family of 6- cheapest place to stay

[violet13]

We are planning our first trip to Disney in November, we will be bringing 4 boys (ages 5 months to 10 yrs)...trying to cut costs everyway possible....who knows of a fairly cheap "suite" (I heard you can't get a hotel/motel room if family is more than 5 tops)...all we really care about is...having a microwave, fridge, stove would be nice- to save on eating out. Any good deals out there??? We are renting a MiniVan and driving there so shuttle buses and stuff aren't a high priority. And it's "off season"- that should help. Thanks!!!

[glenbois]

Hi

We are a family of 5 from the UK and have booked 10 days in October at a knock down rate of £325 ($455) for 10 nights from Dave at http://www.sd-leisure.freeserve.co.uk/apartment.htm

He auctions them on www.fsauctions.co.uk

I have no experience as this is my first trip to the America.

Hope this helps

Geoff

[Belle5]

Look on Mousesaver's site to see if you can get a code to help you with a cabin in Ft. Wilderness. At one point a saw someone was able to get one for $139 a night. These cabins are extremely nice. We stayed in one a few years back They have Corian counters, glass cooktop and lots of other nice features. My boys loved being in Ft. Wilderness! The maids will even clean up your dishes for you.

[janiejo]

Friends of ours have rented at Vistana Resorts. It is a timeshare complex that also rents out their condos when not in use. Depending on how full they are when you are going, I have heard of people getting a 2 bedroom for $600 for the week. Do a search for timeshare rentals in Florida. We stayed our first night in May at Little Lake Bryan - Marriott Village. They had "suites" and for good prices. We paid $69 AAA discount for 5 of us. Since your youngest is a baby, maybe this would work for you! Good Luck!

[chells]

We stayed at, I think it was Quality Suite or Comfort Suite Parc Corniche(spelling?) two years ago, which worked well for us. Sorry this isn't much help, we didn't book direct with hotel but found a better deal with one of those hotel discount websites (maybe Hotel Kingdom?) - location was on the International Golf Course near SeaWorld. Previously stayed at Enclave Suites, closer to Universal, which I found to be alright but a bit rundown, buy the hubby loved, but only because we had a top floor balconey, where the balconey was almost bigger than the entire suite.

Both were reasonably priced (cuz we always travel on the cheap)

chells

[BonnieA]

Have you thought about renting a house? I had a 3 bedroom house in December last year (off season) and it was less than $600 for a week including taxes . There are many reputable agencies to go through. I used elite homes.

[Kermit]

Actually, your family of 6 is really considered a family of 5 as long as one of them is an infant. I would probably stay at a deluxe if you were staying on Disney property because 5 plus a crib in PO-RS would be really snug, but you can get a regular room if you want. You may want to think about an efficiency at BWV. Some of them sleep 5, and you would have a small fridge and microwave. You could also save some money if you rented points instead of getting it from Disney.

[Gillian]

Personally, I think the BWV units are really small compared to other condo/timeshare units in the area!

If you look on the Orlando resorts board, you will see lots of posts about good places for families to stay. I can personally recommend the Marriott condo resorts (cypress harbour or Grande vista) or Sunterra's Cypress Pointe. Cypress point is a great value for the space! The have a very large 2 bedroom unit with 2 baths, w/d and a full kitchen. They have 2 nice pools and a small mini golf course. We had a huge 3 BR/3bath unit that was $155 per night in July. It should be much less when you are going.

try go2orlando.com or http://www.mousesavers.com/nondisney.html for places to get good rates.

People have said good things about holiday inn family suites also.

Have fun!
:D

[kozmo]

:p :p i agree with kermit and gillian, i would rather stay at one of deluxes,use discount codes and have monorail access or boat access,fwilderness cabins are a good choice if you need 2 bathrooms,but your boys are little,so id rather stay cheapest room at ,poly,contemp,gf, or wilderness lodge.:p

[holycow]

stayed at the Hampton Inn Maingate West...I posted about this if you want to look it up...it is right around the corner from the Animal Kingdom, room had Micro, and fridge. 2 Queen beds and was only 55$ a night...very clean...so if you want to save$$$...and don't mind if it is off site....
Good luck and have fun!
Holycow

[deena]

I have heard great reviews from this hotel; it is an all suite property and also fairly new (built in latter 90's).

