Family of 4 in a studio - where do you put

[MinnieGi]

all your stuff? We have always stayed in a one or two bedroom villa but we are going on an "extra" DVC trip this July to meet up with some friends. We have enough 2006 points to use toward a BCV studio at this time. But would have to borrow points to up to a one bedroom. It will be DH, 5yo DD and 23 month old DS and myself at the time of the trip. We all fit into a regular hotel room at the JW Marriott in Oct. so I'm trying to convince myself a studio will be no problem. But I was looking at 360 pictures on OLP.com and I'm not sure if there is enough closet and drawer space to unpack all of our clothes. I like to unpack and settle in for the week. If you've stayed in a studio with four did you have enough room to unpack all your clothes? Is there room in closet to put away the suitcases? I'm second guessing if I should just borrow the points and upgrade to a one bedroom.

 

[sheryl0521]

Honestly - it is tight with 4 people in a studio. We are a family of 4 - me, DH, DS 12.5 & DS 4.5. My older DS should not see mom getting dressed - I have to dress in the bathroom area and it is tight when someone else is using the facilities.

It is also a catch 22 - pack less because there is less storage in the studio, but if you pack less you will need to do laundry and the studios do not have washers/dryers so you have to use the laundry room. If you have the 1-bed, you get more room so you can pack & store more, but you really don't need to pack more because you have washer/dryer in the room.

Also - the one closet in the studio is full of room items like the vacum cleaner, high chair and porta-crib so you lose even more space.

My DH and I are heading down next weekend, and the original plan was for a studio - but we are spoiling ourselves with a 1-bedroom. We want the king size bed. We are also paying cash because we have already booked & borrowed all of our 2006 points and it is only February. Yes, we need an add-on but it isn't in the cards right now.

 

[RichieGraciemom]

STayed four in a studio in November and had no problem, we were so happy to be on vacation. we fit all in the drawers and had some shelves above the drawers and on top of enternainment center. Had three suitcases and fit them in closet. we were at ssr. Entry way had room to dress. OUr children were 3 and five at this trip. Will always stay in studio, we say now, becuase we want to go twice a year. Also hung clothes in closet. Did laundry when we were at pool area, not a problem. Good luck and just think, you will be in disney!!!!!!!

 

[DisneyPhD]

We tend to do studios also because we are also borrowed from the next year. We keep doing more then one trip a year.

Studios can work just fine, and IMO the hardest thing is the lack of storage space. There is not enough drawers for a family of 4, barely enough for 2 people really. We did end up leaving suit cases our and had a mond of dirty clothes for a while. It wasn't pretty or neat, but I had to let it go and not bug me too much.

We also did lundry at the pool. Bring a lundry bag with you, that helps with the mess. (heck bakets if you are driving.) We even used the night stand as storage.

We did 5 in a studio once. DH and myself. DD that was almost 4 and DD that was 6 months old along with my neice who was 12. Then we had baby in pack and play. DD on the floor with a blow up sleeping bag (she likes it.) and DN on the couch. Once again, it wasn't pretty, but you do what you have to do on vaction. We found we actually had more storage space at PORS then a studio.

 

[Muushka]

Pray that you don't get a HA room at BCV! It was just the 2 of us and we had a very hard time with our 'stuff'. But on the bright side, we loved the view and the resort!

 

[DisneyPhD]

Pray that you don't get a HA room at BCV! It was just the 2 of us and we had a very hard time with our 'stuff'. But on the bright side, we loved the view and the resort!

What does HA mean?

I know that when we stayed at SSR in a studio there was a little extra room near the door, this really helped to put the stroller in that spot and a few other things. Not sure if all rooms had that extra space, or if it was just because of the layout and some have more or less space there.

 

[Cruise04]

I do have to say that I like the storage at the BCV studios more than the OKW studios. It just seems like there is so much more room. They have a nice tv/wardrobe that has shelving on the side and I put things there that were needed on a daily basis - like cameras, my pouch, the tissue box, books, etc. Then I believe there are 4 drawers (maybe 6) and that was enough for us. The you have the bathroom sink outside of the bathroom and that helps add just a little more space plus you have the kitchenette area with nice storage under the sink and above the sink in the cabinets plus a nice little shelf under the cabinet. When you walk in the door there was extra room that we were able to put our suitcases there plus some room between the wardrobe and the wall to put a few more suitcases (stacked on top of each other).

The only downfall in BCV is that the second bed is a pullout and you have the table right across from it, so when you pull the bed out - it crammed right up against the table.

I don't think you'll have a problem at BCV. Now if you were staying at OKW then I'd say different because there just is not enough storage space there.

 

[Muushka]

What does HA mean?

I know that when we stayed at SSR in a studio there was a little extra room near the door, this really helped to put the stroller in that spot and a few other things. Not sure if all rooms had that extra space, or if it was just because of the layout and some have more or less space there.

HA is handicap accessable. We had one of these rooms on our last visit. I could not believe how little storage space there was in that room, and the bathroom! Forget about that!! And the bed!! So low!!!

But as I said, we loved the view and the resort.

