Not every Disney World hotel makes traveling with toddlers easier. After plenty of Disney trips with little kids, these are the resort features I think twice about when booking.

Planning a Disney World vacation with a toddler is a completely different experience from visiting with adults or even older kids. Suddenly, things I barely thought about before having kids (how long it takes to get back to the room, whether I have to fold a stroller, and what there is to do during an afternoon resort break) can have a huge impact on our trip.

After staying at Disney World resorts with little kids, I’ve also realized that the “best” Disney hotel isn’t necessarily the fanciest or even the one with the most amenities. When I’m traveling with a child under five, convenience wins almost every time.

There are certainly exceptions to every rule below, and the right resort ultimately depends on your family’s priorities. But when I’m booking a Disney World vacation with young kids, these are the types of resorts I’m least likely to choose.

Disney World Hotels That I Think Twice About With Toddlers

Resorts Where I Have to Rely on the Bus for Every Park

Disney buses aren’t inherently bad with toddlers. In fact, I’ve had plenty of easy bus rides with my kids. But when I’m choosing between two similarly priced resorts, I’ll almost always pick the one that gives me another transportation option.

The biggest reason? The stroller.

Photo by Laurie Sapp

You need to fold your stroller before boarding a Disney bus, which means taking your child out, removing anything you’ve stored underneath, collapsing the stroller, and then carrying everything onto the bus. After a long park day with a sleeping toddler, that’s about the last thing I want to do.

That’s one reason I love Disney’s Pop Century Resort and Disney’s Art of Animation Resort with young kids. The Disney Skyliner gives you direct transportation to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and EPCOT, and your child can typically stay right in the stroller when you board. Disney’s Riviera Resort and Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort also offer Skyliner access.

The monorail resorts are another great option, particularly if you’re planning to spend a lot of time at Magic Kingdom. And resorts with walking paths to a theme park can make afternoon naps and midday breaks dramatically easier.

Bus-only transportation isn’t a dealbreaker for every family. But with a stroller and a child under five? It’s enough to move a resort much lower on my list.

Resorts That Make Getting Back to the Room a Project

When I traveled to Disney World before having kids, I didn’t care if my hotel room was a 10-minute walk from the lobby or bus stop.

With a tired toddler? I care. A lot.

Some Disney World resorts are enormous, and depending on your room location, simply getting from transportation back to your room can involve a surprisingly long walk. Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, and Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort are all sprawling properties where location can make a major difference.

Photo by Cliff Wang

That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t stay at any of these resorts with kids. But I’d pay much closer attention to the resort layout and room location before booking.

When you’re heading back for a midday nap, rushing to change after a diaper blowout, or carrying a sleeping preschooler at 10 PM, those extra minutes suddenly feel much longer.

If I’m traveling with a toddler, compact resorts—or resorts where I can specifically request a convenient room location—usually win.

Resorts Without a Great Water-Play Area for Little Kids

My kids could be staying steps away from Magic Kingdom and still ask when we’re going to the pool.

That’s why the pool situation has become much more important to me when choosing a Disney World resort.

Photo by CJ Ayd

With very young kids, I’m especially drawn to resorts that offer water-play areas designed with little ones in mind. Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, for example, has the Schoolyard Sprayground near the Finding Nemo-themed Big Blue Pool. Several Moderate and Deluxe resorts also offer elaborate aquatic play areas that can practically become attractions themselves for preschoolers.

It’s worth looking beyond whether a resort simply “has a pool.” Think about how your family will actually use it.

If you’re planning afternoon resort breaks or a full non-park day, a great kiddie area, splash zone, or zero-entry pool can be far more valuable with a three-year-old than a waterslide they’re too small or nervous to use.

Resorts Where the Theming Isn’t Worth the Price for My Family

This is probably my most controversial Disney resort opinion: When I’m paying Deluxe Resort prices with little kids, I want them to be excited about the hotel, too.

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is gorgeous, and its location is undeniably fantastic for families spending a lot of time at Magic Kingdom. You can take the monorail or even walk to the park, which is an enormous advantage with young children.

Toys come to life at Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort. Photo by Danny Shuster

But if I’m choosing a Deluxe Resort based largely on the resort experience, there are others I’d personally choose first with a preschooler.

Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort combines easy Magic Kingdom transportation with tropical theming, a fantastic pool area, and plenty for little kids to look at and explore. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is another favorite for young kids because simply walking outside and spotting a giraffe or zebra can become one of the highlights of the vacation.

Of course, this one is completely subjective. Some kids may adore the Grand Floridian, while some parents may value its location far more than overt Disney theming.

But when I’m spending that much money on a hotel, I want to consider whether I’m paying for amenities my family will actually appreciate.

What I Look for in a Disney World Resort With Kids Under 5

My priorities for a Disney World hotel changed dramatically once I started traveling with kids. I’m no longer choosing a resort based solely on the nicest room, best restaurants, or what appeals most to me.

With a toddler or preschooler, I prioritize easy transportation, a manageable resort layout, a great pool or water-play area, and theming that makes the hotel feel like part of the vacation.

There isn’t one Disney World resort that’s perfect for every family. But when you’re traveling with a child under five, the seemingly small conveniences can end up making the biggest difference—and I’ll happily choose the resort that makes our days a little easier.