Large Family needs advice

[onecreativemama]

This is my first time posting and joining the Disboards, so please take it easy on me. LOL And hopefully I posted in the right place.

But I need some advice on a trip to WDW that we will be taking in the late summer.

I have booked two suites as of now in the AOA, but still thinking I might be able to find a better deal on the property somewhere else.

We want a WDW resort and we have 12 in our party (6 adults and 6 children). I am just feeling a little overwhelmed by going back and forth trying to see if 3 rooms at one place is better than 2 at another and so on and so on.
Any help is appreciated!!
Thanks!!

 

[Goofy4]

Welcome to the boards.

Have you been to http://www.mousesavers.com/ ? Might find some money-saving tips and comparisons there, specifically: http://www.mousesavers.com/best-values-at-the-walt-disney-world-resort-hotels/

I think you will enjoy the suites and AoA.

 

[Goofy4]

If you have more resort-specific questions, you'll probably get more responses on the "Disney Resorts" forum.

 

[arihillfarm]

Welcome to the DIS! Three standard value rooms will be less expensive than two AoA suites if you'd like to save some money. See if there is availability in the Little Mermaid standard rooms at AoA and if not, look into Pop Century right across the lake from AoA. You'll be able to cross the bridge to AoA to see the resort and eat at the AoA food court for a change of pace. I just stayed at AoA for the first time last weekend and loved it!!

-Astrid

This is my first time posting and joining the Disboards, so please take it easy on me. LOL And hopefully I posted in the right place.

But I need some advice on a trip to WDW that we will be taking in the late summer.

I have booked two suites as of now in the AOA, but still thinking I might be able to find a better deal on the property somewhere else.

We want a WDW resort and we have 12 in our party (6 adults and 6 children). I am just feeling a little overwhelmed by going back and forth trying to see if 3 rooms at one place is better than 2 at another and so on and so on.
Any help is appreciated!!
Thanks!!

 

[onecreativemama]

If you have more resort-specific questions, you'll probably get more responses on the "Disney Resorts" forum.

not really, just looking for the best deal. so should I still post there?

 

[jedijill]

You might look into renting DVC points or looking at a rental home off site.

Jill in CO

 

[onecreativemama]

Welcome to the DIS! Three standard value rooms will be less expensive than two AoA suites if you'd like to save some money. See if there is availability in the Little Mermaid standard rooms at AoA and if not, look into Pop Century right across the lake from AoA. You'll be able to cross the bridge to AoA to see the resort and eat at the AoA food court for a change of pace. I just stayed at AoA for the first time last weekend and loved it!!

-Astrid

that's what I thought, but after going back and forth it was getting confusing. I was trying to compare the FW cabins to AOA suites and Pop to POR and with 3 kids in the background I started to lose hope in finding the right deal.

 

[onecreativemama]

Welcome to the boards.



I think you will enjoy the suites and AoA.

Thanks!!

 

[onecreativemama]

You might look into renting DVC points or looking at a rental home off site.

Jill in CO

If I do this, can I still get the dining plan?

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

If I do this, can I still get the dining plan?

You can get the dining plan if you rent points, but not staying off-site.

With such a big group, I definitely think it would be easier to stay on-site so that everyone can come and go as they please, rather than coordinating multiple trips in multiple cars.

Depending on the make-up of your group and how you want to room together, you might find more flexibility in getting 3 rooms at a Value rather than 2 suites. The 2 suites are going to be one of the more-expensive options.

 

[gilesmt]

If bottom line is price and nothing else, bed types, resort amenities, and such than you can do better with three rooms at a value and probably at a moderate. But I would ask some other questions, about comfort, value may be cheaper, but the beds are only doubles, adults are not going to be as comfortable on say the table that makes into a bed, but kids under twelve may do fine there. The suites do give you two bathrooms, so four total, and three rooms will give you only three. But if you move up to a moderate you get queen beds and a little larger bathrooms for about the same price. If you are younger that may not make a difference but if two of the adults are grandma and papa the bigger, more comfortable beds may be much better. Also you get just plain pools at AoA, where at the moderates the pools all have slides and are fancier so with 6 kids are you going to want pool time. I have never stayed value, but have stayed moderate, so check do they have a hot tub, moderates do, but some deluxe s don't, I don't know about value, is it important, it is to me.

Another option is renting points so you can all stay in one place. But that may be harder since you are talking late summer.

My question is also, is anyone military, or retired military.you said late summer, all honorable discharged military can stay at SoG in sept and it is 30 or 40 % off. If you do knot know what SoG is, it is shades of green, a military operated hotel on Disney property. I checked to months ago and they still had suites there for sept. there suites ate twice the size of AoA and the beds are queens. If you get three rooms there I think in sept it is $95 a room and the military person could sponsor three rooms. The rooms are huge there. To find out more you have to go to shades of green web site not Disney, you get the amenities of early morning and riding Disney buses, but you lose a few amenities such as free parking at the parks, and magic express, if you are not going to use them it works great, if you are then you have to figure if the price saved on hotels is better than the free ride to Disney and if cost effective. For us it always is and we love SoG.

