OKW - ?'s about dinnerware & kitchen

[SleepyatDVC]

We're going to be staying in a GV at OKW in January 2004. We're going to celebrate my DD's 5th birthday while at WDW.

There will be 14 (8 adults & 6 kids) of us full time and 4 (2 adults & 2 kids) part time. All the kids will be under 5 years ago! I will also be getting 2 additional studios to accomodate all 18 of us.

I believe that the GV only has dinnerware for 12. And the studios have no dinnerware at all - just paper ware? Would housekeeping provide extra dinnerware even if I have to pay an extra charge for it?

If not, I will probably have to purchase some paper plates and plastic ware. Another thought is that since we have so many kids, it might be a good idea for me to either bring or buy 8 sets of children's plastic dinnerware for them. What do other people do?

What about seating? How many people can sit at the dining table in the Grand Villa? How many chairs are there in the unit? Is there a big coffee table that the kids could sit around?

While we will eat out a few times, with so many kids and adults, it will be easier and cheaper to cook and eat in most nights. I was thinking of having each family prepare one dinner. Any dinner menu suggestions for a large group? For our turn, we will probably stick some steaks in the broiler.

One thing about a GV versus two 2 bedrooms is that you can't utililize 2 stoves at the same time to prepare a large meal.

Well, 7 more months to day dream and plan for our next big trip...

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

There are 6 chairs around the dining table, there is a table and 3 chairs in the living room, there is a table and 4 chairs on the balcony.
There are pictures of this unit at this site. http://wdwig.com/g_okw.htm

Housekeeping is wonderful about bringing extra items, so, if you need more dinnerware, silverware, just ask for it.

We cook steaks, pasta, burgers, beans and hotdogs etc.
Easy stuff, it is vacation, after all.

One thing I was thinking about is that there is a new Sam's Club on 192 in Kissimmee and if you are a member, it might be a really good idea with a crowd as large as yours.

 

[AZKathy]

I don't know if this is an option, but with such young kiddos, you will be pulling your hair out worrying about them going up and down the stairs all the time. We had four kids under 9 last week in a grand villa at OKW and I worried about them constantly running up and down the stairs and potenially falling. You may want to look at a baby gate to control the kids and the use of the stairs?

Maybe my worry was from experience with DD going down our own stairs so fast that she flung herself over the railing and fell 8 feet down to the floor below. The kids did a lot of running up and down the stairs playing Captain Hook last week and it worried me that one would fall.

Just something to think about with such young ones!

You will LOVE the grand villa. We had a lovely time in ours last week! Happy planning!