Disney World resort room for family of 6?

[pesape]

We are thinking of doing a Disney World trip sometime in the near future. This will be our first trip since January 2020. On that trip we went with my in-laws, and between them, my wife, I, and our 4 kids, we stayed in a 2-bedroom suite at Beach Club. It of course was crazy expensive. The next trip will be without the in-laws, so I'm trying to see if there are any one room options for us in the resorts that we like.
Way back when, we stayed at one of the Allstar resorts that had the first family suite, then we did Port Orleans, but the subsequent times have been Boardwalk. Boardwalk is easily my favorite resort as I love not needing transportation for two resorts.
The challenge is that with a family of six, I seem to be stuck needing either two studios or the 2-bedroom villa again. According to Disney's website, the studios have a 5 'adult' capacity. Well, our youngest is 4, so we could easily make a studio work if allowed.
The last couple of times, I've booked through the vacation club points rental companies and have saved quite a bit of money, but it would drive a bit crazy to either need one more studio or have to splurge on the 2 bedroom villa due to one extra person - who is 4.
Is Disney strict on the 5 person capacity? Is that even enforceable if I bought the room through one of the vacation club rental places and then purchased the 6 needed tickets separately? Could/would Disney be able to track them back to our room reservation?

EDIT TO ADD - I know that some of the value resorts have family suite options, but while I have nothing against the value resorts per se, I despise the Disney busses. I've seen the horror pictures of people waiting in line for the busses for ever at the value resorts. I love the Epcot area hotels because you can walk to Epcot and Hollywood Studios. We've also started taking ubers (or minnie vans when they still had them) to Magic Kingdom via Bay Lake Towers.

 

[Marionnette]

Is Disney strict on the 5 person capacity? Is that even enforceable if I bought the room through one of the vacation club rental places and then purchased the 6 needed tickets separately? Could/would Disney be able to track them back to our room reservation?

Yes, they are strict about it. You cannot register 6 people over the age of 3 in a 5-person studio.

And it's against the website rules to post ways to work around Disney's rules, so let's just leave it at that.

 

[Mle8308]

We are thinking of doing a Disney World trip sometime in the near future. This will be our first trip since January 2020. On that trip we went with my in-laws, and between them, my wife, I, and our 4 kids, we stayed in a 2-bedroom suite at Beach Club. It of course was crazy expensive. The next trip will be without the in-laws, so I'm trying to see if there are any one room options for us in the resorts that we like.
Way back when, we stayed at one of the Allstar resorts that had the first family suite, then we did Port Orleans, but the subsequent times have been Boardwalk. Boardwalk is easily my favorite resort as I love not needing transportation for two resorts.
The challenge is that with a family of six, I seem to be stuck needing either two studios or the 2-bedroom villa again. According to Disney's website, the studios have a 5 'adult' capacity. Well, our youngest is 4, so we could easily make a studio work if allowed.
The last couple of times, I've booked through the vacation club points rental companies and have saved quite a bit of money, but it would drive a bit crazy to either need one more studio or have to splurge on the 2 bedroom villa due to one extra person - who is 4.
Is Disney strict on the 5 person capacity? Is that even enforceable if I bought the room through one of the vacation club rental places and then purchased the 6 needed tickets separately? Could/would Disney be able to track them back to our room reservation?

They are very strict. You would really be strapped for space with 6 people in a studio. Enforceable? Probably not. But against fire code and policy. If you bought tickets seperately, you would not be able to link one person as a resort guest. So, that person would not be able to participate in any of the early or late extra magic hours because they are not considered a resort guest. You could do two regular connecting rooms.

 

[Marionnette]

EDIT TO ADD - I know that some of the value resorts have family suite options, but while I have nothing against the value resorts per se, I despise the Disney busses. I've seen the horror pictures of people waiting in line for the busses for ever at the value resorts. I love the Epcot area hotels because you can walk to Epcot and Hollywood Studios.

Book an AoA family suite and use the Skyliner to get to HS and Epcot.

 

[gorkt]

Yep a family suite at AoA is your best solution, in a preferred room, and the buses from there are not a terrible option, since there is just one bus-stop. I don't like the buses either, but my experience with them at AoA (and this was pre-skyliner), was the best at any resort.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

We are thinking of doing a Disney World trip sometime in the near future. This will be our first trip since January 2020. On that trip we went with my in-laws, and between them, my wife, I, and our 4 kids, we stayed in a 2-bedroom suite at Beach Club. It of course was crazy expensive. The next trip will be without the in-laws, so I'm trying to see if there are any one room options for us in the resorts that we like.
Way back when, we stayed at one of the Allstar resorts that had the first family suite, then we did Port Orleans, but the subsequent times have been Boardwalk. Boardwalk is easily my favorite resort as I love not needing transportation for two resorts.
The challenge is that with a family of six, I seem to be stuck needing either two studios or the 2-bedroom villa again. According to Disney's website, the studios have a 5 'adult' capacity. Well, our youngest is 4, so we could easily make a studio work if allowed.
The last couple of times, I've booked through the vacation club points rental companies and have saved quite a bit of money, but it would drive a bit crazy to either need one more studio or have to splurge on the 2 bedroom villa due to one extra person - who is 4.
Is Disney strict on the 5 person capacity? Is that even enforceable if I bought the room through one of the vacation club rental places and then purchased the 6 needed tickets separately? Could/would Disney be able to track them back to our room reservation?

EDIT TO ADD - I know that some of the value resorts have family suite options, but while I have nothing against the value resorts per se, I despise the Disney busses. I've seen the horror pictures of people waiting in line for the busses for ever at the value resorts. I love the Epcot area hotels because you can walk to Epcot and Hollywood Studios. We've also started taking ubers (or minnie vans when they still had them) to Magic Kingdom via Bay Lake Towers.

