WDW Value Resort with more than 2 kids???

[tidoublegger]

It seems to me that if you have more than 2 kids (who must be willing to share a bed:headache: ) then a value room is out of the question?? How do families with many kids stay at a WDW resort? Do they all stay in a mega-bucks suite or at the FW cabins? I'm confused as to how this is done! :confused: We are renting a 4 bdroom. house offsite to accomodate DH, dd, and 2 ds next March. Our 16 yo and 19 yo opted not to go. I want to experience staying onsite someday but don't know how it's done with more than 2 kids!

[lindaso]

It can be done with 3 kids in one room in certain hotels. I know the Poly has a daybed so those rooms sleep 5. There is also a moderate (Port Orleans maybe??) that has a daybed to sleep 5. Anything more and I think you need a 2nd room.

We usually split and have one parent sleep with one kid on the queen beds and the oldest sleeps on the daybed. More room that way and we can live without sleeping next to each other for a few days!!

[NotUrsula]

They get 2 rooms, of course. I don't think that most Americans would be comfortable cramming more than 4 persons in a room that is less than 300 sq.ft. (which is what you are dealing w/ at the Values.)

If there are only 5 persons, the deluxes or S/D can handle it in almost all cases, or the trundle option at POR will work if you can snag one.

As to kids being willing to share beds, my opinion is that they simple have to deal; you work the best bed arrangement that you can, and there is always the floor if they don't like it.

[mbb]

2 bedrooms, full kitchen, washer dryer, 2 bathrooms, onsite...can't be beat!!:D

[HaleyB]

PORS has a trundle bed for the 3rd child in some rooms. Many of the Deluxe (all?) have rooms with day beds so 5 will fit. There are also suites and renting DVC points if there are 6 of you going. Two rooms at a value is another way to go and with older kids I like that or DVC points best (DVC points are expensive, they may be a good 'value' for what you get, but it is expensive).

[luvmarypoppins]

I feel your pain. We have 3 ds, so that makes it a little easier. I like it all in one room anyway so I can make sure everyone is asleep and ready for ee the next day. But they are getting older and space is tight. We stay at a deluxe, but only in value season and I only get the cheapest room, i.e. garden view at the poly. This time in april we are again staying at the swan on the govt. rate. It is well worth the money. In aug. I priced 2 rooms at the all stars. They were about the same as 1 room with a rollaway at the swan. If you wanted to save even more money and not pay the $25 a night for the roll away, you could bring your own aero bed etc. I wish disney would get on the ball and start seeing there is a big market for bigger and blended familys who just do not fit into your usual perfect 4 to a room resorts etc. who dont want to pay deluxe prices.

[got2lovedisney]

I actually crammed myself and 5 15 year olds in a room at the AllStars Music January 2003. (don't tell the resort police :blush: ) There were 2 in each bed plus 2 on an airmattress. Needless to say, if was for more than the 2 nights I wouldn't've done it but what the bleep! They had fun!

[NotUrsula]

Just out of curiousity, what would you suggest they build? The accomodation of large families is the whole point of connecting rooms, and as far as I know, every resort on Disney property has them, even the DVC properties, which have lockouts. Connecting rooms provide maximum flexibility for accomodating both large and small parties in the same facility.

Disney resorts pretty much have all the market niches covered now, and their occupancy rate is one of the best in the industry. WDW has over 30,000 housing units on property, and they keep them filled. Design and maintenance costs on themed properties are high, as is Disney's service quality, and they charge accordingly. Would you really want an on-property resort that looked like Motel 6 and had amenities and service to match?

The only alternative I could see is building hostel-type dorms, which I suppose might go over well with youth groups, but most Americans over 21 don't care for them. I suspect that the avg. family would go offsite before they would sleep in a bunked dorm.

