Cheapest trip for family of 5

[ejgonz2]

Hi, with a family of 5 (and needing a minivan if we had to rent a car), is the cheapest possible option to stay at CBR during free dining?

We do eat our meals and have gotten good value from free dining in the past.

Just wondering if staying on site + free dining (and eating breakfast in our room from garden grocer) and no car rental is the cheapest option vs staying offsite + paying for meals + car rental?

I believe it is but wanted to ask all of you.

Thoughts?

 

[Marionnette]

Hi, with a family of 5 (and needing a minivan if we had to rent a car), is the cheapest possible option to stay at CBR during free dining?

We do eat our meals and have gotten good value from free dining in the past.

Just wondering if staying on site + free dining (and eating breakfast in our room from garden grocer) and no car rental is the cheapest option vs staying offsite + paying for meals + car rental?

I believe it is but wanted to ask all of you.

Thoughts?

There's no way of knowing. We have no idea whether you're talking about an offsite hotel, a vacation home, or a condo. We don't know when you're going, which influences the cost of a rental vehicle. We don't know how your family dines normally. But here's the thing: You Do!

So, get out a pen and paper or start a spreadsheet. Then start researching prices and add them to your plans.

And keep in mind that there are no guarantees that *free* dining will be offered or that it will be offered in the same form that it has been in the past.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Hi, with a family of 5 (and needing a minivan if we had to rent a car), is the cheapest possible option to stay at CBR during free dining?

We do eat our meals and have gotten good value from free dining in the past.

Just wondering if staying on site + free dining (and eating breakfast in our room from garden grocer) and no car rental is the cheapest option vs staying offsite + paying for meals + car rental?

I believe it is but wanted to ask all of you.

Thoughts?

Free dining seems to be getting more and more limited. What you propose MAY be cheaper if you can get it and if it is as all-inclusive as it has been in the past (both are NO guarantees this year). However, you can easily get a much more enjoyable, livable experience offsite in a 2 bedroom condo for about $100/night. The minivan all-inclusive (with gas/parking/tolls) can be had easily for $500/week (if you're a savvy shopper). And every condo meal vs inpark meal likely saves you $30-$100 per meal (whether you are CS or TS and whether your 5 people are 3 kids/2 adults or all Disney adults)...so, you can probably get your 2 bedroom location plus minivan for $1500/week (max cost) and you could enjoy all the space and amenities of same. Then you add on food costs for how you would eat in a condo with a minivan option vs in a Disney hotel.

I would always find it cheaper offsite (and have). But I enjoy Magical Dining Month and other things (like in-room hot tubs, lazy rivers, waterslides, free mini golf, etc) where I stay...

 

[MommyinHonduras]

Also if you do not normally add park hoppers, $64x5= $320 (I think this current price) to add to your tickets just to have "free dining" if pattern from last year repeats. That was the deal breaker for our family to stay off site instead of CBR if they offer free dining this fall. I am also churrning gift cards. I have already made an additional $650 since Christmas and planning to hit $1200. I am adding that to our our in park food budget so we can eat without looking at prices that comes with the "free dining" freedom.

 

[Vernie822]

Like others have said, definitely depends on what you're looking for. I'd price the two out - CBR (or whatever resort), with the park hoppers they required last year, and the dining plan. Price it out without the dining plan (so you can see what it'd be like if the DDP was free). Then take a look at where you'd be offsite, make a budget per day you'd be able to spend on meals, and add in a rental car + parking fees. Don't forget a hotel may make you pay for parking there, too.

 

[Vernie822]

Also, I'm not sure what the Value resort family suites are like since I've never considered them, but give those a look too. Maybe those would work without the free dining but with a room discount? I have no idea if that would work for your family or if they're included in free dining, but I think they have a microwave and stuff so you could do breakfast in the room.

 

[momof2gr8kids]

It depends too on your family. When we were 5 at POR with FD it definitely was cheaper than staying offsite in a condo as we were 4 Disney "adults". I've done the math a few times even with 4 of us for our next trip, all Disney "adults" and it would be about 1000 cheaper offsite in a condo for 9 nights (that's our average trip length). But then we need to eat out of that $1000, which we can do eating breakfasts in the condo and most dinners.

Of course, we could probably find an even cheaper condo, but I like something that has a variety of things to do - lots of pools, lazy river, mini golf, etc.

In the end, the FD will probably work out about the same, depending on the kind of vacation you want. If you always want to eat in restaurants, or do lots of character meals, it will probably be cheaper.

Our last trip was Universal/Seaworld and staying at WBC and I loved the space and the activities. I enjoyed relaxing at the pool before dinner in the condo and not having to get ready to go somewhere to eat after everyone was exhausted. I did miss the option of splitting up if some of us wanted to go back to resort, or sleep in while some went to parks. I also missed not stressing about the price tag at the restaurants. Since we are from Canada, it was even more stressful converting that in my head... lol. Although next trip dd will be 15 and ds 12 so that means dh and I split up with the kids for sleeping, and no place to escape each other. On the fence with what to do, but you need to factor in what kind of vacation you want and what's worth the $$ to you.

