Rooms for 5 + infant

[Texas Crude]

We're thinking of bringing my mother-in-law along on our next trip to Disney World towards the end of October. That would leave us with 3 adults, a 7 year old, a 4 year old, and a 2 year old.

Unfortunately, it looks like most rooms top out at 4 + infant, so this is making it harder than I'd like to choose a room! I've looked at the family suites at the value resorts, but just can't get excited about staying at a motel. I know we won't spend a ton of time there, but even still, the resorts themselves leave something to be desired.

It looks like Riverside and the Caribbean both have rooms that fit 5 + 1, but I'm concerned that they won't really have enough space. Anyone put 6 people in those rooms before? Is it even doable?

I think I'm leaning towards a studio at the Villas at Wilderness Lodge, but want to make sure I'm not missing anything. With the young kids, it looks like the theming is a lot better than the similarly priced rooms at Contemporary or Beach / Yatch club (though the Stormalong bay looks pretty sweet). I'm not thrilled about spending $400 a night, but it looks to be a pretty good compromise between the smaller rooms at the moderates and the more expensive suites elsewhere. The other option would be for an extra $70ish a night we could go to the Polynesian... I know it's a higher rated resort, but the pictures don't seem to capture it. Just from the websites the Wilderness Lodge looks to have better theming. On the other end, for about $70 less a night we could do one of the cabins.

Anyone with experience at these places or with traveling with 6 people have any input or sugesstions?

 

[Annchristine65]

Have you considered connecting rooms at a moderate? We do connecting rooms at the value.

 

[Texas Crude]

^^

I hadn't considered that -- that's a good idea, though the price would be pretty close to us staying at Wilderness Lodge. Can't decide if the nicer resort is worth having more cramped room than having 2 rooms at a moderate. That's actually how I ended up crossing the values off... the Family Suits at AoA would be $300 a night, and I think I'd rather be cramped in a moderate at $200 or have less space in a deluxe (which we've never stayed at before) at $400.

Top Options

$200 / night: Room at Riverside or Caribbean (least amount of room, cheapest option)

$230ish / night: Family Suite / connecting rooms at Music (more room, less desirable resort)

$300 / night: Family suite at AoA (most room, middle price, value level resort)

$400 / night: Room studio at Villas Wilderness Lodge / connecting rooms at moderate

$470 / night: Room at Polynesian

Man, going from 4 to 5 people in the room really removes a LOT of options! Wish more rooms had the murphy bed options.

 

[MandiC]

We didn't but we stayed in one of the Alligator Bayou rooms at Port Orleans Riverside. I'd say it really just depends on your family. You could put one child in bed with grandma, another on the murphey bed and then baby in a pack and play by the table. I'd say if you don't intend on spending a lot of time in your room you will probably be fine that way.
Another option would be the cabins at Fort Wilderness. Slightly more expensive than a family suite at the values I believe but you get a full kitchen and you are at Fort Wilderness, which is BIG resort but has lots of fun activities and a boat ride to Magic Kingdom

 

[mjkacmom]

Rent DVC points. We got a 2 bedroom at the BC for just s little more than 2 moderate rooms, and it was huge! My parents had a studio at the BC - it was tiny.

 

[Texas Crude]

Rent DVC points. We got a 2 bedroom at the BC for just s little more than 2 moderate rooms, and it was huge! My parents had a studio at the BC - it was tiny.

I hadn't thought about that... do you have a website you'd recommend? My only hesitation is that we're hoping for free dining that week, but if the savings on the room is significant enough it'd probably be a wash either way. Can you still book your dining reservations 6 months in advance and your fast passes 2 months out if you rent points?

 

[tzolkin]

Have you considered connecting rooms at a moderate? We do connecting rooms at the value.

The only problem with connecting rooms is that they are a request not a guarantee. It's likely that they will wind up with two rooms that do not connect, so you would have to be okay with that possibility.

 

[Annchristine65]

The only problem with connecting rooms is that they are a request not a guarantee. It's likely that they will wind up with two rooms that do not connect, so you would have to be okay with that possibility.

True, you are taking a chance. I guess we've been lucky, we've gone at very busy times and have never had a problem getting connecting rooms, at the value resorts anyway, never tried it at a moderate.

 

[staceyrhood]

The cabins at FW are great!

 

[MandiC]

Another, thing you might want to consider if you are going (or hoping to go) during free dining is that if you stay at a value resort the free dining plan you will get will be the quick service plan (no table service credits). This is something we are also considering and when looking at a family suite at a value + upgrading to the basic dining plan it is actually cheaper to get a cabin at Fort Wilderness (which includes the basic plan during free dining since the cabins are considered a moderate) and you get the better resort...just something to consider.

