Family of Five Need Help Deciding on Resort

[The Way]

Family of five, 3 girls (13, 10 &6) It appears the best options for our travel dates are Art of Animation Family Suites, Boardwalk Villas or Beach Club.
Any thoughts are appreciated

 

[Marionnette]

Family of five, 3 girls (13, 10 &6) It appears the best options for our travel dates are Art of Animation Family Suites, Boardwalk Villas or Beach Club.
Any thoughts are appreciated

I’m guessing that you’re looking at BWV and BCV studios? If so, I recommend the family suites instead. You’ll get 2 full bathrooms (important with 5 people) and much more space to spread out. The studios at those two resorts can get very cramped with 5 people and 1 bathroom.

 

[Disneyfan754321]

We had conjoing rooms at pop, we had boys 17, 9 and 5 I found it cheaper than the cars suite that we originally were going to book. The time before that it was the family suite at all star music but that is not currently available...
You also should consider renting someones dvc points and get a room with a kitchen that's what we are planning to do on the next big trip.

Edit.. I added a pic because we are currently in a conjoined room at pop in the 50s building

 

[Schneewittchen37]

If cost is a concern, you have some other options.
Caribbean Beach sleeps 5 in a lot of room types, two queens and a twin murphy bed.
Fort Wilderness cabin has a queen bed, a bunk bed and sleeper sofa bed.

Boulder Ridge is awesome by the way. A studio sleeps 5 with a queen bed, a double sleeper and a twin murphy bed.

Other thoughts. Which park will the girls like?

When my family goes to WDW for DD8, we like to aim for MK centric resorts. Last year at BLT was a blast.

For DS11, he's all about Star Wars, so Swolphin, Boardwalk, etc. is better.

DH and I love Epcot, so again, Swolphin and Boardwalk... but really, I love any deluxe resort that has easy-ish park access.

 

[happymommy]

As far as a studio at Boardwalk Villas, I shared one (after a huge error on Disney’s part but it’s a long story) with just me and my 2 young adult kids 3 years ago. For just the 3 of us, it was a super tight fit with no storage space so we lived out of our suitcases. No way I’d go with that. It was a pretty miserable room for 3. At least my youngest is small so could do the little trundle type bed.

For a family suite, if the older kids are okay sharing a double bed (not queen), that’s a maybe if they’re small kids. Two bathrooms would be better for sure.

Have you looked into the Swan or Dolphin? I’d compare two rooms there or a suite (you have to call for the real suites for availability usually). I prefer the Epcot resort area, but can’t justify the prices Disney charges now for their resorts in that area.

The only villa I’d consider would be a 2 bedroom, but we stopped sharing one room for the 4 of us a long time ago (think the kids were like 7 and 9 last time). I need my sleep!

 

[PPFlight75]

Family of five, 3 girls (13, 10 &6) It appears the best options for our travel dates are Art of Animation Family Suites, Boardwalk Villas or Beach Club.
Any thoughts are appreciated

I would choose Beach Club if it is the regular resort. We are a family of 5 and love Beach Club. Everyone will have a bed and the resort has a great pool. You are also walking distance to EP and HS if that is important to you. Boardwalk is great too but I don't like the villa studios for the 5 of us. Art of Animation Suite looks fun though

 

[Momof3fromTN]

We are a family of 5 and prefer 2 connecting rooms at Pop. Cheaper than AoA suite and you get 4 queen beds instead of 2 queen and a sofa at AoA.

 

[MomOTwins]

I’m baffled why so many people have posted the rooms at BW and BC are too small for a family of 5. We have stayed at both as a family of 5 and had no issues. OP’s kids are still young—they don’t need a ton of space and sharing a bathroom is not a big deal at that age. More of an issue with 5 adults, but 2 adults 3 kids is easy.

I would vote BC or BW because of the superior pools (main pool at AoA is being renovated), dining, and transportation to parks.

