Family of 5 -Parents & 3 kids cant stay at a Value?

[Eli's 1st trip]

Im so bummed. So we are just at the beginning stages of planning our next years trip and since our youngest will be 3 or 4 at the time of our trip they are counted as a person so that makes us too many people for the standard room at any of the values. My youngest would be sleeping with us or with his brothers anyway...we don't need the bigger room as we aren't in it...and I know...I know...Disney doesn't take any of this into consideration when making reservations etc. But we like the values and it keeps the price of our trip down and allows us to get to Disney more often

 

[Tinker06]

It is disappointing. But we booked with a free dining promo (for 5) and we got a room at Caribbean Beach and it was not much more than a value at all. ($4000 for 7 nights with DDP)

 

[Deb & Bill]

Im so bummed. So we are just at the beginning stages of planning our next years trip and since our youngest will be 3 or 4 at the time of our trip they are counted as a person so that makes us too many people for the standard room at any of the values. My youngest would be sleeping with us or with his brothers anyway...we don't need the bigger room as we aren't in it...and I know...I know...Disney doesn't take any of this into consideration when making reservations etc. But we like the values and it keeps the price of our trip down and allows us to get to Disney more often

If your youngest was under three, you'd fit in a standard room at a Value resort. But with five, you either need a family suite or a resort that sleeps five like some of the moderate resorts.

 

[HopperFan]

AllStar Music Suite, CBR or POR are your best bets.

 

[Minniesgal]

Can't you try 2 rooms at a value

 

[5kidsmommy]

The reason for this is fire codes. Yes, it's annoying when kids are little and you know they'll fit but there are regulations that even Disney can't control. Look into the moderates with the fold down bed. They sleep 5. I feel your pain. Disney and having a large family is one of the reasons we invested in a travel trailer, our family fits great at the Fort.

 

[HopperFan]

The reason for this is fire codes. Yes, it's annoying when kids are little and you know they'll fit but there are regulations that even Disney can't control. Look into the moderates with the fold down bed. They sleep 5. I feel your pain. Disney and having a large family is one of the reasons we invested in a travel trailer, our family fits great at the Fort.

5 here too, and when we all go together, we stay offsite in a suite for less. Disney offers options for larger families, but up to us if it is worth it financially.

 

[BigredNole]

When you have 5 in the party, Disney gets even more money from you. You have to go to a suite that is $300+/night or get 2 rooms. 2 rooms has a benefit of double the beds and bathrooms. If you get connecting rooms, it is great.

 

[wishing4PA]

On the upside, often moderates have a slightly greater discounts available than the value resorts, thus bringing the price a little closer in line to value resort prices!
(Just trying to see the upside. I wish the regular value resort rooms could hold 5, too!)

 

[Happyinwonerland]

I vote for staying offsite. You'll get a much better value for a 5 person room.

 

[ChasingLeslie]

As @5kidsmommy said, it's about fire codes and the smaller size of the value rooms. If you prefer the look of the values, you can still get a family suite at AoA or ASMusic (although the price sort of defeats "value" budget). I bet your kids would love CBR!

 

[mickey2minnie1]

Try to budget the extra money. Cut somewhere. I find when I really look, I can find a little extra to upgrade, along with a discount of course.

Good luck!

 

[Deb & Bill]

I vote for staying offsite. You'll get a much better value for a 5 person room.

But then you are paying $20 a day to park unless you are paying an offsite hotel to ride their shuttle. That could be the difference between the value and the moderate. And if you are renting a vehicle to get to that offsite location because you are flying, add that cost, too. You'd lose DME without a Disney lodging reservation.

When you have 5 in the party, Disney gets even more money from you. You have to go to a suite that is $300+/night or get 2 rooms. 2 rooms has a benefit of double the beds and bathrooms. If you get connecting rooms, it is great.

But if you don't get connecting rooms (and they are not guaranteed, no matter what anyone tells you), Mom and Dad have to split up since none of the kids are 18 or older.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Do a moderate that sleeps 5. Bigger rooms, better pools and more amenities.

 

[monorailsilver]

It does suck but I am spoiled and stay deluxe...not what you wanted to hear.

We stayed deluxe before we were married, with 1 then 2 and now with 3 kids. But our trips were every 1-3 years and are now every 5 years just to make it work.

But luckily there are tons of other options so you can stay in a value or a mod. How about the dolphin? I had looked into to (nurse discount) but the double beds turned me away.

So yeah being a family of 5 sucks for Disney, next trip is for us is August 2018 (last trip 2013) and all 3 of mine will be Disney adults $$$$$$$. So because of that, we are not eating at Chef Mickeys, I'd rather spend that $300 elsewhere.

 

[TandLMommy28]

We have three kids and so we always stay moderate... this fall we went without the kids so we took the chance to try out two resorts that can only sleep four. AKL and Pop. Pop rooms are TINY. We road trip a lot and stay in a lot of cheap hotels as we drive and Pop was one of the smallest rooms I've ever seen. It was clean, and bright, and cheerful. But tiny. I wouldn't want to cram five people in there for a week.

The moderates are only a little more expensive if you book a standard room and you have so much more space and an actual fifth sleeping space. Plus you get so many more amenities, it's really worth the upgrade in my opinion.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

I can't even imagine 2 parents and a child in one of those double beds.

 

[Eli's 1st trip]

Thanks for all the idea peeps!! We have stayed at the Mods before...bc my MIL has come with us previous trips and #3 kids was under 3 but now MIL isnt coming and #3 is over 3...Staying off site is not an option for us...with 3 boys 9,6,and 3 they eat WAY TOO MUCH NOT to be on the dining plan, they eat eat eat...I would spend way to much on food if we stayed off sight...I PRAY for Free Dining...
SOOOO I guess I have some resort research to do...Thanks again everyone!!

 

[Eli's 1st trip]

I can't even imagine 2 parents and a child in one of those double beds.

He usually fell asleep with us and we moved him to his sleeping bag, it was a blowup air mattress type

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Well if you go during free dining and you are in a moderate you get the regular TS plan.