family suite or 2 adjoining rooms?

[donkortajr]

We are planning a trip for late September or early October 2007 (one whole year from now.) for our family of 6. In the past, we have always made a reservation for 5 and "snuck" the youngest kid in along with buying her a seperate theme park ticket ahead of time. The kids are now getting too old (ages: 14, 12, 7,7) to fit on one bed or all be in the same small room with mom & dad.
I am looking for suggestions and opinions one getting one of the family suites in the Contemporary Garden, or 2 adjoining rooms at either the Contemporary or Polynesian.
We may be go ing with another family for the first time and may also be trying the dining plan. Any comments on the dining plan? Inthe past we took snacks and little breakfast cereals. The kids would eat their cereal in the room, have snacks in a fanny pack, and we would plan on one meal to be bought in the parks each day.
Thanks in advance for all advice.
-don

 

[Disney Doll]

There are family suites at the All Stars now too.

With 6 people, whatever gave me 2 bathrooms would be the way I would go.

Also look at a 2 bedroom villa at a DVC resort. Depending on price, it could work for you too.

 

[donkortajr]

I looked at the family suites at the All-Stars but in January 2006 we stayed at All Star Music and vowed we would never stay at the All Stars again.

In the past 27 years we had never stayed anywhere but the Contemporary Resort or Polynesian. The old addage, "you get what you pay for" always come to mind. The service we got at the All-Stars was terrible (including having to carry my own luggae up to the room at midnight with sleeping kids after a day at the park on the first day), very long walks to main building and busses, terrible bus service (we counted an average of 2 busses for the Contemporary and Polynesian for every 1 bus for the All Stars when leaving the park at night plus 4 times as many people waiting for the fewer busses.) Even the kids thought it was the worst trip we had ever had, and we go every other year).
-don

 

[Tree]

We stayed at All star music suites last month and we very pleased. We had no problems with the buses and our room was very clean.

It is a good size for a family of 5

 

[Allison]

I'll throw another option out there-a deluxe room at the Wilderness Lodge. It sleeps 6 and includes club level services.

 

[minnie61650]

I'll throw another option out there-a deluxe room at the Wilderness Lodge. It sleeps 6 and includes club level services.

Here is the layout of deluxe room at WL:

Here is the layout of the a deluxe room at BWI:

Here is layout of the Family Suite at All Star Music:

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DH and I stayed in a Family Suite at All Star Music ( a value resort) last Sept. (2006)

We really enjoyed the Queen size bed, the kitchenette with the microwave, having a sofa and cushioned chair to sit on and relax after a day at the parks before retiring for the evening.

I thought the pullouts very comfortable.

They are designed so the back cushion and seat cushion of the pullout support the pullout. There is no meatle bar to hurt the sleepers back.

Info thread--Pullouts in Family Suites at ASMU with photos of how the pullout is supported.

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?p=18100990#post18100990


Here is my review of the Suites:

www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=17640774&postcount=7

For more photos and info please see this info thread:

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1392879

Have fun at Disney wherever you choose to stay!

 

[XYSRUS]

We have 6, too. I chose connecting rooms at Pop b/c my husband and I want a room by ourselves. I want a door with a lock! All Star suites are nice too but I heard better things about Pop. That's how I decided.

 

[minnie61650]

We have 6, too. I chose connecting rooms at Pop b/c my husband and I want a room by ourselves. I want a door with a lock! All Star suites are nice too but I heard better things about Pop. That's how I decided.

Both Pop and All Stars are good resorts and very simular.

Here is a list of differences between the two resorts.

Pop is newer.
Pop was built in 2003.
All Star Movies was built in 1999.
All Star Sports and Music were built in 1994.

All Star Music just finished undergoing a refurbishment of all of the rooms and was completed in June 2007.


All Star Sports is slated to be refurbished between June 2007 and of Febuary of 2008.

Pop has a lake. The All Stars do not have a lake.

When staying at the All Stars you can use any of the All Stars pools.
The 3 All Stars are within easy walking distance of each other.

The gift shops are separate from the food court at the All Stars.
The gift shop and food court are combined at Pop.

Pop has 2,880 guest rooms. 4 floors in each building.
Each of the All Stars has 1,960 rooms. 3 floors in each building.

Both Pop and the All Star rooms are 260 square feet.

The beds at the All Stars are movable.

the beds at Pop at bolted to the floor.

The far bed at an All Star is closer to wall. And the near bed is not as close to the doorway as it is at Pop

The far bed at Pop is pulled away from the wall more. The near bed is closer to door.
http://allearsnet.com/acc/asmv59.jpg
http://allearsnet.com/acc/popcent56.jpg

For most people that would not make a difference but since I need an ECV
the bed being so near the door at Pop makes it more difficult for me to back my EVC in.

Have fun at Disney wherever you choose to stay!

 

[Sammie]

Just so you know, that rooms with a door between them are "connecting" rooms, adjoning rooms are simply next door to each other, no "connecting" door.

Also connecting rooms are not a guarantee, you can request them and even your reservation might say guaranteed, but as long as you have two adults they are not a sure thing.

 

[simonkodousek]

I vote for the Wilderness Lodge "junior suites". They are very nice, large, and comfortable.

 

[minnie61650]

I vote for the Wilderness Lodge "junior suites". They are very nice, large, and comfortable.

Junior suites at the WL are approximately 500 square feet.


So they are a just a little smaller than the Family Suites at All Star Music (which are 520 suqare feet).

 

[Elitravelor]

We stayed at the Junior suite at the WL--the room showed in the post by Minnie61650-- and it was great. The doors between the bedroom and living area are perfect and the bedroom itself is big. We loved it and I would stay there again but we like the Epcot area resorts.