Which WDW hotels do you guys recommend?

[Xmeister]

So heres the deal, my family and I are going to WDW in June. My parents put me in charge of helping find a hotel. I'm having a bit of trouble picking the right hotel for my family and was wondering if I could have some input.

 

We've got my twin brother and I. (Seventeen Years Old)

 

My little brother who is five.

 

Then we have my parents.

 

So we've been thinking about the Grand Floridian, but is it really worth the cost? Would a five year old have a good time there? Or is the Contemporary a better choice? Thank you in advance for any advice!

[SharkTums]

It really depends on which park you think you'll spend the most time at, and what your budget is.

 

If you're going to spend most of your time in MK, then of course choose one of the resorts in that area. If you're more into Epcot and MGM, choose one of the resorts over there.

 

For MK Resorts I like Wilderness Lodge the best. Contemporary always seems dated to me, Polynesian is all beachy and tropical and I dont' like that, and Grand Floridian is way overpriced for what it is.

 

For MGM/Epcot, I love Boardwalk. Yacht and Beach are also great though. Swan and Dolphin are usually a cheaper option in that area.

 

Personally if I was staying on Disney Property I would only stay in one of those two areas. Animal Kingdom Lodge is way too far away from everything else. And 'cheap' disney hotels are also out that way.

[disneygurlz2s]

I have never had the pleasure of staying at any of the resorts you named (budget just doesn't support it!), however, I have spent time (dining, exploring) at many of them. I, too, would have to say that Grand Floridian, for all it's splendor, would probably not be the most fun for five year old. I disagree with Elissa as far as the Contemporary, in that the "dated" feel is part of the charm. It IS original WDW, and has a lot of family-friendly features (large arcade, nice pools, Chef Mickey's-our favorite character restaurant outside of the parks).

 

I would not necessarily choose the most expensive properties even if your budget supports it, though. We stayed at the All Star Movies this summer, and frankly, spent very little time there. We only swam one time, ate a few meals in the food court, and the rest of our time there was spent sleeping (and even that was minimal!).

 

Shari

[Xmeister]

Wow, thanks for the advice!

 

Question, does Wilderness Lodge have Monorail access?

[thefitness]

No Wilderness Lodge doesn't have monorail access,but I'm pretty sure there is a dock.Not sure if it's for transport to the parks though.Even though it doesn't have monorail access I would highly recommend Wilderness Lodge,one of my favorite Disney properties.

 

As for Grand Floridian, it's nice but I'm not sure your five year old brother would enjoy it. If you don't stay in the main tower you can normally get a pretty good rate.

 

Also Yacht and Beach Club are two very cool hotels.You have access to the boarwalk,a HUGE pool, and It's pretty close to Epcot.

 

You really can't go wrong with most Disney Resorts,why don't you pick out a few of your favorites, and we can give you some more specific advise.

[BeemerBoy]

This thread might help you out a bit:

 

http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=26732&highlight=disney+hotels&sid=ff0bf29b73be3d238c601c8cf882cb7b

 

Personally, considering you'll have a five year old with you, I'd say the Animal Kingdom Lodge is your best bet. Your little brother should love the animals that roam the savanne. In fact, you'll all love the place. It's incredible.

[Xmeister]

Okay a few of my most likely picks.

 

1. Animal Kingdom Lodge. (Likely too far away)

2.Wilderness Lodge..

3. Grand Floridian.

4.Contemporary.

5.Beach Club.

6.Coronado Springs.

[thefitness]

Animal Kingdom-Great for the whole family,I think you would all really enjoy it.Even if you don't get an "animal view" room there are still plenty of viewing areas all over the Resort.They have great restaurants, and a nice pool.I've never forgotten my first stay at this Resort.

 

Wilderness Lodge- Another one that is a good choice for all of you.Awesome lobby and guest rooms,and great pool area.The decor and themeing of this Resort still amazes me.

 

Grand Floridian-Really really nice hotel.I'm not sure it's the best "Family" hotel.This is a great place to stay when the rates are low though.Also has monorail Access.

 

Contemporary-I will always love this hotel.Very family oriented, and has monorail access.Nice resturants and has really nice pool and water activities.

 

Beach Club-Fun Hotel.It shares a great pool with the Yacht Club and the Boardwalk is just a few steps away.Also a great family Resort.

 

Coronado Springs-...I wouldn't recommend it.Nothing too special,It just didn't have that "Disney Feel" to it.

[SharkTums]

From your list, I would choose the hotels in this order based JUST on the hotels themselves:

 

1. Beach Club

2. Wilderness Lodge

3. Grand Floridian

4. Animal Kingdom Lodge

5. Contemporary

6. Coronado

 

But again, if you have 5 year old, and maybe you'll be spending A LOT of time at Magic Kingdom, then I would stay near there.