 

[DisneyPhD]

HA is handicap accessable. We had one of these rooms on our last visit. I could not believe how little storage space there was in that room, and the bathroom! Forget about that!! And the bed!! So low!!!

But as I said, we loved the view and the resort.

Oh............ Thank you. Somestimes when you get what an abrevations is, you think "How did I miss that?"

I would be very unhappy in a HA room, moslty because of the lack of tub thing. My DD's don't do well in a shower. If it was just DH and I wouldn't care as much. I actually ask if it is HA at check in just to be sure (along with non smoking.)

I love the resort too. BCV is my favorite!

 

[Mickey527]

I have stayed at OKW quite a few times with 2 adults a 20 year old teen girl and a 12 year old boy.
We assign one drawer to each person and bathroom stuff has to be kept in the drawers or under the sink. Nothing kept on the shelf unless you are using it and then put it away.
I also bring two collapsable hampers that we keep over between the window and the bed near the door.
We hang some stuff in the closet but mostly put suitcases in.
The boy sleeps on an air mattress which we put near the locked door. We move the table and chairs over a little so he can put the air mattress against the wall.
We don't spend much time in the room and I like to keep my points down so I can get more trips.
the bathroom can be a bit of a problem, especially when we get back from the parks, everyone wants to get in there at the same time. But we have managed.
I like to shower at bedtime because I am hot and sweaty from the day at the parks. Everyone else takes turns in the morning.
I do enjoy the one bedroom during the slower season but when points are higher I crowd us in. I do a big family thing once a year when I wind up renting a two bedroom and a one bedroom because I can never get the Grand Villa. Peggie

 

[twotoohappy]

I did it last Dec. with 2 adults 2 10 year olds. Not a problem. We're out most of the day anyways. I kept my stuff in the suitcase on the suitcase stand in the closet, everyone else had drawer space.
Now the 3 nights in May with 4 adults will be interesting. Wanted to have an extra trip, so we decided to all bunk in together. If they wanted free, they knew it would be tight. Two of us will be on the floor on blow-up mattresses. Good thing is, after the pool all day and Jellyrolls all night.... who cares where you fall asleep at 2:30 in the morning?

 

[Pluto4Pres]

OK. I'll throw in my suggestion that I picked up from a cruise board. Get a clear plastic over the door shoe organizer (about $5 at CVS or Walmart). Put this on the inside of the bathroom door to store all the toiletries and stuff. It keeps the clutter off the counters and everything you need is visible.

 

[TCPluto]

..... a 20 year old teen girl and a 12 year old boy.
Peggie

huh??

 

[MinnieGi]

Thanks for the organizational tips. I'm feeling more confident in our stay in a studio. At least this will be a test trip to see if it'll work or if only one bedrooms for us will do. Please share any other ways you fit all your stuff into a studio!!! Thanks

BTW - where is the BCV laundry? And as DVC members we don't have to pay for the machines, correct?

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

I don't recall a high chair in the closet of studios. Just the pack and play and maybe a vacuum cleaner...maybe.

Anyway if the foyer isn't being used for sleeping space its a good place to store suitcases with the suitcase rest. So if someone doesn't have draw space and has brought very few clothes they can live out of their suitcase because the rest brings the case up to a high enough point that retrieving your stuff is easy enough.

I didn't like BWV in that instance because the the entertainment center didn't have shelving where you could store toiletries. I plan to do the clear plastic shoe rack trick the next time I travel with three or more people.

 

[mom2missmous]

One thing we have done for extra storage has been to ask housekeeping to remove the hchair and portacrib for the duration of our stay(they are returned when room is cleaned for next guests). They have never had any problem doing this, and although it doesn't add lots of room it does help!

 

[DisneyPhD]

One thing we have done for extra storage has been to ask housekeeping to remove the hchair and portacrib for the duration of our stay(they are returned when room is cleaned for next guests). They have never had any problem doing this, and although it doesn't add lots of room it does help!

I have never seen a high chair in any stuido (or one bedroom for that mater) and belive I looked. I would of loved to have it since we have been to WDW 6 times with a baby! (or more)

I have considered asking to borrow one, I was pretty sure they would if they had one to give me.

Has other people really found one in their room? If so I am asking next time!

 

[MinnieGi]

I have never seen a high chair in any stuido (or one bedroom for that mater) and belive I looked. I would of loved to have it since we have been to WDW 6 times with a baby! (or more)

I have considered asking to borrow one, I was pretty sure they would if they had one to give me.

Has other people really found one in their room? If so I am asking next time!

We have always had a high chair in our one bedroom villas at all DVC locations. We have always had one of the kids need it. I assumed they were in studios too. We will probably be able to get away without having a highchair in July when DS is 23 months but we will need the pack 'n play so I hope its in the closet.

 

[dianeschlicht]

AT OKW, the high chair is in the front hall closet of the 1 and 2 bedroom units and is usually in the corner of the dining room in the GV. I don't recall ever seeing a high chair in the studios there.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We have a 2 bedroom booked for VWL for the August trip. Our reservation papers say *** High Chair Requested***!

I was asked if we needed one when I booked.

Bobbi