Max. of 4 in Disney Resorts??

[Tina26]

Wow, I'll have to check into getting an ap. I never even thought about it because I figured it really wouldn't be worth it unless we went more than once a year, but I see what you guys are saying. Going to check it out right now, thanks for the tip!

Tina

 

[WDWguru]

Be careful, Tina! It sort of becomes a catch-22 when you have an AP. You'll find excuses to go down more to use it! LOL!

You figure, well, let's just get in ONE more trip before the AP expires. Before you know it you've gone five times in a year!! (Yes this happened to DH and I just a few years ago, and we live in Utah!) But the more you use the AP, the better value it is, so go for it! It also helps when you're a DVC member (which we weren't at the time, but are now). Then you can justify everything because the tickets AND room are "paid for"!

ACK!!

 

[TerriBelle]

I have to jump in here. We are a family of 5 and I did not chose to have 3 kids. We had twins the second time around! I only wanted 2 kids but guess what... I got three. I get really mad when people say stuff like "You chose to have 3 kids...." Sometimes things happen that are not planned.

 

[Ricola]

Originally posted by WDWguru
It sort of becomes a catch-22 when you have an AP. You'll find excuses to go down more to use it!

LOL! And there's a PROBLEM with that???

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by Ricola
I think the original poster was just voicing her frustration at the lack of options available to her family when planning a visit to WDW. I didn't see anywhere that she said she was entitled to have more people stay for the same cost. What I saw was a wish that 5 people could stay for a more reasonable cost (as they can at offsite resorts...)

My point is that she could stay at Coronado Springs or Port Orleans with her family. PO offers the trundle suitable for a younger child, and CS allows the rental of a rollaway.

You are all saying there is no option for a family of five except a deluxe, this is simply NOT the case.

Anne

 

[Ricola]

I did not say there are no options available, I said there are not enough options available. CSR and POR are two (IMO) great options, but there could be more. During busy times, it can be hard to get into those two resorts, and they are (with the extra person charge) nearly twice the price of the Values.

Aren't the opinions voiced here proof enough that there is a demand for more options?

 

[WDWguru]

Originally posted by Ricola
... and they are (with the extra person charge) nearly twice the price of the Values.

I think this is why you see lots of families just getting two rooms at a value resort. It makes sense to me - the two bathrooms would be well worth it, imho!

 

[4firsttimes]

I have 4 kids, and I'm trying to convince myself I'd be delighted to pay rack rate of $405 for a deluxe room at WL in June. I think Disney has plenty of options. I just happen to have 4 kids and happen to want to stay at a nice place. My problem! (Same problem I had when we were shopping for a new house recently.)

 

[MJames41]

There are options out there if you know where to look. We are paying around $100 per night for a Boardwalk villa with a rental for our trip in December. With a code, at one point you could have gotten 2 All Star rooms under $100. We stayed at the Contemporary Wing for $154 (total - including tax) per night last August. And, as previously posted, there is always Port Orleans Riverside. There are alternatives, but sometimes you have to get creative. If you are on a tight budget, I'm sure you are used to that (I remember needing to be creative with necessary grocerys). Just my thoughts.

 

[DMRick]

... and they are (with the extra person charge) nearly twice the price of the Values.

We are paying for the extra person at POR..but I was told, if it was 5 people, and only two were adults (we are three adults), as long as one was under 10 and could use the trundle, there was no extra charge.
Also, when I asked about mods that could sleep 5, I wasn't given Colorado as a choice. That resort too, has trundle beds?
We too, have been a family of five for years going to Disney. We stayed in our camper at first (although they do have rentals also..but too pricey at the time for us), then moved out of the park to Tropical Palms (rented a cottage), and came back again to Disney with grands. We have stayed at Allstars up til now, when the smallest grand went over the age to allow for 5 people in an Allstar room.
I know the rooms are small, but a cot doesn't take up any more room than a portacrib (and some have cots (yes they have cots at the Allstars) when they have a girl and a boy anyway), and if the fire marshalls allow 5 when one is a baby, I really have to believe Disney is just trying to move you up to a moderate. I don't understand why it can't be your choice to be crowded in a small room..as long as it isn't fire code (which I don't believe it is, because they allow a 5th person in a portacrib). We had no problem fitting in with the five of us..just took shower turns.
All of this aside, we paid attention when we were at Allstars this past two visits this year, and although I'm not saying it's right, or honest (and I have to look my grands in the eye and report to a Higher Person, if I were to lie), I can tell you that there are a whole lot of families of five, staying in the Allstars..even some families of six or more. I talked to several moms at the playground, and they said they just give 4 names when making the ressies. I don't for a second believe that the maids count toothbrushes. I have heard on this board the rumors of such, but not one person has ever actually had it happen to them..or at least hasn't told us so on this board.

