Large Family - HELP

[quiescentfury]

Hi Everyone. I am new here. I am planning our families first trip to Disney world. We are looking to go between Christmas and new years 2013. We will be going with me, my husband, and our kids who will be 18,17,15,14,7, and 6. So we need a room for 8. Any room suggestions/advice. Also we are limited in our travel dates and some options are Dec 26 - Jan 1 or Dec 29 - Jan 4th. is one set of dates better then the other?

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP

 

[tsme]

I would suggest renting two rooms at whichever hotel/Disney resort you can afford. If you're okay with staying off site, (with that many people that's what I would do), I would suggest you rent a condo or house. There are many nice places you can rent from & it's really not expensive. Plus if you do stay off site in a house/condo you can make some of your meals which would also reduce your costs.

Both dates will be crowded. But I'd probably go with the New Year's dates.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

You could look at renting points to DVC because they have the 2 BR and Deluxe Villas, however they are probably booked up for those dates as the dates are popular and availability is limited.

I would agree that you will need either 2 rooms onsite or a vacation home offsite. And with that many people a home is probably your best bet so you can spread out a little.

 

[quiescentfury]

I chatted online with Disney people and they said they could not guarantee joining rooms or rooms close by since we will have more than two people over 18 even though or 18 year old son will only be a senior in high school. She said we would be low on the priority list We want to stay at a Disney resort because we want to get a meal plan and we want a no hassle trip. We are also flying which will be a first for many of our kids. This will be our last vacation with all the kids still in school so we want to make it special.

 

[vicki_c]

I chatted online with Disney people and they said they could not guarantee joining rooms or rooms close by since we will have more than two people over 18 even though or 18 year old son will only be a senior in high school. She said we would be low on the priority list We want to stay at a Disney resort because we want to get a meal plan and we want a no hassle trip. We are also flying which will be a first for many of our kids. This will be our last vacation with all the kids still in school so we want to make it special.

That is the policy they follow regarding connecting rooms (it is called connecting when they have a door in between, not adjoining). Your only choice is to get a bigger room that could accommodate everyone. On property, I believe only a 2 BR villa or larger will fit your party.

 

[pooh4evr]

2 rooms, or renting points will probably be the only way to go. Connecting rooms arent guaranteed but chances are you would get them. Having 2 bathrooms will be huge for you!
Beware though that time is THE busiest of the year. You will need to be at rope drop each morning and do not leave, because the parks can and do close during that week anywhere from 11 am to 1 Ish due to crowds. Depending on the ccrowds you may or may not be able to get back in once you leave. Go to easywdw site and read Josh' recommendations and follow them!

 

[Pakey]

I would look into renting a 2 bedroom villa at AKV. AKV and BLT both have 3 bathrooms in their 2 bedroom villas and that would come in handy with 8 people. AKV would be easier to get than BLT at this point but it's going to be difficult even for AKV.

I would also suggest looking offsite. The only problem is that with the timeframe you are looking at going, the parks will be at capacity and I believe onsite guests have priority to get in once the parks reach stage closings.

As far as your dates, you aren't going to experience much difference in crowd levels. The biggest crowd levels are between Christmas and New Years and both your sets of dates put you there for that entire week. I was there that week this past Christmas for my 25th WDW vacation and it's daunting to go during that time period. And I don't know about a no hassle trip. The lines for counter service meals, and finding seating to eat them, is so awful during that time period that I think I would prefer to stay offsite and pack lunches into the parks.

 

[mlain]

" The lines for counter service meals, and finding seating to eat them, is so awful during that time period that I think I would prefer to stay offsite and pack lunches into the parks." Is it permissible to bring in outside food? I am also a newbie planning our first Disney vacation with 7 kids. Bringing in our lunches would be great!!

 

[momto3pirates]

" The lines for counter service meals, and finding seating to eat them, is so awful during that time period that I think I would prefer to stay offsite and pack lunches into the parks." Is it permissible to bring in outside food? I am also a newbie planning our first Disney vacation with 7 kids. Bringing in our lunches would be great!!

