Resort Recommendations for Group of 8

[hankt10k]

Hello all. We are DVC members (Beach Club is our home resort) and have been visiting WDW for many years. We have always sought to stretch our limited points by staying in studio rooms. Just recently we began discussing a family trip which would include all of our children, their spouses and our new granddaughter (total of 8 people - 7 adults, 1 toddler). We are in the very early planning stages but are targeting September, 2017.

So my question for those of you that have stayed in the 2 or 3 bedroom villas is what resorts would you recommend and what size villa would you suggest. The 2 bedroom units are advertised as sleeping 8 and are far less points so that would clearly be the more economical approach. Also, since Beach Club (which does not appear to have 3BR units) is our home resort, we would have a better chance of booking our desired dates. So what do you think? Doable or would you suggest a 3 bedroom villa? We could also go the multiple room route but that's currently our least favorite option.

Would appreciate any recommendations (perhaps 2 or 3 resorts in your suggested priority order since there's no guarantee we'll be able to book our first choice) you can provide.

Thanks in advance.

Hank

 

[davidl81]

A two bedroom is doable, but that is a lot of people for a two bedroom as it would involve having a couple sleep on the sofa bed and someone sleeping on the pull out chair bed. If you want the best value for your points I like the 3 bedroom grand villas at OKW. They are the cheapest grand villas in DVC, but you need to get them right at the 7 month mark. Another option would be the tree house villas at SSR. You have three bed rooms, but one of them is a bunk bed. The tree houses are a little but isolated, but a decent value for your points.

 

[schoen]

So is this three couples, one adult child and a toddler? I would either do a two-bedroom and a studio or a three bedroom. I would not want multiple married couples in the same sleeping space, or an adult bunking up with other adults.

It is workable in a two bedroom, and I would probably suggest: you and your spouse and the other single adult in the room with two beds. And then the other couples can fight it out for the living room and master? As an adult, I would feel comfortable sharing a room with my parents, but probably not my siblings and their spouses.

If you have the points, it seems like two two-bedrooms would really be ideal.

 

[drusba]

If you are considering a GV and want to keep the point total low for a GV, consider the standard GV at AKV Kidani. Because there only two standard GV's, those are often booked by 7 months out, but Sep, before the last week of Sep, has been a time when you have a decent chance of getting one for a week at 7 months out. Those were originally savanna view rooms on Pembe Savanna but were changed to standard because the savanna's outer fence comes somewhat close to the building there but in reality it is still a decent savanna view for seeing animals. The room has plenty of sleeping areas -- three bedrooms, plus a pull out couch and chair in the living room, plus a pull out couch in the alcove area at the top of the stairs; it also has four bathrooms. A cheaper option is OKW, but those can be far from amenties like the main pool and store.You will likely find the OKW GV's open during Sep at 7 months out except for the ones in the near Hospitality House booking category. Other GV's likely to be open are Kidani, VGF, BLT and SSR. BWV and Jambo are likely to be missing at least some of the days you may want.

As for 2BRs, all will hold eight, although comfort level for eight is significantly reduced from a GV. but if you go with a 2BR, I consider the best choices for that size group to be Kidani and BLT. The rooms are significantly larger than the BCV 2BRs, have three bathrooms (a critical consideration if 8) and have the pull out chair in the living room in addition to the pull-out couch, and both cost a lot less than a 2BR at VGF which has one (dedicated) or two (lock-off) murphy pull down beds to add extra sleeping spaces but only two bathrooms. As far as availability, the following have traditionally been available at 7 months for Sep (except potentially the last three or four days): BCV, BWV pool/garden view, BLT lake view, AKV Jambo and Kidani standard and savanna view, VGF standard and lake view, VWL, SSR, and OKW, so you will have many choices.

 

[Dean]

Hello all. We are DVC members (Beach Club is our home resort) and have been visiting WDW for many years. We have always sought to stretch our limited points by staying in studio rooms. Just recently we began discussing a family trip which would include all of our children, their spouses and our new granddaughter (total of 8 people - 7 adults, 1 toddler). We are in the very early planning stages but are targeting September, 2017.

