Planning a Disney trip with kids? Here are 4 Disney World hotels to avoid with toddlers—plus better family-friendly alternatives to book instead.
Planning a stay at Walt Disney World with young kids can completely change how you choose your hotel.
Before having a toddler, staying off-property was easy. But once naps, strollers, and mid-day meltdowns entered the picture, convenience became everything, and that meant staying on-site. After multiple trips with a young child, I’ve learned that not all Disney resorts are created equal for families.
Some may look perfect on paper, but when you’re navigating long walks, loud environments, or complicated transportation with a tired toddler, the experience can quickly become overwhelming. These are four Disney World hotels I personally avoid with young kids, and where I’d stay instead.
Disney World Hotels to Avoid With Young Kids
Now when we visit, we tend to opt for an on-site property, allowing us to more easily use Disney World transportation to get to where we want to go. And in that time, we’ve been able to gather some experience in finding out the best hotels to stay at with toddlers or young kids — and the ones we’d probably avoid in the future.
Disney’s Contemporary Resort
Let’s start off with what’s probably a surprising choice to many: Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Located just a short walk from Magic Kingdom, the Contemporary Resort and adjacent Bay Lake Tower are often seen as a prime location for families with kids due to their distance from Magic Kingdom. However, in my experience, there are a few other Magic Kingdom Resort area hotels I prefer over the Contemporary.
Staying with my toddler, I was surprised by how overstimulating I found the hotel to be. Because of its modern design, the main Contemporary building is one tall concourse that includes dining, the monorail, rooms, stores…and a lot of echoes and noise. While as an adult this never bothered me, when I was dealing with a tired, hungry kid after a morning in the parks, this was a lot to take in.
Personally, I would opt for Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort the next time we want to stay on the monorail loop. The hotel offers various buildings throughout the resort that give it a slightly calmer, more relaxing vibe. While it may not be as convenient a walk to Magic Kingdom (though it’s still doable when construction is not ongoing), it is a short walk from the Transportation and Ticket Center, giving you easy access to either Magic Kingdom or EPCOT.
Resort to Choose Instead: Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
There’s a lot to love about Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. The theming is beautiful. The amenities are strong. There are plenty of dining options. What I don’t love is the size.
If you’re traveling without kids, or with older ones, it works well. You likely won’t mind the walking. But with a toddler, it’s a different story. Long days in the parks make those extra steps feel even longer. If your child isn’t up for that, I’d choose another resort.
Coronado Springs spans 142 acres and has more than 2,000 rooms. It’s also home to a large Convention Center. That means you’ll often see big groups, from conferences to school events.
For families with young kids, the layout can be tough. There’s an internal bus loop with multiple stops. Getting around can take time. You may also face long walks just to reach dining or the Dig Site pool.
Gran Destino Tower. Photo by Morgan Flaherty
If you are going to stay at Coronado Springs, I recommend booking at Gran Destino Tower. This 15-story tower is located conveniently at the front of the resort. It’s within reasonable walking distance of many amenities (as well as having its own dining and stores available in-building). The hotel has deluxe-level theming and amenities to enjoy, all at a moderate resort-level price. While you’ll still need to deal with the internal bus loop, your prime location at the entrance to the resort means you will likely be the first to be dropped off when you return to the resort. That makes it far less of a headache to deal with a tired toddler for a long bus ride.
Resort to Choose Instead: Stay at Gran Destino Tower
Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
While many families with young kids have their sights set on the Magic Kingdom Resort hotels, it’s worth considering staying at an EPCOT Resort area hotel instead. But, when you are looking to pick from your options, I personally prefer Disney’s BoardWalk Inn or Disney’s Beach Club Resort over Disney’s Yacht Club when I’m staying with a younger kid.
Ultimately, this is a more personal decision based on theming. Disney’s Yacht Club Resort is a Martha’s Vineyard-themed hotel that gives off a slightly more mature and subdued vibe than its sister resort, the Beach Club. Both hotels connect to share various amenities, including the popular mini-water park pool area, Stormalong Bay. But, with its slightly closer distance to EPCOT and the Disney Skyliner, I’d give an edge to staying at the Beach Club any time over Yacht Club with my family.
Resort to Choose Instead: Disney’s BoardWalk Inn or Disney’s Beach Club Resort
Disney’s Old Key West Resort
Disney’s Old Key West Resort was the original Disney Vacation Club property. As you may have guessed, the resort is themed to the Florida Keys, offering studios and 1-, 2-, or 3-bedroom villas to families. If you plan on spending a lot of time at your hotel, or don’t need to easily get to the theme parks, there’s a lot to love about Old Key West. However, for those with younger kids that may want to go back and forth throughout the day to the parks, Old Key West only offers the least convenient form of transportation to all four parks: buses.
Photo by Laurie Sapp
The hotel is also slightly more outdated. The rooms that aren’t quite as fresh as more frequently refurbished (but similar) options like Disney’s Beach Club Resort. While this certainly isn’t a dealbreaker, it’s something worth considering when shelling out the money.
If you are looking for a hotel where you can spend quite a bit of time on-property with plenty to do, I’d recommend looking at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge instead. The hotel offers tons of dining options, and kid-friendly amenities like playgrounds, splash pads, pools, and a massive savanna where you can spot a variety of animal species! At a similar price point to Old Key West (and with similar bus-only transportation), I give Animal Kingdom Lodge my vote for staying with the family.
Resort to Choose Instead: Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
Disney World Hotels for Kids FAQ
What is the best Disney World hotel for toddlers?
Resorts like Disney’s Art of Animation Resort and Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort are top choices thanks to theming, transportation, and kid-friendly amenities.
Are monorail resorts worth it with kids?
Yes, but layout matters. While convenient, some (like the Contemporary) can feel overwhelming compared to more spread-out resorts.
What Disney resorts are easiest with strollers?
Skyliner resorts and those within walking distance to parks (like Beach Club) are often the easiest.
Is it worth staying on-site at Disney World with kids?
For most families, yes, especially for transportation, mid-day breaks, and proximity to the parks.
