Where to stay? 2 young dds, parents, 2 sets grandparents, & a partridge ina peartree!

[SSPrincessMom]

Help! We are coming to Disney in Dec (9-17) with our extended family and can not decide where to stay. Here are some facts about us:
1. We are traveling with my Dh, DD (4 1/2) younger DD (will turn 1 while on our trip ) my parents, my inlaws.
2. My MIL will need handicap access room. She is not in a wheelchair but has trouble with showers that are in tubs, lots of stairs, long walks, etc.
3. Afternoon breaks are a must for us for naps for younger DD.
4. We will be going to MK 5x (some night, some day) Epcot/MGM 5x between the two, and AK 1x.

So....we don't know where to stay! We stayed at GF in 03 (just dh, dd, and myself) and LOVED it. The monorail was GREAT! But that is NOT in our budget this time, nor in the budget of those traveling with us!

We have a quote for WL for $255 (that would be the absolute most we could spend) Is it worth it to be that close to MK? Should we look into a moderate? What about a cabin at FW? We've also thought about trying to rent DVC points. My biggest concerns are transportation. I've heard so many things about busses (some good some bad) and don't know if we stay at a moderate if we will really miss the convience of being so close to MK to return for afternoon naps. Is the extra expense worth it?

I really need to rub my magic lamp and have a Disney hotel that is not too much $$ that has good transportation option!

I know there is no perfect hotel out there, but thought you experts could give me some insite on what might be the best option for our family! Any advice would be great! Thanks so much!!!

 

[kaytieeldr]

$255 per room, or total? The absolute minimum you'd need would be two rooms (with seven people over 3, you won't fit in a cabin).
A two-bedroom unit at Beach Club Villas would cost you $382 per night total during the cheapest season based on an assumed cost of $10 per point. Two studios at Old Key West would cost you just under $235 ($118 each) per night, total, based on the same $10 per point rental during Choice season, or $312 ($156 each) during Dream season. Two studios at Villas Wilderness Lodge will cost you a total of $352 ($186 each) per night during Magic season. Note that DVC studios and one-bedrooms hold a maximum of four Guests each, while the two-bedroom villas hold up to 8.
Or, for $255 per night you can get three standard rooms at a Value Resort during value season; two rooms at a Moderate Resort would cost you just over $300 per night total.

 

[emmasmom]

we rented points at VWL for a 2 BR. It seems to be pretty big...the points are worth it if you stay on weeknights. Weekends are very pricey!!! I think it's costing around $320 a night for all of us. That includes tax and the ME. I think it's a great deal considering we are a boat ride away from MK and have a 2 1/2 year old and 6 month old. Good Luck!!

 

[mafibisha]

$255 per room, or total? The absolute minimum you'd need would be two rooms
Or, for $255 per night you can get three standard rooms at a Value Resort during value season; two rooms at a Moderate Resort would cost you just over $300 per night total.

We're planning a similar trip so I'll be reading this thread with great interest. I think having a little space would be nice, so we're leaning towards three rooms, hopefully adjoining, so we all have our own bathrooms. We're a close family but even at home we like our own *facilities*!

 

[DisneyMomx7]

What about three rooms at a moderate resort. They run about $150-$175 per night (cheaper than WL), you'd have plenty of room, could use Disney transportation and they all have handicapped accessible rooms. You would just have to decide which theming suits your family best.

 

[minnie61650]

I would highly recommend The All Star Resorts. They also have great bus service.
The children will love it there.
I would also suggest that because of mobility issues she should rent an ECV
from an offsite company.
I have Spinal stenosis and have rented mine from Care Medical (800-741-2282) and Walker Mobility (888-726-6837) in the past. I would recommend either one.The cost is about $30 a day. The ones at the parks cost $35 a day and are bigger and have 4 wheels kinda like a golf card. They are harder to steer and to control. If she rents from an offsite rental they will deliver the EVC to bell services at the resort. She can use it to go to the pool, and food court as well as the bus stop.
All Disney buses are accessible. I love using my EVC it gives me more indepence and helps keep my pain to a minimum. The rooms at Pop and All Stars are the same size but there is more room between the door and the bed than at POP. I just back my EVC into the room, plug it in and I ready to go to the parks in the morning.
Also the beds are bolted down at POP but you are able to move the ones at All Stars to give you a little more useable floor space.
If she decides to rent an EVC (which I highly recomment) she can practice using one at a local store such as Wal Mart or Target. Those are a little bigger than the rental ones but the practice will help.
I will give you more tips on a second post I will call Part Two.
Linda