You can bring in food, just no glass or alcohol.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Hi Everyone. I am new here. I am planning our families first trip to Disney world. We are looking to go between Christmas and new years 2013. We will be going with me, my husband, and our kids who will be 18,17,15,14,7, and 6. So we need a room for 8. Any room suggestions/advice. Also we are limited in our travel dates and some options are Dec 26 - Jan 1 or Dec 29 - Jan 4th. is one set of dates better then the other?

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP

I seriously doubt you will find any DVC villas available for your dates this late. Most members book at 11 month out and you are less than seven months out. You will probably just need to book two standard hotel rooms and request that they connect.

 

[vicki_c]

I seriously doubt you will find any DVC villas available for your dates this late. Most members book at 11 month out and you are less than seven months out. You will probably just need to book two standard hotel rooms and request that they connect.

Not to mention that I didn't even notice the OP's dates. A 2 BR villa thru Disney for those dates (if even available) runs about $1000 a night (using Old Key West).

 

[auralia]

I'd wait and go in the summer. I'd take the heat over Christmas week crowds any day

 

[ptlohmysoul]

Hi Everyone. I am new here. I am planning our families first trip to Disney world. We are looking to go between Christmas and new years 2013. We will be going with me, my husband, and our kids who will be 18,17,15,14,7, and 6. So we need a room for 8. Any room suggestions/advice. Also we are limited in our travel dates and some options are Dec 26 - Jan 1 or Dec 29 - Jan 4th. is one set of dates better then the other?

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP

If available, the Animal Kingdom Lodge Disney Vacation Club 2 bedrooms are great for 8 people. The first bedroom includes a king bed, the second bedroom includes 2 queen beds, and the living area includes a sofa bed pulls out (not sure if it's a queen or a double, but prob. a queen), and a pull out chair. There are 3 full bathrooms in this, a full kitchen with teflon cookware and plates, etc., dining space, a washer/dryer. The Bay Lake Towers 2 bedroom has the same, but is less likely to be available. You could try to see if either is available. It is considerably cheaper to rent points from an owner than to go directly through Disney. Try that first. Disney may have cash rooms if you can't find availability through dvc owners. If those aren't available, a 2 bedroom at another dvc would have the same, except only 2 bathrooms and no pull out chair. oh, and you can order groceries from places like wegoshop.com so you have snacks, drinks, and/or full meals. You can buy tickets from undercovertourist.com

 

[ptlohmysoul]

Also, learn about fastpasses BEFORE you go. One thing I did was have each person pick 1 thing that they wanted to do at each park, because you can't do everything.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

Looking at Disney's website, it looks like there are a few 2 bedroom villas left for those weeks. However they are at least $1000 a night, just for the room, no tickets or dining.

You can look in to renting points to try and save money, but you need to do it NOW because that is the busiest time of the year and there may not be a lot of points available.

I hate to say this, but you need to make your reservations in the next couple of weeks, and get your advanced dining reservations. With a party that big it is going to be very hard to get a walk-up at most of the table service restaurants, and impossible at the very popular ones.

 

[Lynne M]

Don't even bother looking into renting from a DVC member for those dates, I'm sure they were booked up months ago. To get a Christmas/New Year's reservation on points, you really need to be looking about a year out.

So, OP, if you don't want separate rooms, that means your only option is to book a cash reservation for a 2-bedroom villa (or 3-bedroom villa, if you can find one) at the DVC/deluxe villa resorts. That would be OKW, SSR, BCV, BWV, VWL, BLT or AKV. As others have said, you're going the most expensive week of the year, so you would be looking at around $1000 - $1300/night, not including tax, dining, or tickets.

You will spend a lot less money offsite. But do be aware that parks may hit capacity and close during your stay. Disney parks close in stages; offsite guests are the first to be shut out, onsite guests are the last to be shut out. So, keep that in mind when you compare your options. If you do decide to stay offsite, you will want to rent a car/van.

