Help! just starting to plan for a family of 6

[anne928]

Hi all,

We last went to disney in February 2009 as a family of 4, stayed in Wilderness Lodge & loved it. I need to start planning our next trip but I'm not even sure what my resort options are for a family of 6. Kids are 13, 11, 6 & 4. I know there will be sticker shock but as we don't go often I would lean towards the nicer options. What would you all recommend?

thank you!
anne

 

[_auroraborealis_]

For a family of 6, you have a couple options via Disney itself:

• A cabin at Fort Wilderness
• A family suite at the Art of Animation or All-Star Music
• A Deluxe room at Wilderness Lodge
• 2BR units at any DVC resort

The 2BR DVC units will be less expensive via DVC point rental, versus booking with Disney, but cannot be changed or canceled once booked. They are best booked via a DVC owner or a DVC rental agent 11 months prior to your planned visit (and cannot be booked sooner).

 

[cmcvean]

Just went through this. Although I have all teenagers, so probably need more room than you. We are also park commandos - so we decided on POP which was affordable for us. Although - we had the suite last time and it just was not comfortable for our family of 6 - and they were much smaller then. You turn the couches and chairs into beds and they were just not comfortable.

We decided to go with 2 rooms at POP this time (we told ourselves last time - if we ever did this again we would). I think the extra bathroom will be nice. Although i worry about the 2 double beds, we are going to ask for a rollaway for each room. We stayed at the cabins which we loved - but it just wasn't big enough for us - but LOVED everything else about them. Nice to have your car right outside.

If we had unlimited funds - i would stay at the Poly - or at Bay Lake Towers. I wasn't savvy enough or early enough in planning - but I would have loved to have rented points for a DVC.

 

[sharadoc]

We love the cabins at Fort Wilderness for the parking at the door, privacy and silence (you don't hear foot steps or toilets EVER). The 4 kids could take the bedroom and the adults could take the pullout (brand new this year, should be fine). There is the second sink in the kitchen for toothbrushing, etc. in the morning and lots of small storage spread all around the cabin.

If you want something nicer, we thought the Jr. suite at Coronado looked really nice. Once again, someone would have the pullout sofa though.

Once you're into the deluxe category, you're either in two rooms or a suite. There are only a couple "deluxe rooms".

The 2BR DVC villa would really give you so much - separate bedrooms, two bathrooms, full kitchen and washer/dryer which comes in SO handy when you realize you can pack lighter.

Good luck deciding!!

 

[tarak]

We're also a family of six. I stayed in a deluxe room at the WL last summer and it was okay. The rooms there are quite dark for me and our view wasn't fabulous considering what we paid for the room (somewhere north of $600 per night). The Boardwalk Inn also has deluxe rooms that sleep six. These rooms are club level, which gets you access to a lounge with breakfast, afternoon snacks, and then appetizers and drinks at night. There is a lot of construction going on at the WL, so I wouldn't stay there (that's a personal thing - there might be some here who've been recently who don't find it problematic). According to Disney's site, there is also construction at the Boardwalk. I don't know the extent of it, though.

We've rented DVC points for our last three stays as a family of six. Twice in a 1 BR when our youngest was under three and, last month, in a 2 BR. Having had that much space, I cannot imagine trying a deluxe room at this point. We had one room with a king and a master bath suite, a kitchen with small dining table and a fold-out queen, and another bedroom with two queen beds. Two-and-a-half baths. Renting points was much cheaper than going through Disney, but you have to factor whether you will need to change plans for any reason because once you've booked on points, you can't change things. We've never had to change our plans but it's something we'll need to consider in the future.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

If you want a nicer option and you want space, I would do a two-bedroom at a DVC resort. If you want to be closest to MK, I would look into BLT or GF (which may be hard to get and will be more expensive). Depending on when you are going, you could also consider VWL, but there is construction going on there right now. There are also 2-bedrooms at AKV and two-bedrooms at BCV and BWV (my personal favorites!). BCV and BWV will put you within walking distance of EP and DHS. Cheaper two-bedroom villa options will be located at OKW and SSR. All two-bedroom DVC villas will have a full kitchen and a washer/dryer! You could rent points to book your villa, but, as far as I know, once you rent, it is non-refundable. You can also book directly through Disney or a TA.