Where to stay

[Princessmom619]

Hoping someone can help. I'm sure this has been posted before....we are planning our first trip. We have go to Disneyland 3x a year and are dying for a DW trip. I'm trying to be as "cheap"
As possible since I need to pay for cross country airfare for 5 (ouch). Where is the best place to stay. I'm seeing the value resorts are out because we have 3 kids, although they would be ok 3 to a bed, where is our best option to stay. Kids are 14,9 and 3 if it matters. Thanks so much. This is step 1...determining where to stay

[minnie mum]

First of all: Welcome to the Dis!!!

Since you are a family of five, the regular value rooms and moderate rooms will not be available to you- the maximum room occupancy is strictly enforced and your youngest is now 3.

However, you could stay in an Alligator Bayou room at POR. They allow 5 people per room with the 5th (a child) sleeping on a Murphy bed.

The next cheapest alternative would be 2 connecting value rooms.

Then there are the family suites at All Star Music.

Much more expensive would be the family suites at Art of Animation or a room at one of the Deluxe resorts that sleep 5 to a room (not all deluxes do, though).

Hope that helps as a start. You'll want to look for a room only or package discount for your trip dates, if possible, to help with your costs. But this will greatly depend on what those dates are.

[mum2four]

If you're trying to be as cheap as possible, then Port Orleans Riverside is your best option for a family of five.

[mickeynut1]

I agree that POR would be the cheapest option. As has been mentioned, you could do 2 rooms at a value and request connecting rooms, but that would only be a request and is not guaranteed. With doing that, you would be taking the chance that the rooms would not be connecting and the family split up into different rooms. For the guarantee of everyone staying together, I'd go with POR. Good luck.

[Sue M]

Yes, Port Orleans will be your cheapest option. As mentioned, they won't let you exceed occup limits, and POR is the only moderate with 5 occup in the Alligator Bayou section. Rooms have been recently refurbed and are very nice. It's our fav moderate resort. Grounds are beautiful.

Mousesavers.com has a chart of Historical Discounts, so you can see when WDW has released discounts in the past. Value season usually has the best discounts. And cheapest room rates.

Another good Wdw planning web site is Allears.net. They have menus of every restaurant in wdw, and loads of resort pics too. Be sure you are looking at the New pics for POR. They have a link on upper right? of the POR pics page. Many pics are of the old rooms.

Wdw is much bigger then DL, a good ref book I like is WDW The Unofficial Guide.

I watch Kayak for air fares, pretty much every airline except SW is listed. I fly from the west coast too, usually Seattle, and can get fares between $300 - $350
Incl tax. Sometimes lower.

Happy planning.

[Princessmom619]

thanks for the info im so overwelmed..its just such a bummer because the 3 year old refuses to sleep alone so the extra sleeping area is such a waste...oh well I highly doubt that im the first with these issues and Im sure i wont be the last

[Princessmom619]

Ok for POR what is it like getting to and from the parks

[amfie928]

Originally Posted by mickeynut1

I agree that POR would be the cheapest option. As has been mentioned, you could do 2 rooms at a value and request connecting rooms, but that would only be a request and is not guaranteed. With doing that, you would be taking the chance that the rooms would not be connecting and the family split up into different rooms. For the guarantee of everyone staying together, I'd go with POR. Good luck.

I recently called to check prices for my brother, he is a family of 5 - two adults and children 12, 11 and 8. He was also taking his m.i.l. I was told that if it was solely two adults and three kids connecting rooms would be guaranteed but since a third adult was going it would not. I called the CM reso line as I work for TDS but it can't hurt to call and ask if at a value resort the same thing would occur. He wanted a two br villa but it was not available and his only option was 2 rooms.

[amfie928]

Originally Posted by Princessmom619

Ok for POR what is it like getting to and from the parks

BTW... POR is one of my favorite resorts. So peaceful. The grounds are beautiful and there are so many things to do there if you need a break from the Parks. Depending on time of year you go wait times can be a little long for busses but thats true of any non monorail resort. But they have multiple bus stops so you don't have to walk too far if you get off at a stop near your room. Allears is a fantastic website... I tell all guests who buy park passes at the store to check it out. Espescially WDW "virgins" They also just posted a new POR video on you tube. Watched it this morning and am now second guessing my desire to stay at the Contemporary in September on my solo trip!