[lindaso]

This thread just reminded me of a conversation DH and I had a few weeks ago. He was saying we should have another baby b/c 5 is an odd number and he wants us to be even. (I know, ridiculous, right?) I countered with the argument that another baby puts us into the category of "2 rooms" for vacation. OK, so we're both a little weird :o

[kc&dmom]

Many hotels know offer a pull out sofa in addition to two double or queen size beds ---- and it would make a huge difference for families of more than 2 kids. Most of the "family resorts" and destinations we have traveled to in recent years offer similar room arrangements. One bedroom DVC's only accomodate 4 and the two bedrooms are outrageous in price even when you rent points (unless you are 8 in a group and splitting the cost). Our family of 5 will be staying onsite again in a deluxe because -- I LOVE Disney hotels. I also recognize we are fortunate to be able to afford to do so. We have debated two connecting rooms but -- we would really prefer a vacation resort for us not just the kids and the value resorts are not how we want to spend a vacation. The moderates put us in the same ball park as a deluxe and as we are five we can get away with sharing one room. I think Disney really lets families down in this respect.

[tidoublegger]

Thanks for the replies........so the Swan offers rollaway beds? Does the Dolphin too? My hubby could get the government rate (I think as a corrections officer for a state prison) or if I take and pass my nursing boards before I leave and have proof, I could get the nursing rate. This may be a good alternative! I am going to look into it! :)

[NotUrsula]

So you're saying that you think Value Resorts should have a second room category, a type of room w/ greater sq. footage?
If they did that, I'm guessing that the room rate for that category would run ~80% higher than for a standard room, just based on how much they would have to increase the sq. footage to allow for opening that double sofabed inside. Value rooms are VERY small, 260 sq. ft. (By contrast, the Poly rooms are 409 sq. ft., the Beach Club, 400 sq. ft., and trundle rooms at POR are 314 sq. ft., )

The occupancy limits at the WDW resorts are set by the county fire codes, not by WDW. In order to get permission for higher occupancy, they have to enlarge the rooms, and to go up high enough for a full sofabed that will sleep two, they would have to go up to nearly 500 sq. ft. The Values make money for Disney (and me, as I own a number of shares) by packing as many units into a resort as possible, and then keeping the occupancy rate of the resort as a whole as close to 100% as possible. Since WDW hotels charge by the room, when you lower the number of units, you have to raise the prices. If you take the room size up that high at a value, you cut the number of rooms nearly in half.

PS: regarding the S/D. Both hotels allow one rollaway per regular room, and both hotels have some oversized rooms at a higher rate. The regular beds at the Swan are queen, the regular beds at the Dolphin are doubles. I have known people who put three young children in one of the queen beds at the Swan, thus avoiding the need for a rollaway. Also, the S/D have the Starwood chains' specialty beds; the Disney hotels cannot match them for comfort.

[sha_lyn]

In order to get permission for higher occupancy, they have to enlarge the rooms,

Actually the fire code occupancy limits are set by how quickly the resort can be evacuated. The exterior corridors, room doors ways and stair ways would have to be widened, and I believe more stairways would have to be put in. That pretty much eliminates the possibility of them remaining value resort.

[tidoublegger]

Part of the reasoning for trying to add an additional night to the trip (after renting a house for the week) was so try and stay in a Disney hotel to experience it for the first time. Would the Dolphin or Swan really allow us to experience Disney "magic" or would we be better off doing the adjoining rooms at a value resort or perhaps a cabin at FW? We would probably be able to get either the gov discount or the nurse discount at the Swan or Dophin, but is the atmosphere "Disney"??

[MELSMICE]

Originally posted by kc&dmom
We have debated two connecting rooms but -- we would really prefer a vacation resort for us not just the kids and the value resorts are not how we want to spend a vacation. The moderates put us in the same ball park as a deluxe and as we are five we can get away with sharing one room. I think Disney really lets families down in this respect.

I used to think there weren't many options for our family of 5 without "going broke" but I have changed my tune after staying in some of the resorts that do accommodate 5, renting points from a DVC owner & now becoming a DVC owner myself.

There are a lot of options for families with 3 or more children.

--FW cabins is a great option & one we have used numerous times. They accommodate 6. Full kitchen.

--Most deluxes can accommodate 5 people

--POR can accommodate 5

--2 rooms at the budgets will accommodate 8 & you'll get 2 baths

--a 2BR DVC unit will accommodate 8. You'll get 2 baths & a full kitchen.

I also believe that Disney has done their research. There really are options for larger families. Will you pay the price - certainly you will, just like anything else.

Having more than 2 children is more expensive in any regard, not just Disney.

