Help us decide!! 🙏🏻

[MaxnElliesMama]

Help me, before I drive my husband absolutely insane!

Small backstory; we are a family of 5, kids will be 14, 9 and 4. We are Disneylanders , and this will be our FIRST long awaited WDW trip. We are going June 25- July 2nd.

If you had these resort choices what would YOU pick?!

2 Bedroom Savannah View Villa at AKL Kidani
1 Bedroom Preferred View Villa at Riviera (this is what we have booked currently)

OR

For $2000-$2400 ( ) less, we can stay in a studio at Beach Club/Yacht Club,
Fort Wilderness Cabins with a Golf Cart and even LESS Caribbean Beach.

Budget is NOT the most important factor as this is our first trip and we are celebrating our sons Birthday while there, but it’s also hard not to wonder if we’re being wasteful on a room.

We do NOT intend to cook meals, aside from cereal, snacks, etc — but my husband thinks that he definitely will be starving after parks and will need a kitchen, LOL

We do not have any break days built in, but plan to rest/swim every afternoon and have a late start on Epcot day mid week.


We are wide open to suggestions and advice!

 

[zdad59]

We're retired now and our kids are grown, but when we travelled to WDW with our kids when we were younger, we followed a simple rule.....
Stay in a resort they where they will appreciate the amenities.
What I mean by that is when they are younger, they really won't appreciate the amenities of a deluxe resort, and when they are quite young, they may well appreciate the amenities in a value resort way more than a deluxe. So when my boys were in early grades (~1-4) a value resort was our calling. When they were tweens, we bumped to moderates. When they became jr hi and high schoolers, were became regulars at Wilderness Lodge. Pay for lodging that fits the kids.

Now you have a pretty decent spread in ages, so with all that said above, I would steer you towards a moderate resort. If you have to do a deluxe resort, I'd say get a 2BR villa at Wilderness Lodge. When you walk through the doors of WL and they greet you with "Welcome Home", you'll never want to stay anywhere else.....at least that happened to us. If you do choose a value or moderate, do make a point to go to some of the deluxe resorts during your stay. Spend a little time at Wilderness Lodge....have a dinner at Whispering Canyon. Go to the Grand Floridian for stroll or a nice meal or if they are doing character meals when you go, go to the breakfast there. The other things visiting the deluxe resorts does is give you data points for which the kids take a better liking to. Then when the time comes to plan the next trip you already have a deluxe target in mind, and the kids will be older and better ready to appreciate all they have to offer.

The last consideration I'll give, is pick the resort that will allow you to get to the park you'll visit most during your stay, and build an itinerary. Th itinerary isn't a firm thing but a great guide to help you see as much as you can without wearing yourself out. BTW....the mid day break idea is an awesome one. We always did that.

My itinerary from our NYE 2017 trip....

 

[MaxnElliesMama]

We're retired now and our kids are grown, but when we travelled to WDW with our kids when we were younger, we followed a simple rule.....
Stay in a resort they where they will appreciate the amenities.
What I mean by that is when they are younger, they really won't appreciate the amenities of a deluxe resort, and when they are quite young, they may well appreciate the amenities in a value resort way more than a deluxe. So when my boys were in early grades (~1-4) a value resort was our calling. When they were tweens, we bumped to moderates. When they became jr hi and high schoolers, were became regulars at Wilderness Lodge. Pay for lodging that fits the kids.

Now you have a pretty decent spread in ages, so with all that said above, I would steer you towards a moderate resort. If you have to do a deluxe resort, I'd say get a 2BR villa at Wilderness Lodge. When you walk through the doors of WL and they greet you with "Welcome Home", you'll never want to stay anywhere else.....at least that happened to us. If you do choose a value or moderate, do make a point to go to some of the deluxe resorts during your stay. Spend a little time at Wilderness Lodge....have a dinner at Whispering Canyon. Go to the Grand Floridian for stroll or a nice meal or if they are doing character meals when you go, go to the breakfast there. The other things visiting the deluxe resorts does is give you data points for which the kids take a better liking to. Then when the time comes to plan the next trip you already have a deluxe target in mind, and the kids will be older and better ready to appreciate all they have to offer.