 

[zilp]

Like PP mentioned, it depends on your families needs/wants. We are a family of 5. Staying offsite saves big $$$, but usually that does require planning in advance to get the best discounts. In our case, DH and I prefer 2 bedrooms, full kitchen, laundry facilities for our accommodations. In that case, staying offsite saves us a lot of money vs staying onsite. We prefer some home cooking on vacation while others don't want to deal with that at all. Same goes for driving. Some people don't want to drive and prefer to leave that to Disney transportation. Once you decide what is important to you, start planning from there.

 

[Darcy03231]

We're a family of 6 and I've found that it's much less expensive to rent an off-site home and minivan and eat most meals off-site. Last year we went for 10 days. I rented a 4 bedroom/2 bath private pool home for $100/night inclusive of all taxes and fees. Minivan was about $375. We were there in August and ended up eating most of our meals in. We had a big breakfast every morning, took an afternoon break and went back to the house for a swim/nap/rest and then went back to the parks in the evening. I did some casserole meals in the disposable pans for some meals. Others we ate out - pizza, Chinese, etc. and sometimes we stopped at Walmart for rotisserie chicken, bagged salad, etc. We love having the extra room and the private pool.

 

[tzolkin]

Also, I'm not sure what the Value resort family suites are like since I've never considered them, but give those a look too. Maybe those would work without the free dining but with a room discount? I have no idea if that would work for your family or if they're included in free dining, but I think they have a microwave and stuff so you could do breakfast in the room.

The family suites at AoA are significantly more expensive than a moderate.

The fall prices are:
AoA suite: $327/372 rack = $261/298 if a 20% discount was offered
CBR: $206/234 rack rate

So the moderate would be $55-64 cheaper per night plus meals would be included (if they get free dining)

This has been a annoyance for me since they opened. I don't know why it's considered a "value" resort. We could stay at a deluxe during the same dates for about the same price (Contemporary would be $280/289 with a 30% discount)

 

[Marionnette]

The family suites at AoA are significantly more expensive than a moderate.

The fall prices are:
AoA suite: $327/372 rack = $261/298 if a 20% discount was offered
CBR: $206/234 rack rate

So the moderate would be $55-64 cheaper per night plus meals would be included (if they get free dining)

This has been a annoyance for me since they opened. I don't know why it's considered a "value" resort. We could stay at a deluxe during the same dates for about the same price (Contemporary would be $280/289 with a 30% discount)

It's a "value" resort because you're getting a suite for much less than a suite would cost you at a Moderate (CSR) or Deluxe Resort. The fact that it is not as well-appointed as the higher-end suites on property is a reflection of its location at a Value Resort. You're comparing apples to oranges when try to equate Value Resort suites with regular Deluxe Resort rooms.

 

[tzolkin]

It's a "value" resort because you're getting a suite for much less than a suite would cost you at a Moderate (CSR) or Deluxe Resort. The fact that it is not as well-appointed as the higher-end suites on property is a reflection of its location at a Value Resort. You're comparing apples to oranges when try to equate Value Resort suites with regular Deluxe Resort rooms.

I understand the differences from Disney's perspective, but that doesn't seem to be the focus when people mention AoA on the Dis. Because it's designated as a "value" it's often suggested on the Dis as an inexpensive option (not an inexpensive option for a suite, but a general suggestion for a budget trip). It's often assumed to be the cheapest option for a family of 5(+) because it's a value resort. Some who are new to Disney stop there because after seeing the prices in the value category (AoA) they expect that they cannot afford moderate or deluxe.

 

[andiraye]

I think when it comes to costs you can always find cheaper options staying offsite. Orlando has a hugely competitive hotel/condo market and there are incredible deals to be had that are hard to find anywhere else. You can certainly find a hotel, condo or house that is cheaper than a Disney property, even if you factor in the cost of renting a car. Plus, if you rent condo, you will have access to a kitchen, which together with your car, enables you to grocery shop and eat snacks, breakfast and other meals in your room, which enables you to save more money. Six of us stayed just off property in a condo at Wyndham Bonnet Creek last year and we saved a TON of money compared to two moderate rooms, even during free dining.

But there are other considerations. Some people don't want to cook at all on vacation. If so, the food cost savings is greatly diminished. Some people don't want to have to drive while on vacation. Some people don't want to leave the Disney bubble. And some people want be as close to the parks as possible. You have to take those factors into consideration.

That being said, if it's a purely economic decision -- can you do a Disney vacay more cheaply than a mod resort during free dining? The answer is almost certainly yes.

