Where to stay with 6 adults, 3 littles ages 6,3,2

[ksromack]

We are 2 parents of adult children and are bringing them, spouses, and our grands ages 6,3,2 this July. Contemplating a stay at

1. Bay Lake-2bd
2. Riviera-2 bd
3. Saratoga Springs-2 bd or treehouse
4. OLD key West-2 bd

I like the 3 bath situation at BL and the ability to walk to MK which I assume will be the most popular park. We know we love Riviera (loved the QS there) and skyliner (how often is skyliner down end of July)? We typically go in late fall or spring. Only stayed at OKW once and liked it but clearly the last 2 options don't have the most convenient transport. Never stayed at SS.

I expect naptime midday for the littles and doubtful they could stay up for live fireworks so is there a place to watch them from BL from the resort? I know you can if dining at Cali Grill but doubt we would dine there this trip.

Where would you stay if you were our family?

 

[AstroBlasters]

We are 2 parents of adult children and are bringing them, spouses, and our grands ages 6,3,2 this July. Contemplating a stay at

1. Bay Lake-2bd
2. Riviera-2 bd
3. Saratoga Springs-2 bd or treehouse
4. OLD key West-2 bd

I like the 3 bath situation at BL and the ability to walk to MK which I assume will be the most popular park. We know we love Riviera (loved the QS there) and skyliner (how often is skyliner down end of July)? We typically go in late fall or spring. Only stayed at OKW once and liked it but clearly the last 2 options don't have the most convenient transport. Never stayed at SS.

I expect naptime midday for the littles and doubtful they could stay up for live fireworks so is there a place to watch them from BL from the resort? I know you can if dining at Cali Grill but doubt we would dine there this trip.

Where would you stay if you were our family?

I would not try to squeeze everyone in a single room that isn’t a Grand Villa.

 

[CraigInPA]

BLT is really your choice here. You'll find the quick walk back to the tower from MK to be a godsend every nap time.

You can see the fireworks from the Theme Park rooms, the bridge that connects to the Contemporary, the Contemporary 4th floor terrace, and the Top of the World Lounge Terrace in BLT.

I suggest you ask for an even numbered room, and go for a Preferred (Lake) view if you don't want to spend the points on a Theme Park view. If they put you on the North side, you'll probably get a view of Tomorrowland for the price of a Preferred (Lake) View. If you're on the South side in a Preferred (Lake) view, you'll be able to watch the electric water pageant twice: once in front of the Tower, and once in front of Wilderness Lodge. If you're in an odd numbered room, you'll see the electric water pageant once, and you'll be looking at the pool.

Six adults is going to require, at minimum, a dedicated 2 bedroom. There should be sufficient space for pack and plays for the young ones among the three rooms that make up a 2 bedroom. Plus, three full baths! A 2 bedroom lock off won't cut it, because you'll be putting two of the adults into a murphy bed, which isn't ideal.

 

[CarolynFH]

I agree with BLT for the extra bathroom and location in walking distance to MK. Be sure to look at placement and type of beds in each vila and think about who will sleep where, especially with the wide range of ages and sleep needs.

 

[5kidsmommy]

My advice would be that a two bedroom really isn't big enough. If you are insisting on a two bedroom I'd go with OKW because it's large and you will need room.

 

[Judique]

BLT is really your choice here. You'll find the quick walk back to the tower from MK to be a godsend every nap time.

You can see the fireworks from the Theme Park rooms, the bridge that connects to the Contemporary, the Contemporary 4th floor terrace, and the Top of the World Lounge Terrace in BLT.

I suggest you ask for an even numbered room, and go for a Preferred (Lake) view if you don't want to spend the points on a Theme Park view. If they put you on the North side, you'll probably get a view of Tomorrowland for the price of a Preferred (Lake) View. If you're on the South side in a Preferred (Lake) view, you'll be able to watch the electric water pageant twice: once in front of the Tower, and once in front of Wilderness Lodge. If you're in an odd numbered room, you'll see the electric water pageant once, and you'll be looking at the pool.

