Orlando advice needed

[BocaBoy]

I'm getting a headache reading all this stuff-- the kids will be four and less than two. At this stage, it really doesn't matter.

Another year or two down the road, consider what the kids will enjoy. At this point, it's what Mom and Dad and the grandparents will find comfortable and easy to use.

All of the properties are made for families. Most are kid friendly (granted some more so than others-- but a one year old is not going to care. The kids will be fine and happy no matter what).

Space is important so the little ones can nap/sleep and the adults can go into another room. Sabal, one of my favorites, has smaller second bedrooms. Anything else, you'll be fine.

SeaWorld is kid friendly-- plenty of places for strollers and seating at shows for adults to watch while kids nap. Plus it's close enough to all Marriott properties if you want to take a break for several hours.

Disney World is massive. Just getting to and from the parking lot takes time.
Yes, you'll want that picture with Mickey or Minnie. But remember it will not be easy to leave and come back. Yes, we took ours that young, but one or two days will be enough. Unfortunately, they have it rigged that a one or two day ticket is the most expensive. Plus, it's getting complicated to go. You have to book restaurant and even ride reservations in advance-- even in the slow season. All of that leaves little room for adjustments if kids get tired/sleepy and need a break.

Universal-- In many ways, it's now better than Disney. But I don't recommend for that young.

Again, don't sweat it. Go and relax. The kids will enjoy anything. You have a timeshare-- you can go back.

Very good advice.

 

[JIMinNC]

I'm getting a headache reading all this stuff-- the kids will be four and less than two. At this stage, it really doesn't matter.

Another year or two down the road, consider what the kids will enjoy. At this point, it's what Mom and Dad and the grandparents will find comfortable and easy to use.

All of the properties are made for families. Most are kid friendly (granted some more so than others-- but a one year old is not going to care. The kids will be fine and happy no matter what).

Space is important so the little ones can nap/sleep and the adults can go into another room. Sabal, one of my favorites, has smaller second bedrooms. Anything else, you'll be fine.

SeaWorld is kid friendly-- plenty of places for strollers and seating at shows for adults to watch while kids nap. Plus it's close enough to all Marriott properties if you want to take a break for several hours.

Disney World is massive. Just getting to and from the parking lot takes time.
Yes, you'll want that picture with Mickey or Minnie. But remember it will not be easy to leave and come back. Yes, we took ours that young, but one or two days will be enough. Unfortunately, they have it rigged that a one or two day ticket is the most expensive. Plus, it's getting complicated to go. You have to book restaurant and even ride reservations in advance-- even in the slow season. All of that leaves little room for adjustments if kids get tired/sleepy and need a break.

Universal-- In many ways, it's now better than Disney. But I don't recommend for that young.

Again, don't sweat it. Go and relax. The kids will enjoy anything. You have a timeshare-- you can go back.

I agree, very good advice here.

Based on our experience with our kids when they were the age of the OP's children, they may be deathly afraid of the Disney characters, so be careful there. Mickey and Goofy are entertaining on a TV screen, but in real life they can be terrifying to a very young child.

At those ages, I agree the trip should be more about the parents' comfort and experiences. It will be tough enough negotiating the parks with two little ones. A day or two will be more than enough for them. The children will hardly remember anything, and you don't want the only memory to be terror at that big mouse!

 

[Pompey Family]

We took our kids to Harbour Lake when they were 7 and 5 and they never wanted to leave the resort. I have no interest in Disney or Seaworld but would have relented with Disney if the kids absolutely insisted but they showed no interest whatsoever. If they were 4 and 1 I wouldn't even consider any park but rather let them enjoy the resort.

 

[Superchief]

r

I'm getting a headache reading all this stuff-- the kids will be four and less than two. At this stage, it really doesn't matter.

Another year or two down the road, consider what the kids will enjoy. At this point, it's what Mom and Dad and the grandparents will find comfortable and easy to use.

All of the properties are made for families. Most are kid friendly (granted some more so than others-- but a one year old is not going to care. The kids will be fine and happy no matter what).