 

[eller]

I depends on how much space you want and how much money you can or choose to spend.

We are a family of five and last October the "baby" turned 3 years old so that bumped us up to five.

It's almost the exact same (during value season) to get two rooms at the AS resorts as it is to go to POR. But don't forget CSR is also a choice. You can pay for a roll a way for $15 a night and they will let you sleep five!

It's just about the same price as AS, so choose wisely. Two rooms a All Stars also means privacy for Mom and Dad and two bath rooms, but there is no slide at the pool and only one restaurant to go to.

Oddly enough, I think we will be staying at CSR rather than AS. We stayed at ASMo in January and we want to stay someplace different our next trip.

Good luck, I know how it feels to have 5.

Lori

5/1997 Off site, 2/2000 Off site, 2/2001 Poly, 10/2001 POFQ, AKL & Magic, 1/2002 ASMo & AKL, 11/2002 CSR & CR

 

[Debbie]

Well, as a family with 5 children, we have had issues with this as well. We found that splitting the stay between Holiday Inn Family Suites and 2 rooms at Disney works for us. We love the pool, activities, microwave, and fridge (and free breakfasts-imagine feeding 7!) at HIFS, and then the space/2 bathrooms at Disney are fabulous. I think that to offer a range of options for all guests would benefit any business. And that, I believe, is what the original post was about.

Now, if I could just do something about the cost of passes for my family, I'd be a happy camper! Heck, I might even get to Disney within the next 3 years!

 

[threeboysmom]

Wow! I never knew that Coronado Springs was even an option for our family of 5. That's great since we're not fond of POR (just not our style) at all. It's good to have another option available to pick from Has anyone successfully booked CS with a party of 5?

 

[hockey mom]

When I chose to have 3 kids I took alot of things into consideration. More toys at christmas, another mouth to feed, and another college fund, what I did not account for was a second hotel room. I trave alot with my family for hockey and have never encountered a hotel room that would not accomodate 5. That is until I phoned for a Disney reservation. I find the fire code thing a little much considering that you can go one mile off Disney property and 5 is allowed for the same size room. Or how about 5 is ok in a 314 sq ft room at POR(if you pay for the trundle), but not allowed in a 975 sq ft in a one bedroom at OKW. Whether you have one child or I have 3, if they all can sleep in that other bed why should I have to pay more than you. I can see why the original poster is upset. Having 3 children means I do not have the same options as other families, simply because I decided on one too many kids.

 

[eller]

I haven't booke CSR, but I did call the other night to make sure. I called the resort directly and was told that the rooms sleep 4, but when I asked about the roll a way, she said that if you *pay* for a roll a way it can sleep 5.

We will see what happens when I call CRO.

We are waiting until AP rates come out for November/December. We have booked with Disney a few times now and this will be the first time I've not make reservations for the least expensive accommodations that would work and then wait for AP rates.

Lori

5/1997 Off site, 2/2000 Off site, 2/2001 Poly, 10/2001 POFQ, AKL & Magic, 1/2002 ASMo & AKL, 11/2002 CSR & CR

 

[Mis4Mouse]

I understand your frustration - we are a family of 6... 2 adults and four kids, 7 to 17!

