FAMILY SIZE AND ROOMS About This Page:

[readyfordisney]

WE ARE DEF. ON A BUDGET FOR OUR 08 VACATION. WE ARE A FAMILY OF FIVE +GRANDMOM, SO THAT MAKES 6 ! WHAT IS A REASONABLE PLACE, ON DISNEY PROP.,TO STAY THAT WOULD FIT ALL OF US? ALSO, ARE THEY DOING AWAY WITH THE FREE DINING FOR NEXT YEAR OR IS IT TO SOON TO KNOW THAT?

[mcneasn]

Right now, it is too soon to consider free dining for 2008. When our family of seven stayed on-property, the only places to comfortably accomidate us was Old Key West, Fort Wilderness Cabins and the like. All-Star Music now has suites available that may accomidate six people. If not, you could easly book adjoining rooms at Pop. This would still be cheaper than a Deluxe or a Home-Away-From-Home Resort.

[HiddenMickey]

Rooms to sleep six without breaking the bank:

All Star Music Suites (approx $179 night)
Fort Wilderness Cabins (approx $250 night)
Two rooms at a Value resort (approx $164 night)
Off-site condos and suites (range in price)

[Caldercup]

With 6, you have a couple of options at different levels of resorts:

1) Values -- you could rent two rooms at any value or get one of the new family suites at All-Star Music. Both give you two bathrooms, but the suites also have a small kitchen. (You can read about the individual value resorts in the PassPorter guidebook or on Deb's Unofficial Walt Disney World Vacation Information Guide - WDW Planning Guide - Walt Disney World ) To see pics of the suites, you need to read the FAQ sheet on ASMusic.

2) Moderates -- again, you'd have to get two rooms to accomodate 6 people, but the Alligator Bayou rooms at Port Orleans Riverside would add the convenience of a trundle bed in each room.

3) Deluxes -- I think the maximum number of people in a deluxe is 4, with the Poly and some rooms at the Animal Kingdom Lodge that accomodate 5.

4) Fort Wilderness Cabins - these sleep six. More info here: Fort Wilderness Fact Sheet

5) One of the DVC resorts -- you can rent points from a DVC member or book it directly through a travel agent or Disney's reservations number. They have two-bedroom suites that would accomodate your group. This is your priciest option, I believe.

Good luck deciding!
Eileen

PS - *if* free dining is announced for 2008, it probably won't be announced until at least early April (like it was this year and last year.) Also, know that the dates from 2006 were significantly reduced for 2007 and, I'm guessing, so were the number of rooms available for that package. Disney needed to address complaints that there were too many guests taking advantage of the offer and the restaurants were jam-packed last year.

[readyfordisney]

I have a 7 year old
3year old
and an infant -playpen/crib
Does this make a difference for choice of rooms?

[mcneasn]

No difference. The suites at the All-Star Movies sleep six plus a pak-n-play crib. Standard rooms can sleep a maximum of four.

[goofy4tink]

With an infant, you could get away with a room at POR-AB. The rooms there sleep 4, with a 5th (small person) in a trundle bed. The infant would go in a pack and play.
But, that being said, I would opt for two rooms at a value. You, dh and baby could go in one room, and grandma and the two other kids could go in the other room...or however you wanted. I just like the idea of two bathrooms, two t.v's. The kids could go to sleep in one room, while the adults had some grown up time in the room next door.

[momto5755]

We're a family of 6 (me and my DH and 4 kids - two adult prices, two kid prices). We've booked two rooms at Pop Century for our May vacation. I found it to be the most cost effective thing to do. When I looked on-line on Disney's site, if I put in 6 people, only the suite type of arrangement (or the cabins) came up. But if I divide my family up, then I can see what it would cost per room, and it's definitely cheaper to do two rooms in most of the resorts than a suite. I did, however, book over the telephone and was able to discuss my options with the agent.

[Eeyorecln]

We're a family of 6. DH and myself and the boys were 7,6,5 and 2 in a paknplay. We stayed at POR. It was enough room for us. It depends on how often you'll be in the room. We were at the parks and pool etc. We did spend a couple evenings in and we just put the playpen in the sink area and pulled the curtain so the toddler could sleep and then watched tv. Now with an extra adult you would have to decide how well you would all do in just one room together and how often you'll actually be in it. We did find it was cheaper to do POR than 2 rooms at a value, we also went during free dining, but you would have the extra adult $15/night charge at POR. So the values with 2 rooms might be cheaper than. Not sure. I do know that actually most deluxes sleep 5 and a baby except for WL and AKL, where you have to go with a suite or deluxe room which is considerably more than a standard room. We found deluxe wise that the Contemporary standard room (no view) was the cheapest deluxe, WL and AKL actually are cheaper for a standard room but as aforementioned only sleep 4 and a baby. Hope that helps. We did a lot of shopping around per say looking for a room for our lg. family onsite.

[Suzie&Jay]

I would definitely book 2 rooms. The rooms can be tight for a family of 4. Feel free to call Disney directly and discuss options and prices

[ashbee]

When my family took the big vacation about two years ago their was 7 of us. 5 adults and three kids. We booked two connecting rooms at Pop Century and it worked great for us. Just open the door and everyone can come and go as they please or this was nice too for a little break we sent the kids to one room and shut the door and had a nap but you always have to keep in mind of the other people so we had to do the same for them . This worked for us hopes this helps.