Hope that gives you a better idea. Your options are endless, it really comes down to is budget your only concern or is bigger rooms, more comfort, free parking, better pools. If budget definately three rooms are cheaper at a value than two suites.

 

[mom to minnie&mickey]

This is my first time posting and joining the Disboards, so please take it easy on me. LOL And hopefully I posted in the right place.

But I need some advice on a trip to WDW that we will be taking in the late summer.

I have booked two suites as of now in the AOA, but still thinking I might be able to find a better deal on the property somewhere else.

We want a WDW resort and we have 12 in our party (6 adults and 6 children). I am just feeling a little overwhelmed by going back and forth trying to see if 3 rooms at one place is better than 2 at another and so on and so on.
Any help is appreciated!!
Thanks!!

Hello and welcome aboard! If you decide to do 3 rooms or 2 suites at a value check out All Star Music resort for better value. Their rooms are quite a bit cheaper than other values especially seeing as you need several rooms. Little Mermaid rooms at AOA are never discounted as they are very popular. We are staying 11 nights at Music this August (regular room) and the price difference was around $150. Triple that for 3 rooms and that is quite a savings. The suites are also less expensive.

 

[leebee]

Hello and welcome aboard! If you decide to do 3 rooms or 2 suites at a value check out All Star Music resort for better value. Their rooms are quite a bit cheaper than other values especially seeing as you need several rooms. Little Mermaid rooms at AOA are never discounted as they are very popular. We are staying 11 nights at Music this August (regular room) and the price difference was around $150. Triple that for 3 rooms and that is quite a savings. The suites are also less expensive.

FWIW, we just stayed at ASMusic in March and really liked the resort! We thought we were die-hard POP people, but not any longer! Rooms at ASMu all have fridges and curtains to partition the sink area for dressing privacy. Most rooms have two double beds, but king rooms, as well as connecting rooms, are available.

It'd help to know the ages/relationship of your party members.

 

[Goofy4]

If I do this, can I still get the dining plan?

Yes, the DVC owner can buy into the plan for you. More at http://www.mousesavers.com/other-disney-vacations/disney-vacation-club/#rentpoints. You won't get the Free Dining that route if it is being offered unless you book a room through Disney (sometimes Disney has these rooms available through their reservation system, but you generally pay much more).

The DVC route can "complicate" your vacation planning, so most people don't go that route without being somewhat seasoned Disney vacationers. That said, you can learn what you need to know on these boards.

 

[onecreativemama]

FWIW, we just stayed at ASMusic in March and really liked the resort! We thought we were die-hard POP people, but not any longer! Rooms at ASMu all have fridges and curtains to partition the sink area for dressing privacy. Most rooms have two double beds, but king rooms, as well as connecting rooms, are available.

It'd help to know the ages/relationship of your party members.

okay, thx for the info.
there is me 37, my hubby 32, son 14, son 10, daughter 7
my sister 32, her hubby 33, daughter 11, daughter 8, son 5
my mom 52, friend 22.

 

[onecreativemama]

Hello and welcome aboard! If you decide to do 3 rooms or 2 suites at a value check out All Star Music resort for better value. Their rooms are quite a bit cheaper than other values especially seeing as you need several rooms. Little Mermaid rooms at AOA are never discounted as they are very popular. We are staying 11 nights at Music this August (regular room) and the price difference was around $150. Triple that for 3 rooms and that is quite a savings. The suites are also less expensive.

suites at music, must have missed that. that would be a great savings for us. thx!!

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Have you looked into the price of a family suite at the All Star Music resort. They sleep six & have a kitchenette.

 

[dpswift]

I just want to say that AOA is very nice, nicer than the other values. It is nicely landscaped. I do not know if it is important to you but all three pools are fenced in. We stayed in the single room and it had a fridge only, but the suites have a kitchenette. DH would have preferred to stay at port Orleans But DD got to pick since it was her last vacation before she graduates HS.

 

[danielle79]

We are a family of five and love the Fort Wilderness cabins! But with a group your size I think I would go with three rooms at Allstar Music, this would give you three bathrooms! The cabins are great and we love them but I wish it had a little half bath, then it would be perfect! We like having the kitchen and full size fridge but if you are asking about free dining then the kitchen probably doesn't matter. Good Luck and have a magical time!!!! I always thought it would be fun to go with a big group!

 

[3boymthr]

okay, thx for the info.
there is me 37, my hubby 32, son 14, son 10, daughter 7
my sister 32, her hubby 33, daughter 11, daughter 8, son 5
my mom 52, friend 22.

So really with the makeup of your group it comes down to sleeping arrangements i.e, are Mom 52 and Friend 22 willing to share a room and a BED with someone else and do you and your sister want to keep your whole families in one room? If you want to keep your family together and/or your mom & the friend are not willing to share a bed then you will absolutely not be able to stay in 3 rooms in the values. The values limit you to 4 in a room. Keeping the families of 5 in a single regular room restricts you to suites, POR, the cabins at FW or the deluxe rooms or DVC (or if you have money to spend some of the more luxurious suites at the moderates or deluxes). Mom and Friend not sharing a bed also put you POR or FW cabins or a deluxe room or DVC. The two youngest would fit comfortably on the trundle at POR.