Best resort with a 1 year old?

[pugbug]

We plan to take our baby with us to Disney in January. He'll be one. Which moderate or deluxe would you recommend? Our plan is to do one park a day (probably from rope drop to lunch), go back to the resort for his nap, and then stay close to the resort for the rest of the day. I'd like a resort that has plenty of room to roam around, easy access to multiple food choices (and maybe a table service that's kid friendly), and somewhere that feels relaxing. I'd like to be able to take him on long stroller walks at the resort in the evening, and I'd like a place with plenty of room that's not super loud and crowded, if possible.

A hotel with a gym would be nice, but I could also be okay with a running path. Pools aren't important since it'll be colder (maybe).

Any recommendations would be great! I was thinking Port Orleans Riverside (quiet and lots of walking space) or Wilderness (less room, but also very peaceful), but if anyone had a great experience with a little one at a different resort, please let me know!

 

[Marthasor]

POR is lovely and you would have the boat to Disney Springs for more dining options and walks in the evening (you can, of course, walk around POR and POFQ as well). Personally, I wouldn't do WL unless the resort launches start up again to give you better access to Ft. W and CR. I stayed at WL with DS when he was 3 and I really felt stuck there in the afternoons - it gets to be a lot when you are consistently relying on buses to get to other resorts and/or parks (you would have the option of Minnie Vans with car seats at that point, but they can be hard to get as well).

If you want to look at other moderates, I would consider CSR - certainly lots of places to walk and more dining options than most of the mods. It's also the only mod with a gym. If you want to do a deluxe, I would consider BWI, BC or YC (YC is the quietest in IMHO) - you will be able to walk to both DHS and EP (or utilize the boat or Skyliner), you will have an entire Boardwalk to stroll plus all of the dining options at 6 different resorts in the area. BWI, BC/YC also have gyms.

 

[MomOTwins]

My #1 resort priority with a kid that age is convenience of getting to/from the park with a stroller. That makes buses your arch enemy as strollers have to be folded on buses (a PITA even when kid is awake, but when your kid inevitably falls asleep in the stroller on the walk to the bus stop, it's even worse).

CBR has the skyliner, but depending on where your room is that can be a super long walk back to the room, which makes midday breaks less convenient.

So from a transportation with stroler perspective, I feel like the best bets are Riviera (Skyliner to EP/HS), Boardwalk/Beach Club/Yacht Club (walk or boat to EP/HS), GF/Poly/CR(monorail to MK/EP) or Wilderness lodge (Boat to MK). They will all have plenty of good food options easily accessible via the aforementioned transportation. Of those, given you want somewhere relatively quiet/good for walking around, probably Wilderness Lodge or Riviera are what I'd choose.

 

[TOBS2010]

I would consider where you are going to be spending most of your time park-wise. The monorail resorts are awesome--especially with a stroller. The GF or the Poly get my vote over the contemporary. You can watch the fireworks in the evening from those resorts and the water light parade (which some may say is lame--but it is one of my favorite things in WDW). The poly doesn't have a gym--but you can use the one at GF. The Epcot/HS Hotels are another good option. YC and BC might be a little more chill than the louder at night Boardwalk. You can walk to and from those parks from those resorts and have the access to the skyliner. You also have the friendship boats--most of the time we never had to collapse our stroller to ride. YC/BC has a gym--I am not 100% sure about the Boardwalk. You could also consider the Swan/Dolphin--but transportation bus wise isn't great.

I also wouldn't rule out POR. We have stayed there with younger kids several times. We love the grounds---very beautiful to walk around. The larger food court is great to have options when you don't want to make dining reservations somewhere when you are dealing with nap/sleep schedules of a young kids too. They have a larger pool and then several smaller more quieter pools too. Moderates don't have gyms--but running here would be great.

 

[Lilsia]

Stay at Saratoga Springs. Being able to walk to Disney Springs opens up so many more options. It is a good sized resort with a nice walking path. It pretty much hits up all of your requirements.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

No love for WL so far I guess - but that was our first WDW resort (I think DS was 3) and we fell in love, with the resort and WDW in general. At some level with a one year old you’re just trying to figure it all out anyway, so to me if WL is calling you for some reason, I think it’s a good choice. Sure you have to bus most places, but we bused all over with strollers and survived. It also tends to be a littler easier on the budget compared to other deluxes, which can be nice.

I dislike that they closed the WL-FW walking/running path with the now stalled Reflections project - that really limits running options at WL. But you can still log miles around the resort/cabin walkways/etc. If you like to do really long runs the repetition may drive you a little nuts but light to moderate it’s passable, IMO.

