Which value resort with 2yo and 6yo?

[Lesley]

We're planning a visit for Star Wars Weekends and trying to keep the cost as low as possible. But I have a 2yo and 6yo who need a great deal of unstructured "down time"....but not necessarily in the room (my 2yo will climb the walls). A playground or similar play area is essential for us. If I could choose anywhere I'd probably to to CSR (and might if a good enough AP rate is released for our weekend) but if we have to pay rack rate we'll need to stay at a value resort.

So, for my situation, would you recommend one of the All Stars or Pop? We stayed at ASMo once and I found it crowded and noisy, but we had a "preferred" room and it was July. I assume the more distant rooms would not be quite so loud. We need to be able to come down from the sensory overload of the parks (particularly my 6yo who has sensitivity issues) and have quiet free play time.

I would really appreciate the input from anyone who has been to these resorts and has an opinion!

 

[minnie61650]

We're planning a visit for Star Wars Weekends and trying to keep the cost as low as possible. But I have a 2yo and 6yo who need a great deal of unstructured "down time"....but not necessarily in the room (my 2yo will climb the walls). A playground or similar play area is essential for us. If I could choose anywhere I'd probably to to CSR (and might if a good enough AP rate is released for our weekend) but if we have to pay rack rate we'll need to stay at a value resort.

So, for my situation, would you recommend one of the All Stars or Pop? We stayed at ASMo once and I found it crowded and noisy, but we had a "preferred" room and it was July. I assume the more distant rooms would not be quite so loud. We need to be able to come down from the sensory overload of the parks (particularly my 6yo who has sensitivity issues) and have quiet free play time.

I would really appreciate the input from anyone who has been to these resorts and has an opinion!

I usually recommend All Star Movies for families with young children.
But you are correct it is crowded and Pop would be even more crowded.

But since your children need the Down time I would highly recommend All Star Music.
All Star Music has a nice playground behind the Calypso building.
The Music theme is not as over stimulating to young children as the other values.
The really nice thing about the All Star Resorts is the three of them are located next to each other and are really part of the same resort.
So you can take a nice walk and see the icons at Movies or Sports. You can also swim in their pools or play at their playgrounds -- giving your children a little more verity.
All Star Music also tends to be much quieter and less crowed than the other values. More couples tend to stay there. Parents with young children tend to stay at Pop or Movies because young children like those themes better. Parents of teens who stay at value tend to choose Pop or Sports because those icons appeal to teens more.
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I love The All Star Resorts.

I am 55 years old and travel several times a year. I often stay at 4 star hotels.
So the deluxe resorts do not have anything special for me.
All Star is like being in the heart of the Magic and that is where I want to be.

All Star Music is my favorite. It is quieter because more couples stay there. I love staying at the Calypso building. It is closer to the pool, food court and bus stop.

Here is a site with a map of All Star Sports and All Star Music.
http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/allstarmap.htm
Scroll down. All Star Music is at the bottom of the page.
The Calypso buildings at All Star Music are #1 and #10 are nearest to the food court and bus stop.

The Calypso pool at ASMu has Donald Duck.


The buses are wonderful.

Bus rides are quite short from the ALL Stars according to PassPorter.com

All Star Buses-CBR buses---POPbuses--PO buses--- Contemporary
MK 20 min---- 20 min-----25 min------10 min---20 min(mono)
Epcot 10 min-- 15 min-----20 min------10 min---15 min
MGM 10 min----12 min-----15 min------15 min---20min
AK 10 min------20min-------15 min----15 min---20 min
DTD 15 min----20 min------20 min-----15 min---35 min

It only takes 10 minutes to get to Epcot, MGM and AK from All Stars.
MK is 20 min away. That's the same amount of time it takes on the monorail from the Contemporary.

The gift shops are separate from the food court at the All Stars.
The gift shop and food court are combined at Pop.

Pop has 2,880 guest rooms. 4 floors in each building.
Each of the All Stars has 1,960 rooms. 3 floors in each building. That means more people in the food courts, in the pools and waiting at the bus stop at POP than at the All Stars.
The pools at The All Stars are very kid friendly.

When staying at the All Stars you can use any of the All Star pools.That means 3 main pools ,3 quiet pools and 3 kiddie pools to chose from.

The All Star Movie Fantasia pool has Mickey.

The Calypso pool at ASMU has Donald Duck.

And the Surfs up pool at All Star Sports has giant surf boards.

Here are a few pool photos.

All Star Sports pool.

All Star Music Donald pool.

All Star Movies Mickey Pool.

I have visited WDW more than a dozen times with the 1st time in Oct. 1971. It was brand new. I've stayed at FW, Disney Inn, a few the of Hotels on hotel Blvd., CBR and the towers at the Contemporary. I got to see the MK from my balcony at the Contemporary and I'm happy I got to experience it once. I just prefer the All Star Resorts.
The theming is pure Disney.
My last 5 visits have been at The All Stars and last fall when we took dd,dsil, and our grandson age 3 for 8 nights we stayed at the All Stars Music. I thought about AKL and even though we can well afford AKL I just wanted Alex to experience the Disney Magic at the All Stars on his first visit.
Where else can one find Donald Duck or Mickey Mouse at the pool?

Have a great time at Disney!

 

[minnie61650]

........We need to be able to come down from the sensory overload of the parks (particularly my 6yo who has sensitivity issues) and have quiet free play time.

I would really appreciate the input from anyone who has been to these resorts and has an opinion!