When people mention you can vacation in other spots & get a room for less that accommodates more than 4, they are right. You can also do that off-site near WDW. It's a matter of preference & what you are willing to pay or can afford.

As long as I can afford it, I will choose to stay on property with my 3 DD's :teeth:

[GinRob]

My husband is in the military and we just cant afford to do Disney.. but last summer we were able to get in on the wonderful deal for Military families so we went in July.

My kids were 12, 10, 9, 5, 23 months and 8 months when we went.. and we certainly couldnt afford one of the more $ hotels..

so we stayed in 2 rooms in the All Star Sports. We pushed the beds together in the kids room, and we left the door open connecting us.

Our side had 2 porta cribs for the 2 youngest kids and the other 4 slept in the room with the 2 beds pushed together..

that did leave us with an extra bed in our room, but we used it to lay out clothes, change kids, etc.. and if we needed to, our kids could have slept on it as well.

We wanted to experience it all, and staying off site wasnt an option we wanted to go with..

I would love to be able to go again.. and possibly to have bigger rooms, but all in all, we were just thrilled to be there and the size of the rooms were fine for us. I would do it again in a minute if I could afford it!

so... thats how us big families do it.. we get connecting rooms... and with my kids ages, theres no way we would get 2 rooms that didnt connect.. dh and I wont split up, and the kids are too young to have a room to themselves.

SOG wasnt open at the time.. I do wonder if we would have been able to fit in one room there.. but I never looked into it since it wasnt an option.
Ginger

[gardendame]

Originally posted by NotUrsula
Just out of curiousity, what would you suggest they build? The accomodation of large families is the whole point of connecting rooms, and as far as I know, every resort on Disney property has them, even the DVC properties, which have lockouts. Connecting rooms provide maximum flexibility for accomodating both large and small parties in the same facility.

Disney resorts pretty much have all the market niches covered now, and their occupancy rate is one of the best in the industry. WDW has over 30,000 housing units on property, and they keep them filled. Design and maintenance costs on themed properties are high, as is Disney's service quality, and they charge accordingly. Would you really want an on-property resort that looked like Motel 6 and had amenities and service to match?

The only alternative I could see is building hostel-type dorms, which I suppose might go over well with youth groups, but most Americans over 21 don't care for them. I suspect that the avg. family would go offsite before they would sleep in a bunked dorm.

Well, my suggestion would be something similar to the Holiday Inn Family Suites. There is definitely a need for this on Disney Property, and building such a resort would be profitable for Disney! Every day there are posts on these boards about large families. Unfortunately for Disney, most tend to stay off site.
As far as what 'most Americans over 21' care or do not care about, who cares! Why should you?? You say you are a Disney share holder. If this is so, then doesn't it make good business sense to accomodate those larger families? They have already spent money on park hoppers, so they are commited to the vacation - why not suck even more money out of them by offering them a place on site to stay rather than forcing them off site??

[pyrxtc]

Originally posted by kc&dmom
One bedroom DVC's only accomodate 4 and the two bedrooms are outrageous in price even when you rent points (unless you are 8 in a group and splitting the cost).

I am renting a villa froma DVC member and it sleeps 8( a 2 bedroom) and it is only costing me $20 more total than I would pay for 2 rooms at the value resorts for the same season. I think it is worth it especially since it has a full kitchen.

[kashkdz]

We have three young children and simply stayed at POR (moderate resort) which has accomodations for 5 people in a room. There are two full beds and one has a pull-out bed. The other option is to stay in a Deluxe, one of the Home-Away-From-Home resorts, or rent points from a DVC member.

[mom of five]

We have 5 kids ages 10,9,7,7,5. And then me and hubby makes seven. We can't afford the villas--they're like 300.00per night or more and we are planning a 10 night stay. Here is our plan. We have room only ressies for AS movies. We have two rooms that are guarenteed to be ajoining from within. This will still cost about $200.00 per night each room being about $100. Since we are planning on visiting for more than 8 days and planning another visit next year (about 347 days later) we are buying annual passes for the parks. Usually (cross my fingers) there are pretty good discounts to passholders staying at value resorts during the time we are planning. That will possibly bring hotel cost down to $120-$150 per night instead of the $200.
The best thing is, next year, I don't have to buy park tickets (the really big expense for a family of 7) cause we've got APs. We like to stay on-property. But the holiday Inn all kidsuites (not sure if I got name exactly right) looks really really cool for bigger families and is about the same price as my plan, however, looking at all you get it's sure is a better value (free activites, suite rms, etc.). We just want the EMH. Time of value too.