So my question for those of you that have stayed in the 2 or 3 bedroom villas is what resorts would you recommend and what size villa would you suggest. The 2 bedroom units are advertised as sleeping 8 and are far less points so that would clearly be the more economical approach. Also, since Beach Club (which does not appear to have 3BR units) is our home resort, we would have a better chance of booking our desired dates. So what do you think? Doable or would you suggest a 3 bedroom villa? We could also go the multiple room route but that's currently our least favorite option.

Would appreciate any recommendations (perhaps 2 or 3 resorts in your suggested priority order since there's no guarantee we'll be able to book our first choice) you can provide.

Thanks in advance.

Hank

I'd do a 2 BR plus a studio if you can and in that scenario the specific resort won't make much difference. If you must do just a 2 BR, I'd do AKV Kidani dedicated or OKW. I'd go ahead and book BCV 2 BR or 2 BR plus a studio if you have the points to do so. I would not do a 3 BR personally.

 

[CarolMN]

If you aren't doing a 3 bedroom, go with a dedicated two bedroom at either AKV - Kidani or BLT. Both of those have 3 bathrooms. They also have a king bed in the master, two queens in the second bedroom and a queen sleep sofa & a twin sleep chair in the living room.

An OKW 2 bedroom is a bit larger than the two recommended above, but only has 2 bathrooms. With 7 adults, I'd strongly prefer the 3-bath villas.

 

[DVCkidsMOM]

I agree with what's above about bathrooms and bedrooms... People that you think will be fine sharing a 2Q beds in one room and who state that they will be fine doing that, may not be fine when the time comes. (My sister ended up on the floor in the hall at BCV when she changed her mind about sharing the 2Q bedroom with me and my family - it happens) Check floor plans to get some ideas.
I would reserve at my home resort when that window opens to ensure we get something during our dates, then change to a different resort with more bedrooms or bathrooms if it's available when that window opens up. We just were careful with our points charts and booking one day less to make the points as even as possible, especially if you'll be borrowing points to have enough. (Yeah, we just did this for a trip with extra teen guests and need to separate boys from girls and still maintain our sanity.)

 

[mlnbabies]

Thanks for asking this question. I am thinking of an April or May 2018 trip for my family. It will be my husband and I with our 14 and 18 year old girls. My daughter, her husband and their toddler. Then my oldest 26 y/o. I am thinking 2 bedrooms with the 3 other girls in the living room. I was thinking the Poly since the toddler can sleep in the second bedroom with her parents and the other girls in the living room. Is it hard to get the PVB? I will have to rent points.

 

[Dean]

Thanks for asking this question. I am thinking of an April or May 2018 trip for my family. It will be my husband and I with our 14 and 18 year old girls. My daughter, her husband and their toddler. Then my oldest 26 y/o. I am thinking 2 bedrooms with the 3 other girls in the living room. I was thinking the Poly since the toddler can sleep in the second bedroom with her parents and the other girls in the living room. Is it hard to get the PVB? I will have to rent points.

There is no living room for the Poly, only studios and the bungalows. I can't think of any setup that will work well for this group as the only villa but AKV Kidani, BLT and OKW 2 BR villas will be the best options.

 

[BLTtinkerbell]

There is no living room for the Poly, only studios and the bungalows. I can't think of any setup that will work well for this group as the only villa but AKV Kidani, BLT and OKW 2 BR villas will be the best options.

I thought the Poly bungalow had a bed that pulled out from the tv stand & a sleep sofa in the living room?

 

[gracelrm]

If you decide to get a 2BR, I would certainly attempt to get a dedicated 2BR at AKL Kidani or a 2BR at BLT, as they both have the third bathroom. A dedicated 2BR at Kidani will have two queen beds in the second bedroom. I'm not sure about the bed arrangement at BLT.