Space is important so the little ones can nap/sleep and the adults can go into another room. Sabal, one of my favorites, has smaller second bedrooms. Anything else, you'll be fine.

SeaWorld is kid friendly-- plenty of places for strollers and seating at shows for adults to watch while kids nap. Plus it's close enough to all Marriott properties if you want to take a break for several hours.

Disney World is massive. Just getting to and from the parking lot takes time.
Yes, you'll want that picture with Mickey or Minnie. But remember it will not be easy to leave and come back. Yes, we took ours that young, but one or two days will be enough. Unfortunately, they have it rigged that a one or two day ticket is the most expensive. Plus, it's getting complicated to go. You have to book restaurant and even ride reservations in advance-- even in the slow season. All of that leaves little room for adjustments if kids get tired/sleepy and need a break.

Universal-- In many ways, it's now better than Disney. But I don't recommend for that young.

Again, don't sweat it. Go and relax. The kids will enjoy anything. You have a timeshare-- you can go back.

You've really nailed it. A great thing about timeshares is that you can have a very enjoyable family vacation without relying on visits to the parks. We were fortunate to own at Royal Palms when Disney was still an enjoyable and affordable family vacation. We would use our Royal Palms at least 2 of every 3 years. This was prior to the Disney resorts so we weren't at a disadvantage by not staying at a Disney property. We bought the maximum number of days tickets because they could be used on future trips. Our early trips were pre-Eisner, so we could enjoy multiple days at the parks without mortgaging our house.

A great thing about the Palms is that they are close enough to Disney to take mid-day breaks. This is even more important with younger children. I've really enjoyed Royal and Imperial Palms, but haven't yet tried Sabal since I own at Royal. The only problem at Royal is that a few villas are located near a busy road, so I suggest avoiding them.

 

[MichaelColey]

...when Disney was still an enjoyable and affordable family vacation.

LOL - we found one way several years ago to make it affordable. We got annual passes ($399 DVC special) and went for 12 weeks. That worked out to less than $5 per day, per person for our park passes. Of course most people can't do that.

We ate pretty much like we were at home and of course we have cheap traders that got us good deals on 2BR timeshares (often DVC). We didn't spend much more for 12 weeks than many people spend for 2 annual trips.

They're certainly getting more and more expensive. I just helped some friends book a trip. Originally, they were getting two Value hotel rooms, staying 4 days with hopper tickets, and getting the dining plan. $4,200 for 3 adults, 2 children and an infant. I helped them find a 2BR timeshare ($400), get 6 day base tickets ($1700) and they'll be cooking most of their own meals.

Attendance numbers just keep rising, though, so it's tough to argue with that success.

 

[mkahanek]

Very good advice.

Ohh. This is my mindset. Disney is the wife's idea. I would prefer to wait 3-4 years. But... She is a kid when it comes to that so...

My thought. Maui ocean club.

 

[MichaelColey]

While they won't remember much (if any) even a few years from now, 3-5 is DEFINITELY one of the best ages to take kids to Disney. It's REAL to them. You'll see the magic in their faces. Even a couple years later, and it'll be less magical.

Some of my favorite pictures are of my daughter at Disney when she was about 3-4. The anticipation on her face as she watches for Cinderella is incredible. Don't get me wrong -- they'll enjoy Disney at a later age (and probably remember more of it), too. But the older they get, the more the magic fades.

Another factor to keep in mind. My kids grew up going to Disney, from 4-5 for my oldest to almost 2 for my middle child, to not long after birth for the youngest. They love it, and have become thrill junkies. My brother's family had never been and we talked them into taking their first trip with us when their kids were older (8-11, if I remember right). They hadn't done many rides, and were afraid to go on many of the rides at Disney, including rides my daughter had been going on since she was 2. It took a couple trips to Disney and other theme parks before they got into it.

Here's Grace, when she was 3 years old, watching for Cinderella.

 

[Fairwinds]

I'm getting a headache reading all this stuff-- the kids will be four and less than two. At this stage, it really doesn't matter.

