If there are 5 of us?

[jrasmom]

Where can we/should we stay?

We're thinking we'll return in a few years but I was already looking around and wondering

We stayed at AsMovies on our first trip and loved it.

And honestly, we don't want to pay those expensive rates of $200, $300+ per night.

I'd like a resort room not really anything with a kitchen and such...UNLESS there is no free dining option that year

Is there ANYWHERE cheaper that would accomadate us?

Most likely by then it'll be the kids ages 13, 10, and 6 or something like that and us, the parents

Sheesh, I'm a mess to be such a plan ahead person!

 

[moparop]

ASMu has family suites that sleep 5. You get a fridge in there and two bathrooms!

 

[helenk]

Port Orleans Riverside can accomodate 5 in a room in the Bayou section, there is a trundle bed in those rooms.

 

[beth_cam]

You can get 2 rooms at a value - but they don't truely (no matter what they say) guarantee that they are even in the same building much less connecting as long as there is an adult to be put in each room. And I am just running with this years numbers since I have no Idea what next years increase will be especially with the possible new pricing structure (where prices will be different day to day like weekends being higher instead of just by season...no idea how much difference that will make when all put together). If no other general public deal comes up aaa can be well worth the investment and can easily pay for itself in as little as 2 nights, giving you quite a savings on longer stays. Of course to keep costs down you want to pick a lower cost season avoiding Summer (values/mods), peak, Holiday. I wanted to put all that in before the following since I am just going to run numbers for you staying trying not to much exceed 200...


Values std rooms -
Value season
2 rooms Rack Rate 164 AAA rate 131
ASMu suite 179
Regular season -
2 rooms 198 AAA 168.30
ASMu suite 215

Mod std rooms - there is one portion of I think POR that has a limited number of rooms that hold 5.
Value season
1 Room 145 AAA 116
Regular Season
1 Room 165 AAA 140.25

Delux -
Value Season
1 room Ft Wilderness Cabin - 249 AAA 211.65


Otherwise to go cheaper you are looking at staying offsite. The cheapest option, as you can see is to stay at POR is you can stand the squeeze.

 

[jrasmom]

Thanks for the replies.

We went in September last time. IF there is a free dining option the next time we go we'd probably choose that time. If NOT we'd like to go mid to late January or the first week of February. You know cooler weather, not much on the crowd level etc. We would never choose to go during the summer summer or the holiday travel period.

I didn't realize how much you could save if you have AAA, that may be something we have to check into. Even if we just join for the one year we plan on going to WDW to save that money would be worth it.

The suites sound nice BUT in all honesty we could stand the squeeze.

DH has mentioned the Contemporary a few times just for the monorail, but I have to keep reiminding him that you still have to hop a bus to get to 2 of the 4 parks (what he's thinking he could avoid by being in the Contemporary)and he will be in no way willing to pay their prices I don't think. I'm going to go check those out right now just to see.

We went for under $1300 the one time we went. Of course we had a 2 yr. old that was free, and our oldest was only 9 so he was cheaper too!! I imagine it'll cost closer to $3000-$4000 the next time with both those boys growing up for different ticket prices.

 

[beth_cam]

Remember too with the contemporary, it is quicker to walk to the magic kingdom, with crowds in the evening it might be quicker to walk back in the evening since like happened to us you may have to wait for the next monorail. You have to transfer monorails to go to epcot...the monorail is still easier I guess than a bus but having to change sure takes the absolute ease out of it. And as you said, for AK, MGM, DTD you have to take a bus, I really don't add being on the monorail line as a big plus for CR.

 

[jrasmom]

Remember too with the contemporary, it is quicker to walk to the magic kingdom, with crowds in the evening it might be quicker to walk back in the evening since like happened to us you may have to wait for the next monorail. You have to transfer monorails to go to epcot...the monorail is still easier I guess than a bus but having to change sure takes the absolute ease out of it. And as you said, for AK, MGM, DTD you have to take a bus, I really don't add being on the monorail line as a big plus for CR.

I honestly don't know why he thinks it's such a big bonus
We didn't have horrible experience with transportation on the bus when we were there. Although we did use the Music bus a few times since there was no one in their line and movies was packed. Besides, we were in the 101 Dalmations bldg. and really close to their bus stop.....at the end of the night that was a bonus with all of us wore out!

 

[grumpy.uncle]

Contemporary is very expensive. It seems that you are trying to keep costs down. Either the family suite or POFQ previously suggested sound like good fits. You honestly don't think you would enjoy the extra space w/ 5 of you in one room? You might ask your kids about that. They may like having a little separation from mom and dad. I would not rent 2 separate rooms. You don't want to risk having to split your family up. The advantage to staying at monorail resorts is that they are on the monorail. If you are planning on spending most of your time at MK then that would be a deciding factor. All three of the monorail resorts are a more expensive w/ CR and GF being very expensive in my book. You need to sit down and decide what your budget is going to be and when you are going. Disney always offers free DDP during certain times, so if you plan on taking advantage of it, that will determine time of year you are going to travel. What is so nice about Disney is that there are so many options. I would never go to WDW and not stay on site. It makes your trip so much more.

 

[jrasmom]

My kids get along pretty well AND when we're on vacation they know we do what we can to afford to go so we all troop it out and enjoy ourselves even if it means some close confines. BUT with that said I did check out prices for the music suites too Besides, mom and dad might like some peace, quiet, aloneness from them too

We are no where near as experienced as some of you here are Obviously, since we've only went the one time. But I try to come here everyday to glean information from all of you and for that

I just went to check out rates at different places, priced packages estimating ages just to see what I could find. I guessed and used about the same week we went last year (Sept. 28th-Oct. 3rd) with 6 day basic tickets (no park hopper etc. )Just like we had last year what I came up with wasn't bad.

Honestly not as bad as I'd thought it'd be

I came up with $1973.95 for POR.
For the music resort it came up as $2085.35.


THEN I checked the Contemporary, The Poly, and Wilderness Lodge, just to see the prices. Trust me not anything HE's going to want to spend and in all honesty not what I want to spend on one week either!!

Just not our budget for vacations, usually it's a week at the beach for under $500 so WDW at $1300 or more is a extravagant vacation for us.

Thanks for all your help.
I'm going to make notes of these resorts NOW to remind myself when we get to the serious planning stage.