WDW in early February? Which resort?

[123LuckyMom]

This will be our second Disney trip with the kids. This time, they'll be 7 and almost 4. Last time they were 4.5 and 11 months, so it was massive double stroller time, and we chose to stay in the Poly for ease of transportation. This time, we're thinking of going from Jan. 30-Feb 6. It looks like Splash Mountain might open by the end (it's supposed to be closed only through Jan 30), and Little Mermaid won't close until Feb 2nd, so we're good, right? We don't mind missing Kali River Rapids. Is there any reason not to go at that time?

We're trying to decide on the resort. We have a nice budget, so price is not our top priority, though it's always wonderful to save money! I've only ever stayed at the Poly, Contemporary, Grand Floridian, the Swan, and the Dolphin. I know nothing about the other resorts! Our first impulse was to stay at the Contemporary for transportation access. The Poly was PERFECT for transportation, but we stayed there last time and are tempted to try something new. DH and I are both attracted to the Wilderness Lodge but are worried about transportation times. We figured that if we're going to have to take buses, why not stay at a moderate (probably POFQ) or value (no clue!) and save a lot of money. Then we thought we might rent a car, and that might change things drastically, but I don't know. Is driving faster than the buses, or will we end up sitting in traffic and taking trams from miles away?

If cost were not the biggest issue, you didn't care about having a suite or kitchen or whatnot (and so wanting a DVC option) or care a whit about the pool or restaurants (we do counter service, mostly), where would you stay? Last trip we did come back to the hotel in the afternoons for "naps". I'm not sure we'll do that this time, though I definitely enjoyed having that rest. We do love good theming, so that's a top priority (and a strike against the Contemporary), but speed and ease when getting to and from the parks are paramount. We really did hate the buses last time with our huge BOB, but we'll just be bringing umbrella stroller(s) this time. We'll be visiting MK and EPCOT two days each, DHS and AK one day each, and we'll be back again to WDW in another three years at the outside, so it's not a one-and-only trip. Should we venture outside the monorail loop, or will we regret it? If we do stay elsewhere, where should we stay and why? Should we rent a car or just use Disney transportation?

[SummerBaby]

We have stayed in a one bedroom at the Boardwalk twice and we love it. It's not big on theme, but I love the decor (the DVC side was very recently renovated- not sure about the inn). The kids love the pool and the Boardwalk- there are magicians/entertainers at night and my girls like to watch. You also can't beat the location. You can walk to Epcot in less than 10 minutes, and you can also walk to HS in about 15-20 minutes. You can also take a boat to Epcot and HS. We were there a couple weeks ago and IIRC they let people roll strollers right on. Anyway, you would only need a bus to MK and AK. I would really like to try the Beach Club too.

You could also try AKL. We also stayed there for two nights our last trip. It's beautiful, but isolated and we liked being closer to the parks at night time. We loved the restaurants there but if you are only doing quick service it may not be worth it.

[SummerBaby]

Also, we rent a car only because I have points and it only ends up costing me the tax. We barely use it except to go to MK and it is a bit of a pain taking the tram and then monorail. We haven't had problems with traffic at all. I dislike being able to come and go when I want but I think I might suck it up and take buses next time.

[acmom]

We have been several times in Feb and really like going that time of year. Swimming is iffy, some years it has been plenty warm to swim, some years not, but we have had low crowds and no crazy heat or waiting. We have always just used Disney transportation.

We have stayed at WL, Poly, Riverside and most recently Beach Club. Honestly, we have enjoyed them all for different reasons! But I think our favorite might have been Beach Club - we loved being able to walk to Epcot for dinner, fireworks etc at night even when we had hit a different park during the day. We did several days where we did a park in the morning/early afternoon, spent rest of afternoon relaxing at the pool and then headed to Epcot for the evening. We walked to HS too from Beach Club too. Loved the resort and pool area there as well and had a fun character meal there at Cape May. I think it is best to get the park hopper though to really take advantage of being so close to Epcot - not sure if you were planning on that or not.

WL was great too - if you are going to spend the bulk of your time at MK, we found the boat ride to MK quick and easy and we really liked the feel of that resort - beautiful lodge feel. Took buses to the rest of the parks.

