The 8 Most Kid-Friendly Resorts at Walt Disney World (#1 Might Surprise You!)

Don’t get me wrong. Every resort at Walt Disney World is kid-friendly. However, I’ve been asked this question many times over the last few years: Which resort is best for kids? I want you to know that I’ve thought about this question in great detail for some time. My answer, a clear winner, might surprise you. To come up with this answer, I’ve spent countless afternoons at the pools observing others’ comings and goings. I’ve watched families interact with each other around firepits as they roast marshmallows and get ready to watch Movies Under the Stars.

Besides a few standouts, I still struggled with ranking the best kid-friendly resorts. So, below, I’ve created a scale highlighting our considerations for each resort. I’ve identified our primary ranking factor and other considerations that make the resort kid-friendly. I’ve also considered pricing to include a wide variety of ranges.

No matter where we rank it, I hope this list will be helpful in your search. For example, if you’re looking for the cheapest, kid-friendly option, look no further than All-Star Movies. It will be the most budget-friendly hotel on our list. We think it’s slightly more kid-friendly than the other All-Star Resorts that did not make our list. You’ll see exactly why as we continue.

#8 Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort

At the tail end of our list is Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort. Here are our major considerations for the resort.

• Primary Ranking Factor: Budget-Friendly 
• Rooms: This resort’s rooms have a convenient layout with plenty of storage compartments and neutral decor.
• Pool: The feature pool has a separately fenced splash area and kiddie pool. 
• Open Spaces: The resort has a playground. 
• Dining: All-Star Movies has one food court with pretty standard items.
• Transportation Options: Buses 
• Proximity to the Parks: All-Star Movies is closest to Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Everywhere else is a 10-20 minute bus ride away.
• Expense: This is the lowest-priced resort on our list of kid-friendly options.
• Overall Rating: 6/10 

We love Disney’s All-Star Movies and give it an edge over Sports and Music regarding kid-friendliness. All-Star Movies also has an adorable Toy Story-themed section that is popular with children and adults. Try our Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort Guide for more on this resort.

Each of the All-Star Resorts has a kiddie pool. However, Disney’s All-Star Movies has a separately fenced kiddie pool with a splash pad. While the splash pad isn’t necessarily a massive upgrade, it’s notably something that the other All-Star Resorts don’t offer.

Here is the playground near the Fantasia section of Disney’s All-Star Movies.

#7 Disney’s Grand Floridian

Disney’s Grand Floridian is the most expensive resort at Walt Disney World, and its pricing is the complete opposite of All-Star Movies. Here’s how it adds up.

• Primary Ranking Factor: Proximity to Magic Kingdom  
• Rooms: The rooms have fine details with subtle decor that’s not over-stimulating.
• Pool: An aquatic play area is separately fenced and offers plenty of room to spread out.
• Open Spaces: The resort has a large, green lawn with afternoon activities and white-sand beaches.
• Dining: The resort has several good dining options and is close to other resorts with even more options.
• Transportation Options: Excellent 
• Proximity to Parks: This resort is only minutes from the Magic Kingdom. The monorail transfer to Epcot takes some time. All other destinations require bus transportation.
• Expense: The Grand Floridian will have a high price tag.
• Rating:  7/10 

Disney’s Grand Floridian is a gorgeous resort that some might consider more formal than others. But it’s every bit as kid-friendly as any of the rest. The resort offers plenty of white sand beaches for children to enjoy a good dig in the sand. Our resort guide to Disney’s Grand Floridian offers a comprehensive overview of what to expect.

The Alice in Wonderland aquatic play area is one of my favorite children’s areas at Walt Disney World. It’s a giant splash playground with lots of seating options surrounding it. The play area is separately fenced, making it easy for parents to keep an eye on their children.

In the afternoons, cast members set up outdoor games on the green lawn behind the resort. It’s always good to see others enjoying a little old-fashioned fun.

#6 Disney’s Beach Club

Next on our list is Disney’s Beach Club. As many of you know, this is my favorite resort. It’s placed at number six because the pool is overwhelming to some. Stormalong Bay is more like a small water park than an actual pool, and some areas are deep. So, if you have a child who likes to wander off, you might prefer a hotel with a more restrictive pool area.

