Best resort for first visit with 3 y/o

[Mikey510]

Hey everybody, wanted to ask on what resort would be the best for a 3 year old. It’s my first child so I could really use some expert advice. I had a deluxe in mind around the MK area for the fact that it would be easier to take those afternoon naps and relax times. However, I am open for ideas on where to stay and what kids will love more! Thanks everyone!

 

[Dis703]

IME as for what the kids enjoy they love pretty much any resort or hotel. Really my boys at anywhere from ages 2-9 were happy and excited about a Hampton Inn just as much as any of the Disney resorts. So I generally advise parents to consider what they would enjoy. We have stayed at Pop, AS Sports, Beach Club, Boardwalk, POFQ and CBR and all were lots of fun and had different perks to them. The Epcot area resorts are probably our favorites because of the convenience of walking to 2 different parks. Depending on which parks you are planning to do this may be just as convenient, if not more, as the MK area resorts. It was great being able to put them in the stroller and walk right back to the resort for naptimes. But that being said it wasn't all that much more difficult to use the buses for naptimes either.

CBR had a little playground for the kids and little beaches to play on as well as one of the coolest splash zone areas. It was pirate themed with slides and lots of water activities.

I don't think you can go wrong with any of them so do your research and just pick out the one that you like best and fits your budget. And have fun!

 

[kboo]

The Contemporary/Bay Lake Tower is my hands down favorite for taking a 3yo. It's where we stayed with ODD right before she turned 3, and where we will stay for YDD's 3rd birthday. We also love Beach Club/Yacht Club and Boardwalk. Being able to walk to a park is invaluable, especially for naps or at the end of the day when everyone is tired. Although MK can be loud and overstimulating, it is still the park with the most to do with a 3-yo, and the walk to and from the Contemporary is great. If both of you (parents) are going and you just have one kid, it's easy for one parent to stay with the napper while the other walks to MK for a quick solo adult visit. There's also a ton of restaurant options at the monorail resorts and Wilderness Lodge -- more so than at the Boardwalk area, IMO, because while you *can* go into WS for a huge range of restaurants, some are still quite far away and involve all the park security to get there. At all 3 of the monorail resorts and at WL, there is lots of space for your LO to explore, shops and theming, and great restaurants at all of them. It's my favorite cluster of non-park restaurants. If you're booking a cash room, often the best deal is a garden wing room at the Contemporary. It's an easy and short walk to MK.

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

While I haven't stayed at any of the MK resorts, I think my toddler would like the Poly or WL best because of the kiddie pools. That's really the only thing my kids care about at the hotel, and both of those resorts have awesome water play structures for little ones. We also enjoyed the kiddie pool at CBR (though I'd be hesitant to recommend it with little ones with the construction right now), and stayed at SSR in August, which also had a couple of really neat kiddie pool play areas.

 

[Daniela Rose]

We just got back from our first trip with our kids, 2 and 4. We stayed at the contemporary and it was perfect for us. So easy to walk to MK, which is where we spent most of our time. We hadn't a theme park view so after the girls fell asleep we could watch the fireworks from our balcony.

The pool was perfect. Quiet, not crowded but other kids to play with. A small little sprinkler area.

We went to the poly one night and although the pool area was amazing (great sprinkler area) it was packed! It was 8pm and dark out. I can't imagine it during the day at peak pool time.

 

[LovesTimone]

Stay where you are comfortable, and they will be fine. We like to stay at the mod's the pool are so well themed and my grandson loves CBR ... " pirate pool MIMI... Pirate POOL". For us we planned breaks to head back to the pool, and nap, we found that mid day that most of the time the buses are not over crowded like at opening or closing of the parks.. Also uber and lyft are available which is an added choice.

 

[BobbyDukes]

Think of this before you decide.
If you spend 500 a night for a hotel that you will be stuck in the room taking naps with your 3 y/o is 500 a night worth it??
Moderate resorts are the best value on property hands down.

 

[kboo]

With careful planning and discounts, I have generally paid in the range of $290-$330/nt at the deluxe resorts listed in my signature. Yes, I could have saved maybe $100/nt at a mod (the biggest discounts are at the deluxe hotels), but is that worth an extra hour of travel time each day, plus theming and better restaurants and better location (and no need for uber or lyft)? It depends on each family's needs, but for some, that difference in $ may be worth it.

ETA: I agree that if you're going to be at the parks from open to close with no breaks, deluxe may not be the best value. But that's not how everyone does Disney.

