Disney's ALL-STAR MUSIC RESORT Family Suites Information & Questions

[pewing]

We are a family of 5...and our only trip with our latest addition was right before her 3rd birthday

Our next family trip will put us into a 'new realm'. This looks like a great option...especially b/c with our older two teenage boys...the extra bathroom sounds divine

Are these hard to get? Do all the Values have them?

How is the commuting from the Values compared to Deluxes?

 

[sharadoc]

We are a family of 5...and our only trip with our latest addition was right before her 3rd birthday

Our next family trip will put us into a 'new realm'. This looks like a great option...especially b/c with our older two teenage boys...the extra bathroom sounds divine

Are these hard to get? Do all the Values have them?

How is the commuting from the Values compared to Deluxes?

Hi. These can be hard to get depending on the season and discounts offered. There are around 250 of them at All Star Music Only, out of around 2,100 rooms, so you can see a small percentage. They are only available at All Star Music.

Regarding bus transportation here vs. Deluxe, try and look over the Transportation Board and read through a few threads. Apparently, no resorts bus service is great, and they all share, so it's really hard to compare. From what I've heard, All Stars share buses during mid-day, but have a dedicated bus during morning and evening hours. They each have only one stop, vs. multiple stops at Mods, and multiple resorts at Deluxe. BC/YC, Boardwalk, Swan and Dolphin all share the same bus, Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness share, and I think GF/Poly share (that one I'm not sure of). However, all Deluxes usually have an alternate transportation to some parks, vs. bus only to ALL parks at Values.

I truly believe the Family Suite is by far the best deal on property. Having a living room and kitchenette makes a great family relexation spot vs. sitting on beds in two regular rooms. We'll be there for almost 2 weeks, and we would have only done that length of trip with the suite set-up.

Your other decent family option is a cabin at Fort Wilderness, but you'll spend close to $100 more per night if you rent a golf cart, or walk a LOT to your transportaion and activities. Otherwise, a suite at most of the other resorts seems to run average $600 and up, which is a lot for us regular folks

 

[Smokin018]

Are the new suites better than paying for two connected regular rooms?

 

[Lovemy3babes]

Hey guys! Do you know if general public codes are available ever on these? We don't have a Disney Visa or AAA. Just curious and hopeful!

 

[Tree]

Are the new suites better than paying for two connected regular rooms?

It really depends on who is going. The main bedroom has a full/queen bed and then in the living room there is a pull out couch, chair and ottaman. Plus there is a kitchenette.

if you are going with all adults probably 2 rooms is best but if you are going with small children the family suites is great.

 

[LisaGoeke]

Hey guys! Do you know if general public codes are available ever on these? We don't have a Disney Visa or AAA. Just curious and hopeful!

We recently got a $360 something credit because a new code came out. We don't have AAA and it wasn't for Disney Visa, so yes.

 

[momtomatthew]

I can't figure out how to quote someone's previous post- SORRY!

THis is going off the poster who asked if the suites were better than 2 connecting rooms.

I have a suite booked for me, DH, DS (who will be 5), and my parents for Dec. 2009. DM and I thought it was a great idea and great room for us, but DH isn't so sure. He thinks two connecting rooms would be better. Thoughts?

 

[kath1210]

I can't figure out how to quote someone's previous post- SORRY!

THis is going off the poster who asked if the suites were better than 2 connecting rooms.

I have a suite booked for me, DH, DS (who will be 5), and my parents for Dec. 2009. DM and I thought it was a great idea and great room for us, but DH isn't so sure. He thinks two connecting rooms would be better. Thoughts?

It might depend on where everyone sleeps. Where will your parents sleep - in the queen bed or in the living room double bed? Some people like two rooms better if two family groups are traveling together because you can close the door between the rooms and get some privacy, or you can out the kids to bed in one room and hang out in the other. With the FS, as I understand it, the interior door will enclose only the room with the queen bed, and usually that is not where the kids sleep. Some others have said they don't like the FS because there is no bathroom directly connected to the parents bedroom - you need to go into the common area to get there. Others like the idea of having 4 real beds instead of pull-outs, although I understand they are very comfortable.