[Schmeck]

Quoted from another post on this thread:

"Well, my suggestion would be something similar to the Holiday Inn Family Suites. There is definitely a need for this on Disney Property, and building such a resort would be profitable for Disney! Every day there are posts on these boards about large families. Unfortunately for Disney, most tend to stay off site. "

WDW has many options for "larger than 4 members" families: Adjoining rooms, Wilderness Cabins, Villas, etc. If a family tends to stay offsite because they don't want to pay the cost of deciding to have a large family, that's their choice. Disney already offers resorts in three price ranges. I think that's flexible enough to work with. One of the reasons that it's cheaper to stay offsite is that it's... OFFSITE! :rolleyes:

I just don't see the "need" for another enormous, tenement style value resort at WDW, especially one that allows many people in one room. I think it's bad enough that some people decide to squeeze 5 or more people into a room made for 4. What would they do in a room made for 6? Put an entire baseball team in there?

[gardendame]

Originally posted by Schmeck
Quoted from another post on this thread:

WDW has many options for "larger than 4 members" families: Adjoining rooms, Wilderness Cabins, Villas, etc. If a family tends to stay offsite because they don't want to pay the cost of deciding to have a large family, that's their choice. Disney already offers resorts in three price ranges. I think that's flexible enough to work with. One of the reasons that it's cheaper to stay offsite is that it's... OFFSITE! :rolleyes:

I just don't see the "need" for another enormous, tenement style value resort at WDW, especially one that allows many people in one room. I think it's bad enough that some people decide to squeeze 5 or more people into a room made for 4. What would they do in a room made for 6? Put an entire baseball team in there?

Thanks you for your input, but you are incorrect. Someone asked "what would you have Disney do?" and I offered my opinion. Why would you find it so offensive if Disney built a resort that would accommodate larger families on site? By the way, I have 3 children instead of just 2, but this in no way means that I should live in a "tenement-style" building!!! I find your off hand remarks very offensive and prejudicial. If you do not need a family-size suite, you wouldn't be staying there, so you wouldn't have to look at us tenement-dwellers anyway.

Oh, and I must inform you. Just because I have 3 children instead of 2, the law does not require that I hang my laundry out on ropes in the front yard of my 2400 square foot 'tenement-style' house!!!!!!!!!

What do you people want!?! You are offended (rightfully so) when people squeeze 1 extra person into a 4 person room, yet when someone offers their opinion about there being a need for rooms that accommodate larger families, you complain to!

What would you have Disney do? Ban families from the parks??
I think it is ridiculous that some people are so offended that Families want to be accommodated at a place that is supposed to be for Families to begin with!:eek:

[sha_lyn]

Why would you find it so offensive if Disney built a resort that would accommodate larger families on site?

There isn't any "if" to it. They have done it. They offer cabins, DVC resorts and ajoining rooms. The rooms are there, you just do not want to pay the price for these rooms. Guess what, my family of 4 coudl save a lot of mony if we stayed off site, but we CHOOSE not do. No one forces us to spend the extra $$ to stay onsite. WDW is not obligated to offer me(or you) a room for a price comparable to one off site.

[BrianMonk]

A family of 4 = Great options
A family of 5 = OK options
A family of 6 = Options stink
A family of 7+ = OK options, renting 2 rooms is approaching the norm


The fact I CANT stay at a value resort for my family of 5, without <b>wasting</b> money on another room, is not the best. I've already "mentally" starting putting together plans (for future years) which included partial stays at a value resort only to realize, crap, I've got to get two rooms (with 1 <b>wasted</b> room). That doesn't make sense (or cents accept for Disney).

I really would like to experience more of Disney without wasting my money. The fact I can't (or more appropriately, shouldn't) stay 5 in one room at ALL of the value resorts lowers the intrinsic value Disney to me.

And I love it when the room police come in a start jabbering about well you knew when you have so many kids, stay in a billion $/night Villa, blah, blah, blah. Hey, thanks for the advice Einsteins.

