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Old 04-23-2012, 08:31 AM
 
Location: Altamonte Springs, FL
2,168 posts, read 5,054,033 times
Reputation: 1179

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I think you want a resort that will appeal an 11-year-old, but also has convenience and room to breathe for you. For that I would choose the the Polynesian. It is a Hawaiian themed resort with monorail access and large rooms. This is one of the original Disney resorts that opened with the park, and seems to be the favorite deluxe resort of most Disney fans who can afford it, thus the price. Kids and adults both love this resort. You can take a boat or monorail to the Magic Kingdom, which is great if you want to quickly get back to the resort to take a break and later return to the park. It has torch-lit grounds at night, and sand beaches for relaxation.

Animal Kingdom Lodge is a stunning African-themed resort with its own Savannah that has animals roaming the grounds. This was the most underrated deluxe Disney resort, but the secret is out as many articles have pointed out how this is arguably the best resort on the property. It has great dining choices if you like ethnic food that step out of the normal Disney comfort zone. The price has gone up significantly due to this new demand, but is still cheaper than the monorail resorts. The only problem with this resort is that it is the furthest resort from Magic Kingdom and Epcot, requiring long bus rides to get to any of them.

Beach Club would be another good one. The location in the Epcot Resort Area would appeal to you, but the pool area is the best at Disney and appeals to all ages. It has a sandy bottom, lazy river, and a nice big slide. Yacht Club is basically the same resort and shares the same pool, but it has a more mature theme.
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Old 04-23-2012, 11:54 AM
 
Location: Oxygen Ln. AZ
9,319 posts, read 18,747,810 times
Reputation: 5764
Quote:
Originally Posted by soulsurv View Post
Hello, Floridians!! Now before you think my question is crazy, let me say that I've never been to DW or even cared to go - though friends of mine simply rave over it all and go every chance they get. As much as I love amusement parks, crowds just don't do it for me .

That said, I would love to take my niece and great-nephew there next spring (or maybe even over the Christmas holiday). I have no children of my own, and she is a wonderful young lady, struggling as a single mother, working two jobs and taking classes for an advanced degree while trying to provide a loving home for her 11-yr-old son. I just adore her. Now that I am 55 and comfortable, I would like to provide them with an unforgetable trip; something really top of the line, inside of the park. We're looking at maybe 3 nights, 4 days.

Would anyone be kind enough to share their opinions with me? I'd truly appreciate it. Thanks so much!!
Our family had a great experience staying in the Fort Wilderness Cabins. I believe they sleep up to 8 people and have a cute little kitchen/living area so you can bbq lunch or have a breakfast there to save some dollars. The setting is very peaceful. The kids really enjoyed it. The other resort we liked when the kids were grown was the Caribbean resort. It is a wonderful place to visit.
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Old 04-23-2012, 12:05 PM
 
Location: Great Falls, VA
771 posts, read 1,459,566 times
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My personal favorite is the Polynesian Resort.
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Old 04-23-2012, 03:20 PM
 
193 posts, read 623,955 times
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How very kind of you to do this for your niece and gnephew! Believe me you will have as much fun as they will just by enjoying their reactions to everything Walt Disney World (WDW) has to offer.

I believe for an 11 year old the Magic Kingdom will be the 'go to' park. The most convenient would be one on the monorail, Contemporary, Polynesian or Grand Floridian. My choice of those 3 would be Polynesian, just for the tropical atmosphere.
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Old 04-23-2012, 04:33 PM
 
Location: Kennett Square, PA
1,793 posts, read 3,350,727 times
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My goodness, you folks are WONDERFUL!!! I can't thank you enough. After reading all this, it at first seemed that the Animal Kingdom would be the most fun for my nephew...but long bus rides to Magic Kingdom (on a 4-day stay) would be a big drag on the grown-ups. And thanks for warning me away from Christmas which was looking good for me because I have a rough time in intense heat. But I think it is the lesser of two evils when compared to 2-hour waits. I had NO IDEA that WDW was so enormous! I'm getting excited already. All three of us love to swim, and all the pools look nice, too!!
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Old 04-23-2012, 05:00 PM
 
27,215 posts, read 43,923,184 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hesky View Post
My personal favorite is the Polynesian Resort.
Quote:
Originally Posted by yohynot View Post
How very kind of you to do this for your niece and gnephew! Believe me you will have as much fun as they will just by enjoying their reactions to everything Walt Disney World (WDW) has to offer.

