Disney World in early May with littles? Yay or nay?

[mhornby56]

Background: I have always wanted to go to Disney World and stay in a Disney hotel, but have never been. I have been to Disneyland several times, and my husband has been to Disneyland once. We are planning a trip to Disneyland with my parents next year, in January or May. We have 4 kids, and their ages are 7, 4.5, 2.5, and 9 months.

 

In the process of planning our 10th anniversary trip for next year (I like to plan trips) I realized that if we went to Disney World before my 2 year old turns three, we wouldn't have to purchase a ticket for her and we would be able to stay in the Port Orleans-Riverside resort in the rooms with a max occupancy of 5 plus one infant. They currently have a promotion going, and we could get airfare from the pacific northwest, room, and tickets for about 3800. This seems to be a pretty good deal. We can afford it, but of course the money could be used for other things. Do you think it is worth going with such young children? If we don't go now, it will probably be 3 or 4 years before we think about going. I'm pretty thrifty and like to get a lot of bang for my buck. Thoughts?

[chicagoshannon]

I would not want to stay in POR with 6 people. I think it would be way too crowded. If you must stay in a Disney hotel maybe try the All Star Music suites or the new Art of Animation suites. I much prefer staying in a 2 or 3 bedroom condo off site.

 

As far as your kids ages I think they're fine. My kids love Disney. Dd has been going since she was newly 2 and Ds since he was 10 months old.

[jenn-]

I would say that this will be a "once in a childhood" type of trip, then you should wait until the youngers are older. If you foresee going now and then again in a few years, then your plan is a good one. Buying tickets for only two kids is much nicer than having to buy for all 4.

[Mom0012]

I would not want to stay in POR with 6 people. I think it would be way too crowded. If you must stay in a Disney hotel maybe try the All Star Music suites or the new Art of Animation suites. I much prefer staying in a 2 or 3 bedroom condo off site.

 

As far as your kids ages I think they're fine. My kids love Disney. Dd has been going since she was newly 2 and Ds since he was 10 months old.

 

I agree with this! We stayed as a family of 4 recently and I think it would be tight with 6, though doable since 2 are babies. More than that, though, I have to say staying at POR did not make us feel like we were at Disney. I have been to Disney many times, but had always stayed in a condo or a house off the property and I really wanted to stay at a Disney resort this last time. The rooms at POR were nice, but you enter from the outside, so it's almost like an apartment complex or a motel. I told my husband that I think it would be worth the extra cost of staying onsite if we had been able to afford one of the more expensive resorts like the Animal Kingdom Lodge where there is a lobby and you really feel a part of the place. Next time, we'll be staying at one of the higher end resorts or going with a Holiday Inn Express, where a decent breakfast is included with your stay.

[StaceyinLA]

I will be the voice of "reason." ;-p

 

I'd do it. We stayed in Riverside with 5 adults (ok, my kids and I, but they were all adult age or close to it), and it was just fine. You don't spend that much time in the room, and when you do, the little ones will likely be asleep. You might have to be a little strategic with baths because of only having a single bathroom, but I'd do it without a second thought.

 

I have a Disney problem though, so take my advice with a grain of salt.

[katilac]

I agree with Stacey. We do 2 adults and 2 teens in a single room, single bathroom at Pop Century (260 square feet), so I think Port Orleans with 2 adults and 4 littles is doable.

 

We love staying on site. The only thing I would have against Port Orleans is that I don't think the theming is as fun and "Disney" as some of the others. It doesn't quite have that 'staying in a Disney hotel' feel to me. You might want to call an agent or try the online chat to see if any other options are close to the same price range.

 

As far as the age of the kids, it depends. My kids were never the type to nap in a stroller, and they tended to get both overwhelmed and homesick quite easily, so we waited until they were 6 & 8 for their first trip. But I have several cousins who took itty-bitty littles and loved it.

 

When does your baby turn 2? Is there any chance of going during a free dining time?

[Saraswati]

We've stayed at the Riverside for a couple Disney trips while the kids were still tiny - it's connected to Port Orleans. A number of their rooms have trundle beds, so there would be 2 full beds and a twin that tucks under one of them while not in use. Like others have said, one of the value resorts have decently priced family suites - I've never stayed there, so I can't comment on those. We've been taking the kids to Disney since they were infants. It's definitely doable, so long as you do some planning before you go. May is a decent time to go while the PS kiddos are finishing up end of the year exams and such. If it's your first trip, you might want to check out this out - it'll be super handy for planning.

 

http://www.passporterstore.com/store/1587711036.aspx

 

Money can always be spent on "other things" - but family time and great memories - that's always money well spent. Happy travels!

[DawnM]

Of course you should go to Disney World in May. As long as it is not Christmas or Spring Break, it is ALWAYS time to go to DW!

 

However, I would look into staying off site for the space. If you have to fly in, I would look at Bonnet Creek. If you are driving in, the options are far more flexible.

 

Dawn

[JennW in SoCal]

I'm just popping in to defend Riverside! It is one of my favorite hotels on Disney property. I love the landscaping and layout, their quick-serve dining hall is one of the most comfortable on the property, and IT is nicely themed. Even when it is peak meal time it doesn't feel overwhelmingly crowded. I love the river boat to downtown Disney, and I love that the property is sooo relaxed that you can let go of the hustle and bustle of the parks. Theming doesn't have to be all cartoony -- Riverside was designed to capture a regional flavor and they did a terrific job of it -- in my humble opinion. I guess if you are from the South, you don't want to go stay in a place that feels like home!! If I had a magic wand and could fix one thing about the property, it would be to have nice balconies for each room, so you could sit outside and enjoy the property. But there are lots of benches throughout, and lovely paths for walking. As to staying there with toddlers -- I would think it would be nice because there is lots of room to run around without disturbing anyone. There is a very nice pool and those bicycle-surrey vehicles you can rent (or just borrow??) for riding around the paths.

