boat is down due to storms. The rooms at all three are very different (make sure to look up remodeled rooms for BWI as Disney isn’t featuring them on the website yet, so you could look at pics to decide what’s more your jam).

After a decade hiatus this is going to be a great trip for you no matter where you stay!

 

[gottalovepluto]

BWV hands down. At his age you can truck (walk) to HS or Epcot which is perfect. Hit every single rope drop and have the time of your lives. If price is no object it starts and end here. Maybe a Swan or Dolphin as a back up

Isn’t BWV going into refurb this summer as the hotel wraps its refurb?

 

[Maukey]

This is tough to answer because there are so many variables. For deluxe we prefer the epcot resorts. By 16 I'm not sure how much time most boys are going to want to spend in MK which means the monorail resorts don't hold as much interest. Being able to walk to both epcot and HS are a huge plus for us. The type of tickets would also matter some. Single park or hoppers. How long is the trip. Heck, a split stay might even work.

For moderate Coronado springs is our favorite. Again close to epcot and HS, lots of food options.

For value to be honest we usually book one of the all stars since the sky liner is not something we enjoy and your only option for epcot and HS. Summer months mean thunder storms. Thunder storms mean the sky liner gets shut down with no advance warning.

For a split stay I'd throw in a few nights at AKL. Great resort with lots of animal viewing opportunities, we just find for us a few nights is all we need there.

Swan and dolphin are also options for Epcot resorts. Not owned by Disney but right in the middle of the walkway to Epcot or HS. Not in your face Disney but nice resorts.

Thanks for the info. I forgot to mention the length of stay. We will be staying 6 days/5 nights. Something like a Monday to a Saturday. This will be kind of a warm up trip before we go with my wife and granddaughter in the next couple years. Me and my son will get us back into the swing of Disney so that when we have the 3 yr old granddaughter and wife, we'll be familiar. At least that's one of the excuses I'm giving myself to go ahead and book a trip

 

[gottalovepluto]

Thanks so much for the info. Yes it's for this summer. I know it's last minute, a big no no for a Disney trip. My son and I just kind of had a why not now moment which lead to the decision to do this trip. We've actually gone to Universal a few times since the last time we've gone to Disney. My plan for this trip is Disney, Disney, Disney.

These days as long as you’re 60 days out from the start of your trip you’re fine since that’s what they moved the dining window too.

 

[Maukey]

So excited for you two!

Value: Pop Preferred Room (*it’s the only Value I’ve stayed at so take this with a huge grain of salt lol) due to Skyliner DHS/EP access. Yes, it goes down when it storms. But when it’s not down it’s far superior to a bus. Preferred will keep you close to the action.

Mod: CSR GDT. That’s the Gran Destino Tower at CSR. Rooms are spacious and the beautiful and the tower is beautiful. It was the last hotel all the NBA players stayed at when quarantined during Covid so even Disney knows the rooms are nicer than their deluxes Food is a covered walk away and Barcelona Lounge has espresso drinks in the morning.

Deluxe: tough! I’m going to hedge my bets and say EP area instead of a specific hotel. With a kid of 16 DHS is definitely on your list and EP ought to be as well. The boat access is sooo nice. Normally I would say also consider Swolphin to save some dough but if you can get a deal at BC,YC or BWI and you have that extra spending money staying in the Disney bubble is more convenient (magic band charging, MK bus drop) and a shorter walk if the boat is down due to storms. The rooms at all three are very different (make sure to look up remodeled rooms for BWI as Disney isn’t featuring them on the website yet, so you could look at pics to decide what’s more your jam).

After a decade hiatus this is going to be a great trip for you no matter where you stay!

Thank you so much. Your post is one of the prime examples of why I love and have missed these boards. The positivity, energy, and excitement is unmatched. If I was having a down day, I would come on these boards and just look at posts even if I wasn't in Disney planning mode. Just love it. Thanks again.

