Welcome to planDisney, Dave!
I am so happy to be talking to you today. Selecting the perfect resort is my favorite part of planning a Walt Disney World Resort vacation! I also happen to have a 5-year-old and a 2-year-old and bring my in-laws along for the ride. I would love to talk to you about what has worked well for our group in the past.
The first thing that you are going to want to do is to nail down your approximate budget. Walt Disney World Resort has hotels that range from 5-star luxury resorts to more laid-back (but still amazing) hotels that are themed for kids of all ages.
Dave, once you decide on the amount that you would like to spend, the next thing that you will want to do is to focus on location. If you are spending most of your time in the Magic Kingdom, then you will want to be at a resort near that park. I recommend either Disney's Polynesian Village Resort or
Disney's Wilderness Lodge. Both resorts are some of my absolute favorites and offer monorail and boat transportation right to the front of the park! My kids love taking the boat to get to the parks in the morning, and I love not having to fold up the stroller to hop on a bus!
For a more moderate price, I suggest that you look at
Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside. Your parents will love the laid-back pace of the resort while your kids will absolutely adore the pool. The food options here are absolutely out of this world.
If you are looking to visit another theme park during your stay, I recommend that you visit Disney's Hollywood Studios. Here the entire family will be able to hang out with Anna & Elsa before playing the day away with Woody and Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story Land. You may even luck out and get to see a rare Florida snowfall.
You can easily get to Disney's Hollywood Studios via the
Disney Skyliner if you choose to stay at
Disney's Art of Animation Resort. If your group does not mind sharing one space, you can book a Family Suite. These suites offer three separate sleeping spaces and two full bathrooms. Mom and dad can take the master bedroom while the kids and grandkids take over the two double beds. The pool here is also the largest resort pool in all of Walt Disney World!
Dave, if you really want to go all out, you can take a look at booking a 2-bedroom suite in a Deluxe Resort. While these resorts come at a higher price tag, they also come with two bedrooms, a living room, a full kitchen, and a washer and dryer.
If you do not choose to stay in a suite, you will need to book two rooms for your party. You can do this online, but will have to complete the booking process separately for each room. So, reserve a room for Party A, add theme park tickets, and check out by paying your deposit. Once that is done, you can do the same thing for Party B. Even though you will have two separate reservation numbers, do not worry. You can still link both rooms to your
My Disney Experience account. This will let you manage everyone's plans.
No matter which resort you choose, I just know you will have a magical time. After all, the true magic of Walt Disney World Resort is not in the hotel that you stay in, but in the memories that you make with your loved ones.
See you real soon!
Sarah B.