I had it all figured out until...

[allstonsmommy]

My parents decided they wanted to join us on your trip! Don't get me wrong, I am happy they are going to be joining us... I am just known for changing my resort reservations many many times before I figure out what I really want. Now I have to decide if I should just book another standard room or if I should look into a 2 bedroom villa. My parents live about 14 hours from us so it would be nice to be able to spend some extra time with them but I also know they will need to escape from my wild little boys at times. My twins are 2 so a quiet place for them to sleep is a must. We will have 7 people total consisting of 4 adults, and 3 children. I have looked at the villas at OKW but just wanting some opinions on what you all would do. We qualify for military rates so that should help keep things on budget whatever we choose.

 

[ExpatDisneyLover]

Just off the top of my head (my parents are in their mid 70's and would need their own space)- how about a 1 bedroom villa for you and your kids and a studio for mom and dad. That way they will have their own space, you'll have space and a full kitchen (for family meals if you want) plus washer/dryer. Don't know how that works out as far as cost goes compared to a 2 bedroom villa. OKW is good in that it is has the largest villas on property. My personal favorite is AKL/AKV.

At any rate 2 standard rooms would also be doable.

Have fun choosing!

 

[Eliza32]

CAn't you get the 1 bed with a studio lock-off at OKW???

 

[letsgoreds]

LOVE having a kitchen + washer/dryer with little ones. Pick a villa and go with a 2br lockoff or dedicated 2br. I would go with dedicated 2br so that you have 2 queen beds for your family of 5. With the lockoff you lose one queen size bed.

That being said, it would still be cheaper to rent points vs. take advantage of any discounts. I priced paying $$$ for villas with a families 40% off CM discount, and at $12PP, renting was the way to go.

The top of my list would be BLT because of the proximity to MK, but that is hard to get. Both BLT and AKV-Kidani give you a full third bathroom.

We're in the same boat next Dec. Going with the inlaws and unsure if we will to villa or 2BR villa. I was seriously thinking of splurging for conceirge level for the first time for access to breakfast, etc. (WL, BC).

One drawback to the villas is that many of them are outdated vs. the standard hotel rooms. This is true in WL. BLT and ALK-Kidani are the newest and look great IMO. We're considering BC this year...never stayed in an Epcot resort, and like the ability to walk to Epcot and Boardwalk area. Good luck!

 

[nkereina]

I doubt this is the most economical choice, but how about Treehouse Villas at SSR? It's something you need to book pretty far out so it would depend when you're travelling. Your parents could take the master bedroom with bathroom on one side of the villa, and then there are two bedrooms and a bathroom on the other side of the villa that you and your kids can take. I think the couch has a pull out bed as well. Definitely ample space, just not sure how it compares cost-wise.

 

[twodogs]

At BLT, there is a significant price difference btwn a studio plus a one Bdrm villa and a 2 bedroom villa (though the amount of space is the same). The 2 bedroom is much less than the two separately. But we could not get anything other than a studio on the military discount at BLT. Got the 2 Bdrm villa with 20% off AAA, and that was better than military on the studio and nothing on the 1 bedroom.

 

[Deb & Bill]

LOVE having a kitchen + washer/dryer with little ones. Pick a villa and go with a 2br lockoff or dedicated 2br. I would go with dedicated 2br so that you have 2 queen beds for your family of 5. With the lockoff you lose one queen size bed....

Not at OKW. The second bedroom/studio always has two queen beds.

One drawback to the villas is that many of them are outdated vs. the standard hotel rooms. This is true in WL.

No, they are not dated. They are themed. They are on a different refurbishment schedule than the hotels that they might be connected to because refurbishments are paid for by owners (DVC is a timeshare).

 

[disnut8]

My parents decided they wanted to join us on your trip! Don't get me wrong, I am happy they are going to be joining us... I am just known for changing my resort reservations many many times before I figure out what I really want. Now I have to decide if I should just book another standard room or if I should look into a 2 bedroom villa. My parents live about 14 hours from us so it would be nice to be able to spend some extra time with them but I also know they will need to escape from my wild little boys at times. My twins are 2 so a quiet place for them to sleep is a must. We will have 7 people total consisting of 4 adults, and 3 children. I have looked at the villas at OKW but just wanting some opinions on what you all would do. We qualify for military rates so that should help keep things on budget whatever we choose.

If it were me (and it was in January with both sets of parents plus our son and his family), we were perfect with four rooms at Pop Century. Each subset had their own bathroom and beds, each could escape if they wanted or we all could be together, like we were for a pizza party one night. We used cell phones and the room phones for communication, we could arraign to meet in the parks, or we could all go together. Just a lot of flexibility.

And to add - my dad and stepmother live five hours from us, my mother-in-law ten hours from us, and my son and his family 12 hours. It really was a great time for everyone. Close enough but lots of private time if we wanted.

 

[minnie mum]

Have to agree with disnut8. There is definitely such a thing as TOO much togetherness. I think you might want to consider separate accommodations for the Grandparents. That way they can have privacy and quiet when they need it. It might also make nap times and early bedtimes for the children easier to manage as well. By all means get a villa for your family if you feel that you need the kitchen and laundry, but I would still get a regular room for Grandma and Grandpa. As much as you all love each other and want to spend time together, 24/7 x a week is an awful lot to ask.

 

[disnut8]

It might also make nap times and early bedtimes for the children easier to manage as well.

Yes, I should add that my mother-in-law is in bed no later than 10:00 PM, my son and his family stay up until midnight, my brother-in-law sleeps until 10:00 AM, and my dad is in a wheelchair so I think 9:00 PM is a late night for him. So having the four rooms was invaluable. I couldn't imagine all of us in a place where some would have to be quiet at night and some would have to be quiet in the morning. When we were in our rooms, we were ourselves and not having to consider anyone else for that time. It is a vacation, after all.

 

[allstonsmommy]

My parents are young grandparents They stay up later than me!

 

[nolanboys]

We've stayed in a 2 bdrm at OKW twice with my inlaws- a total of 8. It was great. People could go to bed or relax in the living room. We had a great time after the kids went to bed playing games. It also made for peaceful mornings. Whoever got up first would make the coffee and sat out on the balcony. We never felt cramped - even when my sister-in-law and her family(4) came over from their room for dinner. The first time we went, my inlaws had the MB, and we had the other bdrm (kids were little, so 3 fit in one bed and baby was in pack and play). When we went a second time, my inlaws shared a room with 2 of the kids, and we had air mattresses for the other 2 in the MB. I know many would have used the living room for sleeping, but we really liked having that room open. Highly reccommend OKW for the size of the villas.