best way for 5 to stay?

[like2workout]

does anyone know the best way for 5 people to stay together? would it be less expensive to try to get 2 connecting rooms somewhere, or is one of the suites the way to go? any help will be appreciated!

[disneyfan328]

We have a family of 5 and did some research into this for our trip last September. We are also currently researching our options for an upcoming 2010 trip. Here is what I have found as far as options:

Value Resorts - You can opt for 2 connecting rooms, HOWEVER unless you have more kids in the room than adults they cannot guarantee you connecting rooms. Value resorts mostly have 2 pools but some of the buildings are far from the entrance and there is I believe only one bus stop.

ASmusic Family Resorts - This is about 150$ more than getting 2 rooms at a value. benefit is you are all guaranteed to be together in one room, there is a kitchenette and you have 2 bathrooms.

Port Orleans Riverside has rooms that sleep 5 - There are 2 double bed in the room with a pull out trundle under one of the beds. When we went last year this was the cheapest of the 3 options. In looking at pricing now - this resort or 2 rooms at the value are within about 25$ of each other price wise. The trundle bed is meant for kids 9 or under. This is a beautiful moderate resort with one main pool, and several quiet pools. It has a restaurant as well as a food court. Where the values only have food courts. We loved this resort, but were not impressed with the food court. However we would definetly stay there again. There are also several bus stops throughout the resort as it is absolutley HUGE! There is a lot more recreation and things to do at POR than there is at the values. There are bikes, boats, horse and carriage rides,( all for a fee of course) and there is a fishing hole where you can rent cane poles and bait and fish, there are also many trails to walk on (the walk down by the river is beautiful)

We are looking at staying at the ASmu family suites this time as we are possibly having a 6th person stay with us. The rooms are set up like an apartment with a separate bedroom and bathroom and a living room with a fold out futon/couch type thing and 2 single fold outs.

There are many many pictures of all three of these resorts on intercot and on the internet in general. I have listed the 3 least expensive options but there are deluxes I believe that can hold 5 as well, but i have no info on thoses. Sorry. If you have any other questions on the above info feel free to pm me.

I see that you have stayed at Values and at POR so basically it is all about the price and whether you would prefer the moderate resort (POR) or 2 rooms at the value. The suite at ASmu appears to be the more expensive of the 3,however I have heard that discounts now apply to the suites where in the past they did not.

Good luck with your decision Happy Planning.

[like2workout]

wow - thanks VERY VERY much!!! you don't know how much that just helped me. i appreciate you!

[disneyfan328]

Sure, having a family of 5 can be a challenge when most of the rooms are only built for 4 but i think a lot more people ahve larger than 4 people in the family. I think that is why they converted so many of the rooms at Asmu to these suites.

Also as an added note the pricing that I gave you of course is hypotheical and I am sure will change depending on your dates, but those totals are the difference over a one week stay. So total for a one week stay the Suite is 150$ more total (not per night) than the 2 rooms. POR and 2 rooms at a value are only about 25$ roughly difference for the total of a week stay as well, not $25.00 per night so they are pretty close in pricing.

Hope it works out for you. Let me know what you decide as we are still trying to figure it out for our next trip. Now that we know the suites are included in the specials we are leaning more towards that, but I really don't know yet

[like2workout]

i will let you know. i'm not sure it's going to work out just yet, but i hope so and it should be for october. it's all family, but a mixture: me, neice, nephew, their mom (my sister-in-law), and my mom. we're to meet another brother's family there, but they're going with that sister-in-law's father and staying off grounds i think. the port orleans option looks great as i love riverside. then my next choice would be to possibly squeeze 5 in a regular room at animal kingdom lodge if they'll let us do that. the kids have heard of that and want to stay there, but now at least i know there are some really good options. the port orleans sounds perfect to me though, and i didn't know they even had that. thanks again, and i'll keep you posted!

[MarkC]

Also check what discounts are available. We are leaving in 9 days and it was only going to be 4 of us. Last month my 18 year old decided to go with as well (after earlier saying no), so we now have 5. We were able to get 2 rooms at the Carribean Beach for the same price as one room at AKL. Now, I realize we went from a deluxe to a moderate but we did add a room.
So look into every possible option. If you don't like the answer you get from a reservations rep, call back and see if another person will give you the same info or a better offer. Good luck. Mark

[OhToodles!]

i will let you know. i'm not sure it's going to work out just yet, but i hope so and it should be for october. it's all family, but a mixture: me, neice, nephew, their mom (my sister-in-law), and my mom. we're to meet another brother's family there, but they're going with that sister-in-law's father and staying off grounds i think. the port orleans option looks great as i love riverside. then my next choice would be to possibly squeeze 5 in a regular room at animal kingdom lodge if they'll let us do that. the kids have heard of that and want to stay there, but now at least i know there are some really good options. the port orleans sounds perfect to me though, and i didn't know they even had that. thanks again, and i'll keep you posted!

You could possible rent points from DVC to stay at the new Animal Kingdom Villas. Oh wait - unless you're going this October they won't be open yet, but for in the future you could do that as the suites in the new portion will sleep 5.

[jonahbear2006]

Grand Floridian and YC and BC all sleep 5 people. I personally, would prefer to get one room that sleeps 5 than 2 adjoining rooms. I could see our stuff spread between two rooms; what a mess! Cabins are a good deal as well and they are in a great location relative to MK

[eandrsmom]

We like to stay on the monorail line since we have small children. Standard rooms have two queen size beds plus a day bed. So, if you don't mind sharing beds and one bathroom, you have that option.