The benefits of the FS include the kitchenette area, with a fridge and microwave (I think?) and coffee pot. This helps a lot if you want to save $$ by eating in the room for breakfast, for example. Some also like the idea of having a living room area to hang out in during the day, rather than having to sit on beds. I also think that most of the FS have a curtain in the bathroom areas.

With both you get 2 bathrooms and 2 TVs, which is a nice benefit with 6 people. I guess it depends on how much you will be in the room, how much privacy you want for your nuclear family, etc.

 

[Lovemy3babes]

We recently got a $360 something credit because a new code came out. We don't have AAA and it wasn't for Disney Visa, so yes.

Thanks Lisa.

 

[*Seanaci*]

Wow! I am sooooooooo excited that I found this information. We'll be going to WDW and staying in a Family Suite 12-21 through 12-27. There will be 5 adults, and a 1 year old. Read about the suites here in the Birnbaums Guide book. When we orignally decided we were going, we figured a family suite was just as much as getting 2 connecting rooms for all of us.

Now that we've paid our balance, I've been doing a LOT of surfing for pics of the suites. Last night, my mom, my dad, my hubby, my sister (via a link through IM's as she lives in Cali), and I were looking at pics of the suites.

We can't wait for this trip. It'll be my 3rd to WDW, my hubby, son and sisters 1st trip, and my parents 2nd trip.

 

[minnie61650]

It might depend on where everyone sleeps. Where will your parents sleep - in the queen bed or in the living room double bed? Some people like two rooms better if two family groups are traveling together because you can close the door between the rooms and get some privacy, or you can out the kids to bed in one room and hang out in the other. With the FS, as I understand it, the interior door will enclose only the room with the queen bed, and usually that is not where the kids sleep. Some others have said they don't like the FS because there is no bathroom directly connected to the parents bedroom - you need to go into the common area to get there. Others like the idea of having 4 real beds instead of pull-outs, although I understand they are very comfortable.

The benefits of the FS include the kitchenette area, with a fridge and microwave (I think?) and coffee pot. This helps a lot if you want to save $$ by eating in the room for breakfast, for example. Some also like the idea of having a living room area to hang out in during the day, rather than having to sit on beds. I also think that most of the FS have a curtain in the bathroom areas.

With both you get 2 bathrooms and 2 TVs, which is a nice benefit with 6 people. I guess it depends on how much you will be in the room, how much privacy you want for your nuclear family, etc.

You are correct the Family Suites have 2 privacy curtains.
One by each vanity area.

 

[lovesdumbo]

I can't figure out how to quote someone's previous post- SORRY!

THis is going off the poster who asked if the suites were better than 2 connecting rooms.

I have a suite booked for me, DH, DS (who will be 5), and my parents for Dec. 2009. DM and I thought it was a great idea and great room for us, but DH isn't so sure. He thinks two connecting rooms would be better. Thoughts?

In addition to everything Kathy said a few things I liked about the family suite was that the bedroom had a desk-regular value rooms do not have a desk. The desk was nice because it had an outlet strip built in so it made recharging camera and phones very easy. The bedroom also had a comfy chair which was nice. I don't always want to sit on the bed when relaxing in the room but the side chairs in the standard rooms aren't too comfy.

I tried out the pull outs when I was there in August with my family. The chair bed was fine for my DS but I don't think I could sleep in it for a week. I tried the sofa bed and that was as comfy as any full size bed I've had in a value resort.

The nice thing about the kitchenette other than just the fridge/coffee pot/ and micro wave was all the storage. I felt much better organized in the suite than I do in a standard room.

 

[dis2cruise]

quick question..

we were upgraded at the asmu last week for one night
it was what they called the "suite" I always thought they had two
bathrooms and slept 6 this one didn't. we were in the Jazz building, it did
have the kitchenette a seperate bedroom sink outside the bathroom
and from what we could figure out it could only sleep 3 people out in the living room area.

was this the "odd" suite ? lol

 

[APB513]

quick question..

we were upgraded at the asmu last week for one night
it was what they called the "suite" I always thought they had two
bathrooms and slept 6 this one didn't. we were in the Jazz building, it did
have the kitchenette a seperate bedroom sink outside the bathroom
and from what we could figure out it could only sleep 3 people out in the living room area.

was this the "odd" suite ? lol

That does seem odd. The Family Suites that I have read about have a living room, one bedroom, a kitchenette and two bathrooms.