I remember others saying the suite was clean, comfortable, and spacious so you will definitely have more room for everyone to spread out than if you were inside smaller onsite Disney rooms and the added perk of more space would be that it is priced less too since you would like to cut costs.

The room types for families consist of two queen beds plus a pull out sofa bed along with a microwave and refridgerator; their pool looks great also have complimentary breakfasts along with other amenties.

The location to Disney is around 5-10 min. along with conevenient to eating, grocery stores, and shopping places; stayed along this same area last year along with in the past many times and arriving at parks were a snap as we always drive like you are doing.

The last time I checked the website www.hotelchoice.com they were offering Comfort Suites Maingate Resort at $53 a night. Another site that would have suite hotels you can pick out that are listed in all kinds of price ranges is www.go2orlando.com.

Also you can check out www.hotelkingdom.com for some other great selections in the surrounding area because there are a lot of quaility suite hotels, condos, villas, and even rental homes that are right next door to the parks which have maximum space/more amenties for families at a definitely less steeper price.

Hope this helps and you enjoy your vacation.

[DreadpiratK]

We are a family of 5 going in Sept., also on a budget. We've found some excellent prices on renting vacation villas. As low as $80/night (if you negotiate with the owners) for a 3 bedroom house. I don't know about you, but the thought of spending a week, much less two, packed into a single hotel room is not in the least pleasant, and no amount of 'on site magic' could make up for it! check out http://www.evilla-rentals.com. You put in your request, and dozens of home-owners e-mail you with offers. We found that negotiation is possible with most of them, Tell them you like thier house but found a better price elsewhere and they will usually come down. Worth a try, and it's free.

Another thing to try is Ebay. We were able to get a two bedroom time share rental the first week in Sept. for $350. Cheap enough that we are now going for 2 weeks and renting a house the second week!

Many here will diagree with me, but I think having seperate bedrooms and room to spread out is well worth staying off site. Not to mention the amount of money you can save, not only in houseing, but in being able to cook at least some of your own meals.

:bounce:

[pats]

We are 5 of us going in Aug. We are renting a 4 bedroom 2 bath house with pool in backfor $550 for the week. That includes the taxes and everything. We went trough vrbo.com and the owner has been great. I like the idea of having everythiing right..even the washer and dryer so we dont have to pack as much..i can throw a load in in the morning and dry it when i get back to the house. It was much cheaper then any of the biggre suites i looked into.

[Beauty]

I have to agree that there is nowhere like onsight! Deluxe hotels including Swan/Dolphin.....If you are a teacher of govt employee you can get great rates at the Swan/Dolphin!

I would NEVER give up onsight!

[BarbOKW]

I have a family of 6 also, so I know finding enough space can be tough. I'd go for 2 rooms at either the All Stars or one of the moderates. Before we joined DVC that's what we always did, because staying on site adds to so much to your enjoyment of WDW. Disney is running lots of discounts so you should be able to get rooms at a pretty good price. Don't forget to ask for "guaranteed" connecting. Good Luck!

[Disneydenise]

With the ages of your children I think the way to go is onsite. It will make for a very special trip and easier for you. I think two rooms at a value or moderate with the extra bathroom will be a big help when trying to get ready. I am not a fan of doing laundry on vacation but my children are teens now. We use to take a break day and stay at the quiet pool and get all the laundry done in 2 hours. I also enjoy not having any means of preparing any meals. I do however go to the food store and get snacks to keep in the room. Have a wonderful vacation no matter what you choose.

[robinb]

I think given your needs (5+ people, microwave, fridge, stove and cheap), that renting a house is your best bet. Staying onsite is great, but only a couple properties will satisfy your first 4 needs, but not your last!