 

[Maukey]

These days as long as you’re 60 days out from the start of your trip you’re fine since that’s what they moved the dining window too.

Good to know. Thanks

 

[nyy]

I am so happy for you!

Since your son was only 2 the last time he visited, this will feel like the first time for him!

Personally, I would avoid the Poly because you already have awesome memories there and you don't want to compare them to this trip; this trip is new and different! But the rooms were redone - Moana-themed, if you wanted to stay there.
(Also, the Poly has a big construction area for the new DVC building right now.)

For deluxe, maybe decide by area, first. For example, MK with or without monorail or EPCOT Crescent Lake area.
Our personal MK favorite is WL.
We think the Contemporary Tower is loud and crowded with strollers. Monorail resorts also get a ton of guests visiting that aren't staying there. We prefer the WL because it is peaceful, smaller, (esp. now with more DVC) and a short trip to MK by boat or bus. The pool is just right and Geyser Point is wonderful. The fireworks view rooms are worth it if you plan on being back at the resort by then! Rooms were all just redone!
Grand Floridian just redid rooms and they added a walkway to MK. I think the walkway is temporarily closed and there are some effects of the Poly construction, so you may want to look into those specifics.
Our personal Crescent Lake favorite is BWI.
We dislike the always-crowded Stormalong Bay at BC/YC, but love all the restaurants, entertainment, and shopping in the Crescent Lake area. You can a request high-floor room with a fireworks view and enjoy the show on your balcony. We love the International Gateway to EPCOT, even though it is much more crowded now because of the Skyliner, it is still much better than the main gate crowds. They redid the pool theme, so no more scary clown. The BWI is currently getting rooms redone, (renovated rooms look fantastic!) so check on that schedule.

Most of the Value resorts have been redone since you have visited. They are smartly designed with things like murphy beds, pocket doors, better storage, and charging outlets. We stayed at Values when the kids were little, but when our kids were older we liked the amenities at Deluxe resorts better. We do miss the food court option, though, as everyone could get what they wanted.

I also think transportation is a big factor. For example, the Skyliner is the primary option at Pop, Art of Animation, Riviera. (I tried it, and it was not for me!) Otherwise, it is mostly busses at those resorts.
We also plan on using Uber/Lyft several times during our trip to save time and/or to get dropped off at a different spot than Disney transportation. For example, when staying at YC or BW, we took ride share to the front EPCOT gate when riding Guardians etc. We Uber/Lyft to DS Marketplace area (near Rainforest Cafe) because busses drop off farther down. (I know people might find that weird, but it saves so much time and saves us from walking as much in the heat of summer.)

Disney Springs has changed a ton! If you stay at Port Orleans Riverside or French Quarter, you can take the boat there.

Last time you were there, you likely had to deal with a stroller, a big bag of stuff for the kids, balloons, etc.
Now, you can travel light and transportation, security, and park hopping should be a breeze! That will feel different to you for sure! You also might not need a nap time, but we still prefer to have down time at the resort, daily. If you stay Deluxe, they also have Extended Evening Hours (usually Mondays at EPCOT and Wednesdays at MK, I think).

Use YouTube to check out new resort rooms! No matter where you stay you will have a great time with your son!

Happy planning!

 

[trishadono]

Hello my fellow Disney fans, it's been a long time. So a little background. Growing up I was a yearly Disney guest. My father owned a timeshare and I grew up going to Disney every summer. This continued all the way through college and I continued it once I gained a family of my own. In 2009 I took my family on our dream Disney vacation. My son was 2 and my daughter was 10. My wife and I surprised them. My daughter had no idea where we were going until we pulled up to the famous Walt Disney World Where Dreams Come True sign. We stayed at the Polynesian in a MK View Room. That was our best trip ever to Disney, and unfortunately our last. Life took us away from Disney. Fast forward to today, and my son, who's now 16, wants to do a father son trip to Disney. I am so excited as it's been over 10 years since I've been after going yearly. This leads me back to these boards I use to frequent quite often.

