Options for Rooms for Extended Family (Cash, Borrowing, Renting?)

[MNDisneyMommy]

I am looking for insight into the options (and positives/negatives of those options) for getting extra space for extended family who wants to come with us to Disney?

We just bought at BLT and are bringing our 3 yr old and new baby to our favorite place on earth for the first time.

My brother and sister in law, my parents, and in-laws all want to come - and we're good with that! We are all very close and have traveled/stayed together before (as this very group). We've even gone to Disney with my brother and sister in law before. Not worried about money or not getting paid for cancellations, etc.

We're trying to figure out how exactly we get everyone happy in rooms and what would be cost effective? Some ideas we've had so far based on what I've seen here:

1) Borrow & Transfer points into our account and go for a Grand Villa. Cost - $11-15ish per point? We could control reservation. Has gathering space for all, but one couple would need to use loft area or two couples share rooms. Not sure on availability.

2) Borrow points and go for 2 bedroom. Invite brother and sister in law to stay in second bedroom (gives us extra hand with kids and socialization after kids go to bed). Explain to grandparents how to rent points from David's for rest of family or cash ressie and let them mostly fend for themselves.

3) I've seen some mention of a cash discount, but I can't seem to find details - what is it, how does it work, etc?

4) Stick with a 1 bedroom (our normal, family-only plan - what we bought enough points for). Explain how to rent points from David's for rest of family or cash ressie and let them mostly fend for themselves.

Thoughts from experienced folks? Anything we're not thinking of?

 

[LauraLea]

Oh my, #4 for sure.

Laura

 

[ToddyLu]

Yes, #4...because it is so many different types of families...older, younger, kids no kids. You do what is right for you, DH and the children. DH and I do not have children. I love my MIL and parents dearly....but no we do not share a room at WDW. We get a studio and then get them a separate studio. WDW can be overwhelming and tiring. I think if everyone had their own confirmation number life would be more fun. You have privacy, do not have to share a space, etc. Then everyone meets up for the parks. Each group can go back to their room at their leisure and rest. Now that we have done that for every trip when we travel with others..it is terrific. They do not pay us for the studio ( it is our treat). I am thinking about getting a 2 bedroom at Kidani fall 2016. My now single BIL is getting his PhD and hasn't been with us in a couple of years. He has always stayed with his Mom, my MIL in her studio on the fold out. I think for his graduation gift he deserves his own bed and bathroom. My fear is that we are going to love the kitchen, whirpool tub and W/D and will never want a studio again. Another option would be three studios which may be the best choice yet.

Just make it easy on yourself and let everyone be responsible for their own reservations with so many people going.

 

[davidl81]

We are doing almost the exact same trip as you and we went ahead a did the grand villa. The only difference is that my parents are not going so it is 3 groups not 4 like you have. I like the grand villa because we can all do breakfast together etc. as far as points go it does get expensive. One option would be to go on the boards and pay someone to transfer extra points to you for the reservation. Your family could pay some of the cost for the point transfer if that works for everyone. That way you are not using a bunch of borrowed points.

 

[nicki.momof3]

We have done this before. If you are traveling as a family I would do #1.

When we do big extended family trips we do all our meals together and all our fast passes together. It is easier as the coordinator to have control of everyone's reservation.

Now that you own DVC you will have a million chances to travel with your husband kids. Chances to travel with aunts, uncles, and grandparents don't happen every day for kids. Cherish the memories you will make together.

 

[disneynutz]

#4, that way you can't be blamed should something go wrong and if someone cancels, you aren't stuck with a GV for 4 people.

You can cross reference the separate reservations with a "travel with" notation that will alert the room assigner to try and keep your rooms close to each other.

Bill

 

[Pirate Granny]

GV GV GV Family trips are wonderful...

 

[poison ivy]

Given these options, I'd borrow and transfer points to control the reservation. We travel with family and friends quite a bit and have tried many size accommodations over the years. In your case, I'm not clear on how 1 GV works comfortably for everyone in the group. Sharing a double room for adult couples is always a challenge with privacy. The GV's are amazing though and would be a big hit. But I'd also consider 1 studio to go with it unless your brother doesn't mind the sleeper sofa.