And we gave Riverside a try bc we got a great deal - we were a little worried we would be disappointed after the deluxes we had stayed at, but really liked that one as well - great food court area there with tons of good options (by far the best counter service at a resort we have stayed at!). Liked the boat to Downtown Disney from Riverside too. We did a preferred room there on the Alligator Bayou side so we had the extra murphy bed which was nice and we were close to buses, pool, and food court. I know people that haven't done the preferred room there have complained that the resort is too big and it took too long to walk to those places, but we avoided that issue with the preferred location.

Its a hard choice...but the good news is that there are lots of great options! :)

[123LuckyMom]

It really is a hard choice! My experience is really limited when it comes to the hotels! I also hadn't considered staying near EPCOT. We are getting hoppers, but we LOVE the electrical parade and fireworks at MK, so we tend to gravitate back there at night. Any other opinions?

[egoldber]

Epcot and DHS are our fav parks. We own DVC at Boardwalk, so we stay there almost every time we go. I love the Boardwalk area. There is boat transportation to the two parks, but it is easier (IMO) to just walk. Epcot is 10 minutes and DHS is about 15-20. The boat almost always takes longer.

My kids love both Illuminations and Fantasmic. There are also tons of restaurants in that area. We love walking around the World Showcase and exploring all the countries.

[rkold]

We own at VGF and have stayed at: VGF, GF, BLT, Beach, Yacht, Poly, Caribbean, Coronado, and Jambo and Kidani. Next trip we're staying at Poly DVC and Kidani again.

All the resorts have pluses and minuses, I think a lot depends on which park you think you're going to be spending the most time visiting. We tend to spend a lot of time at MK so I like staying near it. My DD is almost 5 but short and can't make the 40 inch height lines so the Studios is only so interesting. We usually only spend 1/2 a day there and just to meet characters and do the sing along. I am hoping she will be over 40 inches so we can try more rides in Oct. I like the Studios but definitely think it is a park better suited for older/bigger kids since most of the rides have that 40 inch height line.

Both DD and I like Epcot. Though I am sad that the half of Innoventions we liked just closed since we wanted to do the piggy bank game again.

We also both like AK. Kali is fun, but it's not like Splash Mountain and you will get completely soaked on it. I've been in late Jan/early Feb when the weather was warm and sunny and other times when it has been super chilly. Heck, when we were there in mid to late Feb, one day it was 32 in the am on the Friday of the 5k and it was 75 the Sunday am of the 1/2.

If I knew for sure I was spending a lot of time at the pool, I would pick the Beach or Yacht. The Beach has more kids but they share pool facilities with the Yacht. The plus of the Yacht is they get on the bus first for MK, so there is always room vs. the Beach where sometimes you have to wait. I think the QS at the Beach+Yacht and Boardwalk is pretty horrible. I thought the Contemporary's was much better and seemed a little fresher. I also think there are slightly more restaurants options around the monorail vs. the Epcot resorts unless you have park tickets and can eat in Epcot. (We always travel with my non park visiting mother so don't do dinners in the park.) If everyone has park passes it is a non issue. I do like being able to walk to Epcot and the Studios.

I have started renting a car every trip. We had a bad experience with the ME and I like to pick up snacky foods at Target on the way to the hotel. The trip via car to nearly every park is consistently quicker than the bus. The only park where that comes into question is MK. I can get from the GF to the Studios including parking my car and walking to the front gate in 10 minutes. If I got lucky and caught a bus immediately, I might be able to get to the Studios in 10 minutes, but coming back even if you hit it ideally, you still have to wait for the bus to go to another hotel first. The only time the bus maybe would have been faster was when I couldn't find my rental car in the parking lot in AK. >>; With MK, it's not clear if the car will be faster since you need to take something from the TTC. If you rent a car, the Wilderness Lodge is nowhere near as far to things. I've never stayed there but we used their child care facilities and discovered it was not as far as I thought.

AKL is far from things other than AK Park but the theme, activities, and services are superb. I think they have the best free children's activities.

My mom hated Caribbean. It was huge and she had a hard time walking to all the services.

[Indianamom2]

We are staying at the Poly in November. You can't beat it for convenience and ability to watch fireworks from the beach.

That being said, we stayed at AK (Jambo House) a couple of years ago and while the hotel is nice, we decided that it is too far from everything to be convenient for us.

