How much influence do your kids have when picking your resort? - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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How much influence do your kids have when picking your resort?
Just curious how you pick your resort? For the last few trips I have picked different resorts based on different reasons, but always picked which ones I wanted as DH and DD really didn't care.
For our next trip DD has said she would like to stay at AOA. I have seen the photos and would love to stay there someday, but for some reason I'm not feeling it lately. We will be traveling over President's week and I would much rather stay at maybe Boardwalk or AKL. Boardwalk would be new to us and I love closeness to 2 parks. We have stayed at AKL before and LOVED it.
Part of me wants to book AOA for DD since she is already 8 and might not want to stay in the very themed values in a few years but part of me thinks maybe BW or AKL would be better for such a busy time in WDW. We are already doing 4 nights at BLT and would be adding 3 days prior at one of the 3 resorts.
You do what ever is best for you!
My kids play into where we stay but I would not say they are the deciding factor. Its always our discussion.
Do what you think will be best for you and your trip.
That being said I think I would book AOA based on your DD's age! My DD is the same age and thats where we booked
You go deluxe and your DD wants to stay in a value? WOW!! If I could afford to go deluxe/DVC and Abby asked for a value, I'd stay a couple of nights for her (if I could afford deluxe I could certainly afford value). Since we can only afford value to begin with, Idon't even shop around for other resorts let alone asking Abby (or even Lenny) her input.
Just wanted to say that we usually rent points at AKV and most likely would rent points at BWV if staying in that area.
Since the Little Mermaid rooms have no discounts in Feb. (yet) it is almost the same price to stay at AOA and AKV. That is another reason staying at AOA is bothering me this trip. If there was a discount and it was really cheaper than it wouldn't be a question.
We stayed at the monorail resorts (Poly and GF) due to DHs mobility issues....and then bought into DVC and BWV is our home........choosen for same mobility issues...DH hated getting on buses with the scooter. Now being a "member", I choose DVC resorts when I travel.
Yes and no. We discuss where they might like to stay but ultimately the decision is made by me & DH. I'd choose BW over AoA anyday, especially if price is similar. We'll be there part of Presidents week!
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I think it's great if your daughter feels a part of the decision making.
We stayed at ASMu on our first trip to Disney when our girls were 5 and 3. That was probably the only trip in which they didn't have a choice or an opinion . Our kids are now 19, 16, and 14 and know as much about the resorts as I do! Deciding on a resort is a fun part of the vacation planning and we all have a voice in the decision. Having said that, cost always plays a factor in our decision and they are a resonable bunch. They know the more we can save on a trip the better the chance that we stay longer or get to go again soon!
Since we are normally concerned about our budget, we were delighted when our son pointed to a picture of the pool at AS Music in Birnbaum and said he wanted to stay there. (On pre-child trips, we stayed off site.) A value resort works for me! We have been staying there for many years now.
Last year, he said he wanted to stay where the Swans were on the buildings, so we switched two nights at Music for two nights at the Swan. It was very nice, but this year: back at Music for the whole trip. For us, we just don't care about the features of the fancier resorts (TS meals, health clubs, etc.) and we enjoy the whimsy of the values.
We could afford to stay at a moderate, and may do so some day, but for now, the one our son picked makes us pretty happy. An additional benefit for someone with autism is the comfort that comes with familiarity: he knows where the pool, the food court, and our room are located, and we have less worry because of that.
We stayed at Pop last Feb. for our first family trip. My now nearly 4 year old daughter tells me every day she does not want to stay at a new hotel, she wants to stay at Epcot (which she thinks is the name of Pop). Even when I tell her the royal rooms where we're booked at POR have fireworkes, etc., she tells me, "I don't like fireworks!" she is very concerned about this and I hope she gets over it! one of her daycare teachers is also convinced that the values are way more fun for the little ones. and yes, I'm sure they'd like AOA, and that is why I'm willing to pay extra for the Royal rooms for them to have magical rooms in a moderate resort instead. when it all comes down to it, I can't handle those tiny beds at Pop for 9 nights again and I'm not a fan of the mega long bus ride to MK from there -i.e. 25 minutes. bus ride would be same distance from AOA and daycare teacher just back from Mermaid rooms says the beds are still tiny and they will fork out for a suite next time!
For every hundred dollars the kids pitch in, we stay at the resort of their choice. Since I have yet to receive the first dime from either one, Dad decides. That is after my wife gives me permission.
If we narrow it down to a couple resorts we will ask the kids for their opinion. The last few trips we have stayed at OKW and nobody wants to stay anywhere else so it works.
My oldest DD isn't really into planning for Disney (although she has fun once we are there). But, my youngest DD, who is now 15, has definite ideas on what appeals to her. The past couple of trips I asked for her input once I narrowed down my choices to just a couple. For our trip next summer, though, she asked if we could go to WDW to celebrate her 16th birthday (which will occur months before our trip) since we were actually at WDW when her sister turned 16. And, she asked if we could stay at the AoA Little Mermaid rooms. I really prefer the moderate rooms (had a not so magical experience at ASMu one year), but since AoA is new and the Little Mermaid rooms would be less money than a moderate, I agreed to her suggestion. Of course, if some really great deal were to come out that required me switching hotels, she knows that I would do that....but I doubt that will happen since we are going in July!
We usually talk to DD about the resort choice, but final word is often mine. I try to mix something for everyone. So we've tried different places and she's loved all!
I love everyone's answers, especially Kirk's! I hope we don't regret POR. I don't think we will. my little one has quite the determined spirit! she has also talked about BBB nearly every day for the last 9 months and just in the last week or so she is saying she's not going this year because the bun hurts her hair!! so I told her there are other options and she's taking this into consideration : ) it's a Nannie splurge anyway.
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Sammi
Our last WDW trip as a family 
. Our kids are now 19, 16, and 14 and know as much about the resorts as I do! Deciding on a resort is a fun part of the vacation planning and we all have a voice in the decision. Having said that, cost always plays a factor in our decision and they are a resonable bunch. They know the more we can save on a trip the better the chance that we stay longer or get to go again soon! 
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