Best Villa for 4 young kids?

[HawkeyeFan]

Hi! We will be traveling to Disney in February for our first Disney experience with our 4 kiddos. Any suggestions on what Villa might be the best option? I originally booked at the Club Beach Resort but realized they didn't have their own kitchen, so we want to switch to the Villas.
Thanks so much!!

 

[AJKMOM]

I recommend the Cabins at Fort Wilderness. They fit 6, as long as one kid can sleep on the top bunk. There is a kitchen, but only one bathroom.

Also, the villas at Animal Kingdom Lodge have a kitchen and 3 bathrooms if you go with a 2 bedroom villa. (Kidani Village)

 

[BLTtinkerbell]

I also like the Cabins at FW.
What are the ages of your children? You might be able to get a one bedroom villa, instead of a two bedroom.

 

[Pakey]

I've stayed in all of the villas except BLT. If you are looking at a 1-bedroom (assuming your youngest child is under the age of 3) I would pick BLT or Kidani because of the extra bathroom.

 

[HawkeyeFan]

The ages of our children are 9, 8, 4, & 1 Our youngest will need a pack and play. It would be nice to have a living and kitchen area and then a separate bedroom for nap time.

 

[Sue M]

I would go with a BC villa. Or WL villa. Unless you have a car I think the Ft W cabins are too remote, and you have to take a bus just to get to a park bus, or food, resort store, etc. Many people staying there rent golf carts to get around the resort.

 

[sndral]

The ages of our children are 9, 8, 4, & 1 Our youngest will need a pack and play. It would be nice to have a living and kitchen area and then a separate bedroom for nap time.

You are a party of 5, as your youngest @ age 1 does not count in the room occupancy limit.
Currently you are at the Beach Club [BC] - where one room costs $335*/night and can sleep 5 plus one under age 3.
To switch to the villas at the Beach Club you would need a 2 br (1 br villas at Beach club only sleep 4.) The price of a 2 br villa is @ least $700*/night, which is more than double the price of a regular room at the same resort, but if this is in your budget it is a very nice option and certainly roomy enough.
Other villas where you would need a 2 br are Boardwalk [BW] and Wilderness Lodge [WL] and they are all around $700* per night.
There are villas where you would fit into a 1 br, but you'd have to put the kids on a sleeper sofa and sleeper chair. These are Old Key West [OKW] and Saratoga Springs [SSR] at $435*/night and Animal Kingdom Lodge [AKL] and Bay Lake towers [BLT] at around $500*/night.

*All numbers based on non discounted lowest season/weekday/view rates.

 

[amym2]

Old Key West will give you the most space. We just stayed there with our two kids (11 and 8) and we had tons of extra room. It only has one bathroom, but the toilet/shower area is separate from the tub/vanity area. If you stay in building 30 or higher there is an entrance to the bathroom from the living room. The OKW living room has a pullout sofa plus a sleeper chair, which Beach Club does not have (only a sofabed). BLT and AKV also have the sleeper chairs, but the rooms are smaller.

 

[amym2]

You are a party of 5, as your youngest @ age 1 does not count in the room occupancy limit.
Currently you are at the Beach Club [BC] - where one room costs $335*/night and can sleep 5 plus one under age 3.
To switch to the villas at the Beach Club you would need a 2 br (1 br villas at Beach club only sleep 4.) The price of a 2 br villa is @ least $700*/night, which is more than double the price of a regular room at the same resort, but if this is in your budget it is a very nice option and certainly roomy enough.
Other villas where you would need a 2 br are Boardwalk [BW] and Wilderness Lodge [WL] and they are all around $700* per night.
There are villas where you would fit into a 1 br, but you'd have to put the kids on a sleeper sofa and sleeper chair these are Old Key West [OKW] and Saratoga Springs [SSR] at $435*/night and Animal Kingdom Lodge [AKL] and Bay Lake towers [BLT] at around $500*/night.

*All numbers based on non discounted lowest season/weekday/view rates.

SSR does not have the sleeper chair in the regular villas, only in the Treehouse Villas.

 

[amym2]

Look into renting points through David's or another company. Much cheaper than paying Disney rates.

 

[MMS1125]

I'd go with a 1BR at AKV-Kidani or BLT so you get 2 bathrooms. AKV-Kidani is going to be your cheapest 1BR option I believe

 

[letsgoreds]

I would rent points and get a 1br at Kidani. They have an AMAZING pool play area for the young kids, and a good sized slide for the older ones. Not to mention the en suite animal watching (book savannah view). You are also allowed to head to Jambo and check out their pool.

I also really like BLT, walking to MK is wonderful, and riding the monorail is fun : ) The rooms feel bigger to me there. I personally LOVE the decor.

In both of these you will have a king, room for a pack and play (already in room), a fold out full bed and a fold out chair.

Other advantages to BLT are also watching the evening MK fireworks (can view from common area at elevators) and magical water show at night.

