Hello and welcome to planDisney! It’s my pleasure to assist in your vacation planning. As a Mom who loves bringing my kids (now ages 10 and 12) to the Most Magical Place on Earth, I’m thrilled to share some of our favorites in the hopes that your family loves them too.
First, if it’s in your budget, I always recommend staying onsite at a
Disney Resort Hotel. From perks like
Early Theme Park Entry to complimentary transportation to and from the parks, you will feel like you’re in the middle of the Magic from day 1. Make sure to check out the
Panels Extras section of the planDisney website (including the Pocket Guides) as you’ll find lots more recommendations there, but my list of favorite resorts for kids includes:
- Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort (most budget-friendly with great large characters around the property)
- Disney’s Art of Animation Resort (value resort with a large pool and
access to the Disney Skyliner)
- Disney’s Port Orleans Resort- French Quarter (great New Orleans vibe and small property that is easy to navigate)
- Disney’s Wilderness Lodge (deluxe resort themed after the Pacific Northwest with
boat access to Magic Kingdom Park)
- Disney’s Contemporary Resort (deluxe resort with a walking path to Magic Kingdom Park and
onsite character dining for breakfast, lunch, and dinner)
Since it’s your first visit, I would encourage you to spend some time
reviewing the list of attractions to see what best fits your kids’ personalities (and height restrictions). For example, my boys, even at ages 6 and 8, were thrill seekers. They loved
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train,
Slinky Dog Dash,
Avatar Flight of Passage, and
Test Track. While I know not all kids enjoy roller coasters, these were “must-dos” in my house.
Now, if you have any Princess lovers in your group, you may want to prioritize attractions like
Frozen Ever After or carve out time to watch
Beauty and Beast- Live on Stage. If your kids love characters, there are
great dining opportunities where characters will walk around while you eat and pause for photos. You can find these at all four parks and a number of Disney Resort Hotels. I could talk about the specifics of dining around the Walt Disney World Resort for hours, so please feel free to come back with additional dining questions or questions about tickets, Disney Genie+, character meet and greets, and more!
I hope this helps jumpstart your planning process and I look forward to seeing you here again at planDisney as you get ready for your upcoming visit!
Lauren