Maximizing Room Space

candielips

DIS Veteran
Joined
Dec 14, 2006
We are headed to POP this fall for almost 2 wks w/ myself, DH, DD3, DS10months.
I know that the room is going to be tight quarters so does anyone have any tips on maximizing our room space and some creative organizational ideas.
We will be using a PnP for our DS, a fridge, and a double stroller with us.
Thanks!
 
If it is at all possible budget-wise, I would switch to the ASMu Family Suites. I wanted to die after 3 nights in ASMo with my 22 month old - she had the hardest time sleeping with us in the room and of course we couldn't do anything (shower, pack, etc) without keeping her up. Of course, when she was littler she was fine and I've never had a 3 year old, but if your kids are light sleepers and it is at all in your budget, I would switch.

ETA: Because we love Disney, I would do it again in a heartbeat knowing exactly how bad the sleeping arrangements would be! I just realized that what I wrote sounds so negative. It was definitely not in our budget this year to be in ASMuFS.
 
We did POP last year with DH, me, DD4 and DS18months for 8 days. We had two folding strollers, but decided not to go with a fridge or pack and play. We got a bed rail and had DS sleep with one of us, that worked b/c he is older.

I'll be honnest there wasn't a lot of free room.

Is the fridge absolutely necessary? That would be my first choice of something to opt out of.

Rather than going to a family suite which is double the price of 2 rooms I would recommend a Mod where the fridge is accounted for in the room layout and there is a curtain area (where the sinks are) that we have used as a sep sleeping area for the baby worked when DD was 18 months and also when DS was 6 months.

If neither of those things are options I would recommend collapsable luggage, duffle bags rather than suitcases and over the door organizers.

I think a lot of it is about what your are used to. Having done AKL 1x and SCR 2x a room at POP with 4 of us felt really small. If you have nothing to compare it to you may love it and find it quite spacious.

Best of luck.
 
Rather than going to a family suite which is double the price of 2 rooms I would recommend a Mod where the fridge is accounted for in the room layout and there is a curtain area (where the sinks are) that we have used as a sep sleeping area for the baby worked when DD was 18 months and also when DS was 6 months.

That is great advice! We stayed in a mod last year and I really missed that curtain last week - and we could've stuck DD there. Oh well!
 
I think you can do it !! But you do need smart about space saving.

Over the door shoe hangers are great for keeping things organized.

Electrical strip- for cell phones, camera etc.

luggage needs to be compact like th other post said.

Take time to organize your family

Are yourenting a car ?? cause you can store luggage there.

Plan a laundry day to bring half the clothes. 3 yr olds tend to favor certain outfits anyway.

You can do it !! You at least know ahead of time that this will be a challenge. when we went with our DD it was a blessing in disquisethat we were back to the room by 8and asleep by 9.We were refreshed for the next day an actually returned from a Disney vacation refreshed.


Have a great Vacation.
 
Compared to non Disney hotels I don't think the value rooms are that small.

Rather than using all duffle bags you could try to use luggage that packs into each other.

I use shoe organizers that hang from the closet rather than over the door.

I'm sure you'll have a great trip!!!:cool1:
 
We travel with 3 little ones and certainly things like the stroller take up a lot of space.

I use a collapsable set of "shelves" that hand from a curtain rod. Its meant for folding sweaters in a closet. That way I can put meds etc. inthe highest one where only adults can reach, toothbrushes and toiletrie etc. in another. It save a lot of room and has more capacity than the over-the door types.

We always have trouble with where to stash suitcases and try to bring the kind that fit into one another whenever possible.

We find having the stroller serves double-duty as a high chair inthe room too.

Have fun planning!
 
There's plenty of room if you use it all. Don't forget about space under the bathroom sink. We use that for our dirty laundry. A nice pop up hamper works well. Also, use the shelf in the "closet" to store things, especially suitcases. And don't forget about the top of where the TV is. And there's usually space under the nightstand. Extra shoes can be thrown in there. Don't be afraid to push back the table and chairs to where you want them. I find the housekeepers rarely will move it back during your stay there.

We once had four adults and one child in a room at All Stars (no, we didn't break the capacity limit) with one person on the floor on an air mattress and we didn't have any problems. We knew what we were getting into before we left and dealt with it.
 
If you can swing it, I would look into booking a Mod. See if there's a discount available.

If that's not an option, I would definitely do the over the door shoe hanger. They save a ton of space.

As for luggage, bring a set where one suitcase fits into the other.

Just fold the stroller when in the room.
 
You can use command hooks and a sheet to create a "private" nook for the pnp for the litttle one. It visually takes up space, but it is so worth it not to be "spotted"! My little one would never sleep if they could see us - even if we were in bed too! The magic curtain was a life saver for us. Also, it will fold away when not in use.

I have heard that you can lift the mattresses and store suitcases, xtra drinks, etc in the frame that supports the bed, but I have not tried it myself!
 