 

[minnie61650]

I am 55 years old and travel several times a year. I often stay at 4 star hotels.
So the deluxe resorts do not have anything special for me.
All Star is like being in the heart of the Magic and that is where I want to be.

Here is a site with a map of All Star Sports and All Star Music.
http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/allstarmap.htm
Scroll down.All Star Music is at the bottom of the page.
The Calypso buildings at All Star Music are #1 and #10 are nearest to the food court and bus stop.
They are the preferred buildings and cost about $12 extra per night.
The Calypso pool at ASMU has Donald Duck.

Here is the map of All Movies.
http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/allstarmovie.JPG
The Fantasia Buildings are the preferred buildings.
The All Star Movie Fantasia pool has Mickey.
It is a great place to stay .
Preschoolers love it.
It is like being in the middle of a Disney Movie Fantasyland.

The buses are wonderful.

Bus rides are quite short from the ALL Stars according to PassPorter.com

All Star Buses-CBR buses---POPbuses--PO buses--- Contemporary
MK 20 min---- 20 min-----25 min------10 min---20 min(mono)
Epcot 10 min-- 15 min-----20 min------10 min---15 min
MGM 10 min----12 min-----15 min------15 min---20min
AK 10 min------20min-------15 min----15 min---20 min
DTD 15 min----20 min------20 min-----15 min---35 min

It only takes 10 minutes to get to Epcot,MGM and AK from All Stars.
MK is 20 min away. That's the same amount of time it takes on the monorail from the Contemporary.


I have visited WDW more than a dozen times with the 1st time in Oct. 1971. It was brand new. I've stayed at FW, Disney Inn, a few the of Hotels on hotel Blvd., CBR and the towers at the Contemporary. I got to see the MK from my balcony at the Contemporary and I'm happy I got to experience it once. I just prefer the All Star Resorts.
The theaming is pure Disney.
My last 4 visits have been at The All Stars and this fall when we take dd,dsil, and our grandson age 3 we are staying at the All Stars Music. I thought about AKL and even though we can well afford AKL I just wanted Alex to experience the Disney Magic at the All Stars on his first visit.
Where else can one find Donald Duck or Mickey Mouse at the pool?
Have a great time at Disney!
Linda
__________________

 

[puffkin]

With first reading your post, I would say a monorail resort would suit your needs the best. You could get two rooms and have very easy access to the MK, which seems to be your primary focus. I don't know how the Lodge would be for the older people in your group. The boat dock is a bit of a walk, and if it is cold (which it could be in December), it is not the most pleasant mode of transportation. I also have heard that the bus service at the lodge is spotty, so that is a consideration as well.

I think any of the moderates would involve a great deal of walking, even in a handicap rooms. Plus, transportation could take awhile, the resorts are huge. If you have a car, this could be a good option for you. I also think due to the room sizes, you would definitely need 3 rooms at the moderates, whereas you might be able to swing only two at the deluxes.

I also don't think that DVC would be available during your trip. That is a very popular time of the year for DVC members due to the low point structure. I would bet you would have a hard time finding availability, and only then probably at SSR and OKW. Again, the transportation at these resorts could be an issue, so you would probably need a car due to the size and limitations of your party.

I would suggest either trying to come up with the money for a monorail resort (the Contemporary wings might be in your price range) or maybe try the Animal Kingdom Lodge. The prices there are a bit cheaper and you would have all the amenities/luxuries of a deluxe resort. Plus, while the kids are napping, the adults could enjoy viewing the animals. It is remote from the MK, but we have found the bus service to be excellent there; only one bus stop then direct to the park, no sharing. It is actually much quicker than taking the busses from the moderates, that make mulitple stops. If you have a car, the moderates might be a good choice.

