So you’re planning to take your toddler to Disney World! Congratulations! It’s so fun to watch little ones enjoy the magic.

Now that you’ve decided to take your toddler to Disney World, we’re sure you have lots of questions. We’re here to answer a big one for you today: What hotel should you choose when taking a toddler to Disney World?

There are more than 30 hotels and resorts on Disney World property, and it can be hard to decide which one is best for your vacation. While there are some activities we would say are for adults only, the vast majority of things at Disney World are geared toward families. So, there’s no real wrong answer here — you’re not going to book a hotel and get there to find it has an adults-only vibe.

That said, though, there ARE hotels that may be more enjoyable if you have a toddler with you. Let’s look at some key features of a couple of the most popular resorts to help you decide:

• Atmostphere/Guest Rooms
• Transportation Options
• Dining Options
• Pools

Atmosphere/Guest Rooms

Disney World’s hotels all have very different vibes — you can feel like you are in a quietly sophisticated New England yacht club, on a lush, colorful island vacation, or at a fun ’70s roadside motel. So, a lot of choosing your hotel is personal preference. But if we’re deciding on which theming appeals most to toddlers, here are some good Disney World resort options.

Art of Animation

Disney’s Art of Animation Resort has four areas themed to four different Disney/Pixar films: Cars, Finding Nemo, The Lion King, and The Little Mermaid. And when we say “themed,” we mean over-the-top, in-your-face decor. While the theming at some Disney World resorts can be subtle, that is not the case here!

Many toddlers will delight in being this close to huge characters they recognize from Disney films. Another advantage to staying at Art of Animation resort is the availability of family suites. These rooms can sleep up to six adults and they have a dining table and two bathrooms. So, if you are traveling with a larger group or just need more space to stretch out, Art of Animation Resort could be a good choice for you.

Now, this resort is in Disney World’s “value” category, and that means you won’t necessarily get a luxury hotel experience … there aren’t going to be lots of dining choices on the property, and you won’t be greeted with a grand lobby. But if fun for your toddler is what you’re looking for, this could be the place!

Caribbean Beach Resort

Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort is themed like an island getaway, with colorful buildings, tropical landscaping, a lake, and a small beach. You’ll also find a playground here!

Hotel rooms at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort are set up nicely to accomodate families with toddlers — you can reserve a room with two queen-sized beds and a child-size pull-down bed, which could work out nicely! This resort has some Pirates of the Caribbean-themed rooms, which are currently undergoing renovations and a change-over to a more family-friendly theme: The Little Mermaid!

The newly themed rooms have a queen-sized bed, sleeper sofa, and pull-down bed, so they sleep 5 people. Caribbean Beach Resort is in Disney’s “moderate” category — you’ll find larger rooms and more amenities here.

Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

The final toddler-friendly Disney World hotel we’re looking at today is Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. The Polynesian celebrates tiki culture, and offers a nostalgic image of Pacific island vacations. It’s filled with dark woods, symbols, and tropical flowers.

The guest rooms here have recently been made over in a Moana theme. This resort is in Disney World’s “deluxe” category, which means the rooms are going to be more pricey than the other resorts we are looking at today, but your room is also going to be more spacious, and that can matter when you have a toddler who is on the move!

As we noted above, the theming here will be more subtle than what you will see at Art of Animation Resort. Because the Polynesian Village is a deluxe resort, you’ll have more dining options, as well. But we’ll get to that in our next section.

Check out the best Disney World rides for Toddlers

Transportation Options

Getting around at Disney World is no small feat — especially with a toddler, and a toddler’s stroller, and all your toddler gear, in tow. Disney World is a big place — about the size of Manhattan, and while Disney offers free transportation, some options are easier than others. Let’s compare the transportation options at our top 3 resorts for toddlers at Disney World.

Art of Animation Resort

Art of Animation Resort is one of the resorts on Disney’s Skyliner transportation route. These gondolas in the sky are plenty big enough to fit the whole family, and they are a fun way to see “the World!” Disney’s Skyliner can take you EPCOT’s International Gateway Entrance, and to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

One thing to note about the Skyliner: It will shut down temporarily for bad weather. In those cases, you can take Disney Bus Transportation, or you can use the Lyft app to book a Minnie Van for your family — at an additional cost.

How will you get to the Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and Disney Springs? Disney World has an extensive bus system you can use to get to the areas the Skyliner doesn’t serve.

Caribbean Beach Resort

You also have Disney Skyliner transportation available at the Caribbean Beach Resort. It can take you to the same places — EPCOT’s International Gateway entrance (that’s the one closest to World Showcase), and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

We should also note here that taking the Skyliner to EPCOT’s International Gateway Entrance also makes it an easy walk to eat or get ice cream at Beaches & Cream — one of our favorite spots for an afternoon treat. To get to Disney World’s other parks or resort areas, you will have Disney World’s extensive bus transportation available.