 

My other favorite is the Animal Kingdom Lodge. When my kids were younger we stayed there in a room with bunk beds, and a view of animals. Not sure how that wound up being affordable, but it was amazing. Their quick-serve meal area is really utilitarian -- the one thing about that resort that I didn't like. My feeling about the Pop/value properties is that they are very cramped, and work really well if you ARE going to spend lots of time in the parks. I only stayed in one of those when I was helping my ds find an apartment in Orlando -- he was a Disney employee at the time and we got an amazing rate so stayed there. The theming at Pop-Century is fun, I have to admit. And it has some nice walkways, too...

 

As for doing the parks with little ones -- it can still be a wonderful and memorable trip. My oldest ds turned 2 on his first trip to DisneyWorld, and he watched the family video of it countless times during toddlerhood. Long story short, he worked there for a year when he turned 18 and now that he is about to graduate from college, he is looking for a career there. You never know what these trips to Disney might bring!

 

Just wanted to add since you mention you will be flying in -- the resort properties have a fabulous shuttle service from the Orlando airport which delivers you AND your luggage to the hotels. You don't have to go to baggage claim -- they retrieve it and deliver it to your door. It makes traveling with young-uns really easy!! You don't have rent a car, you won't need a car while there as the transportation is efficient and organized. The Orlando airport even has it's own monorail -- it's like the theme park fun begins the moment you get off the plane!

 

Also, just be warned since you are from the Pac Northwest -- the coffee at Disneyworld is the worst on the planet. It is just Nescafe. There isn't a Peet's or Starbucks or anything decent to be found ANYWHERE!!!!

[katilac]

 

Also, just be warned since you are from the Pac Northwest -- the coffee at Disneyworld is the worst on the planet. It is just Nescafe. There isn't a Peet's or Starbucks or anything decent to be found ANYWHERE!!!!

 

They are actually getting Starbucks; the first one is slated to open at the old Main Street Bakery location in 'early summer,' so she will probably just miss it.

 

We bring our Keurig for the room, and you can get fairly decent lattes and cappucinos at several locations. I'd never order anything billed as just 'coffee' for sure!

[DianeW88]

May is our favorite time to go!!! I always stay on-site and POR is a great place. Yes, you'll be squished, but you won't be in your room much, and the pool there is really fun. I've gone to WDW with babies and toddlers in tow...more than once, and it was great. Just plan ahead and know where the Baby Center is in each park. They're a lifesaver!

[catz]

Ok - I stayed at POR last year and I didn't like it at all. The rooms were tight and musty. The food service experience felt like herding cattle to me. The pool areas were nice, and it was kind of charming on the outside. If you're driving in with a rental, or whatever, ask for a room near the parking lot. We timed our walk from our car to our room at 11 minutes. We were road tripping, so that was particularly painful. We travel quite a bit and it was really one of the worst rooms we've had in the past few years. If you like internet access, expect to pay extra for it. There was no wireless.

 

The coffee comment is hilarious. I'm from the upper midwest, but urban. Yes - the coffee absolutely stinks, as it does in most moderate hotels across the country! I could tell you about rural Texas on our last trip. Oi. We travel with a stainless french press. :D

 

I agree that if this is a once in a lifetime thing for your kids, I might wait for your youngest to be 3 to 5. We took my oldest at 3 (he was our only, we were visiting relatives who live in the area), and if was fine but he burned out quickly every day and didn't remember much of it at all. My kids really LOVED it last year at 7 and almost11.

[Mom0012]

I'll just add that when we stayed at POR this last November, we requested the "royal rooms" because they have all been newly redone. They felt very clean and new and not at all musty. My kids were too old too appreciate the theme stuff, but your little ones would probably like that part of it. I actually didn't have any problems with the room or the resort other than I didn't feel like I was any more at Disney than when we've stayed offsite. I'm thinking it would be less expensive to stay offsite.

[mhornby56]

Oh, you guys are great! I really appreciate all the feedback. One thing that appealed to me about staying on site is that we wouldn't have to rent a car. I have looked at staying off site in a vacation rental, and I think we may do that some time in the future if we go with a bigger group. Now I am totally undecided! I would love to go some time when they have free dining, but I kind of wonder if they will be phasing that out. If we didn't go this year before summer, we probably wouldn't even think about going until 2015, as we already have a disney trip planned next year. So much to think about!

[Starr]

We went to Disney Land when my dc were 2 and 4. Dd has some memories but it wouldn't matter if she didn't. She was just so happy to be there! And ds had a great time. He was a cheerful little guy. We took a stroller and swapped them out when they got tired. I love the picture of dd 4, in a Cinderella gown, asleep in the stroller with a pacifier in her mouth. :)

[besroma]

I would go! We went in October with children of similar ages as yours. It was fantastic.

 

It was our first time staying onsite, and we loved it. Being able to walk to the bus stop and hop on a bus made the trip much easier and much more enjoyable for us.

 

The rooms at Art of Animation are fun, and it is a quick walk to POP, where they have a great food court. We really enjoyed the pool at AoA, and everything is new. I am not sure if your discount applies there, but you might want to check on connecting rooms or a suite.

 

 

[DianeW88]

POR is currently being renovated, and almost all of the rooms are done. Disney now has free Wi-Fi in every room. Royal rooms are great, but they cost a bit more. Have you looked into the cabins at Ft. Wilderness? Those have a full kitchen, housekeeping, and they're lots of fun to stay at. The pool isn't as great as the one at POR, but the campground itself is a blast and makes up for it.