 

[MinnieLovesMickey12]

You can have a special vacation for your kids and stay off site. I don't know how magical it would be being all crammed into two little hotel rooms.

I would rent a 4 bedroom vacation home for around $100 a night (through VRBO or Villa Direct) and rent a van and drive yourself to the parks. Go to the grocery store and buy breakfast items to eat at the house before you leave for the park. Buy drinks to take in a backpack with you and have someone else take a backpack with snacks for everybody.

You do not need a meal plan for your meals to be hassle free. Just pay for them as you go and it will be much cheaper.

Be fair warned you are going during the busiest week of the year and you may have trouble even finding a place to sit during meal times.

Make sure you get to the parks at rope drop and STAY THERE until you are ready to leave for the day and know you probably can't come back because the parks will be so packed they close it so nobody else can get in.

To be honest, for a first time Disney vacation (and maybe you have no choice for your dates) but you picked the absolute worst time to go. Lines for rides will be 2 hours long. You definitely need to learn about fast passes before you go.

I would suggest you buy a guide and read it. The Unofficial Guide to Disney is the best one IMO.

Another suggestion is to NOT bother buying park hopper tickets because you probably will not be able to hop due to park closures.

 

[maxiesmom]

You do not need a meal plan for your meals to be hassle free. Just pay for them as you go and it will be much cheaper.

Be fair warned you are going during the busiest week of the year and you may have trouble even finding a place to sit during meal times.

Make sure you get to the parks at rope drop and STAY THERE until you are ready to leave for the day and know you probably can't come back because the parks will be so packed they close it so nobody else can get in.

To be honest, for a first time Disney vacation (and maybe you have no choice for your dates) but you picked the absolute worst time to go. Lines for rides will be 2 hours long. You definitely need to learn about fast passes before you go.

I would suggest you buy a guide and read it. The Unofficial Guide to Disney is the best one IMO.

Another suggestion is to NOT bother buying park hopper tickets because you probably will not be able to hop due to park closures.

I agree with all of this! I wouldn't, however, stay off site. If the parks fill to capacity (and they probably will during those dates) if you are off site you are the first group of people to be shut out of the parks. I have no problem staying off site, but I would never do it when you are going.

Also, it is common for the Magic Kingdom to have Extra Magic Hours every morning during busy times of the year. If you are off site you will never be able to be in the Magic Kingdom and not be behind a large crowd of people.

I would go with 2 rooms, and check in very early. Tell them the only thing you need is for the rooms to connect. Odds are good you will get that if it is your only request, and you are at the resort early to voice it. It may also help, if it is in your budget, to stay at one of the Port Orleans resorts. They are the only resorts that still look at fax requests, when it comes to room locations and needs.

 

[ksu93]

Try the 2 bedroom villas at Old Key West or Saratoga Springs, they seem to have availability when no one else does. Did you check into the 2 bedroom units at the new Art of Animation? I agree about getting dining reservations now. You can still eat very affordably using the dining plan-we often share meals which saves us money. Whatever you do, stay on property. Staying off property is a whole different vacation experience and I don't mean that in a good way

 

[KateDrake]

For that time of year, I would definitely stay onsite! It is so busy, and if the parks fill up, on-site guests get priority. It's a huge bonus.

I know you were concerned about getting adjoining or connecting rooms. I know that Disney cannot guarantee that you will be connected, but honestly, I think that is the "CYA" speak they use just in case. In all the times we've been, we've never had trouble getting rooms close together. The one time we didn't have connecting rooms, the rest of our family was one door down across the hall, so it was no big deal to get to them.

I would highly recommend doing two rooms at a Moderate if you can, just to give yourselves a bit more space. Even at peak-time pricing, it's likely to be much cheaper than DVC. POR, POFQ and CSR all have queen beds, which is nice with a big group, and Alligator Bayou at POR even has rooms that sleep 5. Chances are, you will be very close at the worst, and likely your rooms will have a door between them!