I hope this helps!

 

[SSPrincessMom]

Thanks to all of of you for all the great advice! One thing I wasn't clear on, was that we will have 3 rooms no matter where we stay. My MIL needs the extra room (especially if she gets the ECV (thanks for the suggestion, minnie61650!) Also, with our baby, we will need to set up a pack n' play so that takes space as well. Also, my in-laws will be driving in so we will have one car (Expedition) so we could all squeeze in for a trip to the parks or just have some take the bus and meet at the park. I do think the monorail would be the best for convience, but I don't know if we could swing the price for three rooms there. That was good info about the Pop resorts (thanks again, minnie61650) and about AKL (thanks, Pufkin!) I've always wanted to stay there but was a little concerned about the location. If the transportation is good from there, that might be the best option. I've heard so many mixed things about transportation at a moderate so I wasn't sure if that was the best thing for us. Have any of you stayed at moderates? Are there some that have better transportation than others? If we went with a moderate, do you think we should just plan on driving our own car? I didn't want to have to "depend" on this for each day, just b/c I feel when you are on vacation, it is nice to let others drive for you! But, if it saves a lot of hassle and time, it may be worth taking our own car each day... We were really interested in renting points after reading some info on that here on the DIS, but now I'm thinking that may not work since that is such a popular time for DVC members to come. Anyway, thanks again for all the help! mafibisha, good luck planning your trip also!

 

[minnie61650]

Monorail resorts are wonderful when going to and from the MK.
However when going to Epcot you must take the monorail to the TTC walk down the ramp then walk up another steep ramp to get on the monorail for Epcot. Once on the epcot monorail its a 10 min. ride to Epcot.
Also the ramps at TTC are very hard to maneuver in a WC or ECV because they are too steep.
Just a little someting to concider.
Linda

 

[minnie61650]

I just read your post and I'm glad you are concidering an ECV for MIL.
Thanks for the thank-yous.
I have heard a lot of good things about the transportaion from AK. Here is a recent thread.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=895511

The bus rides are quite short from Ak according to PassPorter.com

AK busride times
MK 20 min.
Epcot 15min.
MGM 10 min.
AK 5 min.

AK only looks like it is far away. It is really closer to the parks than most people realize.

Moderrates:
I stayed at CBR. that place was spread out too much for me.
It had 7 bus stops.
I have read good things about POFQ and POR.
POFQ is the first bus stop and the bus makes 4 other stops at POR.
Since the buses only hold 2 WCs and or EVC's I would opt for POFQ or rooms at POR which are on the first stop.
CSR has 4 stops and is so spread out that they have an internal bus(actully golf carts) that shuttle guests to and from the pools and resturants.

Keep us posted on where you choose to stay!

Have a great time at Disney!
Linda

 

[puffkin]

We have stayed at POR and CBR and both resorts take at least 10-15 minutes to make the loop through the resort to hit all the stops. Add to that the loading of an ECV, which would probably take another couple of minutes. With your size party, I would suggest POFQ since it is the first stop to and from the parks. But beaware, it will take at least 10 minutes to circle through POR plus drive time to a park. It might be better to use the car for all parks except MK since you will have an ECV. For the MK, it is better to take the bus since it drops you off at the front rather than the Transportation and Ticket Center.

We don't like to drive either while on vacation, so we don't really mind the busses too much. But we did get spoiled staying at the AKL and only having the one stop. That was really nice. However, with the size of your party and the ECV, you might want to save the hassle of the busses and drive, especially depending on which resort you ultimately choose.

