Need opinions on GV with friends - kids

[cascadecupcake]

Happy holidays, everyone!

I was wondering if I might get your opinions on how to assign bedrooms for our next trip. We are going down to OKW with some friends and staying in a Grand Villa. There will be:
My family: Me, DH, DD9, and DS7
Other family: Husband, Wife, Son10, and Daughter 9

First off, the big MB is ours!
But the problem is that we really don't want anyone staying in the living room. And I know the other family is kind of hoping for the kids to be all in one room so that they (the parents) get their own room as well. But, I'm uncomfortable with my daughter (9)staying in the same room with their son (10). Not because I worry about something happening but because I want to send the right message.

So, my question is....
If you were going down as GUESTS of your friends (we haven't asked them for a dime) with this same situation, would you be offended if you were given a room for your family to share?

That would mean my husband and I get the MB, our kids get a room, and their family gets a room.

Please share your thoughts.

 

[Disneyaholic]

Truthfully, at that age, I would have no problem with the kids all sharing a room.

I think everyone would enjoy themselves more. The other couple will be close by to make sure that lights are out at a decent hour, etc.

They're still young. I think the message you send by not letting the kids all stay in one room could be worse. JMHO.

 

[bunnymkc]

just back from a GV stay at OKW with 2 other familes..we gave my son & DIL with their 2 little ones the MB downstairs and we took 1 of the bdrs upstairs and the other couple took the other bdrm with their 2 little ones..I also did not want anyone sleeping in the LR so thats the way I had to work it out..ask them if they a. want the kids to sleep with them in their room as there is 2 beds or b. if they want their kids to sleep downstairs in the living room..if they have a choice to make that YOU give them it somehow sounds better..good luck and have a wonderful time the GV is sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo beautiful..Marianne
ps you really won't be in anybody's way downstairs as it is really big and the kitchen and dining room is very big.. also the girls could sleep in the 1 bdroom and the boys downstairs..

 

[ClarabelleCow]

I ditto disneyaholic, boys in one bed, girls in the other, there shouldn't be a problem, especially at that age, if the other family is uncomfortable with it, maybe they will voice it and want their kids in their room.

 

[AZKathy]

How about this,

Get an aerobed to put in the loft for the two 9 year old girls to sleep. The bed can stand up on end for easy passage to the bedroom. Have grownup friends in one bedroom, and put the boys in another bedroom, therefore the downstairs stays free of sleeping and there won't be gender problems and there will be privacy for your friends.

We used an aeorbed (got one at Sam's for around $40.00) for two girls in our group of 12 this summer and there was no problem with it standing on one side to get out of the way and get to one bedroom. We had DH and myself in the master bedroom, one family with the two sons in the queen size bed room, one friend with her neiceand my 5 year old DD in the double size bed room, my DD and the DD of one family on the aerobed, and my DS on the living room sofa. Sounds like a lot, but we were very comfortable and there was not problems with bugging each other for the week we were there.

 

[dianeschlicht]

If you don't want anyone in the living room, I would put the kids in the room with the 2 queen beds. Girls in one, boys in the other. Leave the door open, and have the adults in the other upstairs room keep an ear out for them. The other option would be boys in one bedroom, parents in one bedroom, and girls in the living room.

 

[tiberius]

Originally posted by cascadecupcake

That would mean my husband and I get the MB, our kids get a room, and their family gets a room.

Please share your thoughts.

I would not have any problems doing it this way, after all it is YOUR reservation, so you should get to set the rules. I think you would probably find everything working out better if you let the girls use the other bedroom and the boys the living room (or vice-versa).

 

[rpink58]

I have used the GV many times. I always get the master bedroom.I then gave my parents another br, then the kids all fight for the last room.I usually half way through the trip I make the kids switch off from the room and the hide away couch in the living room.

 

[wdw1972]

I'm surprised to be in the minority on this topic - but here goes!

Whether I was the owner or the guest, I'd feel the same way. The owners should be in the MB...period. Their kids should have one of the bedrooms - the one with 2 double beds. The guest family should have the other bedroom - the one with 2 queen beds.

If I was the guest I'd be grateful for my friends' hospitality in inviting me in the first place - staying in a grand villa is a heck of a lot nicer than having to pay for a hotel room. If they weren't going as your guest, what would they do? Chances are, they'd book one room for the 4 of them to sleep in. These DVC points are YOUR points - you paid for them, and you pay the dues on them every year. I can't see having your kids bunk with 2 other kids (not worried about anything inappropriate at their ages, but will they actually go to sleep on time or will they be up giggling??) when you're footing the bill.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I agree with you totally, Sue. I'd take the MB, put my kids in the one bedroom and offer the third bedroom to my guests. Pretty plush lodging for free, I'd say. Or offer them a studio and see what they say.

Or, if the two girls were friends, they might share a bed and leave the 10 yr old son with mom and dad in that room. If they don't want their 10 yr old son sleeping with his 9 yr old sister (and mom and dad want to sleep together).

 

[eva]

I'm with you too Sue. I have two daughters and when they were that age they would have been uncomfortable sharing a room with boys that weren't family members. I definitely would give my kids the room with the two doubles and the family that is coming along the room with the two queens. I don't like people sleeping in the livingroom either. I'm an early riser and wouldn't have anywhere to hang out in the moring if someone were on the pullout. If this family were going on their own they probably would be sharing a room with the entire family. So I don't see a problem with this. To give the other couple some alone time you could offer to take the kids somewhere for an evening. Maybe they will return the favor and give you an evening alone too. It might be nice for each couple to get a night where they can dine alone and have the villa to themselves for a few hours.

 

[Richyams]

We always do it with us in one room, another couple in a second and the common kids share the third. We always travel with my or my wife's siblings and the kids are always cousins.

The times that we have done it with friends it has been my daughter's friends families....once there was a four year old boy, he slept in the ectra bed of his parent's room.

 

[cascadecupcake]

I feel better now. We are NOT related to this family. I don't want my daughter to share a room with the 10 year old boy. I guess I just wanted to hear someone else say it was alright to give the large bedroom to the other family. After all, they aren't paying a cent and I guess if they have a problem with it they are welcome to reserve two rooms of their own so that they aren't sharing a room with their kids. Plus this way I think the kids will get more sleep. Four kids 7-10 in one room will be up ALL night!

 

[Terry in NJ]

Pam,
Even though it sounds like you made your decision, I will add my thoughts.
GOD FORBID any four kids in one BR together. And they would sleep like, next Neveruary?
And no, not unrelated boys and girls at that age in one BR.
I LOVE the idea of offering your guests a night out with "free" babysitting.... lovely thought.
I did like the areobed idea. (Well, you can approach it as "we have this idea we thought you might want to go in on, we can split the cost of.... etc." ) They might offer to spring for it, since they'd get their own room ! The kids can alternate, half the time in a private BR, the other half on the mattress.
It works out no one in the LR that way.
Enjoy!
Terry