Looking for resort suggestions for family of 7

[FeistyDisneyMom]

I’m in the early planning phase of a potential WDW trip in October 2020, and looking at resort options. DH and I have been once before we had kids, and we’ve taken the family to DLR 4 times, but this will be first trip with all of us. I’m trying to decide if it is more feasible to get two adjoining rooms or a family suite. This would be an economy-style trip, trying to include a Universal day (or 2), and a park a day, with one extra day for whatever else. Just looking at similar dates for this year it looks like 2 value rooms would be significantly cheaper than a single family suite in a moderate (I couldn’t find any family suites in the value hotels) but I’m worried about making sure they are adjoining rooms.

What do other larger families usually do?

 

[elle21]

We are a family of seven and rented a house with a private pool in Windsor Hills. Unless you have a baby sleeping in a pack and play, you can't stay at the family suites - they only sleep 6. Our only options were two rooms (and not guaranteed to be connecting) or a 2 bedroom condo in a deluxe resort. That was a major budget buster at approx. $10K for our ten day stay...just for the room.
We were really happy with the space we had in our five bedroom rental and the private pool was a treat. The parks were all very close and an easy drive. Have fun whatever you decide!

 

[iamadisneynut]

We are a family of 7 as well! We have stayed in adjoining rooms at pop and animal kingdom lodge. But that’s when our focus was doing the Disney parks. We have also rented a 2 bedroom condo at bonnet creek (which is next door to Caribbean beach resort) if you wanted to be close to Disney parks. We have also rented pool homes in the area many times. These were trips where we weren’t doing as many Disney park days or when we did Universal.

Given that you’re doing an economy trip and doing both universal and Disney an off-site condo or house might work better for you! Having the room and your own pool is a definite bonus and having a kitchen to make some meals saves money too!

Good luck planning!

 

[FeistyDisneyMom]

Thanks for the advice! I’d been worrying that given it is a shorter trip staying onsite might be crucial, but a rental offsite sounds good too.

It’s looking like tickets for WDW are going to be a little over 3k for us, so doing the rough budget just for saving plan purposes puts me at 3k for lodging or around 500/night which seems doable. That leaves 4K for everything else if I stick to a 10k budget which seems crazy to consider ‘economy’ but 7 is a big crew!

 

[Eeyore daily]

I would suggest renting DVC points for a 2 bedroom if you wanted to stay on site and in one place. For 6 nights at SSR or OKW a 2 bedroom was only a little over $3k.

 

[lanejudy]

Unless you have someone under age 3 your party won’t fit in s “family suite” and the moderates don’t have “family suites” so you may have found an Executive Suite at CSR - i’m not sure that any other single room/suite in the moderate that would fit 7. Two value rooms is likely the most economical onsite, but be aware that “connecting” rooms are not guaranteed (connecting means an interior door between rooms; adjoining simply means next to or near each other). If your kids are young, that may not be a viable option unless the adults are willing to split if you don’t get connecting rooms. All other onsite options for that size party will be expensive unless you want to rent DVC points - just be aware of the caveats associated with renting points.

Offsite may be your most economical option, even with a rental car and parking.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[tinkerjo]

Have you considered renting a travel trailer and camping at fort wilderness? You can have 10 on a sight and if you go to the camping board there is lots of information on them. They are set up waiting on you and come with just about everything you need. There are different sizes and venders and if you want to bring a tent- throw the kids outside lol!!! The fort is a wonderful place but we love to camp. (We tent camp) it obviously may be a challenge but also a lot of fun. It may not be your cup of tea but it puts you onsite and it is a very relaxed vacation plus you have a way to cook if you want or at least make sandwiches,toast, and have a microwave, along with a grill!!!

 

[FeistyDisneyMom]

I bet it was an executive suite after all and not a family suite. It was going to run about 820/night which would really stretch the budget in an unpleasant way.

I’ve definitely thought about camping. I love camping, but DH is not a huge fan. I’d only really thought about tent camping though - renting a trailer hadn’t dawned on me! I will definitely look into that.

Our youngest will be 3 by the time of the trip, and our oldest will be 13, so not quite the right age for even our older kids to be in a separate room alone. Sounds like offsite or camping are the options I should focus on for now!

 

[mjkacmom]

Our family of 7 rented points for a 2 bedroom villa at the beach club for the same price as 2 moderate rooms. It’s was huge, with a full kitchen, multiple bathrooms, and a washer and dryer. We could walk to Epcot and DHS, which was great with kids of different ages. While the 4/6 year year olds had an afternoon rest, one of us would take the 9/11 year olds to a park for a bit.

 

[MinnieMouse100]

Renting DVC points is a great way to get a larger accommodation at an deluxe resort for a reasonable price. A 2 br villa sleeps 9. Just be aware that DVC does not get daily mousekeeping and that there are Do ticket or dining plan packages- those would need to be purchased separately.

 

[MNDisneyMommy]

I'd be firmly in the rent DVC or stay offsite in a rental house camps. DVC if you really want onsite perks or to be "in the bubble", but there are some very nice rental houses, some even with themed rooms etc.

With either, you can help the budget a bit more by making some simple meals on your own (even just bars and fruit for breakfast, or hot dogs n veg for dinner etc.). Being able to do a load of laundry helps too if you're paying for luggage (or even without).

