Best no park resort

[Sleepyluke]

Coming to town for a cruise and for the first time not looking to do parks. Mostly pool/kids playing for an afternoon then board the ship. I know most resorts have cool pools, but is there a have to go to pool/kids area worth checking out? Or pick one and rock on? Kids 4, 8, and 45.

 

[RoseGold]

I wouldn’t do Disney at all. I’d do offsite, like bonnet creek or margaritaville.

 

[bumbershoot]

Coming to town for a cruise and for the first time not looking to do parks. Mostly pool/kids playing for an afternoon then board the ship. I know most resorts have cool pools, but is there a have to go to pool/kids area worth checking out? Or pick one and rock on? Kids 4, 8, and 45.

The question is "what is a cool pool to YOUR family?"

Some want to swim, and get frustrated by the play-centric pools that have no proper swimming area. Some want slides and don't need much room for proper swimming.

If you wanted to just swim and swim, go to a value with a nice plain pool. If the kids like a slide, find one with a slide.

 

[DL1WDW2]

What time of year? Do you have teens or toddlers?It’s kinda cold …I think Orlando is having winter season now… hope it warms up soon.

 

[Sleepyluke]

What time of year? Do you have teens or toddlers?It’s kinda cold …I think Orlando is having winter season now… hope it warms up soon.

May and 4,8, and 45 year old kids

 

[kanerf]

Animal Kingdom Lodge.

 

[snikki]

I have never stayed there but I would go for AKL. It seems like a resort that can be a vacation by itself.

 

[CarolynFH]

Yes, AKL would be a lot of fun, especially if you could get a savanna view room and watch animals from your balcony (although there are plenty of animal observation locations in the hotel if you can’t). You can use the pools at both Jambo House, where the hotel rooms are, and Kidani, the DVC building, and food options are good there too.

 

[ChanaC]

I would do Yacht or Beach Club because of Stormalong Bay. Plus you are in walking distance to the Boardwalk, Swan, and Dolphin, and connected by the nearby Skyliner station to other hotels if you are looking for other places to eat.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I'd go to Cabana Bay at Universal, honestly.

 

[Cabius]

Animal Kingdom Lodge or Beach Club. Maybe Wilderness Lodge.

I personally call the Poly "home" and I love it dearly, but if I took my 5-year-old to the Poly and she could see Magic Kingdom across the water, she'd be pretty upset we weren't going.

Animal Kingdom Lodge is a wonderful getaway, and removed enough from the parks that it's a great place for a no-park vacation w/o feeling like you're missing out on anything.

 

[georgina]

I've never stayed at Gaylord or Waldorf Astoria, but those interest me. I second the previous post about Universal resorts, but would go with Portofino Bay or Royal Pacific

 

[vinotinto]

If you are thinking beyond pools, I vote for AKL, although I don't know if the activities with the CMs from Africa have been restored. But it is a unique resort.

If you are thinking pools, I would look into one of the resorts that have a true lazy river. We stayed at one of the Orlando Hiltons w a lazy river and it was fun. The Bonnet Creek resorts have them too. As does Cabana Bay. Note that Stormalong Bay at Beach/Yacht is not a true lazy river, just a little roundabout and it is quite deep.

 

[rangerxenos]

Animal Kingdom Lodge for Disney properties. Consider Bonnet Creek for a really good Lazy River.

 

[HMANSION LOVER]

Port Orleans Mardi Gras. We stayed at Riverside and short walked it over to Mardi Gras to meet freinds. Go online and look at the pictures. It is a really really long sea serpant. We walked through the gates with a 5 and 8 year old and they just went nuts and ran off to the slide. And the pool and slide are in your view from the pool bar.

 

[Spacepest]

ANIMAL KINGDOM LODGE.
It has a couple of pools, live animals to view on property, fantastic African art and cultural artifacts decorating areas of the hotel, excellent restaurants with African themed food. There used to be cast members who would do all kinds of interesting activity with the children (but this may not be available now due to Covid restrictions) like story telling by a fire pit, activities to make African art and jewelry, animal care takers on property who would chat with guests about the animals on exhibit. At night some of these caretakers used to have night vision goggles they would let the guests use to view the animals' activities in the dark. The rooms themselves had fantastic furniture with animals carved into them. Seriously, this is probably the closest thing we will ever get to Wakanda IRL.

And for the love of god, if you are going to stay here, splurge a little and get a room with animal viewing. Few things are more magical than eating breakfast on your balcony next to a family of giraffes, zebras, antelope, and red river hogs.
The pools here are not as fantastic as some of the other properties (Like Stormalong bay) but everything else...wow.

 

[DizKids2]

My vote would be for Animal Kingdom Lodge or Yacht/Beach club. We did a stay at Beach Club before a cruise a few years ago. My kids thought I was crazy for booking a Disney resort without park passes, but we had a lovely stay! They loved the pool, we rented one of the bikes on the boardwalk and ended up going to a movie in Disney Springs too.

 

[rangerxenos]

ANIMAL KINGDOM LODGE.
It has a couple of pools, live animals to view on property, fantastic African art and cultural artifacts decorating areas of the hotel, excellent restaurants with African themed food. There used to be cast members who would do all kinds of interesting activity with the children (but this may not be available now due to Covid restrictions) like story telling by a fire pit, activities to make African art and jewelry, animal care takers on property who would chat with guests about the animals on exhibit. At night some of these caretakers used to have night vision goggles they would let the guests use to view the animals' activities in the dark. The rooms themselves had fantastic furniture with animals carved into them. Seriously, this is probably the closest thing we will ever get to Wakanda IRL.

And for the love of god, if you are going to stay here, splurge a little and get a room with animal viewing. Few things are more magical than eating breakfast on your balcony next to a family of giraffes, zebras, antelope, and red river hogs.
The pools here are not as fantastic as some of the other properties (Like Stormalong bay) but everything else...wow.

The pools aren't as fantastic as other, but sitting in the hot tub surrounded by trees with petals falling into the water is heavenly!

 

[mco65]

If cost is not an issue, AKL.. but if your looking to go a tad cheaper.. POR or PQ.

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

Fort Wilderness tbh. There is so many activities you can choose from.
Or a boardwalk area hotel so you can use the skyliner to other resorts as well as close proximity to Fantasia gardens mini golf.
Port Orleans is also great due to proximity to Disney Springs which has a bunch of things to do.