This was taken fromwdwinfo.com

"Disney has converted sets of two rooms at the All Star Music Resort and combined them into one suite. You enter the suite in the “living room” area. There is a sofa, TV armoire, easy chair and ottoman and a small dining table with 4 chairs. There is also a bathroom.

Both the chair and the ottoman open into a bed. The chair opens to a twin size bed and the ottoman opens to a “junior” sized bed….about the size of a cot. The bed and the chair are amazing designs. The kids will think they are cool and Disney's competitors are going to steal this idea. Watch for different versions of this to spring up everywhere.

There is a bedroom with a queen size bed, a TV armoire, night tables and a small chair. While the room has been redesigned, it is still a value resort bedroom, simple and practical. Outside the bedroom is a “kitchenette” area. There is a microwave, fridge coffeemaker and a small sink. There is good amount of storage space in this area. There is also a second bathroom.

By the way…..both bathrooms are the types that have the sink and vanity outside the actual restroom. Both bathrooms have curtains that pull shut. These are great for blocking the light and offering the person using this area some privacy."

 

[Ashley Kees]

quick question..

we were upgraded at the asmu last week for one night
it was what they called the "suite" I always thought they had two
bathrooms and slept 6 this one didn't. we were in the Jazz building, it did
have the kitchenette a seperate bedroom sink outside the bathroom
and from what we could figure out it could only sleep 3 people out in the living room area.

was this the "odd" suite ? lol

That was one of the models they built when they were trying to decide what floorplan to build. Disney built three alltogether, and then chose one to use. They did NOT "fix" the other two floorplans, though, they just use them as overflow. People on the dis have actually argued with me on this, but I have found a few people who have been lucky enough to get one of the two different suites. If you have any pics, can you post them, please? One of the floorplans that was not used has pictures posted at http://allears.net/acc/g_asuites.htm and it would actually work better for my family.

 

[dis2cruise]

That was one of the models they built when they were trying to decide what floorplan to build. Disney built three alltogether, and then chose one to use. They did NOT "fix" the other two floorplans, though, they just use them as overflow. People on the dis have actually argued with me on this, but I have found a few people who have been lucky enough to get one of the two different suites. If you have any pics, can you post them, please? One of the floorplans that was not used has pictures posted at http://allears.net/acc/g_asuites.htm and it would actually work better for my family.

yes, we do have photos of it, i will get my husband to post them for you to see. the room was wonderful but I kept scatching my head saying to myself
"I thought all the suites had 2 bathrooms and slept 6 " oh well, this kind of answers my question. btw, looking at the link you gave me the room almost looks the same except for the other bathroom/seating area.

 

[mommahnina]

I just changed my reservation to stay here after seeing the pictures.. MUCH better then POR

 

[mommykds]

I just changed my reservation to stay here after seeing the pictures.. MUCH better then POR

We stayed at POR this August. While the resort was nice, the 5 of us crammed into 1 room with 1 potty just doesn't work well. We are booked for AS Suites next August & am looking forward to the separate space for the kids.

 

[weschmom]

OK...not to rain on anyone's parade, but we stayed at the ASMu family suites in January, and they are NOT that big. Reading about 5 and 6 people in them...wow....that sounds really crowded to us. Especially if most of those people are adults! It is nice to have the additional bathroom, but as far as living and sleeping space...just be aware, there is not much of it. And remember that you are staying at a value resort, so even though you are paying more for your room than most other people staying there, you are still subject to the same bus system, etc, which we found to have really long waits and frustrating in general. For us, never again.

 

[*Seanaci*]

OK...not to rain on anyone's parade, but we stayed at the ASMu family suites in January, and they are NOT that big. Reading about 5 and 6 people in them...wow....that sounds really crowded to us. Especially if most of those people are adults! It is nice to have the additional bathroom, but as far as living and sleeping space...just be aware, there is not much of it. And remember that you are staying at a value resort, so even though you are paying more for your room than most other people staying there, you are still subject to the same bus system, etc, which we found to have really long waits and frustrating in general. For us, never again.

I would hope that most people decide where to stay based on how much time they'll actually spend there...that's what my family did, and it's why we decided on a Family Suite at ASmu rather than connecting rooms there. We'll only be sleeping there the majority of the time. And when we do decide to have some down time in the room, we'll deal with the tight space.