Disney for 5, where to stay?

[G-gang]

We are a family of 5 that will be visiting Disney for our first time. From what I can tell, there are only 5 resorts that allow 5 people to a single hotel room.

Important features to us are overall value, transportation to the parks, inexpensive to moderate on-site or nearby dining choices, and of course, a nice kid-friendly pool area.

With that being said, which of the following would you recommend:

Polynesian
Contemporary
Port Orleans- Riverside (Alligator Bayou)
Beach/Yacht Club
Boardwalk Inn

 

[ahutton]

My favorite area is the Boardwalk and Yacht/Beach area. They are right at the International Gateway to EPCOT, very convenient for spending evenings strolling EPCOT and then back to your room. Also nice because we love to bus to MK in the morning, do some things there, and then work our way across EPCOT toward the hotel for the afternoon/evening. You may be able to save some money by renting points from a DVC member, which would give you more space for your dollars at Boardwalk or Beach Club also!

 

[CarolinaBoy]

Another option would be a cabin at FW. They have a bedroom with bunk beds and a double, a living room with a murphy bed that comes out of the weall and kitchen facilities which would save you a little money. We will be staying there in 2 weeks for the first time and have heard there are lots to do for the kids.


Cboy

 

[JetMom]

Our family of 5 stayed at the Dolphin last year and LOVED it! We got a really good price with the teacher/nurse/government worker rate, that made staying there even less than POR.

The room was ENORMOUS. We kept the roll-a-way bed open the whole time and never felt the slightest bit crowded. The Dolphin also waived the charge for the roll-a-way as all of the children were under 12.

The constellations and shooting stars on the ceiling as you enter captivated my DS's. The lobby is beautiful. We also had a great view of the Sorceror's Hat at MGM from our window.

The transportation from the Dolphin was great. We never waited more than 10 minutes for a bus (MK, AK, & TL) or boat (MGM, EPCOT).

Tubbi's was very convenient for snacks and breakfast and the ice-cream at the Fountain was terrific.

My DS's brought their report cards and got free sundaes and souvenier hats from the WDW Dolphin Straight A Club.

We also got a voucher for a free 8 x 10 family photo, but unfortunately, we were too busy to take advantage of it.

 

[catwho]

If I were staying on site and money was no object I would stay at the Poly (only because I have wanted to stay there since I was a teenager and saw it "new" LOL!) If money is an option and you have a fairly short person in your group (6 or 7 yo or younger) then I would go for POR since it is the cheapest.

We are also a family of five, but have decided this year to save money and stay at HIFS (using that nifty deal to the right that Dreams Unlimited is currently offering LOL!) I just couldn't justify it this year, especially since we have 2 more trips planned for this year (one in October and one in November)

 

[xanadubeach]

We were a family of 5 only it was 2 DS's, DH, me, and my mother when we took our trip in Nov. 2000. Therefore we HAD to either stay at the Fort Wilderness Cabins or get a second room at one of the other hotels. When comparing the cost of two rooms at a deluxe hotel we found FW to be a little cheaper per night charge. And, when you consider that you can bring and cook all your own food it makes it even cheaper.

We had a full kitchen (with maid service, no dishwashing or bed making unless you wanted to) and plenty of room to move around. The bus system within FW was a little slow during that time period (there were many people in the area to service) which might be my only complaint.

At night there were campfires with Chip and Dale and movies on a big screen outside. The pool was huge but plain (unlike the hotel pools) but you could rent wet bikes and boats and cruise around the lake. We even took a boat to MK on the first morning and loved it.

I'd recommend FW for families with smaller children that don't NEED the extras the hotels offer.

 

[Karel]

We have five. Depending on the ages of your children, I would go with either a room at the PO Riverside with a trundle bed or two rooms All Stars. While I'm not a big fan of the decor, the extra room at All Stars is super - open the connecting doors and you have a big suite. The food court, while not cheap, offers a nice variety of choices.

If you have the money, Poly is a nice choice too, but I was disappointed with our room at the Beach Club. Thought it was small. I have not stayed in the other places you have listed. Poly food choices might be limited but with the monorail, you're close enough to other hotels and the MK for food.

 

[MELSMICE]

I would recommend either the cabins at FW or renting DVC points from an owner & staying in a 2BR unit. For convenience to EPCOT you would probably want to stay at BWV or BCV. You can get boat transportation to MK from FW. You could also take the boat to the Contemporary & take the monorail to EPCOT.

In any of these units you will get a full kitchen to prepare any meals you might want to & save money. An advantage to a 2BR DVC unit is that you would get 2 baths. FW is very quiet & relaxing. FW does not have a themed pool, while the other resorts do.

Have fun regardless of what you decide.