Many rental houses have 4 bedrooms and a private pool. A 3 bedroom will save you more money and having to walk to a common pool will save you even more. Here are a few links that I have saved over the years. I have never stayed at any of these places.

http://www.lwshomes.com/
http://www.floridasunshine.com/
http://primeservices.com/opm/
http://www.disneyhomes.com/
http://www.welcomehomesusa.com/http://www.biddulph.u-net.com/
http://www.vrbo.com/
http://www.homes4uu.com/
http://come.to/stayinorlando
http://************************/
http://www.floridasunshine.com/baker.htm

You might also want to check the Timeshare User's Group for timeshare rentals during your time:
http://www.tug1.org/tugads/1-1sposted1.html

[mainey-mouse]

Wow...can't beleive people are actually trying to convince you to stay onsite given your particular parametres. Maybe they all work for Disney? Anyway, if you haven't been before, don't get all hung up on the "onsite" stuff. With that many kids, you need some comfort and Disney isn't going to give it to you this side of many many hundreds of dollars a night...

We stayed at Tropical Palms in May. Really nice, clean, comfy. A two bedroom cabin was $79/night. Sleeping accoms included a queen bed, a double bed (each in their own bedroom), a pull out sofa, and a sleeping loft for kids (2 small or 1 big). Fridge, stove, and all the dishes, pots, pans, knives, forks you need. You can find them at
www.tropicalpalms.com.

My kids - 4 and 7 years loved it. If you have a toddler, the sleeping loft could be a concern, because the railing at the top and ladder to climb up just aren't safe for toddlers. But I think they have studio models with 2 beds and a pullout sofa, which might suit you as well.

[ceopa]

We have traveled to WDW twice in the past year with our three children ages 3 to 6 yo. We stayed at the All-Stars our first trip and did not care for the small rooms or bus transportation. We were at Downtown Disney Hotels for our recent May trip, drove back and forth to the parks (in our mini-van) and loved it! We kept a cooler w/ ice and drinks in the back of the van, and gave the kids a nice cold drink and snack at the end of the day - it was great!

We are returning in August and renting a house in Kissimme for $750/week (huge 4br -2.5 baths) with private pool. November house specials are already out there. It is off-season, and you should be able to get some great rates (maybe $500/week)! I think the kids would get a kick out of having there own pool!

Just a few additional links for rental homes:

www.villas2000.com - check the special offers - and you may need to convert british pounds to US$

Also - you can place a want ad for a rental property on
www.vrbo.com

To look for timeshare rentals by owner:
www.tug2.net - and check there classified ads!

Have a great trip!

[mooses41]

mainey-mouse, i disagree. Renting a 2br at okw isnt incredibly expensive.

[BarbOKW]

Unless you have four kids I don't think you can appreciate the logistics that goes into moving the group of 6 with 4 kids around. We stayed off site once in a wonderful 2 bedroom condo and had a great time. But on our next trip we had 2 connecting rooms at Port Orleans. Although we had less space, we still had plenty of room and the ease of using Disney's transportation rather than our own took so much of the moving the "group" hassels out that we had a much better vacation. Another benefit that we didn't realize before hand was that we all didn't have to leave a the same time. Sometimes either my husband or I would leave with the younger kids and the other would stay with the older ones and see some additional attractions. I've never stayed in one of the All Stars, so I can't comment on the size, but I found the moderates to be great. I'm sure you can get great values off site, but Disney is also offering a lot of discounts, so even if you spend a little more it would be worth it to stay on site.

[Belle5]

Funny, I didn't notice any real specific perameters given. (Like under $100, ect.) Really, no need for anyone to be horrified that people would suggest WDW property when this is a Disney vacation planning site. Having said that, I've stayed off property numerous times. If things are really tight and you're very flexible about where you would stay, bidding for two rooms on Priceline might fit the bill. (Probably not going to get that micro and fridge, though.) Personally, with what I save in NOT paying for a fridge, micro, and haul of groceries (let's face it--suites generally cost more) we have more money to spend on food in the parks which gives mom a break from cooking. (I have 5 children and always need 2 rooms or a suite.) Don't forget that although you won't have a micro, keeping a styrofoam cooler in your room filled with complimentary ice, will keep your juice, milk and sandwich fixings cold for breakfasts and lunches. Let us know what you decide. Good luck! :D

[LKS]

On site for our family of 5 really means on the monorail. You could fit in the Contemporary with the baby in a pack n go, but it wouldn't be cheap and you wouldn't get the kitchen stuff. The Wilderness homes are the cheapest on-site digs with a kitchen and we have done that. It was OK, but off-site is possibly cheaper and no less convenient. We have stayed at the HI Family Suites which were great when brand new, but already falling apart the last time we were there (March 2000). Perhaps maintenance has caught up with the wear & tear. They have a full breakfast buffet and kids even eat free at night - a good deal for you guys. The zero-depth entry pool is wonderful, as were the hot tubs at the adult pool. You could get a kidsuite which has bunk beds and a pull-out cot in one room, plus a sofa bed in the LR and a king in the Master. Each ind. room is very, very small, but the total package is pretty good. No stove, but fridge and microwave, as I recall.