Pre-kids, we stayed at Port Orleans Riverside and liked it, but there was a lot of walking involved to get to the bus stops and in the off-season, the buses were SLOW. However, that's been 11+ years ago, so it may be better now.

I think if you like theming and want to be close to the MK and want to try something different then the Wilderness Lodge would be a good alternative. Dh and I looked into staying there this time, but there wasn't any availability when we wanted to go. We did stay there overnight once when we had to fill in one night and would do it again. It's really relaxing and taking the boat to the MK is easy.

I think the Epcot resorts look nice too, but no experience there (yet!). They do seem to be less themed in-room, but they look lovely and convenient.

[kristenk]

If you're interested in checking out WL, this might be a good trip to do it. The pool area is nice, but not as extensive as others, so going at a non-optimal-swim time might make this a good selection. (We just stayed at Beach Club and might not be able to stay anywhere else now that DD compares all other pools to that one!) The price is pretty good, too! We've stayed at WL in late Jan/early Feb twice. I love the theming there. You can take a boat to MK and to Fort Wilderness.

I think the Poly is the best for transportation, hands down. Just being close to the TTC makes it easy to get anywhere. You're going to lose that if you stay anywhere else. If you are planning to make lots of trips to and from parks each day, staying at the Poly might be best.

[DualvansMommy]

Tough choice [emoji2] we stayed at BC last year when our boys were almost 3 years old and 4 months old. The boys loved the pool at the resort but I hated the fact MK is only accessible from BC by bus. It wouldn't bother me if the boys were much older.

I would say poly based on its nearness to MK, the cool theming and decent dining choices. But since you had stayed there before, perhaps BC is good resort to try out. I know your kids would love the pool, as they're at a good age to enjoy it.


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[belovedgandp]

We were there that exact week this past year. We'd previously gone with kids in September and November (week before Thanksgiving week). I enjoyed that time of year. The weather was fantastic. I did feel like the entire place was under construction and all I saw were fences - nice fences, but still fences - in MK and AK. Some of that massive stuff will be finished, but it took me by surprise.

I've always stayed at value and use the buses for everything. My dream resorts are the ones with walking to Epcot. We love exploring the World Showcase.

They were working on the monorail and it had several long down period during our trip and our two meals that I thought would be super easy since it was MK to poly and grand floridian were awful to get to.

[hellokitty]

We went to WDW almost that exact timeframe this year. We rented a 1 bdrm DVC unit at AKL Kidani and we LOVED it! I know that ppl complain about AKL being, "out" there, but the bussing there is top notch! We stayed at POR Riverside last time and the bussing was really bad, even though the resort is more central, we had to wait so long for a bus, that it was actually quicker from AKL, b/c their busses only cover the two AKL bus locations and that's it. So, don't let the, "it's out there" comments, scare you. It was such a lovely resort, I wish we would have stayed there sooner, b/c it's one that I could see us returning to again and again. The staff there just goes above and beyond and we've stayed at POR Riverside and FQ, and while I loved FQ for its small footprint and quaint feeling, AKL was just better in every single way. I'd like to try an epcot resort too, but after renting a DVC unit, I am spoiled, lol, and I would want to stay DVC again.

[egoldber]

I'd like to try an epcot resort too, but after renting a DVC unit, I am spoiled, lol, and I would want to stay DVC again

Boardwalk and Beach Club both have DVC units, but they can be very difficult to rent because the demand is so high.

[rkold]

We went to WDW almost that exact timeframe this year. We rented a 1 bdrm DVC unit at AKL Kidani and we LOVED it! I know that ppl complain about AKL being, "out" there, but the bussing there is top notch! We stayed at POR Riverside last time and the bussing was really bad, even though the resort is more central, we had to wait so long for a bus, that it was actually quicker from AKL, b/c their busses only cover the two AKL bus locations and that's it. So, don't let the, "it's out there" comments, scare you. It was such a lovely resort, I wish we would have stayed there sooner, b/c it's one that I could see us returning to again and again. The staff there just goes above and beyond and we've stayed at POR Riverside and FQ, and while I loved FQ for its small footprint and quaint feeling, AKL was just better in every single way. I'd like to try an epcot resort too, but after renting a DVC unit, I am spoiled, lol, and I would want to stay DVC again.

