I need a great resort for a family of 6!!

[alicenwonder99]

We are booked at the Contemporary for the first week of Jan 2005. There are 5 of us, me, dh, dd17, dd6, ds4. Now, my 13 year old niece is moving in with us at xmas time. So, now we need a hotel for 6 of us. I was tempted to just "sneak" her into our room, but I think we need 2 bathrooms because of the 2 teenage girls. I was thinking about getting 2 rooms at a value resort, but then I started looking at all of the great off-site resorts out there. It is so overwhelming!!! I really liked the Marriott Grande Vista. The older girls can share one room and the bathroom. The little ones can have the pullout bed, and dh and I can have the master bedroom. I can drink my whole pot of coffee and read the paper at the table without waking everyone up (I'm a super early riser). The only problem is that the teens were going to probably do alot of the parks on their own, and they don't offer shuttles.

Does anyone have a great resort that will give us TONS of room, is very nice, and offers shuttle service. OK, even if it doesn't offer the shuttle service, I'll consider it.

Also, if we drive to MK, can the girls use the monorail to get to Epcot if we're not staying onsite?

Mary

 

[swilshire]

Drop me a PM with the exact dates you need and I can probably help you with this. I'll be leaving Sunday for WDW, so I probably won't be checking email for most of next week.

As much as I love the Disney Magic of staying onsite, it's hard to beat the convenience of multiple bedrooms, multiple bathrooms, multiple TVs and a full kitchen (should you choose to use it). We find after a long day at the park that we prefer to eat in our own unit where some can eat while some get ready for bed, then they reverse. Ditto in the morning when some can get ready while others eat a quick breakfast. Much less time wasted in restaurants. And all of this is usually much cheaper than staying on Disney property.

As for the shuttles, that complicates things. We have resolved this issue by letting the teens stay at a park while we left with the little ones for a rest. Then we return later refreshed and meet up with the bigger kids. Disney is safe enough to do this.

And yes, they can ride the Disney transportation from place to place with no problem.

Sheila

 

[catwho]

Try 2 rooms at a value resort or moderate. Seriously, with that many kids you will love having an extra bathroom! LOL!! We sometimes have 6 total when we go down and have loved having 2 rooms at Pop Century. The kids can pile in one room and watch tv and we can have an "adult" television. We can run two people through showers at the same time and with a connecting door, we don't have any problems with supervision (our rule is the doors MUST stay open!)

Hope that helps!

 

[luvmygirls]

Another idea is a vacation rental home. I think you can get 3 br's (usually + pull out sofa) with 2 ba's, all the kitchen accessories, w/d + private pool for around 95-105/night, some are within 5-10 minutes to WDW (more depending on your location/which park.)

Just another suggestion! GL with your decision!

Shelly

 

[wonderlandaddict]

The Doubletree in Downtown disney sleeps 6.

 

[F1Julie]

Another vote here for 2 rooms at a WDW value or moderate resort. You just can't beat the on-site transportation. Since the current room-only discount code expires Sunday, another one for your travel dates will probably pop up in the next few weeks.

 

[gigi1313]

DITTO the two room @ disney recommendation

 

[mjmcca]

If you want to stay onsite there are several options. FW cabins sleep 6 but there is only one bathroom. The vacation club resorts sleep up to 8 depending on the size of the accommodations you book.

 

[shellyfive]

We have 5 kids total and we always get two rooms at a value resort--you can just throw the all in one room with their shows on with the adjoining door open---I too would wake early each day and walk over to the restaurant in the hotel and have a wonderfully alone coffee!! It may be better for you too since the teens can just hop the bus to go to whatever park and come back by themselves to meet you.

 

[Miniefan]

Have you ever considered Homewood Suites by Hilton?? My mil works at the one here where we live and I can tell you it is a very nice hotel. We were going to stay at the one in Lake Buena Vista but we got a very nice Cm discount on our WDW resort room. But seriously, they offer studio suites, one bedroom suites, and two bedroom suites, all the suites have a full kitchen and they offer free breakfast buffet every morning and what they call the manager's reception at dinner Monday thru Thursday which is basicly a buffet dinner with unlimited beer, wine and soda. It is a good value considering all you get, plus they do have transportation to WDW. Hope this helps.
Kim
www.homewood-suites.com

 

[4greatboys]

We were a family 6--now we are 7, We are DVC members and stay in a 2 bdrm. We love them, its great to stay onsite and the rooms are really nice. OKW has HUGE rooms. A 2 bdrm is the size of a small house. Master bdrm on one end and 2nd bdrm on the other. The couch folds out into a sleeper sofa.
BCV and BWV are also great--great location! But the rooms are a bit smaller but we have still enjoyed our stay there too. VWL is very close to MK--just a boat ride away and its soooo beautiful at the WL. We have not stayed there yet but are planning on it. Saratoga Springs is the news resort--close to DTD. We havent stayed there yet either.
If you just want a regular resort I say go with 2 moderate rooms (they are putting fridges in all the mods and deluxes--no charge) so then you will have plenty of beds, 2 bathrooms and 2 fridges to keep some milk, lunchmeat, ect in there.