AKV studios - too small for a family of 4 to share for a week?

[disney-super-mom]

When my family, along with my MIL and BIL, go to WDW this year, we'll most likely be staying for 7 nights.

My MIL and BIL will share one studio, and my family of four (me, DH, DS9 and DS5) will be in another studio.

So considering how long we're staying, do you think an AKV studio would be too small for my family of 4? I've heard they're a little tight in both square footage and closet space, but how tight is "tight"?

 

[kgc07]

Are you comfortable in a regular deluxe hotel room? How much time do you plan on spending in your room? If you are comfortable in a deluxe and don't plan on spending a lot of time in your room I think you should be ok in a studio as long as it isn't a value. I would probably go ahead and get a 1 bedroom for the extra space.

 

[ITGirl50]

I think it's too small for me, DH, and DD (10). What I hate the most is having the wet towels hanging everywhere to dry (no towel service) and having to deal with that pull-out bed. I feel like the room is always so cluttered and messy and we are tripping all over each other and our things (and I unpack everything).

Honestly, I hate the studio. It would probably be okay for me and DH only.

But, that's just my opinion.

 

[starbox]

We were fine in a SV studio with older kids - we were on the balcony 90% of the time anyway!!

IMHO, the AKV studio "feels" bigger than studios at SSR, BWV, or VWL and there's better drawer space. Maybe it's the HUGE balcony, the way the bathroom vanity is laid out, or the perception of space created by the flat-screen. If you've done other studios, I don't think AKV will feel any smaller. If you've never done studios with your family, I'm guessing anything will feel small and cramped.

 

[DisneyKidds]

If your family of 4 can stay in a regular hotel room, the studio will just fine. The only real difference between a regular room and a studio is that in the studio one of the beds is a pullout. Otherwise, size-wise, they are very similar. Our family of 5 (kids ages 9, 6, 4) do just fine in a studio.

Would a 1 BR be nicer? Sure, you have more space......but you still have a pullout for a bed.

 

[disney-super-mom]

Well, I suppose we could always get a 2 bedroom for ALL of us, but (gulp) I'm not really up to sharing living quarters with my MIL and BIL for a week.

My family of 4 is fine in a standard hotel room, and having a mini-kitchen is GREAT for us, but I admit when DH and I stayed in a studio at SSR last year, I missed not having daily mousekeeping. DH, on the other hand, didn't miss mousekeeping at all. Of course, you know guys.....as long as the TV remote works, they're happy.

But really, now that I think about it, I guess we're not in the room enough while on vacation for space (or lack thereof) to make much of a difference. The only thing we really do in our room is sleep, shower, and change into our bathing suits.

 

[ITGirl50]

I missed not having daily mousekeeping.

I think that's what I don't like about a studio. If I had them clean up, take out the trash, give me fresh towels, I would be okay. I told my DH if we stay in a studio again, I want to pay for the daily mousekeeping. In the 1-bedroom (with the washer/dryer), I don't care if I get clean towels everyday. I can just wash them myself AND the dirty clothes piling up the closet without hauling them across the resort. For some reason I feel guilty leaving all that stuff piling up on vacation. It doesn't bother me at home.

 

[DIZBOUND]

My family of 4 did great. We were DH, DS 5, and DS 1. There was plenty of room. We did fold up the pull out each day. I found it a bit cramped when it was at night.

 

[DVC Jen]

my family of 4 (two DDs ages 14 and 19) almost always stay in a studio - and it is fine for us.

Some families can - some can't.

 

[AKV707]

If yo go with a 2 bedroom lock off your guests could have the studio section which would give them their own bath and kitchenette. It would seem a little more private.

I think the studio would be fine, but the 2 br would also give you a washer and dryer. More points, though.

 

[Turtlegirl]

Are there 2 br dedicated villas in Jambo House? Dedicated have 2 Q beds in the 2nd br. vs. 1 Q and a pull-out. On this trip, I need the dedicated as both our mothers are going with us and I don't want one to sleep on a pull-out while the other gets the Q....DH and I will have King and DD will have the pull-out. Thanks

 

[3DisneyKids]

Count us as a family that could definitely NOT do 4 in a studio.

However, with AKV, the 2-BRs are lock-offs...which means it is a 1 BT for you and the kids and your MIL and BIL are in the adjoining studio. (And who says you have to open the door??? )

 

[DVC Mike]

Are there 2 br dedicated villas in Jambo House? Dedicated have 2 Q beds in the 2nd br. vs. 1 Q and a pull-out.

All the 2-BR units in Jambo House are Lockoffs.

Kidani Village will have both dedicated 2-BR as well as lockoffs.

 

[dianeschlicht]

To each his own, but I would NEVER stay in ANY studio with a family of 4, and especially if they were all more than 4 years old. Even with little ones, in a studio you have to find places to go while little ones sleep and "big ones" want to stay up. Just not my idea of a vacation!

 

[MEM]

We are a family of 4 that includes DS13 and DD11. We always stay in a DVC studio and it has never been a problem. Just last month we spent 2 nights at SSR, 5 at AKV and 3 at VWL. The kids and DH spent most of their time in the room sitting on the big bed watching TV while I was out on the balcony just soaking in the view and updating my trip report notes.

I do agree about the wet towels though...

 

[Mtnman44]

I agree. This, for us, is one of the primary reasons to use a villa-based timeshare instead of the going the hotel route with our vacations. one or two days is a different story. I could do hotels for that. but a week or more, I would get very tired of a small hotel room with all of us crammed in.

To each his own, but I would NEVER stay in ANY studio with a family of 4, and especially if they were all more than 4 years old. Even with little ones, in a studio you have to find places to go while little ones sleep and "big ones" want to stay up. Just not my idea of a vacation!

 

[drag n' fly]

I think it depends on how much time you plan on spending in the studio. We bought DVC because we were tired of all 5 of us being crammed in one room and to us that is not a holiday. I personally would not put 4 in a studio however with that being said, if you do not plan on spending much time in the room and at the resort the studio will be sufficient. You just learn to love each other a whole lot more

 

[wdwfan1]

How about the studios at OKW. Much larger and two queens instead of a pull out.

 

[kato0627]

We stayed in a studio last summer. We vowed never again!!! There is just not enough space for us or our clothing as I unpack everything. Another tough thing was the bedtime. I was not ready to go to sleep when the kids needed to go, even though it was late. Good luck