3 adults, two older kids (12 & 14) - where would you stay?

[SharonZ]

Are either one of the teens going to want to sleep with their parent(s)? The extra sleeping surface is smaller than a twin mattress. Five people and one bathroom, I'd rethink your room options.

 

[Disneylvr1971]

POR is a great resort. I think the kids would love the boat ride to DS. As far as 5 people in a room, we regularly have 4 adults in a Value (Not all relatives either) and do fine. Even with 1 bathroom, some people shower the night before and some in the morning. You can make it work. As far as having a traveler as an accountant with you I get where you are coming from. DH is one too and needs to run numbers on everything before he can make a decision.

 

[MMSM]

Do you think the POLY holds its luster for teens at lava pool? Does it get super chaotic? Looking for Easter recess- so a very busy time. Are there a ton of little ones because its so near MK?

 

[Nancyg56]

Do you think the POLY holds its luster for teens at lava pool? Does it get super chaotic? Looking for Easter recess- so a very busy time. Are there a ton of little ones because its so near MK?

THe Poly wil have a lot of people in the common areas, and yes, there will be little kids there as well. The thing to remember about this resort, as well as the other monorail resorts, is that it is a dining destination. There are always a lot of people in and around the GCH. The longhouses are a respite from the crowds IMO, and there is something lovely about walking "home" after a day in the parks.

My DD and her family enjoyed the quiet pool more than the Lava pool when they stayed there. As for the teens, preference is personal. My DD made the mistake of assuming that her DD loves the Poly as much as she and her DH do, and then asked her. No, she is a "Grand" girls, just like her Nana! LOL!

I am taking two teens in December and we are staying at AKL. My DH wanted me to move to the Grand or Poly for them. No. These two will love waking up on a Savannah to zebras and giraffes.

Pick the resort that fits your budget and is most suited to the trip you are planning and your family will love it. If you choose a deluxe room that sleeps 5, just remember that you will need to plan a bit for clutter control as well as personal time. My family can share space, but we are used to it, and use the resort amenities as a way to give space to the rest of the family.

 

[SharonZ]

All those people and one bathroom, no way! Book two value rooms.

 

[LizGirl]

Casting my vote for two value rooms/All Stars family suite. I get being close but the practicality of having two bathrooms wins it for me.

 

[NotANewbie]

POP! (Fun ), All-Star Movies (recent renovation), Coronado Springs (awesome pool, lots of food options, relaxing atmosphere).

 

[nkereina]

I would also vote for two value rooms or All Star family suite.

The pull down bed at POR and CBR is only slightly larger than a crib mattress so its meant for kids. If the 12 year old is small, he or she could likely fit on it but no guarantees it would be comfortable. If you decide to book POR or CBR, I would recommend bringing a twin size air mattress for the person stuck on the pull down bed - just in case.

 

[SG131]

I'm going to add another vote for the All-Star Family Suites. They will be bigger than one moderate room, but the overall size of the resort is much more manageable in my opinion. All the moderate resorts other than POFQ have internal bus loops that can add a chunk of time to transportation time. At the beginning and end of day ASMu will have its own bus. It will share with the other all-stars in the middle of the day, but it doesn't sound like you will be coming back to the room much. Also, having the second bathroom will cut down the time it takes for you guys to get ready every day. It also will be a pretty affordable option.

I'm wouldn't recommend two value rooms like others have because then you wouldn't be guaranteed to be staying anywhere near each other and as you've said you prefer one room together.

 

[Lumpy1106]

My family of 5 stayed at AoA in a 1 br suite and loved it. 2 bathrooms, a sofa hide-a-bed, a double murphy bed, and a queen in the bedroom. Buses were great, and they are getting the gondola so will be even better. Did I mention 2 bathrooms?

Another option I would take a serious look at is renting points and staying at OKW or SSR. Both have huge rooms. A 2 br lock-off at any of the DVC's seems ideal for your party but will be pricey compared to the other options.