Disney isn't going to change, they know what they are doing. It's in their best interest financially to do it this way. I don't blame them, but I'll probably play the little game sometime myself and stay 5 in a room. Why? Why not?.....and BooYah to the sissymaries.

You'd think those so stauchly opposed to this would want Disney to build a few more places that could accomodate a little larger family. That way they wouldn't have to experience the angst they feel when the see a family of 5 walking out of a room supposedly built for 4. They could certainly save money on their anxiety medication.

[gardendame]

Originally posted by sha_lyn
There isn't any "if" to it. They have done it. They offer cabins, DVC resorts and ajoining rooms. The rooms are there, you just do not want to pay the price for these rooms. Guess what, my family of 4 coudl save a lot of mony if we stayed off site, but we CHOOSE not do. No one forces us to spend the extra $$ to stay onsite. WDW is not obligated to offer me(or you) a room for a price comparable to one off site.

"guess what" ???? (you sound like my 6 year old:rolleyes: ).
I CHOOSE to stay ON-SITE also! Your family of 4 (oh, the perfect number as anyone with a larger family should live in a tenement dwelling) has the several options on where to stay. Is it wrong for me to want to stay somewhere other than POR or a cabin? Why should you even care? What does money have to do with it? As of right now, I am paying rack rate for POR (which to you means I am slumming it). I simply would like there to be more options. Please explain to me why it would offend you so much for Disney to have just one family-style resort? Look at the money they would make!
I think it would be a good decision for Disney to build at least 1 family resort (as has been discussed with the later addition to PopCentury). Would this lessen the magic of YOUR stay?
You people really are 'resort snobs'! As helpful as these boards have been, they have definitely taken a turn for the worse.
If your life is so miserable that you fret and stress over how a family of 5 or greater might possibly some day ruin your vacation by staying (horrors) ON SITE IN A FAMILY STYLE RESORT, then you lead a sorry, sad existance.
Get a life:rolleyes:

[sha_lyn]

gardendame ... I think you need to get rid of the chip on your shoulder, and your mind reading techniques leave a lot to be desired. I never used the words (or insinuated) anything about slums, tenements etc.

Is it wrong for me to want to stay somewhere other than POR or a cabin?
I'm assuming you have 5 in your family. You have several options including all of the deluxe resort, renting from DVC, getting 2 rooms at POP or any of the AS. Stop lying and saying you don't have options. You do have several, you just want to whine about them. You can want anything thing, but it doesn't make it your right to get it. I'd love for GF to cost the same at POP but that isn't going to happen. I guess WDW just doesn't care about those of us with champagne taste and beer budgets huh.

(you sound like my 6 year old ).

You sound like someone who stomps their feet and throws a tantrum when they don't get their way.

If your life is so miserable that you fret and stress over how a family of 5 or greater might possibly some day ruin your vacation by staying (horrors) ON SITE IN A FAMILY STYLE RESORT, then you lead a sorry, sad existance.

You have the sad existence. You feel so self important that you have to make up some big story in your mind that I think your family of 5 is ruining my life. Get over yourself. You aren't **** to me.

[laceemouse]

We have 4 kids and this is the main reason we bought into DVC. The large 2 BR villa with kitchen and washer/dryer beats the heck out of 2 hotel rooms IMO. I highly recommend it, and really if you go as often as most of you seem to go it pays for itself in a few years. I really can't imagine having more than 4 and still being able to do Disney, go out to eat, ect. very often. Right now if I had any more laundry to do I think I would go beserk!!!!! I agree, Disney does offer more options now, you just have to be willing to pay for them. For those of you who want to squeeze lots of LITTLE kids into one room, be warned. Once puberty hits they want there PRIVACY and this is really no longer an option. Babies and toddlers are SOOOOO cute, but alas they do grow up and require more space, and ADULT passes at WDW!!!!

[dijid]

I read this thread with interest as we now have 5 kids.

Everyone is so quick to tell you to rent two rooms when you've got the 5th person. What most families need when their kids are young is a one or two bedroom suite where there is only one door. If we were to put our kids in one room and sleep in the connecting room, I wonder if we would be charged with child endangerment when our kids decided to go try out the pool in the middle of the night. (Our oldest is 4 1/2 - not exactly a responsible age. The 2 year old is really into exploring and would probably love having a room with his own door to the world) So that forces us to have one parent in each room. And we have to stay that way from the minute the child goes to sleep. No thank you. This is our vacation and I don't want it that way.

