WL with toddler

[SwanVT2]

Has anyone here stayed at WL with a toddler and could share their experience? Where in the room did you put the pack n play? Thank you!

 

[MSSANDRA]

Our boys were a bit older and not in a pack and play the 1st time we stayed at WL, but the resort its self, is great for toddlers. It is a really small resort and everything is compact so much less walking. We like a room near the lobby and it is so quick and easy to go down. The" food court" is very small but good and you have WCC and Artist Point and a well stocked gift shop. We love having a boat ride to the MK. It was our little guys favorite ride!! Also a boat ride to FW gives you the option of eating at Trails End Buffet which is yummy!!!! Nice pool too. Now, we find the staff at WL, not as friendly as other resorts and we are not impressed with the bus service.No sharing of buses but it just always seemed to take longer for buses to come. Cost wise it is the cheapest of the deluxe, but the rooms are also smaller that any other, except maybe AKL. It is a good choice, though not our favorite anymore, and we love a stay there in the winter. Just seems so cozy.

 

[SwanVT2]

What is your favorite now? We ate still having a hard time swallowing the cost of WL and really want to know it is worth it. I have points I could use at the swan.

 

[dsneygirl]

What is your favorite now? We ate still having a hard time swallowing the cost of WL and really want to know it is worth it. I have points I could use at the swan.

We own DVC at WL villas and it is our favourite resort. We've been a few times with toddlers. There is a great playground right on the beach and we love going over to FW. You can rent a bike with a seat on the back.

The boat to MK is awesome! Our absolute favourite mode of transportation. You can also see the Electrical water pageant from the beach.

 

[Crystal824]

We stayed at WL with a toddler. It was fine...although DD was 2 when we stayed and no longer slept in a pack n play. She just slept in the other bed. The resort itself was great, but the rooms are a little small even without a pack n play. We still had a stroller, etc. Maybe we just had a very small room, but I didn't think it was any larger than the rooms at the moderate resorts. The pool was awesome as was the boat ride to MK.

We have stayed at all the moderates, all but AoA in the values, and WL, Boardwalk, and Poly (so far in the Deluxe). Overall, for the price, my favorite resort is French Quarter. I love that it is small and well themed. That is just me, others may feel differently.

 

[esquared221]

We just stayed at WL villas with a toddler and while I can't speak for the WL single rooms we found the resort as a whole to be very toddler friendly. DS just turned 3 and slept on the pull out sofa with DD7 rather than in the pack n play (our first vacation without a pack n play!!). It's very conveniently located to the MK and the boat dock directly across from the exit of MK was a huge selling point for us. That came in handy A LOT. On site food venues are good and easy as well. Go to Whispering Canyon and ask for ketchup

 

[Wendybird55]

WL is a gorgeous resort...and a PP said it's a good place for anyone and toddlers will enjoy it, DS loved Whispering Canyon when he was 2 - he liked yelling with everyone when they called for ketchup!.

BUT..I understand your concern with pricing...Though we've never stayed at Swan, we LOVE staying in that area - we usually stay at BWV. We find it to be such a convenient area especially with a toddler.

You can walk to EPCOT and DHS if you want or they have boat launches..and the best part with the boat launches you can wheel your stroller right on - don't have to fold it up as you do for busses.

There are 5 resorts and the Boardwalk area you can walk around. We fond this are great with toddler for afternoon rest into evening. Many times we would spend the day in a park then head back to resort in afternoon to rest maybe go in pool and then spend evening in WS. We usually had dinner there then strolled around. It was great in that we didn't have to rush in after noon to get back out to make dinner ADR..and at end of day when DS was getting tired or cranky we could stroll or take boat right back to resort.

There is a paly area by Swan & Dolphin for little ones ..Fantasia mini golf course is near by. Though not a Disney resort you have access to Disney transportation and it's much less expensive and I hear the rooms are nice.

But since it is not a Disney owned resort you don't have Magical Express from airport and can't purchase dining plan and a few other minor things.

For us the lack of ME is a big one as we fly in I checked Mears it's $99 to $120 (depending on if you want van or town car) round trip to get to and from Airport including tolls.

So thought I love WL..I think there are also many benefits for staying in Swan with a toddler and if you save a lot of money...I would say that's even better...I bet your little one would enjoy an extra character meal or with the money you save....

 

[fab1976]

We LOVE Wilderness Lodge! My son has been 4.5, 5, and 6 when we stayed there so not quite toddler but I can comment on a pack and play in the room because we also stayed there this past January with a 9 month old. Having been there before we knew floor space is pretty limited. So what I booked was a bunk bed room. Little more money but it really did open up the space. In the end where we put the pack and play was between the bed and the window. It fit there perfectly and blocked the baby from any light coming from those still awake.

It is a good choice for a family. As others mentioned the size of the resort is t very big, so if you forget something necessary back at the room while eating breakfast you can run back up easily. The boat ride is such an awesome way to travel too, buses are exciting for toddlers but the boat is unique to the World . The bridge going over the stream in the lobby is also fun or them, couldn't tell you how many kids including my own we saw running back and forth over it. It's well worth the cost and I have a hard time even thinking of scaling back for future visits!

 

[MSSANDRA]

What is your favorite now? We ate still having a hard time swallowing the cost of WL and really want to know it is worth it. I have points I could use at the swan.

CRS is our new favorite. Much cheaper, and except for the longer walk to the main building, we like just about everything better. Bus service much better, food court has lots more choices, rooms are just as nice and almost as big, pool is better and staff is friendlier. We do miss the easy boat ride to the MK.

 

[VP037388]

The WL is a great resort, we stayed there on our last visit. We liked all the amenities, pool, restaurants, small playground BUT, BUT, the rooms are very small. A pack n play wedges (yes, wedges) longways perfectly between the two queen beds. This was a pack n play provided by the WL resort. It's a real namebrand pack n play, just want people to realize we didn't bring our own and try to make it fit.
For perspective, it will not fit between the wall and the first bed or the second bed and the sliding glass door. The room is that small. You won't be able to walk around if you put it anywhere except between the 2 beds or fold it up everyday. Yes, we tried all the spots!
You are paying Deluxe resort prices and getting a Moderate resort room at best. I hate to say that on the Moderates because even those rooms seemed bigger (OKW).
Definitely go visit the resort, it's beautiful but, for us and the space, totally not worth the money. Look into the better deals.

 

[SwanVT2]

Thanks for all the honest perspectives. Sounds like swan or a moderate are good to consider as well. We have stayed at the swan many times pre baby but thought the boat ride to MK and ME would be helpful. Plus I'm sort of itching to try another resort...although with starwood points and a teacher rate if it becomes available are the more practical route!