Headed out to Orlando for a work conference toward the end of September and have decided to extend the stay to take our 3 1/2 year old to Disney. It'll just be me, the wife and the kiddo and we'll be staying for 4 days. Looking for recommendations on where to stay. We don't want to have to drive and would rather take shuttle or monorail. We'd like a nicer place or at least something on the cleaner side! Any recommendations appreciated!

We really like Animal Kingdom lodge but good luck getting reservations this late in the game

The perks of staying on-site are definitely worth the extra cost. Animal Kingdom Lodge is also our favorite, but as the above poster said, you might just have to take whatever you can get at this point.

If youre looking for something on the cheaper side, maybe check the dolphin or swan. You can take a water taxi to epcot and hollywood studio, or bus to the magic kingdom or animal kingdom. Plus it is a starwood if you have spg points.

Late September is one of the slowest times of the year at Disney World - most kids are in school almost everywhere.

I'd try to stay at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, but Disney really doesn't have any "bad" resorts. Pop Century is pretty cheap but it is still clean and safe.

FbgTxAg said:

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Disney really doesn't have any "bad" resorts.

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I'd echo this, from my experience. I stayed at the Coronado Springs resort with our young family about 3 years ago because it was cheap. Considering what little time we spent in the room, it was just fine for our needs.

Yes, there are other much nicer places to stay on property but I'm not sure why I would want to pay for it. We just don't spend much time in the room.

The Contemporary Resort was perfect with a 3 and 5 year old 2 and 4 year old.

edit: Time flies...

We've stayed off property once and on property twice. Will probably never stay off property again. Not because it's cheaper or nicer on property, it's just easier and they tie it all together.
Stayed at one off the All-Star resorts with the LOLpoors, but since we were either in the park or asleep it was enough for my wife and I. (We went once without the kids)
Stayed at Caribbean Beach one year and it was nicer with better food in the food court. It was also more quiet because you get international tourist groups at the All-Star Resorts that hang out and chant at the pool.
Either way the shuttle buses are super convienent and frequent.

Staying on property, check out Swan, Dolphin, Yacht Club, Boardwalk; all located out back entry to EPCOT, also short walk to Hollywood. EPCOT is on Monorail with Magic Kingdom. Contemporary, Polynesian, Floridian are on Monorail. Plusthe bus & water transits.
Animal Kingdom, nice, but off the travel path.
Wilderness has easy access to monorail, just not on it.
Sept is slow period. We go often and live in Texas.
My choice, any one out rear entry to EPCOT.

So, right now we're going back and forth between The Contemporary and Animal Kingdom Lodge. They are both available for our dates (Sept. 21-25). We have a 3 1/2 year old... What would you pick and why? Not too concerned with the cost, more the convenience...

Any recommendations of best places to take him? Things not to miss? Any other tips?
TIA

A 3 1/2 year old might really love watching all the animals from your balcony porch at Animal Kingdom.

One of my favorite things to do. With a Scotch!

definitely contemporary. mickey themed character dinner and quick access to Magic Kingdom (which is park most geared to 3 year old). Can watch fireworks from the hotel


Animal Kingdom lodge is better overall, but at age 3, for sure Contemporary.

BMX Bandit said:

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definitely contemporary. mickey themed character dinner and quick access to Magic Kingdom (which is park most geared to 3 year old). Can watch fireworks from the hotel


Animal Kingdom lodge is better overall, but at age 3, for sure Contemporary.

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Agreed

saa06 said:

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So, right now we're going back and forth between The Contemporary and Animal Kingdom Lodge. They are both available for our dates (Sept. 21-25). We have a 3 1/2 year old... What would you pick and why? Not too concerned with the cost, more the convenience...

Any recommendations of best places to take him? Things not to miss? Any other tips?
TIA

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If you want convenience, go with the Contemporary. Nothing beats the monorail (assuming it's running), but it's also a short walk to Magic Kingdom. As much as we love staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge, it's the furthest from the Magic Kingdom, which means spending a fair amount of time on a bus.

We stayed at the Polynesian recently and loved it.

lil99chris said:

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I would be happy to assist your family in booking your resort, rooms, and fastpasses.

My services are FREE when you book with me!

Chris Smith '99
832.473.1452
csmith@travelwithontheroad.com

Specialty Trips:

• Disney World
• Disney Cruise Line
• Disneyland
• Aulani Resort
• Adventures by Disney

Relax and enjoy while I organize and plan:

• Dining and FastPasses
• Park and Event Tickets
• Strollers and Scooters
• Promotions... and more!

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This is LEGIT. We booked our last trip thru a Disney planner and it was great. Completely free and made a huge difference in everything. We stayed at contemporary and really liked it and convenient for sure.

We are booking another trip in October for yacht club as we are now a family of 5. Highly encourage you to use a Disney planner.

Thanks for all of the great info!
Gonzo03, I actually talked with your wife earlier this week and she sent us some great stuff. I think we're going to go with the Contemporary.

I'm considering a surprise for my wife and almost 2 year old the week after Christmas, but online reviews say it's a total zoo that week. Anyone have experience?

Bulldog73,
It is crazy during that week between Christmas and New Years but also a fun time to be there. We've done it once and although it was crowded if you plan accordingly it can still be a good experience. As mentioned above my wife is an authorized Disney travel agent and I highly recommend reaching out to her with your questions as she is the subject matter expert. She can show you the crowd calendars and find something that will work best for you. After that she will handle all of the reservations for you (Fast Pass, dining, strollers if needed, transportation, etc) so you can enjoy your Disney vacation. The best part: it's all free to you as the client. She can be found on Facebook at "Mickey Mom Travel by Heather" or you can access her webpage thru the link below.

http://www.mickeymomtravel.com/our-team/heather-gonzalez

Saa06,
That's great to hear. I'm confident that you guys will enjoy working with her and will appreciate her taking care all of the intricate details so you can truly have a magical vacation.

Swan & Dolphin are good choice. You can take a water taxi to a few place but you can even walk to Epcot in 15 minutes. Found that out when my kids were small. Then you can take shuttles/buses from there. Cant remember the exact modes of transport from there though...

Stay on site. Pay the money, and when you guys get hot and tired mid afternoon, easy trip back, put the kid in the pool, have a few beers, and relax. Evening shower, nice dinner, nighttime in the park is awesome after that. All the peons are mad at each other and have been on their feet all day. Trust us on this.

I recommended Heather to some friends in CS. They had a fantastic time and had so many nice things to say about their trip. They said Heather went above and beyond and said they had a perfect trip. Thought I should give her shout out for them.