That said, we just love the contemporary because it is so convenient for napping or swimming in the afternoon and we take milk, juice and sandwich fixings in a cooler that we add ice to daily. Also cereal, disposable bowls, spoons etc... to do breakfast. Of course, we always end up eating one nice meal out each day so we don't go crazy from PB&J overload. If you don't want to eat out at all, you will need that kitchen!

[robinb]

Moose41 said ...
mainey-mouse, i disagree. Renting a 2br at okw isnt incredibly expensive.


You're right. It's insanely expensive! I know that all of us experts can dig up a deal, but rack rate for a 2 BR at OKW is $459 per night for the week before Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving week it goes up to $525 per night.

For someone who is "trying to cut costs everyway possible" that's way too expensive.

[jesse]

I would also vote for the Holiday Inn Family Suites Hotel. we have stayed there twicw, and while it is not my FAVORITE hotel, and IMHO, not consistent in terms of service, you will have a good time there and it will save you money in the long run. We had four adults and two children in our group, and were quite comfortable. The three TV s helped! :) The free breakfast will save a great deal, and you'll have the option of bringing it back to your room if you don't want to brave the dining room every morning. Under certain parameters, kids eat free at lunch and dinner. I believe it's in a ratio of four kids to every adult, so you'll be covered. It's VERY close to the parks, I dare say as close as All-Stars and the New Pop Century. you will have to pay parking, is it $7 now? But the commute itself is no problem, since you are already renting a van.

[Debbie]

Here's another vote for the Holiday Inn Family Suites.

We are a family of 7, and if you could get away with the microwave (no stove), it would be great. The last two trips we split HIFS with Beach Club(99) and Dixie Landings (00). Both times all five of my kids-5-15- stated that they preferred Holiday Inn Family Suites. The time that it took to get to the parks and Downtown Disney was actually faster than going by bus. And my kids feel that catching the tram everyday from the parking lot is their first ride of the day!

Whatever you decide, I'm sure that you'll have lots of fun. You have lots to research now. Let us know how it goes!

[LKS]

If you want to even save on the parking from HI Family Suites, their van service was good when we used it to Epcot. You sign up the night before, but it is free.

[violet13]

Wanted to thank you all for your replys... I think we found the lowest cost deal there is to be found so far- , as far as keeping the costs down and getting the very few things we find absolutely necessary....we ended up booking (during low season) using the magic Card at Days Inn/Days Lodge- Florida Mall.- in Orlando....for a family of 6, you get a stove, fridge with freezer, 2 beds, a sofa, a fullsize bath, a swimming pool outside , not sure what else- but (that's enough for us!!)....with tax included less than $45 a night!!!
Now if anyone out there can "beat" this price for a family of 6 with a fridge, stove and pool...please post! !!
...and also asking for your opinions of this particular Days Inn, .....if anyone has stayed there or heard good or bad , we'd love to hear!!! ..thank you so much.

[Belle5]

I hope you can get some feedback from someone who has stayed there. I did a search on this site and it is not one of the Days Inns that pops up. (There are lots of other Days Inn's that you will come up on a search.) I do know that it's about 10 miles from the parks which can be tricky when trying to make your way through traffic. When we stay off site I try to get one of the properties that's within a mile or so of WDW.

[robinb]

I would be very careful with any Days Inn in the Orlando area. Many of them are real dumps. Plus, the Florida Mall area is a long way from WDW. A real dump of a hotel will ruin a family vacation faster than anything.

Here are a couple of Google searches on your hotel. It doesn't look good :(.

