when did you move from studio to 1 br?

[emmababy]

We have stayed in studio for last 3 trips and has worked out fine. DD is still in pack n play. However, we are expecting ds in august. Was wondering how long we can do studio before having to move up to a 1 br? As it stands now, we can go 2x/year with 150 points in studios. Don't want to have to buy more points unless absolutely necessary.

Thanks!

 

[smsnorthup]

We always booked a studio for myself, dh and dd6 and once a year a 2bd at OKW when my sister and her family come. Definitely spoils you to stay in a 1 bd or bigger but I like to go often and we only have 150 points, hence the studio. However, we now have a 5 month old and we stayed at AKL in March in a value studio. dd6 on pullout couch, ds in pack n play and us in the bed and it was really cramped. I know the values are smaller than the standard rooms but I don't think the 3-4 extra feet would have made that much of a difference. From now on it's a 1 bd for this family of 4. When ds gets a bit older we might be able to do a studio every now and then. Babies have alot of stuff! And it's nice to have a separate room when they're sleeping. He was still waking up to nurse in the middle of the night and I was so worried that he would wake dd6 and she wouldn't be rested for the busy day. Needless to say, I wasn't very rested! But all in all, still had a great time, just a little more work!

 

[JVL1018]

We only stayed in a studio on our first trip-I was pregnant with our first child.Oh and our first trip when she was 3.5 months old we did a split stay, studio/1 bedroom.
Once she was 2 and DS was born, we moved to a 1 bedroom-I don't like sharing a room with kids.

I have stayed in regular hotel rooms with them on one trip-last August when they wre almost 6 and almost 8 (besides the occasional one night before we check into DVC) and DH and I both agreed, never again.
They do NOT go to sleep unless all the lights are off and the TV is off, and it drives me crazy to sit there in the dark waiting for them to fall asleep so I can turn on the light and read before bed.

When they were very little, DS would be in the pack and play, DD would be in the King Bed and DH and I would hang out in the living room until we wanted to go to sleep-so we were all still sharing a bedroom, we just didn't have to tiptoe around the kids in the same room until they fell asleep.
Once they were 2 and 4 they started sleeping on the pullout in the living room.

 

[emmababy]

Thanks! I was also wondering how sleeping arrangements worked when they are still little, so you answered that too!

 

[a cape lad]

we stay in a 2 BR with 5 kids. when the youngest was 1 and 2 she slept in the pack n play in the master BR closet. lol.

last trip they all slept together in the 2 beds in the second BR, although we let the youngest sleep with us a few nights. they are so tired they zonk out before we even get back to the room from dinner.

 

[Brian Noble]

I haven't stayed in a single hotel room for more than a night or two (including non-Disney destinations) since my first was born. Always a minimum of a suite with a closable door between the two areas.

If I have to pretend to be asleep at eight o'clock at night, it's not vacation.

 

[Noreendisfour]

We're a family of 4 and we go back and forth between a studio and a 1BR depending on length of trip, what our plans are for that trip, or if I'm going to try to take a ladies only trip in addition to our family trip. It just depends what's going on. Sometimes we need to make the points stretch, other times it's a let's go for broke attitude.

 

[Starr W.]

I haven't stayed in a single hotel room for more than a night or two (including non-Disney destinations) since my first was born. Always a minimum of a suite with a closable door between the two areas.

If I have to pretend to be asleep at eight o'clock at night, it's not vacation.

I think we have stayed in single hotel room once with the kids. It was for one night and yuck I refused to go anywhere again if we were all in the same room. and no king size bed(ha I sound like Deb&Bill )

Like you we have always gotten connecting rooms, rented 1br or 2br timeshares or condo. We had some sort of a "family" hotel room up in Mackinaw City one year(youngest loved the place and MC).

 

[eporter66]

Our first trip as DVC members was in May of 2004 at SSR. We booked a studio, as we also sent my parents on a vacation and wanted to save points for them. It was also our last childless visit.

So - I guess once we had our daughter we decided to go to the one bedroom. It allows us the freedom of putting her down for her normal bedtime (8:00), and we can hang out in the living area and not worry about the TV or just being able to talk to each other after she is in bed.

