Best Resort for Family of 5?

[Suebie]

Hi,

A friend will be coming over tomorrow to pick my brain about Disney. She will be traveling with her DH and 3 children ages 5, 7 and 9. It will be their first Disney trip. Since I travel with my family of 4, I don't know the best place to stay on property for a family of 5. I know that 5th person rules out the All Star and POP Resorts (unless you get 2 rooms). My question is what is the best on property alternatives? How about off property?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Stitch Inside]

Let's see, there's the Deluxes (except WL and AKL), POR (Alligator Bayou sleeps 5), Fort Wilderness Cabins, or you can Rent DVC Points. I would like to stay at the CL just because it is right next to MK.

 

[PolyHereWeCome]

Considering this will be their 1st trip and based on the children's ages, if they can afford a deluxe on the Magic Kingdom monorail (Polynesian, Contemporary, Grand Floridian), that would be best. They will probably spend more time at MK than any other park and these comfortably sleep 5.

Our family of 4 (DH, myself, DS7, DD7) were at the Poly. Easter week and loved it. Very spacious, relaxing, and easy access to MK and Epcot.

Have never stayed at Fort Wilderness, Wilderness Lodge, or Animal Kingdom Lodge but have heard good things about these as alternatives (not sure how many AK sleeps).

 

[mommykds]

The following hotels have rooms that will accommodate more than four people.

Animal Kingdom Lodge (4-5)
Beach Club (5)
Beach Club Villas (4-8)
BoardWalk Inn (4-5)
BoardWalk Villas (4-12)
Contemporary (5)
Port Orleans Riverside (5 in some rooms in the Alligator Bayou section)
Fort Wilderness Cabins and Homes (6)
Fort Wilderness Campsites (10)
Grand Floridian (5)
Old Key West (4-12)
Polynesian (5)
Saratoga Springs (4-12)
Wilderness Lodge (4-5) and Villas (4-8)
Yacht Club (4-5)

 

[mickeys friend]

we traveled to WDW for many years as a family of 5.We love the monorail resorts.We've stayed at all of them but we keep coming back (going back in Sept.) to the Contemporary.They have large rooms and big bathrooms (in 2 sections) and lots for kids of all ages to do.Also, Chef Mickeys is in the main building,and even adults love it.My kids are grown and out on their own and because we taking more than 5 this year we've booked 2 rooms in the tower.If we were going a 5 adults we would only need one room,we've stayed 5 adults in a room at the Contemporary many times.Also,most of the time,the Contemporary is the cheapest resort on the monorail.No matter where we stay we always do like everyone else, and look for any kind of discounts.This year we're using the AAA rate and hope for a code,AP,etc.

 

[Lizzybee]

We have stayed twice at POR as a family of 5. We had 3 adults and 2 kids in the room and it was very nice. We love POR. My kids love it so much they'd rather "save up and wait til later" to stay there instead of staying sooner at SoG. Even my dad got all excited when I told him we would be able to stay at POR this time instead of two rooms at a value. It also saved us about $600 on the trip to stay at POR. We love Boatwrights, especially breakfast, the boat to DTD, legal pool hopping to POFQ (my kids loved both POR and POFQs pools), and Bob Jackson the all ages piano man in the River Roost Lounge. As for the trundle, I slept on it myself some and it was pretty comfy.

 

[gracelrm]

We're a family of five and we are DVC members, so we usually stay in a villa. Many people rent points to non members which makes the villas a little more affordable than renting through CRO. We've also stayed at AKL in a deluxe savannah view room which had 1 queen, a set of bunk beds and a couch that made a twin size bed. That was a great trip; however, you are not exactly in the middle of the action out there! In Dec. 04, we stayed one night in POR in the AB section in a room with a trundle bed. We are going back in two weeks and are staying at POR again. We enjoyed it the one night we were there and wanted to spend a little more time there this summer. It has great theming, and although the room was small - it's doable for a family of five.

HTH

 

[grumpyandbashful]

What is their budget? Can they afford deluxe?
What is their taste? (different resorts have themes that attract some and not others).
Will they be spending lots of time at the Magic Kingdom, or does being on the monorail matter that much?