• Primary Ranking Factor: Location and Pool
• Rooms: These rooms were recently updated with fun touches of Donald and Daisy Duck with their nephews.
• Pool: The resort has a tremendous pool area for children of varying ages.
• Open Spaces: The Beach Club has a significant white sand beach area.
• Dining: The resort has good table service dining, but the quick service options are not stellar.
• Transportation Options: Walking, Boat Options, and Buses
• Proximity to the Parks: The Beach Club is close to Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
• Expense: This hotel will have a high price tag, but not as high as Grand Floridian.
• Overall Rating: 7/10

Here is a photo of an updated room with fun artwork.

When my niece was younger, she would have spent every day at the sand bar pool had I let her. This specific pool sits on the far end of Stormalong Bay. As you can probably tell from the photo, it’s a wading pool with a sand bottom. However, the pool area extends well beyond what you can see. For instance, on the opposite side of the white footbridge sits a lazy river that gets up to 8′ deep.

I’m also convinced that most guests are unaware that the kiddie pool inside the shipwreck exists. The shipwreck is across the walkway from the pool and serves as the entrance to the water slide. It’s a fun pool with a mini slide. To learn more about this kid-friendly resort, try our Disney’s Beach Club Resort Guide.

#5 Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge

Next, we have another Resorts Gal favorite, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, AKA Jambo House.

• Primary Ranking Factor: Animals in the Backyard!
• Rooms: The rooms are subtle, with mostly neutral colors.
• Pool: The resort has an incredible pool area with a separately fenced kiddie pool.
• Open Spaces: Jambo House has a shaded playground near the pool area.
• Dining: Animal Kingdom Lodge is one of our favorite resorts for quick service and table-service dining.
• Transportation Options: Buses Only
• Proximity to the Parks: This park is a short ride to Animal Kingdom, but expect 10-20 minutes for other destinations.
• Expense: This resort is pricey but usually the cheapest of the deluxe resorts.
• Overall Rating: 8/10

If you stay at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, a savanna-view room is worth the splurge if you can make it work with your budget. It’s fun to wake up every morning and see what animals are grazing below!

Animal Kingdom Lodge has a fun pool area with a water slide and a zero-depth entry.

However, if you have little ones, you might prefer to hang out in the separately fenced kiddie pool area, which is only a few steps away from the main pool.

Behind the pool, you’ll find the Hakuna Matata playground. This is an excellent place to let kids burn off extra energy. If you want to learn more, our Animal Kingdom Lodge Guide provides an extensive overview of the resort.

#4 Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter

Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter is fourth on our list of the best resorts for children at Disney World. If you’re on a budget but can afford a moderate upgrade, this resort is an excellent option.

• Primary Ranking Factor: Pool Area and Overall Resort Size
• Rooms: The resort offers neutral rooms with The Princess and the Frog-theming.
• Pool: The French Quarter has one of the kid-friendly pools at Walt Disney World.
• Open Spaces: The resort has a large green lawn where the nightly Movies Under the Stars are held.
• Dining: French Quarter has one primary quick-service dining option. However, it’s only a short boat ride away from Disney Springs, where there are over 60 restaurants.
• Transportation Options: Buses and Boats
• Proximity to the Parks: French Quarter is a short bus ride from Epcot. The other destinations will average 10-20 minutes.
• Expense: Budget-Friendly
• Overall Rating: 9/10

Port Orleans French Quarter is a dreamy, romantic resort with many trees and pops of color. This resort has a small layout compared to the other value and moderate resorts, so it’s easy to get around. You won’t feel like you hiked a mile to get everywhere! If this resort interests you, our Port Orleans French Quarter Guide is a good place to start.

The pool at Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter is perfect for the little ones. Here is a photo of the pool in its entirety. The pool has a long sea serpent named Scales stretched over it. The serpent’s tongue doubles as a mild water slide.

This pool area has a separately fenced, Mardi Gras-themed aquatic play area. We love this pool so much that it gets an honorable mention in our list of the best pools at Disney World.

Port Orleans French Quarter also has a playground behind the lobby near the pool area.

#3 Kidani Village

We’ve made it to the final three! Ranking these last three resorts was a no-brainer. Kidani Village is a separate Disney Vacation Club Resort adjacent to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.

