Family of five on a buget

[dianed358]

I am starting to plan our next trip to disney!!!
Hoping to be there by November this year. Never to early to plan!!

We are a family of five with a 10 year old girl, 8 year old girl and 5 year old boy. We do spend most of our time at the parks but do spend some down time at the resort... breakfast, pool time, some dinners and early nights...

We definitely want to stay in Disney but we are trying to decide what would be the best place to stay. All Star music in a family suite or POR. I know that POR is the cheaper place to stay but would be willing to pay slightly more to stay at the family suite.

So my thoughts are to stay at All Star Music which will have a larger room with two bathrooms at a value resort ... or POR with a tighter smaller room but a mod. resort.

Value resort with more room or Mod. resort with smaller space.

Any one have any thought or ideas......
Thanks

 

[Iott Family]

I know you said budget but I just priced out two rooms for our family of 6 at coronado and with tickets it came to 3,000. That 4 queen sized beds, two bathrooms and 2 TV's........

You could also consider off resort in a condo or townhouse for $500-1000 for the week. Then you would have actual living space.

 

[softballmom3]

How ironic!!! I was fixing to post a thread about best places in Disney World for a family of 5 to stay. We want to stay on property but don't know if it's doable. My kiddos are 15, 14 and 12. The 12 yr old is smaller but idk at all if that trundle would work....any suggestions for me too? I think it would be crazy to post another thread when i can prob get my answers too .

 

[Rylee]

We've stayed at both Resorts and we prefer Port Orleans Riverside.

My family hated All Star Music, even the kids, but we don't understand why we feel that way, because we've stayed at Movies (nearly identical) and loved it.

It really depends on a few thigs...

Do you really want/need 2 bathrooms?
Do you want more space in the room/s or more amenities?

We didn't stay in a suite at Music, we had 2 connecting rooms. We want to sleep in beds after a long day in the parks and heat, not pull-out couches and chairs. Also, we didn't like all the scheduled activities at the main pool, (many people do enjoy them.) Again, after a day in the parks, we are seeking a more relaxing experience at the resort.

 

[Rylee]

How ironic!!! I was fixing to post a thread about best places in Disney World for a family of 5 to stay. We want to stay on property but don't know if it's doable. My kiddos are 15, 14 and 12. The 12 yr old is smaller but idk at all if that trundle would work....any suggestions for me too? I think it would be crazy to post another thread when i can prob get my answers too .

With the ages of your children, I'd say the suite at All Star Music would be a better option. POR is a beautiful resort, but the trundle bed is narrow.

Or, 2 rooms at any Value resort or a Cabin at Fort Wilderness... only has 1 bath, but has a full kitchen and a separate bedroom.

 

[Iott Family]

How ironic!!! I was fixing to post a thread about best places in Disney World for a family of 5 to stay. We want to stay on property but don't know if it's doable. My kiddos are 15, 14 and 12. The 12 yr old is smaller but idk at all if that trundle would work....any suggestions for me too? I think it would be crazy to post another thread when i can prob get my answers too .

I cant imagine any family with kids older than 7 being comfortable squeezing into one room at a moderate. We are a family of 6. Our kids are 14-12-6 and 4, or will be in the next few weeks! And we had two rooms at AKL and that wasnt too bad until the stomach bug struck us down 1 by 1...we were really thankful for the extra bathroom at that point!

Like I said before, two rooms at Coronado Springs is proabably where we go on our next trip. We have also priced out deluxe suites and villas but if we are going to stay on resort CSR looks like our best budget deal. The fold out couches/chairs just arent as appealing to us as an actual bed with mattress so the AS family suites isnt an option. We have stayed off resort in a rental house and loved that and all said with tickets, travel expenses, rental and food it was under 4000.

Just remember, a good nights sleep and space to breath can make a vacation where as a rough nights rest and stepping all over each other can make for grouchy room mates and a sour vacation experience!

 

[Catkramer]

I vote for POR. We have stayed there as a family of 5 twice. Once with three adults and two kids, and then once with 2 adults and three kids (took a niece.)

I have never stayed at a value, but there really isn't anything about the values that looked like I would want to stay there. When you stay at the POR, you have the best (from what I have heard) food court of all the mods. You also have boat access to DTD. The grounds are GORGEOUS.

The pool is nice. If you stay at a value they don't have water slides. At a mod, you do.

We literally are in our room to sleep and bathe, and then we are gone again. We ate at the restaurant there and it was soooo good! I have no complaints about POR. I would pick that over a value any day.

 

[MHTeacher]

We are a family of five with a 10 year old girl, 8 year old girl and 5 year old boy. We do spend most of our time at the parks but do spend some down time at the resort... breakfast, pool time, some dinners and early nights...

