Which hotel(s) for a stay with a 10 and 5 yo daughters?

[cmmtac]

Hi there,

We are big Disney fans and usually go to Anaheim and San Diego almost every year, but this time is Orlando.

We like to stay for the first time on site and POOR Royal rooms looks like a nice option.
But we don't know if 9 nights there could be too much or should we change in the middle to another resort?

Also, which other non-disney parks do you recommends for our girls?

Lastly, do you recommend renting a car? If it helps to have more time in the parks, we'll do it.

Thanks!

 

[kmb584]

Hi there,

We are big Disney fans and usually go to Anaheim and San Diego almost every year, but this time is Orlando.

We like to stay for the first time on site and POOR Royal rooms looks like a nice option.
But we don't know if 9 nights there could be too much or should we change in the middle to another resort?

Also, which other non-disney parks do you recommends for our girls?

Lastly, do you recommend renting a car? If it helps to have more time in the parks, we'll do it.

Thanks!

I don't think 9 nights in a Royal Room at POR is too much. We've done split stays in the past, but I've always found them to be more of a hassle than anything. I'm the type of person that likes to completely unpack, get settled, and moved into our new "home" for the next 10-12 nights and packing everything up in the middle of our vacation stressed me out. But, everyone is different, and if you want to experience more than one resort during your vacation, absolutely go for it!

We love the monorail resorts, BLT is our favorite, but my daughter [8] also really enjoys AKL. So do I! There's just something extra special about that resort and if my grandmother didn't complain every time I said I was thinking of booking a 2 bedroom villa there instead of at BLT I'd definitely book it more often.

Are your girls into Harry Potter at all? My daughter started getting into the series a few months ago and once she's read through all of the novels I'll be tacking on a day or two at Universal to see that.

 

[BarbMike821]

We stayed in the Royal Rooms during our January stay and the rooms themselves are lovely and I think appropriate for a 5 and 10 year old. However, if we were there for nine nights, we'd definitely mix it up after night four or five to experience another resort! Maybe take a look at the bunk bed rooms at Wilderness or one of the cool family suites at Art of Animation. Also I bet they'd love staying on the monorail if you can swing that! All of the various resorts have a unique offering, so you'll get something completely different out of each of them!

PS ... In the morning, I'd suggest getting on the bus at the main bus stop at the front of the resort instead of the Depot by the Royal Rooms. That depot is the last one on the route and it felt like every time we'd have to wait for multiple busses to go by before we successfully got our party on one.

 

[cmmtac]

kmb584 and BarbMike 821 thanks for your replies.

We´ll stay at the RR at POR for 5 nights Sat-Thur and 4 nights at the BW Plus Universal.

Please take a look at our parks plans:
SAT- arrive POR at 14h30, check in and go to EPCOT
SUN- AK
MON- a water park, TL or BB
TUE- MK
WED-the other water park
THU- switch to BWP hotel
FRI- Universal -the 10 yo likes HPotter
SAT- IOA
SUN- open
MON- back home

We´ll rent a car at the airport. Do you recommend using it during the disney days or we´d be better off using the on site transportation?

Any suggestion is very welcome.

 

[kboo]

How often have you been to WDW and is cost an issue? You only have 2.5 days in the WDW parks, which is really not enough time at all! Epcot, for example, is just huge and a half day at Epcot won't get you to see or do very much at all, especially if you're tired from x-country travel. MK also usually takes more than a day. AK is also very large and spread out. I wouldn't spend 2 days at the WP, either.

Also - park tickets cost the most per day up to 3 days, but after that the incremental cost isn't so much, so it would be worth it to spend 4-5 days at the Disney parks and it wouldn't cost too much more (would cost less than WP tickets)

 

[cmmtac]

Hi kboo, no cost is not an issue, time is. One can easily spend a couple of weeks in Orlando -so much to see.

We are getting the 6 days passes and we have an extra half day Thursday for one more park. Also the day at the second WP could be changed to MK if the girls and my wife say so, it´s up to the them really

When we go to Disneyland always have 2 days there and one and a half at California Adventure.

If we go just one day to MK, what are the attractions we can´t miss?

 

[Shanti]

If we go just one day to MK, what are the attractions we can't miss?