As Egoldber said, the Boardwalk and Beach Club both also have DVC units. They're super hard to book during Food+Wine unless you own there, but much easier to book in Jan and Feb. We booked a BC studio 7 months out in Jan 2015. BC is one of the smallest DVCs. Boardwalk has a lot more units so is a little easier to get into. Both have 1 bedrooms as well. Generally, 1 bedrooms are the easiest DVC class to book according to the DisBoards.

I've not stayed at the Boardwalk, but having walked past it to go to the Studios, I'd imagine some of those units out near the tennis courts, while great for the Studios are a longer walk from the boardwalk itself than you would think.

The BC DVC units either are pool view or "woods" potentially Epcot view. We had a terrific view of Epcot from our balcony, except we could never really enjoy it because of all the traffic noise from the road. BC DVC units either have normal size balconies or crazy huge ones. I think the balcony we had was half the size of our studio!) I don't know if this is true of the Boardwalk, but one thing I didn't like about BC DVC was the concierge person left at 4. So if you want help making reservations for something, you need to walk back to the main concierge in the Beach Club proper. It's not a huge deal, but after staying at BLT and VGF was sort of annoying.

Personally, if you're going to spend most of your time in MK, stay in BLT or the Contemporary, both are walking distance to MK. If there is monorail work when you are there, it is incredibly helpful to just be able to walk. The week post the Princess 1/2 there tends to be monorail work too and it's another reason I appreciate my car rental. It was much faster to drive to the Poly drop off DD and then drive to the Contemporary to eat the California Grill, than to deal with the weird monorail paths. (It was GF to Poly to GF to MK on one half and Contemp to MK I think on the other?) We're staying at the Poly in Oct, but there is still some construction there. I'm not sure when it will all be completely done. I know a lot of it is now finished. The main pool is back up, the main building with check in and the restaurants is up, and the DVC units are done) but there will still be some construction. I really wanted to try a studio at the Poly while you could still easily book them since we're not planning to buy there.

All the resorts have pluses and minuses though. It is really about what you want in a room, services and which parks you want to be most convenient to.

[hellokitty]

As Egoldber said, the Boardwalk and Beach Club both also have DVC units. They're super hard to book during Food+Wine unless you own there, but much easier to book in Jan and Feb. We booked a BC studio 7 months out in Jan 2015. BC is one of the smallest DVCs. Boardwalk has a lot more units so is a little easier to get into. Both have 1 bedrooms as well. Generally, 1 bedrooms are the easiest DVC class to book according to the DisBoards.

I've not stayed at the Boardwalk, but having walked past it to go to the Studios, I'd imagine some of those units out near the tennis courts, while great for the Studios are a longer walk from the boardwalk itself than you would think.

The BC DVC units either are pool view or "woods" potentially Epcot view. We had a terrific view of Epcot from our balcony, except we could never really enjoy it because of all the traffic noise from the road. BC DVC units either have normal size balconies or crazy huge ones. I think the balcony we had was half the size of our studio!) I don't know if this is true of the Boardwalk, but one thing I didn't like about BC DVC was the concierge person left at 4. So if you want help making reservations for something, you need to walk back to the main concierge in the Beach Club proper. It's not a huge deal, but after staying at BLT and VGF was sort of annoying.

Personally, if you're going to spend most of your time in MK, stay in BLT or the Contemporary, both are walking distance to MK. If there is monorail work when you are there, it is incredibly helpful to just be able to walk. The week post the Princess 1/2 there tends to be monorail work too and it's another reason I appreciate my car rental. It was much faster to drive to the Poly drop off DD and then drive to the Contemporary to eat the California Grill, than to deal with the weird monorail paths. (It was GF to Poly to GF to MK on one half and Contemp to MK I think on the other?) We're staying at the Poly in Oct, but there is still some construction there. I'm not sure when it will all be completely done. I know a lot of it is now finished. The main pool is back up, the main building with check in and the restaurants is up, and the DVC units are done) but there will still be some construction. I really wanted to try a studio at the Poly while you could still easily book them since we're not planning to buy there.

All the resorts have pluses and minuses though. It is really about what you want in a room, services and which parks you want to be most convenient to.
Sorry, I know they have DVC at Epcot. We are a family of five. I'd have to get a 2 BDRM DVC at Epcot. At akl I was able to get a 1 bdmr DVC.