Rent a villa? Great Idea - if you can afford it and/or don't stay over a weekend. (We got fortunate last year and got someone's exchanged timeshare unit for a great deal when they cancelled last minute. Too bad that won't happen every trip.)

So, like many families with more than 2 young kids, we have made reservations off site. Going to stay at HIFS. Too bad Disney doesn't offer something like HIFS.

[llggood]

We went from 1 child to 3 in one year, we adopted 3 more! We did not know how to go to Disney because there was no way we could afford to stay on site at a hotel that supports a family of 6 so we just booked two rooms at the all stars adjoining. This was cheaper to book two rooms then one room at a luxury resort. I think it is going to work great, we will have two bathrooms etc. My husband will NOT stay off site and I prefer to stay on site as well. The kids think it's neat they will have their own room and everyone is happy.

[sha_lyn]

What most families need when their kids are young is a one or two bedroom suite where there is only one door. If we were to put our kids in one room and sleep in the connecting room, I wonder if we would be charged with child endangerment when our kids decided to go try out the pool in the middle of the night.

This post makes no sense unless your family lives in a studio apartment with only one way in and out.
What do you do at home? Lock the doors I assume. Do the same for the exterior door of the connecting room. How on earth do you sleep at night if you are constantly worried about them getting out of your home? Unless you live is some very unusual home (that would break many fire and safety coded), then there are many more ways your children could get out of your home, than there are ways they could get out of a hotel room.

[gardendame]

Originally posted by dijid
I read this thread with interest as we now have 5 kids.

Everyone is so quick to tell you to rent two rooms when you've got the 5th person. What most families need when their kids are young is a one or two bedroom suite where there is only one door. If we were to put our kids in one room and sleep in the connecting room, I wonder if we would be charged with child endangerment when our kids decided to go try out the pool in the middle of the night. (Our oldest is 4 1/2 - not exactly a responsible age. The 2 year old is really into exploring and would probably love having a room with his own door to the world) So that forces us to have one parent in each room. And we have to stay that way from the minute the child goes to sleep. No thank you. This is our vacation and I don't want it that way.

Rent a villa? Great Idea - if you can afford it and/or don't stay over a weekend. (We got fortunate last year and got someone's exchanged timeshare unit for a great deal when they cancelled last minute. Too bad that won't happen every trip.)

So, like many families with more than 2 young kids, we have made reservations off site. Going to stay at HIFS. Too bad Disney doesn't offer something like HIFS.

I completely agree. Since this post is about families with more than 2 children, the only valid posters are those in the same situation. Don't listen to those who are here just to gripe. Your concerns are valid!
I repeat what I said earlier - a family-style resort would in NO WAY take the magic out of someone else's vacation. For that 'someone' to object so strongly to the larger family should really examine their priorities. I just don't understand why they are reading this thread to begin with. Too much time on their hands, I suppose.:crazy:

[dijid]

Originally posted by sha_lyn
This post makes no sense unless your family lives in a studio apartment with only one way in and out.
What do you do at home? Lock the doors I assume. Do the same for the exterior door of the connecting room. How on earth do you sleep at night if you are constantly worried about them getting out of your home? Unless you live is some very unusual home (that would break many fire and safety coded), then there are many more ways your children could get out of your home, than there are ways they could get out of a hotel room.

Well, at home my kids don't have a door in their bedroom that leads to a giant playground (like the AS resorts seem to kids that age) with a swimming pool. That's very tempting when you are two years of age. Of course I would lock the doors, but my 4yo can unlock them. At home, our children do not leave their rooms and call us in the morning when they wake up (or if they need to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night.) But my 2yo challenges his limits whenever he's in unfamiliar situations, so a trip outside in a hotel wouldn't surprise me.

I think this thread shows why HIFS is so successful. They fill a major need in WDW accomodations.

[ChiTownZee]

Originally posted by dijid
......... But my 2yo challenges his limits whenever he's in unfamiliar situations, so a trip outside in a hotel wouldn't surprise me.

