Traveling with kids can be a challenge, even to a super family friendly place like Walt Disney World. One of the first things you need to consider when planning a trip is where your family will stay. Disney World has 25 different hotels, in addition to even more specific room categories for guests to choose from. It can be difficult to navigate so many choices and figure out what are the best options for your family. To help you narrow it down, here are some of my favorite hotels for families with young kids at Walt Disney World.
Art of Animation: This value resort consists of one section of standard hotel rooms, but it is mostly made up of one bedroom, two-bathroom family suites that sleep up to 6! They sport over the top Disney theming with decor and features dedicated to Finding Nemo, Cars, and The Lion King. The Big Blue Pool at AoA is the largest pool on Disney property and has a great splash pad for little ones! It is also conveniently located on the Skyliner, providing quick and easy transportation to Epcot and Hollywood Studios.
Animal Kingdom Lodge: Animal Kingdom Lodge is a beautiful resort with amazing theming! It also has some of the best restaurants on property and a really great pool. Off the lobby are viewing areas of the savannah where animals like giraffes, zebras, ostriches and more hang out and graze all day long. You can even book a Savannah view room where your balcony overlooks this grassland, and you can enjoy a morning or afternoon just hanging out and watching animals!
Caribbean Beach Resort: Caribbean Beach Resort is another great family resort located on the Skyliner. One room category here has super fun pirate theming! Other rooms sleep up to five people with a pull down, child-sized Murphy bed, perfect for families with 3 kids!
Beach Club Villas: Any of the villa hotels at Disney World are great options for larger families since those 3-bedroom grand villas typically sleep up to 12 people. However, the Beach Club is extra special for two reasons. One, the transportation options are great! You can access both Epcot and Hollywood Studios by boat or simply by walking! How convenient is that! And two: the pool! Stormalong Bay, the pool shared by the Yacht Club and Beach Club resorts is so awesome! It is a whopping 3 acres large and has a zero-depth entry, sand bottomed pool area as well as a lazy river! If you are a family who likes to take a day or two at the pool when you visit Disney World, this is the resort for you!
Cabins at Fort Wilderness: Did you know that Disney World has a campground? In addition to tent, pop-up and RV hook-up sites, Fort Wilderness also has over 400 one bedroom, one-bathroom cabins that also have full kitchens and private decks with a picnic table and a charcoal grill! The Fort has great family activities including horseback riding and campfire sing-a-longs (complete with s’mores!)
Contemporary Resort: For me, the Contemporary’s biggest perk for families with young kids is its transportation options. Dealing with strollers is sometimes a necessary evil at Disney World. But if you plan on spending most of your park days at Magic Kingdom with your little kiddos, the Contemporary is simply a 5-10 minute walk! Just hop in the stroller and go! No climbing in and out, folding it up and lugging it up and down the steps of a bus! Sometimes a great location can make all the difference!
Extra space, kitchens and laundry options, recreation, and transportation are all factors in deciding where you should stay on your Disney trip! Contact me today so that we can discuss what makes the most sense for your family and your fairytale vacation!
