Family Suites at All Stars? Am I crazy or are they....

[Kim&Chris]

really just a glorified one-bedroom suite?

Maybe I am wrong, but it appears as though these rooms just have ONE true bedroom. The other room appears to have a sofa bed and some sort of chairs that turn into beds.

I was going to try to book one of these for my SIL and family (SIL, BIL, and three kids) but I can't see the kids sleeping on sofa beds for a week and being comfortable.

Like I said, maybe I have it all wrong. Does anyone have any clearer info on these suites?

 

[Disney Ella]

That's certainly the impression I get from the photos. What did you think they were going to be like?

 

[DisFlan]

Maybe I am wrong, but it appears as though these rooms just have ONE true bedroom. The other room appears to have a sofa bed and some sort of chairs that turn into beds.

Yup, that's pretty much the definition of a "one bedroom suite" anywhere - a bedroom and a separate room with a sitting area that usually includes some sort of foldout arrangement for extra sleeping.

The ASMo suites are "enhanced" to sleep 3 or 4 in the sitting area, and they have a kitchenette and 3 TVs. They don't look all that appealing (or comfortable) to me personally, but different strokes...

DisFlan

 

[lorrainesy]

I did notknow that they had suites at the All Stars....I just booked at All Stars Movies and was not given that choice?

Any information on this would be most helpful.

Disney Ella do you have a link to the picture?

 

[Kim&Chris]

That's certainly the impression I get from the photos. What did you think they were going to be like?

Well, since they call them 'family' suites, I just thought they'd accomodate a family comfortably. I guess I just believe there should be at least two beds - maybe a queen in the master room, then a full in the other room.

Even the most basic hotel room has two beds, so I just figured......

 

[gigi1313]

i'm w/the poster who does not think fold out accomodations for a family is the way to go... i cannot imagine my kids being comfy on a fold-out... and from everything i've read, there are only two tv's... and, maybe this is not a concern for everyone, but it is for me: having the children's sleeping area closest to the door... just not smart, imo...

ETA: for the same or less money, we simply get connecting rooms and bolt the kids' door closed for the entire length of stay... and in value season w/a discount, we can get two rooms at POFQ for the same $ and have a fridge and coffee maker too!

 

[InstImpres]

I did notknow that they had suites at the All Stars....I just booked at All Stars Movies and was not given that choice?

Any information on this would be most helpful.

Disney Ella do you have a link to the picture?

These are brand new (opening in June for "phase 1" and through Dec.) At this point they are only in ASMu. There are photos on allears

 

[DisneyJoeNJ]

Unless you REALLY need the kitchen area, I say to get 2 rooms - and 2 rooms cost less than 1 suite.

 

[pezpam]

Well, since they call them 'family' suites, I just thought they'd accomodate a family comfortably. I guess I just believe there should be at least two beds - maybe a queen in the master room, then a full in the other room.

Even the most basic hotel room has two beds, so I just figured......

Well, King rooms don't but I get your point.

The rationale behind suites is different, though. Start by assuming that one reason to get a suite is to have a separate area for parents and kids to sleep. Then add on the idea that it's more common for a door from the outside to open into a living area than into a sleeping area. So far, you've logically come to the room setup you describe above. With the need for the living area to also be a second sleeping area, pullouts are the natural way to go. The design is more an extension of the functional basics than anything else..... There is room for variation, of course, but as described, these sounds like they're standard one-bedroom suites.

That said, I'm waiting for a review of the pullout beds. Having shared rooms with family or friends in a lot of hotels, all I can say for sure is that pullout quality ranges from just hideously awful to surprisingly comfortable. Of course, most kids, once asleep, seem to be able to sleep on rocks without noticing.

 

[Deb & Bill]

All the DVC villas have sleeper sofas, some queen sized, some double sized. There has been sleeper sofas since 1993 when the first DVC resort opened. We've used them, I've slept on them, my husband has slept on them, my son, our guests. No one has complained about being at WDW and having a great time.

If you want a deluxe resort, you will need to pay for a deluxe resort. If you want a DVC two bedroom villa, you have to pay for it.

Or you could stay offsite in a non-Disney hotel that offers family suites.

 

[gigi1313]

or you could get two value or moderate rooms and get four real beds, two televisions and two bathrooms... and in a mod two fridges and coffee pots (one for coffee/one for tea water!)

 

[zippnby]

If you really want to see good pics of the suite go to dreams unlimited travel .com. Click disney resorts, all star music, rooms, family suites. They have great pics of the suite and even one were the pull out sofa, chair and ottoman are pulled out. Mousesavers has a great diagram of the suite.