The last consideration I'll give, is pick the resort that will allow you to get to the park you'll visit most during your stay, and build an itinerary. Th itinerary isn't a firm thing but a great guide to help you see as much as you can without wearing yourself out. BTW....the mid day break idea is an awesome one. We always did that.

My itinerary from our NYE 2017 trip....

View attachment 551775

We aren’t a family that would enjoy value resorts really. I want the kids to appreciate the amenities but I’m the one bustin my buns to pay for it, so I also want to enjoy my time and space. I

i am leaning towards keeping my riviera reservation but also considering doing the AKL 2 bedroom.

 

[clayfolks]

As someone who owns at both Kidani and the RIV, I’d say Kidani. The two bedroom at Kidani gives you three full bathrooms. Everyone would have their own bed, particularly if you get a dedicated two bed instead of a lock off. The one bedroom at the Riviera only has one bathroom. The pool at Kidani is excellent and ANIMALS!

 

[MaxnElliesMama]

As someone who owns at both Kidani and the RIV, I’d say Kidani. The two bedroom at Kidani gives you three full bathrooms. Everyone would have their own bed, particularly if you get a dedicated two bed instead of a lock off. The one bedroom at the Riviera only has one bathroom. The pool at Kidani is excellent and ANIMALS!

you think that even with the transportation differences and the new and shiny-ness of Riviera?

 

[closetmickey]

Not to confuse but I would choose the Riviera for the transportation. For me, your trip is a bit too long to rely soley on bus transportation. Also, having an easy way to connect to the Boardwalk area (along with the 2 parks) is a great perk. You will have plenty of time to see it all.
That being said, AKL is so unique. You may want to plan a meal at the AKL just to see it.

Is your family the type that needs a little space to keep the family peace or all you all pretty easy going in a smaller space? Are they crazy for animals or will that experience “wear off”? Have a wonderful time whatever you decide!

 

[BBdisfan]

Do you think your kids will appreciate the animals/unique vibe of AK? Do you have a child that would love a pirate room at Caribbean Beach and think the skyliner is super cool? If you’re just using the resort for pool time, you might consider Beach Club with the added bonus of being a short walk away from Epcot - spend some of the $ you save on park hoppers and you’re steps away from nearly unlimited snack options (so your husband won’t be hungry when he gets back to the room!)

 

[Marionnette]

‼ Help me, before I drive my husband absolutely insane! ‼

Small backstory; we are a family of 5, kids will be 14, 9 and 4. We are Disneylanders , and this will be our FIRST long awaited WDW trip. We are going June 25- July 2nd.

If you had these resort choices what would YOU pick?!

2 Bedroom Savannah View Villa at AKL Kidani
1 Bedroom Preferred View Villa at Riviera (this is what we have booked currently)

OR

For $2000-$2400 ( ) less, we can stay in a studio at Beach Club/Yacht Club,
Fort Wilderness Cabins with a Golf Cart and even LESS Caribbean Beach.

Budget is NOT the most important factor as this is our first trip and we are celebrating our sons Birthday while there, but it’s also hard not to wonder if we’re being wasteful on a room.

We do NOT intend to cook meals, aside from cereal, snacks, etc — but my husband thinks that he definitely will be starving after parks and will need a kitchen, LOL

We do not have any break days built in, but plan to rest/swim every afternoon and have a late start on Epcot day mid week.


We are wide open to suggestions and advice!

Tough decision. There’s a part of me that loves the convenience of being right next to Epcot, especially now that park hopping is permitted again.

But the thought of 5 people sharing 1 bathroom makes me cringe every time I read about someone considering putting 5 bodies in a studio with 1 bathroom (some, like Poly have split bathrooms). And Riviera’s one drawback is that 1BRs only have 1 bathroom.

Since you say that you will only be using the room for morning and evening times (I’m thinking showers, breakfast and snacks), I think that a 1BR at AKV (Kidani, not Jambo) would serve you well. I think you will find that the convenience of 2 bathrooms outweighs the inconvenience of using bus transportation. Plus, as a Kidani guest, you have your choice of 2 feature pools - Samawati Springs at Kidani and Uzima at Jambo House.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

In full disclosure I have not stayed at AKL since reopening so I’m only going from what I read around here. Given the limited dining options, limited recreation offerings, and bus-only transportation - 7 nights at AKL in the summer would not be our first choice.

