Whole family in one room

[howlongtildisney]

I was fine with all of us staying in 1 room until I got married. Now I want my privacy, and that ruffled my mom's feathers on our WDW trip last Christmas. She was wanting my husband and me to share a room with my brother and my brother's girlfriend. That's when I offered to pay for my own room.

 

[Crystal0608]

We do one rooms for us 4 unless I find a suite for similar price. We usually only go to the room for changing, bathing, and sleeping anyways.

When I was a kid, my grandparents took the whole family to the beach for 1-2 weeks yearly. We would have 16-20 people in a 3-4 bedroom oceanfront or 2nd row house and ALL the kids (all girls-me, cousin, sis, 2 step-cousins, aunt's friends kid etc) shared a room. To go on vacation, I was happy to sleep anywhere .

 

[wdwfan16]

I would only get two rooms if we did not legally fit in one room.

 

[PatsGirl]

The only time four or five in a room has presented problems is when the ages are significantly different. It was very difficult when DS was 16 and 17 and DD was 9...she went to bed around 8 pm and up at 6 am, he wanted to stay up until 2 am and sleep until 11 We pretty much compromised, lights out (but tv on still) by 10 and if he could manage to sleep through the noise of my leaving for coffee, taking a shower, and her watching cartoons, well he could sleep. If not, he got up, pretty grumpy for a bit, but he got up

 

[DawnM]

When we only had 2 kids and they were little, it wasn't a big problem to stay in one room.

But then we got a condo one trip and we were HOOKED on more space!

We now have 3 boys and it has been wonderful to get a 2 bedroom condo with a washer/dryer, full kitchen, 2 bathrooms, 3 areas with TVs (so they can watch kid shows while we unwind with grown up shows), etc....

We can't go back! We have stayed a night or two in a single hotel room, but it is so much better in a larger condo.

Dawn

 

[ZachnElli]

We are a family of 5 and we prefer more than one room. But my kids are widely spaced, 10 years between youngest and oldest. My youngest just turned 5 and the last time we went, he needed a nap and an early bedtime, but the teenager didn't. And now that the teenager is pushing 6 feet tall and the 11 year old is 5'3" (hey, it's taller than me!) and only going to get taller, we feel we need the space.

 

[duffy]

Another family of 5 here. We always got one room. Me and my husband in one bed, 2 teen girls in the other, and toddler daughter usually between mom and dad.

Last May, my husband and I wanted to go to Baltimore, with our youngest, who was then 13. Our oldest, at age 26, was living in DC, so she wanted to come up and meet us. Our room was lovely, but it only had a king-size bed. For the 4 of us!! (we'd used Priceline, they only guarantee a room for 2 people, so we couldn't complain.)

My oldest could have driven back home, but I called down and asked if there were any rooms with doubles or queens, and was told no. I then asked for a rollaway bed, and they sent one up. We slept 3 in a bed, and one daughter on the rollaway. This worked out fine, except the hotel had a sleep number mattress. That meant, the daughter in the middle had to sleep with one side a bit firmer than the other!!

One thing that always irks me on the Dis is how spoiled so many people seem to be. I'm always reading, "Oh, with 4 adults you really should be in a deluxe," and "those values are really small for a family of 4", etc.

 

[Disney Ella]

One thing that always irks me on the Dis is how spoiled so many people seem to be. I'm always reading, "Oh, with 4 adults you really should be in a deluxe," and "those values are really small for a family of 4", etc.

If my family prefers more space and can afford larger accommodations, how is that spoiled? You don't mind being in one room, that is your preference. Other people have a different preference. That hardly makes the rest of us spoiled.

 

[powellrj]

Another family of 5 here. our youngest, who was then 13. Our oldest, at age 26,

You have my family, we are also a family of 5 with the oldest being 26 and the youngest 13 with a 19 year old in the middle!

We usually do one room when we are on the road, but if we are staying several nights we do a suite or condo. Even over spring break when it was just the 3 of us we got a 2 bedroom condo for a week. It was wonderful to be able to spread out and just relax. For the last 8 or 9 years we have stayed off-site in condos in WDW. Its so nice to spead out and relax! We don't do comando anymore, we are too old for that!!! We need our down time! This year we are staying in a 4 bedroom pool house, so we will really be able to spead out!

 

[hsmamato2]

we've stayed at a DVC studio for 2 weeks,the four of us. I think the 2 room thing is kinda' strange personally,as we travel together,tent camp together,stay in hotel room together..etc. The dvc is nice b/c it has the extra balcony space and a mini kitchen. I love that option! the little porch makes a big difference for space,IMHO.
I don't mind extra rooms,but the whole "one room together isn't a vacation' thing seems weird to me......

 

[taximomfor4]

I see no problem sharing 1 room and 1 bathroom as a family of 4. We have 6 people in our house, sharing 1 bathroom. Same as when I grew up.

Although, perhaps it depends on what you are used to?

 

[taximomfor4]

Does anybody else consider the gender of your kids?

