WWYD?

[PatsGirl]

Backstory: Planned to take my 3 yo granddaughter to WDW along with my D28. Her parents decided they'd like to come as well. So I booked a Nemo suite at AoA for all of us. They will have a 6 month old also at the time and have decided that they'll need more room for fear the baby is still getting up to feed at night. I'm not sure where to go from here. I considered a DVC rental at OKW but was really hoping that free dining would hit (October) during our stay which is a big cost factor and my understanding is that it isn't valid for the DVC rentals. The savings if it does happen is upwards to $1800. I'm considering a second room at AoA as well but the Mermaid rooms seem a bit far removed from the Nemo suites. I really want us to stay onsite. So WWYD. I don't mind spending a bit more than the $7000 4-night package at AoA but not much more. Not sure where to go from here.....Help.

 

[leebee]

When DH and I took DD/SIL/8yo last May, I got 2 connecting rooms, preferred, at ASMovies. It worked really well. DD/SIL had one room and DH, LittleGuy, and I had the other room. We moved the chairs that went to our table bed into DD's room so we could use their table as an eating area. LG had the murphy bed in our room, but it was very comfortable, and it was great having 2 bathrooms.

 

[Marthasor]

Perhaps consider two rooms at Pop so you will have 4 beds, 2 bathrooms and still have access to the Skyliner (you can request connecting). If you really want to stay at AoA, you could book a Lion King Suite to be slightly closer to the Little Mermaid rooms. You could also price out a suite and regular room at ASMo, but you would lose Skyliner access.

 

[PatsGirl]

Thank you both. Two standard connecting rooms isn't much more room though and doesn't have the kitchenette. AoA Suites have two bathrooms so that's an equal. That said, my biggest concern is that you can request connecting but they aren't guaranteed? If they aren't connecting they could be a long way away (at least at POP where I've stayed several times). If I can't guarantee connecting I'd rather stay at AoA with the suite and Mermaid room. Does that make sense?

 

[leebee]

Thank you both. Two standard connecting rooms isn't much more room though and doesn't have the kitchenette. AoA Suites have two bathrooms so that's an equal. That said, my biggest concern is that you can request connecting but they aren't guaranteed? If they aren't connecting they could be a long way away (at least at POP where I've stayed several times). If I can't guarantee connecting I'd rather stay at AoA with the suite and Mermaid room. Does that make sense?

Perfect sense. When we went in May, we requested connecting rooms and got them. I don't know if that was just luck/Pixie Dust or if they have some sort of system for assigning families with young kids. I know that connecting rooms was the only room request we made.

 

[eandt]

Backstory: Planned to take my 3 yo granddaughter to WDW along with my D28. Her parents decided they'd like to come as well. So I booked a Nemo suite at AoA for all of us. They will have a 6 month old also at the time and have decided that they'll need more room for fear the baby is still getting up to feed at night. I'm not sure where to go from here. I considered a DVC rental at OKW but was really hoping that free dining would hit (October) during our stay which is a big cost factor and my understanding is that it isn't valid for the DVC rentals. The savings if it does happen is upwards to $1800. I'm considering a second room at AoA as well but the Mermaid rooms seem a bit far removed from the Nemo suites. I really want us to stay onsite. So WWYD. I don't mind spending a bit more than the $7000 4-night package at AoA but not much more. Not sure where to go from here.....Help.

Have you done the actual math on the ‘free’ dining plan over what you might realistically spend out of pocket plus having to pay rack rate for the room(s)? A DVC rental would probably save you $ but comes with some restrictions as well.

 

[fla4fun]

Backstory: Planned to take my 3 yo granddaughter to WDW along with my D28. Her parents decided they'd like to come as well. So I booked a Nemo suite at AoA for all of us. They will have a 6 month old also at the time and have decided that they'll need more room for fear the baby is still getting up to feed at night. I'm not sure where to go from here. I considered a DVC rental at OKW but was really hoping that free dining would hit (October) during our stay which is a big cost factor and my understanding is that it isn't valid for the DVC rentals. The savings if it does happen is upwards to $1800. I'm considering a second room at AoA as well but the Mermaid rooms seem a bit far removed from the Nemo suites. I really want us to stay onsite. So WWYD. I don't mind spending a bit more than the $7000 4-night package at AoA but not much more. Not sure where to go from here.....Help.

When it comes to rooms, my philosophy is book what you can afford to pay if no discount materializes and if one does, it’s great. I have read more than one post by someone who booked hoping for a discount and then had to downsize their trip, or even cancel, when no discount arrived. So I would keep that in mind whether you or the couple is paying for the additional room.

The AoA room is designed to hold six people plus one child under three, so you are within the occupancy limits. The Little Mermaid rooms are not all that far away and if you wanted to close the distance a little you could switch to a Lion King suite, which is still close to the lobby and Nemo feature pool, but also a little closer to the LM rooms. Then I would call in to request a LM room close to the LK section. I would do it as a separate reservation though, in case they change their minds about going once the baby arrives.