Google Seach 1 (http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=lang_en&safe=off&ic=1&th=d060004eb10d651b,5&seekm=20010228100932.24704.00000266%40ng-cm1.aol.com#p)

Google Search 2 (http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=lang_en&safe=off&ic=1&th=4e26ac9eb4316240,4&seekm=20000202120038.22259.00001145%40ng-ba1.aol.com#p)

I would seriously rethink your choice.

[LKS]

Florida Mall is pretty far from WDW and Orlando traffic can be horrible. Keep searching. If you are trying to stay under $50, you will have a tough search, but I think you can do better.

[robsmom]

I am sure all these negatives comments are depressing you, but if you can possibly change your plans you really should.

Growing up in a family of 6 we often stayed at days inns, holiday inns, best westerns etc. At that time, the Days Inns were a reasonable lower end option. Over the years, however, the other family chains seem to have improved their offerings while Days Inn has gone down hill. I tried one near Atlanta (around 92) and it was really dirty and run down. Last year, DH and I needed a room for a wedding in the middle of the florida Keys. Our options were limited as many places were already booked. I found a days inn on the internet that had pictures that looked great and "had a beach". They wanted $129 a night, so I thought it would be decent. When we got there, I was actually appalled at how alful the place was. The pool (smaller than a backyard pool) was full of leaves and dirt. The "beach" was a cement slap covered with an inch of sand overlooking a small rocky cliff. We had booked a non-smoking room, but were told that they didn't have any available. (strange since there were no more than 3 cars in the parking lot) The room actually smelled. Normally, DH is the vocal one and I try to convince him not to cause a problem. This time, he wasn't feeling well and just wanted to sleep (but not there). I was on a warpath. I left my DH resting in the room, told him not to unpack and headed out. I drove down route 1 and surveyed our options of 4 or 5 places to stay. I really liked how the Hampton Inn looked, but knew it was booked when I called previously. I decided to stop in anyway. They had cancellations and gave us a room for $99 a night. Big Room, very clean. They had a faboulous pool area with great chairs and a really nice outdoor bar/grill run by the Outback Steakhouse. I checked us in and went back to get dear hubby. Went to the desk and told the clerk that the Days Inn was completely unacceptable and that we were leaving. I told him, that we would not be paying anything and that I wanted a full refund for my deposit. Got it all, went to the Hampton Inn and had a great weekend! Sorry for the long story, but the moral is that I have no faith in the Days Inn chain anymore.

[ALostBoy]

Hi Violet13,

If you decide to look at other possibilities, my
vote is for the Comfort Suites Maingate East.
I have read great reviews on the property
and it is only about 1 1/2 years old. Go to
Hotelkingdom (http://www.hotelkingdom.com/) Then pick the state of florida and
then pick the city of kissimmee
and plug in your dates. Then scroll down
to Comfort suites maingate east. A one
bedroom suite goes for about $ 67.50
plus tax. This property is only about 10
to 15 minutes (depending on traffic) from
Disney on 192. Good luck with whatever you
decide to do.

[violet13]

I guess my biggest concern- seeing that this Days Inn does not have a good reputation for cleanliness...is the Florida Mall area a "bad section" of town? high crime? that's my #1 concern???? #2 is it crawling with roaches???? and #3 JUST how bad is the traffic, we plan on driving to Disney, Islands of Adventure, and Universal Studious? We still may change our plans once we learn a little more about this place. .......... The "safety" of our children, and our vehicle in their parking lot is our BIGGEST concern. We are used to camping in a tent to save a little $$, so being run down a bit I don' think will bother us.
And is the Days Inn Maingate East THAT much better, more "safer" at all? - I can book that for about another $19 a night, would we be saving a ton of hassle with the traffic staying there? Thanks again!:rolleyes:

[robinb]

AFAIK, the Florida Mall area is not a dangerous area of town. It is a bit of a drive to anywhere. You can bring up www.mapquest.com and look at a map of the Orlando area.

I stayed at the Days Inn Maingate East years ago and it was a real dump. I think it's been renovated since then, but I'm not sure about the Days Inn Suites next door. Another thing about the Days Inn Suites properties ... they may charge you extra for the "rental" of the pots, pans and dishes. You'll want to call them and find out because that will increase your rate.

Will you be camping on the way to Florida? If so, then maybe the Fort Wilderness campground in WDW is for you. It's under $50 per day and you get all the benefits of being a WDW resort guest.

