Meeting spots for families in multiple rooms?

[sonome]

Hello fellow forumers!

I'm currently organizing a "once in lifetime" multi-generational family trip to Disney. It will be our last family trip due to aging parents, so the goal is to make it a good one; we're not overly concerned with budget so I've been a bit trigger happy when booking accommodation.

Reality is starting to set in as I've been looking at the overall costs. We're currently booked in a 2 bedroom + separate studio at BCV, and it's expensive! We can save a couple of grand by giving up the 2 bedroom and moving into 3 studios in total.

My concern and question: where do families catch up to plan/discuss their day/hang out when they are spread across multiple rooms? I'm worried that we won't have a communal gathering space if I give up the 2 bedroom, but at the same time also not sure if the space is worth the extra $$$.

If we go with individual rooms, we're also considering potentially changing to POFQ as we like the idea of the theme and it results in even more money saved to put towards other parts of the trip.

Our family consists of elderly parents (one will be using an ECV), two couples in their forties and a 7 year old, so 7 of us in total. We're traveling in January.

Is it easy to hang out with other people at the resorts outside of the room?

 

[fla4fun]

BCV and the attached BC have several cozy seating areas where you can sit and relax. There are also some nice outdoor spaces.

If you go with POFQ, you could request connecting rooms for at least two of the rooms (I don’t believe there are groups of three connecting rooms) so at least with the door open, it would feel like you have a larger space to congregate instead of squeezing into one room. There aren’t as many comfortable spaces to relax outside of your room at POFQ other than the lobby, food court, and lounge, but I do love the atmosphere there.

 

[scrappinginontario]

We do a lot of our planning online as often families/groups go out on their own. Saves everyone having to be available at the same time to meet in person. We plan some things together but also lots of time apart for each group to do what they wish. Keeping a big group of people together all the time quickly proves challenging.

 

[jo-jo]

I know you are asking about meeting spots, but have you thought with the two bedroom you could make some meals to save money. So that would off set some of the extra cost.

 

[Lady Hiss]

You could try the solarium at BC as a meeting spot. There’s also a breezeway area in BC that you pass through on your way to BCV that has seating that might work. There are also bar/lounges in both BC and YC where you could meet up for drinks and snacks.

 

[Sunshine11]

French Quarter is a great resort because of the small footprint. We have had many large family trips there and found meeting spots in the lobby, quick serve pool area, etc to work well! I would save the $ and have space for everyone to spread out. We honestly did a large family trip at French Quarter and one at AKL and our whole group loved the French Quarter better. No room is too far from the quick serve for mug refils too. It's a charming quaint resort but a bus to all parks. Oh and the boat to Disney Springs is a nice bonus too! The only thing you would miss is the washer/dryer in your room, but there is a laundry room at FQ if you needed to do laundry.

 

[Disneylover99]

We stay at values/moderates with friends/family. We find it easy and convenient to meet up in their food courts. The values/moderates have larger food courts and generally have lots of seating, especially if you’re meeting up later in the evening.

I highly recommend POFQ for your group.

 

[Babsy]

we like getting together at the pool and for some meals. Plus, there are meeting places like the lobby in the BC that are nice. I will say that the two bedroom and studio will give you a lot more space, as well as the ability to do laundry and cook some meals, especially breakfast. Are you booking through Disney or have you looked at renting points? Renting points can save quite a few $$$. It is easy to hang out in the pool or at some meals, but it is different from having your own home space. We. did a three generational trip with 10 people in 2019, staying in a two bedroom and a studio in BLT (in 2019). It was challenging but lots of fun. It was also quite pricey. even though we did rent points to save on $$$. I do not regret the two bedroom at all and believe that bit added to our enjoyment of the trip. Only you can determine what will work best for your family, though.. If the accommodations cost will detract from other more important things that you want to do, then three rooms at POFQ will work. Be prepared that you may be close together, but you also may be separated over several buildings.

