Where to stay with 4 kids?

[EmilyAnn]

I am planning a trip for my family, my mom, dad, sister, me, my husband, and our 4 kids. The kids will be 6, 5, 3, and 1 when we go. One of the older boys could stay in a room with my parents if needed. Where is the best place to stay with 5 adults, 3 kids, and an infant? Which will be more cost effective, staying on Disney property or renting a house nearby? We are planning to go either the first week of December 2014 or the week of Jan 31, 2015. We will be driving our minivan with all the kids in carseats and my parents and sister will be in my dad's huge truck.

 

[pooh4evr]

For that many people renting a house in Windsor Hills or another nearby community would probably be best. Your family alone would need a suite or 2 rooms at any Disney property. Of course it all depends on they type of experience you are looking for too. You would need 3 rooms for everyone (2 for you and your kids ad 1 for parents and sister) We booked through Travelocity last trip- stayed at all star sports- $90 a night (had 2 rooms so $180 a night) If you stay off site factor in parking at the parks (which isn't to bad) and the whole fast pass thing- who knows what that will look like in a year!

 

[DisneyBliss7]

We are a family of 7(2 adults & 5 kids), we rented points this past trip and stayed at AKV in a two bedroom which sleeps up to 9 plus an infant. There's a section here on Disboards that has a lot of info and will direct you We did use a different company but they are both great to use. You could also google it. (I don't think I can post the link).

 

[ParkHopperFan]

Offsite will give you the most bang for your buck. Room to spread out will be appreciated by all.

Try searching HomeAway.com for rentals for your desired weeks.

 

[EmilyAnn]

Offsite will give you the most bang for your buck. Room to spread out will be appreciated by all.

Try searching HomeAway.com for rentals for your desired weeks.

even if we go during a time when free dining is offered?

 

[4HppyCamprs]

We are a family of 6 when we go to disney since we take my mom and our last trip we stayed at Doubletree suites in Downtown Disney. March 2013 for my spring break was 965.00. Great shuttle service. Pretty easy walk to DTD. We prefer to be inside the Disney bubble as much as possible. Lots of options in Orlando!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[GrumpyMom25]

Since you have an infant you could get connecting rooms at a Value Resort. The 1 year old could sleep in a crib. As you said, one of the older kids could go into the room with the other adults in your group.

 

[3BoysRDisneyFreaks]

Since you are already driving I would rent a house off property. It would be really nice space for all of you. What I like too is being able for the family to eat their breakfast while I get ready. And having a washer and dryer has saved us too.

 

[star72232]

I'm assuming with small kids you are looking at at least some days with naps and many days with early nights. You can get an off-site house within minutes of Disney that has 5+ bedrooms for the cost of one moderate value room. Think about the ability to go watch TV or read a book or spend some time by your private pool while the kids sleep. Or, stay in one room with 4 kids, creep around while they sleep and, unless you are all used to sharing a room, wake each other up multiple times. I have 4 kids (8, 7, 3, 1) and I would never spend more than one night in one room with all (or even with 3) of them.

 

[Rylee]

even if we go during a time when free dining is offered?

If you want the Dining Plan, free or not, you must stay on Disney property at a Disney resort, as it is only available to resort guest.

The lowest cost Disney resorts are the Value hotels. If one of your children is in your parents room, and because one will be under 3, you could rent 2 Value rooms, (1 room with 4, other room with 4 + 1 under 3 y/o.) Two value rooms is your cheapest option.

 

[squirrel]

Two value rooms would be the cheapest option. You wouldn't have a lot of room but it depends on what you are looking for. Request connecting rooms if you would like access to the room your parents are in with one of your kids.

Free dining might be available for Dec. but I haven't ever seen it available for Jan.

Depending on the Dining Plan you want, you might be better off booking a moderate (you will have to run the numbers) if you get free dining.

 

[Badamon]

Hands down I would recommend a rental house or even a large condo off property. I didn't find the rooms spacious enough for the four of us and you certainly have more family with you than we did. There are true benefits and "magic" to be had staying on property, but for us it's just simply not worth the extra cost or space limitations. We appreciate having a full kitchen to do as much cooking (or as little!) as we want and as a PP mentioned a washer/dryer is super handy (especially with kids). That's my two cents, for what it's worth!
Good luck with your decision and have a wonderful time!

 

[Darcy03231]

We're a family of 6 and when we all travel we rent a house off-property. There's no way I would put us all in 2 hotel rooms. I'd be crazy by the end of the week.

