Wilderness Lodge or a Monorail Resort

[LuvBulldogs]

You noted your trip was awhile ago, but just wanted to mention for the sake of anyone reading that Disney removed the bunk beds from the WL as part of the most recent room renovations. FYI.

Bummer. I loved those rooms! They gave us more floor space, which was great with two kids, and the kids liked not sharing a bed.

 

[obsesseddisneyfan]

I am not sure if any one has mentioned this. Renting a Car and getting handicap parking might be the best way to go. If you stay on property parking is free. If one of your more able body people want to go back to the room or stay late they can take transportation. You can rent scooters and strollers and have them right up front close to the gate with the handicap parking. I went to Disney last August with 13 people ranging from 78- 9. I could not imagine trying to get all of gear through public transportation. The only park you can not park right up front is MK. I would stay at FW and take the boat to MK. The others I would drive too.

 

[_19disnA]

Where to stay is primarily a matter of personal preference & budget. If you are mostly going to MK, then staying on that side of the property makes the most sense. However, Disney is HUGE, so parks like Epcot or HS are on the other side of the property and I would stay at one of those resorts if that is where you plan to spend most of your time. Some people like Disney transportation, others do not. It isn't your personal valet, so you might arrive to a bus stop and one just departed or the line might be too long for the current bus to handle. That is a reality of any type of shared transportation.

We have always rented a car while at Disney and gives us more flexibility. We might decide to go shopping or eat at a restaurant that is NOT part of Disney. Because Disney is so spread out, walking isn't practical to many places and the design/layout discourages walking due to all of the traffic in the area. Over the years we have stayed at Disney as well as nearby hotels and liked each of them for different reasons.

 

[RositaFound!]

We did a 12-person multi-generational trip a few years ago that included 2 sets of grandparents. I was the one in charge. Glad we did it but also glad it was a one-time thing! (I kid, I kid... kind of)

2 of the grandparents rented scooters from an off-site service to have on hand whenever needed, 1 should have but refused and would only get one at the park (and even then we basically had to force him). He had the hardest time of all with the distances so I began to dread each travel leg coming and going from the parks, if I'm honest. We were staying at Poly and getting to Epcot, for example, requires SO many steps and ramps before you ever get to the scooter rental. Combined with the July heat it was a lot for this individual. We all made it, but it wasn't without stress. Gave me a new appreciation for those with mobility challenges when traversing a property as vast at WDW.

If doing that trip again, I would rent enough scooters off-site for those that need them just to have on hand - if they feel like they need it, great - if not, get one at the front of the park. More $, yes, but I wish we had had the optionality at the time. A 10-day trip is long and spirits/mood/physical abilities may shift around day to day.

Not sure when you say "Suite" if you're thinking a hotel-side suite or 2 or 3 BR DVC villa. I've stayed in many of the hotel-side suites so happy to comment on them if helpful. WL only has one hotel-side suite (have not stayed there, it's hard to book!), I'm not sure off the top of my head if it holds 8.

FWIW on our multi-generational trip we were in a few suites at Poly. There are pros/cons with every resort but it worked well for us. That said, when reading your original post I was left thinking WL sounds like a solid choice for your family given your description.

Good luck with the planning! Despite my maybe slightly negative tone above, we all still speak fondly of the trip and it created a lifetime of memories for multiple generations.

Thank you so much for this! The only reason I'd been really considering Poly was that it might be easiest mobility-wise. Your family member refusing the scooter even when it was needed is exactly how my dad would be, so it's helpful to know it's a slog even just to the scooter rental! This is really solidifying the car rental plan - we might be utilizing rental cars this trip more than most would due to mobility issues and flexibility with young kids. The full Disney bubble can wait for another trip and another circumstance!

 

[RositaFound!]

I am not sure if any one has mentioned this. Renting a Car and getting handicap parking might be the best way to go. If you stay on property parking is free. If one of your more able body people want to go back to the room or stay late they can take transportation. You can rent scooters and strollers and have them right up front close to the gate with the handicap parking. I went to Disney last August with 13 people ranging from 78- 9. I could not imagine trying to get all of gear through public transportation. The only park you can not park right up front is MK. I would stay at FW and take the boat to MK. The others I would drive too.

I can't tell you how helpful this is. Thank you! My parents do have handicap placards, so honestly that's probably the way to go!

 

[RositaFound!]

I'm following along with this because we're also in the early stages of planning a November/December 2025 trip and staying at a MK-area resort, and are currently on the fence about whether my mom should come because of similar mobility issues (walks without aid in daily life but has multiple joint replacements and RA and would need an ECV to tackle Disney), and we had also been targeting WL because the Christmas decor is supposed to be amazing. So thanks for asking about this!

I just wanted to chime in on two points:

1) The DVC side at the Poly has basically zero Moana theming and the Moana theming in the public areas, if it exists, was so minimal I didn't notice it when we went last month. So I wouldn't rule it out just based on that! I just paid cash/booked through Disney but the DVC rooms were the same price as the regular ones, but with the benefit of an extra shower room (not two bathrooms, because only 1 toilet, but two separate showers) and more of a kitchenette area. We LOVED the rooms and the Poly general. WL will be cheaper though.

2) Are you positive your family member can't book two rooms with the discount at WDW? I also have a sibling that used to work for Corporate and she was able to book two separate rooms for our party at WDW at a like 40 percent discount. This was in 2018 and she (very sadly for me!) no longer works there so maybe it changed, but just wanted to make sure you're positive this restriction applies at WDW and not just Disneyland, because I know you said that's your usual spot.

Good luck with your trip planning! Sounds like we are in a very similar boat! I will absolutely look into the separate room booking! We've only booked rooms a few times for the Disneyland Hotel or Grand Californian because we live so close and go so often, we only have an extended stay maybe once a year. The discount is a HUGE incentive for us to go in 2025 to WDW - this family member may decide to move on from Corporate in a few years and these savings are too amazing not to use!