Best 2 Bedroom for Large Group

[Dean]

Having travelled with the in-laws several times before FIL passed, I may feel a little differently. Let me preface this by saying they always gave us the master bedroom. We are SSR owners and have stayed at AKV as well. Take the 2BR at AKV for the extra bathroom. Put your bro/sis in law and their kids in the room with 2 queen beds. You can either take the master or give it to DW's parents. Your choice.

Now all that being said, if I wanted privacy with my DW I'd tell them you are getting 3 studios in SSR in the same building (request it and if DVC doesn't come through, oops). You must do it that way because with that many adults 2 bathrooms are not enough and you booked SSR at 11 months because you want to be sure you got all the rooms. There are no guarantees at 7 months. Tell them sorry, that's the best you can do and hope that they don't read this post.

Good luck!!

I'd happily give up the Master if it made sense for the group makeup. If it's just a choice, I might do it as a bonus in some situations. But if it was expected or demanded, I wouldn't. We've traveled a lot with family over the years on my dime for the accommodations (we have 43 in HH on the beach this summer, eight 2BR Marriott's GO) and I can only think of one time where it was the right choice. What we do is get enough room so we can give guests the room they need, I've rented privately to get the additional space on a couple of occasions. My principles of villa assignment are no couples or older people on a pullout, no more than one couple to a bedroom and generally, I get a master. I often let the group in a given villa determine who gets what and it ends up with everyone trying to get the other couple to take the master. If I had someone who I felt would inappropriately try to take my master I wouldn't invite them the first time and if it happened unexpectedly, I'd say no and wouldn't invite them again.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I and many of my family members like to have the larger villa so that we are together. Last trip we did studios vs a 2 bedroom which wasn't my own personal preference but PVB was the place with availability and that meant the studios. But preparing for the next trip was when I learned that the others hoped we could be back in a larger room although they understood we might not be able to as they assumed it probably was very expensive - not knowing the comparison between 3 studios or a 2 BR and I don't think I ever explained why we had the studios at PVB so it was nice to hear they actually prefer what I prefer.

I'm also one who will give up my master if it makes the most sense and at my decision of course. I completely agree with those who say my DVC my Master but it's ok to give it up too should someone wish to.

 

[kboo]

Having travelled with the in-laws several times before FIL passed, I may feel a little differently. Let me preface this by saying they always gave us the master bedroom. We are SSR owners and have stayed at AKV as well. Take the 2BR at AKV for the extra bathroom. Put your bro/sis in law and their kids in the room with 2 queen beds. You can either take the master or give it to DW's parents. Your choice.

Now all that being said, if I wanted privacy with my DW I'd tell them you are getting 3 studios in SSR in the same building (request it and if DVC doesn't come through, oops). You must do it that way because with that many adults 2 bathrooms are not enough and you booked SSR at 11 months because you want to be sure you got all the rooms. There are no guarantees at 7 months. Tell them sorry, that's the best you can do and hope that they don't read this post.

Good luck!!

I tend to agree - my parents are pretty elderly, and so are the ILs (it's a moot point now, since they can't really travel any more). But we were in a BLT dedicated 2BR last February with my then 4yo and infant (3mo), my parents, and my sister, her partner and their infant (7mo). The 3 bathrooms was KEY! On top of that, my immediate family was on Eastern time but everyone else had come in from CA. We took the master with our kids, one in a pnp and the other in an inflatable toddler bed. (no nooky! then again, we had a 3mo old) I let me parents and sister etc decide what they wanted to do with the remaining beds. It made the most sense to keep the babies apart in case there was crying, so crib went in the other BR. My parents had a bed in the other BR, and my sister and her partner tried both the other bed and the sofa, and decided to stay in the other BR with my parents. It worked out fine, since the CA side of the family was up late every night and met us in the parks around lunch time (!!!!) while we went to bed by 9-10pm and were up by 6am with our kids and at rope drop etc. Leaving the LR open as hangout space at night and in the AM worked best for all of our schedules. I guess it also depends on touring styles and who sleeps in, etc.

With our older parents, we would never have made them sleep on the sofa bed (including other trips we've taken). Often my parents and sister/partner would share a room in the 2BR layout (we've gone to Mexico on their timeshare too), and give us the master since we were the only one with kids for a while.