As for sleeping on the pull outs.... My kids (11,8,6) can't wait. They think that it's so cool. Would I reccomend an adult to sleep on these beds, probably not. It's an adventure and that's the way you have to look at it.

 

[lorrainesy]

Wow just checked out the pictures, it looks like those family suites will be a nice addition to ASM.

 

[BYC]

It depends how big your kids are. When mine were small, a sofa bed would have been fine...they would have curled up on the floor and beed fine! But, now they are big adult size, and the sofa bed may not be as comfortable. I don't agree with the poster who said the suite door should not be near where the kids sleep. You can chain and bolt that door just as easily as you chian and bolt the door in the connecting rooms. What is the difference?

 

[eeyoreiscool]

I have slept on a lot of sleeper sofas and I don't seem to have any problem with them. It will be nice to have this since connecting rooms are not guaranteed. This way you will be sure to have all the kids in the same area.

 

[gigi1313]

It depends how big your kids are. When mine were small, a sofa bed would have been fine...they would have curled up on the floor and beed fine! But, now they are big adult size, and the sofa bed may not be as comfortable. I don't agree with the poster who said the suite door should not be near where the kids sleep. You can chain and bolt that door just as easily as you chian and bolt the door in the connecting rooms. What is the difference?

the difference to me is that i bolt/chain the door in their connector and pile our suitcases in front of it and i know my kids won't "escape," i.e. go off on their own to refill their mug w/out me knowing... or wander elsewhere... and i also know that it is less likely for the door not to get bolted/chained if we are not using it at all [sidenote: we were in another hotel, just as we were falling asleep i realized we left medicine in the car and we needed it... dh went out and got it and when he came in he forgot to bolt/chain the door... later that night when we were sound asleep the door flew open and a very tall man flipped on the lights... i screamed for hours! it was a front desk mistake coupled w/a dh mistake and now i am totally paranoid of that, but knowing that we've never opened/unbolted/unchained the kids' door makes me more secure... if we were using that door in/out then chances would be greater of accidentally leaving it undone]... i would prefer if something happens that dh/i are the first line of defense, not the kids... or perhaps dh/i want to order pizza after the kids are asleep... the deliveryman would practically knock on their heads and we'd have to trip over them to get to the door... same if one of us wanted to do laundry, go get a cocktail, take a swim, etc...

for all those reasons and more, i would be more likely to book it if it had the kids' sleeping area in the back... which could be accomplished easily if they used a murphy bed in the sitting room like fort wilderness does (rumor has it they are quite comfy!) and the kids' sleeping area deeper in the room...

 

[InstImpres]

... if we were using that door in/out then chances would be greater of accidentally leaving it undone]... i would prefer if something happens that dh/i are the first line of defense, not the kids... or perhaps dh/i want to order pizza after the kids are asleep... the deliveryman would practically knock on their head...

... which could be accomplished easily if they used a murphy bed in the sitting room like fort wilderness does (rumor has it they are quite comfy!) and the kids' sleeping area deeper in the room...

I agree with your point and encourage you to mention it to CM's when calling. Though I have booked severl clients in these already, I have mentioned that suggestion to CM's. I think we all know these are protypes, so share your comments. One of the CM's thought I was wrong in the door placement and than said "I can't believe they did that"

And yes, I've been in the one on the Murphy Bed, it's as good as anything else.

Sandy

 

[Boston5602]

I'm a grown man who has slept in the murphy bed in FW and slept soundly. I have also gone to BWV 8 times and have NEVER slept in a bed there, I've always slept in the pullout couch ,sometimes til noon
I have slept in a bed once in BWI , that was nice too . As of yesterday I bought into DVC and am now hoping I'll get a shot at the kingsize bed in the one bedroom , maybe

Not considering security reasons for not wanting them to sleep on pullout sofas , I would think kids would be lucky to sleep on the floor at WDW ( oh I've done that for 10 days on an air mattress, either me or mom and I wasn't letting mom do it.)

 

[DebIreland]

and from everything i've read, there are only two tv's...

Two TVs is a LOT in one suite isn't it? How could they have more than 2 TVs in a 520 sq foot (approx) suite? Where would they even put another TV and why? Sorry, not trying to be rude, just curious about what you said.

 

[DebIreland]

I have slept in a bed once in BWI , that was nice too . As of yesterday I bought into DVC and am now hoping I'll get a shot at the kingsize bed in the one bedroom , maybe

Good luck with that!

I would think kids would be lucky to sleep on the floor at WDW

Absolutely!!!!!!! It's Disney World. Yay!!!!

And of course (at least in my opinion) the real benefit of these suites (or any suites with pull out beds) is the extra space you get by day when the beds are folded back up!