You didn’t mention Poly but I find it incredibly peaceful (especially the evenings) and you have endless paths all around, can walk to GF, monorail resorts are oh-so-convenient with little ones, etc. When ours were little the rope drop/stay until nap/spend the evening around the resort was our go-to routine and we really came to love a place like Poly given the adults could still get some good WDW time (fireworks viewing, convenient adult beverages, chill vibe). The Grand Ceremonial House can sometimes be pretty crowded/vibrant (Ohana is popular, popular bars, many people just like to walk through) but in general the rooms/grounds are peaceful, IMO. Sometimes we’d ride the monorail loop in the evenings just for fun and it certainly expands options/amenities relative to the ‘land locked’ WL. (Note there is pending construction between Poly and GF that may impact things like the path to GF, Poly grounds on the west side of the resort, etc).

Have fun, whatever you decide!

 

[DizneyFamof4]

The first resort that I though of after reading your post was POR. Great themed resort, and walking around there by the river at night with the sound of the horse and carriage is wonderful. Plus you can walk/run over to their sister resort POFQ for another great themed resort. I learned a long time ago that strollers and buses are not a hassle at all. We made a lot of trips with 1 or 2 strollers and the last was a sit-n-stand. Hint, take your child out of the stroller while in line and do not wait til it's time to board the bus. This helps your child adjust to not being in the stroller if they fuss (our DDs rarely did) and you can fold the stroller up and you're ready to just walk onto the bus. CBR would be another Mod to look at, because of the Skyliner. As for deluxes I would suggest the Epcot resorts because they have more area to walk around at. I personally do not find the price difference worth it, but that is JMO

 

[Nabas]

I know you mentioned Moderate and Deluxe Resorts but with a one-year-old, I would save the money for a future trip and instead go with All Star Movies. My experience is very little kids like the hustle-and-bustle of Value Resorts, their basic pools (very little ones are too small for water slides), the simple food at the food court, and the oversized theming:



Even in January, the pools are heated and usually warm enough to go swimming in the warmest part of the day. (We've done this a few times.)

 

[mangoboba]

We splurged big time for our first trip with kids (3 y/o and 1 y/o) a couple months ago and stayed in a studio at the Poly. It was absolutely perfect to have the microwave, fridge and two bathroom areas for our family. The kids (including the 1 y/o) absolutely loved the splash pool area and the beach. We loved watching the fireworks at the beach in PJs for a quick walk back to bed instead of fighting crowds. Also, monorail access without having to fold stroller. You also go thru security at the hotel before the monorail which was about 10x shorter than the security lines at TTC and MK. We are doing WL for our trip next year bc currently we can't afford the poly again. I am looking forward to it and think it has a lot to offer as well that will be similar to our perks at the poly!

 

[_19disnA]

Mostly depends on your budget and which park(s) you plan to visit. For example, if only going to MK, then the 3 monorail resorts would be the most convenient and you can easily take a break back at your hotel when you want. Things like how elaborate the pools are won't matter to an infant, so that doesn't need to be part of what you consider. You can also take the monorail to Epcot but some find that annoying, just depends on your preferences. When we stayed at Contemporary back in 2019, you can walk to MK and go through security with fewer people in line. The times we took the monorail there was security to enter the monorail, but you still had to go through security at MK.

If mostly doing HS/Epcot, then a resort in that area would make more sense.

No one resort is closest to every park so it depends on which theming you like the best within your budget. Every resort is large enough to have places to walk around and several choices for food.

 

[unrequited23]

POR was our first stay and it was very relaxing with the landscaping and winding paths. It was only a 12 minute walk to POFQ for different food options (We had a 5 & a 2.5 yr old with us, so I'm sure it's an even shorter walk.)

Using bus transportation with a child and a stroller is manageable. One parent handles the kid the other is in charge of the stroller. Put everything that's under the stroller in a backpack and wear it on both shoulders. It gets a little trickier when you level up to 2 kids and both are asleep, but it's still doable. If your LO always falls asleep on transportation and still fits in a carrier, it might be nice for added peace of mind if the busses are standing room only.

We prefer to stay on the first floor of a moderate or value resort when we have a stroller. That way we don't have to wait for an elevator. Also, the AB section of POR doesn't have elevators to the second floor.

 

[HopperFan]

We plan to take our baby with us to Disney in January. He'll be one. Which moderate or deluxe would you recommend? Our plan is to do one park a day (probably from rope drop to lunch), go back to the resort for his nap, and then stay close to the resort for the rest of the day. I'd like a resort that has plenty of room to roam around, easy access to multiple food choices (and maybe a table service that's kid friendly), and somewhere that feels relaxing. I'd like to be able to take him on long stroller walks at the resort in the evening, and I'd like a place with plenty of room that's not super loud and crowded, if possible.

A hotel with a gym would be nice, but I could also be okay with a running path. Pools aren't important since it'll be colder (maybe).

Any recommendations would be great! I was thinking Port Orleans Riverside (quiet and lots of walking space) or Wilderness (less room, but also very peaceful), but if anyone had a great experience with a little one at a different resort, please let me know!

DD had been to Disney 3x by time she was 16 mos old. CBR, POR and WL.

