Best resort with an infant?

[Novakm]

I'm planning to go with my DD and grandkids next summer. When we go, there will be a 8yo boy, 4yo girl, and 4 month old infant.

Which DVC is best with an infant, and why?

 

[Leleluvsdis]

We have not gone with an infant, but are planning to in the near future. We are planning for BLT since it is on the monorail, and walking distance to MK.

 

[SDmouse]

The extra room at OKW was handy with the pack and play. We have 3 DS (6,3,1) and have traveled with infants on several occasions as we got DVC when our oldest was 2. The living room at OKW had sufficient room to still function even with a pack and play set up. The master bedroom was also large enough to have the pack and play and still have a walkway to everywhere.

We tried BCV, but the pack and play takes up a significant portion of the living, or bedrooms there. BWV, and VWL have the same floor plan as BCV. AKV the pack and play was tight, but worked a little better than at BCV.

We are trying THV this time, but our little guy may be moving out of his pack and play due to his size.

Just my two cents from someone who has done the pack and play shuffle.

 

[com_op_2000]

Have taken DGS multiple times since he was 3 months and the pools/splash areas he enjoys the most are:
AKV - Kidani has a great splash area for the little ones.
SSR - Paddock area splash/pool area is a lot of fun to run around in.

 

[dsneygirl]

I've taken a 3 and 5 month old for WDW and they are just along for the ride. I would look into what the older kids might like best. The pool at BC and AK are the best. BCV you can walk to 2 parks. BLT for its proximity to MK.

 

[Golden Rose]

We loved doing AKV with an infant, a 5 year old, and an 8 year old. It worked out just about perfectly. We were in a 2 bedroom villa, and we were 4 adults (some dear friends of ours and their DD) and the 3 kids (2 of ours, the 1 of theirs). We are DVC members and go fairly often, but it was our friends' daughter's first trip, and our friends hadn't been in almost a decade. Everyone absolutely loved it and had a wonderful time.

We went back to the room almost every afternoon, and the older kids and some of the adults went to the pools. Both pools (Kidani and Jambo) were great for both ages of the kids, and gave them a wide variety of water play to enjoy. The baby could sleep in the room peacefully, while one or two adults could hang out and relax on the balcony and look at animals.

Now, both older kids really like animals, so that does make a difference. They got a huge thrill from sitting out on the balcony and watching zebras and giraffes.

 

[Novakm]

Rose,


I think you convinced me to go to kidani. Sounds like your troop was about the same as mine. I'm hoping the bus ides are not too long.

Thanks

 

[wdwnut]

The pack-n-play does fit in the walk-in closet in the master bedroom. Our grandkids have stayed in these over the years at BWV, OKW, BCV, VWL, and even at BLT. I would plan the vacation around the older children.

 

[Golden Rose]

Rose,


I think you convinced me to go to kidani. Sounds like your troop was about the same as mine. I'm hoping the bus ides are not too long.

Thanks

We really did love that trip, and my kids (now almost 3 and 8) still love AKV best. If we want to stay anywhere else, we have to do a split stay because the kids don't think it is a trip to WDW without AKV!

Also, the food at AKL is really good. We've been impressed with all the restaurants there! Make sure you try Boma, the African buffet; they have a table with more traditional American food for less adventurous people (like my son!), and a variety of things to try for people willing to experiment.

We didn't generally have too bad luck with the AKL buses (except one day) - while they have farther to drive to get to the parks other than AK, they only stop in the resort at Jambo and Kidani, one stop for each. We've actually had much worse luck with long waits and more stops with the buses at SSR and BWV. SSR has a lot of internal stops (4 maybe?) and our BWV bus always goes over to the Swan, and the Dolphin, and sometimes to the Beach Club.

Hope you have a great trip no matter what you pick!

 

[LSchrow]

I've taken a 3 and 5 month old for WDW and they are just along for the ride. I would look into what the older kids might like best.

I would plan the vacation around the older children.

ditto the above
and don't forget the adults, they are on vacation too.

i would base my decision on proximity/transportation to favorite parks, resort activities, and pools/splash areas. while each resort has different advantages (AKV has exotic animals & decor, BWV is a short stroll to EPCOT/DHS and has a lot of optional "activities", BLT is a walk away from the MK and you can watch wishes at night, OKW has larger rooms, etc), not one has all the "advantages" of the others.

enjoy your decision

 

[mumto3girls]

We loved BWV when our kids were smaller and we had to deal with naps and early bedtime. We would get a BWV view and while they were sleeping we would sit on the balcony and watch the activities and people. We still felt like we were still part of the action. We never stayed at AKL during that time, but watching the animals would have been great also.

 

[McCrae]

The Disney Kids Club is a fantastic resource and is worth considering.

Our kids have gone to the one at GF... You can go if you stay at any DR.

The pirates trip where the kids dress up and go on a treasure hunt across the lake is very popular.

Our kids used to go early evening for a couple of hours.... Lots of activities for them to do. Food was great as well.

We were given a pager in case they need to contact us and could go off have dinner as a couple.

Our kids loved the club and would ask to go every tine we visited Disney.

 

[TosaTrio]

I've taken a 3 and 5 month old for WDW and they are just along for the ride. I would look into what the older kids might like best. The pool at BC and AK are the best. BCV you can walk to 2 parks. BLT for its proximity to MK.

