Resort help and advice needed

[hunter1211]

We are trying to plan our kids first vacation to WDW for this September. (They have an odd fall break in Sept. for a week. ) We were going to try to stay at a FW Cabin and hope for the free dining. Well, this week my inlaws called and said they want to come with us! My fil says he would always liked to stay at AKL. That is out of our price range for a savanna room, but ok for the standard. I am sure if he gets a savanna room (which if you are going there that is sort of a must, isn't it? lol ) he will want us too also. So, unless he offers to pay for part of our half then I don't know.

So, here are our options. Which would you do if you had the choice?

2 FW cabins
2 rooms at AKL (fil always wanted to stay here)
2 rooms at the WL (dh always wanted to stay there)
2 rooms at a Moderate. (inlaws don't want to stay at values.)

The inlaws are really I think open to anything but the values and even though we (dh and I) are on a tight budget, we also want to make inlaws comfy. To us which resort doesn't matter, it's just a room. We are going to be in the parks most of the time. The inlaws it's almost the opposite. Fil has heart problems and they won't be going on a lot of rides and therefore may be staying around the resort a lot with our youngest.

Oh, and btw....we consist of Fil (60), Mil (58), Me (38), Dh (38), DD(9), DD (7), DD (6), DD (4) and DD (2).

Also, we have Disney Visa and inlaws don't. So, if they offer the free dining, I will have to call and book it. How does that work? Do we pay both deposits (for each room) and then they can pay their half and us ours. Or do we have to pay everything and they just pay us back?

Thanks in advance for any help. All this planning is driving me insane, but I want to go to WDW so bad!!!!! (dh and I haven't been in 12 years!)

 

[karibritt01]

We have always stayed at CSR, and it is very nice. Pool is lots of fun for the kids. The resort has many of the amenities at the deluxe resorts, which make it nicer for those staying at the resort alot.

We went with SIL last summer. We had already booked CSR months in advance, and she decided to join us a week before the trip for the last 3 days. They could only find a room at CBR. It worked out really well for all of us. We met at the parks at whatever time we chose to do things together. We also felt like we didn't have to follow her schedule as we were in different resorts, so we slept late and did our own thing in the AM, then met them after lunch so the kids could do things together. We were able to add them onto our dinner reservations, and eat together.

The last thing I think I would do in your situation is blow the budget on an expensive room when you don't plan to stick around the resort.

 

[spiceycat]

okay no free dinning this route - but you get a full kitchen.

2-bedroom AKV at AKL - it is a DVC resort. the 2-bedroom sleep 9 (fw cabins only sleeps 6).

now if you go thru Disney you might still get free dinning.

but would suggest going through a DVC member. they will save you money. that say Disney will not interfer and will not listen to your problems if you rent thru a DVC member instead of them.

secondly - no housekeeping.

but it is the same place that disney rents for about half the cost.

the only problem is the master bathroom - generally this is a separate whirlpool bath and shower stall - at AKL before of space - they combinated the two.

when the new units are build at Kidani - this won't be a problem but at Jambo house (akl) it is. Plus the units at Kidani will have 3 bathrooms not just 2 like Jambo house has.

oh it has a washer/dryer in the villa.

 

[twinspluscade]

Are some of your kids going to be sleeping with FIL and MIL?

If not, I would definetely pick the FW cabins, simply so your family will have more room. Plus, the standard rooms at AKL only fit 4 in a room (plus one "infant"), so that wouldn't work for your family of 6 anyway. Ditto for Wilderness Lodge, and the mods.

If the in-laws are planning on having a kid or two in their room...then I would maybe go with AKL....standard room. I'd just tell FIL that's all you can budget for...if he wants, he can either pay for you guys to upgrade, or just he and MIL can get the savannah room, and you guys have a standard.

 

[stavidt]

Hi-

We went last year with my parents and had two connecting rooms at a value and it was really not bad at all...I was expecting the worse!!! My dad also has a heart condition and rented one of those electric wheelchairs for the week...which was a blessing b/c he can barely walk down the block without complications!! If they won't do it....no biggie...but it was nice especially since we didn't spend a lot of time there.