 

[FeistyDisneyMom]

I'd be firmly in the rent DVC or stay offsite in a rental house camps. DVC if you really want onsite perks or to be "in the bubble", but there are some very nice rental houses, some even with themed rooms etc.

With either, you can help the budget a bit more by making some simple meals on your own (even just bars and fruit for breakfast, or hot dogs n veg for dinner etc.). Being able to do a load of laundry helps too if you're paying for luggage (or even without).

Whats the best resource for learning more about renting DVC points? I know pretty much nothing about it but the idea sounds worthwhile and I’ve got plenty of time for research! I like the price point of offsite rentals, but our youngest will still be 3 and while she napped well in stroller at DLR, she was not quite 2, and I’m pretty sure she’ll need naps still but not be comfy enough in a stroller to rest well. Having a nap location easily accessible is a definite perk!

 

[katyjeka]

I'm not sure if I can post this but we use Davids Disney Rental. We've rented twice from them with no issue. AK once and OKW the other. Happy planning.

 

[Eeyore daily]

I forgot to add, the 2 bedroom DVC rentals have a full kitchen so you could even make dinners to help keep the cost down. If you google rent DVC there’s lots of information and sites to help. David’s is a popular site.

 

[starry_solo]

If you know you won't cancel the trip and are willing to book and pay for it 11 months in advance (for lodging), then DVC is the way to go.

If not, offsite is probably your safer bet, especially if you are looking at 3K as your max budget for lodging. Depending on when you want to go and where you want to stay, you're looking at 200 to 400 points for a 2BD villa. At the $18-20 rate that the points broker charges, that'll exceed your budget.

 

[bigbabyblues]

We are a family of 4 but rented a condo at Windsor Palms last June. The condo slept 7 and we paid $950 for 9 nights, all in.

 

[Hoosier John]

All of the DVC two bedroom resorts sleep at least 8 people.
DVCs: Old Key West, Boardwalk, Animal Kingdom, Bay Lake, & Floridian all sleep 9.
DVCs: Animal Kingdom Kidani, Bay Lake, & Floridian have 3 baths (Floridian only 2 commodes).

All of October is "Choice Season", and Sunday-Thursday is cheaper than Friday-Saturday
Animal Kingdom Kidani for one week is 231 points (standard view).
AKK has a cheaper and more expensive categories, and AKK is among the least expensive of DVC resorts.
Not sure exactly what points are renting for but it's at around $15 per point (owner to renter), so maybe $3500 per week at AKK

In addition to commercial rental places, DISboards has a rental forum: https://www.disboards.com/forums/dvc-rent-trade.29/
We have rented points to a family from WI every couple years for quite some time now with no problems.
But I understand some people are concerned about scammers, so that makes the commercial places attractive.

If it were me, I would look at Windsor Hills condos (the offsite place others mentioned), or renting a DVC two bedroom (preferably with 3 baths to get you to the parks quicker). But be warned if you do the DVC route you will have a hard time going back.

 

[BnLToyBarn]

I’m in the early planning phase of a potential WDW trip in October 2020, and looking at resort options. DH and I have been once before we had kids, and we’ve taken the family to DLR 4 times, but this will be first trip with all of us. I’m trying to decide if it is more feasible to get two adjoining rooms or a family suite. This would be an economy-style trip, trying to include a Universal day (or 2), and a park a day, with one extra day for whatever else. Just looking at similar dates for this year it looks like 2 value rooms would be significantly cheaper than a single family suite in a moderate (I couldn’t find any family suites in the value hotels) but I’m worried about making sure they are adjoining rooms.

What do other larger families usually do?

I think trying to rent enough DVC points fora two bedroom would be best. Art of Animation also has the family suites. I think they'd be in your budget. Not sure exactly how many people they can accommodate though.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

In addition to researching renting DVC points, pricing out 2 value rooms (though connecting isn't guaranteed) and looking offsite, I would also recommend calling Swan/Dolphin and pricing out a 2-bedroom grand suite or executive suite. You get a bedroom with a king, a second bedroom with 2 doubles (at Dolphin) or 2 queens (at Swan), plus a huge living room with a pull-out sofa. You also get three full bathrooms. We've booked both of these rooms for about $700 per night (it just depends on the season). You would not get Magical Express or 180+10 for ADR's, but you get a huge suite at a deluxe resort in very close proximity to EP and DHS.

 

[starry_solo]

Thanks for the advice! I’d been worrying that given it is a shorter trip staying onsite might be crucial, but a rental offsite sounds good too.

It’s looking like tickets for WDW are going to be a little over 3k for us, so doing the rough budget just for saving plan purposes puts me at 3k for lodging or around 500/night which seems doable. That leaves 4K for everything else if I stick to a 10k budget which seems crazy to consider ‘economy’ but 7 is a big crew!

With that budget, I would suggest doing off-site as others have mentioned. I haven't done off-site, but even taking into account renting a car and paying parking fees, I don't think you'd be spending $1000+ on that. If you still want the "magic" look at Disney Springs hotels. Mousesavers has good deals in their monthly newsletters so sign up for those.

One other thing, you may want to look at a couple of room at one of the Universal Studios Orlando hotels that provides Express Pass for those who stay at the rooms. That way, you can get 2 days of Express passes ($50-100/value per person)....