FWIW, my family recently invited extended family and there were 18 + a toddler in our group. Initially, I planned on getting 2 2BR at Kidani, but our group was five couples and kids. I just hated to have couples sharing a bedroom or adults on sofa sleepers. So, I spent more points and got a 2BR and several studios so each family could "retire" to their own area. I really think it worked out best, even though it cost us more points.

 

[BLTtinkerbell]

.....A dedicated 2BR at Kidani will have two queen beds in the second bedroom. I'm not sure about the bed arrangement at BLT.

A dedicated 2 bedroom at BLT will also have 2 queen beds.

 

[Dean]

I thought the Poly bungalow had a bed that pulled out from the tv stand & a sleep sofa in the living room?

Maybe I misread but I got the impression they were looking at 2 studios for the Poly rather than a bungalow, maybe I assumed incorrectly. This is a rental and a bungalow would be both a boatload of points and likely a premium price per point. An AKV savannah might be $4K where a bungalow might be $17K or more for a full week, more if it overlapped Easter which is the first week of April 2018.

 

[BLTtinkerbell]

Maybe I misread but I got the impression they were looking at 2 studios for the Poly rather than a bungalow, maybe I assumed incorrectly. This is a rental and a bungalow would be both a boatload of points and likely a premium price per point. An AKV savannah might be $4K where a bungalow might be $17K or more for a full week, more if it overlapped Easter which is the first week of April 2018.

I think I mixed up two different posters. My apologies.
Another poster, not the OP mentioned PVB & I got confused.

 

[Dean]

I think I mixed up two different posters. My apologies.
Another poster, not the OP mentioned PVB & I got confused.

I think you were right to question it, after rereading I'm not certain either though I can't get my mind (or wallet) around renting a bungalow at market prices or for cash through Disney.

 

[Halle]

If you decide to get a 2BR, I would certainly attempt to get a dedicated 2BR at AKL Kidani or a 2BR at BLT, as they both have the third bathroom. A dedicated 2BR at Kidani will have two queen beds in the second bedroom. I'm not sure about the bed arrangement at BLT.

FWIW, my family recently invited extended family and there were 18 + a toddler in our group. Initially, I planned on getting 2 2BR at Kidani, but our group was five couples and kids. I just hated to have couples sharing a bedroom or adults on sofa sleepers. So, I spent more points and got a 2BR and several studios so each family could "retire" to their own area. I really think it worked out best, even though it cost us more points.

I agree with you.

 

[DisneyRegulars]

I personally hate having people sleep in the living room, so I would definitely go with a three bedroom. We travelled with 7 of us in a 3 bedroom villa at SSR, and it was perfect. Our trip would have been awful if we had been all crammed into a two bedroom. Especially since there is a toddler involved. The kid will probably be up at the crack of dawn, and the parents will probably be very happy to have a living room to play in without worrying about waking anybody up. The adults will an enjoy a space to relax while the toddler goes to bed early without interrupting somebody's sleeping space. If you can swing it, I'd definitely go three bedroom.

 

[Dean]

I personally hate having people sleep in the living room, so I would definitely go with a three bedroom. We travelled with 7 of us in a 3 bedroom villa at SSR, and it was perfect. Our trip would have been awful if we had been all crammed into a two bedroom. Especially since there is a toddler involved. The kid will probably be up at the crack of dawn, and the parents will probably be very happy to have a living room to play in without worrying about waking anybody up. The adults will an enjoy a space to relax while the toddler goes to bed early without interrupting somebody's sleeping space. If you can swing it, I'd definitely go three bedroom.

We just got back from our most year family trip. I get accommodations and invite family. When doing villa assignments some of the principles I use are no couples or middle age or above on a pullout and preferably no one at all on the LR pullout. We had 7 villas (6*2BR & a 3BR) and 30 people and I think the only pullout used the entire trip was in a timeshare we stayed at just overnight on the way down to break up the trip. It could have been challenging to meet those goals with the villa setup at Ocean Pointe where they are all lockoff's with a King and pullout in the second but it worked perfectly.