Since you mentioned that you also go to Disneyland, I'm going to leave off attractions that are rumoured to be just as good or better at Disneyland (haven't been there yet myself) and just focus on what is better at or unique to WDW's MK:

• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
• Enchanted Tales with Belle
• Splash Mountain (supposed to be better at WDW)
• Peter Pan (ride this standby at rope drop- it has a special queue)
• Astro Orbiter (offers a great view of the park)
• Barnstormer (short but fun)
• Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid
• Tomorrowland Speedway (a lot of adults don't see the appeal of this one, but kids like it- FP this or do it soon after rope drop- you won't want to spend 30 minutes in line smelling gasoline fumes)
• My son adores Carousel of Progress & I like it, too, but some kids might be bored by it
• People Mover is nice

With your schedule, I would focus on the primary attractions at Epcot, & not try to visit all of the World Showcase countries.

I think you're going to have a blast with a very diverse trip. Glad you included the water parks. Love those!

 

[cmmtac]

Since you mentioned that you also go to Disneyland, I'm going to leave off attractions that are rumoured to be just as good or better at Disneyland (haven't been there yet myself) and just focus on what is better at or unique to WDW's MK:

• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
• Enchanted Tales with Belle
• Splash Mountain (supposed to be better at WDW)
• Peter Pan (ride this standby at rope drop- it has a special queue)
• Astro Orbiter (offers a great view of the park)
• Barnstormer (short but fun)
• Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid
• Tomorrowland Speedway (a lot of adults don't see the appeal of this one, but kids like it- FP this or do it soon after rope drop- you won't want to spend 30 minutes in line smelling gasoline fumes)
• My son adores Carousel of Progress & I like it, too, but some kids might be bored by it
• People Mover is nice

With your schedule, I would focus on the primary attractions at Epcot, & not try to visit all of the World Showcase countries.

I think you're going to have a blast with a very diverse trip. Glad you included the water parks. Love those!

 

[cmmtac]

Thanks Shanti, super useful info.

There are so many things to see at MK, we will try to be there at least another half day.

Can´t wait to go

 

[Lvsdisney]

Hopefully someone can correct me if I am wrong, but I believe you can go to a main park on the days that you also do a water park. I don't think you are only limited to JUST the water parks (For example, go to water park in morning, back to hotel to clean up, and then to MK for dinner/fireworks). This way you'll really get your use out of your 6 day passes. Something to think about to maximize your time!

ETA: I would also go to a park the day your switching hotels. You can leave your bags with bell services (or in your car if you have one) and do a park in the morning. Your girls may appreciate the extra time at one of the other parks.

 

[cmmtac]

It´d be great Lvsdisney, if we can do both a water park and MK or any other the same day.

And yes we will do a park the day we will switch hotels.

 

[ktlm]

What time of year are you going? My DD is 11 and EPCOT has been her favorite park other than MK, since she was 2. It is the only WDW park we really miss when we go to DLR. I see you only have a partial day there getting there at probably close to 4:00 p.m. It is a 2 day park for us. It is huge- the walk around World Showcase is almost a mile. Saturday night can get crowded in World Showcase. Also, if you are going during the Food and Wine Festival (Sept, Oct, and into the first part of November), Saturday night is absolutely crazy and I would avoid EPCOT that night. A few of the rides on the Future World side often close at 7:00 p.m. There are Princess meet and greets throughout World Showcase. I don't know if your 10 year old likes Phineas and Ferb, but my daughter is crazy about the Agent P missions throughout EPCOT. I can't remember what time the kiosks shut down to set those up, but I am pretty sure it is a couple of hours before the park closes. Also, POR is Disney buses (or you can take the car) to everywhere, but when you switch to the Boardwalk you can walk from your hotel to both EPCOT and DHS- I would take advantage of that. I don't see DHS on your list at all- are you skipping that park? I don't know what your DDs main interests are, but my DD would rank the parks in the order of 1. MK; 2. EPCOT; 3. DHS, then 4. AK. Some kids love AK, but she has never been a huge fan-- no Princess presence and we have a really good zoo at home. We have not been since Pandora recently opened though. I don't know if that will make a difference- she isn't that excited about it because she has never seen Avatar.

 

[cmmtac]

Hi ktlm, We´ll be there in 2 months. We did reservations of POR and flights Monday and 9 FPs this morning!

SAT 19 arriving at POR 14h30and go straight to EPCOT, FPs for Spaceship Earth, Character Spot and Frozen.
We´ll have a car, or maybe we could walk?
SUN- WP1 and Disney Springs
MON- MK FP for PP Flight/ 7DMT and Enchanted Tales -Thanks again Shanti.
TUE- AK FP for Nemo the Musical/ Avatar and Rivers of Light.
WED and THU still undecided. Second day at MK, second day at Epcot or WP2?