 

[*Fantasia*]

I only read your post. STAY AT WL!! They have great transportation! You can take the boat or the bus to MK. I find the bus to MK a lot faster and it is never crowded on the bus (Oh.. I miss WL!) It is a beautiful breathtaking resort! Courtyard view.. you're in heaven! I love staying at the CY! I enjoy looking around and see beauty of nature and I also like to people watch... and also watch the water spurt off the gyser. I enjoy watching EWP from my balcony. You guys will enjoy your dining at WCC! The food is excellent and the service is great! I LOVE IT!

 

[emmasmom]

PrincessMom-
So much info....what a great thread!! Just wanted to note that if you were interested in renting points, go to the DVC boards and ask someone to check availability for your dates. That way you will know immediately if it's even an option. We thought we were too late to find availability, but had no trouble. Good luck with your plans...whatever you do!!

 

[Bugsmom73]

I would look into either WL or Contempary, in a wing room. I would call and see what is available. You are right on the three rooms and with mobility issues and young kids, the closer you are to MK, the better. CR sounds like it would be the ideal place for you.

 

[Eeyore2003]

I agree with renting points for a 2 bedroom villa at Wilderness Lodge. It's not monorail, but it's at least "by boat" to MK. The two bedroom sleeps 8 people plus a rented crib. You could see if they have anything handicapped accesible. The only problem here though, is the fact that it's late and I would check right away. What about the CR Garden Rooms. You'd still have the convenience of the monorail and the convenient set up of the Contemporary and I know they're less expensive but really not sure how much. Otherwise I'd go with the Wilderness Lodge. I've not done it myself as my kids were older since we've been going, but I would thing strollers seem like a hassle on the bus. I'm not much of a bus person.

Another option is renting at Boardwalk Villas. It is very easy to get to at least EPCOT and MGM by the boats, but you'd still have the bus to MK.

 

[SSPrincessMom]

Just giving an update as to what we are thinking right now. First, I can't thank you guys enough for all the great suggestions! I'm so glad I found this board! Hopefully, after this trip, I will be able to pass along some knowledge to others as well! Emmasmom, thanks for the idea on checking on points on the DVC board. I'm going to do that tonight. I'm thinking if they are available, that might be the best bet. Otherwise, we are leaning toward AKL. Just from what you all have said, the transportation seems to be good, and my MIL and FIL can use their car if the busses are too much of a hassle for them. I can get the best rate for a deluxe at AKL, so I think that is the best "comprimise" for all of us as far as saving some $$ and still having the deluxe feel. Anyway, we are meeting with my in-laws tonight so all of this might change by tomorrow! I just wanted to thank you all again for the ideas and suggestions! Who knows, AKL or DVC villa this trip and maybe WL for the next!

 

[SueM in MN]

Since you are considering WL, I wanted to point out that (depending on the water levels) the large boats from WL to MK are not always accessible to wheelchairs or ECVs. If the boat is floating too high or too low compared to the dock, the ramp that they use to load wheelchairs/ecvs is too steep.
The CMs have some "tricks" to deal with it - including things like loading the ECV first if they need the empty boat to be floating high in the water. Or loading all the other passengers first if the need their weight to make the boat sink.
There are also some smaller boats that are not wheelchair/ecv accessible at all. Almost 100% of the buses are wheelchair accessible, so they are an option.

 

[lovewdwdvc]

I really think that i would check DVC rent/trade board. You would have a number of workable options there including 3 studios,two bedroom and a studio or a grand. You might be surprised at availability. The handicapped accessible rooms are quite nice.

 

[Skroops]

We recently stayed at the SSR, and it is beautiful. We will definately do it again. Some posters think that it lacks the charm or the WDW feel, we disagree. We rented a 1 bedroom so that we could put the crib in the living room. Our toddler will not sleep if we are in the same room. It worked out great. When our baby gets older, then we can do the deluxe resorts with one room for our family. Until then, home away from home resorts and the cabins (which are charming, but more challenging for phyically disabled IMO) are what suits us best.
We are renting points from a DVC owner for a 2 bedroom at WLV, for a bigger family get together next month. I think it is a great way to go. There are many advantages including the full kitchen (especially for babies and toddlers), in room laundry, and on-property WDW amenities.