I believe for an 11 year old the Magic Kingdom will be the 'go to' park. The most convenient would be one on the monorail, Contemporary, Polynesian or Grand Floridian. My choice of those 3 would be Polynesian, just for the tropical atmosphere.
I agree if the bus ride doesn't seem fun that the Polynesian would be my second choice. It's an astonishingly quiet resort given it's location and convenience, which is a nice perk for the adults.
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Old 04-23-2012, 05:50 PM
 
Location: Orlandooooooo
2,363 posts, read 5,203,902 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kyle19125 View Post
I think for kids the Animal Kingdom Lodge would be unforgettable.
Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge | Walt Disney World Resort
I have to second this. This would be the first choice!!!!!!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by VaNative View Post
My personal favorite is the Contemporary Resort. My family stayed there five times in the 70's and 80's. It's fun being very close to everything and if you can get a tower room with a theme park view, nights will be fantastic looking at the lights and fireworks from the comfort of the balcony.
This would be a great choice as well!!!!!!!!
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Old 04-23-2012, 06:11 PM
 
1,284 posts, read 3,896,858 times
Reputation: 776
Quote:
Originally Posted by soulsurv View Post
My goodness, you folks are WONDERFUL!!! I can't thank you enough. After reading all this, it at first seemed that the Animal Kingdom would be the most fun for my nephew...but long bus rides to Magic Kingdom (on a 4-day stay) would be a big drag on the grown-ups. And thanks for warning me away from Christmas which was looking good for me because I have a rough time in intense heat. But I think it is the lesser of two evils when compared to 2-hour waits. I had NO IDEA that WDW was so enormous! I'm getting excited already. All three of us love to swim, and all the pools look nice, too!!
The holidays at Disney are great,what you want to avoid is from say December 22-January 3-4,that is the time period you will see the absolute biggest crowds at Disney all year.However if you go after Thanksgiving up until December 20th or so the crowds will be manageable and possibly even light late November into the first week of December,with good weather this time of year is one of the best times all year to go.I would also agree with the others about Animal Kingdom it's an amazing resort just a little further away,but not that far that it should keep anyone from staying there as it is really nice.If you want you can even take a day out of your trip and do what they call resort hopping and check out all the resorts on property.I would also agree about checking out Disboards.com,I've been posting on that site for like a decade and you will find anything you want to know about Disney and the other area parks.
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Old 04-23-2012, 06:41 PM
 
457 posts, read 627,308 times
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Depends on what you like. Get the planning DVD and the birnbaum book and check them out.

Most young boys I know like the Contemporary the most. I don't care for it and am not pushing it, lol, but young boys really seem to like it.

Don't discount the Animal Kingdom Lodge because of a couple exta minutes on the bus. None of the bus rides are much worse than the others. But busses at Disney are like busses everywhere else. They suck. If you can afford it, rent a car.
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Old 04-26-2012, 05:58 AM
 
Location: Kennett Square, PA
1,793 posts, read 3,350,727 times
Reputation: 2935
Again, your info is GREAT, and I heartily appreciate your taking the time to respond to a non-Floridian.

I have sent away for the free WDW DVD, so that should contain good info and have been reading the Disney link you have sent me. My idea of theme parks is limited to Hershey Park and Great Adventure in South Jersey, so the gargantuan scope of WDW really blows my mind./

I think my niece and I would love the Polyneisian or Contemporary best, but my nephew would adore the Animal Kingdom - Just HOW LONG of a bus ride to Magic Kindgom are we talking about? And is Epocot near the MK as well? Didn't realize I could rent a car for inside the park.
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