Whole family in one room

[secretpantssam]

When we were growing up, we always just had 1 POP size room. That was with my parents, my sister, my brother and me. My brother would usually get a cot. When never saw anything wrong with it and if that's how we could afford a vacation, than that's how we stayed! My parents and my sister and I are actually going back to Disney and sharing one room at the POP and we have no problem with it. We hardly spend anytime in the hotel at Disney anyway so it seems like a waste of money to me to get a second room.

 

[flamingglobessigmund]

My husband and I are looking at DVC (studio pts vs 1 bdrm pts) or will we stay in a value to do Disney and skip DVC. However, I've been noticing a trend and am wondering what others think, especially on the budget board. Growing up my family always traveled and we rarely got two rooms or had more than a general hotel room (think pop). I'm finding more and more after talking with people that this type of travel is too small of a room or unacceptable. Why can't a family of four make 1 bathroom work?What's everyone else's opinion? Is it bad for a family to share a week in a hotel room and "make it work?" Is it really that bad as parents?

When I was growing up, we were 4 in one room. My parents never renting an adjoining room. They even split up to sleep. My brother and father in one bed, and me and my mother in another. Holiday Inn was my favorite motel back then.

Only one time, (as an adult) did I get 2 adjoining rooms during a very long car trip. It was in the middle of the trip, and we were staying in one place for 2 nights. It was a welcome break from everyone sleeping in the same room.

However, last year at Disney we had one room (kids are adults, with me and DH) and it worked out ok. One bathroom but 2 sinks in the dressing area. Would have loved the luxury of 2 rooms but it wasn't in the budget.

This year we are vacationing in our home state and I'm renting a 1 bedroom KOA cabin. It's got a kitchen, bathroom, 1 bedroom, and bunkbeds and futon. Plenty of space to spread out and relax. We're staying for only 3 days so it's in the budget to "splurge".

 

[dzorn]

It is not necessary but it sure is nice.

Denise in MI

 

[FoundMyPrince]

When we had two children we stayed at Pop, one bedroom, and there wasn't a problem.

During our last WDW trip, three kiddos, we had a two bedroom at SSR and it was soooo nice. The three kids had one bedroom and DH and I had our own room. The three kids shared two beds and had their own bathroom.

However, we just took a "budget" vacation to Colorado and the five of us stayed in a two bed hotel room (one room). We were cramped. There was not room for five people, two beds, two suitcases, sleeping bag for 3rd child etc. It will be our last trip in a one room hotel room. And, with our 4th child on the way, there is no way in this world we'd stay in a one room hotel again. We'll just have to find suites and save a little more money - but it will be worth it!

 

[DisneyMomma81]

We had 4 in a Pop room last Oct. and everyone had their own bed. My mom came with us ~ she and I took the 2 beds, DS was on a AeroBed4Kids and DD slept in/on a inflatable sleeping bag ~ http://www.amazon.com/Disney-High-School-Musical-EZ-Bed/dp/B0018COOP6/ref=pd_sbs_k_1 All we did was sleep/shower-tub/get ready in the room and we were fine.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I'm used to more space and want to be comfortable on vacation, not crammed together.

Growing up, all 6 of us were crammed into one tiny room on the 2 vacations we did. It was awful and I hated it.

I swore that would never be the case for us. And while we have stayed moderate in one room, I'm tired of that too. DH and DS need their own beds now that DS is 5'7" and DH is bigger. I refuse to be tripping over DS sleeping on a blow up mattress on the floor on my vacation.

So this upcoming trip will be the last one that we are in one room unless we are staying deluxe with a daybed at WDW or we will get 2 rooms at a value (which I'm not too keen on those horrible rock hard beds).

For any other vacations, I will now get us 2 rooms. If we can't afford it, we don't go until we can.

 

[sjs314]

We were a family of 4 and always did just one room, this year will be our first time in a 1 bdrm villa, Myself, DH, DS and his wife. I am afraid this will spoil us for ever traveling again 4 to a room. That being said I honestly see nothing wrong with it, if it allows you to stay in mod or deluxe resort over a value.

 

[dzorn]

Of course growing up I had 5 sibling, my parents and only 1 bathroom. So sleeping space was the least of my concerns.

Denise in MI

 

[APB513]

This past December my two sons and I - ages 21 and 16 shared a room at Pop.

We've stayed at Pop before and have always had two main issues - privacy and space. I hated having to dress in the bathroom. So this time I took a Shower curtain and a curtain rod (an idea from the DIS! ) and put it in the doorway - privacy problem solved.

The space issue was caused by the fact that my sons don't like to sleep in the same bed. So this time I brought an air mattress - space problem solved.

All is right in the world, right? Wrong!! A new problem has cropped up - bedtimes. I like to go to bed early and get up early to do rope drop. If I go to bed at 9:00 pm the boys are not happy. My youngest son likes to stay up late and watch TV and my oldest son wanted to stay up and talk on the phone. It's hard to please everyone in a 260 square foot room!!