 

[Marthasor]

Think of this before you decide.
If you spend 500 a night for a hotel that you will be stuck in the room taking naps with your 3 y/o is 500 a night worth it??
Moderate resorts are the best value on property hands down.

If it means I can walk or monorail back to my resort without breaking down a stroller and waking a napping child, yes, $500 is worth it. But I've NEVER spent $500 a night on a deluxe room at WDW and I've stayed in deluxe resorts over 30 times.

 

[Princess SarahK]

I vote for a monorail resort, if the funds were available. Epcot resorts would be my second choice.

If not, go with what your budget allows and it'll all work out.

From what I've read as I plan our next trip, a lot of kids have trouble settling down to even take naps at WDW and end up skipping naps and heading to bed earlier. Which is also possible plus for a Deluxe hotel. Baby can sleep and you can hang out on balcony. We did this last June at Poly and my youngest passed out while we watched Wishes from our balcony. It was AMAZING!

If you're planning far enough in advance, you can rent points and stay at a Deluxe Villa and get deluxe for Mod pricing. <---- That's what I'd do if I had time.

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

Absolutely agree, if it is in your budget, that one of the monorail resorts is the best. The speedier transportation, not having to break down the stroller (especially if yours will nap in the stroller), and the extra space in the room are all advantages we enjoyed a lot when we had younger kids.

If you don't want to spend the extra money, all of the resorts are great for kids, so don't worry at all about that. And if sometimes you find yourself not wanting to deal with transportation, you can always get an uber. It's pretty cheap to get around property that way.

 

[Princess SarahK]

Absolutely agree, if it is in your budget, that one of the monorail resorts is the best. The speedier transportation, not having to break down the stroller (especially if yours will nap in the stroller), and the extra space in the room are all advantages we enjoyed a lot when we had younger kids.

If you don't want to spend the extra money, all of the resorts are great for kids, so don't worry at all about that. And if sometimes you find yourself not wanting to deal with transportation, you can always get an uber. It's pretty cheap to get around property that way.

How does Uber work with kids that need car seats? Do they have car seat Ubers?

 

[SomDayMyPrnceWillCom]

We are DVC and stayed the first time at Poly this past June with my 3 year old. He loved the quiet pool as well as the kiddie pool. It was super convenient for the monorail use and when he wanted to ride the boat, we could do that also. That being said, if your budget doesn't afford it, we stayed in the values several times and loved those as well. It is easier on the monorail with a stroller though.

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

How does Uber work with kids that need car seats? Do they have car seat Ubers?

I have not used it when needing a seat, but I have noticed at some point an option to select it on the app.

 

[ktlm]

My DD has never met a resort she didn't like. In the pre-school years, we stayed at WL, Poly and GF. She loved them all. Poly is nice because you can walk over to the TTC and take the express monorail to either EPCOT or MK- it can save travel time. DD adored the GF because ever since going to 1900 Park Fare the first time, she has deemed that "Cinderella's hotel"-- it feels like a Princess place to her (still does and she is 11 now). Her first trip at age 2 was a WL, and she loved that too-- she got obsessed with the babbling brook and little bridge in the lobby area. She loved taking the boat to MK. Honestly, you can't go wrong. Don't assume the afternoon nap is going to work for you. I was convinced we needed to leave the parks for the afternoon nap our first trip with her when she was 2. DH and I are commando types that don't leave the parks. Apparently it is genetic. The afternoon nap did not work for her at all. All was got was a toddler that was extremely angry because we made her leave the park who refused to nap and stood behind the curtain in the room for 2-3 hours because she was so mad. We finally gave up and went back to the park where she promptly and happily fell asleep in the stroller. After that, it was stroller naps in the park for us for the next few years. That is what worked for her. Just be prepared to be flexible. I don't think you can really know what is going to work for your child on that first trip until you actually get there.

 

[TOBS2010]

When we went with my oldest at 2.5 we stayed at POR. It worked out without a problem. We typically went back to the room in the afternoon for a nap---but he usually fell asleep on the bus in route and then would wake up immediately or soon after we got back into the hotel room. Still it worked out for us where we would take a break, exploring the hotel or going swimming for a bit before cleaning up for dinner or going back into the parks. Next time we go with my younger toddler I am trying to save up for a monorail resort. He already isn't the best afternoon napper---but being able to divide and conquer the kids where DH or I can put the younger one down earlier in the night for bed and the other take the 5 year old back into the Magic Kingdom for a bit longer would be ideal and "close to home" for the night. Monorail resorts are especially nice if you are going to likely spend most of your time in the MK---which we definitely will with our kids at this age.