Art of Animation: 2 x Std Rooms or 1 x Family Suite

[blaqjaq]

Hi All

Heading to DW in early December with my wife (We are both early 30's) and our three kids aged 13, 7 and 1.

I was originally planning on renting DVC Points to stay in a villa but it seems after some advice that I've left it too late to book using that method.

Now looking at staying at Art of Animation, seems to be the nicer of the value's and better theming for the kids than the moderates. I'd love to stay at Contemporary but can't justify spending $400 a night for a small room.

So the decision is, do we book 1 x family suite, or 2 x standard rooms? I love the cars theme, tho for about the same money, the space and privacy of having two separate rooms seems pretty good? We can then have a King Size bed (i'm 6 foot 2) and the kids can have a double bed each.

Are there any standard rooms which aren't Little Mermaid themed? And would you go 2 x standard rooms or 1 x family suite?

Thanks in advance

 

[Disneylover99]

All the standard rooms are Little Mermaid, and they are a far walk from the main building.
I would choose a family suite if staying at AofA.

 

[Hopefully]

The bed in the bedroom of a Family Suite is a Queen bed, not a King bed I believe. If you booked 2 Standard rooms there is no guarantee they would be connecting. You and your wife would have to split up with one adult in each room.
I would book the family suite.

 

[uccats97]

One family suite will be easier, plenty of space, and should be more cost effective. The family suites have a master suite with a queen bed, separate bathroom, and TV. FYI, DH is 6'5" and was comfortable in the queen bed. The kids will have their choice of the pullout bed in the living room or the TableBed in the dining room in addition to their own bathroom. DS was 17 & 6' when we stayed and thought the pullout was the most comfortable one he's ever slept on. Our family of 6 was quite happy with our stay in the suite!

 

[blaqjaq]

Yep so family suite is a queen only, which my wife and i will squeeze into but not comfortably (We sleep in a king at home so anything smaller feels tiny)

benefit of two separate rooms is we have a king size bed and the kids will have two doubles, Miss 13 can get a little moody as teenagers do and will no doubt enjoy having some space away from mom and dad at night. As long as we're on the same floor, I'm not too worried if our 13 year old and 7 year old are a few rooms away from us, tho interconnecting or next door is absolutely our preference.

benefit of a suite, is having the shared living area, nicer theming imo and slightly closer to the lobby/bus stop (Though 7-8 minute walk is no biggie to me). Also benefit of a suite is having a corridor rather than the normal rooms not having entry via a corridor

The suite is about $500 more expensive over the entire stay compared to two rooms

I'm really drawn between the two :/

 

[RachealM]

With kiddos that age, I'd definitely just do a Family Suite at AoA. The rooms are a nice size and the decor is great. We stayed in a Nemo suite there with 4 adults and 2 kids and it was perfect.

 

[Hopefully]

Why are you thinking you will get a King Bed in a Little Mermaid room? Even if you request one, it is just a request not a guarantee. I certainly wouldn't let that be my deciding factor. And by Disney policy, a 13 yo and a 7 yo can not be in a room without an adult.

 

[blaqjaq]

OK done, will go a family suite Thanks all!!!

 

[myminnieme]

Family suite for sure. There is a separate bedroom with a very nice bathroom in addition to the common area. I love the suites.

 

[POOHsie]

Why are you thinking you will get a King Bed in a Little Mermaid room? Even if you request one, it is just a request not a guarantee. I certainly wouldn't let that be my deciding factor. And by Disney policy, a 13 yo and a 7 yo can not be in a room without an adult.

