Large family

[CrystalB10]

This is my first post as dh and I just decided to plan our first vacation to DisneyWorld. We have 8 children and would like to be as cost efficient as possible. We are planning for April 2007 - it will take us that long to save! LOL
Any and all advice is welcome as we dont know where to start. We did request the DVD in the mail.
Money saving advice would be greatly appreciated. Where is the best place to buy tickets, which tickets are the best to buy, do they offer group discounts???
Thank you all!!!
Crystal

 

[spiceycat]

yes disney offer group discount but only if you are getting 20 rooms or more....

I would go with 2 rooms at a value resort - if everyone can sleep together.

values and moderate have 2 double (full) size beds in each room.

or you can do a 2-bedroom at a DVC resort.

1 king bed, queen sleeper sofa and either 2 queen beds or 1 queen and a double sleeper sofa.

you an rent points from a DVC member.

but the value resort will be cheaper.

although there is a kitchen in the 2-bedroom - so you could save some money by using it.

 

[Carrieannew]

This is my first post as dh and I just decided to plan our first vacation to DisneyWorld. We have 8 children and would like to be as cost efficient as possible. We are planning for April 2007 - it will take us that long to save! LOL
Any and all advice is welcome as we dont know where to start. We did request the DVD in the mail.
Money saving advice would be greatly appreciated. Where is the best place to buy tickets, which tickets are the best to buy, do they offer group discounts???
Thank you all!!!
Crystal

8 kids!!!! You will find many tips on this board for budget information. Good luck!!! Happy planning!!!

 

[ktglads]

Actually, you would have 10 in your party correct - 8 kids + mom and dad?

You would then need 3 rooms at a value resort or 2 at a deluxe or at Riverside (which would be pretty tight).

Are onsite rooms a priority over saving money? You would be able to go offsite and get a condo that would fit your entire family. You would get the bonus of a kitchen but would have to have your own transportation, which would not be a problem if you were driving.

For some nice discounts, check out www.mousesavers.com for more information on discounts.

By the way, welcome to the DIS!

 

[Goofy4]

<edit>Wow, you guys are fast!

Welcome to the DIS Boards!

Just a friendly note, you'll have more luck if you post in the "Theme Parks Attractions and Strategies forum".

I'll give you some quick links to get you started:

Money saving advice: http://www.mousesavers.com/ ..Sign up for the newsletter and you'll get better offers once a month than is generally available on the web site.

8 children Your choice of lodging will then be key. Post questions (or just browse) the "resorts" forum for more help there. Also see the "Family" and "Budget" forums.

Being a large family, I imagine you qualify for a Grand Gathering (8 or more). Check out http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wd...s/ggLandingPage?id=GrandGatheringsLandingPage .. Mostly you'll find special activities there, no real discounts.

Ticket sources:
http://www.mapleleaftickets.com/
http://www.ticketmania.com/
http://www.undercovertourist.com/

You'll find that there is a dizzying variety of tickets. PM me or post to the "Theme Parks Attractions and Strategies" forum as you start researching.

Hopefully that's enough to get you started.

 

[Unregistered]

Silver Lake is a nice timeshare just behind Animal Kingdom (off disney property). You can usually buy a week in a 2 bedroom unit with pullout sleeper or 2 in the living room, kitchen, 2-3 baths, etc for $100-$150 a night. We own both their and Cocoa Beach.
I have a lot of dining ideas (too many to list) also.
I know how to do Disney on the cheap but still more fun than you can imagine!!
How old are your kids??
Feel free to email me at hannahkk@bellsouth.net

 

[CrystalB10]

Thanks for all the advice. I welcome more!!

My parents would like to come and my sister and her family. So there would be a large group. 6 adults and 10 kids - 8 of which are mine. When we go to Disney in 2007 my children's ages will be 15, 15, 13, 12, 10, 9, 7, 1, and my two nephews would be 13 and 11.

Crystal

 

[spiceycat]

if you have to stay onsite. I would suggest two 2-bedroom at OKW - each sleeps 8.

if you want everyone together well even a GV at OKW only sleeps 12 people.

now there are houses in the area. but that would mean a rental van (probably 2 or 3) - unless you are driving and would have your car/van.

here is a site that has houses/condo to rent OFFSITE
www.vrbo.com

here is a map to tell you where some of these are
http://www.1stfororlando.com/Location-map.htm

this map has some the other doesn't
http://www.thedibb.co.uk/villa/map.htm

 

[byoung]

With 12 you could get 2 trailers at FW. you could also get a 2 bedrm and a studio at a DVC resort. OKW would be the lowest points. Good luck and have a great vacation.

 

[Deesknee]

I only have 4 children, we find the 2bdrm the most comfortable. Not neccessarily the most economical. We usually stay at the OKW, I have stayed offsite, in a value (2rooms), a moderate (sleeps 5 plus an infant), and the 2 bdrm. I am bias (we finally bought into dvc) but I love the 2bdrm (mostly because of the inroom washer /dryer). I wish I had known about renting points from dvc members (we don't rent ours, so I am not soliticing), we always paid rack rate
Another tip might be to purchase an AP. Disney offers special rates for annual pass holders. I believe you can rent upto 3 rooms with 1 AP. But you should verify that first.
Good luck! and enjoy the planning!!!

