5 peeps - POR or 2x Value

[Mobes]

We have a party of 3 adults and 2 kids (ages 9 and 3) heading to Disney for Christmas 2013. Planning to stay 7 to 9 nights over Christmas week (wife is a teacher) and am aware there will most likely not be any discounts.

Trying to decide between booking a preferred room at POR, which has 2 queen beds and a pull down trundle bed, or booking 2 connecting rooms at a value resort. Booking POR would be about $500 cheaper. I looked at suites at the values, but it seems to be a better deal to just get 2 rooms over these dates. Also, am not really interested in paying deluxe rates this trip without a discount.

Important to us is early magic hours as we do rope drops most days and ease of transportation to the resort for mid afternoon relaxation and back to the parks in the evenings. We are rarely in our room as we are usually at a park, but getting a decent night sleep is important to us.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

 

[AliceIn]

I think with three adults, two rooms at a value might be more comfortable and easier to deal with. That second bathroom will be a godsend. I stayed in the family suites at AoA last year, and we loved it. Those rooms are actually a bit larger than two value rooms due to the configuration of the suites. The bedroom has a queen sized bed for the two adults sharing a bed (much better than a double!), and the beds in the living area were super comfortable. The mini-kitchen was a nice bonus. The suites at AoA are more than two value rooms, but not nearly as expensive as a deluxe.

 

[krd315]

We have done POR with 3 adults and 2 children and are doing it again in August.

My adult dd and her 6y/o dd shared one queen bed and her 8y/o dd slept on the pull down bed. My dh and I had the other queen bed. It works for us because we also do RD and are not in our room much.

We may do 2 values next year as the girls are getting older and having 2 bathrooms would be nice. However, I love the queen beds at POR and the resort is beautiful.

 

[nkereina]

Two values will give you more room and two bathrooms but you run the risk of not getting rooms next to each other. That is no guaranteed so whoever the third adult is may be stuck a few rooms down, or even another floor or building.

If your 3 year old is willing to sleep on the pull down murphy bed, then it might work out. If you had 3 kids, I’d be more confident – 3 adults makes me worry a little due to the lack of storage space and the room size. Depending on how big your 9 year old is, he or she may not be comfortable on that bed. It’s small and only meant for children 10 or 11 and younger.

 

[Mobes]

Thanks for the replies so far. A second shower was definitely a bonus. Not so concerned with storage as we are actually driving this time so we can store our emptied luggage in our mini van. One concern I have with the values is the lack of the mini fridge.

Any thoughts on differences in experiences with transportation (buses) in the values like AoA vs POR?

 

[AliceIn]

All rooms have mini fridges now. All resorts, even value.

 

[Mobes]

Great to know! Thank you. When I'm on the Disney World website for booking, it does not show fridges under the amenities, while it shows it for moderates and deluxes. Weird.

 

[nkereina]

All rooms have mini fridges now. All resorts, even value.

The value resorts have a "beverage cooler" which is smaller than a mini fridge. You can fit a few drinks in it but if you are the type to bring groceries or need something more than a place to put a couple bottles of water, then this won't work.

 

[KELLY]

The value resorts have a "beverage cooler" which is smaller than a mini fridge. You can fit a few drinks in it but if you are the type to bring groceries or need something more than a place to put a couple bottles of water, then this won't work.

IT is actually a fridge. No freezer part but it is the same size as the ones we have had at the moderates.

 

[nkereina]

IT is actually a fridge. No freezer part but it is the same size as the ones we have had at the moderates.

It's not advertised this way. I haven't seen it myself but I'm wondering if some may be different?