[rkold]

Sorry, I know they have DVC at Epcot. We are a family of five. I'd have to get a 2 BDRM DVC at Epcot. At akl I was able to get a 1 bdmr DVC.

There are rumors that they're going to refurbish the Epcot DVCs so that they can accommodate 5 guests just like VGF, AKL, and BLT.

[123LuckyMom]

I really don't feel the need to go DVC unless it's less expensive than a regular room. We spend so little time in the room that it's unnecessary for us. For us Disney is all about the parks and rides. We never even go in the resort pools. I'm reassured that, for us, February will work as a good time to go. Weather in FL can be variable. We were there in March last time, and it was in the 30's, so we know that can happen. Anything FL can dish out will be better than what we'll be coming from at home. What we can't abide is humid heat!

We like to have the resort be themed (so we walk in and immediately feel the Disney magic), have access to decent counter service food (though that's not absolutely necessary), and have easy access to the parks. It's really wonderful to hear good experiences from Animal Kingdom Lodge (which I think is truly beautiful and would love to stay in at a time of year when the animals might be more visible) and Wilderness Lodge. I'd be concerned about those hotels due to park access issues, but if a rental car will solve the problem, we might try Wilderness Lodge this trip. We can take the boat to MK and the car everywhere else. If that would work, I think we could save a lot of money and have a new experience. Right now I think my choice is between Wilderness Lodge and the Contemporary. I'd like to see what the price difference would be, and I guess I still need reassurance that the rental car from WL will be faster and less of a nuisance than the monorail/busses from the Contemporary to EPCOT, DHS, and AK. Will the rental car really solve any potential transportation concerns?

[WatchingThemGrow]

We do not like driving around the property with all the crazy loops, not super-clear signage, and parking lots. Hopping on a bus that doesn't stop a million places is way better.


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[egoldber]

I think people either hate driving at WDW or think it's no big deal. We have rented a car almost every trip. DH hates the busses with a passion and I also like being able to run to the store and even having the option of non-WDW food. After about 3 days of WDW food, I'm sick of it. :o

The great thing about the busses is that it makes it easy to split up and even go to different parks if we want.

The MK is definitely the most challenging park to drive to, so the busses make the most sense there. The other parks are very driveable IMO.

[WatchingThemGrow]

I think people either hate driving at WDW or think it's no big deal. We have rented a car almost every trip. DH hates the busses with a passion and I also like being able to run to the store and even having the option of non-WDW food. After about 3 days of WDW food, I'm sick of it. :o

The great thing about the busses is that it makes it easy to split up and even go to different parks if we want.

The MK is definitely the most challenging park to drive to, so the busses make the most sense there. The other parks are very driveable IMO.
LOL - So I think part of me likes the buses/monorail/boats so much because all of our trips to WDW come during our "we've been in the car for 12 hours driving to grandma's house - we are sick of carseats" week and we're only there doing park food for 1-2 days. We come with all our own snacks, some sandwiches premade from grandma's house, etc. And we know we've got another 10-12hr drive as soon as we leave.

[rkold]

I really don't feel the need to go DVC unless it's less expensive than a regular room. We spend so little time in the room that it's unnecessary for us. For us Disney is all about the parks and rides. We never even go in the resort pools. I'm reassured that, for us, February will work as a good time to go. Weather in FL can be variable. We were there in March last time, and it was in the 30's, so we know that can happen. Anything FL can dish out will be better than what we'll be coming from at home. What we can't abide is humid heat!

We like to have the resort be themed (so we walk in and immediately feel the Disney magic), have access to decent counter service food (though that's not absolutely necessary), and have easy access to the parks. It's really wonderful to hear good experiences from Animal Kingdom Lodge (which I think is truly beautiful and would love to stay in at a time of year when the animals might be more visible) and Wilderness Lodge. I'd be concerned about those hotels due to park access issues, but if a rental car will solve the problem, we might try Wilderness Lodge this trip. We can take the boat to MK and the car everywhere else. If that would work, I think we could save a lot of money and have a new experience. Right now I think my choice is between Wilderness Lodge and the Contemporary. I'd like to see what the price difference would be, and I guess I still need reassurance that the rental car from WL will be faster and less of a nuisance than the monorail/busses from the Contemporary to EPCOT, DHS, and AK. Will the rental car really solve any potential transportation concerns?