Yes, disney is strict on the number of guests in each room and based on the fact you have to register each guest, you'd surpass the capacity of a studio for 6 guests and would not be able to book this room category. Not sure of the policy if you book via a DVC reseller, but I would imagine any reputable rental agency would follow disney's policies/rules.

I prefer walkable resorts too and even though we're only a family of 4, we have two teen girls and sharing a bathroom with them is horrendous. It's a life saver for us to have extra space so we sometimes will do adjoining rooms at Swan/Dolphin for longer trips. Typically with a discount, the price ends up being the same as a studio or 1 bedroom depending on the time of year and it's way more space and two bathrooms. The prices for the 2 bedroom villas are absurd at any of the epcot/MK area resorts thus why Old Key West and Saratoga Springs are so popular, you get so much more space for not as much $$$. But you get buses....And, even if you do stay at any of the epcot area resorts, you'll be on a bus to MK/AK anyway so they're not totally avoidable unless you drive.

It's definitely a give a take and while I understand you don't want to be on a bus all the time, AofA is a part of the skyliner line and the family suite is a great value for the space and you get skyliner access to DHS/Epcot.

The best bang for you buck for space though will be staying off WDW property and booking a suite or renting a condo.

 

[NJlauren]

Not that it totally answer your questions but Swan/Dolphin hotels are the same area and may be a bit cheaper for 2 rooms.

However you should note that the buses there aren’t great, but you can just want to beach/yatch club.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

Not that it totally answer your questions but Swan/Dolphin hotels are the same area and may be a bit cheaper for 2 rooms.

However you should note that the buses there aren’t great, but you can just want to beach/yatch club.

Overall, we've found the buses at S/D to be pretty good and better than most of the disney moderates since it's just the S/D and reserve stops and not 7 or 8 stops like a Caribbean Beach. The only real hurdle with buses at Swan/Dolphin is to/from MK since it will drop off/pick up at TTC and not at the MK bus depot like a disney bus would. It's really not that bad so we don't mind taking the monorail/bus/ferry to/from TTC or just hopping on a YC/BC/BWI bus. You just have to pick your poison, walk from S/D to YC/BC/BW or take the bus from S/D to TTC and walk to your mode of transport to MK.

No matter where you are, it's a bus to AK and that's all the same. S/D is a win for DHS/Epcot since we like to walk or grab a friendship boat.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Fort Wilderness Cabin and rent a car or a golf cart (one or the other is fine, you don't need both, but you definitely need at least one).

 

[CaptainAmerica]

you'd surpass the capacity of a studio for 6 guests and would not be able to book this room category.

Just to be clear, it would also suck horribly.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

Just to be clear, it would also suck horribly.

Indeed!

 

[hmansionlover]

AoA suite, hands down. Request Cars suite they are the closest to food court/bus pool and of course the BAR. Plenty of room to sit and relax and rest. It has two bathrooms areas set up so two people can be showering while two people dry hair or put on make-up etc,,, And most important of all Mom and Dad get there own room. Stayed twice one was an upgrade from Little Mermaid standard room which was really nice. Went from a seven minute walk to food court to three minutes. Have stayed value, moderate and deluxe. I would stay there before I cough up the money to stay at any delux.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Request Cars suite they are the closest to food court/bus pool and of course the BAR.

No they aren't. Nemo is closest.

 

[HopperFan]

AoA suite, hands down. Request Cars suite they are the closest to food court/bus pool and of course the BAR. Plenty of room to sit and relax and rest. It has two bathrooms areas set up so two people can be showering while two people dry hair or put on make-up etc,,, And most important of all Mom and Dad get there own room. Stayed twice one was an upgrade from Little Mermaid standard room which was really nice. Went from a seven minute walk to food court to three minutes. Have stayed value, moderate and deluxe. I would stay there before I cough up the money to stay at any delux.

I think it totally depends on where your room is. All the suites buildings have the closest rooms and some very far rooms. No "section" has an advantage to the main hub and buses, because it depends on the room location. Some farther from the hub have an advantage to the Skyliner.

Personally think Cars is the most visually appealing in their decor and the outside area is like being in a movie, so I would choose for those reasons.

 

[Marthasor]

If you can find availability, your family would fit in a Deluxe Room at Boardwalk Inn (the resort side, not a DVC studio). It has 2 queens, a queen pull-out and accommodates 6 guests. In the EP area, your only other options are 2-bedroom suites or villas or a 2-bedroom suite at Swan or Dolphin, which will most likely be your most affordable option. We do 2-bedrooms at the Swan at least once a year and they typically price out around the price of one standard resort room on the monorail (Poly and GF). Call Swan/Dolphin directly to book the suite. They also offer annual pass discounts if you have one.

 

[EsseG]

The washer and dryer plus the full kitchen in the 2-bedroom suite can factor into your decision. Pack fewer clothes, have breakfast and snack foods delivered to save $$ on food in the parks. If you get a suite near Magic Kingdom, transportation to that park is a breeze. Same for Epcot/Hollywood Studios. The time saved=money.

Or consider 2 connecting rooms at any of the resorts. 2 rooms=4 beds and 2 bathrooms.

 

[starry_solo]

So, do you want to stay on property in a Disney hotel? If so, a few options. Book two rooms, connecting if possible, a family suite at A of Al or the deluxe Boardwalk room as mentioned above. Or even a deluxe beach club room.

if you’re ok with Swan/Dolphin, check out their family suites. Prices may be more palatable