We definitely want to stay in Disney but we are trying to decide what would be the best place to stay. All Star music in a family suite or POR. I know that POR is the cheaper place to stay but would be willing to pay slightly more to stay at the family suite.

So my thoughts are to stay at All Star Music which will have a larger room with two bathrooms at a value resort ... or POR with a tighter smaller room but a mod. resort.

Value resort with more room or Mod. resort with smaller space.

Any one have any thought or ideas......
Thanks

We, too are a family of five (16 DD, 13 DD, and 7 DS) , and it does limit your choices, if you're not staying deluxe. We have stayed at POR a few times, but it does get cramped, in my opinion.

Anytime I've priced out the family suites vs. 2 rooms at a value, I get a cheaper rate to get 2 rooms at a value. + your kids actually get to sleep on beds, instead of sofa beds. Of course, if money is the biggest thing, then it is cheapest to go with POR. Just like you, we don't really spend that much time in the room, so we can make it work.

 

[Bethpremier]

I seriously would look into renting points from a DVC member if you are even considering a moderate resort. Its always been cheaper for me to rent points and stay at a Disney deluxe resort than pay for enough space at a moderate.

Otherwise if Disney property doesnt matter to you, there are alot of offsite hotels listed on http://www.mousesavers.com that would be cheaper for your family of 5. Just consider all of the pros and cons of staying off site. Is all the travel time worth it and do you really want to have to stay in the park allllllll day?

The best option for your family may be renting points from the DVC.

If moderates and renting dont work, your only option would be the family suite at All Star Music. The values are very cool for young kids. Im squashing us into ASMu but the price is right and I care more about that than space.

 

[softballmom3]

Thank you for the advice (all of you). I am really torn on what to do. to be honest, I have actually booked Comfort Suites Maingate East in case I don't get the kind of rate I want for a Disney Resort. We do NOT stay in our room hardly at all and I was wanted to EMH. We stayed at Pop before w/ friends and one of ours slept in the friends room BUT I think those rooms were tiny. Loved the resort, didn't like the room size.

Since we're going in Oct. I'm wondering if we will need more space since parks close earlier and just skip on the EMH. I know I can justify it however I want so I do appreciate the advice. It helps! BTW I loved using Disney's transportation system. We didn't move our vehicle one time!!!

 

[mrzrich]

Can I confuse you further? Have you considered the cabins at FW? They sleep six. There is a full sized bed and a set of bunk beds in the bedroom, as well as a full sized Murppy bed in the living room. Each unit also has a full kitchen. We saved alot of money on breakfast. If you were inclined to have a few meals in the cabin, you could save even more.


There are two TV's. (One in the living room and one in the bedroom) We stayed with my mom and I was concerned about it being awkward for her and my DH. The cabin allowed them each to have the privacy they needed.

I have an energetic autistic child, so a big plus for us was that our unit was our own. If he jumped or yelled, we weren't bothering our neighbors. MY DH liked that our car was parked right at our doorstep.

There have been some great codes on the cabins recently, but October codes won't be out for a while (Think July) You may want to grab the cheapest accomadation that you can for now at rack rate, and then watch these boards and mousesavers closely for your dates to come up. When we stayed at the cabin we had originally booked 2 rooms at POP. We got a later got a code that brought the one cabin down to cheaper than the 2 value rooms.

 

[machusko]

I would second the looking into renting DVC points. I have rented DVC points at WLV, AKV, and BWV including this year for about 80% of what moderate rooms cost through Disney, near Value reg room so I would think you could save on family suite. We have satyed at both POs and like them both. We prefer FQ mostly becaue of the samll size but I don't know if you can get a room for 5 there.

 

[disneyfan55]

Can I confuse you further? Have you considered the cabins at FW? They sleep six. There is a full sized bed and a set of bunk beds in the bedroom, as well as a full sized Murppy bed in the living room. Each unit also has a full kitchen. We saved alot of money on breakfast. If you were inclined to have a few meals in the cabin, you could save even more.


There are two TV's. (One in the living room and one in the bedroom) We stayed with my mom and I was concerned about it being awkward for her and my DH. The cabin allowed them each to have the privacy they needed.

I have an energetic autistic child, so a big plus for us was that our unit was our own. If he jumped or yelled, we weren't bothering our neighbors. MY DH liked that our car was parked right at our doorstep.

There have been some great codes on the cabins recently, but October codes won't be out for a while (Think July) You may want to grab the cheapest accomadation that you can for now at rack rate, and then watch these boards and mousesavers closely for your dates to come up. When we stayed at the cabin we had originally booked 2 rooms at POP. We got a later got a code that brought the one cabin down to cheaper than the 2 value rooms.