My second choice would be a 2 bedroom theme park view for you and your brother with 2 studios for the grandparents. Which I'd still opt to borrow and transfer points and easily manage the reservations under your Membership.

 

[crisi]

GV GV GV Family trips are wonderful...

You like your family more than I like mine.

We did two two bedrooms because while I love my brother in law, a week sharing a space with him would have put him at the bottom of Bay Lake with an anchor around his neck.

I also vote #4. We've taken family trips several times. Not a single one happened with the people that were supposed to be there when it was originally scheduled. For good reasons - can't really blame my brother in law for dying of cancer before the trip - but just our family knocking around the Grand Villa was a little extreme. And my sister's pregnancy that postponed that trip was a blessing.

 

[Pirate Granny]

I guess I've spent many times sharing a room with my mother in law or my dad with my husband over the years. So I assumed that brother in law who has no kids wouldn't mind either sharing one of the bedrooms with his parents OR taking the queen size loft bed upstairs between the two upstairs bedrooms at BLT and thus leaving the upstairs bedrooms for each of the grand parents. I am the grandparent and I love, love, love sharing the experience with my grandchildren and my children. Besides the GV at OKW, we've done two bedrooms for 9 at BCV and 10 at GFV, and we gladly took the pull out couch in the living room rather than get a studio for ourselves. I value the time spent together. Time is short, kids and grandchildren grow up so soon so we try to spend as much time together as we can. This summer will find gramps and I taking our single daughter and our two oldest grandchildren (from two different families) for nine days to a STUDIO at WLV..tight quarters, you bet, but our family wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[kristenrice]

We are actually planning out the same thing for our trip in 2016. Back in 2012, we went with 4 families (grandparents and their three kids/spouses and grand kids...15 people total) and my parents paid for the entire trip. My family are the only DVC members so we talked with my dad and he decided that it would be most cost-effective to rent points for 2-2BR's at OKW. We found an owner that was willing to transfer the points that we needed into my account. Then, I was able to make the reservation and handle the DME stuff without involving a third party.

For the next trip, each family is on their own as far as paying for it. This means that everyone has different wants/needs. My brother's family is a family of 5 with two girls and a boy (ages 13, 12 and 10 at time of travel) so for them, a 1BR at Kidani would best suit their needs due to the extra bathroom. My SiL refuses to stay in a single room, so even the studios that sleep 5 are off the table for them. My sister, OTOH, has 2 daughters (ages 7 and 4 at time of travel) so they are looking for something that is most affordable without much emphasis on space. She is considering a split stay with 2-3 nights a Pop Century and the rest of the week in a studio at OKW. My parents are pretty much set on a studio, but they don't know if they would be more likely to share a 2BR lock-off at AKV-Kidani with my brother's family, or a 2BR lock-off at OKW with my sister's family. My family is using our own points, but since we typically only stay Su-Th (and this trip will be Sa-Sa), we are doing a split. We are starting in a studio at OKW for 3 nights and then move "home" to a standard 1BR at Kidani for the last 4 nights.

So, with all these options up in the air, I have laid it out to the family that they have two choices: either decide soon (buy June 2015) what they want to do so that I can find an owner with the points we need to transfer in; or they are on their own and can go through David's to rent their own reservations. I'd prefer to do option #1, but I don't know if everyone will be able to get their acts together by then. Fortunately, we are looking to travel the third week of June and we are planning on staying at OKW or AKV-K which are some of the easiest options to book at 7 months so I will cut them all some slack

 

[Dean]

You'll have to decide, there are many variables. Since it seems you're OK with paying for the room for everyone and have experiences traveling with this group that went well, I'd bank/borrow to get a 2 BR and a studio if you can. If I still didn't have enough points I'd pay for a transfer or try to get the studio on member cash discount. I don't think you mentioned the resort you're looking at or the # of points you have but I'd go to a cheaper resort if that would eliminate the transfer need. A 2 BR at OKW or a dedicated 2 BR at some of the other resorts (2 queens in the second) might also do the trick, esp at BLT or AKV Kidani where you'd have the extra bath or at OKW where you'd have more space AND a lockoff would still give you 2 queens there.