Another possible option to consider: Perhaps it would be less expensive to get a two bedroom at OKW than the BCV? A 2 bedroom at OKW will accommodate up to 9 people and is very spacious at 1333 sq ft, with 3 real beds, a pull out sofa and a pull out chair. So you won't need the studio at all.

If you opt for the three rooms at POFQ, there are always places that you can find to be together as a group:. the pool, the food curt, lobby seating. there are also places in the theme parks: In the MK there is an area that is almost never used to your right just past the Plaza restaurant between the central hub and Tomorrowland. It is where they hold dessert parties and is a good place to sit together, regroup and plan. In the AK, you can try non meal times at the tables near the Flame tree BBQ, or sit in the amphitheatre near the water where they once held water shows, but never seem to have any events there now. Tom Sawyers Island is another out of the way place where you may be able to escape the hubbub of the parks. Even if you aren't staying at the resorts, you can always leave a theme park and escape to the lobby of a nearby resort. For example from DHS or Epcot, you could take advantage of the BC, YC, BW or Swan/Dolphin lobbies. From the MK, a boat ride to the Poly could see you all lounging on the beach and enjoying a Dole Whip.Lots of places to gather!

 

[tinkerjo]

The treehouse villas at SSR also sleeps a ton of people and may be a great option. I have done many multigenerational trips with my elderly parents and we usually all just get separate rooms, for more privacy. We would get together several times a day, meeting for meals, doing a few rides together, and hanging out at the pool/lobby. We did stay in a 2 bedroom at CCV with 3 couples (me,DH our 2 adult kids and spouses) a teen and a baby a few years ago, yes it was cramped but a lot of fun too. It was nice to have the full kitchen and washer dryer.

 

[gottalovepluto]

We do a lot of our planning online as often families/groups go out on their own. Saves everyone having to be available at the same time to meet in person. We plan some things together but also lots of time apart for each group to do what they wish. Keeping a big group of people together all the time quickly proves challenging.

^this^
You’re going to have A LOT of togetherness in the parks. It’s fun at first- and then all of the sudden you remember distance isn’t the only reason you don’t all hang out together all the time.

Due to the nature of Disney travel you will already have most of it planned before you arrive and/or you’ll discuss plans during your park time and fine tune them via group text. There is really no need for a communal place to meet for planning while on vacay. At the hotel it’s rest time, pool time and get ready to go back out time. If you don’t plan to cook for the crew ditch the 2 bedroom and go 3 room route. Also price out Swolphin, sometimes it prices like a Disney mod…

 

[Disneylover99]

You’re going to have A LOT of togetherness in the parks. It’s fun at first- and then all of the sudden you remember distance isn’t the only reason you don’t all hang out together all the time.

The reason we do meet up in person after hours is because we generally don’t spend any time together in the parks. I would always recommend people breaking off and doing their own things during park days. It makes for a way more enjoyable, stress free trip for everyone.

 

[Grace&Carolinesmom]

One key question to better offer advice. Will your elderly parents be going into the parks each day or are they going to stay at the resort most days? I would prioritize their comfort and experience given it's their last trip.

 

[mrsap]

You could try the solarium at BC as a meeting spot. There’s also a breezeway area in BC that you pass through on your way to BCV that has seating that might work. There are also bar/lounges in both BC and YC where you could meet up for drinks and snacks.

We did just this with our large group a few years back. Solarium and Crews Cup at night and pool in afternoon, when we took a break from the parks. We had a great time! Enjoy!

 

[Wood Nymph]

Reality is starting to set in as I've been looking at the overall costs. We're currently booked in a 2 bedroom + separate studio at BCV, and it's expensive! We can save a couple of grand by giving up the 2 bedroom and moving into 3 studios in total.

