Family suites v Connecting Rooms

[Elmo007]

This will probably become a bigger issue next year when the Art or Animation opens and there are a lot more family suites, I believe right now (only talking value) that Family suites are in Music.

I belive that the pricing of a family suite usually makes it more expensive than the cost of two rooms. I am pretty sure that they have announced a similiar pricing structure for Animation.

What has people experince been with Disney in terms of requesting and actually getting connecting rooms? Have they generally honored the requests? If not have you been near each other? Has anyone had two rooms, one on each side of Pop Century?

I think this will become like Early Boarding on Southwest where if you pay the money you dont get the stress. However with SW I know how to increase chances of being together and its a short flight anyway.

I am curious what people think about two vs family suite, convience, cost, stress and so on.

Thanks

 

[BrerMama]

If you're looking at a preferred room at a value vs. family suite, price is essentially the same.

This is something I've debated a lot. 2 connecting rooms gives everyone an actual bed, but takes away the living space and kitchenette. Then there's the fear that you may not get actual connecting rooms when you arrive. And if you do the dining plan and it's on two separate reservations, then you've got to worry about keeping track of credits on two rooms, etc.

Art of Animation is significantly more expensive than the other two options. $50 more/night than ASMu for our dates. And about $80 more/night than 2 standard rooms at Pop.

 

[Elmo007]

I did not realize that. I assumed that it would be the same for rooms at Animation, POP and Allstars.

If that is true I will stay at POP (evntueally) and just walk over to Animation and look at it.

For me, the room it self is meaningless as I spend very little time in and more at the Parks, Pools, and DTD

 

[texascop2]

We considered both ways and opted for the connecting rooms. It was cheaper and my wife really wanted to stay at the ASM. We are really never in the room anyway.

 

[dmband]

For me it depends on age
I have all young children and don't want to be put away from. Each other
3 times I have gone in a large group and requested connecting rooms
One time we didn't get them and it was a nightmare
A first we were jot even in the same "town" at cbr after a lot of complaining we got in the sa,e town but 2 different buildings and the rooms in the same building were on different floors
If everyone had older kids it would be better but like I said they were all yound and it sucked

 

[Goofypop]

I decided not to go for a family suite since they would run me about $5583 for the four of us on our package. And by going with a second "room-only" reservation instead(and having them be connecting rooms) it only came to $5038. Nearly $550 difference and the beds will be bigger and more comfortable for each of us.

 

[Donnainnj]

I think they always justified the higher price for the All Star Music suites because, first they are preferred locations X 2 rooms, and second they provide a refrigerator. Checking prices they charged the same price as two preferred rooms at All Stars Music for 2011 and mostly the same for 2012. I can't really explain the Art of Animation pricing except maybe a new resort premium, or maybe a price high enough so we can still allow for discounts on the suites.
Donna

 

[Mrs D]

We not Only requested connecting rooms but also king/double rooms; both requests were fulfilled!

 

[Goofypop]

We not Only requested connecting rooms but also king/double rooms; both requests were fulfilled!

We're doing 2 double bed rooms. It will be so neat to have a bed for each of us. Our son and I in one room and our daughter and my wife in the other. Guys room and girls room.

 

[Sammie]

Since connecting is a request not a booking selection and therefore can not be guaranteed I would always go with the suite.

If you have more than two adults in your group you could be put in seperate rooms and it has happened to others, even though their reservation said guaranteed connecting.

If you have only one adult, then yes then you are more likey to get connecting.

 

[Goofypop]

Since connecting is a request not a booking selection and therefore can not be guaranteed I would always go with the suite.

If you have more than two adults in your group you could be put in seperate rooms and it has happened to others, even though their reservation said guaranteed connecting.

If you have only one adult, then yes then you are more likey to get connecting.

I think we'll be okay. We have always gotten the rooms we asked for before. Besides, we go during one of the slowest times of the year for Disney. Sept./Oct.

 

[softballmom3]

I have been debating the same issue. I believe that we will go w/ 2 rooms. I was told by CM that they are almost always granted. We even had a connecting room on a grand gathering without even asking with our friends. My oldest will be 18 when we go so I'm going to take the chance and hope for the best.

