Hi, Christine!
Welcome back to Disney Parks Moms Panel!
What a great question!
We are members of Disney Vacation Club, and own at Bay Lake Tower at
Disney's Contemporary Resort as well as at
Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, so I know how torn you must be; they are each magical in their very own, unique ways!
When planning your
Walt Disney World Resort visit, it is very important to consider which parks you will frequent the most. With kids ranging from 2 1/2 to 6, I suspect that Magic Kingdom will be the park you'll tour more often. If that is the case, I suggest that you book this particular stay at Disney's Contemporary Resort. When your little ones doze off in your stroller at the end of a fun-filled day, you can simply wheel them onto a monorail, ride smoothly back to your resort hotel, whisk them up in the elevator to your room and tuck them gently in bed. Truly, staying at a monorail-adjacent resort is a fabulous perk for any family with little ones in tow.
However, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge is a spectacular destination in and of itself, and if your little ones will want multiple visits to Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park, then your location here cannot be beat. Not only are savanna views spectacular, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge's proximity to Animal Kingdom makes your commute there super short!
Take a close look at the number of days you'll be staying in WDW, then consider how many days/nights you expect to stay in these two parks. Your visit will be more leisurely if you plan to stay closest to the park you'll visit most often.
Send more questions as you think of them, Christine; we love to help!
Andrea H