Family of 5 -Parents & 3 kids cant stay at a Value?

[Dis703]

We're a family of five as well and while it does kind of stink when you want to go for a cheaper room, the mods are so much nicer we aren't that upset about it in the end. With the discounts it's not a huge jump in price, but for that difference we get a much more relaxed environment, quieter rooms, nicer food court, option of a TS restaurant, nicer pools, queen sized beds, murphy bed for the 5th person, and various other amenities and perks depending on the resort.

 

[bumbershoot]

Staying off site is not an option for us...with 3 boys 9,6,and 3 they eat WAY TOO MUCH NOT to be on the dining plan, they eat eat eat...I would spend way to much on food if we stayed off sight...I PRAY for Free Dining...
SOOOO I guess I have some resort research to do...Thanks again everyone!!

I assume you book buffets? Because I can't see how a TS, QS, and a snack or two gives kids who eat eat eat enough food. And if you have free dining and are in value, isn't it just two QS so the buffet isn't possible?

Once the 9 year is 10 and gets the adult dining plan maybe you'll start to see that paid dining plan isn't the greatest. Even if we bought the plan we would still have to supplement for ds while DH and I are far more than we would normally and we would be giving up drinks and desserts left and right.

Run the numbers just to be sure it makes sense, especially as they age up.


Anyeay, I'm sorry you can't stay at your preferred resort. Some of us wish the universe or our wallets had allowed us that 3 kids "problem".

 

[TnTWalter]

that's what moved us offsite....we did 2 rooms @ POP then 1 room at Poly then Windsor Hills 3 bedroom condo and then Bonnet Creek 2 bedroom....never want to go back to cramming into a hotel. We liked the dining plan when they were little to get the character meals but now that they're older we prefer paying out of pocket for food [it really is cheaper and you're not locked into so many reservations to make it worth the money...] We have only been 4-5 times though... Bonnet Creek is a resort with amenities like 5 pools a lazy river hot tubs pool bars grills activities etc. oh and you are close to Epcot.

 

[Silvercrest]

We are a family of 6 - 4 adults and 2 younger ones (DS11 and DD10), we have 2 rooms @ POP. There's no way we could do a table bed or sleeper sofa. Our next choice (at least checking right now) is a 2 bedroom villa. Two rooms at POP is still cheaper.

 

[tiggerluver12]

We are a family of 5 and always got 2 connecting Rooms at Pop. 4 Beds and 2 full bathrooms.

 

[KrazeeK120]

When you have 5 in the party, Disney gets even more money from you. You have to go to a suite that is $300+/night or get 2 rooms. 2 rooms has a benefit of double the beds and bathrooms. If you get connecting rooms, it is great.

That's absolutely untrue. There are moderate resorts that sleep 5 in one room and don't cost anywhere near $300.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We are a family of 5 and always got 2 connecting Rooms at Pop. 4 Beds and 2 full bathrooms.

Just be aware that you are not guaranteed connecting rooms. Most of the time it happens, but there have been times noted on the DIS where the guests did not get connecting rooms. And in one case, there was only one adult in the group and four kids.

 

[unwritten01]

Another option is to rent DVC points. Good value at better than value hotels, and you can add meals if you choose.

Also, there was something the lady did for our last trip with the 2 value rooms to ensure they were connected. I do not remember - the one adult with kids leads me to believe it was one adult in each room with kids that drove it but it did happen..could have been some under the table something though

 

[maxiesmom]

Another option is to rent DVC points. Good value at better than value hotels, and you can add meals if you choose.

Also, there was something the lady did for our last trip with the 2 value rooms to ensure they were connected. I do not remember - the one adult with kids leads me to believe it was one adult in each room with kids that drove it but it did happen..could have been some under the table something though

No matter what you were told connecting rooms are never guaranteed. Disney does not block rooms out as we book them, so it is impossible to guarantee anything. Heck, I've more than once not gotten the room type I paid for, so no way is any request guaranteed.

Disney does their best, but if not getting any request would be a deal breaker, then you need to look for a different room type.

 

[Eli's 1st trip]

Well if you go during free dining and you are in a moderate you get the regular TS plan.

We've always found that to be enough food for us, FOR NOW...although the bigger boy is starting to need BIG PEOPLE food as he says...LOL

 

[Eli's 1st trip]

that's what moved us offsite....we did 2 rooms @ POP then 1 room at Poly then Windsor Hills 3 bedroom condo and then Bonnet Creek 2 bedroom....never want to go back to cramming into a hotel. We liked the dining plan when they were little to get the character meals but now that they're older we prefer paying out of pocket for food [it really is cheaper and you're not locked into so many reservations to make it worth the money...] We have only been 4-5 times though... Bonnet Creek is a resort with amenities like 5 pools a lazy river hot tubs pool bars grills activities etc. oh and you are close to Epcot.

Ive heard such great things about Bonnet Creek

I assume you book buffets? Because I can't see how a TS, QS, and a snack or two gives kids who eat eat eat enough food. And if you have free dining and are in value, isn't it just two QS so the buffet isn't possible?

Once the 9 year is 10 and gets the adult dining plan maybe you'll start to see that paid dining plan isn't the greatest. Even if we bought the plan we would still have to supplement for ds while DH and I are far more than we would normally and we would be giving up drinks and desserts left and right.

Run the numbers just to be sure it makes sense, especially as they age up.


Anyeay, I'm sorry you can't stay at your preferred resort. Some of us wish the universe or our wallets had allowed us that 3 kids "problem".