Like egoldber, (wow, I am feeling like we have a lot in common now. :) ) I've come to like renting a car. Our first few trips we just relied on Disney Transport, but I find with naps/taking buses in the middle of the day and issues with the ME I am just happier with a rental car. We fly down to Orlando and usually stay 5-6 nights. I think Disney food is all right, but I also like having the option to eat other things. Their prices for healthy snacks like bananas are insane. Usually, I am against bottled water, but the water in Disney tastes awful. You can even taste it in coffee and tea. We always stop off and buy bottled water for using throughout our trip.

I think if you have a rental car, getting around from Wilderness Lodge to Epcot, Studios, and AK is just not going to be an issue. (Just make sure to find a way to remember where your car is parked, I really did spend 15+ minutes trying to find my car in the AK parking lot! I had no prob in Epcot and the Studios.) Depending on the resort, they share buses and for some it's not so bad (Yacht and Beach make sense, Jambo and Kidani, it's fine) but some are just really not all that close. I think the Contemporary sometimes shares buses with the Poly and the GF shares with the Wilderness Lodge, which considering how much you're paying for a deluxe is a tad annoying. The buses just also sometimes run on wonky schedules. I've waited 30-40 minutes for a bus from MK to Yacht/Beach and eventually given up and taken one to the Boardwalk. AKL had amazing buses except at park closing, where we waited 30-40 minutes to make a bus. And tourists aren't the only people who get confused on Disney roadways. Bus drivers get lost too, our bus to Yacht and Beach went to the Caribbean instead. I find certain drives are easier than others. I've not been to Downtown Disney, so that might be tricky, but from the Wilderness Lodge to Epcot, AK, and the Studios is pretty easy and straight forward. ESPN Wide World of Sports is hard to get to and confusing, but unless you're doing a race, you can just ignore it. You'll be surprised, the trip from WL by car to Epcot will take less time than walking from the Poly to the TTC and taking the monorail.

We tend to stay in DVC now because we own DVC, but if we didn't own DVC I'm not sure I would pay the premium for a unit. I would still pay to stay on property because I want that 60 day FP+ window.

I like the Contemporary, but it's not super themed. It feels like a lovely modern hotel to me. (I just like it because it's walking distance to MK and I love the California Grill.) If you want theme, Wilderness Lodge and AKL are two of the best IMHO.

[swissair81]

We stayed in Fort Wilderness with our RV this past February. I think they also have cabins there. There is a boat to several parks, including MK, and bus transportation to the rest of the Disney areas. We rented a golf cart to get around the area, because the grounds are pretty extensive. Also nice is that you can watch the MK Fireworks from the Fort Wilderness dock area. There are 7 of us, so it really didn't pay to try and price out hotel rooms. The park also has lots of outdoor activities that are included in the price, so you don't have to go to a park every day.


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[123LuckyMom]

Another reason I'm attracted to Wilderness Lodge is to have easy access to the campfire at Fort Wilderness, maybe for the early ending AK night and/or the night we arrive and don't have park tickets. We just took our 3 year old camping for the first time this year, and despite the fact that it was only 27 degrees (!!!!) overnight, and we were in a windy tent, she and DS had a BLAST, and she hasn't stopped talking about it since. I think she and DS would both get a big kick out of combining their love of camping with Disney. The campfire could be a nod to camping, but I'm not prepared to rough it at Disney. I need at least the comfort equivalent of a motel, especially in the unpredictable FL weather. I can't imagine not being able to come back to a queen size bed, a proper bathroom, and air conditioning, so I think a tent or cabin would be out for us. If we had an RV it might be a great option, though.

[niccig]

I think people either hate driving at WDW or think it's no big deal. We have rented a car almost every trip. DH hates the busses with a passion and I also like being able to run to the store and even having the option of non-WDW food. After about 3 days of WDW food, I'm sick of it. :o

The great thing about the busses is that it makes it easy to split up and even go to different parks if we want.

The MK is definitely the most challenging park to drive to, so the busses make the most sense there. The other parks are very driveable IMO.

We were just there and had a rental car. We use google maps to direct us to all the parks. Waze wasn't as great and got us lost going to Magic Kingdom. Google maps was much better and got us to each parking lot.