A two-bedroom villa is a wonderful place to stay for extended family who wants to have a common gathering space. We have stayed in both BCV and OKW in a 2 BR villa and it was great. No one was imposed upon, and we had many enjoyable hours together. We even had birthday parties on three of those trips. It is expensive though, but it is also a really nice way to handle the trip.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Having been the planner and sole person responsible for everyone's happiness on a 12-person multi-generational "once in a lifetime" trip involving everything from diapers to ECVs, my one bit of advice is make sure not to forget to pay a little attention to yourself and accommodation arrangements that make you happy. I'm more of the 'people pleaser' in such circumstances plus everyone was looking to me as the "WDW expert" so it's hard, but sometimes a little planner liberty is OK.

Happy planning - have fun!

 

[MillauFr]

Multiple planners in a large family group sounds like a recipe for disaster.

 

[_19disnA]

Can't tell if the OP and the others in their party have ever been to Disney since this is their first post. Planning makes a difference since those who have never been to Disney will likely have different expectations from those who have been multiple times. If you have been previously, you would already know the shows/rides/parks you like best. We went to Disney are few years ago with 2 other families and each family had their own room. We never had any need to all gather as a big group in someone else's room.

We did our planning BEFORE we traveled to Disney. It would be a mistake to think everyone is going to walk around a park as one big group and have the same interests. Small children for the most part aren't going to want to shop, but an adult might have an interest in that. Disney parks can involve MILES of walking and everyone in your group might not have the same amount of stamina and can't go all day long. Some may want to get up early and race off to a park, others may want to sleep in and spend time at the pool. Discussing your general plans ahead of time will result in a better vacation for everyone. I doubt that everyone will want to simply follow along with whatever the person who did the planning wants to do. It would be a mistake to try to plan out what everyone else is going to do.

If you split up, you can also plan to meet at a certain place/time for a meal. That is what we did and it worked out best for everyone. There are lots of hotels in various price ranges at Disney. I doubt that where you stay needs to be determined by the amount of available meeting space.

 

[Best Aunt]

OP, I think you need to decide about the purpose of that meeting space. Is it for planning? Or is it for hanging out?

If it's planning, then as PPs said that can be done in advance and it can be done electronically.

If it's hanging out, then you need to decide how much togetherness is too much togetherness. Sometimes you need to decompress after spending hours at the park -- and sometimes you don't want to do that with extended family in your face. Separate rooms/studios gives you more breathing room.

BCV has two public rooms - if you come in the entrance and turn right to head to the elevators, there is a room on your right which has a pool table. There is another room on your left which you go through to get to the pool.

BC has several public areas. It has the lobby. It has the Solarium. It has tables inside between the Beach Club Marketplace and the Solarium. And it has tables outside between the Beach Club Marketplace and the BCV building.

 

[Miffy]

OP, If money is really no object, ignore what I'm about to say.

But if money is any consideration at all, stay at POFQ. It's a beautiful resort, very convenient to the parks (even though you can't walk to any of them), has dedicated bus service, a nice food court, the boat to DS, and a small footprint. All pluses for your group.

Save your money for other things, for example LLMPs and LLSPS, maybe a character meal, some TS (table service) meals, and perhaps one other splurge. The price difference between 3 rooms at POFQ and the accommodations you're considering at BCV is enormous, and I gather you're aware of this.

Sure, you can walk to Epcot and DHS from BCV, but the bus ride from POFQ is only 10 or 12 minutes to each of those parks. And, btw, it's a long walk from BCV to DHS.

Also, be warned that it's not exactly a bed of roses to plan a huge, multigenerational trip. I hope your extended family gets along well, because a lot of people can be a recipe for a not-so-terrific time.

 

[sponica]

We had a 2 BR for my FIL's 65th birthday (I think I'm still paying for it ).

Don't get me wrong, it was nice and it made it easier for them to watch the kids, and I loved the laundry, but if it hadn't been his birthday, we would have just gotten connecting rooms at another resort.

The rest of the family was in 2 different resorts, it was more like a parallel vacation than a vacation with extended family?

If you're all at the same resort you can meet up at the pool, the hotel bar/lobby or wherever.