Yes, we do lots of character meals and the last two trips we have been in a Moderate so we had the regular dining plan..so we did always have lots of food...im not sure how...but we did make it workd

 

[Kevin355]

CBR can sleep 5, and the Cabins can sleep 5 with a full kitchen. Bringing your own food is much cheaper and WDW cleans up your messes. We did that a while back and loved it. And if you have your own car, it is rather nice.

 

[mickeymom22]

We are a family of five. I, too wish there were more Disney resort options for a family with more than two kids. POR is our go to resort. My youngest loves the day bed. Go at off times now when the rates are cheaper and your children are younger...you can sometimes get a good rate!

We only stayed off site one time because we only went to the parks for one day. I don't think I would like it, if we were going to the parks every day. I like being able to use the Disney transportation.

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

OP, since offsite is not an option you are considering now, I think the All-Star Music family suite would work out nicely for your family with the age range of your boys. Maybe a family suite or POR or CBR during free dining or the P/S/D promo would work since you like having the dining plan. We stayed in a family suite on our first WDW trip when we were a family of six and our kids were 9 yrs and under then. We are a family of seven now and have "outgrown" the family suites so the options that are the most practical for us are either two value rooms or an offsite condo/house. We booked two rooms at Pop with the P/S/D promo because although connecting rooms "aren't guaranteed", our chances of getting connecting rooms here are higher because of the higher number of rooms at this resort. Good luck with whatever you decide. I want to add that although it seems like Disney doesn't have a lot of options for large families, Disney is one of the only places we've vacationed that doesn't count a child under the age of 3 towards the room occupancy. We really missed that when vacationing with our toddler these past couple of years .

 

[alex9179]

Since planning our first trip for 2012, I knew the limitations. The 4 to a room limits are in place in most hotels, though. Even on our drive to WDW, we have to take it into consideration because we prefer to stop overnight so that our first day is pleasant.

I know the quandary. Disney's expense and convenience or more room/less expense/and not quite as convenient. I've been wrestling with it, myself. Ultimately, we decided to take advantage of the transportation and EMH/FP+ perks for our upcoming visit. We don't go every year and I saved for an on-property trip from the beginning.

Our family of 5 is doing a split stay between POR and YC/BC to stay longer than a week at a deluxe. Our kids will be 13, 12, & 9 - I'm looking at WBC if we decide to go on any more family trips after this one! For us, I think it will work out because we're planning on enjoying the resorts' amenities for several days and we won't be hanging out in close quarters except to sleep. We chose POR for it's capacity as well as it's amenities. I hope you find what works for you all.

 

[MomTo3PrincessesInNJ]

Another family of 5 here. Once #3 was over 3 we stayed @ POR, which is a really nice resort -- but it was wasted on us. We are rope drop to close the park people, we don't need nice landscaping and better pools. We have pools and water parks in NJ. We go to Disney World to DO Disney World. After going offsite to WBC (which was GREAT) and a Marriott (used points for a free stay) we decided to buy a motor home and stay at Fort Wilderness for the next few years. We were driving down anyway (flights for 5 ppl was denting the dining budget) and now we drive down much more comfortably and Fort Wilderness is significantly less expensive then a value room AND we can have up to 10 people at our site. We never camped before buying the motor home (it was originally purchased JUST for WDW trips, I call it my DVC on wheels), but now we camp locally in the summers, in addition to our 3-4 x's a year trips to Ford Wilderness.

 

[dmband]

I would recommend going mod over value for the extra sink space and room size ex if you will have a stroller.
Depending on discounts and actual resort, you can get the price verrrrrry close to a value. In fact (I know this wouldn't be your case) we just switched from 1 AOA suite to 2 at POR the cost was $400 difference. In our case the true savings came as we have 7 people traveling so once you dropped the standard room from AOA and put that person in the 2nd POR room the savings was over 2k for 14 days

But
Let's be honest now, it's not truly a fire code issue. If that were the case then they wouldn't have some rooms that sleep five at POR (for example) but not allow it in the Royal Rooms that are the same size.

This is just one of Disneys ways to get you to pay more.
You either upgrade to a suite or get two rooms. Funny thing is that the suites often cost more then two rooms so how do they get you to go for the suite?? By not guaranteeing connecting rooms.

It's allllll about the dollar in the end, not room size and fire code (although I agree that is part of it, in particular at value)

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

If you forget free dining maybe consider renting a DVC unit from a site like David's? Some studios do skeep five plus you get a kitchenette in a studio so you could make breakfast saving some money. There are risks so be sure to read the full terms and conditions but just thought I would suggest it.

 

[MomTo3PrincessesInNJ]

But Let's be honest now, it's not truly a fire code issue. If that were the case then they wouldn't have some rooms that sleep five at POR (for example) but not allow it in the Royal Rooms that are the same size.

This is just one of Disneys ways to get you to pay more. You either upgrade to a suite or get two rooms. Funny thing is that the suites often cost more then two rooms so how do they get you to go for the suite?? By not guaranteeing connecting rooms. It's allllll about the dollar in the end, not room size and fire code (although I agree that is part of it, in particular at value)

I don't even try to argue that point anymore. Disney converted POR, CBR, and various studios to "sleep 5" by adding the pull down bunk -- but they didn't add any extra square footage. So, does that mean they could sleep 5 all along??? And since when is "fire code" dictated by the age of occupants? So, the Fire Marshall says you CAN have a child that is 2y11m in a room, but once they turn 3 you are over the limit? No. That is Disney rules.

Like you said, it's all about the $.

 

[Jennasis]

Rent DVC points!