Which resort with a toddler?

[theorangebird]

This will be our first trip with our daughter who will be almost 3 years at the time of our trip. We are planning for May 2022. My husband and I have been many times before, but planning with our daughter is new for me! We are looking at using dvc points and staying for 10 days (second guessing if this will be too long with a toddler). We have loved staying at the Grand Floridian and were thinking of doing a studio there bc of the monorail and being close to the MK. I also saw that a 1 bedroom at Old Key West was close to the same price. My husband is worried about the space in the studio if our daughter is napping but also worried about travel time back and forth to the resort for breaks. Any advice on which resort would be better - extra space vs. monorail? Open to other resort suggestions too!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Both have good toddler play areas.

Your trade off for GF being close to MK is it is a haul everywhere else. OKW us bus but is more balanced across time to parks.

 

[_19disnA]

If you ONLY plan to do MK, any of the monorail hotels would be more convenient then staying elsewhere. The difference in travel time on the monorail for any of them isn't that large. The walk from Contemporary to MK is shorter then the other 2 hotels. With a small child, I think you would be more likely to take the monorail vs. walking to/from either Polynesian or Floridian, since even adults would tend to find those walks rather long. If you are doing different parks, there really isn't any single Disney hotel nearest to every park, then it becomes a matter of budget and personal preference about the various hotels.

 

[Ashleybritton]

I love GF at that age. Monorail with a stroller is huge. The pool is perfectly manageable for kids that age and still so fun and nice. The toddler splash pad was a huge hit with my kids. And it’s such a relaxing resort.

 

[Marthasor]

I would highly recommend any resort that offers you a walking option to any of the parks. Breaking down a stroller, with all of the baby stuff, along with the baby to get on a bus gets tiring after a while. When you have a park or parks plus other amenities, like a variety of restaurants, within walking distance, it just makes life with a toddler easier, particularly if they fall asleep in their stroller and getting them on a bus would disturb a nap. I would highly recommend considering VGF, BLT, BCV or BWV. We actually loved the EP resorts when DS was little because the area offered us so much dining variety within walking distance, particularly in the evenings, after his nap, when the last thing I wanted to do was pack everything up and get on a bus again to go get dinner. I also liked having a 1-bedroom when he was that age as it offered us a separate space to hang out while he was napping or asleep for the night.

 

[mousehouse23]

I'd be inclined to go with BCV, or do a split stay between GF and BCV if you can swing it.

Walking to Epcot and having the Skyliner to HS would be invaluable with a toddler. And a 3-year-old would love the sand-bottomed pool at Stormalong Bay. That's hours of fun with a pail and shovel right there.

 

[BeeBopp717]

2 kids, 4 & 1. We just did 1 days at our DVC home base OKW- love it. Amazing for the floor space alone. Plus we’re used to that resort.
next year: they’ll be 5 & 2- staying at the Poly. Want to be a monorail ride away from MK & hopefully the EPCOT line is running. Also love Poly for kids.

 

[Leight19]

In January we did trip with 1 yr old and 3 yr old. For us, doing a split stay between boardwalk and blt worked well so we could walk to hs/Epcot first half and mk second half. We had 1br for first half and studio the second. While the room size was fine with us we learned the 1br was nice so kids could go to sleep and us go to living room to not wake them.

When we went we got lucky with availability so may be harder to book boardwalk and blt tower now so will also comment on other travel options. Transportation to/from parks was much harder with kids and strollers then past as adult only trips. We were able to walk most places but took all other forms of transport through stay. Monorail and some boats let us keep kids in stroller which was great and would be how I’d recommend travel if possible . Skyliner and buses made us take kids out of stroller which was awful when kids had fallen asleep. However, when awake my 3yr old loved the skyliner and we took it several times just to enjoy (though I liked being boardwalk where it was an option but not needed).

 

[tjmw2727]

With a 3yo and a 10 day trip I would probably go with the one bedroom! You will have the bedroom to put her to bed/nap while you enjoy the balcony and main living area so you don't all have to be quiet when she goes to sleep!.

