Best resort/rooms for growing family

[Sue M]

Other than what everyone has mentioned above, AKL has bunk bed rooms that overlook the pool or savanna.
AKL is usually the least expensive of the deluxe resorts.
WL has the same, but it's typically a little more than AKL.

They are doing away with the bunk beds, both WL and AKL are undergoing room renovations.

 

[Sue M]

Both POR and CBR have rooms with a 5th sleeper. And all the deluxe resorts except WL and AKL have full size pull down day beds. At YC/BC you have to request that room as not all rooms have them there.
If you stay off site you’d have to rent a car and pay for WDW parking, which would be an added expense. And also deal with all the traffic getting to and from the parks.
The Disney Springs Doubletree have 1 bedrooms, have the Disney Springs bus transportation to the parks, continuously every 30 min. We stayed there a few years ago in a 1 bdrm 2 queen with pullout sofa in living room. Very spacious. Got a discount on Mousesavers web site that included free breakfast. Cost was less than a WDW moderate.
The Disney Springs Resort area receives the same ADR and FP booking dates as the WDW resorts. But no airport bus service. You’d have to book a car service.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

Other than what everyone has mentioned above, AKL has bunk bed rooms that overlook the pool or savanna.
AKL is usually the least expensive of the deluxe resorts.
WL has the same, but it's typically a little more than AKL.

Bunk beds are currently being taken out in the refurb.

 

[Scubadaddy32]

Bunk beds are currently being taken out in the refurb.

Did not know that... Thanks for the update.
This issue with teens and families of 5 or more is tough at Disney. It really spikes the price of the vacations for those folks.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

Did not know that... Thanks for the update.
This issue with teens and families of 5 or more is tough at Disney. It really spikes the price of the vacations for those folks.

It does, but its also true almost everywhere else with hotel room type setups. One king or 2 queens is the norm unless you pay premium prices.

 

[DisneyGirlMI]

Unless your daughter is tiny, I would not suggest the pull-down sleepers at the moderates. My daughter barely fit on one when she was 10. They truly are child sized. While the idea is nice, I wish they would have stuck with the trundle beds. We now stay deluxe (there are 5 of us), because the sofa is a full-size twin bed and it’s actually cheaper for us than a suite or two rooms.

 

[westie55]

My husband is 6'3 and due to my 2 year old son becoming sick on a trip and needing to sleep with mommy to get any rest at all, he slept on the pull down bed at the Grand Floridian villas, which is the same one at POR and CBR. Is it ideal? No. But if a 6'3 man could do it, I think a teenage girl could. I laid down on one and I am 5'6.

 

[skippytx]

The DoubleTree in the Disney Springs area has 1 bedroom suite's with 2 queens and a sofa sleeper in the living room for a somewhat reasonable price. You get EMH and 60 day FP+ as well. Some of the other DS Hotels might have rooms that would work as well.

Other options, rent DVC points for a 1 bedroom somewhere that has the 3 surfaces. I know Bay Lake has a sofa bed, and a single pull out chair bed that would work. There are some offsite options as well like Bonnet Creek worth considering.

 

[ColonelHathi]

I think someone else mentioned it, but the Cabins at Fort Wilderness might be a good option to consider. They are not as $$ as deluxe but have the separate sleeper options. Otherwise for onsite, with that age, I'd recommend deluxe at Poly, CR, GF, BC/YC or BWI with the separate/comfortable twin-size daybed option. Some of the other DS Hotels have rooms that would work as well - we looked into that option extensively for our upcoming trip in June. Lyft/Uber to/from the airport might make it worth your while as well and could even come in less than POR or CBR. The moderate pull-down beds are rather small for most teens.

Late October is busy, so having the 60+ FP+ comes in handy.

 

[nkereina]

I also would advise against relying on the murphy bed at POR and CBR for your teen daughter. The bed is slightly larger than a crib mattress, smaller than a twin. A general rule of thumb people say is that its good for 11-12 and under. Its very possible she may be uncomfortable on it, while her brother gets a queen bed to himself.

So the only other advantage is FP 60 days?

If you opt to stay off-site, you lose the 60 day FP advantage, you lose the 180+10 advantage for dining ADRs, no Magical Express to and from the airport, no free magic bands, no charging purchases to your MBs, no sending purchases back to your resort, and no dining plan. I think those are the biggest perks. If none of these matter to you, you can likely find cheaper and more spacious accommodations off-site.

 

[SwanVT2]

I know it is not guaranteed but you could request connected rooms and know at least that if they aren't connected you have 1 adult with 1 teen in each room and everyone gets a bed!! Maybe All star movies since they have been recently renovated and look nice or 2 at POR if you can afford it.

 

[maxiesmom]

Did not know that... Thanks for the update.
This issue with teens and families of 5 or more is tough at Disney. It really spikes the price of the vacations for those folks.

It does. But it does everything else in life too. At least you do have options--2 rooms, a family suite at the Music resort or AoA. Por, CBR, , the Wilderness Cabins. Heck you can even rent an rv and have it set up for you at Fort Wilderness.

 

[gtpoohbear]

We stayed at YC many years ago and had a daybed, which my son slept on. He was small at the time, but I seem to remember it being a good sized bed. We struggle with the kids not wanting to share a bed as well. On our most recent trip, we stayed at the Wyndham in Disney Springs and were able to get a rollaway.

However, we almost always travel with an air mattress in our suitcase, because I never count on being able to get the rollaway or room type that we booked with the extra bed. They do make very portable ones that you can easily travel with, even in a carryon bag. If they complain about it not being as comfortable, a compromise is to make them switch who get the "real" bed each night.

There are some DVC options as well that may have a sleeper sofa of some type - you could look into renting points for one of those. We've done that a couple of times and it works out really well. Another option, which may end up being better as they are older anyway, is just to pick a cheaper hotel and get two rooms. That way you have two bathrooms as well, and everyone has a little more space. We did this recently for a non-Disney trip, and I have to admit, I got a little spoiled!

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Most deluxes have day bed pull outs. I believe GF, Poly and CR have them in all rooms. BC has them in some rooms so they are a request and not guaranteed.

We saw them when we stayed at the Poly and BC. They are decent sized.

I would not recommend anyone over 10 years old to sleep on the pull down at the mods or DVC studios. They are small and aren't very comfortable. I need a good nights sleep while at WDW with all of the walking and rides we do.

 

[CheriePenguin]

However, we almost always travel with an air mattress in our suitcase, because I never count on being able to get the rollaway or room type that we booked with the extra bed. They do make very portable ones that you can easily travel with, even in a carryon bag. If they complain about it not being as comfortable, a compromise is to make them switch who get the "real" bed each night.

Can I ask what air mattress you use, if it has a built-in pump, and if it inflates and deflates easily? Thanks!

 

[HMANSION LOVER]

I agree with Ross Kratter, Suite at the AOA. We recently received an upgrade to a Cars suite. TONS of room and three beds. Queen in the master bedroom with a murphy type in the dining area and a pull out couch in the living room area. All three themes at AOA have suites but I recommend Cars because it is a two minute walk to the food court and transportation area but more importantly it is a one minute walk to the pool bar

 

[Deb & Bill]

Can I ask what air mattress you use, if it has a built-in pump, and if it inflates and deflates easily? Thanks!

You might want to post your thread on The Community Board since this one is rather old.

 

[CheriePenguin]

You might want to post your thread on The Community Board since this one is rather old.

Thanks - misread the year on the post!