Need help finding best deal for large family

[MelliRobi2]

I'm looking into a vacation for my fam in Jan 2011....we want to stay at one of the Disney resorts this time. I have 7 kids and of course me and dh...I'm assuming we will need to get 2 rooms?? Anyone know of a deal or a way of saving some money??? I really need help with this...fairly new to figuring out all things Disney!!

 

[kevschickee]

7 kids wowza god bless you. I think of how my 2 drive me nuts at times and you have 7. I know the value resorts have suites but I am not sure how many people it holds I would check into that. Good Luck!

 

[jerenaud]

The family suites are 6+ 1 under 3, as are the cabins, so neither would work. As far as I know, 8 + 1 is going to require either 2 rooms almost anywhere or a suite. I don't know much about the suites, as the friends we were going to travel with (making our party 8 +1) changed their mind before I had fully researched. I know for sure that the treehouses would be big enough (though not cheap) and I'm sure there's at least one other suite that would be. I suspect that renting points is the cheaper option, but again, don't know much about that.

Sorry to only answer part of your question!

Erica

 

[vroomagain]

Your cheapest option is to get two rooms at a value. The rooms hold 4+1 under 3 and that looks like it wouuld work for your family.

 

[pyrxtc]

look on the rental board here to rent points from DVC. You can rent a 2 bedroom and fit all of you in it. AKV's and BLT's definately sleep 9 in their two bedrooms. You can then add dining and buy your tickets for the amount of days you will be going to the parks and not for every day you will be there. Depending on when you want to go, you are still looking at at least $2,400 for a week depending on the time of year and that's just for the hotel.

 

[Ariel8676]

The cheapest option would be 2 rooms at a value or even a Mod..but your most comfortable option for all of you would be staying at a DVC resort. If you stayed at Animal kingdom lodge villas Kidani village in a 2 bdrm you would could have 2 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms a full kitchen, nice sized living room and a washer and dryer.
Congrats on #7!! I am due with #4 the same day!!!

 

[brergnat]

The CHEAPEST option would be two rooms at a Value resort.

The most SANE option would be a 2 bedroom Villa at one of the DVC resorts. They sleep up to 8 adults (Bay Lake Tower and Kidani sleep 9 due to the sleeper chair in the living room).

The cheapest way to stay in a villa is renting points, but that requires some trust and knowledge.

You can also stay offsite in a villa/condo/vacation home for MUCH less than a Disney resort, but that's an option that, personally, I'd never entertain.

 

[Poohbug]

If you want to stay onsite-you will have to get two rooms or DVC. It just depends on how much you want to pay. Just a note-the value hotel rooms are pretty small- you will have strollers, a crib and a lot of luggage and you will be smushed.

IF you must stay onsite, I would look into the DVC rental. Renting points will make the room much more affordable and you will all have space. You will also save some $$ by eating breakfast in the room(and other meals if you want) and having a washer/dryer is nice also. The full kitchen will be great for the little ones also.

OT-I have a Collin who is 6 too.

 

[CLR4321]

I'd get a 2 bedroom villa. They will accommodate your entire family, plus you'd have a kitchen and 2 bathrooms plus a washer and dryer, which of course come in handy with kids. Other than that, you can also look into getting 2 rooms at a value resort. I'd definitely go for the villa if it is in your budget though.

 

[momto3dizkidz]

We have four kids and have decided that we would be most comfortable in a family suite, but will probably stay at the poly this time sionce we still have an infant. It will be tight, but we really prefer the atmosphere of the poly and don't plan to spend much time in the room as compared to around the resort, kwim? The All Stars are ok- we've stayed there twice, but they really don't compare to the other resorts. I'd go with the two bedroom villa option. That is the route we will probably have to take in a couple of years. The laundry availability also, is a HUGE plus!

 

[pweyl36]

Rent a house, you will have so much privacy,and your own pool.

 

[TheRatPack]

We have 5 children and we get 2 rooms at a Value. You get 2 bathrooms this way, and it sleeps 8 plus you can have an infant under 3 in each room. So technically it sleeps 5 in each room, as long as 2 of those guest are under 3 (which looks like you'll have a newborn and one that is around 2?).

We like getting going during free dining too, so that covers our food.....which is a HUGE savings for larger families.

It's roughly 3000.00 to go with 2 value rooms, 5 days worth of base tickets (no hopping, no waterparks) and that's during free dining. Any child under 3 isn't charged....our total is for 2 adults, 2 teens and 3 under 9.

 

[mcglaughlins]

We have 5 kids and we rent two rooms just like the others in a Value. we also utilize the free dinning and so this year with a 8 night, 9 day stay in two adjoining rooms and a 9 day base ticket and the free dining it comes to just under $3,000.

Happy planning! I see that you're expecting and will be roughly 8/9 months if you choose to go in January. It's nice to see someone else who is crazy enough to go this far along! We're going in the beginning of December and I'm due Jan. 16. I almost had second thoughts on being so far along, but the excitement of Disney puts any doubts out of my mind!

 

[stacy6552]

Your current youngest and the new baby will be under 3, so you will fit in a villa that sleeps 8. First step, go register with mousesavers.com. They post all advertised discount codes and sales like book 4 nights get 3 free and the free dining dates. Renting from a DVC member might prove to be your best bargain that time of year. With babies, I would definately get a villa that comes with a full kitchen and washer/dryer. Additionally you can put sleeping kids to bed, close the door and stay up and active yourselves.

 

[DVCJones]

Look into renting DVC points and reserving a treehouse villa at Saratoga Springs. They are tough to get so you really need to plan ahead.

I believe they have two 2 BR w/ queen size beds and a third BR with bunk beds. They have a queen size sleep sofa and fold our sleep chair in the living room.

You also get a full kitchen, 2 full baths and washer/dryer.

 

[MelliRobi2]

so where do I look for openings at a DVC place? Is there a website for this?

 

[micheleq]

Right here on the DIS, there are several DVC boards, including one for rentals. There's a sticky at the top of the rental board that you should read before trying to rent - it has a ton of great information.

While I didn't rent points for our stay (I got a pin with 20% off), my extended family and I shared a 2br at SSR. It was great. I think a 2 br would be a good solution for you as you'll have two bedrooms and one or two kids could sleep on the pull out couch in the living room, so you'll have three areas for sleeping vs. two. There's a kitchen with everything you'll need, a high chair and pack n play in the room, washer and dryer in the room, and 2 bathrooms. OKW has the biggest rooms for 2brs, I think all the rest are basically the same size. The treehouse villas weren't open yet when we were there, but I think each unit is accessable only by stairs -- a pain if you need to lug strollers. The 3 br villas fill up fast because DVC owners can book 11 months out.

Good luck researching and planning your trip!!

 

[crisi]

I'd be very careful renting DVC points. If you pursue this, get trip insurance. DVC transactions should be considered final - there are cancellation policies that are much more strict and difficult to deal with for the member than a CRO reservation - so even if your member completely wants to help you out if something happens, they often can't. With seven kids, your chances of having something happen are a lot higher than someone with fewer kids - just the way numbers work. A trip that you pay a few thousand for the rental, that can't be refunded or rebooked when one of the kids breaks a leg, is no bargain.

CRO will charge you more for the reservation, but their ability to work with you in an emergency is a lot better. I'm not sure what your ability to rebook or get refunded in an offsite home or condo would be, but that is another option (and I think probably your best one in terms of cost - people get GREAT deals on homes offsite - although it means you'll need a car at Disney - if you are flying, not having a car may offset the savings of staying offsite.)