Vets advice for resort for teenagers

[guynhawaii]

Aloha,

Now that my children have progressed into the teenager years, which Resorts do y'all recommend? Previously we have stayed at the GF, Contemporary, AKL and Coronado Springs. Looking at a summer trip due to school. We're from Hawaii so the Poly is out. Looking at WL and Contemporary. Wondering if there is a better resort for teenagers? Appreciate y'alls input.

 

[Kevin355]

Without knowing your kids, WL is pretty teen friendly. Ever thought about the cabins? We took our boys when they were 15 and 13 to the cabins...best choice. We had our own bedroom, they stayed in the living area. Full kitchen, and actually cooking was pretty nice and saved mega-bucks.

 

[robinb]

I personally like the Boardwalk area for teens. The pools are more grown up and they have both the Boardwalk and Epcot at their fingertips.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I would say Boardwalk (for the Boardwalk area), or, as a wild card, Saratoga Springs for the combo of nice pools + walking to Disney Springs to hang out.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

Beach Club or Yacht Club. The pool is easily the best on property and a lot like a small water park. Plus, they can easily walk to Boardwalk for the nightlife.

 

[cvjw]

My teens prefer BLT for ease of walking to the MK. We stay at BWV all the time, and that is also a nice option for teens! Lots of freedom

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I would do BWI with Beach Club as a close second. The Boardwalk atmosphere is so much fun at night with entertainment, movies, lots of food options. They can also walk back and forth to both EP and DHS, walk to mini-golf and other recreation facilities.

 

[huntwoof]

I concur with Beach Club. My boys were 15 and 17 last trip and they loved the pool AND the easy walking access to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios. We actually would let them go on their own in the mornings and we would arrive later on. The boardwalk area is great as well.

 

[gzmtlock]

Our teenagers LOVED BWV. Walk to DHS and Epcot, hanging out at the Boardwalk area, going to one of the quiet pools - we were comfortable with them doing their own thing, and they loved it. I imagine BC and YC would be very similar; you might want to go with whichever of those three is least expensive for your stay.

 

[Accident]

When my daughter hit teenager years I started to let her have a lot more input into the resort choice. I didn't always go with her choice but it let me into her thoughts on what she wanted out of a vacation and I found a middle ground. Or i loved the idea and went with it. It worked out really well for us.

 

[TJA]

My 2 girls are new teens at age 13. Right now they love GF and Poly the most. However, as they get older and start to be more independent, I can see BC and BWI creep back up as favorites. The boardwalk can be hopping with people at night and it just has that fun atmosphere that teens would enjoy. Plus there's ESPN club right on the boardwalk too.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

We did the BC last year. My kids LOVED it. My son was 15 and he lived in the pool. It is easily the best pool on property. They do volleyball in the pool just about all day long. There were tons of teen boys. My son would play for 5-6 hours straight. My daughter was 9 and she loved the pool games. They do a lot of them and gear a good number of them towards older kids. I even played a few with them!

We did a split with the Poly and my kids found the pool to be boring, especially my son.

 

[happymommy]

I know you've stayed at Deluxe resorts as well as a moderate, but once my kids got into their teens, I valued space more than amenities! We just need our space, and they can go off on their own by the teen years. Have you considered Pop Century and getting two rooms? You can request connecting. It's a cute resort, and although it lacks a sit down restaurant and coffee maker in the room (I bring my own travel one), it's nice to have more beds and another bathroom! The bus service in our experience was far superior to AKL, although leaving the parks it's frequently the furthest stop, so there is that downfall. Still, another couple minutes of walking isn't too bad.

We like the food court options also! I'm not so into many table service meals any longer, so it's nice to have a variety (and you can also walk over to AOA), which I find lacking at the Epcot resorts, especially the BWI. When staying at Epcot resorts, we most often get quick meals at the World Showcase, but having a food court when getting back in the evening to get some quick dinner is nice.

I totally hear you about the Poly; I lived in Hawaii and have never had a desire to stay there!

Otherwise, I agree with any Epcot resort. It's our favorite area, and when it's in the budget I prefer those resorts. I also love the Swan, but now with the "resort fee" being non negotiable (being SPG gold I never used to have to pay it), even staying on points the extras (airport transportation) add up.

 

[TheBigErn]

Let them decide. On a recent trip I told my teen girls we were staying at the Contemporary and they were dead against it. But after getting there they did a 180.

 

[Dakota731]

We liked the Boardwalk when our kids were teens. It was so close for them to go to the parks themselves if they wanted - they could even walk so they felt so grownup coming and going on their own. Plus it was so convenient that we could park hop and meet them for meals as well.