I've found that disney dining, even with a big family, doesn't really save all that much over renting a house and eating what we want, when we want. Overall, I've found that the dining plan is just way too much food for our family and we do better paying OOP for our meals.

To get free dining you have to pay rack rate on your room. If you stay in a value room (cheapest), I think rack rate is about $160 night. You'd need 2 rooms so now you're up to $320/night. I've rented a 5 bdrm/3 bath private pool home for $100/night. Free dining would give you 2 counter service meals (runs about $10/per adult and $8/per child - per meal, so about $88 for meals) and snacks are about $4 per snack and you get 2 a day so there's another $40. So with the "free" dining you get about $130 worth of food a day. You also get the resort mugs, but you still have to pay OOP for one meal a day.

We use our regular grocery budget to stock the rental house. We eat breakfast at the house and bring some snacks and water into the parks with us. Typically we eat one meal a day in the parks and then the rest either at restaurants outside the parks on the way back to the house or get something easy to take with us to eat at the house (pizza, take out Chinese, etc.). We made note of places to eat along 192 and got take out menus. We'd call in an order as we were leaving the parks and pick it up on the way back to the house.

 

[squirrel]

We're a family of 6 and when we all travel we rent a house off-property. There's no way I would put us all in 2 hotel rooms. I'd be crazy by the end of the week.

I've found that disney dining, even with a big family, doesn't really save all that much over renting a house and eating what we want, when we want. Overall, I've found that the dining plan is just way too much food for our family and we do better paying OOP for our meals.

To get free dining you have to pay rack rate on your room. If you stay in a value room (cheapest), I think rack rate is about $160 night. You'd need 2 rooms so now you're up to $320/night. I've rented a 5 bdrm/3 bath private pool home for $100/night. Free dining would give you 2 counter service meals (runs about $10/per adult and $8/per child - per meal, so about $88 for meals) and snacks are about $4 per snack and you get 2 a day so there's another $40. So with the "free" dining you get about $130 worth of food a day. You also get the resort mugs, but you still have to pay OOP for one meal a day.

We use our regular grocery budget to stock the rental house. We eat breakfast at the house and bring some snacks and water into the parks with us. Typically we eat one meal a day in the parks and then the rest either at restaurants outside the parks on the way back to the house or get something easy to take with us to eat at the house (pizza, take out Chinese, etc.). We made note of places to eat along 192 and got take out menus. We'd call in an order as we were leaving the parks and pick it up on the way back to the house.

I know I haven't done free dining the past two years but the value resorts were about $100 a night. If you book a preferred room then it will be more.

I always threw in a box of Cherrios for us in the morning and packed a few bowls. You can also make oatmeal by using the hot water in the food court.

For me it was the convenience of staying on property. I didn't have to rent a car to get me from the airport and for use getting to and from the parks. I could do the EMH if I wanted. All purchases were sent to our resort, no worrying that they would get lost or stolen.

The DDP has changed a bit since I did Free Dining but I still think it's a good deal for larger families. It wasn't a good deal if you stayed at a deluxe resort and sometimes was a good deal at a moderate depending on how many in a room and their ages. Another bonus is everyone doesn't have to go back together in the vehicles. If staying on property, if some want to head back to the resort they can and don't have to worry how the others will get back.

 

[Darcy03231]

I know I haven't done free dining the past two years but the value resorts were about $100 a night. If you book a preferred room then it will be more.
I always threw in a box of Cherrios for us in the morning and packed a few bowls. You can also make oatmeal by using the hot water in the food court.

For me it was the convenience of staying on property. I didn't have to rent a car to get me from the airport and for use getting to and from the parks. I could do the EMH if I wanted. All purchases were sent to our resort, no worrying that they would get lost or stolen.

The DDP has changed a bit since I did Free Dining but I still think it's a good deal for larger families. It wasn't a good deal if you stayed at a deluxe resort and sometimes was a good deal at a moderate depending on how many in a room and their ages. Another bonus is everyone doesn't have to go back together in the vehicles. If staying on property, if some want to head back to the resort they can and don't have to worry how the others will get back.

We did the first week of December 2011 with free dining (we stayed on-site as only three of us were traveling). I pulled out my paperwork and we paid $738.56 for five nights, including all taxes (approximately $147/night). I'm guessing that the rates have gone up since then. When you get free dining you pay rack rate for your room. This was when the values had the DDP instead of the QSDP, so it was a better value for the money.