If budget isn’t the main factor, are any larger room sizes available at Riv or BCV? Those would be our first choices over AKL. I think BCV in particular would be a great choice given your ages and having Stormalong Bay available.

Walkable access to two parks is a very valuable amenity (in my opinion) which really puts BCV more at the top of my list. I love the Skyliner and Riv is a beautiful resort, but it’s not without some small downsides. The Skyliner stations can tend to have long lines in the mornings and evenings (with the current one party per gondola rule). And they close when storms are close, which can sometimes make a simple trip back to the resort a bit of a headache.

In my opinion for your first trip to WDW - you want to be “in the middle of it all”.... so to me that means either a monorail resort (CR, Poly, GF) or Epcot resort (BC/YC/BWI). I love AKL, but I think it’s a better resort for people coming back for a second+ trip who have figured out the lay of the land with WDW and want to try something unique/different.

 

[Eastern]

In my opinion for your first trip to WDW - you want to be “in the middle of it all”.... so to me that means either a monorail resort (CR, Poly, GF) or Epcot resort (BC/YC/BWI). I love AKL, but I think it’s a better resort for people coming back for a second+ trip who have figured out the lay of the land with WDW and want to try something unique/different.

Good advice, as always. (Especially the last part.)

 

[rstevens333]

Could you split it up at all? The Fort Wilderness cabins are great and the golf carts are SO FUN. The kids might prefer that to the parks themselves. But maybe 7 nights there would be a lot.

But if Wilderness Lodge, Riviera or AK were an option, it's hard to turn down those gorgeous resorts. WL is probably my favorite place on earth and it has a *lot* of food for its size. Geyser Point is delicious and a great place to watch the Electrical Water Pageant.

 

[mickeymom22]

We are a family of five and have always stayed in one room. For a first trip for a family used to Disneyland, I would recommend staying at one of the Epcot resorts. The Beach Club and Yacht Club have Stormalong Bay which the kids will love. It would be a great area to spend your afternoons so that is a plus. I will also say when we stayed at the Boardwalk resort the interior of our room seemed larger than any we had stayed in. With all those resorts you would have access to the Skyliner at Epcot, and you can walk to Epcot and Hollywood Studios.

We have stayed at AKL before and loved it! It is such an awesome resort. I liked that it had a QS restaurant. I don't know with COVID what all is open there now. With the length of your stay you might consider a split stay. We do split stays all the time. Maybe you could start the week off at an Epcot resort when your energy is the highest and end at AKL when your trip is winding down.

We have never stayed at the Riviera resort, but we have ridden the Skyliner over and explored. Just my opinion but it just didn't have that Disney feel for me. It almost felt sterile.

Another resort for five is Port Orleans Riverside. We have stayed there as a family and made really special memories.

It sounds like a great trip! Happy Planning!

 

[unrequited23]

I believe a studio would be way too small for a family of 5, especially with a teenager. Same for Caribbean Beach, if looking at a 5th sleeper. So that leaves AKL, Riv and the Fort. Do you need more bathrooms, the skyliner or the outdoors? Also check the food options available at each resort and see which suits your family's palate better. (I admit that the presence of a grilled cheese and beignets was the deciding factor in our POFQ stay.)

 

[NOLA_Tink]

Without a doubt: AKL! We were there in October and my 2 kids loved the pool there. Fun splash area for your 4-yr-old & great water slide for your older kids. They also really enjoyed seeing the animals while we were eating at Sanaa. Plus, having 2 (or more) bathrooms is a huge factor when everyone is trying to get dressed in the morning and shower in the evening. Plus, 2 bedrooms is REALLY comfortable for a weeklong trip. (Seriously: For my family, if everyone has their own "space," it makes for a much happier vacation. We don't all crowd in my bedroom every night at home and I can't imagine doing that for a whole week on vacation.) I know the transportation at Riviera seems nice, but bathrooms/bedrooms/extra space outweigh the skyliner, in my opinion. And, it is new, but I think choosing that one for its newness might make you disappointed because it's not more luxurious than the other resorts and enough guests have stayed there to make it less shiny and new than when it opened in 2019.

