Studios as family of 4

[DisMomKY]

How bad is it as kids get bigger. We love poly but will studios be okay when we have teens?

 

[mamaofsix]

Could depend on the person, but as the parent of teens ...

If it's a 1 night stay at a hotel, a studio is fine. A week long vacation? Nope. I would get a 1 bedroom at least, maybe even a 2 bedroom so that your teens can each have their own full bed, while keeping the living room as a gathering spot.

For us, personal space to retreat to is very important for a happy vacation

 

[DisMomKY]

Could depend on the person, but as the parent of teens ...

If it's a 1 night stay at a hotel, a studio is fine. A week long vacation? Nope. I would get a 1 bedroom at least, maybe even a 2 bedroom so that your teens can each have their own full bed, while keeping the living room as a gathering spot.

For us, personal space to retreat to is very important for a happy vacation

That’s my concern as they grow. Studio is fine with littles but I don’t think a 13 year old boy and 10 year old girl will want to share a bed on vacation

 

[cmarsh31]

With the Murphy bed, they're fine for us, but we can handle a week in a cruise cabin too, so it's not that different. Just need separate sleeping spaces bc DS is 6'2" (15 yrs) and DD is about 5' at 12. DD and I can share a bed if needed but DS takes up SPACE! DD doesn't mind the Murphy bed... or we bring an air mattress for her if needed.

 

[JETSDAD]

I would just be sure to book studios with the 3rd sleeping surface. Between the pull out couch and the small murphy beds it should be fine.

 

[Steph01002]

I have a 15 year old boy and 16 year old girl. We have been doing studios just fine. DD sleeps on the Murphy bed and DS gets the pull out couch because he’s tall. We are more about the resort amenities of DVC properties than the room. Unless sleeping, I’m probably out on the balcony if at the room.

 

[DisMomKY]

I have a 15 year old boy and 16 year old girl. We have been doing studios just fine. DD sleeps on the Murphy bed and DS gets the pull out couch because he’s tall. We are more about the resort amenities of DVC properties than the room. Unless sleeping, I’m probably out on the balcony if at the room.

How many nights do you all typically do? We usually do 6-7 nights

 

[Kaadk]

I kind of have this same concern, as the concept of a sofa bed has been one of (but by no means the only one of) the things holding me back from DVC so far. Looking at room layouts from various sites, it seems that at most of the DVC properties, there isn't really a lot of actual 2 bed options. I know there are some variations, but it seems like the majority of options are:

• 1 Bed + 1 Sofa in same room (Studio)
• 1 Bed + 1 Sofa in 2 rooms (1 Bedroom)
• 3 Beds (+ 1 Sofa) in 3 rooms (2 Bedroom)

There doesn't really seem to be an option in a lot of cases for 2 actual beds, unless I opt for the 3 beds option of a 2 bedroom, which really jacks the price (i.e. number of points) required.

 

[JETSDAD]

I kind of have this same concern, as the concept of a sofa bed has been one of (but the no means the only one of) the things holding me back from DVC so far. Looking at room layouts from various sites, it seems that at most of the DVC properties, there isn't really a lot of actual 2 bed options. I know there are some variations, but it seems like the majority of options are:

• 1 Bed + 1 Sofa in same room (Studio)
• 1 Bed + 1 Sofa in 2 rooms (1 Bedroom)
• 3 Beds (+ 1 Sofa) in 3 rooms (2 Bedroom)

There doesn't really seem to be an option in a lot of cases for 2 actual beds, unless I opt for the 3 beds option of a 2 bedroom, which really jacks the price (i.e. number of points) required.

For actual beds that would be close. Studios & 1 BR's at Riviera and the updated SSR rooms have a queen size murphy bed in place of pull out couches (essentially a real bed) and OKW has 2 real beds in studios. Some have the small murphy beds which aren't a real bed but many find them more comfortable than the pull out couches.

 

[Minniemoo15]

Studios are totally fine for our family of 4 - especially the ones that have the 5th sleeper pull down. Poly studios are especially spacious and the extra shower/sink really helps to speed things up in the mornings for us.

 

[aokeefe]

We outgrew studios once my kids hit their teens- they take too long in the bathroom and like at home, leave their stuff lying on the floor, so dad and I definitely prefer our own room!

 

[Lorana]

We are a family of 4 with 2 teenage boys who will absolutely NOT share a bed. More than extra space is the need to have 3 beds in the Studio. This isn't an issue at the Poly, as you have the murphy bed AND two bathrooms. We can handle all being in a studio together.

