Recommendations for family of 7???

dd53

Mouseketeer
Joined
May 24, 2009
We are hoping to plan an adoption celebration trip for our two girls sometime in the next year but have no idea where to stay. What do you guys recommend for a family of 7--Mom, Dad, boys 12 and 11, girls 11, 6, and 5? Two rooms connecting somewhere or some type of suite? What are the options? We would like to stay on Disney property. Thanks!
 
We are hoping to plan an adoption celebration trip for our two girls sometime in the next year but have no idea where to stay. What do you guys recommend for a family of 7--Mom, Dad, boys 12 and 11, girls 11, 6, and 5? Two rooms connecting somewhere or some type of suite? What are the options? We would like to stay on Disney property. Thanks!

I would go with the 2 bedroom suites. I have 6 in my family and we have plenty of room. We have only stayed at the SSR which was very nice. I can't comment on the other suites.
 
You could go with connecting rooms at one of the values or moderates. A two bedroom villa at BayLake Towers, Beach Club, Boardwalk, Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge, Old Key West, or Saratoga Springs would be the ideal option. You would have a king size bed in the master with a 2 room bathroom (one has a jacuzzi tub, vanity, large closet, the other has a walk-in shower, toilet, and sink), the second bedroom would have a queen bed and some have a double sleeper while others have another queen bed (OKW is one), you would have a living area with a double sleeper, full kitchen for quick breakfast, snacks, and drinks, and best of all a washer/dryer so you don't have to pack as much. You can rent through Disney or go to the DVC boards and look into renting points from a member - would be cheaper than going through Disney. We love the Boardwalk Villas. We have also stayed at the Old Key West villas years ago. With a large family the extra space is really nice.
 
I would have to go with two rooms at a value or moderate. Values would save some money, but you would have more space in a moderate (and also a refrigerator which is great for all the kids' snacks.)
 


Just a note about getting 2 rooms. Connecting rooms are not guaranteed, but only a request. They do their best, but sometimes stuff happens and it just can not be physically done.

I wanted you to have this info up front so you can make an informed decision.

(Note: You can use the search feature and see some of the stories where people were "guaranteed" connecting rooms and then did not get them. There is even one posted who was a single adult traveling with a bunch of children who didn't get connecting rooms.)
 
We are hoping to plan an adoption celebration trip for our two girls sometime in the next year but have no idea where to stay. What do you guys recommend for a family of 7--Mom, Dad, boys 12 and 11, girls 11, 6, and 5? Two rooms connecting somewhere or some type of suite? What are the options? We would like to stay on Disney property. Thanks!

You might want to look into the cabins in Fort Wilderness for your crew.
The boys could use the bunks the girls could share the full size bed. Mom and Dad could use the Murphy bed in the living room, and the little 5 year old could take the couch.
Full size kitchen complete with dishwasher..and of course mousekeeping.
 
I'm thinking a 2 BR villa at any of the DVC resorts may be your best way to go. So that would be Bay Lake Tower at the Contemporary, Beach Club Villas, Boardwalk Villas, Old Key West, Saratoga Springs resort, and Animal Kingdom Villas. That way you'd get plenty of room, a full kitchen & a washer/dryer. Oh the Treehouse Villas at Saratoga Springs might be cool too.

Other than that, I think 2 regular hotel rooms at any resort would suit. Typically Disney cannot guaratee connecting rooms. They try to accomodate that request, especially when the kids outnumber the adults, but you run the risk of just getting 2 rooms near each other, not connecting.
 


You might want to look into the cabins in Fort Wilderness for your crew.
The boys could use the bunks the girls could share the full size bed. Mom and Dad could use the Murphy bed in the living room, and the little 5 year old could take the couch.
Full size kitchen complete with dishwasher..and of course mousekeeping.

Unfortunately the occupancy level for the cabins is only 6 so the OPs family of seven can not stay in one cabin
 
:) I would try the Dave's vacation rentals and let him reserve a 2 bedroom DVC villa for you. You will rent points for the stay from a member and he makes sure all goes well. You can see his ad here on the DIS. Points usually rent for $10 each and you can check the point charts from the DVC forums. (located just under the banner on the right side of the page). I think Dave is a couple $ more becasue you pay him to be the middle man.

DVC villas are deluxe resorts with full kitchen. A 2 bedroom at Kidani (AKL) would have 3 bathrooms and full laundry. I could not see staying on property in hotel rooms when I had access to renting DVC points. It might be an affordable and very viable option for you. You would not be able to get any free dinning or other discounts becasue you are staying on points but having your own kitchen would probably save on food.

My brother has 5 children ages 2-16, this is what I would recommend for him at the drop of a hat.
 
I'd look in to a Treehouse Villa at SSR. They have 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms with a full kitchen. If you rent points you could get a significant discount over the Disney rack rate.
 
With our family of seven, we'd only consider the 2 BR villas. But family style is as pertinent as family size. With our kids, especially at the ages of your younger ones, down time in a fair sized unit would be crucial to surviving a Disney vacation with our sanity intact. ;) Families where everyone's cool with going commando might be fine with two separate hotel units.

If you're there for more than a few days, you also might consider a split stay, motel rooms first and then switch to a villa about the time you're ready to strangle each other. :p Some families with kids that age range wouldn't like the idea of having to pack up and move, but I always insisted on a big clean up day half way through a longish motel stay anyhow, so moving wouldn't be a serious hassle for us. You need to do what fits your budget and your style, and you know your own needs best.
 

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