 

[Marthasor]

We aren’t a family that would enjoy value resorts really. I want the kids to appreciate the amenities but I’m the one bustin my buns to pay for it, so I also want to enjoy my time and space. I

i am leaning towards keeping my riviera reservation but also considering doing the AKL 2 bedroom.

you think that even with the transportation differences and the new and shiny-ness of Riviera?

For a first trip, I would really recommend staying at a monorail resort (CR/Poly/GF) or an EP resort (BC/YC/BWI). Kidani is lovely and savannah view is very special, but you will be spending a lot of time going back and forth between Kidani and the parks and the food options at AKL are quite limited currently. Are these your only options? BCV is fantastic (my absolute favorite), but I would not recommend putting 5 people in a studio. Is there a 2-bedroom villa available there? Perhaps consider a 1-bedroom villa at VGF? If what you have listed are your only choices, I would go with RIV. The rooms are gorgeous and you will have access to the Skyliner. If you want to save a little money, you could consider booking standard view at RIV. If you go that route, I would request high floor, west wing. We were on the 7th floor with a gorgeous, direct view of Spaceship Earth.

 

[Blondie58]

Consider a split stay??? You can see two resorts and have two different experiences. Some folks may not want to pack and move and that needs to be considered. But we have enjoyed many split stays over the years and have really enjoyed them.

 

[EACarlson]

How much would your kids(and yourselves I guess) enjoy the savannah view? My 8 year old would be completely overjoyed. If it were in our budget that is where we would have stayed. If your group isn't all that much into it I would stick with Riviera or maybe even drop down to CBR. Then you have the skyliner which was the favorite ride of both my 8 year old and my mother when we were there Dec '19.

 

[MaxnElliesMama]

Phew! Thank you for all these replies.

We have been scouring for a larger room at BCV but unfortunately regularly room is all that is available, I can choose water or garden view but nothing with more size.

At this point we’ve narrowed it down to RIV or BC; I think I am leaning BC because $2000 savings is A LOT, but I’m a little nervous about the space for us. The RIV studio would save $1500 and add another shower if that would be smarter?

 

[WEDWDW]

In full disclosure I have not stayed at AKL since reopening so I’m only going from what I read around here. Given the limited dining options, limited recreation offerings, and bus-only transportation - 7 nights at AKL in the summer would not be our first choice.

If budget isn’t the main factor, are any larger room sizes available at Riv or BCV? Those would be our first choices over AKL. I think BCV in particular would be a great choice given your ages and having Stormalong Bay available.

Walkable access to two parks is a very valuable amenity (in my opinion) which really puts BCV more at the top of my list. I love the Skyliner and Riv is a beautiful resort, but it’s not without some small downsides. The Skyliner stations can tend to have long lines in the mornings and evenings (with the current one party per gondola rule). And they close when storms are close, which can sometimes make a simple trip back to the resort a bit of a headache.

In my opinion for your first trip to WDW - you want to be “in the middle of it all”.... so to me that means either a monorail resort (CR, Poly, GF) or Epcot resort (BC/YC/BWI). I love AKL, but I think it’s a better resort for people coming back for a second+ trip who have figured out the lay of the land with WDW and want to try something unique/different.

This.

And the Skyliner is always available for some Joyrides.

 

[DeutscherDon]

We are Disney people, love going each year at Christmas or in the summer, or both and have stayed in most of the moderate and deluxe resorts and they all have amenities that are great. We enjoyed Riviera in December and loved it. We think you stay with the Riviera resort for all the reasons you stated. It is a beautiful resort, the pool area is second to none and the have Character meals as well as multiple wonderful restaurants! But the clincher is the sky liner! It wisks you to Hollywood studios or Epcot quickly and enjoyably. Much better than waiting for the bus, It’s a great ride right from the get go for your kids! We actually got on it at the end of our night just to enjoy the view, we ran to boardwalk area just to ride it. You are also next to the Caribbean beach resort which is a beautiful moderate resort in walking distance with places to eat as well. There is no bad choice some are more convenient. We are planning our next trip and the skyliner is really having an impact on our thinking as to which resort. Hope you have a wonderful time!