That said, there can be a wait for Disney buses at busier times of the day, and you will need to fold your stroller up and navigate what can be narrow aisles with your toddler in tow. That works for us, usually, but it’s nice to have another option, which is one of our factors in choosing these resorts to recommend!

Polynesian Village Resort

The Polynesian Village Resort is very close to Magic Kingdom — which we consider the best Disney World Park for toddlers! And getting to the Magic Kingdom from the Polynesian is super simple … because you can take the monorail directly from your resort.

You can also use the monorail system to go to EPCOT. As for the other resort areas — you will be back on those Disney World buses!

And we do not mean to disparage the buses at all! They are a great option for getting around — especially since they are FREE!

Here are our BEST tips for going to Disney World with toddlers!

Dining Options

There are SO MANY choices for dining at Disney World! And we’re all about Disney FOOD here at DFB. We even wrote the book on it! Check out our DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining in an ebook format you can easily download to your tablet or smartphone. Use code WDW2023 to save 25% on the cover price! Let’s dive into the dining choices at our best Disney World hotels for toddlers!

Art of Animation Resort

At Disney World’s “value” category resorts, you generally have just one dining option — a food court. But, it’s usually an extensive one!

Landscape of Flavors serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and is stocked with grab-and-go items you might need, as well. Chicken noodle soup, pizza, chicken fingers, hot dogs, and more kid-friendly items are available. And you’ll find milk, yogurt, fruit cups, and Baby-Bel cheese in the grab-and-go section.

There’s also plenty here for adults to enjoy — cheeseburgers, pasta, and stir-fries are usually on the menu.

Be sure to check out the seasonal treats here, as well. You’ll often find special cupcakes and other themed desserts!

Caribbean Beach Resort

You’ll find more dining choices at Caribbean Beach Resort. There is counter-service (fast food) available at Centertown Market — breakfast sandwiches and Mickey waffles at breakfast, and choices like burgers, roasted chicken, and fish tacos for lunch and dinner — along with your standard chicken strips and mac and cheese for less adventurous eaters.

There is also more traditional “sit-down” dining available at Caribbean Beach Resort. Sebastian’s Bistro has island-inspired cuisine including Jerk Chicken Wings, Crab Cakes, and Key Lime Pie. Sebastian’s is only open for dinner, but you can also get lunch at the Banana Cabana!

This fun spot has appetizers like Loaded Fries with chili and cheese, sandwiches and salads, and cheeseburgers and mac and cheese for kids.

Polynesian Village

As a “deluxe” resort at Disney World, you’re going to find more dining options here than at our other two toddler-friendly hotel choices. Polynesian Village does have a quick-service food location — Captain Cook’s. You can get breakfast, lunch, and dinner here — and this location serves some of our favorite foods on Disney World property — Tonga Toast for breakfast, and Pulled Pork Nachos at lunch and dinner!

You can also get Dole Whips (another Disney World fan fave!) at Pineapple Lanai — a quick-service snack stand. And you’ll find sushi, Kona-Braised Short Ribs and more sophisticated fare at the table-service restaurant Kona Cafe.

And there’s one dining option here for toddlers you won’t find at our other recommended Disney World hotels for toddlers — character dining! You can meet Mickey, Stitch, Lilo, and Pluto during the ‘Ohana Best Friends Breakfast. 

While you can book other character meals at the parks and at other resorts, it is convenient to have one so close to your home base!

Here’s a look at the best strollers to take to Disney World

Pools

Finally, let’s look at the pools at our best resorts for toddlers at Disney World. Disney World’s resorts all have FUN pool areas, and chances are, your kiddo will want to spend some time there!

Art of Animation

Art of Animation Resort has the LARGEST pool at Disney World, as well as two other options. The Big Blue Pool has a Finding Nemo theme and is a zero-entry pool. There’s also a splash pad — Schoolyard’s Sprayground here.

The Flippin’ Fins Pool is themed after — you guessed it — The Little Mermaid. And the third pool here is the most kid-friendly — the Cozy Cone pool for Cars fans!

Caribbean Beach Resort

At Caribbean Beach Resort, there are six pools — there will be a smaller pool area nearby the section of the resort you are staying in, and there is the main pool — the Fuentes del Morro Pool. It has two waterslides and water cannons.

Your toddler will probably enjoy playing in the nearby shipwreck play area that has mini slides and splash zones. And there’s also a small beach — it is the Caribbean BEACH resort, after all!

Polynesian Village Resort

The Lava Pool at Disney Polynesian Village is an iconic part of Disney World. It has a volcano, a waterfall, and a giant water slide.

If you (or your toddler) want a quieter swimming experience, you can also check out the smaller and more secluded Oasis Pool at the Polynesian.

These are our best tips for packing to take your toddler to Disney World

And that’s our look at the best resort for toddlers at Disney World. No matter our budget, there’s a hotel that will be great for your trip!

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