Good luck!

 

[crisi]

Do note that I'm not suggesting that the grandparents get the pull out. I think the parents of the kids should get the pull out. The second bedroom can host kids and grandparents.

Like Dean, we generally have enough privacy and beds for everyone. we haven't had this problem since our kids were little - and when they were little, we slept them on the hideabed in the living room and hung out in the Master or on the balcony until they fell asleep(which never took long after a Disney day). Since they were tweens, we haven't had anyone sleep in the living room (we stay at BWV, so we've had young people sleep on a pullout in the second bedroom - no adults).

 

[tjkraz]

Rather than splurging on one of the more expensive 2B resorts like Animal Kingdom or Bay Lake Tower, for that party makeup I'd instead look at a 2B PLUS a Studio at OKW. Owners take the master, the parents + kids share the second bedroom and grandparents get the separate Studio. That frees-up the 2B living room and kitchen to be used by the adults at all hours (after kids go to sleep), and there's plenty of room for everyone to gather in that room for shared meals, etc.

 

[crisi]

Rather than splurging on one of the more expensive 2B resorts like Animal Kingdom or Bay Lake Tower, for that party makeup I'd instead look at a 2B PLUS a Studio at OKW. Owners take the master, the parents + kids share the second bedroom and grandparents get the separate Studio. That frees-up the 2B living room and kitchen to be used by the adults at all hours (after kids go to sleep), and there's plenty of room for everyone to gather in that room for shared meals, etc.

That also gives three bathrooms - although you need to really hope that the traveling together request gets noted - that can be a long walk between units.

 

[ldo]

I would still do OKW--the living space is MUCH larger, with a full table for 4 plus screened patio with table for 4. Plus, you can use laundry room for the 2 year old in a pack and play--make sure to remove the iron. It has a door to close for quiet nap time, if needed. I have read of a number of parents on disboards have using this room as a "nursery." It's definitely big enough. Plus, the larger OKW bathroom is split, with an extra sink, as I recall.
Otherwise, AKV-K is a good choice, choosing standard view will stretch your points.

 

[BillPA]

Just and FYI, OKW patio is not screened.

 

[WildernessMickey]

I will not give up my Master Bedroom and bath EXCEPT for my parents or my husband's parents. I feel that they deserve it since they are older and have sacrificed much to raise us. My husband would give it up to anyone, but I am a little more selfish. Either way, we do plenty of trips just the two of us in a one bedroom, so I've been spoiled quite a bit.

Good luck on your decision. At least you have a lot of good options.

 

[cvjw]

Another vote for a 2 bedroom plus a studio at OKW. The points are so much lower there, it is probably comparable to a booking a BLT 2 bedroom. 9 people is a lot of people in 1 two bedroom. I know you can technically fit there, but do you really want to? I book a 2 bedroom for my family of 4 so we can spread out and actually enjoy our vacation

 

[Nie0214]

So much good info.

We're planning:

MIL+FIL
SIL+BIL, 5yo & 8yo
BIL+SIL, 5yo & 2yo
Me, DH & our 4yo

We were thinking 2BR+Studio at BLT. SIL would get the master with her two kids (her husband is 6'8 and likely wouldn't fit in another bed...). BIL and his two kids would get the other bedroom. MIL and FIL would be on the pullouts (first to wake up and believe me those pullouts are 1000x better than their home beds). All would have their own bathroom. We would take the studio for privacy and would just come over to hangout in common space. We have done small overnight trips together in smaller accommodations so I don't see too much of a problem.

My other idea (I really don't want to) is to buy transfer points so we can get a GV where we take the master. My concerns are...
1. Extra $ out of our pocket
2. It's beautiful but sooo many points!
3. OKW isn't an option in December
4. If one family backs out, we are "stuck" with a GV because there likely wouldn't be availability to book something smaller. I could just cancel the studio if we went 2BR+Studio.

 

[3 Hobbits 2 Disney]

So much good info.

