Familys of 5 or more?

[michaels_princess]

I am currently pregnant with #3, so I'm wondering...how will Disney trips work now? Hubby says no trip next year with a newborn...I'm quite dissapointed and trying to convince him otherwise but I've never had a newborn so maybe I'm underestimating the level of exhaustion to come...

DS6 and DD2 moved in with us last August (foster kids)...its looking like they're here for good (we're hoping...), and we may even get a chance to adopt them.

What do you do in terms of hotel? Isn't there a limit of 4 in a room pretty much everywhere? What do we do when we have 4 kids...I don't want to jump too far ahead of myself, but we do plan on a large family...and I'm not totally sure what we're getting ourselves into with said plans...I suppose we shall have to play it by ear and see how we handle 3!

 

[Deffenm]

We are a family of 5 and stay at POR. We really like this resort plus it is the cheapest way to go for a family of 5. I think you can stay at All Star Music Suite with 6. If you have more then that you will want to look at getting 2 rooms or staying in a DVC villa. No matter how many kids we have I will always find a way to take them to WDW.

I want to say thank you for being a foster parent. Our 3 children are all adopted from the foster care system. We did straight adoption but we are so grateful to the families that took care of them before they joined our family. We will be celebrating the DD and DS(8) 1 year "Gotcha Day" on July 6th. DS (7) has been with us for 3 years. His Gotcha day is April 15th. The judge made a big deal about us getting a new tax dependent on tax day.

I can't imagine my life without them.

 

[K and K's Mommy]

We've stayed at POR and the Poly. I think some of the other deluxes will fit five. Pricey, but we did love the Poly! I could see us someday needing two bathrooms, but for now, it works.

We skipped the year my third was born. He went when he was 16 months, I believe. I just don't do babies and Disney, but many people do and enjoy it!

 

[_queenie_]

We stayed in one room at the Swan in Feb and my DD3.5 just slept with my DD13 and I for the first two nights. I don't sleep much in hotels anyway, so even though the bed was a bit crowded it was okay. Because my DD13 got food poisoning the second night and kept waking DD3, we just moved her over to the chair. She stayed on the chair for the rest of the trip and was surprisingly fine, she said she actually prefered that. We've also gotten two rooms before which is pricey though nice. When we don't fly we just bring an aerobed with us to save money. Lots of places will also rent you a cot for $25 a night or so. If you're considering getting one room at a Deluxe and don't plan on getting ME or the DDP, I reccomend two rooms at the Swan instead, we got a rate of $220 w/ AAA. What is nice about the Deluxe rooms is the daybed, preventing the need to get a second room if one child is small. My DS is 17 so in a few more years he probably will want to stay home, which works out because by then DD will be too big to squeez in with us!

 

[Aliceacc]

Until your youngest is over 3, it's not an issue, so you have some time yet.

A number of people have mentioned POR. Some of the other options include:
- Family Suite at ASM
- Fort Wilderness Cabin
- The deluxes that include a daybed (not all of them.) That's the route we went.

And congratulations on the 2 additions to your family. My son is adopted internationally, not from foster care, but it's an AMAZING way to begin a family!!

 

[mommy-on-the-move]

we have 4 and so we're travelling with granny and grandad and getting 2 rooms at all star movies, it's a great opportunity for the kids to get quality time with grandparents too, that being said if we weren't travelling with them it'd be a family suite at all star music

 

[blessedby3]

We have taken ours as babies and quite honestly they are very easy-much easier than when they are toddlers. We just took our last family vacation to Disney this past Jan. with our DD17, DS12, DD9 and DD3 1/2 mos. They baby was so easy and portable. We booked 2 rooms at POP because we have 6, but in your case you can stay at any deluxe, any moderate or value until your baby is 3. Once you have the youngest at 3 your options go down a bit. You no longer fit in any value room and would have to get 2 or the family suite. You can still fit in POR and in many deluxes. Hopefully DH will listen to you and you will be able to take the new baby to WDW. I just wouldnt go when it is very hot. Not too good for a newborn. It is very fun and easy with a baby-and they are free!!

 

[TheRatPack]

Family of 7 here Three of which we adopted from Foster care...so congrats on that subject!

We get 2 rooms at the POP, we like it there. It works out well for us, our 2 girls share a bed, our youngest boys share a bed and our oldest son gets a bed to himself since he's a teen

When they are under 3 though, they don't count against the room max?....so you can just get 1 room at a Value for a few more years. Two bathrooms and an 'extra' room to shut off at nap time is nice.

 

[skoi]

Family of six. We own DVC, and bought it before we even thought about kid three and four. We almost sold it because it seemed like a waste with four of us, but with the two little ones, it's been great. You can always look into renting points, they used to be pretty affordable, not sure about now, but it's something to think about, especially if you want a kitchen, etc.

 

[disney_family_1247]

As soon as our youngest turns three, we'll be in the same boat. Until then, you can have a family of four plus a baby in any of the regular rooms. We've done it plenty of times at the value resorts, and we've always been honest about the number of people.

As far as visiting Disney with a newborn; we took our son when he was seven weeks old. He slept or nursed the entire time and was no trouble. Our daughters were each four months old when we took them, and they were fine too .

