Help! Family of 5

[DisFan331]

I've been reading the boards for several months and just joined. We've been to Disney 5 times over the last 10 years and will be going again 11/27-12/4. Our first time for the holidays. I have made a ressie at WL and don't know if I've made the right choice. Me, DH, DS8, DS4 and DD6mo will be traveling. Is this the right hotel choice? I
was thinking maybe connecting rooms at the POP. Any suggestions?
Lisa

 

[ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!]

Totally the right choice, though WL rooms are usually a bit smaller than other deluxes. You should look into Poly and the Contemporary. Monorail access will be very important with the kiddies (it seriously makes getting around so much easier) and the rooms usually come with a day bed which can accomodate a 5th person. Not sure if the WL also comes with day beds, a WL expert can chime in at any time.

 

[SuzieQMomof3]

Wilderness Lodge with its rustic charm will be absolutely breath-taking at Christmas time. Save POP for another trip.

Just my humble opinion.

Susan

 

[DawnCt1]

I was very disappointed in the size of the WL rooms. I would definately look into the Poly. We have stayed there many times with five. I would enjoy WL's rustic charm for dinner.

 

[Bugsmom73]

I would stick with WL. You could request bunkbeds which will give you more room. If you need more room and budget is a concern, a contemporary wing room will be cheaper than anything else on the monorail.

 

[swilphil]

I think you will be okay at WL if you can get bunk beds. I do highly recommend a standard wing room at the Contemporary. I don't think they are that much more than WL. We stayed in a wing room and loved it! It was huge!!! We also could walk to MK. The standard wing rooms face the parking lot, but that means you also can get a view of the fireworks and maybe even the castle. The first floor rooms are nice because you have a patio.

 

[isyt]

I have 3 kids and we have stayed at WL and loved it. We did have a room with bunk beds and it was fine. I did stay concierge in CR and it was on the 14th tower floor and that was a big room with a ton of drawer space. I like them both, so I guess I am not much help.

 

[DisFan331]

Thanks everyone for your help. We have requested a bunk bed room. Hopefully this will not be a problem since it is supposed to be a slow time of year. We stayed at the WL 10 years ago for our honeymoon and have been wanting to go back. The last 3 trips we were at the ASMo. They cannot guarantee connecting rooms. Does anyone know if any values guarantee connecting rooms with 2 adults and 3 kids?

 

[Anne MN]

I have had guarnteed connceting for that reason. I would think disney does not want the liability issue of small children in a non-connecting room.

 

[the kabuki]

Thanks everyone for your help. We have requested a bunk bed room. Hopefully this will not be a problem since it is supposed to be a slow time of year. We stayed at the WL 10 years ago for our honeymoon and have been wanting to go back. The last 3 trips we were at the ASMo. They cannot guarantee connecting rooms. Does anyone know if any values guarantee connecting rooms with 2 adults and 3 kids?

There's been varying answers to the guaranteed connecting rooms, but we just went in Jan (DH, myself and 3 children) and I was told that if the children are minors that connecting rooms are GUARANTEED. This was at POP

 

[mrsR123]

I wouldn't give up a WL ressie during the holiday season for love nor money. I'm on the waitlist at DVC, in fact.

I stayed in POFQ when my kids were those ages. WL is a bit bigger and a nicer resort. I'd stay put if I were you.

 

[ElizabethB]

We were unpleasantly surprised at how small the WL rooms are (and we were just 2, not 5!). We seemed to be tripping over each other or the furniture the entire stay (and neither of us is tall or large by any means). I'd try for Contemporary garden wing. As others have said, not much more money, tons more room space and the monorail.

 

[welovewdw]

We love the wilderness lodge, but when we asked in Jan, they have no rooms - either w/ bunk or not - that fit 5 people. The WL rooms w/ bunks come w/ a queen bed - and we were told that they do not offer roll aways b/c there isn't room for it. We asked the last time we stayed there (Jan 2005) The only way to fit our family of 5 was to upgrade to a suite there - of course, we have older kids - 7, 14 and 16. I think you can fit a child under 2 in the rooms w/ no problem.

We booked the poly for our next trip w/ kids because they have 2 queens and a day bed. The Contemporary and Animal Kingdom Lodge both offer similar rooms that do have beds for 5 people. (Animal Kingdom has rooms w/ bunks and a daybed)

 

[Robinette]

Does anyone know if any values guarantee connecting rooms with 2 adults and 3 kids?

From my experience, they will guarantee connecting rooms if the children are minors. We always book two rooms now when ever we travel, it's just too crowded with 3 kids. I've had guaranteed connecting rooms in the past at POR, WL and Pop.

 

[DawnCt1]

WL was originally built to be another moderate which I think is what accounts for the small room size. In a very short time, Disney realized that they could market it as a deluxe, which was a category that they created in between the moderates and what was, at the time "premium". Now they have dropped the "middle rating" and have called everything that isn't "moderate" deluxe. Unfortunately the room sizes stayed the same.

 

[Magic2000]

I definitely think you made a great choice!!! WL during the holidays is absolutely beautiful!!! In Dec, 2004, we did the carriage ride from the Wilderness Lodge and had a wonderful time!! They were even selling hot chocolate in the lobby! Then we had dinner at Artist Point!!

We stayed at WL last summer and the room was a nice size. Since your children are so young, you shouldn't have any problems staying in the one room. The pack-n-play for the baby will fit just about anywhere in the room, and if you want, you could always fold it up when the baby is not sleeping!

Enjoy your trip!! I think your family will love WL with the holiday decorations!

 

[luvthatdisney]

We are in the same boat - travelling with 5. 2 Adults and 3 kids ages 11-15. We have chosen to stay at the Contemporary. We have stayed there in a tower room back in 1995, when the kids were much smaller But since my ds is taking a friend we opted to have them stay in the same room with us and wanted to be on the monorail line - need to keep an eye on these boys at all times. Teenagers can be lose cannons - ha ha!! And the CR was not as hard on the bank as Poly would be.

We also stayed at WL in 2002 and did have one of the bunk bed rooms (only 4 of us that time) and the room did seem a little cramped I guess because the bunk beds were so tall - seemed like more of the room was taken up, but in all reality I guess it wasnt as width wise they are like a twin bed. I guess they just seemed like they loomed over me. Would not get another room with the bunks unless I had to.

JMHO

 

[Queen Be]

We stayed 2 years ago in February at WL when our children were 7, 6, and 2. We had a a room with bunk beds, and our 2 year old slept in the pack and play. It was squishy in the room, and we really did not like the bathroom set up...very dark and small. But WL is a gorgeous resort and overall we loved the resort. However, for our trip in June this year we really were torn over whether to return, because the memory of that small room loomed large. We only stayed 3 nights at WL before we moved on to the Poly. I am not sure I could want to do a whole week in 1 WL room with 3 kids. It does help that you have a balconey, and dh and I enjoyed sitting out on it while the children were sleeping.

 

[Disneyolic]

We stayed here for only 1 night last November. Our family consisted of me, DH, DS-5, DS-3, and DD-4 mo. We had 2 queen beds and did not even consider the pack-n-play as there was no room for it (IMO). Since it was only 1 night I slept with my daughter and my husband slept with the boys. We would NOT do it for more than 1 night. I think in the future we will probably try the Contemporary or the Yacht Club because of their daybeds.

~DawnMaree