Family of 5 HELP PLEASE

[woodies05]

Hi there fellow Disney Lovers, My wife and 3 kids really want to head
across to Orlando this year, But I can't seem to find reasonably priced accommodation for the 5 of us onsite..
can anyone help shed some light on my best options?
kids are 12 9 and 3.

Cheers
Brendan

[AliceIn]

What is your overall budget?

[vicb224]

We have had that dilemma quite a few times in the past. We tried a few different options, and it really all depends on your family and budget.
In my opinion, your kids are young enough now where you can get away with one bathroom still. If I were you I'd book a room in the alligator bayou section if Port Orleans riverside. There are 2 queen beds and a pull down Murphy bed plenty big enough for your youngest 2.
Other than that, a family suite in one of the value resorts (Muslc or the new Art of Animation) would be good too. Kids would appreciate the theme, too. Check them both out
Good luck to you

[woodies05]

Thanks for the Advice
I guess the budget would be an avg of $100-$120 per night..
as were coming across from Australia with 5 of us so it's a huge
trip to make.

Cheers
Brendan

[AliceIn]

You will likely need to look for offsite accommodations for the budget amount you had in mind. There are some very nice places in the Downtown Disney area.

You might check out this thread:

http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=15


The Marriott Courtyard, Hilton, and a few other hotels in that area can fit a family of five.

Good luck to you!

[gilesmt]

Port Orlands riverside, but you have to ask for alligator bayou or a preferred room. It will have to be in the value season with the price range, like August, sept or jan. the rooms are not huge but you can make it work. The Murphy bed may make it a little bigger, last time we stayed they still had the trundles so it took up more room on the floor, but the Murphy bed looks much nicer. In off season you are looking at about $130 if they have a discount, I think that is the cheapest you will find.

You asked for on sight, as far as I know that is it for 5, unless you do a suite or two rooms and that would be over your budget by a lot.

[nherbert]

Port Orleans riverside alligator bayou is definitely your best option, we just stayed there and it was great. Go during a value season and when there is a 30% off sale and it will be well in budget - eg January (don't worry Florida winter is still very hot).
The next best option is AoA family suite, we loved this, but you will need to 35% off sale to bring it remotely near your budget. Again we went injanuary.

I think February, September are also pretty cheap - the value season - and also have good sales.

You can book and if a sale comes up you can apply retrospectively to your booking if it meets the conditions - we do this ALL the time.

[fla4fun]

Another thing to consider is how much you intend to spend on food for the five of you, especially if the 9 year old will be 10 by the time you visit (technically a Disney "adult" as far as pricing goes). It may be cheaper overall to get that POR bayou room during the fall free dining, if they offer it again. You do pay rack rate for the room, which would be higher than your budget, but you may do better in the long run if your meals are included in the total cost. Also, watch for package deals that include room, meals, and tickets. Sometimes those can offer you substantial savings.

Also, remember that staying on property means you don't have to rent a car, which can be an added expense. Your transportation from the airport to your Disney hotel is included in the rate as well.

[Dis703]

We also booked as a family of 5 and Port Orleans Riverside was the best deal on site that we found. Even then for our trip we were looking at close to $200 a night in regular season. I agree if you go at a time they offer dining again it may be worth it but otherwise you'll need to stay offsite to meet your budget.

[AliceIn]

Originally Posted by gilesmt

Port Orlands riverside, but you have to ask for alligator bayou or a preferred room. It will have to be in the value season with the price range, like August, sept or jan. the rooms are not huge but you can make it work. The Murphy bed may make it a little bigger, last time we stayed they still had the trundles so it took up more room on the floor, but the Murphy bed looks much nicer. In off season you are looking at about $130 if they have a discount, I think that is the cheapest you will find.

You asked for on sight, as far as I know that is it for 5, unless you do a suite or two rooms and that would be over your budget by a lot.

I think the discounts for the moderates is lower than for deluxes, usually 25% vs. 30-35 for the Deluxe. I think you can probably get POR for between $140-160 per night. For the Spring offer (I looked at May 11-18), it's $2553 including tickets. If you got the 8 day tickets by themselves it's $1548, which makes the 7 day room cost about $142.

[bsjs0708]

OK I am one of those who will only stay on-site ..NOW.. The first few times we went we HAD to stay off site due to budget and the fact that there were 6-8 people. That being said I would try the Homewood suites, Buena Vista suites and the Candlewood suites. I have stayed at the Homewood suites and they were great. Just do and internet search to see what deals you can get and keep in mind that once you arrive at your hotel you can probably just park the car... Most hotels around the WDW area have free shuttles to and from the hotel..

[gilesmt]

Originally Posted by AliceIn

I think the discounts for the moderates is lower than for deluxes, usually 25% vs. 30-35 for the Deluxe. I think you can probably get POR for between $140-160 per night. For the Spring offer (I looked at May 11-18), it's $2553 including tickets. If you got the 8 day tickets by themselves it's $1548, which makes the 7 day room cost about $142.

True, but that is spring when rack rate for the room is $221 a night, if you go in value, jan or sept the room Rack rate is $170 a night, so your room cost of $142 should be $119 a night, give or take. His budget was between $100-120, that is why I said value season. I also said $130 because I would go preferred room which is going to cost me an extra $10 a night on the discount, bringing the room to $129. So close to his budget.

[minnie mum]

OP, I think that given the size of your family and your budget, even if you go during value season, you would be better off looking offsite. You will be able to find a large hotel room or suite that will accommodate your family comfortably. The money saved will probably make up for the possible need for a rental car and paid parking at the parks.

There is a subforum for non-Disney resorts in Orlando, or you could check out Mousesavers.com, which lists some of the resorts nearby and some of the more common discounts to be found. Many of these places will also have a complementary breakfast.

[Megsie1000]

I would also advise Port Orleans Riverside. You wouldn't have to drive and you could stay on-site, which is really nice for a first stay. I would spring for the extra $ and stay on-site. When you land you can take the Magical Express to your resort and you can do the same for the way back to the airport. No worrying about transfers to and from the airport. No worrying about getting off a plane and trying to drive somewhere you've never been in a foreign country on the "wrong side of the road."

Depending on when you go Port Orleans Riverside could *almost* fit into your budget. I would look at easywdw.com at his "overall crowd calendar" where he tells you what dates in each month have the cheapest rates. I would book one of those times, look for further discounts and go for on-site. The rack rate is outside of your budget range but you can get there if you plan for the right time and find discounts. Good luck!

[tinkermommyof3]

Originally Posted by woodies05

Hi there fellow Disney Lovers, My wife and 3 kids really want to head
across to Orlando this year, But I can't seem to find reasonably priced accommodation for the 5 of us onsite..
can anyone help shed some light on my best options?
kids are 12 9 and 3.

Cheers
Brendan

I agree with most posters. Port Orleans - Riverside is the best value for family of 5. It is less than a family suite at a value. We have stayed there in the past. It is a lovely resort. Nice pool, food court, etc. Rooms are not huge but would be fine for your aged children. Still might be just a little over your quoted budget even with a discount. If you can swing it, it would be a nice place to stay for your family.