From now on, we will have to get two rooms. For our trip in December, we are staying in a cabin. That should solve all of our problems

 

[MMluvsWDW]

Everyone's answers are interesting! Now to have the talk with the husband about how we see traveling and where we'd like to points for DVC. Travel more with less accommodations or travel less and have more space. Should be interesting! Thanks for all the great insight everyone!

 

[MickeyHereWeCome!]

We are a family of six. When the kids were younger, we wouldn't think anything of squeezing all of us in one room. I can't tell you how many times we went to the beach...6 of us, along with our 2 Golden Retrievers..in a tiny motel room We tried to cut back on our spending by doing that.

Well...along came our Disney addiction and we were forced to get 2 rooms. We had two connecting rooms at a value....and have never gone back! Of course, the kids are older and bigger now, and have more of those timing issues (some go to bed early, some watch t.v. late, etc.), so it would have happened sooner or later. But this has definitely changed how we travel. We can still squeeze in a room for a night (like we will do when we stop overnight on our way to FL...we will literally head right to bed and leave as soon as we get up), but anything more than that, we have to have that extra room.

This time, we're renting a house, so our "rooms" just get bigger and bigger. I hope I don't get spoiled by this because I really love staying on property!

This got me thinking about how we traveled as kids. We were a family of four, and the first time we ever got two rooms was when I was in college and my brother was in high school. Nobody would share a bed with my brother, and I guess that was when sharing a bed became an issue. We didn't stay in hotels much. I'm sure that would have happened earlier if we had.

 

[eeyoresmom]

We're a family of five and always stay in one room.

Personally, I've never understood the big deal about the second room for the second bathroom. Though it could be because we only have one bathroom at home

Maybe because you have boys? I know in our family I have to force my DD's OUT of the bathroom, and DS IN to it!

 

[crewmatt]

When I was younger we did the Cabins at Ft. Wilderness, I believe there were 6 of us in one of those and that worked out the best for the money (we did hotel rooms other times). You might want to look there, you do get a pretty good deal as far as space goes.

 

[abbyndrewmom]

I'm more concerned with the number of beds then the seperation between the rooms. Idealy for us a single room with 2 Queen beds with a pull-out couch works best for us. At disney we like POR with the trundle bed, the value with 2 dbl beds are not comfortable for our family of 4. MY son is a very restless sleeper & who ever shares with him does not get a good night sleep!

If we go on a vacation where we are spending alot of time at the resort, we will get a bigger room so we have more space to spread out. One bathroom is not a problem, but one tv can be rough!

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

Maybe because you have boys? I know in our family I have to force my DD's OUT of the bathroom, and DS IN to it!

Girls I have 3 of them. But she said at home they only have one bathroom which is the same for us. If you are used to only one it isn't an adjustment.

 

[rumrunnergirl]

.

 

[punkin]

So we are planning a trip to Hawaii for two weeks this summer and DH has informed me that there is no way he is sharing one hotel room with our 2 DDs for two whole weeks...talk about a budget buster.

 

[Priorityonecb]

We've always gotten one room (2 dd's, now 13 and 19). We actually enjoy the closeness, and the times of giggling and talking after lights out is a treasured moment of every vacation! Sometimes the girls sleep together, sometimes they each sleep with a parent. For our family, it's always felt right. Even at home though, whatever room of the house dh and I are in...the girls are right there with us so spreading out is not something any of us are familiar with!!

 

[swilshire]

After 15 years of timesharing and staying in 2 and 3 bedroom units, we'll never go back. I'm an early riser and with the rest of the family behind the closed doors of their bedrooms, I can putter around the kitchen or read without disturbing anyone.

DH likes to stay up late watching television, so the rest of us can go to sleep and he can watch as long as he likes in the separate living room.

We love having our own kitchen because sitting in restaurants waiting for food is not our idea of a vacation. We just got back from a week on Hilton Head and only ate out four times.

DH and I sleep in a king size bed at home and neither of us sleep well if we share anything smaller. We spent one night in an Embassy Suites with two beds and a sofa bed on the way to the beach. One of our sons was getting sick, so we let him have one of the beds and the other child took the sofa bed. DH and I tossed and turned all night in the other full size bed.

We can get by with one bathroom if necessary, but having two or three certainly makes getting ready in the morning or evening a quicker process.

Four of us stayed once at the Pop Century for three or four nights and I'd never do it again. Great theming but just not enough room for us.

Sheila

 

[5forDiz]

I also think another reason many families today like more than 1 room or villa-type accommodations is because family life is very different today than it was years back with both parents working in most families and even second jobs at that and overall the pace of life is alot more hectic today; so it is nice to be able to feel like there's more space that allows for an adults only zone to afford them more relaxation & some solitude while on a vacation that they've certainly earned.