Tips on family of 5 staying in same hotel room

[snowyday]

We are staying at the Poly for a week in January - me, DH, DD9, DD7 and DS4. When we stay at hotels we always get a suite or two rooms, but you kind folks here convinced me that staying on the monorail would work well for our first trip and one room at the Poly is nearly a budget buster itself. Up until now I have been so busy planning, planning, planning that I haven't really thought about how tight it will be with all 5 of us in one room. Is there enough room for the suitcases and to hang all the clothes? I have seen pics, but it's hard to really tell from them how much space there is for our stuff. I'd love to hear from others about how it was to be in such close quarters. The parks aren't open late in January, so I think we will be in our rooms pretty early for me and DH to sleep. What do you do after the kids go to sleep? Sit in the bathroom and play parcheesi??

I'd appreciate any info anyone could give me - negative, positive, tips to get by...

Thanks!

 

[Disfan3]

It is really NOT tight for us at the POLY! We have 4 GIRLS (including me and the three little girls...) and we do just fine!! It is a big room and the daybeds are spacious and the room had plenty storage for our needs. Maybe ask for a balcony in case you or dh want to stay up later than the kids and you can both sit outside while getting the kids to sleep? That might be a suggestion. I can say that the bathrooms are not as family friendly as POR or Beach Club because the bath-shower is in the same room as the sinks...and the toilet area...you have to walk through the sink shower area.

I have also stayed at POR with 5 of us (5 girls...girls trip!) and it was very roomy and spacious and in fact I liked the set up better than the Poly as far as bathroom.

You will all be very happy at the Poly. The access to MK and EP is great and the rooms are very luxurious (IMO).

P.S. We are not picky...I am almost certain the five of us could stay at POP and be just as happy!!!

The monorail access kicks butt!! You will love it!

 

[vicceja]

We stayed at the Poly June 2006 and BC July 2007 and will stay at the BC again in 2 weeks . My Family, Me, Hubby, DS11, DS9 and DS6 fit comfortably in both the Poly and the BC. I think you guys will be perfect.

 

[AJKMOM]

You could always see if you could change to the fort Wilderness cabins. They are great for a large family.

We, however, had 5 at AKL when it first opened, and it was OK. Maybe you could get a room with a balcony or patio where you could relax while the kids went to bed. We found that they slept better at WDW because they were tired. The rooms are pretty big compared to the Values and Moderates. I wouldn't want to be there with 4 others I wasn't related to, but for my immediate family it worked out fine.

 

[TLSnell1981]

You guys will be fine at the Poly as long as you don't bring a dozen suitcases! Just because the parks close early ( although Epcot is open until 9pm every night) doesn't mean you have to go to bed early. You can opt for later dinners or go to DTD or DQ.....take a stroll at the Boardwalk. I think the Poly has an arcade. (seems like I remember my DH and kids spending time there) There are many things to do if it's too early for bedtime!

 

[Mommaof3]

We are a family of five and have stayed at the Poly Twice (#3 next month!). My feeling is that you will be ok, but do be organized. I find it better to put clothes in the drawers and then nestle suitcases together. I also take a plastic "hangs-from-the-door" shoe rack to organize bathroom items. It helps keep things off the counter around the sink but items are easy to get to. Any bought items that can be stored in luggage helps put things away also. I hope you have fun. The Poly is a very pretty place! Melissa

 

[cdrn1]

We stayed at Poly for five nights in Oct. Myself, 3 adult DD's, DGD 3, and DGS 1. We did fine. The room was really big. We had roughly ten suitcases and two strollers; there was plenty of closet space (but we are all fairly low maintenance). We had the lovely balcony. The transportation options were wonderful. One DD slept on the daybed, DGD slept in a chair and ottoman (she LOVED it); the Bathroom was a little tight.
After the kids went to sleep we spent time on the balcony or in chairs on the beach.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We were five in the Polynesian on our first WDW trip. We brought our two nieces (11 and 9) and our 4 yr old son. It worked out great for us. I slept in the daybed several nights (we let the girls share a bed and my husband and son shared the other).

There were times when I went back to the room with our son for a nap and my husband took the girls for a swim or to shop (they were great shoppers). At night time, he and I would sit out on the balcony (make sure you request a room with a balcony) and the kids would hit the beds. Or we would all head to bed after we watched the fire works from the beach or the balcony (we were in Moorea which is now called Tahiti with a lagoon view).

 

[frdeb1999]

There are always 5 of us when we stay at the Poly. We have never really felt that it was'nt enough room. And we have quite big kids. It's my hubby, myself, dd 18, dd16 and dd11. There has always been more then enough room for suitcases, closet space and drawer space. We stay here all the time and love the size of the rooms. Hope you have a wonderful trip! I'm sure you'll be very happy!