Taking 23 Girl Scouts To Disney......NEED HELP!

[collins0616]

We are looking into taking our Girl Scout troop to the Bridging Into the Next Century event in May as well as taking part in a Y.E.S. program or two while we are there. We are working on putting fundraisers into place now, because we are a "poor" troop. There is a special room rate for us, however with the number of rooms we will have to rent, I still think it would be way cheaper to rent houses/condos off site and drive over and park.

We have always stayed on property when we have visited WDW so I know nothing about off-site properties, or parking fees, etc.

Where have you stayed that is a good value, cheaper than on site, with plenty of room, kitchen, etc, but still close to WDW that you have great reviews for???

I will say there will be around 40-50 girls/adults, so we will need 3-5 bedrooms, probably 2 or 3 condos side by side.

Thanks In Advance!!!
Samantha

 

[At World's End]

You will need more than 2-3 condos, more like 3-4 BIG houses. Even a 6 bedroom house will have a maximum occupancy of about 14 people. Also, you will need all the bathrooms you can get! I can't even imagine trying to get all those girls ready and out the door in the morning.

The largest house we've stayed at was 5 br/4 ba in the Legacy Park development, and it slept 12 (including the sofa bed). There are lots of big homes in this area, but it is a 25 minute drive to World Drive. We paid $100/nt in January.

If you want to stay closer you will probably be looking at about $1600/wk per house considering the time of year you are going.

Here are some side-by-side rentals, as well as larger houses.

http://www.disney4villas.com/disney-villas-side-by-side/index.htm

 

[kvogel11202]

In 2006 I took a group of cub scouts to Disney - we stayed at Fort Wilderness. It was economical, we brought tents and air matresses. Now, I am a Yacht Club, Beach Club girl, I hate camping, but this was a great experience. In fact I took another group back in 2009, all teenagers, and it was still great. The cost was low and the fun was high. We brought cereal and had breakfast each morning at the campsite. We even had stuff for sandwiches for lunch if we wanted.

 

[collins0616]

About how much is the cost for Ft. W? Im just wandering if it will be too hot by that time of the year to camp? I have always gone in the fall, but this past year we went 1st week of June, and it was pretty hot then. What other things are there for Scouts to do at Ft W that you remember? Anything special that might interact with badge work other than camping and camp cooking? Any special programs or freebies?

 

[collins0616]

You will need more than 2-3 condos, more like 3-4 BIG houses. Even a 6 bedroom house will have a maximum occupancy of about 14 people. Also, you will need all the bathrooms you can get! I can't even imagine trying to get all those girls ready and out the door in the morning.

The largest house we've stayed at was 5 br/4 ba in the Legacy Park development, and it slept 12 (including the sofa bed). There are lots of big homes in this area, but it is a 25 minute drive to World Drive. We paid $100/nt in January.

If you want to stay closer you will probably be looking at about $1600/wk per house considering the time of year you are going.

Here are some side-by-side rentals, as well as larger houses.

http://www.disney4villas.com/disney-villas-side-by-side/index.htm

Thanks for the heads up! Disney is offering discounted rooms at Sports but with only 4 per room, thats going to add up QUICK! That would be 10 rooms just for girls & leaders, not counting other families that will go. $100 a night after tax is going to be way out of our budget for that many rooms, so if I can book 3 or 4 houses for all of us, that will help alot!

 

[undertheradar]

Besides needing to get your local council's approval for your trip, have you considered the Fort Wilderness Cabins? You would be able to cook, saving lots of money. You would still be onsite, negating the daily parking charge.

 

[collins0616]

Besides needing to get your local council's approval for your trip, have you considered the Fort Wilderness Cabins? You would be able to cook, saving lots of money. You would still be onsite, negating the daily parking charge.

One week at 1 cabin would cost us over $2300. I can rent 2 houses for that. That route will not save us any money. The campground however would save tons however the fact of not being able to cook anything until we get back after a long day is not very appealing to me lol

 

[cajunbaby1]

First off--bless your heart; taking that many girls anywhere
Try going to AllEars.net and look under where to stay. I've seen they have a link to I believe it like All star rentals. Something like that. Anyways they rent out condos, houses w/pools, etc and the prices seemed fairly reasonable. All ears also shows you some Off site special that may be going on when y'all are down there.

Good luck

 

[karibritt01]

My Girl Scout troop has rented several houses through www.homeaway.com. You are usually working with the owner of the home, and have more leeway than with a rental agency. I have always explained that we will have extra people in the house because we are a GS troop, and that they will sleep in sleeping bags on the floor. We have never had an owner turn us down. I look for a home with a large carpeted room that will sleep as many girls as possible. We pack the girls into the great rooms, and use the bedrooms for the adults.

We have done a Butter Braid fundraiser the last 2 years to raise money for a Great Wolf Lodge trip. The bread dough sells pretty easily, and the profit is $5 per bread sold. We do this in the fall and wrap it up right before fall fundraiser. We also require a minimum participation in the cookie sale for the troop to pay a portion of the big trips. This year we will require 250 boxes of cookies for the troop to pay lodging ($45).

Hope that helps! Good luck... I wish we were going to WDW!!!

 

[crazelion]

I would sugguest hawthorne suites or another suite hotel that has 2 room suites that will sleep at people. I know some the hotels have free breakfast and that will save on breakfast too.

 

[collins0616]

My Girl Scout troop has rented several houses through www.homeaway.com. You are usually working with the owner of the home, and have more leeway than with a rental agency. I have always explained that we will have extra people in the house because we are a GS troop, and that they will sleep in sleeping bags on the floor. We have never had an owner turn us down. I look for a home with a large carpeted room that will sleep as many girls as possible. We pack the girls into the great rooms, and use the bedrooms for the adults.

We have done a Butter Braid fundraiser the last 2 years to raise money for a Great Wolf Lodge trip. The bread dough sells pretty easily, and the profit is $5 per bread sold. We do this in the fall and wrap it up right before fall fundraiser. We also require a minimum participation in the cookie sale for the troop to pay a portion of the big trips. This year we will require 250 boxes of cookies for the troop to pay lodging ($45).

Hope that helps! Good luck... I wish we were going to WDW!!!

Thanks for the awesome idea. I was really thinking about a couple of houses and letting the girls sleep on air mattresses or something in the floor. Most all I have looked at have game rooms/play rooms with lots of floor space!! Im sure if I give them the option of going to Disney & sleeping on the floor or not going at all, They will choose the floor lol.

 

[CarolAnnB]

Thanks for the awesome idea. I was really thinking about a couple of houses and letting the girls sleep on air mattresses or something in the floor. Most all I have looked at have game rooms/play rooms with lots of floor space!! Im sure if I give them the option of going to Disney & sleeping on the floor or not going at all, They will choose the floor lol.

FYI when we rented a house the game room was in the garage and the floor was cement and not carpeted or anything. Just something to check on with the particular houses you are in. If you are flying and everyone needs an air mattress that is a lot of extra luggage to consider if you have to pay for baggage. Your girls are lucky, we never thought about doing a trip that big!

 

[collins0616]

FYI when we rented a house the game room was in the garage and the floor was cement and not carpeted or anything. Just something to check on with the particular houses you are in. If you are flying and everyone needs an air mattress that is a lot of extra luggage to consider if you have to pay for baggage. Your girls are lucky, we never thought about doing a trip that big!

Oh yeah thanks for the heads up, never thought about that happening. Luckily, we are within a days drive, so we will be driving. If we had to fly, I seriously doubt that we would be able to make the trip, flights are outragious these days!