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

Since our family needs two rooms onsite, the total for staying offsite in a Windsor Hills condo was way less than staying in two discounted value resort rooms; and that also includes the cost of renting a minivan and paying for parking. You also have to consider that you will be saving a bundle on food by being able to go to a grocery store and having a kitchen, and you'll also have a plethora of more affordable offsite restaurant options even if you still want to do a few Disney dining reservations (e.g, the cost for us to eat at Applebee's in Kissimmee was less than most of our counter service meals in the parks). There was a time when free dining made the cost for us to stay onsite comparable to staying offsite; but that was only if that involved staying at the value resort level with *value* season prices and without being required to get the park hopper or water park add on.

 

[carlakoala]

.

Darcy03231 Please may I kindly know where your family stayed offsite whilst at WDW? Our situation sounds similar and I am keen for a recommendation. Thanks

 

[Marionnette]

I understand the differences from Disney's perspective, but that doesn't seem to be the focus when people mention AoA on the Dis. Because it's designated as a "value" it's often suggested on the Dis as an inexpensive option (not an inexpensive option for a suite, but a general suggestion for a budget trip). It's often assumed to be the cheapest option for a family of 5(+) because it's a value resort. Some who are new to Disney stop there because after seeing the prices in the value category (AoA) they expect that they cannot afford moderate or deluxe.

Interesting observation. I see Moderate Resorts that sleep 5 being suggested more often than the Value Resort suites when it comes to families of 5. More than 5 and you have to get 2 rooms or a suite in any of the resorts. There are no regular rooms that accommodate ≥6 people. The cabins, DVC villas can and Family Suites can. Of those 3, the Family Suites ARE the most affordable onsite choice.

 

[TwoMisfits]

One point never made - even "free dining" isn't free (and that's even getting past the ticket requirements, room requirements, etc). A moderate with a regular plan (1 CS, 1 TS, 1 snack) has to pay the tip for the TS every day. For a family of 4 Disney "adults" (2 adults, 2 juniors) at a regular TS, with a $22 entree, an $8 dessert, and a $3 soda (and this is very low b/c most will try to "maximize" value), a tip of $23.76 will be required to be paid in cash at each meal - and really this is probably closer to $30, b/c most people order the more expensive entrees, desserts, and drinks. I know many on this board could feed their families dinner for that value pretty nicely in their condo (NY Strip steaks with baked potatoes and salad, anyone?. They could also spend $10-$20 more and eat at an equivalent offsite TS. Or they could spend the $23.76 at a Disney CS and probably also need to chip in only $10-$20 more/meal. So, the savings per day come down a lot, and that's without even considering the need to pay rack rate, the need to purchase ticket options you might not want (like hopper and min days), and room preferences you might not want (like preferred view). It's really not a question that you can do offsite cheaper at 5...it's just whether you'd want to.

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

The family suites at AoA are significantly more expensive than a moderate.

This has been a annoyance for me since they opened. I don't know why it's considered a "value" resort. We could stay at a deluxe during the same dates for about the same price (Contemporary would be $280/289 with a 30% discount)

Since Disney markets AOA almost as if it is their "flagship" resort for "larger" families, I truly wonder what percentage of the guests in the AOA suites actually are families of five or six considering the per night cost to stay there? On our last Disney trip three years ago, when we were getting ready to board the plane to Orlando this one lady looked at us and said "you're a family of six, I bet you're staying at Art of Animation". I said "Nope, a 3 bedroom condo" and she gave me the most puzzled look.

 

[quagmire0]

We're a family of 6. We normally go in June and stay offsite. In the past, I've paid anywhere between $600 - $800 for a 3 bedroom condo/townhome at Windsor Hills. For the same dates, a value resort room costs you $1100. If you add a minivan at $400/wk, you're still cheaper at the offsite or maybe a little over. Food is a toss-up, because I've heard people complain of not enough food on the plan and people complain of too much food on the plan, so it's all subjective. The nice thing about staying offsite is that you can take a quick trip to the grocery store and cover as many breakfasts, lunches, and dinners that you want for cheap - then splurge on the occasional meal on site.

You're also comparing a 3 bedroom condo to a glorified hotel room. Everyone has plenty of space and everyone gets their own bedroom to sleep in. To me, it's a no brainer when you're talking about going to Disney on a budget.


Here are a couple examples of places you can stay offsite:

https://www.vrbo.com/127608ha (Place we'll be staying next trip)

https://www.vrbo.com/89676 (Place we stayed at twice prevously)

But there's a TON of places to stay, not just in Windsor Hills, but there are several other resorts close by.

 

[Darcy03231]

Darcy03231 Please may I kindly know where your family stayed offsite whilst at WDW? Our situation sounds similar and I am keen for a recommendation. Thanks

We stayed here:

https://www.vacationhomerentals.com/Kissimmee/proID-64390/

We were very happy with the house and its location. Owner was very easy to deal with. We had a minor issue while we were there with the stove and it was promptly resolved.