 

[ntengwall]

Not sure how badly you want to stay on-site, but it might make more sense and be much more cost-efficient to stay in a house. We are going next week with our 3 boys, my parents and my cousin and his girlfriend. We got a 1 year old house in Kissimmee (10 miles from Disney) that has 5 bedrooms (4 bathrooms) a pool and a hot tub. It is going to cost us $1200 for the week. When I worked out staying at a moderate resort for one room (we would obviously need more than 1 room) it came to $4,000 per week and that was not including food or park tickets.
I am a bit sad that we aren't staying on-site for our first trip, but I am also really glad we will have 5 bedrooms and plenty of room (not to mention a hot tub to soak our weary bodies in at the end of the day! LOL).

 

[susieq76]

Hi! We only have three boys but we often go with our extended relatives. If you must stay on site I's recommend four or five rooms at All Stars. I prefer this to the 2 BRs & such because you get MORE BATHROOMS and with that many teens- you need them LOL. We stay on property because my guys are all little & it is easier to get back to the room for naps ect. For you it may be a better idea because the older teens can be fairly independant- they can take the buses back & forth from parks and you & the younger kids can enjoy the day at lesiure.

If money saving is the biggest thing, the real recommendation I have is to rent a house. It really is cost effective with that many people and you usually get your own pool, kitchen etc. As mentioned the big drawback is you'd have to drive to the parks (we drive down so not so bad a problem). It gives you a lot of space but less "on property" time. We've done this but only on trips where we spend more off site time (ie Universal, Discovery Cove, Church Street, Medieval Times and/or trips to Daytona). Now we've been every year since I was 3 so that is good for us- with it being your first trip you may not want to do this.

Good Luck- let us know what you plan. And God bless you with 8 children!!!! Where do you fit them in your house???? LOL- we're running out of room with our 3 (twin 3 yr olds & 2 yr old) and my niece (22) who lives with us.

 

[RobInBigKC]

When I worked out staying at a moderate resort for one room (we would obviously need more than 1 room) it came to $4,000 per week and that was not including food or park tickets.

There is no way a moderate should cost over $500 per night for one room not including food or park tickets.

http://www.mousesavers.com/roomrates2006.html

If you must stay on site I's recommend four or five rooms at All Stars. ... If money saving is the biggest thing, the real recommendation I have is to rent a house. ... And God bless you with 8 children!!!!

I completely agree -- All Stars or POP on site or a house off site. However, I think you should strongly consider on-site with a group that size if you're willing to let the teens in the group run on their own a bit and if you think members of your party will want to come back from the parks for a rest during the day while others will want to stay in the parks.

A house vs. separate hotel rooms also depends on how well you think the group can get along as a whole that week. For some families, there is such a thing as too much time together. Separate hotel rooms gives you a chance to separate somewhat at the end of the day -- not sure if you'd get the same feeling in separate bedrooms at a house especially if some have to sleep in the common living areas of the house.

-- Rob

 

[CrystalB10]

Thank you all very much for the advice/info.
Someone told me about trading pins for the kids - what that about??

Crystal

 

[spiceycat]

here is an article on pin trading
http://orlando.about.com/cs/disney/l/blwdwpins.htm

get your kids some cheap pins to start trading on ebay.

 

[canwegosoon]

I would reiderate
Checking with Grand gatherings.
My 1st choice would be staying on site, but...I am not sure with the ages of your kids that you can get enough rooms/adults in each room. I am sur e your kids are well behaved...but I am not sure you can let them be in a room by themselves, and you can not get a gaurenteed connecting rooms at the Values, so If you really want to stay onsite...go DVC...rent points. With a young child you might want to be in BWV, BCV or VLW, since they are the closest. OKW is the cheapest points wise. http://www.allearsnet.com/acc/faq_hot.htm Has pics of OKW and other DVC...they are listed as Home away from home.

My 2nd choice would be renting a home...again use the above link in the off site accommodations there is a link to house rentals. This might be the way to go since there are pools, game rooms, etc. Plus you could really save on meals...(but IMO I never feel like I am on vacation...just me)

I would think that you will be driving? Since you are in PA and have several adults, I would guess that you would take 2-3 cars/mini vans....has to be cheaper than flying. The Transportation board has a driving thread. Goofy4 gave you the Mousesavers link...register...and start watching and reading. There are great sections in there on all different budgeting topics. If you are flying www.sidestep.com or register for fare watcher through Orbitz.

You can have a fantastic trip...just make sure you are doing what you want, and not over paying for it..
to the DIS

 

[CrystalB10]

Wow, you all have been great!!
Can I also ask again about the pins. I will check on e-bay, but do they sell them at Disney stores? What is the average cost for them?

Crystal

 

[spiceycat]

at disney they can be expensive.

anywhere from $3.95 to $50....

if you want to stay offsite come visit us on the Orlando hotels/attraction board

there are reasonable houses in the area

www.vrbo.com

you will take to drive back and forth to Disney....so be sure to rent a van....

www.floridakiss.com - this is kissimmee/st cloud visitors bureau - they also have some houses - but be carefully!!!!

sometimes a house will say it is only 9 miles from WDW.... well they are talking about the property line....not a theme park!!!!

make sure you know where your house is located.

 

[disney50fam]

Well firts let me start by saying welcome.... Everyone is very friendly and helpful here.
Now I must say Wow.. 8 kids I thought I had my hands full with 5.
May I ask there ages? I love to hear about large families sinse I have a big one myself!!!!

Once again welcome

 

[CrystalB10]

Their ages are ~ 14, 14, 12, 11, 9, 8, 6, and almost 5 months. I homeschool and they are a great bunch of kids! I cant wait to do Disney with them!

Crystal