I agree with this. The Disney connecting rooms that I'm familiar with have one King Handicap room and one connecting Double-Double room. The King Handicap room may have a roll-in shower. I don't mind that, but some people do. I also don't know if AoA has any regular King rooms, since LM is the only section of AoA with single rooms. I do know that across the lake at Pop Century there are just a few King rooms, unless it's the King Handicap room. For those families who consist of 2 adults and the remaining guests are children, Disney tries to give them priority for connecting rooms. But because of high occupancy rate, Disney won't give out an absolute guarantee. AoA is new and very popular right now, and LM rooms are always booked up, versus the remaining sections of AoA which are family suite-only.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Yep so family suite is a queen only, which my wife and i will squeeze into but not comfortably (We sleep in a king at home so anything smaller feels tiny)

benefit of two separate rooms is we have a king size bed and the kids will have two doubles, Miss 13 can get a little moody as teenagers do and will no doubt enjoy having some space away from mom and dad at night. As long as we're on the same floor, I'm not too worried if our 13 year old and 7 year old are a few rooms away from us, tho interconnecting or next door is absolutely our preference.

benefit of a suite, is having the shared living area, nicer theming imo and slightly closer to the lobby/bus stop (Though 7-8 minute walk is no biggie to me). Also benefit of a suite is having a corridor rather than the normal rooms not having entry via a corridor

The suite is about $500 more expensive over the entire stay compared to two rooms

I'm really drawn between the two :/

Disney won't allow children only in a non-connected room. They will require one adult (18 or older) in each room. Like Hopefully said, there is no guarantee you will get two connecting rooms. You'll have to go with the family suite instead of two rooms if you won't split up the adults.

 

[blaqjaq]

I don't want to sound like a smart @$$ but how would disney know who is sleeping in what room?

 

[FantasiaMagic]

Family suite!
-Closest to main building (Nemo is closest) - my friends and I stayed in one this past Spring and LOVED it!
- 3 beds
-2 full bathrooms
-master bedroom (queen bed), with one of the bathrooms
-kitchenette

And even if you don't stay in the LM section, make sure you go check out the figures over there, they are awesome. Any LM fan would appreciate them!

 

[uccats97]

I already gave my opinion of staying in a family suite, however, I will add that DH and I stayed in a NON accessible (regular) king bed Little Mermaid room. They do exist. I think requesting a king room that connects to a room with two doubles would be a long shot. Go with the family suite. You'll be happy with it for sure!

 

[aggiekat]

Just an FYI that I called Disney to ask about this and was told that if you are booking 2 LM rooms for a family of 5 or more (2 adults and 3 kids) that you are guaranteed connecting rooms. For my situation, family of 6 with 4 adults and 2 kids we are NOT guaranteed our request of adjoining rooms.

 

[dansdad]

Just an FYI that I called Disney to ask about this and was told that if you are booking 2 LM rooms for a family of 5 or more (2 adults and 3 kids) that you are guaranteed connecting rooms. For my situation, family of 6 with 4 adults and 2 kids we are NOT guaranteed our request of adjoining rooms.

Unfortunately you were given incorrect information. Connecting rooms are never guaranteed. Two trips my wife and I had "guaranteed" connecting rooms for the 2 of us and 5 kids under the age of 12. Both trips not only were our rooms not connecting the 1st trip our rooms were in 2 different buildings and the 2nd trip we were in the same building, 2 different floors.

Both times we booked "correctly", 2 rooms with 1 reservation number but alas we found out quickly that the fine print states the only thing you are guaranteed is a room on property. Every time I called I was told "oh yes, since there are more minors than adults your connecting rooms are guaranteed". ALL our documentation stated "Guaranteed Connecting Rooms". They really need to stop telling people this and printing it on "official" documentation.

Now having said all this, Disney will do everything they can to grant a request of connecting rooms. But it truly is only a request and is definitely not guaranteed.

 

[aggiekat]

Good info to know, dansdad! Thanks!

 

[minnie mum]

I don't want to sound like a smart @$$ but how would disney know who is sleeping in what room?

You are really asking this? How about Housekeeping? How about the guests in the room next door who call security or the front desk complaining about unaccompanied kids making noise next door?

And how does your wife feel about her children being alone in a strange place? All by themselves, with their parents several doors away? I don't know how things are done in your country, but in the US, if this was discovered, you would be having a very long, intimate conversation with Child Protective Services.