Another year or two down the road, consider what the kids will enjoy. At this point, it's what Mom and Dad and the grandparents will find comfortable and easy to use.

All of the properties are made for families. Most are kid friendly (granted some more so than others-- but a one year old is not going to care. The kids will be fine and happy no matter what).

Space is important so the little ones can nap/sleep and the adults can go into another room. Sabal, one of my favorites, has smaller second bedrooms. Anything else, you'll be fine.


SeaWorld is kid friendly-- plenty of places for strollers and seating at shows for adults to watch while kids nap. Plus it's close enough to all Marriott properties if you want to take a break for several hours.

Disney World is massive. Just getting to and from the parking lot takes time.
Yes, you'll want that picture with Mickey or Minnie. But remember it will not be easy to leave and come back. Yes, we took ours that young, but one or two days will be enough. Unfortunately, they have it rigged that a one or two day ticket is the most expensive. Plus, it's getting complicated to go. You have to book restaurant and even ride reservations in advance-- even in the slow season. All of that leaves little room for adjustments if kids get tired/sleepy and need a break.

Universal-- In many ways, it's now better than Disney. But I don't recommend for that young.

Again, don't sweat it. Go and relax. The kids will enjoy anything. You have a timeshare-- you can go back.

+1. I think those kids will enjoy any pool and a smaller one without a river or jungle gym ship might be easier on the parents

 

[OregonBorder]

Orlando without kids

A little off topic...but which Marriott resort would you recommend for a retired couple without kids or Grandkids. I have been looking at Grande Vista and Lakeshore , but am open to suggestions and advice. Thanks!

 

[Saintsfanfl]

A little off topic...but which Marriott resort would you recommend for a retired couple without kids or Grandkids. I have been looking at Grande Vista and Lakeshore , but am open to suggestions and advice. Thanks!

I love Lakeshore but I no longer consider it an adults resort. Quite the opposite. It is actually getting really crowded with kids. It might depend on the time of year. The last few times we have stayed there which was Memorial and Labor Day the place was literally running wild with kids. Some of them not so supervised. The problem with Lakeshore is that there is only one pool and there is no longer a quite spot near the pool that doesn't have kids running by. It's still a fantastic property and my favorite in Orlando but then again I have 5 small kids.

If you want a big property with plenty of space and things to do I recommend Cypress Harbour. Grande Vista has everything. The smaller pools outside of the main area can get quiet. The kids usually prefer to be in the main areas.

If Lakeshore ever finishes build out the number of units will nearly triple and they will have at least one more pool which will be on the quieter side. When that ever happens is a mystery. Orlando has been building more rooms like crazy and Marriott has opted to sit still and instead sell converted points because it's cheaper. They are devaluing their system. Eventually they will need to do something.

 

[Ty1on]

While they won't remember much (if any) even a few years from now, 3-5 is DEFINITELY one of the best ages to take kids to Disney. It's REAL to them. You'll see the magic in their faces. Even a couple years later, and it'll be less magical.

Some of my favorite pictures are of my daughter at Disney when she was about 3-4. The anticipation on her face as she watches for Cinderella is incredible. Don't get me wrong -- they'll enjoy Disney at a later age (and probably remember more of it), too. But the older they get, the more the magic fades.

Oh yeah, I'll never forget taking mine before XMas when she was 4, and her Explaining to everyone that Santa lives at Disneyland.

 

[MichaelColey]

A little off topic...but which Marriott resort would you recommend for a retired couple without kids or Grandkids. I have been looking at Grande Vista and Lakeshore , but am open to suggestions and advice. Thanks!

Here's a thread from a few days ago where someone was asking for advice for an Orlando Marriott for an adults only trip:

http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=231004

Lakeshore seemed to be the consensus.

 

[Saintsfanfl]

I love Lakeshore hands down and it's a great resort if you have kids or don't have kids and want or don't want kids activities. It is not however a good resort if you don't like kids, because they very well may be inescapable due to only one general area for R&R.