That being said, we ARE much happier with a 1 or 2 bedroom, or 2 connecting studios, because it is nice to have a separate room -- especially as I'm a morning bird and they are all night owls. ;-) We also really like having a full kitchen (teenage boys eat a lot!) and I like having the whirlpool tub to soak in at the end of a long day at the park.

So I think it is certainly doable, and it is fine for now. In the future, considering adding on so you can book two studios, or adding a second resort to book 1/2 bedrooms, if sharing a studio becomes too much.

Part of it also depends on how much time you spend in the room. When the kids were younger, we spent much more time in the parks. Now that they are older - and WE are older - we take much "lazier" vacations, so we spend more time in the room and at the resort than we did before.

 

[Jaguar Skills]

Again hijacking this but I am forward planning. Currently only have a two year old but we are looking at purchasing SSR and would look to stay in studios each time as the flight cost becomes prohibitive from the UK all the time.

In that situation can you get a pull out bed as well as the pull down? Would be ideal if we could have three beds for the four of us, assuming we have a second child....

 

[DisMomKY]

Again hijacking this but I am forward planning. Currently only have a two year old but we are looking at purchasing SSR and would look to stay in studios each time as the flight cost becomes prohibitive from the UK all the time.

In that situation can you get a pull out bed as well as the pull down? Would be ideal if we could have three beds for the four of us, assuming we have a second child....

All the remodeled studios will have the pull down and the Murphy bed as well as “normal” queen bed

 

[Jaguar Skills]

All the remodeled studios will have the pull down and the Murphy bed as well as “normal” queen bed

Thanks @DisMomKY so when you book these you would need to book a preferred if I am correct rather than standard?

 

[Sandisw]

Again hijacking this but I am forward planning. Currently only have a two year old but we are looking at purchasing SSR and would look to stay in studios each time as the flight cost becomes prohibitive from the UK all the time.

In that situation can you get a pull out bed as well as the pull down? Would be ideal if we could have three beds for the four of us, assuming we have a second child....

SSR is being refurbished but the studios will not be getting the pull down small bed They will only sleep 4

So you will have the queen bed, and then the queen pull down Murphy bed.

 

[DisMomKY]

SSR is being refurbished but the studios will not be getting the pull down small bed They will only sleep 4

So you will have the queen bed, and then the queen pull down Murphy bed.

Oh are they not? I thought I saw that they would my bad! Didn’t mean to share wrong info

 

[bakerworld]

For us, the answer is that studios are quire capable of accommodating parties of 4 and 5. Poly studios are large and provide two shower rooms (although only 1 toilet). The closet is larger than most with hinges that allow the doors to fold complete flat and out of the way. Between having 2 showers and a large open closet I find it the most convenient studio for larger groups. We've had groups of 4 in most studios - even the smaller ones at AK & BL. BC was ideal for one of our girls trips - with the trundle bed, we were really able to spread out. I thought 1 bathroom with 4 women would be hard but it was fine. My daughter, her husband, a friend and their 9yo just spent Presidents Weekend in Bay Lake studio. They said it was fine.

 

[Sandisw]

Oh are they not? I thought I saw that they would my bad! Didn’t mean to share wrong info

No worries. It was surprising that they did not add them, They are being put in the 1 bedrooms though.

In terms of studios, I spent a week in studios with my 3 children years when they ranged from 13 to 20. BWV, BLT and BRV.

It was doable for that one trip, Then I stayed in a 1 bedroom With them and yup never went back.

 

[MonkeyKnifeFight]

So we rented points and stayed at the poly in January. It was our first real Disney vacation and it was amazing. The view was great. But it did seem crowded in the room. The kids are still young too. However we had my mother in law with us too so it was 5 people. We decided to buy at BLT instead of the poly, because we realized we really wanted the extra space and washer/dryer in the room. I think the poly could work for a lot of people that are used to staying in normal hotel rooms. However we've typically stayed in suite rooms when traveling with the kids. It also gives us flexibility if we wanted to borrow or bank points and get a 2 bedroom and bring my parents as well. Our next trip we are doing a split stay with a couple nights in a studio and the rest in a 1 bedroom. It will give us a better feel for how crowded it would be with just 4 of us. Although the one bonus is as the kids get older, no more rented giant stroller. And that takes up a ridiculous amount of room.