You will have a washer dryer and a full kitchen so you can have a meal or two or even just a quick breakfast every day.

I am a single mom of 2 and didn't find the buses difficult at all, find a lightweight stroller that folds easily and quickly and use a backpack as a diaper/toddler bag.

Sure the bus may take a bit longer but unless you split your stay you will be using a bus to at least 2 parks no matter where you stay!

 

[Belle83]

I would do GF, Poly, or Contemporary. Not having to unpack and fold a stroller for at least part of the parks is the best.

If they were a little younger the 1BR would be tempting because it’s easier to get babies down without being distracted by others in the room. But at that age they will be so tired from the parks at night that getting them down should be fine.

After a few stays at the Grand Californian (DL) we learned that going back to the room for naps never went according to plans. They would fall asleep in the stroller on the way back or something like that. But even if you do stroller naps, there is benefit to being so close. Melt downs, change of clothes, etc.

 

[BeeBopp717]

Also, I always this - we always put the baby / toddler in the P & P with her sleep machine, in the extra bathroom (when we have one) lol it works out well for us.

 

[theorangebird]

Also, I always this - we always put the baby / toddler in the P & P with her sleep machine, in the extra bathroom (when we have one) lol it works out well for us.

That’s a great idea!

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

The washer and dryer in the one bedroom is awesome with kids.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Also, I always this - we always put the baby / toddler in the P & P with her sleep machine, in the extra bathroom (when we have one) lol it works out well for us.

would not work with either of mine at that age as both went over the rail at 13 months. either of them would be out and playing in water

 

[theorangebird]

Thanks for the ideas!

 

[theorangebird]

In January we did trip with 1 yr old and 3 yr old. For us, doing a split stay between boardwalk and blt worked well so we could walk to hs/Epcot first half and mk second half. We had 1br for first half and studio the second. While the room size was fine with us we learned the 1br was nice so kids could go to sleep and us go to living room to not wake them.

When we went we got lucky with availability so may be harder to book boardwalk and blt tower now so will also comment on other travel options. Transportation to/from parks was much harder with kids and strollers then past as adult only trips. We were able to walk most places but took all other forms of transport through stay. Monorail and some boats let us keep kids in stroller which was great and would be how I’d recommend travel if possible . Skyliner and buses made us take kids out of stroller which was awful when kids had fallen asleep. However, when awake my 3yr old loved the skyliner and we took it several times just to enjoy (though I liked being boardwalk where it was an option but not needed).

I didn’t think about doing a split stay thanks for the idea! We thought the extra space to relax and watch tv or something while she sleeps would be nice but it is out of budget for the monorail resort area. We stayed at the GF for our last trip and it was so convenient, but I love the BC/BW area also.

 

[philharmagic fan]

How about a 1-bedroom at Wilderness Lodge? Some of the boats don't require you to fold the stroller, and you'll probably spend a plurality at MK. You'll also have the washer/dryer and kitchen. Definitely worth the price is you can swing it. If you want to be near Epcot/Studios, Boardwalk 1-bedroom standard would also be an excellent choice if you can get one.

 

[chasgeese]

Are you planning on booking directly through Disney or renting points? If it’s the former, I might check out renting points because you can often get into a 1BR at BLT or VGF for close to what Disney charges to book a studio directly through them with cash.

Fair warning though, renting points is pretty much non-refundable and slightly more of a hassle than booking with cash.

 

[Tri-Delta4Life]

We're staying at the GF in October with our daughters who will be 4 & 2. We are planning to spend a lot of time at MK and I wanted the convenience if not having to fold up and unpack a double stroller for those days. I figured we'd be rope dropping most days and then swimming after nap, so I wanted to be at a resort with lots of good dining options since we'll be eating there (or at other monorail resorts) most nights.

 

[Deb & Bill]

What is your home resort? You can book a May 2022 stay in June 2021. Early May might allow you to change your resort at seven months out if you don't want to stay at your home resort. A reminder about OKW, most of the buildings do not have elevators. So unless you request a ground floor, you'll be hauling strollers and other stuff up the stairs. But OKW is probably our favorite and our first home resort.