In the past we've stayed off site, and hated the shuttles to and from the parks, and the limitations on spontanaity (with four kids, you gotta be flexible!) Then we started staying in the Fort Wilderness Cabins during the value season because the kids love them, they sleep 5/6 pretty comfortably, and and they fit into our budget when we take into consideration that we eat at the cabins most meals saving a ton of money we would be spending on eating out. However this year Mom,(that would be me) has decided that she is NOT cooking on her vacation, and so we have booked two adjoining rooms at ASMovies. The rate for the rooms, with out AAA discount was 138 a night for both rooms, including taxes. That's only 69 bucks a night for each room (incl. taxes) Now that is easily what we'd pay off site for a no frills room, and the 138 is what we'd pay for a decent room with just two queens. So I think we did ok. Try shopping around and checking rates.

From what I understand, Disney has added day beds to many of the room in the deluxe category to sleep five, but as you mentioned, they are rather pricey. However I'll be the first to admit that though I love to save a penny when I can, there is nothing like staying on site.... and the kids agree. We'll often go for a four night park hopper rather than a six just to stay onsite... and we'll cut corners on meals - we'll even wait two or three years in between in order to save enough to stay where we want...so I guess it's just what constitutes a comfortable and fun vacation experience for you.

On the other hand, I'll admit to daydreaming of a time when my sweetie and me can sneak away just the two of us and stay at the Grand Floridian! : )

Just wanted you to know your not alone!

 

[Deb & Bill]

OKW is not a normal Disney hotel; it's a timeshare. The greatest majority of it is owned by DVC members. We bought there to have the luxury of space. Just because there is a lot of square footage in the accomodations, doesn't mean you can turn it into a dormitory. I may not own an entire building there, but the other owners and I like having a king sized bed to sleep in, a separate living room and other ammenities that you don't have in an average hotel room.

And the timeshare rules state how many people can stay there.

Sorry if you don't like it.

 

[funhouse8]

BUZZ'SMOM
Hi, We are a family with four kids and all adults in Disney's eyes.
We stayed in the wilderness cabins a few years back and loved being on the property, but it was costly. Everything here was great. We did have a full fridge so we were able to save some money on food & drinks. We froze water bottles at night to bring into the parks. The maid even put your dishes into the dish washer so everything was clean when you crawl back to your cabin at night. I think we spent a little over $200. a night for this. Well, my last trip I was trying to cut costs so we stayed at the HIFS with a coupon-pay for one night get one night free. how could I say no we saved $800. We really wanted to stay on site but never once were we disappointed. We rented a car and found it faster to enter into the parks from the holiday inn then from the campground. It is a 1/4 of a mile up the road. The breakfast was great! We were able to freeze water bottles here too being we had a small kitchen area. If you choose the HIFS I don't think you will be disappointed either. Any questions feel free to E-mail me. I'll be happy to help.

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by hockey mom
Whether you have one child or I have 3, if they all can sleep in that other bed why should I have to pay more than you. I can see why the original poster is upset. Having 3 children means I do not have the same options as other families, simply because I decided on one too many kids.

Because they are taking up space on the Disney busses, using towels, using the pools, using water, toilet paper and anything else you can use.

Like you said, you decided. Your choice. If you get to bring in an extra body for free, then I should get a rebate because I've only got one kid, right?

Anne

 

[Prince John]

I've been watching this post for several days and here is what I see: (Just my opinion)
1. ducklite needs to stick to the debate board - your tone is too much for most people on these boards
2. I have no nice response to deb & bill's remark about the dormitory, so I'll refrain entirely
3. Disney wants you to buy 2 rooms or a suite if you have 3 kids(no surprise here - it is, after all, a business)
4. Disney doesn't spend much effort checking out the number of kids in your room. No-one goes around counting toothbrushes.

Like it or not, until my 3rd child (infant) is older, Disney will not know about him. They didn't in September, and they won't next February. I'm sure this will outrage those people on these boards who lay in their self-rightous grass and wait for an opportunity to pounce on a moral issue, but that's just how it is.

Remember why we are all here - to find ways to have more fun at WDW and to help others do the same.