 

[butsy113]

You are a party of 5, as your youngest @ age 1 does not count in the room occupancy limit.
Currently you are at the Beach Club [BC] - where one room costs $335*/night and can sleep 5 plus one under age 3.
To switch to the villas at the Beach Club you would need a 2 br (1 br villas at Beach club only sleep 4.) The price of a 2 br villa is @ least $700*/night, which is more than double the price of a regular room at the same resort, but if this is in your budget it is a very nice option and certainly roomy enough.
Other villas where you would need a 2 br are Boardwalk [BW] and Wilderness Lodge [WL] and they are all around $700* per night.
There are villas where you would fit into a 1 br, but you'd have to put the kids on a sleeper sofa and sleeper chair. These are Old Key West [OKW] and Saratoga Springs [SSR] at $435*/night and Animal Kingdom Lodge [AKL] and Bay Lake towers [BLT] at around $500*/night.

*All numbers based on non discounted lowest season/weekday/view rates.

When booking the 1 bedrooms on the DVC website it says the 1 bedrooms sleep 4 but can sleep a 5th if you supply your own bedding and linens for the 5th person. All you would have to do is pack a small air mattress or even pool raft for the 4 yo to sleep on. Then the pack and play for the 1yo. The 2 older kids could have the pull out.

That being said, I would go with a 1 bedroom at Kidani so you have the sleeper chair and sleep sofa. Then you don't have to worry about it

 

[Deb & Bill]

When booking the 1 bedrooms on the DVC website it says the 1 bedrooms sleep 4 but can sleep a 5th if you supply your own bedding and linens for the 5th person. All you would have to do is pack a small air mattress or even pool raft for the 4 yo to sleep on. Then the pack and play for the 1yo. The 2 older kids could have the pull out.

That being said, I would go with a 1 bedroom at Kidani so you have the sleeper chair and sleep sofa. Then you don't have to worry about it

This is only available when you book on points. If you book through DRC, you will only be able to put four plus one in BCV, BWV, SSR and VWL one bedroom villas. And even with DVC, you can only put a max of five person in these one bedrooms, not five plus one under the age of three. You can have four plus one under the age of three or five total. And DVC will not provide a rollaway bed or cot for the fifth person, plus no extra towels for the fifth person.

 

[HawkeyeFan]

Wow, thank you all for the great advice!! SOOOO much to learn booking a Disney trip for the first time...

We initially were going to book the AOA resort but had switched to the Beach Resort and now possibly to a Villa... my husband is going to LOVE me, the cost just keeps on rising.

 

[Sue M]

If you def. want a Villa, looking into renting points from David's is a good idea and safe.

Other options which are cheaper are booking 2 rooms at a moderate or value resort. True, they don't have kitchens, but I don't cook at Disney
I only stock my room fridge with breakfast stuff.

 

[HawkeyeFan]

I am really confused on the whole renting the points?? When I went to Davids and put in our dates, figured out that I would need 525 points to stay at the Wilderness Lodge Villas for 5 nights 6 days.. it came out to 6800.00! What the heck am I doing wrong?? Help!

Thanks everyone!

 

[HawkeyeFan]

So I accidentally added the points for the Villa that holds up to 12 people. Oops! :roll eyes: I figured out that it would be 2509 for our dates but then do I book our Park hopper, dining plans, etc through disney?

 

[TheDisney411]

We are also a large family and have been traveling to Disney since our kids were very young. This is our experience, the villas are way overpriced, even renting points. We HATED the cabins, they are WAY overpriced for what they are and only have one bathroom. We love the dining plan, so we don't need a kitchen. For the last number of years we have been getting 2 connecting rooms. We have done connecting rooms at the Poly, Port Orleans, Pop and All Star Movies. The all time family fave is All Star Movies. We have also lucked out with free ongoing for the last several years. If you rent points you can't take advantage of the free dining, stay/play/dine or the room only discounts. You will come out thousands ahead by going to Art of Animation with a discount than renting points at one of the villas. We are trying AoA for the first time in November and can not wait

 

[Deb & Bill]

So I accidentally added the points for the Villa that holds up to 12 people. Oops! :roll eyes: I figured out that it would be 2509 for our dates but then do I book our Park hopper, dining plans, etc through disney?

The member who books the trip for you (David just acts as a broker for the member) will need to add the dining plan and you will have to pay for the dining plan when you add it. You buy your tickets from wherever you like.

Just an aside. Villas at Wilderness Lodge do not have any Grand Villas (villas that sleep 12), just studios, one bedroom villas and two bedroom villas. With your family of six, you will need a two bedroom villa at VWL since they only sleep up to five total. Some of the two bedroom villas are dedicated, meaning they can only be reserved as a two bedroom with two queen beds in the second bedroom. Or a two bedroom can be a lockoff, meaning a combination of a studio and a one bedroom. So the second bedroom has a queen bed and a double sleeper sofa, plus a kitchenette. The second bedroom in a lockoff will also have a door to the hallway.

However, when you are planning on going in February may be a problem. There doesn't seem to be a lot of availability at VWL right now in February. And I'm a bit confused at how you got 193 points for a stay. During the first 15 days of February, a two bedroom is 44 points per night Sun thru Thur and 49 points Sat and Sun. A week would be 318 points. During the last 13 nights of February, Sun through Thur would be 48 points per night and Fri and Sat 55 points per night or 350 points. So a week would be from $4134 to $4550 at $13 a point.