Disney Rookie looking for help
 

My wife and 4 y.o. daughter and I are going to Disney the first week of September. We are looking for info on which Disney hotel has the best pool, I'm assuming all the hotels are going to be pretty much the same reagarding quality. We're looking at the Grand Floridian, Beach Club, Yacht Club and Boardwalk.
Any info would be helpful, like I said I'm a Disney Rookie!

I would go to a couple of websites specifically for WDW:

www.disboards.com
www.mousesavers.com

good luck!

No - the hotels are not all the same in quality - there are huge differences - just as there are in prices. Also - some are much more kid firendly.

Agree to look at disboards - and do a heavy duty study of all the info on Disney's site as well - esp as related to transport, restaurants and services at each hotel.

HI--the hotels you mention are all in the premium quality, w/the Grand Floridian being super premium. We have stayed at all of the ones you mention. I would recommend the Grand Fl if it is important for you to be on the monorail. I am not sure why you are not also looking at the Polynesian, where we stayed when our son was small and being on the monorail was a real plus. The atmosphere there w/all the faux South Seas ambiance is very relaxing after a hectic park trip!! As he got older, we switched to staying at either Beach Club (for you, preferible to the Yacht Club, since you are w/a little one, JMO) or Boardwalk which have the advantage of being able to walk onto Epcot and bypass Disney transportation. The pools are all great and I strongly recommend you read the Birnbaum guide for lots of little details....

The Beach Club/Yacht Club share the same pool, a wonderful meandering grouping of pools that all run together. There is a "sunken pirate ship" theme, which the older kids enter up high and slide down. There are also several shallow areas for the kiddies, as well as a really cute pool that has "quick sand," where you actually sink down an inch or two but it gives an unusual sensation when it does.

The location of the Beach Club is very well situated for visiting Epcot, especially at night. After watching Illuminations, it is an easy walk back to the hotel, no trams or bus required.
There is also a nice sandy beach area separate from the pools where young children are often seen building sandcastles while moms and dads relax on the lounge chairs. Very relaxing and quiet after a hectic day in the parks.

Hope this helps.
Happy travels!

Between the 2 hotels, there is also boat service which transports you to MGM. The boat will also take you to Epcot, but the walk is so nice that we prefer to walk.

If you are going in September you should look into Disney's offer of free dining - its a fantastic offer that allows you to get the dining package for no additional cost. The dining package includes 1 counter service meal, 1 table service meal and 1 snack per night per person. You can use it to go to character meals which would be great for your 4 yo. Check out mousesavers.com for more info.

I also agree that the monorail hotels are your best bet with a child that young. Most kids that young want to spend time at the Magic Kingdom and you'll be a short monorail ride away from a nap should she get overwhelmed with the park and the heat.

As for the pools, the Beach/Yacht Club has a great pool for small kids. The poster above described Stormalong Bay very well, though I would point out that there is a small kiddie pool at the base of the stairs of the giant slide. Its located across the walkway for the rest of the pool. It has two small slides that are ideal for a four year old. Plus from there you can see the fireworks at Epcot at night. Since its sort of hidden it never got that crowded while we were there.

Have a great time.

Strictly based upon your daughter's age, I would go with the Grand Floridian (or perhaps look into the Polynesian.) Both are very nice hotels, on the monorail to the Magic Kingdom, which is likely where you'll be spending alot of time with a 4 year old. Both these hotels have nice pools and a beach area as well.

We would also recommend the Polynesian - great pools, on the monorail. Doubt the Grand Floridian is a good choice for a 4 year old. Another good website for info is AllEars at www.allearsnet.com

Some of the hotels also offer a boat directly back to the hotel.

Depending on your budget... I would suggest the Beach Club. The pirate theme seems to be a favorite with the kids. If you're looking to spend less though I wouldn't discount the pools at the value resorts either. Big with lots of beach chairs, etc.

http://everythingtravel.blogspot.com/

You may want to consider buying a book called "The Unofficial Guide to Disney World." It will make your manuevering at the parks easier and may provide you with info on the hotels. (At least give it a quite look at a bookstore.)