Question? Where to stay with 7 people?

[minstrel]

I'm planning a trip for late Jan 2009 for 7 of us. It will be me (26), DH (28), Mom (51), sis (25), sis (17), bro (15), and our infant (3mo at time of trip). Where do you recommend we stay with that many people? Should we do adjoining rooms or look into a villa? I'm hesitant to do something like a villa only because I know the baby will be awake a lot and I would feel bad if it disturbed everyone else. I've stayed at CBR, PO, and WL in the past and disliked PO very much so that's not an option. Any thoughts or ideas are much appreciated since I'm still in the very early stages of planning! Thanks!

[daveyfv]

Hi Minstrel!

First, from a "room capacity" point of view, Disney thinks of you as 6 people--when they set maximum capacities, they ignore kids under 3 in a crib. "Standard" options that fit 6 would be the family suites at All-Star Music, the cabins at Fort Wilderness, a two bedroom villa at one of the DVC properties, or--of course--adjoining rooms. These are pretty much in order of price too. (A one bedroom villa sleeps 4)

If you can afford it, your best bet is probably a two bedroom villa. Unlike all the other options, you get three rooms and three sleeping spaces for this--a king for two in one of the bedrooms, two double beds for up to 4 in the other, and a fold-out couch for two in the living/dining/kitchen space.

If your group or part of it has not been to Disney befroe then the Villas at the Wilderness Lodge is the place to go, followed by the Villas at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. If you've all been before then the Villas at the Beach Club or Boardwalk is your best bet--tho more expensive.

I get you on the baby crying...but with a group your size you might need three adjoining rooms otherwise to keep the baby from drivng half your party crazy anyway?

Also see this page on large families at Walt Disney World:Large Families at Walt Disney World

Hope this helps and have a great trip!! Dave

[daveyfv]

Hi Minstrel!

First you should stay at a Disney resort (for reasons made clear elsewhere on this site, and also at d. Where to Stay
and Disney—for capacity purposes—views you as 6, not 7—your infant doesn’t count.

Options that will sleep 6 include the family suites at All-Star Music, the cabins at Fort Wilderness, a two-bedroom villa (one bedroom villas sleep 4; two bedrooms sleep 8) and of course adjoining rooms.

If you can afford it, a two bedroom villa would be your best bet. You get three sleeping spaces for this—a king for eg you dh and your baby, a bedroom with two queens for eg your mom and sisters, and a fold-out couch in the combined living room/kitchen for your brother.

Get you on keeping the noise of your little one in an adjoining room—but I don’t see a great way to arrange your family into two rooms.

If this is everybody’s first trip to WDW, then stay at the villas at the Wilderness Lodge. If everybody has been before then add to your list of possibles villas at Animal Kingdom Lodge, Beach Club, and Boardwalk. Old Key West and Saratoga Springs though great are too distant/uninteresting in my judgment.

Hope this helps and have a great trip! Dave