Six adults is going to require, at minimum, a dedicated 2 bedroom. There should be sufficient space for pack and plays for the young ones among the three rooms that make up a 2 bedroom. Plus, three full baths! A 2 bedroom lock off won't cut it, because you'll be putting two of the adults into a murphy bed, which isn't ideal.

I'm going to say that in this situation the murphy bed is a great idea because first of all they are comfortable sleeping beds much more so than a sofa bed and they can be put up during the day so as to be out of the way and create more floor space and seating.

BLT is a great idea in that with the grand kids being so young, MK is right there, and there is no hike to the pool even though it's not a super popular one. These ages will be happy. Enjoy your visit @ksromack !

 

[Sandisw]

I would go with the 2 bedroom at BLT for the ease of being so close to MK!

 

[DeeBee3]

Extra bathroom is key. Also 2nd the idea to look at the layout of the beds because that's a lot of adults to fit on 3 sleeping surfaces, plus the kids elsewhere.

 

[ksromack]

Ok, I booked the 2 bd BLT. It is preferred location. We have gotten away with the 2 bd with this group before only the last time we didn’t have the two littlest grands……our son/dil will have the 2 queen bd. The granddaughters with them can share the other Queen in that bd. My daughter and sil will have the master and hopefully a pack n play will fit in there somewhere. We will have 7 nights there and in past trips we have only had 5 so will go slower this trip. We originally had the Poly Ambassador Suite w/CL booked but when the Savor the Summer deals came out for the free dining I opted to switch and saved us $5000 .

Thank you everyone for weighing in! I think we made the right decision. I know OKW would have given us more space, I just couldn’t pass up the walkability of BLT.

 

[CarolynFH]

I think we made the right decision. I know OKW would have given us more space, I just couldn’t pass up the walkability of BLT.

I think you made the right decision, too, not just because of the nearness to MK, but because of the bathroom situation. The 2BR at OKW have only two bathrooms, and in many of them, the only entry to the main bathroom is through the main bedroom. That makes it very awkward for anyone sleeping in the living room.

 

[Tigger's ally]

We are 2 parents of adult children and are bringing them, spouses, and our grands ages 6,3,2 this July. Contemplating a stay at

1. Bay Lake-2bd
2. Riviera-2 bd
3. Saratoga Springs-2 bd or treehouse
4. OLD key West-2 bd

I like the 3 bath situation at BL and the ability to walk to MK which I assume will be the most popular park. We know we love Riviera (loved the QS there) and skyliner (how often is skyliner down end of July)? We typically go in late fall or spring. Only stayed at OKW once and liked it but clearly the last 2 options don't have the most convenient transport. Never stayed at SS.

I expect naptime midday for the littles and doubtful they could stay up for live fireworks so is there a place to watch them from BL from the resort? I know you can if dining at Cali Grill but doubt we would dine there this trip.

Where would you stay if you were our family?

We just did that and used Davids to get a Grand Villa at OKW. Tons of room and each "family" had its own bedroom with the kids and their spouses upstairs in the two bedrooms and me and the wife downstairs in the master. Then you still have a pull out couch and pull out chair in living room if some of the kids want to camp out for a night. FOUR FULL BATHROOMS as well. The GV was cheaper than 2BR's at the other places.

 

[ksromack]

We just did that and used Davids to get a Grand Villa at OKW. Tons of room and each "family" had its own bedroom with the kids and their spouses upstairs in the two bedrooms and me and the wife downstairs in the master. Then you still have a pull out couch and pull out chair in living room if some of the kids want to camp out for a night. FOUR FULL BATHROOMS as well. The GV was cheaper than 2BR's at the other places.

I know OKW is much roomier but it isn't available for our dates. I dream of staying in a 3 bd one of these days!