[USRoadTripper]

Make sure to keep in mind that some hotels only allow 4 people to a room, while some have day beds that will accommodate a 5th person. I know the Polynesian has day beds, but I'm not sure which other ones do.

 

Another thing to keep in mind is that two rooms at Pop Century or All Stars can be cheaper than one room at a deluxe, with the added benefit of having two bathrooms, and only two people having to share a bed. If you really want the deluxe resort atmosphere, by all means go with a deluxe...they are all spectacular. But if you're like me and really only sleep and shower at your hotel, Pop Century or All Stars may be the better option.

 

As far as deluxes go, Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom Lodge are my favorite, followed by the Epcot resorts.

 

-Julie

[coastermaniac123]

As everyone has stated, the Animal Kingdom Lodge is to far away. As much as I loved it (so would your 5 year old brother), but the place is crawling with little kids. It is great for the family, is has Buma (is that right), which is an excellent buffet, and had a cool little pool. I loved how it had animals right outside your balcony, however the kids were annoying when I wanted to kick back and relax.

 

Beach Club is probably your best bet. It has something everyone in your family would enjoy and I have a feeling your little brother would love thier water slide.

 

From what I hear, Wilderness Lodge is very nice as well. I really do not know much about this particular resort.

 

I have always wanted to stay at Boardwalk and looks like a fun place, but I am not sure how your little brother would like it.

 

Swan and Dolphin are nice choices and have some excellent resturants, has a nice pool, and great location to Epcot. It is also not to far from the other parks. What I liked about this hotel is that you could see Illuminations depending on where room was.

 

Whatever you do, don't stay at the Grand Floridian. I did not like it and it was very pricey, too pricey in my opinion.

[bdinger]

I would highly recommend the Beach and Yacht Club. It's within walking distance of both Epcot and the Studios. The room will support five people (most, if not all rooms have a day bed). And, the pool cannot be beat. It should appeal both to you as well as your younger brother. Growing up, we spent many of our family vacations in WDW, and almost always ended up at the Beach/Yacht Club. (I grew up in a family similar to yours, except my sister and I were not twins. The Beach/Yacht Club worked out for our family perfectly.)

 

The Beach Club side is "brighter" and has a lot of younger kids running around. The Yacht Club side is "darker" and seems more laid back. Both share the same amenities, and have similar rooms (just different themes).

 

My second choice would be Wilderness Lodge. It's a beautiful hotel, but wouldn't hold a family of 5 that comfortably.

 

The Grand Floridian is very nice, but not worth the price. My wife and I spent our honeymoon there and didn't think it was that special. Very nice, but not special.

[gisco]

Smething for you to consider is the sleep patterns of the five of you. I will be there in June also with my three kids. I opted to get a suite at the Boardwalk. That way my youngest can go to bed in the other room while we stay up later. In a regular room you pretty much all have to get up and go to bed at the same time.

 

If you don't want to drop the cash for a suite then 2 rooms at one of the cheaper properties is an option. Like was mentioned earlier, you get 2 bathrooms and don't have to go to bed at the same time.

[BarryH]

I'm cheap, so I try to stay at the cheaper WDW resorts. That said, I generally end up in the All-Stars. It's not a bad resort. The pool is nice. you have a food court with pretty good food and a gift shop. It's a bit gaudy, but nice. I've also stayed at the Swan/Dolphin because I got a special rate (which I can't get now) and I enjoyed it.

[dizbang]

April 4-14 will be our 45 trip to WDW. We've stayed at most of the middle and upper hotels. If you have a car then AKL is not that bad.

They have good bus service to the parks but I prefer driving. The AKL is probably the cheapest of the luxury hotels and the architect that designed Wilderness Lodge also designed the AKL. Both Boma (Swahili for animal enclosure) and Jiko are VERY good restaurants and there is a lot to do around the hotel. The Wilderness Lodge dock has boats to the Magic Kingdom. All three monorail hotels have rooms (at extra cost) that face the Castle and at night we usually watch the fireworks from our balcony looking across the lake. Buy or borrow from the library two books - The Official Walt Disney Guide (Birnbaum) and the Unofficial WDW Guide (Sehlinger). The truth is somewhere between the two:)

On our April trip we're spending 5 days at the Poly and then 5 days at

The Grand. Hope your trip is a good one.

[texashorns82492]

I've stayed in the Wilderness Lodge, Polynesian, and the Contemporary. I'd recommend either Polynesian or Contemporary.

[Xmeister]

Well, thanks for your advice.

 

I was really pushing for the Beach Club, but after telling my somewhat tiki-crazed father about the Polynesian, he coudn't book any other resort.