I'm looking for resort recommendations from those of you who have more recent experience than I do. We're looking at going this summer in June or July. We will be driving down so we will have a car. As I stated, this will be a father son trip. I'm 43 and my son is 16, both of us in good health and mobile. We are both introverts that are very chill and love to relax. We aren't heavy pool people so having the best pool is not a big deal for us. We will spend a great deal of time at the resort though so things to do around the resort would be a plus. Price is no object, but if possible, would love recommendations in each class (value, moderate, and deluxe). We still aren't sure how much time we're going to spend at the park, so I would like options in all the classes so we can choose our resort accordingly.

Thanks in advance for all your help contributing to my most exciting time of a Disney trip, the planning!

My son 25 would rank
Value: Pop Century
Moderate:Coronado Springs
Deluxe:Wilderness Lodge, Contemporary, Polynesian in that order.

Pop because he liked the years section, he loved seeing Pac-Man etc. Also having a bridge to AoA now is a nice thing for exploring.

He likes CSR with all the different sections. He enjoyed walking around and loved the large random rocks in the landscape.

WL has a steam in the lobby that heads outside and to the pool! There are fireplaces and rock cases in the lobby/hallways.

 

[Best Aunt]

I think you need to ponder your touring style.

Will you have park hopper passes? Will you be going to a theme park in the morning, going back to the room to rest, and then going to a theme park in the late afternoon or evening? If yes, the Epcot Resort area is great (Yacht Club, Beach Club, BoardWalk, Swan, Dolphin, Swan Reserve). It's easy to walk from one hotel to the other for food options and exploring, and it's a short walk to Epcot, and a longer walk or boat ride to DHS. For this kind of day, Wilderness Lodge is not good - once you are back at the hotel, it's not fast and easy to get to other hotels for food options, and it's not fast and easy to get to any park other than MK.

If you will just go to a theme park until you're tired, and then go back to the hotel: Contemporary or Grand Floridian would work (but I'm still a big fan of the Epcot resort area). These will let you take the monorail to other hotels for food options and exploring. You've been to Poly, so try something new.

If your kid loves animals: Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Someone else will have to pipe in about moderates and values.

Also: I think you need to go on the Disneyworld website to see what the discounts are for the time you will be there. That might make a big difference for you.

 

[JM_97]

If you're introverts, avoid the Values. I'd go with Coronado Springs or Wilderness Lodge.

 

[EllieJedi]

I would agree with the recommendations you’ve already been given about the Deluxes and Values. Check on the news around construction news for the Poly, GF and Boardwalk areas if looking at any of those.

You mention that you are both introverts, plan to spend a lot of time at the resort and would like a lot of things to do around the resort and will have a car. Your son in 16. Your description screams Fort Wilderness cabin to me. When my boys were around that age, they loved to stay in the cabins at Fort Wilderness. Fort Wilderness is not for everyone, but there is plenty to do there. Campfires, horseback riding, archery, etc. Get a golf cart. You will know if it’s right for you or not.

 

[Maukey]

I am so happy for you!

Since your son was only 2 the last time he visited, this will feel like the first time for him!

Personally, I would avoid the Poly because you already have awesome memories there and you don't want to compare them to this trip; this trip is new and different! But the rooms were redone - Moana-themed, if you wanted to stay there.
(Also, the Poly has a big construction area for the new DVC building right now.)