HANDS DOWN I would pick Wilderness Lodge. Being a deluxe and under cover it was so nice to have everything close by and not a hike like the other two. It was a relaxing vacation for everyone. There are plenty of pathways to get in a good walk, beautiful and peaceful. Lots of sitting spots to relax. Multiple dining locations all kid friendly and now they have Geyser Point. It really does check all your boxes while being a deluxe with ability to enjoy no matter the weather.

It is a beautiful hotel, truly themed at every level. One of my favorites at WDW because they put the full effort into the design. Real treat.

 

[Mandy Poppins]

Each report is unique and will have some advantages. POR was our first resort. Our daughter was 13 months old then. It is very nice to walk around, very pretty grounds. I think this might be my choice for relaxing grounds but I may be biased because of the memories there. My kids (now 22 and 18) love Pop Century and have since they were little. I think it's fun for kids to look around at all of the stuff there. I like the moderates and Pop due to the price. I think kids a little older would enjoy Pop and the skyliner is great but I say POR for this trip for the grounds.

If you do want to go deluxe Wilderness Lodge is very nice also. I think it is my favorite to stay during Christmas season.

 

[Disturbia]

Don’t discount the Nemo pool Splash area and the Skyliner access at AOA. We stay in a Nemo room (do not book the Little Mermaid rooms as they are way too far).

We’ve taken our now 2.5 year old 4 times to Disney and she loves the Splash area (and thinks the Skyliner is a ride).

The monorail hotels would be second, unless you enjoy sipping your coffee overlooking a savanna (love the AKL; disappointing transportation, we take a cab to Boma at least once).

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

We plan to take our baby with us to Disney in January. He'll be one. Which moderate or deluxe would you recommend? Our plan is to do one park a day (probably from rope drop to lunch), go back to the resort for his nap, and then stay close to the resort for the rest of the day. I'd like a resort that has plenty of room to roam around, easy access to multiple food choices (and maybe a table service that's kid friendly), and somewhere that feels relaxing. I'd like to be able to take him on long stroller walks at the resort in the evening, and I'd like a place with plenty of room that's not super loud and crowded, if possible.

A hotel with a gym would be nice, but I could also be okay with a running path. Pools aren't important since it'll be colder (maybe).

Any recommendations would be great! I was thinking Port Orleans Riverside (quiet and lots of walking space) or Wilderness (less room, but also very peaceful), but if anyone had a great experience with a little one at a different resort, please let me know!

I really think this decision depends on which parks you plan to visit and your budget. I would choose based on which parks we're visiting most and from there I'd look at transport options and what we want to do at the resort. I think POR is great and it's one of my favorite moderates but WL is hands down a much nicer amentitized resort. POR is individual motel style buildings and while the grounds are very pretty and there's always something nice to look at, it's not fun walking in the cold, rain, heat or sun. The rooms at WL will also be a bit bigger and allow a bit more space for a pack and play too. The pool at WL is really nice and there's an awesome splash pad there for little ones.

You'll still have to do a bus to all parks other than MK which WL has a boat but a bus with one child in a stroller is pretty easy. Plus the walk to the bus stop is easy and covered the whole way.

 

[melissalovesfigment]

We have 3 kids and just returned from a week at Disney. We also went in February, Janurary, and September (when our infant was like 12 weeks old). Our kids are currently 6, 4, and just turned 1. We have stayed in almost every resort on Disney property. Our priority is always transportation. I would choose a resort that you can easily get home from without folding the stroller. If you plan to spend more time at MK, I would choose Grand Floridian, Polynesian, or Contemporary if they are in budget. Wilderness Lodge is so beautiful but the boat to MK is still somewhat inconvenient. If you plan to spend more time at Epcot and Hollywood Studios, I would choose Boardwalk, Yacht/Beach, or Swan/Dolphin.

If you would like to spend less money, we just stayed at Pop Century (last minute budget trip). It was completely fine but nothing special. It was nice to be able to push the stroller straight onto the Skyliner. Pop also has a 1.3 mile walking loop around the lake that is always peaceful at night. We would get all 3 to sleep in the stroller and walk 3 laps before bed. I would avoid Caribbean Beach. The pool is fun but there are so many bus stops that it seems to take forever to get out of the resort and you mostly have to stand on the bus which is awful with a sleeping child. Port Orleans is very pretty but bus everywhere and we have had really bad luck with the boats to Disney Springs.

January weather can be hit or miss. Disney heats their pools so the water will still be warm. We were there for 2 days this January and it was in the 70's in the afternoon but cool in the evenings. It was warmer in February. We swam twice that trip.

 

[KVH]

If a deluxe, I would say Poly. Out of ALL the resorts, it has the best transportation options to all other locations 'cause you can walk to the TTC and the buses are not far from the buildings. You will walk (or wait) more at almost any other resort.

For a mod, I would also vote for POR as it seems to be the nicest offering of quality vs cost even though it is a bit out of the way. You're going to have to pay for convenience.

 

[pugbug]

Thanks everyone! I think we decided on Wilderness!