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We have 5 grandsons ranging from 12 to 3 we are going at Easter. Right now I have reservations at POR but I am seriously thinking of changing to either BC or AK because of the zero entry pools and having more pool fun for the boys. BC would be a stretch of the budget but I am worried that AK bus rides will be too long 3 of our 6 days will be a MK that is everyone's favorite. Which should we do?
Grandma of boys!
IMO wherever you stay there's always a bus ride that's longer than others. We really didn't mind the AK bus to ML when we stayed there but then again we weren't traveling with little ones. I don't know if you considered it but if your going to be spending most of your time at MK you could always check out WL which is in the same range as AK.
I've stayed at all three. AKL has the animals as well as with the pool and the bus rides are not that different. Once you're taking a bus, does five more minutes really matter? Deluxe rooms are larger, too, something else to consider.
If your main park will be MK, I would consider the Contemporary or Bay Lake Tower over the Beach Club. Great pools (maybe not as great as Beach Club, but plenty of fun for kids), fireworks viewing, walk to MK or monorail, and less bus time overall than even Beach Club. But why stretch the budget if one of your other options fits? Of your choices, I would go with AKL, a more affordable deluxe with plenty of wow factor.
Hi - I would save the money and stay at your original choice POR. The pool is a lot of fun and the grounds are lovely. We stayed there when our children were younger. They loved the boat ride to Disney Springs. Have a wonderful trip.
I wouldn't stretch the budget. That many boys will cost a small fortune in food and souvenirs. I love both POR and AKL. POR has a lot of unfenced water if you are going to have little ones. The bus makes several stops around the resort, which may negate the extend bus time to AKL
We love AKL but we always have a car when we stay there.
I would keep you reservation at POR which is our favorite moderate.
You really cannot go wrong with any of the 3 resorts, but AKL would be our recommendation with the boys. Keep in mind, there are sections of the BC pool that are not zero-entry, and actually get pretty deep. There are 2 pools at AKL, both are different and very nice. And for as much as people perceive AKL as being so far away from things, the bus ride from AKL to MK is scheduled for approximately 9-10 minutes. From Beach Club, it's approx 8-9 minutes. From POR, it's 10-12.
Good luck with your decision and have a great time. It sounds like a very memorable trip for you!
We really enjoyed Port Orleans, including the pools. That said, to me, AKL is deluxe, and brings with it far more Disney magic. And the pool is fantastic. To us, your resort choice is between very good and magical. Just my opinion.
We're not fans of the busses, but to us, the advantages of AKL far outweigh the fact of possibly longer bus rides, which we can live with.
We have not stayed at BC, so can't comment.
I love both Riverside and AKL ... also, I love the pools at both places. Riverside has the main pool and 4 or 5 quiet pools to choose from. They also offer a great boat ride to Disney Springs and tons of walking or running "trails" to enjoy. AKL's pool is amazing and one of my all time favorites. Such a hard decision for me to suggest. As for the bus ride, it's a nominal time difference in arrival to any of the parks and relative to each visit. With that many kids to satisfy, I'd choose Riverside as there seems much more for boys to enjoy there ... good luck and have fun ...