 

[sharona]

We did the 5 people in one room when our kids were that age at the Dolphin. We had 3 adults and two teens 12 and 13 (extended family). The room was decent sized enough - 2 beds and sofa bed or cot I can't recall - we stayed there because I could book it on points. Since we knew we would be in the parks all day/all night we didn't think it would matter but having just the one bathroom was a big drawback in the mornings. And there was no space for us to relax. I wouldn't do it again. Lack of privacy also becomes an issue as the kids get older. When we went to DL when the kids were 14 and 15 we stayed at an Embassy suites and it was ok but still just the one bathroom. This year we're going to WDW again with the same group of 5 but the kids are 16 and 17. We're staying off site in a 2 br suite with 2 bathrooms, living room and kitchen. So looking forward to the extra space and extra bathroom.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Do you think the POLY holds its luster for teens at lava pool? Does it get super chaotic? Looking for Easter recess- so a very busy time. Are there a ton of little ones because its so near MK?

We stayed at the Poly when my kids were 15 and 9. They didn't care for the pool too much. They actually like the pool at CBR better than the Poly pool. The pool is on the smaller side IMO and the pool isn't very exciting. And the pool does have a lot of smaller children. I didn't see many, if any, teens there.

We stayed at the Beach Club that trip too (split stay) and they absolutely LOVED the pool there. They stayed in there for hours. My son (15) made a lot of friends and they played water volleyball everyday for at least 4 hours (midday breaks). There were two days they stayed at the pool while the adults did Epcot.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

OP I wouldn't rely on the pull down bed in CBR or POR. They are very small and meant for a smaller child. A PP said not much larger than a crib mattress and that's true.

I've stayed at CBR and I enjoyed both of my visits. If you guys are truly comfortable being in one room then I would do CBR.

Or go for a deluxe since you are sharing the costs. The rooms are bigger and the day beds are much bigger.

 

[Scalemaster34]

We did the 5 people in one room when our kids were that age at the Dolphin. We had 3 adults and two teens 12 and 13 (extended family). The room was decent sized enough - 2 beds and sofa bed or cot I can't recall - we stayed there because I could book it on points. Since we knew we would be in the parks all day/all night we didn't think it would matter but having just the one bathroom was a big drawback in the mornings. And there was no space for us to relax. I wouldn't do it again. Lack of privacy also becomes an issue as the kids get older. When we went to DL when the kids were 14 and 15 we stayed at an Embassy suites and it was ok but still just the one bathroom. This year we're going to WDW again with the same group of 5 but the kids are 16 and 17. We're staying off site in a 2 br suite with 2 bathrooms, living room and kitchen. So looking forward to the extra space and extra bathroom.

Yeah we just booked the Dolphin and I saw where they can do five with a roll-a-way....

But three Adults and two teenagers.... I'd want two bathrooms as well.

 

[Disneyfan754321]

We always stay off site at Sheraton Vistana we get a two bedroom it has a living room and a full kitchen. If I were staying onsite I would look into a DVC rental.
Its really more enjoyable when you have space the full kitchens are just a added bounus.

 

[Wood Nymph]

POR is a really nice resort. Our grandson was 10 when we stayed there and he loved the Murphy bed. The grounds are nice and the food court is good. There is a boat to Disney Springs from the resort, which is a pleasant way to travel.

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

Wanted to give an update since I'm the OP! I gave the whole crew the room options back in May, and they all had to do their own research with pros and cons and be ready to share their thoughts and preferences. By unanimous decision, we booked at CBR with a 5th sleeper.
I know not everyone can travel with friends the way we do, but as I mentioned earlier, they're really more like family we chose than ordinary friends. But here's some of why we went with CBR and how we plan to make it work:
First of all, everyone preferred the theming over the other options, and the pool alone had most of the group swayed. In fact, we even changed our original travel plans to include a day at the resort because they loved the Caribbean vibe so much. The Skyliner access also was a strong selling point, along with the central location. And finally, the cost was less than two values or AoA, so it allowed us to have more days to our trip.
I'm under 5ft tall, and my son (who will be 12 in the trip) is super short as well, so we know either of us would fit in the small fold out. We've traveled a lot together and we've had to share a bathroom before, plus both of our families live in small houses (seriously - the main part of our 100+ yr old house is 750 sq ft and theirs is only slightly larger), so we're all totally used to sharing a cramped space.
No one in our group wears makeup, only M.A. uses a hair dryer, and we'll stick with our usual shower schedule on trips together - 1 in the morning, 2 in the afternoon, 2 at night, and everyone takes short showers because we all lived through the drought in CA and learned how to conserve. Having the barn doors helps for getting ready, too, and we'll bring some hanging organizers to maximize our storage space in the room. Only DS and I are "hang out in the room" people - the others are never in the room except to sleep and bathe - and DS prefers to sit outside over inside anyway.