We're planning:

MIL+FIL
SIL+BIL, 5yo & 8yo
BIL+SIL, 5yo & 2yo
Me, DH & our 4yo

We were thinking 2BR+Studio at BLT. SIL would get the master with her two kids (her husband is 6'8 and likely wouldn't fit in another bed...). BIL and his two kids would get the other bedroom. MIL and FIL would be on the pullouts (first to wake up and believe me those pullouts are 1000x better than their home beds). All would have their own bathroom. We would take the studio for privacy and would just come over to hangout in common space. We have done small overnight trips together in smaller accommodations so I don't see too much of a problem.

My other idea (I really don't want to) is to buy transfer points so we can get a GV where we take the master. My concerns are...
1. Extra $ out of our pocket
2. It's beautiful but sooo many points!
3. OKW isn't an option in December
4. If one family backs out, we are "stuck" with a GV because there likely wouldn't be availability to book something smaller. I could just cancel the studio if we went 2BR+Studio.

So as you've planned it, you are borderline for occupancy for BLT -- The 2BR occupancy limit is 9 - you have 9 plus a 2 year old. If the 2 year old turns 3 you are over limit. When you go could trip up your plans.

 

[Nie0214]

So as you've planned it, you are borderline for occupancy for BLT -- The 2BR occupancy limit is 9 - you have 9 plus a 2 year old. If the 2 year old turns 3 you are over limit. When you go could trip up your plans.

Thanks! The ages I put are the ages at time of travel. The 2 year old is only 6 months old right now. (And, in any case, we could move them to the studio, we take the master and ship SIL and her tall hubs to the room with 2 beds.. which may be a better plan anyway.)

 

[lisaviolet]

Thanks for the suggestions. I think I'm leaning towards the extra bathrooms idea over the extra square footage. Home resort is SSR, we're going in February though so I figure I would have a fairly good chance to get the room I wanted if I book at 8 am 7 months out. I actually tried to pitch the 3 studios idea but the rest of the group did not like that. The group will be myself, wife, her parents, her sister and brother-in-law and their 2 kids. This is their first Disney trip and they want to stay together. I don't have enough points for a grand villa unless I pull from another use year, and I was trying to avoid doing that. Are the pull out sleepers in the living areas of Kidani and BLT comfortable enough for adults? I am getting a feeling that may be where I end up.

This is such a great trip and a wonderful memory. I would absolutely borrow the points and do the Grand Villa. The living space in the SSR two bedroom is not overly spacious for the numbers that you are bringing.

_________________________________________

OT, but I was going through pictures today to organize and such. I took my parents - and large family gatherings/friends - and it wasn't always easy with my parents well father . My father always thought I was responsible for all Disney transportation.

Anyway, he has now passed and my mother is very ill. I smiled at so many of the pictures and thought back - Vero where my mother decided to go down the huge slide - a mom who always wore a bathing cap , AKV when they checked off all the animals and my father chatised the giraffes for not coming to visit him more and how I couldn't find them on arrival and found them in Jiko of all places, BCV when they scored the best room and my mom is waving at me from the balcony (she can no longer move her arms), SSR where there were about 13 of us, many on the same floor like we were in a university dorm and my mom wanted to show everyone her room and view - even though there were other studios , BWV where my father didn't want to leave - his last trip to be -and I scored them a BW view room one day out and he was like a little boy over at the VGF trying to rush us through lunch to rent us a boat , PVB this year where my mom could no longer walk, smile or talk but had an amazing time thanks to Disney and wonderful CMs and I almost broke down how easy it was to get her on her favourite ride It's A Small World and how wonderful the accessibility is everywhere. And to stay at the Polynesian was 43 years in the making. She wanted it in the early seventies and never forgot that my father got his way and we stayed at the Contemporary. Mentioned how much she loved the Polynesian every trip. And they were probably priced out of the Polynesian decades ago. So DVC dream come true again!

I know this is all emotional talk and not for rational thinking, I get it.

I always put myself in a separate studio and make sure each party has adequate space (ie. one trip two in a party went in each studio, not occupancy levels of four. And I always extended my vacation for two days after everyone left. But you clearly know that you all want to be in the same room. So honestly borrowing isn't that bad. It has a plus - you don't have to worry about banking deadlines.

I would go for the GV this one time. What a memory!

Have a wonderful vacation, no matter what you choose. Enjoy.