Kilimanjaro Safaris; Animal Kingdom; AA
  • On May 15, 2010
    Andrew Asked Note: This answer was provided prior to the change to planDisney and may still contain references to Disney Parks Moms Panel.

    Experiences, policies, pricing and other offerings are subject to change and may have changed since the date of this answer.

    I'm planning our first family Disney World vacation for November 2010. My wife and I have 3 children ages 6 (boy), 4 (girl), and 2 (girl). Trying to decide which hotel would be best. Would love to stay at hotel with Monorail/water ferry access to park.

    Andrew:

    With the ages of your children, I'm thinking that you will spend more time at the Magic Kingdom than Epcot.  With that in mind, I'd recommend considering the Magic Kingdom resorts of The Contemporary, The Polynesian, Grand Floridian, Wilderness Lodge or Fort Wilderness.

    Let's use the process of elimination....

    With children, I always recommend a hotel with some theming, so let's mark off the Grand Floridian (unless you will be there at the end of November. It has lovely Christmas decor not to mention a life-size Gingerbread House in its lobby). And theming strikes the Contemporary, too, leaving the Polynesian on the monorail. A Magic Kingdom view at the Polynesian offers both theme and monorail, but transportation comes with a price. If you're watching what you spend, a garden wing room at the Contemporary would be the least expensive way to access the monorail, and your son will think a subway going through the lobby is awfully cool!

    If we're looking at price, I don't want to snub another great option: Wilderness Lodge. A standard room there is almost half the cost of the Magic Kingdom view room at the Polynesian.... In a few years, your family won't fit in the standard 4-to-a-room accommodations at the lodge, so it might be something to take advantage of while your 2-year-old can sleep in a crib.

    Although the lodge doesn't have monorail access to Magic Kingdom, it does have a boat--another attraction in my eyes. November's cooler weather makes the lodge theme fit (especially with its stories-tall fireplace in the lobby).  If the weather is warm, you can still enjoy the pool, one of the best on property.   Explore Wilderness Lodge here and if you want to dig a little deeper come back to the panel, or my bio, and ask us some followup questions.

    Wishing y'all a magical vacation!
    Whitney
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Meet the Panelist: Whitney, Mississippi

My family of 6 appreciates Disney's value! Although Ft. Wilderness is our second home, we've enjoyed the resorts for business, reunions and romantic getaways. For me, Disney also means dining: last count, I'd eaten at 55 restaurants around the World! Learn More About Whitney

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