I do not think BC is a good pool for your ages of children. It is very spread out and the shallow area is the opposite side from the slide. The lazy river is very deep.

For walk ability, BLT. If you are not opposed to taking a Bus, AKV is great (however farther from MK). You will have an extra bathroom, buses only go to Jambo and Kidani and they have a great kid friendly pool.

 

[Disney Princess]

We stayed at BCV with a 5 month old and at BWV with a 1 year old. Both resorts were fine. Neither of them were chosen "because we had an infant." We picked based on resort location for US. We like being close to at least one park because we enjoy walking. If BLT had been available, we might have picked that one as well. VWL would have been in the running too for the boat ride to MK.

With a young one, we took it easy at the parks and came back every day for a nice, long break. We wanted a pool we could enjoy and a resort that was fairly easy to get to from a couple of parks.

We tended to go to Epcot a LOT because it was so easy to walk over with the stroller. We walked around World Showcase many times. We did go to MK, but doing the stroller thing on the bus got old (even with two of us to one child) so we found ourselves strolling through Epcot and taking the monorail to MK. We weren't in a hurry and this worked for us.

Since you have older children in your party, I also would pick a resort that will be enjoyable for them. Pick a location that is convenient to where you will spend a lot of time. Most resorts have similar enough amenities that any of them will be great for what you need!

Have fun!

 

[megrod74]

I think AKL is great with kids too.
I hated BWV with kids. It was a pain to use the elevators all the time for the stroller and there is not a quick service eatery.

 

[El&Asmom]

We've been with our kids from ages 5m through now 10.
Depends what you are looking for. If you are looking for best room layout for the pack n play I would say either OKW and put the PnP in the laundry room, or AKV where the master bath is big enough to hold the PnP. The living room is also bigger at those two resorts and can hold the PnP but then everyone has to be quiet.

If you want monorail than obviously BLT. Our kids loved the animals at AKL but some don't like the buses for everything at that age. The splash park at Kidani is a blast for kids that age. Mine loved the sand at BCV but the rooms feel small. (Though we will be there next week so obviously not a deal breaker).

If room layout doesn't matter, pick the resort the big kids will enjoy the most.

Have a blast. My parents have come with us several times and I love the memories we have of our kids with their grandparents.

 

[jade1]

Whichever gets the fewest bus rides, esp at night when sleeping in the stroller.

Always feel bad for both the parents and the sleeping child when they have to take them out of the stroller and hold them with the bright bus lights, tear down and carry on the stroller.

Much better to leave them sleep and stroll home (or maybe roll onto a Friendship boat), up the elevator, into the room and lift them into bed.

So CR/BLT for MK, BC/YC/BCV, BW/BWI and S&D for EPCOT/DHS.

 

[katiekomo]

I agree-- 4mo is really just along for the ride. I'd think about transportation (if you can avoid the buses with strollers, that's easier... but if you can't, it's still manageable). And pool/playgrounds.

If you do end up using the buses (especially later at night), here's a tip:
As the infant gets sleepy, transfer him/her to a baby carrier (I use Baby Bjorn, but I hear Ergo Baby is great with infants). He/She will fall asleep there and mom and baby can walk onto the bus while you (or older child/other adult helper?) folds up the stroller.

I did this with my squirmy one-year-old on each bus ride and it helped, too, to keep him "strapped" to me during the ride (and not able to squirm off of my lap).

Also-- we stayed at a Kidani studio and put the PnP in the bathroom. MAKE SURE THERE IS NOTHING ON THE TOWEL RACK OR SHELF THAT BABY COULD REACH AND GET! We brought our video monitor so we could still see/hear him while we were on the balcony. We used the kitchen sink to brush our teeth. The only downside, of course, was the sprint to the lobby bathroom in the morning!

When thinking of rooms with infants, I also realized that I was VERY concerned about our baby crying at night. My thought was that someone next door might have paid $500 to stay there, they don't want to hear a baby crying. So a room configuration/option that would keep baby from bothering the other's in the room (and the neighboring rooms) might be something to consider. At 4mo, though, DD might still be "jumping up" to feed in the middle of the night, so it might not be a consideration.

 

[dsneygirl]

I agree-- 4mo is really just along for the ride. I'd think about transportation (if you can avoid the buses with strollers, that's easier... but if you can't, it's still manageable). And pool/playgrounds.

If you do end up using the buses (especially later at night), here's a tip:
As the infant gets sleepy, transfer him/her to a baby carrier (I use Baby Bjorn, but I hear Ergo Baby is great with infants). He/She will fall asleep there and mom and baby can walk onto the bus while you (or older child/other adult helper?) folds up the stroller.

I did this with my squirmy one-year-old on each bus ride and it helped, too, to keep him "strapped" to me during the ride (and not able to squirm off of my lap).

Also-- we stayed at a Kidani studio and put the PnP in the bathroom. MAKE SURE THERE IS NOTHING ON THE TOWEL RACK OR SHELF THAT BABY COULD REACH AND GET! We brought our video monitor so we could still see/hear him while we were on the balcony. We used the kitchen sink to brush our teeth. The only downside, of course, was the sprint to the lobby bathroom in the morning!

I even carried my 29lb, 21 month old in the Ergo at night. Then I had my hands free to carry our other stuff. Not really a big deal.