I think this it where I would stay-FW cabins- with a family with your children's ages. It's close to the MK and just a neat place to be. I think the ASMu suites are also a choice, but the cabins can be a better price with a code. I don't think I'd want to be in 1 room with 5 people if I could stay at the cabins or ASMu for a similar cost or just a little more. And Yes, if you pick the cabins it's very easy to eat at least every breakfast there and some other meals esp. when at the MK! You could probably save on food the difference in the price.

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

Can you get a cot for $15 a nite for your 5th member @ CBR?

 

[Dizfan4life]

Can you get a cot for $15 a nite for your 5th member @ CBR?

They won't be able to book at CBR because that resort only allows up to 4 guests and a child under 3 in a crib. If I had to choose... I would probably book a cabin at Ft. Wilderness and save more money by eating a meal at the cabin. However, if you are wanting a more hotel feel I would probably book two rooms at a value. Good luck with all of your planning!

 

[Catkramer]

I may be stirring the pot here, but I didn't see where the OP said that they were driving in. I may be wrong and maybe she is and I didn't see it. But we have stayed at the cabin, and we flew in. And I have to tell you that if you aren't driving in and able to bring in your food from outside of Disney, then it isn't cheaper to eat your meals at the cabin. We didn't have a way to get food to the cabin unless we wanted to order it and have it delivered, and in the end, I didn't think it was saving that much considering that I now had to cook and clean and do the things that I had to do at home.

They do have a market there on property, but the food was 50% higher or more. And they are very limited on what they carry. I would consider it like a 7-11 or something like that. It is no way a full grocery store.

So for me, I only saw a benefit if the poster is going to drive in to DW and grocery shop on her way in. And again, I didn't see that posted in her original post.

 

[mrzrich]

I may be stirring the pot here, but I didn't see where the OP said that they were driving in. I may be wrong and maybe she is and I didn't see it. But we have stayed at the cabin, and we flew in. And I have to tell you that if you aren't driving in and able to bring in your food from outside of Disney, then it isn't cheaper to eat your meals at the cabin. We didn't have a way to get food to the cabin unless we wanted to order it and have it delivered, and in the end, I didn't think it was saving that much considering that I now had to cook and clean and do the things that I had to do at home.

They do have a market there on property, but the food was 50% higher or more. And they are very limited on what they carry. I would consider it like a 7-11 or something like that. It is no way a full grocery store.

So for me, I only saw a benefit if the poster is going to drive in to DW and grocery shop on her way in. And again, I didn't see that posted in her original post.

I think you are reading too much into my reccomendation. I was mainly suggesting the cabin for the space.

If you were able to do a few meals there, then the savings would be a bonus. I'm not sure what you mean by "cooking and cleaning" taking away from the savings. By no means was I suggesting the OP cook a four course meal. I was thinking sandwiches, or throwing something on the BBQ. We had great mousekeeping that even loaded and ran the dishwasher for us.

 

[goodferry]

I too would look into renting DVC points, it's very easy, or I would choose the cabins. We have had food delivered to our DVC resort many times, thought it was easy and way less expensive then buying from the Disney grocery stores. We usually buy breakfast stuff, drinks and stuff that the kids can snack on (fruit, peanut butter etc) You definitely can save money that way. Other then renting DVC points, I think I would go for the cabins, you can get some pretty good discounts on them!

 

[learnhome]

Our family of 5 just stayed at POR, and I was sooooo dissapointed. Last time we stayed, we got two adjoining rooms at POP and it was much better.
First of all, our room at POR was not thoroughly cleaned when we got there. I found a dirty sock in a corner (which tells me that mousekeeping is just skimming by) and someone had left handwritten notes that fell in between the bed and nightstand...when we pulled out the so called trundle bed...well, all I could do is laugh. Now, a REAL trundle bed is just an actual twin size bed and thick matress that rolls under another twin....well, this is NOT the case at POR. I should have researched more, because it is only a tiny ( I mean tiny, big enough for a 4 year old or younger) thin, cheap mattress just stuck under the bed. At first, I thought it was a crib mattress or something....really, I was like "this is supposed to be a moderate???"
We drove down to Florida, and the holiday inn we stayed at in the Carolina's was far more superior to this so called disney room....
This is the last time we will ever stay on Disney property. It just isn't worth the ridiculous amounts of money for such an old, worn out and uncomfortable room (btw, the beds were full size, and awefully uncomfortable!)
Again, before I get trashed by the Disney police, remember, this is my opinion.....

 

[WAHMto5]

I would vote for 2 connecting rooms at a value or the cabins as well. We have stayed at POR before and personally did not care for it.