Where to stay for family of 6?

[llboyle]

Just wanted to get some opinions about where to stay for a family of 6?
Our youngest was 2 yo & in a crib last time we went (Sept. 2007) and we stayed at the Poly. the kids loved it...( I thought it was very nice, but I am very hard to impress...plus I think I had unrealistic expectations).
I am thinking about trying to take a trip at Christmastime next year, 2010, the kids get out of school on Dec. 14th!! And it's never too early to start thinking about a trip to Disney!!
Where to stay for a family with 4 kids, who will be 13, 9,7,& 5 by then?
Thanks for any advice and tips!

[DisneyPrincess21]

:welcome: To intercot


Congrats on your plans for an upcoming christmas trip next year. It is truly the most magical time of the year. (this will be my 3rd December at WDW!)


First things first, With 6 people in your group you have have to either book two rooms or get a suite because the regular standard rooms only allow 4 people (with the exception of Port Orleans Riverside which has rooms with a trundle bed that can sleep 5). So it really depends on how much you are willing to spend. If you don't want to spend too much you could always rent 2 room at one of the value resorts (i hear the pop is fun, i have personally never stayed there yet)
Or if you are willing to spend more you can get book a suite. The allstar Music resort has a family suite which sleeps up to 6 guests that runs around $184 during the value season.

So it really depends on how much your looking to spend and what style of hotel your looking for.

[illini]

You could also stay in a cabin at Ft. Wilderness.

Honestly, though, if you can swing it, I'd go with two rooms at a moderate, or even a value. The two bathrooms will come in handy, and the sleeping arrangements seem better than the Family Suites at ASM. Obviously, two rooms at the Poly would be fantastic, but I'm going to guess that's a little out of the question price-wise. Two rooms at a mod will be about the same as one at the Poly (ballpark).

[TammiMcMan]

Here you go:

Single rooms that accommodate 6 include,
AllStar Music Family Suite ~ $184 - $307
FW Cabin ~ $265 - $395
BWI Deluxe ~ $525 - $750
WL Deluxe ~ $570 - $805
2-Bedroom Villa ~ $650 - $900

(1st rate shown is value season, 2nd rate is holiday which begins on 12/18)

There are also suites in CSR as well as the deluxe resorts, but they range in the $1,000 per night (minimum) rate.

Least expensive option is usually going with 2 value rooms. You would be given priority with connecting rooms, but no guarantees if that is going to be an issue.

[princessesmom]

We are also a family of 6. Our children are 13, 11, 8, and 5. We stay in a cabin at FW. We were last there in February. Even though we don't do a lot of cooking, it is really nice having the kitchen. We eat breakfast in most mornings, which saves lots of money and time. The kids take the bedroom and my husband and I take the murphy bed in the LR. We do some showers in the morning and some at night, so the bathroom doesn't get too congested. This isn't the cheapest option, but it works best for us.

[LibertyTreeGal]

I would seriously look at the cabin. Even in december, the weather is nice and it is a nice break from late nights at the park to do the campfire and movie!!

[jusandnew]

We have 4 children too.Two of the kids being teenagers. With a family of six we are limited on spaces. To save $ we go to the family suite at the asm. We like it.It is like a little apartment. It has 2 bathrooms and enough sleeping room. We thought about 2 rooms , but it would not have the room we need. The family suite has a little kitchen with coffeemaker, microwave.
The asm family suites are close to the front and the pools.
The cabins I always thought it was expensive, so we have never tried it.
We are going in 3 weeks with a joining room for my DM.

[Lisa417]

One of my favorite Vacations with my family growing up was when we stayed in the Cabins at Fort Wilderness! This was many years ago but it was so much fun! There was so much to to with my family right there at the resort. We had breakfast each morning in our cabin. I remember thinking it was so cool that the bed came out of the wall in the living room area! Plus there was a queen or king and bunk beds in the back room! We grilled out one night as well. It was a great family vacation!

[TammiMcMan]

Plus there was a queen or king and bunk beds in the back room!Just want to clarify that it's a double bed in the back bedroom.

[diz_girl]

My first vote is for the FW cabins. My second would be to rent points for a 2-br DVC unit at either WL or BLT. Although the transportation options aren't as good as the Poly, they are better than at the Mods or Values. Plus, the points for DVC don't hit the holiday period until December 24, so you are renting fewer points. Renting points at the villas will cost you less than booking the room without points, but would be about what you would pay for a garden room at the Poly, with 1/2 of your days during value Season and 1/2 during Holiday Season.

The WL decorations at Christmas are beautiful, and many people decorate their campsites at FW.

[Lisa417]

Thanks Tammi for letting us know about the bed being a double. When I did that with my family I was young so everything seemed bigger. LOL:thumbsup:

[momof3+twins]

With my family of 7, we stay at the Pop Century and get two rooms. You could do that. It is guaranteed connecting for families. And don't let anyone including a cast member tell you different. It is true and Disney does this for me every trip. (alot of people say it is not guranteed because this is the only way it is). But, you do need to only have 2 adults to all those kids. So, no grandparents!

Or you could go with the cabins, or villas at disney.
Or you could stay outside disney in a Windsor Hills condo or house or townhome. All are nice. But, you aren't in Disney

Since it is hard to impress you, I would suggest to spend little money and go with Pop and just realize that you won't be impressed. I love the Pop but I would probably be in total heaven at the Poly! Have fun!

[TammiMcMan]

It is guaranteed connecting for families. And don't let anyone including a cast member tell you different. It is true and Disney does this for me every trip. (alot of people say it is not guranteed because this is the only way it is). Sorry, but I'm raising my hand to say that it is not guaranteed. You are given a priority for connecting rooms when you travel with more kids than adults, but no guarantees. You can confirm that with anyone in the Disney executive offices (in fact, if you read the fine print, the resort you book isn't even a guarantee). While 99.9% of the time, Disney is able to fulfill this particular request at the values, there are lots of reasons why that .1% could come into play ;).

I'm very glad it's worked out each time for your family, but it's not because you have a guarantee when you book.

[JPL]

Just wanted to give you some outside the box thinking if you don't mind staying offsite and especially since it's for a Christmas Trip. Have you thought about a vacation home? The ammenities are top notch and you have lots of space to spread out. All Star Vacation Homes (http://www.allstarvacationhomes.com/?ovchn=OTHER&ovcpn=Listing+Sites&ovcrn=Intercot&ovtac=AD)

[momof3+twins]

It says on the resort confirmation "guranteed connecting rooms". And if it says it there...it better be connecting!!! And I have been told over and over and over again that it is connecting. If they didn't give me connecting there would be a huge problem since it actually states "guranteed connecting rooms" on the confirmation that I am sent!!! Sorry to say I do not believe that it is not guranteed. I think Disney would bend over backward to make sure that we got that connecting room!!:mickey:

[TammiMcMan]

And I'm sorry to say, that if they can't do it, they can't do it ;). This situation has come up before and Disney execs will apologize after the fact, but they will explain that the fine print overrides anything on the reservation. Luckily, the chance of that happening is pretty slim, but it's always best to know that there really wouldn't be a huge problem for them if the request can't be granted.