 

[Judique]

I am looking for insight into the options (and positives/negatives of those options) for getting extra space for extended family who wants to come with us to Disney?

We just bought at BLT and are bringing our 3 yr old and new baby to our favorite place on earth for the first time.

My brother and sister in law, my parents, and in-laws all want to come - and we're good with that! We are all very close and have traveled/stayed together before (as this very group). We've even gone to Disney with my brother and sister in law before. Not worried about money or not getting paid for cancellations, etc.

We're trying to figure out how exactly we get everyone happy in rooms and what would be cost effective? Some ideas we've had so far based on what I've seen here:

1) Borrow & Transfer points into our account and go for a Grand Villa. Cost - $11-15ish per point? We could control reservation. Has gathering space for all, but one couple would need to use loft area or two couples share rooms. Not sure on availability.

2) Borrow points and go for 2 bedroom. Invite brother and sister in law to stay in second bedroom (gives us extra hand with kids and socialization after kids go to bed). Explain to grandparents how to rent points from David's for rest of family or cash ressie and let them mostly fend for themselves.

3) I've seen some mention of a cash discount, but I can't seem to find details - what is it, how does it work, etc?

4) Stick with a 1 bedroom (our normal, family-only plan - what we bought enough points for). Explain how to rent points from David's for rest of family or cash ressie and let them mostly fend for themselves.

Thoughts from experienced folks? Anything we're not thinking of?

When are you going and how long are you staying?

 

[crisi]

I guess I've spent many times sharing a room with my mother in law or my dad with my husband over the years. So I assumed that brother in law who has no kids wouldn't mind either sharing one of the bedrooms with his parents OR taking the queen size loft bed upstairs between the two upstairs bedrooms at BLT and thus leaving the upstairs bedrooms for each of the grand parents. I am the grandparent and I love, love, love sharing the experience with my grandchildren and my children. Besides the GV at OKW, we've done two bedrooms for 9 at BCV and 10 at GFV, and we gladly took the pull out couch in the living room rather than get a studio for ourselves. I value the time spent together. Time is short, kids and grandchildren grow up so soon so we try to spend as much time together as we can. This summer will find gramps and I taking our single daughter and our two oldest grandchildren (from two different families) for nine days to a STUDIO at WLV..tight quarters, you bet, but our family wouldn't have it any other way.

I can't even put my parents in the same room. My father, who has gotten very hard of hearing, can't hear much EXCEPT my mother snoring. Then there is the sniping that happens between my mother and my sister's husband. And my husband finds my nephews to be poorly raised. Then my other sister, who tends to not show up where expected - often for good reasons - a very demanding job for instance. I love my family, only because I've learned to stay out of the middle.

We do vacation very well together - provided everyone has their own space and plenty of freedom.

 

[Dean]

I can't even put my parents in the same room. My father, who has gotten very hard of hearing, can't hear much EXCEPT my mother snoring. Then there is the sniping that happens between my mother and my sister's husband. And my husband finds my nephews to be poorly raised. Then my other sister, who tends to not show up where expected - often for good reasons - a very demanding job for instance. I love my family, only because I've learned to stay out of the middle.

We do vacation very well together - provided everyone has their own space and plenty of freedom.

This doesn't sound very appetizing to me. We routinely vacation as a family about 2 of every 3 yrs with 30-40 people and anyone who acted as you describe would be on my blackball list which fortunately is blank so far. Managing personalities on top of the trip itself would not be fun for me.

 

[crisi]

This doesn't sound very appetizing to me. We routinely vacation as a family about 2 of every 3 yrs with 30-40 people and anyone who acted as you describe would be on my blackball list which fortunately is blank so far. Managing personalities on top of the trip itself would not be fun for me.

I've never invited anyone twice - even people I enjoy traveling with. I'm not really a good vacation with others person.

