Planning a surprise trip for parents. Looking for advice.

[OP95]

Hi everyone,

I am currently looking at planning a trip in late 2025 (November) For a surprise trip for my parents who haven’t been for at least 20 years or so. There will be 3 of us all together and most likely be staying for two weeks. I was wondering what hotels you would recommend to stay that are more suitable for adults and have connected rooms? Would ideally like to be in a moderate resort, with some theming if possible and close around broadwalk area.
The only thing I am worried about is using genie plus with 3 of us If that still exists then. People who have done this with big groups how easy is it to organise? Are you able to book with one party leader and link it to the other accounts?

Anyone who has done group trips before would love to hear your thoughts as I usually do solo Trips so this is all new to me.

TYIA

 

[holden]

I'd consider staying in a DVC room. You can either rent points or hope to grab a cash reservation through Disney.

DVC has 1 bedroom and 2 bedroom rooms that might work for you. Resorts with DVC rooms are: Kidani, Jambo, Old Key West, Saratoga Springs, Grand Floridian, Bay Lake Towers, Poly, Boulder Ridge, Copper Creek, Boardwalk, Beach Club, and Riviera If you decide on DVC, Kidani and Bay Lake Towers have an extra full bathroom in the 1BR units and up. Might be nice to have a bathroom separate from your parents.

I can't help with moderate recommendations, but maybe someone here can.

Genie+ works for a group. Assuming you have a MDE account and you'll add your parents to the hotel/ticket/park reservations, you'll be able to make LL for all of you. They can use it too with your login if you want.

 

[scrappinginontario]

It really is too soon to predict what Disney will be like in 2 1/2 years. You’re wise to be reading and learning but I wouldn’t count on what you learn now to still be useful in Nov 2025.

Is your total group 3 people? That will be easy to coordinate through the app.

 

[gottalovepluto]

The only hotels by the boardwalk area are EP deluxe hotels BWI, BC & YC, and Swolphin. Swolphin might end up fitting your bill, you can do connecting rooms by calling.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Just a note that connecting rooms at Disney resorts can be requested but are not guaranteed.

 

[Mle8308]

I'd consider staying in a DVC room. You can either rent points or hope to grab a cash reservation through Disney.

DVC has 1 bedroom and 2 bedroom rooms that might work for you. Resorts with DVC rooms are: Kidani, Jambo, Old Key West, Saratoga Springs, Grand Floridian, Bay Lake Towers, Poly, Boulder Ridge, Copper Creek, Boardwalk, Beach Club, and Riviera If you decide on DVC, Kidani and Bay Lake Towers have an extra full bathroom in the 1BR units and up. Might be nice to have a bathroom separate from your parents.

I can't help with moderate recommendations, but maybe someone here can.

Genie+ works for a group. Assuming you have a MDE account and you'll add your parents to the hotel/ticket/park reservations, you'll be able to make LL for all of you. They can use it too with your login if you want.

Going to be hard to rent enough DVC points for 2 weeks without at least one or two moves. May not be ideal. The OP requested a moderate, not sure a DVC room for cash meets that budget.

 

[Her Dotness]

A November DVC stay is likely to be somewhat difficult to acquire, particularly if the OP is thinking week-before-Thanksgiving to month's end for holiday season decorations/events. That's an extremely popular time for Member stays and also a high points cost one. I'm not at all sure a points rental then would be within the OP's budget. Getting more than a few nights at any given resort would be difficult as well.

Villas offered by Disney for cash aren't very common then, I suspect. When we happened to get a couple nights in mid-November at Boulder Ridge once for cash, we paid about $600/night. However, that was with the DVC Member discount.

A DVC stay doesn't appear to me to be practical or affordable for this family group.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

I wouldn't put too much thought into your park plans just yet, Disney changes so much that anything they're doing now with Genie may or may not be relevant in 2025. It's really a non issue for a group of 3, G+ works the same if you're 1 or 10 people and 3 people is not a big group by any means.

As far as lodging, if you don't mind being in the same room as your parents, I'd look at a DVC 1 bedroom. You can book these direct via Disney but they're obnoxiously expensive. You can also rent points but you'll have to be somewhat flexible on resort as DVC owners get priority booking at about 11 months out so renters sort of get what's left over at the 7 month mark I believe, which is still booking a trip very early but not in terms of DVC. And by booking via a rental agency, you need to be on top of the cancellation policy/insurance since it's not direct with disney so that adds another layer of planning.

If you don't want to go that route, I would suggest the following resorts-

• The Tower at Coronado Springs. This resort has great dining, deluxe feeling accommodations for mod pricing but the only negative imo is the buses only to the parks. Not the end of the world but compared to some other resorts, it's not as convenient transport to the parks. Also, a little bit of a walk to the main pool.The other nice thing is CSR has a spa which might be nice for you guys and it's got some great lounges.
• I'd look at Swan/Dolphin or any of the disney resorts around the crescent lake/boardwalk area. This location is great to have access to the boats to DHS/Epcot and also to all the great dining at the epcot area resorts too. We like Swan and Dolphin for the cost saves compared to the disney resorts. The prices there can vary greatly but most times we've stayed, it's never more than $350/nt including taxes, resort fees and parking. The S/D have a nice pool, spa and good dining options. Only negative imo is that their buses are not disney buses so for MK transport, they'll drop you at TTC so you have to take a bus/ferry to MK or you can walk/boat over to YC/BC/BW and take one of their buses. Totally easy to navigate but you should be aware of that. And lastly, S/D have resort and parking fees, so that's an added cost that you need to know they'll charge. They are marriott properties but you get all the same disney deluxe benefits.
• Not my favorite resort but Caribbean Beach is a solid moderate option. They're rooms right now are all getting a soft goods refurb and you have access to the skyliner to DHS/Epcot. It's a large resort so for walkability, if location is a concern, book preferred or request Jamaica which is a great location near the skyliner and a short bridge walk to the lobby/main pool. There's a nice pool bar and decent dining.

Of the above, CBR is the most disney feeling, CSR and S/D tend to have a less disney feeling vibe and even though CSR is disney, it's labeled a convention hotel which it definitely is but there are still lots of families.