For deluxe, maybe decide by area, first. For example, MK with or without monorail or EPCOT Crescent Lake area.
Our personal MK favorite is WL.
We think the Contemporary Tower is loud and crowded with strollers. Monorail resorts also get a ton of guests visiting that aren't staying there. We prefer the WL because it is peaceful, smaller, (esp. now with more DVC) and a short trip to MK by boat or bus. The pool is just right and Geyser Point is wonderful. The fireworks view rooms are worth it if you plan on being back at the resort by then! Rooms were all just redone!
Grand Floridian just redid rooms and they added a walkway to MK. I think the walkway is temporarily closed and there are some effects of the Poly construction, so you may want to look into those specifics.
Our personal Crescent Lake favorite is BWI.
We dislike the always-crowded Stormalong Bay at BC/YC, but love all the restaurants, entertainment, and shopping in the Crescent Lake area. You can a request high-floor room with a fireworks view and enjoy the show on your balcony. We love the International Gateway to EPCOT, even though it is much more crowded now because of the Skyliner, it is still much better than the main gate crowds. They redid the pool theme, so no more scary clown. The BWI is currently getting rooms redone, (renovated rooms look fantastic!) so check on that schedule.

Most of the Value resorts have been redone since you have visited. They are smartly designed with things like murphy beds, pocket doors, better storage, and charging outlets. We stayed at Values when the kids were little, but when our kids were older we liked the amenities at Deluxe resorts better. We do miss the food court option, though, as everyone could get what they wanted.

I also think transportation is a big factor. For example, the Skyliner is the primary option at Pop, Art of Animation, Riviera. (I tried it, and it was not for me!) Otherwise, it is mostly busses at those resorts.
We also plan on using Uber/Lyft several times during our trip to save time and/or to get dropped off at a different spot than Disney transportation. For example, when staying at YC or BW, we took ride share to the front EPCOT gate when riding Guardians etc. We Uber/Lyft to DS Marketplace area (near Rainforest Cafe) because busses drop off farther down. (I know people might find that weird, but it saves so much time and saves us from walking as much in the heat of summer.)

Disney Springs has changed a ton! If you stay at Port Orleans Riverside or French Quarter, you can take the boat there.

Last time you were there, you likely had to deal with a stroller, a big bag of stuff for the kids, balloons, etc.
Now, you can travel light and transportation, security, and park hopping should be a breeze! That will feel different to you for sure! You also might not need a nap time, but we still prefer to have down time at the resort, daily. If you stay Deluxe, they also have Extended Evening Hours (usually Mondays at EPCOT and Wednesdays at MK, I think).

Use YouTube to check out new resort rooms! No matter where you stay you will have a great time with your son!

Happy planning!

Thanks so much for the detailed write up. This is good info

I think you need to ponder your touring style.

Will you have park hopper passes? Will you be going to a theme park in the morning, going back to the room to rest, and then going to a theme park in the late afternoon or evening? If yes, the Epcot Resort area is great (Yacht Club, Beach Club, BoardWalk, Swan, Dolphin, Swan Reserve). It's easy to walk from one hotel to the other for food options and exploring, and it's a short walk to Epcot, and a longer walk or boat ride to DHS. For this kind of day, Wilderness Lodge is not good - once you are back at the hotel, it's not fast and easy to get to other hotels for food options, and it's not fast and easy to get to any park other than MK.

If you will just go to a theme park until you're tired, and then go back to the hotel: Contemporary or Grand Floridian would work (but I'm still a big fan of the Epcot resort area). These will let you take the monorail to other hotels for food options and exploring. You've been to Poly, so try something new.

If your kid loves animals: Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Someone else will have to pipe in about moderates and values.

Also: I think you need to go on the Disneyworld website to see what the discounts are for the time you will be there. That might make a big difference for you.

Our plan is no park hopper. We will arrive on a Monday, do the 4 major parks on Tue, Wed, Thu, and Fri, and then leave on Saturday. How long we spend at each park will depend on how fast we get to the major attractions that interests us in each park. My thinking is that since we'll be bringing a 3 or 4 year old the next time we visit, our focus will be the thrill rides first. We'll most likely save any rides/attractions that we can do with the granddaughter for the next trip. This should allow us to get to most if not all thrill rides this trip so that we're not stressed the next trip if by chance we can't catch them all.