• Primary Ranking Factor: It has a shaded water playground area and animals!
• Rooms: The rooms are pretty dark, with shades of brown and tan. They are a great place to take naps!
• Pool: This resort has a pool with an adjacent area called Uwanja Camp. It’s one of the best aquatic play areas at Walt Disney World.
• Open Spaces: Kidani’s pool area is spreadout, especially the water play area.
• Dining: You’ll have to take the shuttle or walk to Jambo House for quick service options.
• Transportation Options: Buses
• Proximity to the Parks: This park is a short ride to Animal Kingdom, but expect 10-20 minutes for other destinations.
• Expense: Reasonable
• Overall Rating: 9/10

We give Kidani Village the edge over Jambo House (Animal Kingdom Lodge) because of its pool area and the animal factor. Again, we would consider a savanna view room if it suits your budget. We have a separate review of Kidani Village if you want to learn more.

Here are a few photos of the stunning Samawati Springs Pool area with Uwanja Camp.

#2 Disney’s Art of Animation

Disney’s Art of Animation is probably the resort that most guests would vote for as the most kid-friendly. Each section of the resort features one of Disney’s popular animated films, Cars, The Lion King, Finding Nemo, and The Little Mermaid.

• Primary Ranking Factor: Overall Theming
• Rooms: The Little Mermaid rooms are cute but feel small. The rest of the resort comprises family suites, which are considerably more expensive.
• Pool: This resort has three pools with fun theming!
• Open Spaces: Children will have plenty of room to roam throughout each resort section.
• Dining: Art of Animation has one large food court like the other value resorts.
• Transportation Options: The Disney Skyliner and Buses
• Proximity to the Parks: Art of Animation is a short Skyliner ride to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot. You’ll take buses to all other destinations.
• Expense: The value rooms are budget-friendly. However, the family suites are more comparable to the pricing of deluxe resorts.
• Overall Rating: 9/10

Disney’s Art of Animation is one of the most fun resorts. It’s one of those hotels where you feel like you’re staying at Walt Disney World. We often recommend visiting the resort for a sunset walk on a resort day. The grounds are the perfect place to let children roam and see a few of their favorite characters in larger-than-life forms.

Art of Animation has a darling splash pad in a separately fenced area behind the Big Blue Pool.

The resort also has two playgrounds, Squirt’s Righteous Reef and the Elephant Graveyard

#1 Disney’s Boardwalk Inn

As the title warns, our number one choice might surprise you. We’ve been staying at the Boardwalk since my son was a toddler in the early 2000s. For me, the Boardwalk is the ultimate kid-friendly resort. Here’s why.

• Primary Ranking Factor: Location and Pool Area
• Rooms: Simple and Neutral
• Pool: The pool area is confined to a tight space, and parents can easily keep eyes on their children from most lounge chairs.
• Open Spaces: The Boardwalk has a tremendous green lawn where nightly Movies Under the Stars are held.
• Dining: The resort has good table service dining, but it doesn’t have great quick service options. However, that appears to be improving.
• Transportation Options: Walking, Boat Options, and Buses
• Proximity to the Parks: Within a short distance to Epcot and Hollywood Studios.
• Expense: It’s expensive but not as expensive as some of the other deluxe resorts.
• Overall Rating: 10/10

Disney’s Boardwalk is within a short walk of Epcot. Of course, the Beach Club is, too, but the Boardwalk’s pool area is much more suited for keeping an eye on smaller children. The Boardwalk’s Luna Park Pool is in a tight area. While the pool looks large in photos, you can see it in its entirety, no matter where you’re seated. The pool area also has a separately fenced kiddie pool and playground on one far side.

Here is a photo of the pool with the Kiester Coaster in the background.

Children love this slide, which keeps them occupied most of the day.

Here are a few more photos.

The other thing I love about the Boardwalk is that the green lawn comes alive in the evening. You’ll see so many families gather in this area as the day turns to dusk. At Christmas, an outdoor tree is set up in the center of the lawn. Nearly every time we come through, we notice children dancing and playing around the tree. The Boardwalk is a magical place.

Final Thoughts

Overall, every Walt Disney World Resort is kid-friendly. But we like these eight options a little more than the others when traveling with little ones. For more on the resorts at Walt Disney World, you might enjoy the following:

• The Benefits of Staying at a Walt Disney World Resort
• Staying Club Level at Disney World (Everything You Need to Know)
• List of Disney World Resorts with Water Slides
• Is It Worth It to Upgrade to a Deluxe Resort?

In the Comments

What do you think of our list of kid-friendly resorts at Walt Disney World? Do you agree? Were you surprised? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.