Need help with accommodations for first time family of 7

[montauk]

Hello all,
New at this so I guess this is the right place for my post, if not please let me know. I’m looking for help planning our first trip to the World. We will be traveling as a family of 7, my wife and I, our three Little People (11 boy, 9 girl, 7 boy), and my Mother and Father in-law. Before you say “OH, NO!” I get along great with my in-laws and enjoy their company. We would like to go this October/November for a week and are on a fairly tight budget. Our requirements are as follow: (can you tell I’m a project manager?!)

1. Good value (remember we’re on a tight budget)
2. 3-4 separate bedrooms
3. Kitchen
4. Clean
5. Access to some type of pool would be nice

We were thinking some type or vacation home would be best but all suggestions will be considered. It would be helpful if you included specific company names/locations of places you have experienced good or bad. Thanks for the help.

 

[merryweather's twin]

A home would be the best for 3-4 bedrooms and www.vrbo.com is a good place to start. If the 500.-1000. for the week seems steep... Try www.skyauction.com and try for a 2-3bedroom condo...for about $250. for the week total! About $50 for the auction and $195. for the tax and feeson the RSGO auctions... We have done both and we went with the scyauction option the last 2 times... We have 5 kids. The rooms at OLCC have one master king room one room with 2 doubles and a queen sleepersectional... in the living room. they also have many pools one with a slide.I have only seen one bad review about them lately, but many more good reviews. We were very happy and the room was clean both times we stayed. Good luck.

 

[ToriLammy]

I sent you a PM about the company (couple) we used in Jun/Jul 03. They have 6 houses in the WDW area, including both a 3 and 4 bedroom. We had an excellent experience with them and highly recommend using them (we'll be using them again in Dec 04). Check your PMs.

 

[BevS97]

we are staying in an apartment at Windsor Palms, they have 2 or 3 bed apartments. For our 2 bed apartment in December it is only $55/night, booked via http://www.statesidetravel.com/
they have a communal pool area and playground as well as other facilities.

There are also 3 and 4 bed homes with private pools available.

Bev

 

[lurontravel]

Don't know if this would within your budget, but you might consider renting points from a DVC owner (you can go to the DVC rental forum on DIS boards to find them), and staying in a 2 bedroom villa and getting a studio for your in-laws. You could have the master bedroom for yourself and your wife, with jacuzzi tub in your private bathroom, kids could either share 2nd bedroom, or you could put the boys in there, and let daughter sleep in living room on pull-out couch, and have a w/d in unit, and a full kitchen, and a balcony, and get your in-laws a studio next door, and they'll have their own coffee maker, toaster and fridge, and room. I'd recommend you rent at Old Key West if you want a larger accomodation (and a boat ride away from Downtown Disney), or one of the others (Villas at Wilderness Lodge to be near Magic Kingdom, Beach Club Villas for fabulous pool and walking distance from Epcot, a boat ride from MGM, and a short walk from Boardwalk, or Boardwalk Villas to be a bit further from Epcot, but still close enough to walk very comfortably, a boat ride from MGM, and right at the Boardwalk). Point rentals average about $10 per point. It depends on where and when you stay as to how many points it takes. Anywhere from 8 points per night to 19 points per night (Christmas/New YEars week) each night for Mon-Thurs nights to 20-43 points for Fri -Sat nights (you could try to pay cash for Fri and Sat and it might be cheaper. for a two bedroom 22-50 points per night for Sun-Thu, and 54-106 for Fri-Sat nights. Or do a 3 bedroom (option of daughter on couch in living room or sharing bedroom with brothers), all in same unit (the three bedrooms accomodate 12 comfortably, and are only available at Old Key West and Boardwalk) for 36-130 points per night Sun-Thurs, and 88-158 for Fri-sat nights. Again, it depends on which location (old Key west is the cheapest), as well as when you go (Jan 1-31, Sept 1-30, and Dec 1-14 are the cheapest, and April 4-17, and Dec 24-31 the most expensive times, and there are three other "seasons" in between these two extremes. Like I mentioned, paying for Friday and Saturday nights with cash would likely be cheaper for you then renting the points. Probably more expensive then what you had in mind, but you'd have the advantage of being on grounds, and having a kitchen (yes, we cook all breakfasts, often fix lunch and bring it to the park with us, and 1/3-2/3 of the time cook in for dinner, and then go back to the parks or out somewhere in the evening)can be a benefit to some. (Oct 1-Nov 25 is 8-12 points for Sun-Thu studio, 21-23 points for Fri-Sat studio, and 24-32 for Sun-Thurs, and 56-61 for Fri-Sat in a 2 br villa, and 38-79 Sun-Thurs, and 91-96 in a 3 br, although it'd be difficult to get a reservation on points at this late time for this year)

Hope this helps someone!
(By the way, no, I don't rent my points!)

 

[montauk]

Thanks for all the great replays,

merryweather's twin – I looked at www.vrbo.com briefly. I bit overwhelming. Do you have any specific places that I should start with? Thanks
ToriLammy – Got my PM. Thanks for the details. Looks exactly like what we are looking for. Thanks
Lurontravel – the DVC may be a little out of our reach but I’ll look into what they offer. Being in the park may be worth the upgrade. Thanks
BevS97 – I’ve seen a few post on Windsor Palms. I’ll look into them in more detail. Thanks

Anyone else?

 

[gillis95]

If you stay off site you'll have to figure the rental car price for a vehicle that large to accomodate you all. So consider that in the 'value' of staying onsite and the 'extra' cost thru point rental.

 

[ToriLammy]

Originally posted by gillis95
If you stay off site you'll have to figure the rental car price for a vehicle that large to accomodate you all. So consider that in the 'value' of staying onsite and the 'extra' cost thru point rental.

Not necessarily true - if you drive to WDW then you don't need a rental car.

 

[KathyPem]

Fanfare Properties. The website lists their rates as well as the homes and condos they have.