So I know our choice wouldn't be everyone's preference, but we're all excited and are aware of the challenges but willing to work around it. Plus we have 15+ years of travelling together and a lot of patience and forgiveness for everyone's quirks! The trip is booked, and we'll be at CBR on June 7!

 

[sharona]

Have a great trip!

 

[Nancyg56]

Wanted to give an update since I'm the OP! I gave the whole crew the room options back in May, and they all had to do their own research with pros and cons and be ready to share their thoughts and preferences. By unanimous decision, we booked at CBR with a 5th sleeper.
I know not everyone can travel with friends the way we do, but as I mentioned earlier, they're really more like family we chose than ordinary friends. But here's some of why we went with CBR and how we plan to make it work:
First of all, everyone preferred the theming over the other options, and the pool alone had most of the group swayed. In fact, we even changed our original travel plans to include a day at the resort because they loved the Caribbean vibe so much. The Skyliner access also was a strong selling point, along with the central location. And finally, the cost was less than two values or AoA, so it allowed us to have more days to our trip.
I'm under 5ft tall, and my son (who will be 12 in the trip) is super short as well, so we know either of us would fit in the small fold out. We've traveled a lot together and we've had to share a bathroom before, plus both of our families live in small houses (seriously - the main part of our 100+ yr old house is 750 sq ft and theirs is only slightly larger), so we're all totally used to sharing a cramped space.
No one in our group wears makeup, only M.A. uses a hair dryer, and we'll stick with our usual shower schedule on trips together - 1 in the morning, 2 in the afternoon, 2 at night, and everyone takes short showers because we all lived through the drought in CA and learned how to conserve. Having the barn doors helps for getting ready, too, and we'll bring some hanging organizers to maximize our storage space in the room. Only DS and I are "hang out in the room" people - the others are never in the room except to sleep and bathe - and DS prefers to sit outside over inside anyway.

So I know our choice wouldn't be everyone's preference, but we're all excited and are aware of the challenges but willing to work around it. Plus we have 15+ years of travelling together and a lot of patience and forgiveness for everyone's quirks! The trip is booked, and we'll be at CBR on June 7!

We travel as extended family as well, and we could make that room work. The 5th sleeper would be an issue, but I could manage if need be. We tend to book deluxe and share space, but we spread out in the resort. My DH is known to find a spot on a beach and fall asleep in a hammock or lounge chair , and I end up reading by the pool or in the lobby. It can work if you try. Be sure you manage your overall clutter and the room will feel larger. I don't care if ou only have one person with you, if there is stuff spilling out all over that room will become smaller and smaller as the trip progresses.

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

We travel as extended family as well, and we could make that room work. The 5th sleeper would be an issue, but I could manage if need be. We tend to book deluxe and share space, but we spread out in the resort. My DH is known to find a spot on a beach and fall asleep in a hammock or lounge chair , and I end up reading by the pool or in the lobby. It can work if you try. Be sure you manage your overall clutter and the room will feel larger. I don't care if ou only have one person with you, if there is stuff spilling out all over that room will become smaller and smaller as the trip progresses.

Yes! This is very much how we work it out. I’m usually up and heading for a quiet place to have my morning coffee while the others get going, and the others are just as likely to find some spot to hang out instead of being in the room.
We are plotting the clutter containment issue, especially for the two kids who seem to scatter things everywhere. We have a shared Amazon wish list going and a shared Pinterest board that we’re using as we look for ideas. We’re having fun plotting and planning!