I think this thread shows why HIFS is so successful. They fill a major need in WDW accomodations.

Why would a child be stopped leaving HIFS instead of a regular Disney hotel? Do you sleep on the pull-out sofa there when you go?

[sha_lyn]

gardendame


If you want to set limits on who can post on a thread I suggest you start your own website.

Do you sleep on the pull-out sofa there when you go?
I'd like to know the answer to that too. The children's area is right of the livingroom, and they (a child )would not walk through the adults bedroom to get to the exterior door.

[NotUrsula]

Hotel room doors have flip-locks or chains mounted high on the door. The simple way to keep a toddler from escaping is to flip the lock and then remove any lightweight chairs from the room.
I have flip-locks on my doors at home, too, for just this reason; little ones can't get out without dragging several pieces of furniture over to the door, and I would hear that.

If you still feel insecure, there are door alarms you can buy for hotel rooms. They are primarily designed to foil thefts by members of the hotel staff (sneaking in while you're sleeping to lift wallets, etc.), but they also work for corralling children. Here's an example:http://www.magellans.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=1231&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=6&iSubCat=23&iProductID=1231

A petition to have the Values make door alarms available for guest use might be something the managers might go for. (The interested might ask Tyler to suggest it at PC.)

Back to the original issue under discussion... If WDW did add a bldg. or two to the values with oversized rooms (presumably with a Murphy bed or fold-out sofa in them), they WOULD have to charge more for those rooms, which would put them in about the same price range as existing rooms at the moderates. There is no way that they could actually *reserve* those rooms for large parties; they would be on the open market along with every other room, and they might well stay booked up by guests who just want some extra space. What I *really* see as the difficulty in the concept of an especially "family-friendly" resort at WDW is that a resort that had that much emphasis on young children would also cry out for special swimming facilities, more play spaces, and a kids' club facility, which would take it right out of the "value" category. *If* WDW decided to invest in such a concept, I'm betting that it would be installed at a Moderate, not a Value. My money would be on CSR, actually, where it could be marketed to parents who were attending conventions and wanted to bring the kids along.

[laceemouse]

Anything that Disney would build, suite or whatever, would cost more than offsite. We have stayed in connecting rooms many times, and with both doors open you do not feel far away from the kids. I still say DVC is the way to go for long-term vacation comfort for families of more than 4, ya'll should check it out!

[sha_lyn]

NEVER MIND

[6xmum]

We have a large family (six children) and the options are somewhat limited, as you have all noted (I'm not saying that is Disney's fault). Because of our family size, we have only been able to go to WDW once as a family and have another trip planned for January. The first time, we were able to get a great discount for OKW in a two bedroom suite. Other than the 2 adjoining rooms option, that is the only way to sleep 8. We would do that again in a heartbeat if we could get a great discount, but that only works in off seasons etc. This time, we are staying off site to save some money.

[Julia M]

What I think some posters are trying to say, is that as a family of five (vs. 4), your options for keeping to a budget (one room) do not exist at the value resorts and there is one option (some rooms at PO) at the moderates.

Obviously, you can rent two rooms just about anywhere, or stay in a higher end home. That's not the point people are making (IMHO) They are trying to say that they wish there were more options for families of five, that involve paying for one room. I think it's the families of five that people have a harder time with. My guess is that when you're talking 6 people (2 adults and 4 kids), there is an expectation that you won't fit in one room.

Again, obviously, when you have a third child, you expect there to be more expenses. However, there are many, many places you can stay with 5 in a room, in other parts of the country. In fact, most places we travel ( and we do travel frequently) we put 5 in one room. Disney could have easily made a section of the All Stars appropriate for a family of five.

However, it's a moot point for me, so I can read all the responses without feeling stressed. I wouldn't stay at All Stars even if they slept five (it doesn't appeal to me). We stayed 3 nights at PO, and while I loved the resort itself, I found the rooms too small for 5 (and I would have found them too small for 4 also). And I can't (or won't) pay for a deluxe (so I can't compare)

My choice is to stay off site. We exchange our timeshare, and stay in a 2 bedroom villa. Our course, then I hear from some people that our vacation, by definition, can't possibly have the same magic as someone who stays on site, but that's another argument for another day!!!!