We bring an air mattress. Or else have dad sleep with ds, and I (mom) sleep with one of the girls. That's when we stay at, say, Embassy Suites (2 beds + 1 fold-out sofa) for the 6 of us.

 

[duffy]

If my family prefers more space and can afford larger accommodations, how is that spoiled? You don't mind being in one room, that is your preference. Other people have a different preference. That hardly makes the rest of us spoiled.

Eh, who cares? It's not that I have an issue with them preferring it and can afford it, it's that they often feel that they NEED it. No, they don't need the space. They want it. Big difference. Lots of people here think that they are entitled to-and NEED luxuries.

I call people "spoiled" if they can't conceive of doing anything less. Being able to afford it, is beside the point. If Donald Trump can't travel without staying in the best suite available, he's spoiled if he can't even consider staying in a regular room. If I can afford a 5-star hotel, but think that staying at a 3-star is slumming, and refuse to stay there because I "need turn-down service, and a gym, and at least 5 restaurant choices, and valet parking." Saying, "It's not that I WANT them, BUT I NEED THEM", now THAT is spoiled.

Whatever.

 

[alisonlee3]

We are a family of 5 plus infant. We stayed at Port Orleans and had no problem sharing a room. Yes, a second bathroom would have been nice but not really needed.

 

[jodifla]

It's always easier to increase your standard of living, and harder to go back.

So once you start staying in multi-rooms, it's hard to envision being crammed into one.

Every time we travel and stay in one room, we are always glad we bought DVC! I only like to do the one room thing for one or two nights.

 

[littlbugmom]

My husband and I are looking at DVC (studio pts vs 1 bdrm pts) or will we stay in a value to do Disney and skip DVC. However, I've been noticing a trend and am wondering what others think, especially on the budget board. Growing up my family always traveled and we rarely got two rooms or had more than a general hotel room (think pop). I'm finding more and more after talking with people that this type of travel is too small of a room or unacceptable. Why can't a family of four make 1 bathroom work?What's everyone else's opinion? Is it bad for a family to share a week in a hotel room and "make it work?" Is it really that bad as parents?[/QUOTE]


I'm sure a family of four can make 1 bathroom work and no, I don't think it's "bad" for a family to share a room for one week. It happens all the time.


It comes down to what you want and what someone else wants. There is no right or wrong, good or bad. People vacation the way they want to and a lot of factors go into their decisions.

 

[littlbugmom]

Eh, who cares? It's not that I have an issue with them preferring it and can afford it, it's that they often feel that they NEED it. No, they don't need the space. They want it. Big difference. Lots of people here think that they are entitled to-and NEED luxuries.


I doubt anyone is saying they "need" those things to survive. I mean, we are talking about a vacation...something nobody really NEEDS.

What they are saying (and I'm including myself here) is that they "need" these things to have the kind of vacation they want. I do not want to spend 10 days in a room, so I need a condo.

I actually have a very good reason for needing the space and you might find it to be a valid reason or you might not...but I see no reason to go into all that because the bottom line is, the reason is valid for me and my family. We need to have a condo while on vacation.

 

[pilesoflaundry]

We try and squish in one room when we can as a family of 5. My kids favorite trip is a hotel room, they don't care where we go, as long as we stay in a hotel. So I'm guessing it doesn't make us bad parents and with one less person, you should be off the hook .

We never went away growing up, maybe day trips or somewhere overnight to my grams house but no vacations. I would rather skrimp and squish then never go, I want my kids to have that.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Eh, who cares? It's not that I have an issue with them preferring it and can afford it, it's that they often feel that they NEED it. No, they don't need the space. They want it. Big difference. Lots of people here think that they are entitled to-and NEED luxuries.

I call people "spoiled" if they can't conceive of doing anything less. Being able to afford it, is beside the point. If Donald Trump can't travel without staying in the best suite available, he's spoiled if he can't even consider staying in a regular room. If I can afford a 5-star hotel, but think that staying at a 3-star is slumming, and refuse to stay there because I "need turn-down service, and a gym, and at least 5 restaurant choices, and valet parking." Saying, "It's not that I WANT them, BUT I NEED THEM", now THAT is spoiled.

Whatever.

If you go that far, who really needs to take a vacation? Why not just stay home?

 

[taitai]

We are a family of 5 and we ALWAYS get two rooms or a suite or a condo. I don't even think twice about it. Need 5 airline tickets, need a car that seats 5, need two rooms. It is all the same to me.

I don't think it is wrong if people want to share a room with their kids. That is their choice. It is simply not a choice I make. We need space. Not only do my husband and I need the privacy (yes, NEED, not WANT) but my children sleep MUCH better if they have their own beds and bedtimes and are not disturbed by us. If they get a good night's sleep every night, they are terrific the next day and we don't have meltdowns or fights. It really is a NEED for us.

Everyone travels differently. For everyone the term "vacation" means different things. As a previous poster commented, there is no right or wrong, just whatever makes sense for each family.

Happy planning!