Hi there, Anita! Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel. I love chatting with other Floridians!
Taking a long weekend at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel is one of our family's favorite ways to "do Disney." In fact, we usually plan a summer visit that doesn't include Theme Parks at all. We'll pick a Resort hotel we may not have tried yet (or go back to one of our favorites), and take our time enjoying all the great things to do there.
My son is 5, and while he enjoys staying just about anywhere, Disney's Art of Animation Resort has a special appeal for small children. If your littles are looking for water fun, you'll love the Big Blue Pool. It has a zero-entry area that's perfect for kids who aren't swimmers yet, since they can play in the big pool but still be in water that's shallow enough for them. They'll also love climbing and playing on the Schoolyard Sprayground and Squirt's Righteous Reef.
After your kids have splished and splashed to their heart's content, they can marvel at all the larger-than-life characters from Cars, The Lion King, Finding Nemo and The Little Mermaid dotting the resort's courtyards. At mealtime, I love the Landscape of Flavors food court, which has lots of choices for parents and kids alike.
The family suites at Art of Animation are amazing, but can also be a little pricey. Since your family isn't too large you'll be quite comfortable in the Little Mermaid section, which features more standard hotel rooms as opposed to the larger suites you'll find in the rest of the resort.
I hope this helps you plan the perfect weekend getaway for your family, Anita. If you'd like to explore other Walt Disney World Resort hotels, check out this list on the Disney website. Please visit us again if you have any more questions. We love to help!
Have a magical day,
Kathy K.