[Princessmom619]

thank you all so much for being so kind to me!!!!! I know this is prob not the correct area but heat wise is july horrible we are california people, heat doesnt bug us but we are not use to humity and is i were to book for this july would it be hard to get ADR this late

[mickeynut1]

Originally Posted by amfie928

I recently called to check prices for my brother, he is a family of 5 - two adults and children 12, 11 and 8. He was also taking his m.i.l. I was told that if it was solely two adults and three kids connecting rooms would be guaranteed but since a third adult was going it would not. I called the CM reso line as I work for TDS but it can't hurt to call and ask if at a value resort the same thing would occur. He wanted a two br villa but it was not available and his only option was 2 rooms.

Reservation CMs tell people this, but in reality, connecting rooms are not a guarantee. If there are 2 adults with several children, Disney can split them up and put 1 adult in each room if connecting rooms are not available. Connecting rooms are only guaranteed when there is one adult to several children that won't fit in 1 room, and even then people have reported not getting connecting rooms in this instance. Connecting rooms, along with any other request, is just that....a request.....and is not guaranteed, no matter what is stated on the reservation or what the CM says. Disney will do everything they can to accommodate guests and fulfill requests, but if connecting rooms are not available, the guest won't get them.

[amfie928]

Originally Posted by Princessmom619

thank you all so much for being so kind to me!!!!! I know this is prob not the correct area but heat wise is july horrible we are california people, heat doesnt bug us but we are not use to humity and is i were to book for this july would it be hard to get ADR this late

Any summer month is humid in Florida. I have been there nearly every month of the year and the least humid is Spring and late Fall. I was there October 8 - 12 last year and it was still hot and humid. I live in Ohio so I am used to humidity but it still can take a toll. And it will rain...alot...but I think thats part of the magic...getting to wear Mickey ponchos and splashing thru puddles! Usually rains in afternoon for maybe an hour or two then can clear up.

Some ADRs may be difficult to get or you may have odd times. If possible try for odd hours. Either a late lunch or early dinner you may have better luck.

[amfie928]

Originally Posted by mickeynut1

Reservation CMs tell people this, but in reality, connecting rooms are not a guarantee. If there are 2 adults with several children, Disney can split them up and put 1 adult in each room if connecting rooms are not available. Connecting rooms are only guaranteed when there is one adult to several children that won't fit in 1 room, and even then people have reported not getting connecting rooms in this instance. Connecting rooms, along with any other request, is just that....a request.....and is not guaranteed, no matter what is stated on the reservation or what the CM says. Disney will do everything they can to accommodate guests and fulfill requests, but if connecting rooms are not available, the guest won't get them.

Good to know...I know my brother didn't want to take a chance but I would hope that Reso CMs would not "guarantee" something if it wasn't possible. Too many guest service issues if the guest took down names. I know we are not allowed to "guarantee " anything at the store as it could come back and bite you...you know where!

[jmcghee2024]

I agree with POR. Unless it's during a super busy time, the buses are very managable. Approx. 15 minute ride to any park plus you have the boats to DD.

[mickeynut1]

Originally Posted by amfie928

Good to know...I know my brother didn't want to take a chance but I would hope that Reso CMs would not "guarantee" something if it wasn't possible. Too many guest service issues if the guest took down names. I know we are not allowed to "guarantee " anything at the store as it could come back and bite you...you know where!

I agree and that's where so much frustration comes into play when people are "guaranteed" something and don't get it. There are so many CMs that guarantee things such as connecting rooms and give out wrong information. With all of that said, your brother's chances are probably good that he will get connecting rooms, but there is the chance that they won't be available when he checks in. If he's not given connecting rooms at check in, he can always ask if they will be available later on and if they will be able to accommodate him later in the day/evening, he can wait. Good luck to him and I hope everything works out .