 

[PatsGirl]

Have you done the actual math on the ‘free’ dining plan over what you might realistically spend out of pocket plus having to pay rack rate for the room(s)? A DVC rental would probably save you $ but comes with some restrictions as well.

Yes, I have done the math between OOP and Dining Plan but only with the one reservation for Nemo Suite. I'll rework the numbers again with a DVC rental and with and without any free dining. That said, I'm looking at DVC rentals and can't find one I love. I originally thought OKW would be a good fit but reviews are not great. Love any recommendations for that as well. Thanks!

 

[gottalovepluto]

…If I can't guarantee connecting I'd rather stay at AoA with the suite and Mermaid room. Does that make sense?

Not really. The Mermaid rooms are far out there, every time I ride the Skyliner from Pop I’m just like “yikes” when I see those rooms. I’d rather have a couple rooms in close proximity at Pop, that gives the room assigner a lot of spaces to work with. Even if it isn’t connecting at least those rooms likely don’t have the mermaid hike. I’m assuming you’ll take the 3yo and leave the young one to the parents- if it is still feeding at all hours you might be grateful not to be in the same suite or connecting depending on how the situation is sorting at the time!

 

[3gr8boys]

The suites at ASMu are very nice.... real refrigerstors even. You can get an ASMu family suite and a preferred room and expect to be close to each other. We did this one trip, requesting that the suite and room were near each other, and ended up just a couple doors down from each other. I think this combo would typically be cheaper than the suite & room combo at AoA. Of course, you'd be sacrificing skyliner access.

 

[eandt]

Yes, I have done the math between OOP and Dining Plan but only with the one reservation for Nemo Suite. I'll rework the numbers again with a DVC rental and with and without any free dining. That said, I'm looking at DVC rentals and can't find one I love. I originally thought OKW would be a good fit but reviews are not great. Love any recommendations for that as well. Thanks!

We are owners at Animal Kingdom so a bit biased but it is an amazing resort for kids. Kidani has a really nice splash park that your little one would love. We just took our 1 year grand daughter for the first time and between the animals and the splash park she had a blast in our resort time. The complaints about the transportation are misguided imo. Kidani is getting refurbished as we speak but should be done by May and then they move to Jambo to start a refurb there.

 

[focusondisney]

I considered a DVC rental at OKW but was really hoping that free dining would hit (October) during our stay

When in October are you going? Most of October has been excluded from free dining for years, even before Covid shut downs. Chances of it being offered in the first few weeks aren’t good.

 

[lanejudy]

was really hoping that free dining would hit (October) during our stay which is a big cost factor and my understanding is that it isn't valid for the DVC rentals

In 2026 WDW is offering a kids free dining, which is available to DVC rentals. You still pay for the adults' dining plan; that may not be much help for your party with only 1 child. There is no guarantee that a regular "free dining" as has been offered in the past will be offered in 2026.

I would book what you like and can afford. Then if a special offer comes out for your Oct. dates you can try to modify.

 

[Miffy]

It's always an iffy thing to be responsible for the booking for people who, for any number of reasons, might cancel. For me, this would negate the idea of renting DVC points, because you'd end up being stuck with the reservation even if the other people didn't come.

So my advice is to stay with what you've got and keep an eye out for discounts. Check out mousesavers for historical dates where discounts have been released. Discounts for October came out at the end of March last year.

 

[brockash]

Backstory: Planned to take my 3 yo granddaughter to WDW along with my D28. Her parents decided they'd like to come as well. So I booked a Nemo suite at AoA for all of us. They will have a 6 month old also at the time and have decided that they'll need more room for fear the baby is still getting up to feed at night. I'm not sure where to go from here. I considered a DVC rental at OKW but was really hoping that free dining would hit (October) during our stay which is a big cost factor and my understanding is that it isn't valid for the DVC rentals. The savings if it does happen is upwards to $1800. I'm considering a second room at AoA as well but the Mermaid rooms seem a bit far removed from the Nemo suites. I really want us to stay onsite. So WWYD. I don't mind spending a bit more than the $7000 4-night package at AoA but not much more. Not sure where to go from here.....Help.

2 rooms at Pop.

 

[brockash]

Thank you both. Two standard connecting rooms isn't much more room though and doesn't have the kitchenette. AoA Suites have two bathrooms so that's an equal. That said, my biggest concern is that you can request connecting but they aren't guaranteed? If they aren't connecting they could be a long way away (at least at POP where I've stayed several times). If I can't guarantee connecting I'd rather stay at AoA with the suite and Mermaid room. Does that make sense?

It's certainly not a guarantee, HOWEVER, we've gone 1-2x a year with a large family group (4 rooms) at all resort levels (every value and some mods and deluxe) and we have NEVER NOT gotten the connecting rooms we requested (we request 2 rooms connecting every trip), so while it's not a guarantee; I'm 99.9999% positive you'll be able to get connected if you request it. - If you're not automatically assigned connecting to begin with; you can always ask at the front desk. I truly think connecting is the best way to go from what your daughter had told you and assuming you don't have unlimited funds for something like a large 2 bedroom at a deluxe (it's really not needed).