resort for large family

[jmpap65]

Hi everyone - I am planning on going to Disney next spring/summer with my family of DH and 3 DDs. My sister and her 2 year old twins and my mom and dad have decided to come with. Are there any resorts on Disney property that can accomodate a larger family? My sister wants to stay at a house off property (with kitchen area) but my family really wants to get the whole disney experience by staying on the disney property. Do any of the resorts have larger suites or condos? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!!!

 

[BrianD]

Yes! The Disney Vacation Club resorts. They are:
Animal Kingdom Villas
Beach Club Villas
Boardwalk Villas
Old Key West
Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
Villas at Wilderness Lodge

All have 2 bedroom units. Which includes a master bedroom with a king bed, another bedroom with 2 queen beds, and the living area has a sleeper sofa. There is also a full kitchen.

They are very nice, and the convenience can't be beat. You have all the perks of staying on property. You will pay significantly more though probably then if you stay off site. But one would expect that anyway.

 

[Deb & Bill]

You have 10 in your party. You would need a Grand Villa (only available at OKW, BWV, SSR and AKV) that sleeps 12. These are very limited in number and are usually reserved by DVC members at the 11 months mark. If you are planning on late August, you could still find a member to get one of these for you. But they are not cheap and if any one backs out, you would be stuck with a villa that sleeps 12. The two bedroom villas sleep 8 except for some of the AKV two bedrooms which can sleep 9. These would be too small for your party.

You could get two Ft Wilderness Cabins that sleep 6 each. Or two All Stars Family Suites that each sleep 6 (or one family suite and one regular room).

 

[BrianD]

They have two 2 year olds which means they don't count towards room occupancy. So assuming they could sleep in pac-n-plays, wouldn't that work in a two bedroom?

 

[postesf]

The past two years, we have stayed at Old Key West in the Grand Villa with a total of 8 adults. It has a master bedroom downstair and two more bedrooms upstairs, all w/ their own bathrooms. It worked well for us. They are pricey, you may could look into renting points from a DVC Member... I really liked OKW.

Good luck!

 

[DisGal520]

Two other considerations.
1) There are always connecting rooms you can request. In Aug 2004 we had two families in two rooms with 'inbetween' connecting doors. I forget what that is called. But 2 adults and two kids were in one room at AllStar Movies (two double beds) and the other family in the separate second room (two double beds). Both had doors to the outside. So you could request a block of rooms on the same floor. Maybe four rooms in a block. It would allow for late sleepers to not be obligated to the early risers, etc.

2) AllStar Movies and AllStar Music have created suites now that have a kitchenete I believe. So a couple of them in a block would be reasonable in price.

3) There are so many benefits to staying on site. No fighting over who is going to drive somewhere and who wants to go with whom in which car. Let Disney buses take you everywhere. Remember there will be times when you all won't want to go to the same park. Or some will want to take a mid-day break and go back to the resort to swim, or nap. Disney tranporation is sooooo convenient.

DisGal

 

[spiceycat]

since the kids are 2 - then a 2-bedroom would work - that says I would go for one at OKW or AKV.

OKW is that much bigger - living room, kitchen than the others.

It has a king in the master, queen sleeper sofa in the livingroom, and 2 queens bed in the 2nd bedroom.

AKV has a little more sleeping space - king in the master, queen sleeper sofa in the livingroom PLUS a chair that is a bed, queen bed and sleeper sofa in the second bedroom. (once the other building is up - there could be 2 queens in the 2nd bedroom)

you could also go with 2 cabins at FW. (sleeps 6)

or 2 suites at All star music. (sleeps 6)

if you don't mind being crowded - and I mean crowded. 2 rooms at a value resort - that would 4 double beds (2 in each room)

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

With 8 guest over 3 and 2 guest under 3, you can technically stay in a 2 bedroom, but it would be very crowded.

If you opt for a 2 bedroom villa, please go with OKW, It is the roomiest.

I think a Grand Villa or a 2 bedroom with a studio nearby would be a better bet, or 2 Ft. Wilderness Cabins as someone else suggested.

Me, DH, my 2 sisters and their husbands, and 3 kids went to BWV last April with a 2 bedroom and a studio. We were separated because of smoking issues, and that caused problems as everyone wanted to cook in the room, and 1 family was somewhat across the resort from everybody else in smaller accommodations.

Good Luck!

 

[Andyjo0930]

We recently came back from a trip last week and we stayed at the new family suites at All Star Music. There were 12 of us and we stayed comfortably in two of the suites. They were next to one another on the second floor in jazz, right on the corner. Each suite had a master bedroom and then the living room had an oversized chair, ottoman, and couch. All three opened up to a bed. They were very easy to open and close. There were two bathrooms in each suite and also had a small kitchenette area with a microwave, sink, refrigerator, coffee pot, and lots of storage space. We loved it and said we would book them again.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Unfortunately, one of the two does count. Disney allows ONE under the age of three, not two or three or four or five. So two families of quintuplets, all under the age of three, could not occupy a studio.

So in this case, you have nine plus one under the age of three. One too many for the two bedroom.

Get a two bedroom for the families to share and a studio for grandma and grandpa.

You probably are not going to get a Grand Villa this late for either spring or early summer.

 

[spiceycat]

depends upon the way you look at a 2-bedroom. I look at it as a studio plus a 1-bedroom that allows 2 kids. a small one in each half.

 

[Deb & Bill]

depends upon the way you look at a 2-bedroom. I look at it as a studio plus a 1-bedroom that allows 2 kids. a small one in each half.

A two bedroom is a two bedroom. A studio is a studio and a one bedroom is a one bedroom. They each allow one child under the age of three.