Booking 2 rooms vs 1 suite

[jenlw]

We are planning our 3rd trip to Disney for March 2017. Our boys will be 12 and 14. Last time we stayed for a week at the Wilderness Lodge. We had a great time, but by the end of the week we were all wishing we had our own space. We would love for the boys to have their own tv, bedroom area, etc. Do you think it's better to book 2 rooms and hope for a connecting room, or do you think it would be better to book a suite at Bay Lake Towers, or somewhere similar? We really won't use the kitchen at all. I think my boys would be fine sleeping on the pull out couch and pull out chair, then we could have the master bedroom. However, if I booked 2 rooms at a moderate or value resort, then they could have real beds. Just curious if anyone else has done an option like this when you have older kids. Thanks!

 

[Hopefully]

We are planning our 3rd trip to Disney for March 2017. Our boys will be 12 and 14. Last time we stayed for a week at the Wilderness Lodge. We had a great time, but by the end of the week we were all wishing we had our own space. We would love for the boys to have their own tv, bedroom area, etc. Do you think it's better to book 2 rooms and hope for a connecting room, or do you think it would be better to book a suite at Bay Lake Towers, or somewhere similar? We really won't use the kitchen at all. I think my boys would be fine sleeping on the pull out couch and pull out chair, then we could have the master bedroom. However, if I booked 2 rooms at a moderate or value resort, then they could have real beds. Just curious if anyone else has done an option like this when you have older kids. Thanks!

There is NO GUARANTEE OF connecting rooms. EVER. Personally I would look at renting DVC points for a 1 BR Villa. But renting DVC points requires an up front commitment. You can seldom cancel or change your reservation, and for best availability you need to book 11 months in advance.
I don't have any experience with a suite, so I can't help there.
Good Luck

 

[_auroraborealis_]

If you request connecting and don't get it, you end up having to have an adult in each room.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Go for the suite! The pullouts are pretty decent at BLT, especially for kids who tend to be lighter.

 

[conandrob240]

This is not exactly true. You can guarantee connecting rooms at certain resorts. Ask your TA to make sure it's done properly.

 

[Hopefully]

Go for the suite! The pullouts are pretty decent at BLT, especially for kids who tend to be lighter.

I'm confused by your reply. BLT is NOT a suite. It is a DVC Villa. They are 2 different things. One is a traditional hotel suite and one is a Disney timeshare villa.

This is not exactly true. You can guarantee connecting rooms at certain resorts. Ask your TA to make sure it's done properly.

This is exactly true.
Individual - vs group sales - can NEVER guarantee connecting rooms. Even if your TA says they can, or the Disney telephone CM says they can or even when your Email confirmation says it is. It is NEVER guaranteed. There are many, many reports here on the DIS of folks who have had multiple stays with "guaranteed connecting" rooms who were not granted them. Dansdad just posted again this week about his experience and where on his first visit spending 5 hours escalating and arguing that he had a confirmation etc. and they were not granted.
They will try, but if they are unavailable they are unavailable.

 

[Nancyg56]

This is not exactly true. You can guarantee connecting rooms at certain resorts. Ask your TA to make sure it's done properly.

Be careful with this. Disney cannot give you what is not there, so while they do everything possible to make connecting rooms happen ( I have always gotten this request granted) it is never guaranteed. You TA cannot move people from the rooms they are already in to give that room to another guest.

 

[maxiesmom]

This is not exactly true. You can guarantee connecting rooms at certain resorts. Ask your TA to make sure it's done properly.

Nope, that is not right. Rooms are not blocked off as we book them, so even your TA has no idea if you will be placed in a connecting room or not. They can request it, which is all any of us can do.

And I have not received connecting rooms every time I have requested them. The last time it happened we were even told at check in that our rooms would connect, but that only one had been serviced. Dropped all our stuff off in that one room, and when we returned the second room was not the connecting room. Stuff happens and sometimes they simply cannot accommodate every request for connecting rooms.

 

[sunsetbeachgal]

I would prefer any type of room that has the small kitchenette, and love the two bathrooms in the suite. Our family much prefers starting off the morning with breakfast in the suite or room, when everyone is getting ready. It is calmer and a much easier start to the day!

 

[ArwenMarie]

nm

 

[Sunshine11]

When our kids were teenage age, we always did 2 rooms at pOFQ for the same reason. WE didn't want a kitchen, just an extra tv, beds and bathroom. It always worked perfectly. We never had any issue getting connecting rooms. My suggestion would be to offer to wait at check in if there aren't two connecting rooms available. I assume there is always a chance you could not receive them but we had no problems with it. The extra space worked out awesome! Enjoy.

 

[jenlw]

Oops I meant villa (not suite). I think I'm going to book a 1 bedroom BLT villa, while they are still available. The kids can have the queen fold out sofa and twin fold out chair. We can have the king size bedroom. BLT hardly ever has discounts. I'll watch for any specials at other resorts and if I see a deal that would make it better to book 2 rooms at a resort with a discount, then I'll switch my reservation. I would be about $1500 less expensive to get 2 rooms at Port Orleans! That's very appealing. We just love being near Magic Kingdom though. Well, I can book the BLT villa now, and then have some time to think about all of my options. Thanks for all of the help!

 

[hes122]

I slept on the pullout at BLT during my last trip and had no complaints about it.

 

[mousefan73]

Just be sure when booking a suite you are aware of the bathroom situation. Most 1 bedrooms still have only one bath. 2 bath suites are hard to come by.. either 2 bedroom or AOA, ASMU, CSR Junior suite, I think some BLT, Kidani 1 bedrooms have a bath and half I think but not Jambo.

We went through this all last year as we needed two baths.

We ended up doing a split AOA Nemo suite and then 2 rooms at POR.

If you are willing to go value, I think AOA is perfect.. get the cars section. your boys are older but still will get a kick out of it... two TVs, one bedroom with private bath, walkin shower, and then the living area... has a pullout and the murphy bed.. each boy can basically have their own full size bed, kitchenette and another fullsize tub/shower bath...

we normally do Moderates and sometimes Delux, but really liked AOA