 

[3Gsandme]

Honestly, while we were fine at Riverside (2 adults, a 13 year old, a 7 year old and a 4 year old) I think 3 adults plus three kids would be REALLY snug. I imagine the rooms at Caribbean would be similar. I wouldn't be comfortable with my MIL in quarters THAT close, but YMMV. There is really no privacy to speak of. Again, that was fine for the five of us, but with another adult, I think we wouldn't be very comfortable.

 

[pooh4evr]

I think having 2 bathrooms trumps the "motel" feel of the values. We have stayed at music, and sports. If you think you are't going to be there much then why worry about the feel? We have also stayed at POR, while we really liked the pool better at POR, and would love to stay there again, the 5 of us in 1 room for 10 days- no way. Adding 2 more people would be awful, especially if one was my MIL or my mom- everyone needs a little space. Go for connecting rooms or a suite- 2 bathrooms and a kitchen area... The cabins are nice and plenty of space and work well if you are driving or renting a car.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I would not do a VWL studio with three adults and three kids. It will be extremely crowded. You need a larger space. The studios were really only meant for a couple or a couple with one or two small children.

You really want something more than a single room with six people. You'll want a family suite, a two bedroom villa, a Fort Wilderness Cabin. Or two single rooms with the door between them at a minimum.

 

[Gracie09]

I would look at the cabins

 

[Lilliputian]

I wouldn't even consider the cabins. They have one bathroom and the bunk beds are in the "master" room. And I think it's a full size bed in the master bedroom. If two rooms or a 2 bedroom suite is a stretch, then I'd go offsite. A 3 bedroom townhome or condo at Windsor Hills will give you enough space to have a lovely vacation. If that's absolutely unacceptable to you, do any of the newer one bedroom DVC suites that accommodate 5 also have 2 bathrooms? That could work.

 

[maxiesmom]

We have done the 6 people in a moderate room before, and I would never ever do it again. With 6 people in one room, even if you really like each other, you will feel your personal space is being invaded. Do not chose that option!

With your mother in law along I would probably go with 2 rooms at whatever resort looks good. Request connecting, but keep in mind they are not guaranteed. The odds are good you will get them though.

 

[tzolkin]

True, you are taking a chance. I guess we've been lucky, we've gone at very busy times and have never had a problem getting connecting rooms, at the value resorts anyway, never tried it at a moderate.

I completely agree with you about the two rooms suggestion. Both times my MIL has joined us we got her a separate room. Even though we prefer the moderates, if our budget was super tight we would opt for two value rooms over sharing a mod with her.

I just wanted to make sure the OP knew that even with a request two rooms may not be connecting. We have only received connecting rooms one out of three times that we booked two rooms. (That time was a a value, the two non-connecting rooms were at moderates, but I don't know if that makes a difference.)

 

[BuzzyBelle]

We stayed at AoA in 2013 and the room was very spacious. The room doors are inside hallways, not outside like the other values or moderates so it doesn't have the motel feel. I don't think you can beat AoA for the space/value you get unless you're able to do as a PP said and rent DVC points. We stayed at Beach Club last year and will be at Yacht this summer. My DM travels with us so we are 3 adults and 2 children. The deluxe room is tight with 5 people, and it's about 25% bigger than POR. I couldn't imagine adding a pack and play in there on top of it. We choose to stay there for the convenience of the location and give up the space of AoA, but we all miss the 2 bathrooms! I believe the WL studios are pretty small and I don't think that's a really practical option for 6.

 

[Annchristine65]

I completely agree with you about the two rooms suggestion. Both times my MIL has joined us we got her a separate room. Even though we prefer the moderates, if our budget was super tight we would opt for two value rooms over sharing a mod with her.

I just wanted to make sure the OP knew that even with a request two rooms may not be connecting. We have only received connecting rooms one out of three times that we booked two rooms. (That time was a a value, the two non-connecting rooms were at moderates, but I don't know if that makes a difference.)

Possibly there are more connecting rooms in the Values than the Moderates? We go with our 3 grown daughters and as you can imagine one bathroom just doesn't cut it. LOL

 

[Texas Crude]

Thanks for the input everyone... doesn't seem like anyone thinks it's a good idea!

What if we rent DVC points and do a deluxe studio at the Polynesian? Looks like we could do that for around $300 a night, and they have 2 bathrooms and look to be about 450 sq feet. We'd still be sleeping in the same room... if we wanted a 1 bedroom villa it looks like the cheapest option would be at AKL, but at over $400 a night through renting points.

Ugh, given this to much thought for one night... I'm going to bed.