 

[zdad59]

Unless money is no object, we always say book the resort your kids will appreciate best. That is a value resort if the kids are very young, moderate as they are tweens, and deluxe as they get a little older and can appreciate the upscale amenities. For your kids ages, I would look into a moderate resort. As others have said, adjoining rooms will offer an 2nd bathroom and 4 beds. If a deluxe resort is something you really want to do, I'll have to defer to others with more experience in the villas and such. You could do 5 in a single deluxe room but it is a tight squeeze. We did that with 4 at WL and my two boys were D1 college size offensive linemen. We brought two inflatable mattresses tucked them away during the day and just pulled them out at bed time. One bathroom was a bummer, especially for mama, but for the most part we spent the most of our time in the room sleeping anyway.

Regardless of what you choose, staying at a Disney resort is magical.

 

[Dakota731]

Our family of five has stayed at both the Boardwalk and the all star family suites. As much as I loved the BWI location, we were just more comfortable in the family suite. Two bathrooms was a timesaver and everyone slept better with the separate space.

 

[Leight19]

I’m baffled why so many people have posted the rooms at BW and BC are too small for a family of 5. We have stayed at both as a family of 5 and had no issues. OP’s kids are still young—they don’t need a ton of space and sharing a bathroom is not a big deal at that age. More of an issue with 5 adults, but 2 adults 3 kids is easy.

I would vote BC or BW because of the superior pools (main pool at AoA is being renovated), dining, and transportation to parks.

I just did 2 week trip with family where had 10 of us 6 adults, 4 kids (7,5,3,1) for first week in 2 bedroom at bwv/bcv and 5 of us 3 adults, 2kids (3 and 1) for second week in blt studio. From reading boards I was very nervous about feeling cramped but we all felt like had plenty of space throughout as rooms were much bigger then we were use to from other travel in past. I think it all depends on what you’re use to and how you use the room. The tightest fit was the studio at blt with 5 but we mainly were in room for nap time and bed time and felt had plenty of room for that. Main learning for us was how valuable separate living space was so kids could go to bed and adults stay up (I guess this would be valuable inverted for teens as well lol) so that also played into why we felt better in 2 bedroom with 10 then studio with 5.

 

[Tammy A]

Beach Club for sure! I have 4 kids and Beach Club was their favorite growing up, next to Poly; your kids are still young enough where a normal garden view room and 1 bathroom will work out; when we needed more room, we would get 2 rooms at port orleans either French quarter or Riverside; that's not an option for you right now as Port Orleans is closed
You'll love Beach Club and so will your girls!
I've also stayed with my kids at the art of animation in a cars suite; I see the main pool is closed through April; I would not go there until then; the 2 bathrooms are nice but maybe not absolutely necessary right now with the age of your girls

 

[Wild4Walt]

Of your choices I think your kids would appreciate AoA for all the giant characters around the resort. Lots of cool photo ops.

 

[kwdw]

Family of five, 3 girls (13, 10 &6) It appears the best options for our travel dates are Art of Animation Family Suites, Boardwalk Villas or Beach Club.
Any thoughts are appreciated

I’m assuming you are comparing a studio or the AoA family suite. Family suite is perfect for you all. You could also do a room for five at CBR, but the family suite gives two bathrooms, more space, microwave, bigger refrigerator. The studios would definitely be smaller and more cramped.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We are a family of 5 and prefer 2 connecting rooms at Pop. Cheaper than AoA suite and you get 4 queen beds instead of 2 queen and a sofa at AoA.

The problem with booking two connecting rooms is that two connecting rooms aren't guaranteed. In the original family's case, none of the children in the family are 18, so if they wind up getting two rooms that don't connect, the two adults will need to split up with one in each of the rooms.

 

[Timandalicia]

I would choose Beach Club if it is the regular resort. We are a family of 5 and love Beach Club. Everyone will have a bed and the resort has a great pool. You are also walking distance to EP and HS if that is important to you. Boardwalk is great too but I don't like the villa studios for the 5 of us. Art of Animation Suite looks fun though

This is dead on.

 

[foolish-mortal]

I'm not personally a fan of the Boardwalk. Both of the others would be great options.