Our Second trip (w/ out daughter) we booked a 1 Bedroom at BWV's, and have never looked back. Our upcoming trip in October will be our first time in a two bedroom as we are bringing some family with us.

As much as I enjoy the other resorts, if we continue to stay at either SSR or OKW (especially) we do really good on points. I really have no interest going back to a studio at this point, we love the one bedroom. And it is not entirely about the extra space, as we use the kitchen a lot, especially for breakfast. We have breakfast in the room, get a good start to the day, and can get to the parks for opening.

 

[StayFLA]

when did you move from studio to 1 br?

Right away! that is why we bought. 6 people was a b**ch. The choice is yours. Money (points) or space. DVC is all about what fits YOU. I bought because I didn't like studios. Give me kitchen, W/D, jacuzzi and DW is happy.

Ralph

 

[alldiz]

When I bought my points I had an extra yr banked.....so we splurged and stayed in a 1BR....BIG MISTAKE
Now I'm totally spoiled.....I love the 1br

My 1st studio stay was 2 weeks ago. DH stayed home....we were at BWV.
I have to say I thought the room was great....DD slept with DM and I had a bed to myself
I was impressed by the "kitchenette"....We made good use of it.
Kerri

 

[Disneyaholic]

If I have to pretend to be asleep at eight o'clock at night, it's not vacation.

I agree totally. Same with fighting over what to watch on one single TV! (DS could watch ESPN 24 hours a day...)

Also, some people say they don't want/need a kitchen because it's not vacation if they have to cook or do laundry. For me, it's not vacation if we're all crammed into one room. That's what DVC is all about!!

And as much as I love the idea of stretching points for additional nights, in reality I'd rather have fewer nights and FEEL like it's a vacation.

 

[Starr W.]

For me, it's not vacation if we're all crammed into one room. That's what DVC is all about!!

That's my motto too!

 

[StayFLA]

I agree totally. Same with fighting over what to watch on one single TV! (DS could watch ESPN 24 hours a day...)

Also, some people say they don't want/need a kitchen because it's not vacation if they have to cook or do laundry. For me, it's not vacation if we're all crammed into one room. That's what DVC is all about!!

And as much as I love the idea of stretching points for additional nights, in reality I'd rather have fewer nights and FEEL like it's a vacation.

I would like to stretch points, but I love to bring a guest. My parents brought a friend of mine to FW back in the 70's when we camped. I love seeing the kids and their friends have fun. Now I have a family of five so a two BDR is the Norm until the 18 yr old moves out. When me and the the wife fly solo, I can understand her demand for a one Bdr. The units are much more appealling.

Ralph

 

[Laurabearz]

You can sleep 4 in a studio for the life of your contract.. it isnt absolutely necessary buy more points.

With that said...

I think, esp with the new baby, having a washer and dryer, would be a blessing.

We bought DVC for the 1 and 2 bedroom units and are so very very grateful each and every time we walk into our villa.

 

[Luv2trav]

We stayed in a studio for the first time this past December to save points. I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was. Our children are 6 and 4 so it was a perfect age for us to stay in Studio. I think if they were still babies we would need a 1 bedroom so we could put the baby down for naps and get them to sleep at night. We did stay in 2 bedroom when they were babies and my mother traveled with us.

We are going again in about 1 month and we have another studio reserved. We feel it's just perfect for us right now. I can imagine once they get a little bigger we might move over to a 2 bedroom just because the will out grow the pull out. However I think we are 5-6 years from that. If it's just our family of 4 we are going to stick with studios...

 

[rellabee]

On our last trip, we stayed in a studio and brought 2 of our kids (ages 6 and 3 at the time). The studio was fine since we really aren't there that much. The kids fell asleep easily every night. The only time it felt crowded was in the morning when we were all trying to get ready, but I blame that on my 2 hyper and excited boys who were bouncing off the walls!

This next trip we jumped up to a 2 bedroom. We are also bringining our 1 year old (who stayed with grandparents the last time) and my mother, so a total of 6 people. I'm sure the space will spoil us forever!

 

[jodifla]

We bought DVC well before we had children with the idea in mind that we'd want larger accommodations when kids came along.

For us, if we need to be there for just a night or two or over the weekend, we use studios.

For longer stays, we get a 2 bedroom for the 3 of us, and often invite along friends.