We have stayed at Pop twice with three little ones, a pack n play, two coolers, and two strollers (never folded them).

Just take a few minutes to organize the room (move some of the furniture on the TV wall) and you will be fine. Probably the most valuable things:

Unpack- I pack all the kids clothes in ziploc bags (one outfit per day) and each kid gets a drawer in the dresser. I also unpack DH & my clothes and put them into the closet/other drawers. If you unpack everything you can stack your suitcases up in the top of the closet, you have more room, and you're not digging to find a certain shirt.

Hamper- We bring a pop up hamper so all the dirty clothes are contained

Clothespins- They allow you to hang up more bathing suits and were great for hanging our ponchos up when we were there for 2 weeks of rain last May.

Hangers- We use the ones they provide (with clips) to hang up our backpack/bags to keep stuff off the floor. I will also bring a few so we can each hang up a hoodie

Are you driving? We drive, so I have the room to bring extra items that help me keep things organized. A few examples:
- a basket to keep our shoes in (we each bring several pairs)
- folders to organize park maps/dining info/receipts/etc
- extra bags to keep dry swimsuits/princess costumes/etc
- a small box/bowl to set wallets/change/etc on top of the TV so we don't lose anything
- surge protector to plug in all cell phones/electronics in one spot
- extra items for food like little containers/baggies/utensils
 
Thank you for all of the tips. We will be driving down so we will have a vehicle to store our luggage in.
The fridge is absolutely necessary.
The reason we are looking at staying at POP this time is we figure it might be the last time our family can get away with staying at a value. But if FD comes out and only offers QSDP to value guests than we will upgrade to either CBR or CSR.
I like all of your ideas and plan on scouring sales and dollar stores for all of your great suggestions.
 
We've stayed at Pop before and managed just fine without lots of extras.

One area that can be an issue in any resort is bathroom for any guest is counter space, so anything you can do to keep your stuff in compact containers is helpful. Pop has hair dryers. They are small ones, but they do in a pinch, unless you really need to do a full blowout every day.

I'd also say having a fairly compact stroller is important. Our family just parked it in a corner each night and never had any problems, but being ableto fold it up may prove helpful if you want more room. Look at ones that fold up compactly and are lightweight.

Along those same lines, - at Pop - I'd request a first floor room unless you are a light sleeper. You get some extra noise onthe first floor - but the tradeoff off is speed. Otherwise, with the stroller and thebaby, you'll have to go all the way to the elevator each trip out -and that's pain to have to wait for it, and wait for other folks to unload all their luggage.

I'd suggest minimizing the number of toys you bring, and minimize the extras. With small kids. it's easy to get carried away with extras you don't need. What toys you do bring should be stuff that's not so eay to lose - like a few stuffed animals, not somethign with lots of little parts to lose. the flip side, is that if you leave a few toys out, Mousekeeping will often do something cute with them.

We do bring some Ziplock bags with us always, but remember that getting plastic bags at WDW is a snap. No need to bring lots of extra baskets and all that - just stop in any gift shop and ask for a large shopping bag! Those bags are really quite durable. People use them ALL the TIME as 'carry-on' luggage. You can alwasy tell a flight that has come from Orlando; there's always several people with WDW plastic bags!

Another thing to know, most quick serve kid's mels have 'apple sauce' as an option. Typically, you get two 'choices' with each kids' entree - so you can get two applesauces as your meal choices.

In apianch, the 10month old can use a straw to drink water. While they may not be ableto use it like an adult - you can give them liquids a strawful at a time by putting your finger over the end. The only exception used to be AK and AKL but they now offer paper straws. Youcan alwasy keep a few extra on hand. But you will need a few bottles probably. The trick is getting them clean. In a pinch, the food courts all have microwaves you can use. Youcan also wipe them down with alcohol wipes or something and then rinse throroughly. (Disney shampoo/liquid bathing soap also make a good sub for dish soap. Soap is soap.)

We always get bottled water on our trips. With the littlest ones - you can get the kind of bottled water that comes with a 'sports top.' It's really just a sippy cup. Some of them can't be refilled; they can be hard to find; they cost slightly more than regular bottles; and they don't sell them at the Walmart that's just off 192. Publix and Walgreen's have always had them.But they are great for infants and toddlers.

DO get a rain over for your stroller. Oh, you'll also appreciate a compact stroller in the parks and restaurants!

You can request bedrails from the resort. They don't guarentee them, but when we've requested them we had no problem getting at least one. Then you may not need a pack and play.

Ususally when we go there are multiple chilrdren to help out so leaving an infant onthe bed for a few minutes while we get dressed is no problem. Go through the TV stations, at the very top end is a channel that plays classic Disney cartoons all the time. You also get the Disney channel.
 
We pack an over the shower head organizer that I found at the dollar general for $2.00. It helps keep the shower/bathtub area organized.