 

[Lilliputian]

I used to be a die-hard on-site only person, but now that I have 5 kids, we like staying off-site. We've only stayed in houses at Windsor Hills and have no motivation to check other areas because we love it there so much. You'll love having separate rooms, lots of bathrooms, a game room in the garage, and your own pool. Then there's also your own washer and dryer plus a full kitchen that you can use however much you choose to. Since you'll have 2 cars, you'll have a lot of flexibility, so it will be wonderful.

You can get really good prices on those houses when you get them off VRBO. You should be able to get a 5 bedroom home for around $1500/week or less. You do have to factor in daily parking for 2 cars at WDW, but it will still work out well, and you won't all want to kill each other.

With Free Dining, you'd only get quick service meals at values. When you have your own kitchen, you can make a few good meals in a crock pot, or you can even cook your meals before you go and take them with you frozen to reheat when needed. We did that on our last trip, and it was lovely.

 

[TDugdell]

We've stayed onsite at Coronado springs with one child, in a two bed room (she was almost 3). I'll never do that again. While Disney thoughtfully provides a "curtain" to close off the bathroom section and we hung out there, it wasn't pleasant while she went to sleep.

We stay at Windsor Hills now. We're getting a 3 bedroom condo for $79 a night in January. We'll plan a couple of dinners at the parks, but do the others at the condo. Even with paying for parking, we come out ahead.
Windsor Hills is great, has a great pool, playground and is just 5 minutes off site. We like having the space. It's worth it to give up early/late magic hours. I like not dealing with any Disney buses (nothing like cranky kids waiting forever for a bus).

However, you should always do the math; and depends upon your kids and how they do together in 1 or 2 hotel rooms (we don't do well cramped like that for more than 1 night).

Tracie

 

[Ladygoldenhair]

Since you have an infant you could get connecting rooms at a Value Resort. The 1 year old could sleep in a crib. As you said, one of the older kids could go into the room with the other adults in your group.

We have done this and stayed in suites. I found I will not be as concerned about the free dining as the space. Maybe a Disney pro can cram everyone into the small living space, but I found off site nearby the least cost, even purchasing food, and less stressful.

Last summer we stayed at he Blue Tree West Gate. We had two full bedrooms, a not so comfortable fold out sofa, but it was okay. However the square footage over the Disney bedroom room only is spectacular. The layout, tv's, full kitchen, pools, laundry, quick type breakfast with juices and all was wonderful.

I know there are other places that are used but for our experience there it was great! It was well under $800 for 8 nights instead of the $180+ a night.
We had breakfast there, could pack drinks, fruit and snacks, ate a park meal and snack. But, we had AP's so that reduced the parking and other discounts during the park. I didn't even miss the magic hours. The drive to the park took 10 minutes, sometimes driving resort to parks was a half hour with getting lost on internal roads.

That was the most relaxed, best Disney trip of the four we had that year. The others were attached inside, if they managed right. Once it took two days to get them inside connected.
Unless its two of us, with a great AP discount, I really will stay off site for the most room and savings.
Just my experience.

 

[susanv]

Offsite is definitely cheaper, and you do have more room in a house than a hotel room.

That being said we still choose to stay on site. Are we spoiled yes, is it worth it to us, yes. Luckily we have DVC, however when we run out of points we rent on property. Have fit all 6 of us into a single hotel room at POR. Baby slept in pack n'play, oldest daughter in trundle bed and DS with DH in one bed, DD with me in other bed. Depends on how much space you need. Our kids get night time anxiety and separation anxiety so they would just end up in our room anyways. It was a very nice stay other than being on second floor after a 28 hour drive with no elevator and a lot of luggage to bring up. Have stayed at GF, and Beach Club with the room discount and we all fit nicely into one room. When we priced it out it was not much more for us to stay with the higher discount in the deluxe or moderates than it was to stay in a family suite at AoA. Made the vacation to just hop on the monorail, or a boat to head to some of the parks. Also a nice stroll from BC to DHS for Star Wars Weekends. The bus ride from POR wasn't bad to get to the parks either.

Still cheaper to rent a house though.

 

[naynheath]

Yea i am debating staying on site with free dining or renting a house. Its definitely not easy to figure out. I am a family of five and really and weighing the benefits of staying on and off site. I know if i stayed off then it would be quieter and we would have more room but I also worry about pricing of food. I am thinking it would be about 100 each for each day we are there (two good meals) and I also want character dining twice and I hear those are expensive especially with three kids. Any advise on this?