Party of 5 - 1 mod room or 2 value? Opinions?

[NOLA08]

We will be traveling as a family of 5. Kids are 12, 11, 6.

We stayed at Pop previously and really enjoyed it, but that was when we were a family of 4. That was also our first trip, so probably we could have stayed in a cardboard box and loved it!!

Last year we stayed at POR (all 5 in a room) and enjoyed it much more! Loved the pool especially, and the hotel grounds.

Now I am trying to decide if a room at POR will be too cramped for the 5 of us since the kids are getting bigger, and whether we would be better off paying for 2 connecting rooms at Pop. It's a bit more expensive that way, but still cheaper than the family suites at AoA or All-Star.

Does anyone have similar experience & any opinion/advice? Or any other options out there?

We are looking only at on-site options at this point, because we like being able to break away during the day for a swim.

Thanks!

 

[Reddy]

anyone take long in the bathroom?? to me that is the main thing to compare - do you need 2 people showering at the same time to get out the door at a reasonable time??

 

[maxiesmom]

Depending on time of year, and on if you want preferred rooms or not, sometimes the suites at ASMu are cheaper than 2 rooms. So you may want to look into that for an option.

We have done 2 rooms many times. The only thing I don't like is that there is a chance you won't get connecting rooms. They do their best to give them out when requested, but as they don't assign rooms when they book them, they don't know ahead of time if connecting rooms will be available.

Odds are good you will get them, but it is not guaranteed. I know out of 5 times requesting them, we have been denied once. But then I'm cursed as I have also been downgraded twice. If you do decide on 2 rooms just have an emergency back up plan, just in case your rooms don't connect.

 

[Megsie1000]

We are a family of 5 and I often have the same dilemma. Recently I have had good discounts on a deluxe so I have just done that. But upcoming trip we are going budget so it's 1 mod or 2 values.

The 2 bathrooms might tip me over the edge to the value. :thinking

 

[lanejudy]

...whether we would be better off paying for 2 connecting rooms at Pop. ...

WDW will NOT guarantee connecting rooms. No matter what the reservation agent tells you, there is no guarantee the rooms will be connecting, next door, on the same floor or even in the same building. Connecting rooms is simply a request, and yes, most of the time the request is granted, but you need to be prepared for Plan B of splitting up if doing 2 rooms.

If it would not be acceptable for your family to split up, you'll want to go with an different option.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[nkereina]

WDW will NOT guarantee connecting rooms. No matter what the reservation agent tells you, there is no guarantee the rooms will be connecting, next door, on the same floor or even in the same building. Connecting rooms is simply a request, and yes, most of the time the request is granted, but you need to be prepared for Plan B of splitting up if doing 2 rooms.

If it would not be acceptable for your family to split up, you'll want to go with an different option.

Enjoy your vacation!

This.

IMO - POR is a little crowded for 5 people, even though its allowable. I thought it was acceptable when there trundle beds were still in, since it was on the side of the bed. However, now with the murphy bed basically in the middle of the room and under the TV, I think it's a little inconvenient. There's also less storage space because of it.