One year we rented a villa from a dvc. We stayed at the WLV and it was dreamy. I kinda wished we planned to do this with my parents. B/c on days they needed to rest and not do the parks they would have been able to meet up with us at the MK with little effort. As for mousekeeping...I didn't miss it. You clean up after yourself anyway...most people do...I hope.

To save some extra money we split our stay. If you look at the points they are lower Sun-Thurs and go up on Fri and Sat. So we flew in on a Friday night and stayed in a moderate for two nights and then transferred to a dvc villa for the remainder of our stay. HUGE SAVINGS...Disney will transfer your luggage for you and you don't have to miss a day at the parks

Last year we booked our trip in April Sept for free dining. THEN...my parents said they wanted to come so I tried to add them to that week but free dining was not available for that week. So we had to change weeks. They only have a limited number of rooms blocked for certain weeks of free dining. It was fine...but luckily we were flex. with our weeks. I had my parents make their room ressie but for dinner reservations I made them all b/c my parents were kinda clueless and happy for me to do it....I planned two nights out for me and hubby with no kids and did the same for my parents. The rest were together.

Good luck...the parents did slow me down substantially especially on days they met us at the parks...a lot of waiting around for them so we did miss a few things....but going back with my parents and my kids spending time with them is so much fun and memorable...have fun!!!!!!!!! BTW Sept is way hot for folks in their mid 70's so try to plan some days were they could just hang and then meet up with you for dinner.

 

[hunter1211]

Are some of your kids going to be sleeping with FIL and MIL?

If not, I would definetely pick the FW cabins, simply so your family will have more room. Plus, the standard rooms at AKL only fit 4 in a room (plus one "infant"), so that wouldn't work for your family of 6 anyway. Ditto for Wilderness Lodge, and the mods.

If the in-laws are planning on having a kid or two in their room...then I would maybe go with AKL....standard room. I'd just tell FIL that's all you can budget for...if he wants, he can either pay for you guys to upgrade, or just he and MIL can get the savannah room, and you guys have a standard.

Thanks for the advice. The only reason we would get 2 rooms anywhere besides a value is if inlaws were paying for the other room. That is also why we would want one resort (better yet connecting rooms would be nice too) so that he can take a couple of the kids.



stavidt......If you don't mind me asking...How much was one of the electric wheelchairs for the week? Do you rent them when you book or when you get down there? Thanks for the weather tip. My fil is actually use to that weather. He lived down here in Ga for more then 15 years. I know it's hotter down there than even Ga, but it won't be such a shock to him as if he lived where he is now all his life. (he lives in PA. Just moved up there 2 years ago.)

 

[stavidt]

Hi-

I'm not sure how much they were for the week. Since I wasn't paying for it...I kinda didn't pay attention. But whatever the price was it was worth it. I'm all into saving money but my dad was such a pleasure the whole week...I didn't have to worry about him one bit. He wasn't crazy about the whole idea...but realistically he had no options...and after a while joked about getting one for home. It helped with the buses too....he was always the first one off and the first one on. Which was awesome b/c if the wait was more than one busload...we would always be on the first bus b/c of my dad. Some of the rides the wait may have been a little longer b/c we had to wait for a cm to assist with getting him on and off some rides...but no biggie.

He rented it the first night we got there. They will help you at the front desk of the hotels about getting one.

 

[spiceycat]

T
stavidt......If you don't mind me asking...How much was one of the electric wheelchairs for the week? Do you rent them when you book or when you get down there?

not stavidt
go over to the disability board - at the top,one of the sticky - she has a list of local places that deliver to WDW that are cheaper than what disney will charge you.
they are ECV I think?

at the front desk or bell services of all the WDW resort you can get a free wheelchair (somebody has to push or the person have to turn the wheels themselves)

 

[hunter1211]

Thanks Spiceycat! I will look into that.