 

[Dean]

I've never invited anyone twice - even people I enjoy traveling with. I'm not really a good vacation with others person.

LOL. We've been doing family trips since 97 or 98 and we've had precious little drama, really none to speak of. We've had as many as 40 and as few as the low to mid 20's. I determine my target audience, feel out the options and interest, then reserve as much volume as I think I'll need and I can handle with my timeshare options. This past summer we had seven 2BR condo's on the Beach at Marriott's Grande Ocean. Early on we alternated my side and my wife's just due to volume and cost but the last 7-8 yrs if you didn't get invited, you weren't close enough to the center of the circle. Fortunately I haven't had to put anyone on the do not invite list, we've been lucky and I must say these have been our best vacations without exception. My rules are pretty simple, my timeshares and I'm paying so I make the rules. That said I plan so as not to have to plan. I work really hard at getting everything set up, planning ONE family meal together and not controlling others vacations. Repetitive participants and appreciative comments suggest we've been successful in making it a win for everyone.

On a related note, my daughter's inlays just went down to Disney their first time on their own. They stayed off property, didn't plan anything and didn't ask or let me know so I could try to help them any. They've teased me a couple of times in the past about the planning in a good natured way. I don't think they'll ever tease me again and they suggested they were never going without a "tour guide" again.

 

[MNDisneyMommy]

Thanks for all the great advice and insight folks.

Some folks asked when/where. We know we want to stay at BLT for a week - but the when/how is very flexible. Ideally we'd get in at a time when school is out around here (one grandma still works, at an elementary) but she already got the nod from her boss to take whenever. Everyone else has already indicated they're flexible. We prepped them in advance that we like to be at Disney when it's not too hot and not too crowded but that gives us a huge range to work with still - October through March/April. (Also, we understand that the 11 month window/availability might make this decision for us already - I'm guessing GVs are hard to come by especially for a whole week).

We do only have 160 pts, so it would take a huge transfer to get into a GV (or even to just get extra rooms) even with borrowing from next year. And folks are right - we're one bedroom short if we go that option so either people are sharing bedrooms or we have to get an extra studio. Getting a two bedroom and then studios for the grandparents seems like our best backup if a GV isn't going to happen (and is cheaper points-wise than a GV) but we would use the large shared space. But honestly - we don't think everyone will come again for a long time, and everyone has the resources to make this trip lovely. And we're planning to borrow/bank next year's points anyway since we won't be visiting.

Two more questions?

How much is this cash discount folks mention? Vs. renting points? Vs. say a room only discount at Contemporary? If we do studios or hotels for the grandparents I'd be looking for the right approach there.

Any more logistics tips? Lots of folks mentioned doing the reservation under me for MDE - I didn't think about that but it would be a lot easier on the grandparents especially if I set things up, so I appreciate that! We were planning on taking requests from folks and planning out one table meal a day and then which park and letting folks float around as desired...but I suspect the adults will be following the then-4-yr-old around like she is paparazzi. More logistics tips would be welcome, I am certain I'll end up as family travel agent (its usually my job anyway!).

 

[poison ivy]

You have to call the DVC for the current cash discount pricing on the DVC units. It's subject to availability and I believe runs about 25% off the rack rate. We've done this to add a couple nights to an existing reservation when we were short on points. But I don't believe the GV's offer a discount - they do have a cash price though. Hopefully someone can confirm this. (I know we've never been able to get one)

The Contemporary Resort has a Garden Wing in an adjacent building (my least favorite) which prices cheaper than their Tower rooms. But I personally wouldn't split my parents away from the family with one of us at BLT and the other at the Contemporary for a once in a lifetime trip. I honestly believe you can rent/trade to get the points for DVC units comparable if not cheaper than paying cash for rooms at the Contemporary.

The reason we like to have all the points thru our account is to manage EVERYTHING - whether it be a dining plan or magical express or linking the reservations or special requests or to make any changes whatsoever for the group. It's so much easier to not have a third party in between yourself and Member Services when you have multiple people travelling.

 

[AnnaS]

I personally would go with #4. Good luck and let us know what you decide.