I just wanted to add that my grandson is also SID (sensory difficulities) and needed quiet play time.
He was 3 and a half when we took him to Disney last year. I knew All Star Music is a quiet resort and that was one of the main reasons we stayed there.
He enjoyed the playground there a few afternoons and we only saw one other family at the playgroundone the three times we went. Other than that he had the playground to himself.

Also the main pool was not very busy and there was a lot of room for him to play and have fun.

Have fun at Disney!

 

[Lesley]

Thanks for the info! Do you know which Calypso building the playground is behind? I might try to request a room at least on the same side of the resort.

Turns out my first choice of CSR is booked up anyway....if I can get an AP rate I'll still go for another mod, but it looks like ASMu will be our choice otherwise.

 

[spiceycat]

if he is calmed down by water (lakes) - then I would go with Pop. It does have a lake. the 50 section by the lakes is pretty calming...

that say the 50's is about as far from the playground as you can get....

so not good for that need.

at the all star music - Jazz is also close to the playground. This is not a large playground.

both movies and pop are bigger.

here is the pop
http://www.magictripscommunity.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=2108&cat=526

all star movie
http://www.magictripscommunity.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=2096&cat=534&limit=recent

 

[minnie61650]

Thanks for the info! Do you know which Calypso building the playground is behind? I might try to request a room at least on the same side of the resort.

Turns out my first choice of CSR is booked up anyway....if I can get an AP rate I'll still go for another mod, but it looks like ASMu will be our choice otherwise.

The playground is located between Jazz #9 and Calypso #10 on the
backside.

spiceycat is correct the playgrounds at Pop and Movies are larger, but they are also busier.
As I said if you stay at Music and wish to try another playground Movies is very close. Wander over to Movies and the playground is located just past the main pool near Cinema hall before you get to the Toy Story buildings.
Here is a Map:
http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/allstarmovie.JPG

Have fun at Disney!

 

[Lesley]

Thanks to both of you....certainly more to consider. ASMo only has preferred rooms available now. Since we had a not so great experience with that (just noise and crowding...we were also on the first floor, which is a double edged sword with kids..) I'm not likely to book preferred. I am getting availability for a family suite at ASMu....but that's more expensive than a mod...I think I'll save that for when my youngest needs a bed. In another year those, Riverside, and the deluxes are our only options (besides DVC...but I mean for when the points are used up...which they will be fast when we need to book a 2br!)

I find water very calming....which I believe is part of my preference for moderate resorts (that and themed landscaping). My 2yo loves water. Not sure of the effect on my 6yo. I did notice that Pop has a spray play area for kids too. My dh and 11yo ds will be at MGM for most of the weeekend for the Star Wars events so I don't really need to worry about them.

Can you tell me where the playground at Pop is located? It's not shown on the resort map.

Right now it looks like we can either stay at a moderate resort and bring our own food or stay in a value and not worry about bringing anything but snacks for the times the girls need a snack and need it *NOW*.

Thanks!

 

[dzorn]

My kids loved ASMo when we went last year. They were 4 & 6 at the time. oldest DD is autistic and she loved it. This year we are staying at POR because my DSis is going and we needed a room for five. I hear it is very Quiet, but large.

Denise

 

[Lesley]

POR is wonderful...you won't regret it. It might be larger than any of the All Stars themselves....but you won't mind because the landscaping is so amazing. Depending on where you are in Alligator Bayou its really not far to the central check-in/food court area.

 

[spiceycat]

I find water very calming....which I believe is part of my preference for moderate resorts (that and themed landscaping). My 2yo loves water. Not sure of the effect on my 6yo. I did notice that Pop has a spray play area for kids too. My dh and 11yo ds will be at MGM for most of the weeekend for the Star Wars events so I don't really need to worry about them.

Can you tell me where the playground at Pop is located? It's not shown on the resort map.

Thanks!

over in the 70's building - between it and the parking lot - not near the lake...

Oh the only map I found the playground on was in the resort itself....

I don't know why it is not on all their maps - but it isn't.

this is the big one between the main pool and food court - on either side...

I would go with a lake view if you pick Pop and just walk over to the playground, plus the Goofy thing.... little kids really, really enjoy this thing.
I don't understand the attraction - but little one definitely like it. the only problem is that it and they playground are in the generally area - but still far apart.... one parent for the playground another one for the Goofy fountains....

good luck with your choice.

don't get the preferred 60 building - too noisey....

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

The Playground and pop jets at pop were not all that busy at all even though the resort was fairly busy. They are centrally located but as I recall not located close to each other and weren't really all that big but enough to have some fun in.

The food court is better at Pop. At all stars or pop, you'll find that breakfast is essentially a packed house as there is a narrower time window as to when people want it. Lunch and Dinner are far easier.

The guest per pool ratio is about the same. Pop has 1.46 times the rooms of a single All star and 1.5 times the pools. This yields a guest per pool ration about the same between the two.

Only the 70s do not have a pool in them at Pop. The 80s and 90s surround 1 pool (3 buildings) The 50s surround another pool (3 buildings) And the 60s (2 buildings) flank the Hippy De Dippy Pool Quieter rooms face away from the pool. In the 50s and 70s, you can get rooms facing the lake that are quiet. However, these are also the most inconvenient to the parking lot. The 60s are convenient to the hall, but not all that convenient to the parking lot. Pay an extra $10 and lug your luggage twice as far. What's wrong with this picture?

 

[Lesley]

Thanks for the info everyone!

We found the "preferred" luggage haul a difficulty at ASMo too. More noise and a longer trip to the car...no, sorry, I don't prefer "preferred".