 

[countrymommy]

We requested connecting rooms at Pop last Dec and got them. The suites weren't an option for us because we still had too many people for one suite. It was great and we loved it. Requested the 80s building and got that too. Have fun!

 

[PHXscuba]

My biggest reasons to go with a suite at All-Star Music instead of two connecting rooms were:

1. Three beds in one room, one (queen) in the other. Much better guaranteed bed arrangement for our family of 6.
2. Kitchenette with fridge and microwave -- we are breakfast-in-room people.
3. I would be miserable if we are split up -- after all the time I've spent planning this trip I didn't want to chance it.

So for some families I agree connecting rooms would be worth saving the $20 per night; for us the benefits were well worth it without going up in price.

PHXscuba

 

[PrincessTiffany]

We are a family of 6 and every time was have ever gone as a family to WDW, so 11 times, we have always gotten 2 connecting rooms at a value resort. We have NEVER not had this request granted. If the children in your group out number the adults they do try to guarantee the reservation. Of course, if you are traveling in a very crowed season, then they may only have so many connecting rooms available. But even then, you can ask to be transferred to another resort in the same category that has 2 connecting rooms available. Disney will do everything they can to accomodate your family's room requirements. There are a few "horror" stories from a few people here on the Dis who didn't get a room request, but out of the, literally, thousands upon thousands of people on these boards, those instances are few and far between.

 

[Goofypop]

So for some families I agree connecting rooms would be worth saving the $20 per night

I wish. It's more like $61 a night for us.

 

[my2minnies]

We have gone 7 times now and for 5 of those times we requested connecting rooms a the Pop. We never had an issue getting them. Like the other post said they will guarantee connecting rooms if the number of children outnumber the adults.

If you are a family of 4 this guarantee may not apply.

 

[gigi1313]

We have gone 7 times now and for 5 of those times we requested connecting rooms a the Pop. We never had an issue getting them. Like the other post said they will guarantee connecting rooms if the number of children outnumber the adults.

If you are a family of 4 this guarantee may not apply.

i am one of the few and far between... we had six kids (not all mine, traveling w/nieces) and two adults... we received adjoining rooms, but not connecting... this was at CBR in '07... we had previously and since traveled in various configurations requesting and receiving connecting at POFQ, POR (multiple times), Pop (multiple times), ASMu (but could not get preferred section as reserved/paid for) and BC...

we are currently on the fence between one room at BWInnkeepers Club w/out free dining w/a room only discount or FD at POR w/two rooms... decisions, decisions, decisions...

 

[Colleen27]

We've had 50/50 luck - At POR, all traveling together, we got our connecting request honors. At CBR, with my mom arriving several days after us we were not in the same building or even the same "village". But that stay at CBR was at a much busier season - my mom joined us from Dec 18 to 20, and arrived late at in the evening to find that they'd overbooked preferred and ended up bumping her down to a standard room location and refunding the difference. I think if she'd joined us from the start of our trip, so that we were all checking in during the lower-occupancy period before the Christmas crowds started arriving, we'd have had a much better chance of getting our request fulfilled.

However... the ASMu suites are priced in between the cost of two standard rooms and two preferred rooms, but are in preferred or near-preferred locations. With the suites there is no chance of being stuck way out in the Country or Broadway sections far from the food court and feature pool. Also, the suite includes a refrigerator which is an additional charge for a standard room. If we were to book multiple standard rooms I'd have to either find a fridge swap or pay to rent one from Disney, but in the suite that's one less thing to think about.

The current pricing of AoA makes that resort rather undesirable for us because rather than being cost-competitive with two value rooms they're running almost three times the price of a standard room at the existing value resorts. And pending release of an official floor plan some of the current information makes it sound like the sleeping arrangements are less desirable as well, with a queen and two doubles rather than a queen, a double, and two twins.

 

[Goofypop]

And pending release of an official floor plan some of the current information makes it sound like the sleeping arrangements are less desirable as well, with a queen and two doubles rather than a queen, a double, and two twins.

I thought the AoA rooms were supposed to have a King size in the bedroom and a pull out Full size couch, one Twin size pullout chair, and one Twin Size Innovabed?