Which is the best resort for a longer stay?

[Have3Kids&aHusband]

I agree. BC or YC would be great for your kids. The pool is the best and easy walk to BoardWalk for other meal options & snacks. We love being able to walk to Epcot and HS. We've been doing a split stay the past few trips as we also like MK resorts too. But my kids weren't a fan of Contemporary. They really didn't like the pool area. They only liked being able to walk to MK.

Beach club is wonderful!
best pool on property, you're on the boardwalks (and the walking distance from epcot allows infinite dining options), you're near to the minigolf and you have a pretty big area were you can walk around(from epcot to hollywood studios). and, you have the skyliner too

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

Of the resorts you're looking at based on your family makeup I'd rank your picks as-

1. AofA or CBR (tied)
2. CR
3. Riv

While I think any of these resorts would work well, I think based on your kids ages, they'd love both AofA and CBR. Big perks now that both are on the skyliner. Now I will say if you mostly stay at the monorail resorts, you will find AofA and CBR to be a downgrade, they're just not the same category and not to be fairly compared. So if the deluxe amenities are what you're after, then maybe you should stick to CR.

I know a lot of other folks have given you other options like booking at BLT, renting points, etc. but if you are planning some pool days for your resort time, BC/YC could be another solid option given the pool is so nice.

Some tips-

CBR is nice but it is spread out. If you decide to stay here and you don't book a preferred room location, you can request Jamaica. It's a solid location for ease to the skyliner and just across the bridge to the lobby. The other big negative here is the bus situation. While all the bus service is the same at all resorts no matter what booking category, CBR has a ton of bus stops and the most on property so do take that into consideration.

AoA has family suites (which can be expensive) but offer a little more room if the budget can handle. The cheaper little mermaid rooms are about 30 miles to the food court....no just kidding but they're far away, thus the theming added to entice guests to book them. The food options at AofA will be the least favorable on your whole list. At least at CBR, you have solid onsite dining options and you have Riv next door and at CR you have the other monorail resorts nearby.

The negative for me with Riv is the cost for a resort that's really not in a prime deluxe location. For the cost of a room at Riv, you can stay at the boardwalk area resorts for less. I know the rooms aren't as swanky new as Riv but the location at YC/BC/BW cannot be beat.

It's nice when you can have some choices on where you want to stay but I usually prioritize based on which parks will be at the most and how much we'll be in the room, do we plan to swim, do we want easy transport and be able to walk etc.

 

[RanDIZ]

We go 10 days each time and always do a split stay. We love it. We start value first week, then deluxe it the 2nd week. Hopper tickets.

I agree. With a trip that long, this has split stay written all over it. The joy of 2 vacations in 1. I’d definitely choose AKV having kids that age. AKV has Kidani and Jambo giving you 2 nice pools and different Savanahs. Then maybe switch to a MK resort to be closer to the action. Maybe Poly? Relax on the beach with fireworks and water pageant every night. Can’t go wrong.

 

[westie55]

We stayed at Riviera in 2020 with a 5 yr old and a 3 yr old. It is very child friendly. There is onsite character dining, the children’s splash area is great, and the water slide at the pool is one of the better ones on property. The rooms are very nice,and have a great layout (we stayed in a 1 BR). I preferred the Riviera room itself over the villa we stayed in the following year at Copper Creek. It was larger and had an extra bed. I had read reviews calling Riviera sterile but I didn’t find that at all. There are Disney character touches everywhere. Also the quick service is good. The sky liner is very fast and I loved it but my husband was afraid of it. For that reason we probably won’t stay there again. He was nervous about getting stuck on it. He doesn’t like heights.

The downside to Riviera is its price.

We actually LOVED Copper Creek for the boat to MK, which is our favorite park. You might want to consider that.

 

[megs1313]

I don't love your list, but of it, I would suggest RR. If you're open to another option, I would recommend a monorail resort like the GF or Poly.

 

[NavyDad]

Thank you all for your replies! My wife and I read through these together and are processing the combined might of your advice. In particular, I think the one point about Riviera being a more "adult" hotel makes us feel like we can nix that from our consideration. We are currently discussing transporation, as that will likely effect our decision. We live in NJ and were considering doing the drive. My parents drove us down when we were kids and it was a memorable, but exhausting experience. If we drive down, we will have a car and I think we will lean towards the CBR/SS/OKW/PO options. If we don't drive down, I think the options open up a bit more. I will think more on what you guys have said and really appreciate all the great advice.

I'm going to give you two recommendations based on our experience with kids the same age as yours:

1. Art of Animation - your kids are the absolute perfect age for this resort. I would get a family suite in an area that best suits your family. Having the two bathrooms, separate living area and the kitchenette will be perfect for a long stay. The theming just can't be beat with younger kids. They will feel like they are inside the movie. The activities are perfect for that age group as well. Having the Skyliner there just gives you an extra transportation option.

2. Beach Club - There is no better pool on property. Just like having a water park at your resort. It really is like staying at the beach with the boardwalk just a short walk away. When our kids were slightly older than yours are we spent 10 days at Beach Club and it was the best family vacation we have ever taken. We had pool time every day, walked over to Epcot every evening for dinner in a different country, strolled around the boardwalk and took boat rides to DHS. Just a fantastic place for families with kids. It really is like being at the beach and being at Disney at the same time.

Honestly - CBR/SS/OKW/PO would be excellent options later on when your kids are a bit older. You will never get this age group back again and I suggest making the most of it. You an see my family trips in my signature. Our kids were the same age as yours when we visited AoA and it was absolutely perfect.

 

[NavyDad]

One other thing assuming this is not a surprise trip: show your kids YouTube videos of the resorts and ask for feedback. We started doing this after our second trip and it worked out great!

 

[snikki]

Something with a one bedroom unit so you can spread out. Being cramped up in a hotel room with two small kids for 10+ days gets old fast.

I would look into renting points at BLT if Contemporary is on your radar. Personally I would go with BC since it's my favorite resort. Awesome pool, walking distance to two parks, the QS sucks but you'll have a full kitchen, lots of restaurants, the boardwalk for entertainment, etc.

 

[RoseGold]

I would seriously consider a DVC 1BR rental. That long in a hotel room with two kids sounds like a lot.