Here's some more info on the campgroud:

Deb Will's Fort Wilderness FAQ (http://www.wdwig.com/faq_fw.htm)

[deena]

about the "Days Suites Maingate East on 192 "......I am assuming this is one you're referring to? on the Orlando Hotels and Attractions board by someone who stayed there not too long ago. I also recall some favorable reviews in the past.

They said their suite was clean, in good condition, and overall accomodations were fine (recall them mentioning they were able to shop at grocery store and cook on the stove) and used the refridgerator so I think you will likely be pleased with booking there and enjoy your stay.

This Days property on 192 is definitely closer to WDW (compared to the one near the Florida Mall logistic wise) and I believe you will most likely run into many more tourists/families vacationing like yourselves at the maingate east because it is so close to all the parks and other attractions.


The Days Suites Maingate East will be like a 5 or so minutes drive to Disney and close to Universal/IOA too so you would indeed be saving driving time by staying here instead.

This location is super convenient also because it is also within neighboring proximity to shopping, supermarkets, and restaurants (even within walking distance).

Although I have never stayed here, I have passed by this property plenty of times due to staying along same street in previous summers (most recently last August) and there always has been a lot of vacationing families staying at the "Days Suites Maingate East" and the property has looked well kept.

Hope this helps.

[jesse]

Perhaps someone else has already suggested this, but have you considered trying Priceline? I've never used it, but there are many people on this board who have had great success, and since you are going during the off season, a low bid would seem to have a better chance of being accepted.

[LKS]

I don't know anything about the cleanliness of that Days Inn and the FL Mall area looks safe enough from the interstate, but I do know a bit about the traffic. I-4 running through Orlando (which you would probably take to get from FL mall to WDW or US) can become a parking lot during am and pm rush, which from what I can tell last several hours each. It might be heavy traffic that moves, or it might be a disaster - you never know. Just thinking of driving that back and forth every day, in a hurry to get there in the am and tired in the pm, would cause me to book closer to WDW - Kissimmee area. We actually plan our arrival and departure times on our WDW trips to avoid driving it from 3-7pm.

I've never camped at Fort Wilderness, but I agree that if you like to camp, that might be a wonderful option. In addition, they have free things to do - campfire at night etc... that your kids might love. You can probably get a good deal there in Nov. and you can hop the boat to MK.

[violet13]

We are now booked for the Days Inn Suites Maingate East, I found the price even a little cheaper on the internet (for family of 6) than a coupon I had out of a Kissemmee book. Got it for $49.95 (plus tax) a night, I think we will be quite pleased....with the short travel distance, the better reviews, 2 tvs, 2 heated pools even, a balcony too! And we can do all our cooking right there in the little kitchen with a stove, microwave and fridge/freezer, they even give you an alarm clock, we never stayed anywhere this nice! Thank you all again!

[violet13]

We are now booked for the Days Inn Suites Maingate East, I found the price even a little cheaper on the internet (for family of 6) than a coupon I had out of a Kissemmee book. Got it for $49.95 (plus tax) a night, I think we will be quite pleased....with the short travel distance, the better reviews, 2 tvs, 2 heated pools even, a balcony too! And we can do all our cooking right there in the little kitchen with a stove, microwave and fridge/freezer, they even give you an alarm clock, we never stayed anywhere this nice! Thank you all again!:pinkbounc

[deena]

time violet 13 on vacation; glad that you were able to find the hotel at a cheaper rate on the internet.

[BonnieA]

Violet13 you can save a little more money by not renting their kitchen utensils, pots & pans etc. Unless you are determined to really fix a lot of meals you could get away with just bringing paper/plastic disposable items. I think they charge you extra for things like toasters & coffee makers (but not sure). We just had cereals or pastries in the mornings. We boiled water in the microwave for coffee. There is no oven in the kitchen, just a microwave. We did fine by bringing paper plates, bowls, cups and plastic silverware. Actually you could even save your plasticware from any purchased meals at disney to use in the room. We also saved extra napkins from disney meals to use in the room or you can bring them from home.
Hope you don't get a room that backs up to Old Town. It can be kind of noisey. Old Town is fun to walk around in though, something else to do at night if you have any energy left.