Family of six - where to stay on budget?

[Lora]

I'm trying gather info. for an interested family. Where on-site can a family of six stay? I know that most of the rooms only accomodate 4. How do larger families do this? Is it possbile to get connecting rooms at the value resorts? I know about the Ft. Wilderness cabins, so that's an option. I just want to make sure I'm not missing something?

I should also mention that I know about DVC and renting points. Also - if there are no "value" options, is it better for them to just go off-site?

 

[ozzyla]

I also have a family of 6, they were 17, 7, 4, 4 when we last went, we stayed at the cabins at Ft. Wilderness. We really liked them because it had extra room and we cooked the majority of our meals, which saved alot of $. The cabins have a living room with a murphy bed, and a separate bedroom with a full size bed and a set of bunk beds. There is a kitchen and large table also in the living area. The cabins are separate from each other so you dont have someone banging on the wall or ceiling. The cabins each have an outside grill and picnic table. Although it may be more that a hotel room, the ability to cook your own meals made it about a break even. If you choose the cabins ask for one near the bus stop or rent a golf-cart, the transportation was the only down side I saw.

 

[tone.def]

A family of 6 might find 2 rooms at a Value resort nice because you'll have 2 bathrooms!

I believe there is a policy that they will guarantee connecting rooms at a Value resort if it is all one family... I have heard of it before, but as we all know at Disney - there are no room guarantees!

 

[winniedapooh]

Either get 2 rooms at a value or moderate, Ft. Wilderness cabins, or rent DVC points to get a 2 bedroom villa! Good luck. We tried the 2 room at WL for the 7 of us 1 year and while it was great to stay onsite, never again unless it is on DVC points!

 

[Disneyjosh229]

Ft. Wilderness cabins would be my recommendation. It gives the family a place to cook (saves tons over Disney food), Gives them an "oversized suite" type room, and also gives them a good location, which the younger crowd will really enjoy.

If they aren't into the idea of cooking themselfs, reccomend 2 value rooms or 2 DTD hotel rooms.

 

[Lisa P.]

Also - if there are no "value" options, is it better for them to just go off-site?

Depending on what you mean by "value" options, offsite may be the way to go. 2BR units at the better timeshare resorts, condos and vacation home communities very nearby will often sleep 6-8 people. Often, they will cost about the same as a single room at a Disney "value" or "moderate" - some as low as $600/week total.

For some families, reasonably priced lodging, the extra space (so everyone can sleep w/privacy and they don't get on one another's nerves), and a full kitchen are worth more than the onsite theme and perks. For some large families, it's the only way to make a nice Disney vacation possible at all, financially. If that interests them, browse the Orlando Hotels forum for ideas.

Our family of 5 has found it very expensive to stay onsite, especially with the cost of Disney food compared with comparable restaurants nearby. If they will have a car, that makes a big difference too! HTH.

 

[Avalanche]

The cabins at FW are nice and being able to cook your meals would save $$$, but the bus system there can be time consuming and a pain lugging your children on and off of buses (not to mention a stroller if needed). You will have to take an internal bus to get to the bus stops to get to the parks.

If you plan on using your own car to get to and from the parks FW would be great. They have a lot to do. Nightly campfire/sing-a-long, petting zoo, pony rides, just to name a few.

If you have little ones and plan on using Disney transportation I would suggest two rooms at a value. (it is a guarenteed connecting if you tell them children will be in the 2nd room)

 

[Regina]

If your family is 2 adults and 4 children under the age of 18, Disney does guarantee connecting rooms.

 

[kizmac]

If your family is 2 adults and 4 children under the age of 18, Disney does guarantee connecting rooms.

I thought it was that if the kids out numbered the adults you were guaranteed connecting room... I'm wondering because we will have 4 adults and 6 kids and requested connecting rooms.

 

[kizmac]

It all depends what your desire is. If you REALLY want to stay on-site then I would do it by getting two rooms at a value resort. If budget is more important for this trip, definitely stay off-site. You can usually find a place for quite a bit less and also get a free cont. breakfast for everyone in the morning. Saves alot of $ for more 's in the park!
Because of our family size, we have always stayed off-site and would of this year too until the free dining offer came out. Now I'll probably be spoiled and not ever want to stay off-site again.

 

[taximomfor4]

I thought it was that if the kids out numbered the adults you were guaranteed connecting room... I'm wondering because we will have 4 adults and 6 kids and requested connecting rooms.

It is supposed to be if there are only 2 adults. The reasoning given to me was that if one adult had to run an errand or was dealing with an emergency of some sort...or whatever, the other adult would have access to all the children through the connecting door. If there are more than 2 adults, there is no reason to assure that.

Anyway, Lucretia at Guest Services (who dealt with this very same problem for me...) told me that "guaranteed connecting rooms for families" (which was on my confirmation sheet) just means that they will " take in the situation on a case by case basis and do their best."

We were assigned non-connecting rooms. With 2 adults abd 4 kids alll under 12. Might not normally happen, but it IS possible. I guess, if enough families with only 2 adults book the same hotel at the same time, only so many are going to get connecting rooms.

Beth

 

[SqueakyMouse]

I thought it was that if the kids out numbered the adults you were guaranteed connecting room

It must be this, because we didn't get our connecting rooms at CBR a few years ago.

 

[Mom24Princesses]

I thought it was that if the kids out numbered the adults you were guaranteed connecting room... I'm wondering because we will have 4 adults and 6 kids and requested connecting rooms.

How many rooms are you getting?
We've requested connecting rooms three times (4 if you count the cruise) and have never had a problem. In fact MOST or at least A LOT of rooms have connecting doors. The reason I asked how many rooms you had for 4/6 is that the rooms can only connect one way. For example, if you have 3 rooms, one can not connect to the other two.
Have a Magial Day
Melanie
MºoºM 24 Princesses
Grovner June 95
ASMusic July 96, ASMusic Aug 98, POR June 01,
ALMusic July 03, Pop Feb 04, CSR June 04

More than a dozen off-site weekends.

DCL Magic Cabins 7505<>7507
April 1-8, 2006

DCL Wonder Cabin 7500
20th Ann. Cruise
June 11-15 2006

 

[shaylahc]

We are a family of 6 and we are staying at Pop Century this fall and getting adjoining rooms. I sat down and looked at my options and decided this arrangement made the most sense for us since this way we can have some privacy from the kids.

Last December we stayed at the Holiday Inn Family Suites (now the Nickelodeon hotel) and we got a 2 room suite for $100 a night. They also had free hot breakfast, although I don't think it's free anymore.

On site your options are a lot more limited....

 

[carbur]

My uncle,aunt, their 3 kids, and one of thier kids is bringing a friend, and they are staying in the boardwalk villas. i don't kow what is in the boardwalk villas but i do kow that it does hold 6 people.

 

[DisneyMom5]

Our confirmation says connecting rooms guarenteed, and doggone it, they had better be! I am really a happy go lucky kind of girl. I don't complain. But we have had a bad experience with a NON-Disney hotel on this issue. Please, please, please Disney, if you say it is guarenteed, PLEASE make sure it is!
That being said, we stayed in the cabins last time and loved them (5 kids under 9). We are staying in connecting (hopefully!!!) rooms at Pop this time (6 kids under 11). Pop is cheaper, and we are looking forward to having 2 bathrooms.
I think that hotel chains need to wise up and come up with more big family options!!!