 

[Pizzaman123]

Have visited WDW, DL and DLP several times with 3 children at all ages from 0 to 14. Just prepare and you will be fine

 

[MandM-Mom]

As soon as our youngest turns three, we'll be in the same boat. Until then, you can have a family of four plus a baby in any of the regular rooms. We've done it plenty of times at the value resorts, and we've always been honest about the number of people.

As far as visiting Disney with a newborn; we took our son when he was seven weeks old. He slept or nursed the entire time and was no trouble. Our daughters were each four months old when we took them, and they were fine too .

We also still use a value, this will be our last year as my youngest is turning 2 and when we go next year she will already be three. Then we plan on going to a moderate.

 

[Louisianafive]

We have 3 DD's, 15,9,7. We also like to camp so we stay at Fort Wilderness Campground. DD 15 will have her own tent next time - Teen Privacy!

 

[2crazy4disney]

We have a 17 DS, 13 DD, and a 8 DS. We are getting 2 adjouning rooms at Pop which was cheaper than a room at POR that is one room with a small trundle bed and 1 bathroom. This way we have 2 bathrooms, each of the kids get their own bed and there is room for them to stretch out and watch tv or play games on it while someone else can watch something else. We looked into the Music Suites but the bed are pull outs (couch & chair). We love Pop Century it has it's own direct bus system and is easy to get to everything from. It is also very kid oriented.

Pop - August 2008
driving from NY

 

[5 for WDW]

We joined DVC when our daughter turned 3. Of course that option isn't for everyone but, it was right for us. We did not want to get two rooms in a Value and as much as we like the Mod's we wanted more space.
Our only regret is not buying in sooner!!

 

[LisaNJ25]

I hear you.. we are a family of 6. After this summer we will be considered 4 adults and 2 kids eeekkk

Last year we stayed at POR.. next trip hopefully next summer will probably have to be 2 rooms at a value.

 

[KelleyGirl]

Family of 6 here (or 7 if you count my Mom who travels with us!)

We knew that Disney was part of our lives, so when we outgrew the standard room, we priced DVC. For the cost of 4-5 2 BR accomodation vacations, our DVC would have been purchased in full....So we bought DVC! And now the only problem is we want to go more, so I see more points in our future. Maybe that is an option for you.

Prior to DS #4, we stayed at the Polynesian (5 + 1 infant under 2) and the room was beautiful. Now, if they had 2BR suites, I would be in heaven!

 

[GOOFY4DONALD]

We stayed at FW Cabins and despite my sig. we are leaning there again. It is very roomy and the kitchen is great to have even if you don't cook there. There woods are very quiet and peaceful. It is also great because my kids had plenty of room to run around and play. I highly reccomed a golf cart though.

 

[mousescrapper]

Family of 6 here (or 7 if you count my Mom who travels with us!)

We knew that Disney was part of our lives, so when we outgrew the standard room, we priced DVC. For the cost of 4-5 2 BR accomodation vacations, our DVC would have been purchased in full....So we bought DVC! And now the only problem is we want to go more, so I see more points in our future. Maybe that is an option for you.

Prior to DS #4, we stayed at the Polynesian (5 + 1 infant under 2) and the room was beautiful. Now, if they had 2BR suites, I would be in heaven!

I'm with you on the Poly 2 BR....

We are a family of 6 too(kids: 9, 9, 5, 18 mo). We just got back from our 1st time in a deluxe. We still are considered a 5 person family w/ 1 still under 3...we traveled w/ my Mom had 2 rooms for 5 of our 7 nights. So our special needs DS was with her and the DD's were with us. It was SO Wonderful....now if we could ever do it agian?

Previously prior to having kids we stayed AsSports, and in 05 the 1st official trip w/ kids we stayed POR which worked out really well.

If there is any way we can bounce back next Spring, prior to our twins turning 10 and the baby still under 3...we would at the drop of a hat....but probably it will be 3 yrs before we go agian and we our pondering if DVC would be good for us, or I've read about a deluxe room at WL that accomadates 6, or it will have to be 2 rooms moderate...

no offense to the value, as it was fine then, but now after being on the monorail...we just can't go back to the value even with the family suite....

You definitly have a few years before your officially 6, but I'd wait till your baby is over 1, could be a little less straining for you...

Happy planning whatever you do!

And I wish we had thought of buying into DVC 10 yrs ago before we had kids...we'd have it made now.

 

[Lisa P.]

Once our DD was too big for the kiddie trundle at PO-R or BWV studio, we knew we needed to do something else. We couldn't afford connecting rooms at $200+ per night. Our DVC points didn't go far enough for the 2BRs that we needed with a family of 5 including 3 older school-aged kids.

We found that offsite timeshares offered far more space (at least as spacious as OKW 2BR) w/all the nicer amenities - but for just $730-$850 for a full week in a 2BR or 3BR condo that sleeps no fewer than 8 adults. Once our teens were old enough to want friends along, this became the minimum standard. It's been excellent for us. Now that DD is 19 and our twin DSs are 17, we don't even necessarily need to all sleep in the same unit, just nearby. Sometimes, we're able to trade our timeshares into DVC 2BRs as well, for the onsite experience without the onsite price!

Keep your eyes open, there are possibilities out there.