The best hotel to stay at with preschoolers and using disney transport?

[Tink04]

Trying to weigh some options of the best hotel to stay at with a 4 & 3 year old, we would be using disney transport and would like to come back to our hotel in the afternoon. We would be going in 2022.

 

[JenBush]

At that age I would guess Magic Kingdom will be your top park so I would go with one of the resorts on the monorail loop there (Contemporary, Poly, or Grand Floridian). If not one of those resorts, I’d pick Pop Century. The bright colors and big decorations at pop are very kid friendly and skyliner access to HS and Epcot will make afternoon breaks easier .

 

[Wendysofftoneverland]

Anything with boat transportation or a Skyliner resort is a great option, so you don't have to fold the stroller(s) (unless you are using a side-by-side double). My 4 year old loves the value resorts like Pop Century and Art of Animation for the theming. Our whole family loves Fort Wilderness, so a cabin could be a nice option. Peaceful atmosphere is good for both adults and overstimulated toddlers/preschoolers, it is easy to take the boat back from the Magic Kingdom at nap time, and there is a lot to do at the resort. My 2 year old loved seeing the horses at the barn. Also, it's nice to have your own self-contained unit (we have not yet stayed in a cabin there, but have camped there). There is quite a bit of walking involved though, unless you get a golf cart (and we only had an umbrella stroller on the golf cart with us). The cabin loops are a bit far from the boat launch.

 

[Wendysofftoneverland]

I was disappointed that we had to pull our kid out of the stroller for the monorail ride on our most recent trip. That was part of the appeal of the monorail. That's why I would lean toward a Skyliner hotel or one with a boat launch (although I think some of the Magic Kingdom hotels have boat service to the park, if Deluxe resorts are a consideration).

 

[Schneewittchen37]

Back when my kids were that age, we always stayed at Fort Wilderness in our motorhome.

Anyway, Fort Wilderness is wonderful for little kids. Nice pool, playground, activities. The launch boat service from the Fort to MK is wonderful. So many beautiful memories taking the boat in the cool early mornings or the restful ride back at night with Marty singing. Though Marty does the Contemporary - Wilderness Lodge - Fort loop, so you have to walk to the Contemporary from MK to catch him. Oh, I hope he wasn't laid off. He's magical.

Marty the singing launch captain

You can also make an adventure of going to Epcot if things get back to normal. Boat to Contemporary. Monorail to TTC and transfer to Epcot monorail (if that ever reopens).

The buses from the Fort to everything else weren't terrible. But we always had our bicycles and the baby trailer so we didn't have to rely on internal buses.....

 

[Dug720]

At that age I would guess Magic Kingdom will be your top park

Definitely depends on the kids. My sister and I were much more into animals than fairy tales when we were little so Animal Kingdom would have been our park of choice.

I don't know when AKL will be reopening, but if animals are big, getting a savanna view room there would be my first choice.

 

[Shellyred8]

I would vote for Wilderness Lodge, or one of the monorail resorts.

 

[WiscoMom]

I stayed at POR and AoA on two separate trips with my then 3 y.o. / 4 y.o. It was just he and I on the trips. We relied on Disney transportation. I did not use a stroller. We enjoyed both resorts. The theming of AoA was a huge hit for him. But he liked the boat ride from POR to Disney Springs. All things considered, either would be a great report option. It's what you make of it.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I would pick where I truly wanted to stay since kids don’t care where they stay and what would make life easier for me. I would probably do the contemporary even though I’ve never stayed there. At 3-4 years old they don’t need an elaborate pool, the walk to MK can’t be beat and it has the monorail to Epcot. I feel as though my feet are the best mode of transportation at WDW. We usually stay at an Epcot resort for this reason. My kids are older and the walk to Epcot and DHS is so easy.

 

[unrequited23]

Most resorts have a playground, but the Poly does not. A friend had an interesting time occupying a 5 yr old, 2 yr old and newborn while waiting for her room assignment and her DH to drive down from a work conference in Jacksonville.

 

[ucf_knight]

My vote would be yacht, beach, board walk or the swan/dolphin. Can boat, skyliner or walk to epcot and studios.