We also set one empty suitcase under the sink and we fill it with dirty clothes all week long. If it fills up we zip it up and put another under there. I hate the idea of wasting time in the laundry room on vacation!!

When we are packing to leave, all dirty clothes are in one spot and can be wheeled right to the laundry room at home! Any clean clothes are either packed in the remaining suitcases, or wrapped around souveniors for padding!!

We also pack kids outfits in gallon ziplock bags, everything goes in a bag, outfits, under clothes and socks. It makes getting ready much easier!!

The bags also come in handy to throw things in our backbag to keep things like cells and cameras from getting wet, and we use them to collect any little things they buy! My niece LOVES the lego store so we use the bags to put the legos and book in so they stay together. And we dont have to pack the big box to come home!
 
We have the type of luggage that packs into each other and then we stick that one big suitcase between the bed and the wall(snug fit). We then use the top as another night stand or if that wall has an outlet, then we plug our power strip into it and use the suitcase top for charging cells and cameras. I am with you on the fridge, it's a must have for us to.
 
We stayed with our 3 toddlers at Pop. They were 1. 2 and 3. We stayed in a first floor room right on the hippie dippie pool. It was cramped a bit, but we were able to sit right out our door at night while they were asleep in the room. We brought a monitor so we could hear them. The table was 10 feet from the door. This way we could eat and have cocktails while they were asleep in the room. This worked well.

That being said, a moderate like CSR or CBR (not sure about POR) has a closet/dressing area that is separate and you could put your infant there. Those rooms are alot more spacious! I realize a few hundred dollars more might be alot, but it sure might be worth it for the extra room.

Good luck and have fun!:wizard:
 
The fridge fits nicely under the sink!

There is room next to the dresser for the pack and play.

You can move the table and chairs if you need to to make some space.

The trick with the stroller is getting it in the door, as it's a really tight squeeze to get stuff past the bed while holding the door open. Then fold it and put it between the bed and the doorframe since the doors are at an angle.

A pop up hamper fits nicely in front of the closet area, right next to the vanity.

Use a bottom drawer for the kids toys.

Clean up your room every evening before bed to keep it uncluttered. I always set out everything we need for the next day at the parks ready to go on the table the night before.
 
You can use command hooks and a sheet to create a "private" nook for the pnp for the litttle one. It visually takes up space, but it is so worth it not to be "spotted"! My little one would never sleep if they could see us - even if we were in bed too! The magic curtain was a life saver for us. Also, it will fold away when not in use.

We also used Command Hooks (3M) to hang a "Neat Sheet" (indispensible travel item: water resistant - but in this case good because it is opaque and can block light better than a regular sheet) across the opening to the vanity area. This is helpful so a family member can be at the sink with lights on while the rest of the room lights are off. Not perfect, but VERY helpful. We actually used 2 of these to block as much light as possible (hung one up high, the other lower). The hooks easily remove without damaging the wallpaper. If whatever sheet you use is a bit heavy (like the Neat Sheet), you'll want the larger hooks so they won't fall off.

The room is "cozy", but it is very possible if you are creative. POP is a really fun resort. Have fun:wizard:
 
Another thing to know, most quick serve kid's mels have 'apple sauce' as an option. Typically, you get two 'choices' with each kids' entree - so you can get two applesauces as your meal choices.

In apianch, the 10month old can use a straw to drink water. While they may not be ableto use it like an adult - you can give them liquids a strawful at a time by putting your finger over the end. The only exception used to be AK and AKL but they now offer paper straws. Youcan alwasy keep a few extra on hand. But you will need a few bottles probably. The trick is getting them clean. In a pinch, the food courts all have microwaves you can use. Youcan also wipe them down with alcohol wipes or something and then rinse throroughly. (Disney shampoo/liquid bathing soap also make a good sub for dish soap. Soap is soap.)

We always get bottled water on our trips. With the littlest ones - you can get the kind of bottled water that comes with a 'sports top.' It's really just a sippy cup. Some of them can't be refilled; they can be hard to find; they cost slightly more than regular bottles; and they don't sell them at the Walmart that's just off 192. Publix and Walgreen's have always had them.But they are great for infants and toddlers..
We brought the bottles that you drop the inserts in. That way I only brought 2 bottles but 5 nipples (how many I would need for a day) and the inserts are all stacked inside each other so take up little room. That way I could wash the bottles and nipples each night but the bottles didn't get that dirty because of the drop ins. There are these bags by Medela (they are used for breast pump pieces but are pretty versatile) that you add water to and put the nipples and rings, pacifiers in and then run them through a microwave and it sanitizes them. We used these every other day as I didn't feel soap and water(especially Fla water with that taste :sick:) were sanitary enough. I know we had microwaves at the foodcourts at the resort we stayed at so I would run down in the evening while DH put the kids to bed to do this.
 

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