2 rooms vs. Family suite??

[maggs1035]

Do you think it would be cheaper to have 2 regular value rooms or a value Family suite? We want to stay at AoA, but would do pop or music too?

Looking to cut down on cost for May trip?

Wish those darn packages would come out already!

 

[Schmeck]

2 value rooms are always cheaper than a suite at rack rate.

 

[maggs1035]

They say they won't guarantee them together!

 

[jenlov]

Yes, they are. That's what we have booked the last couple of times. Have not had a problem with getting connecting rooms.

 

[LilyWDW]

They say they won't guarantee them together!

That is correct. Connecting rooms are not a bookable category and are only a request. Disney does it's best to meet requests, but there is always a possibility they can not.

 

[tzolkin]

They say they won't guarantee them together!

That's correct. There is always the possibility that you will not get connecting or even nearby rooms. You'll have to take that into consideration when deciding, but the price difference is fairly significant.

Just for comparison:
This year the price of two rooms at Pop in May (weekday) was $228.
The price of the family suite at AoA was $304.

So it's about $85 (w/tax) more a night for the suite.
We usually stay for 11 nights, so that's quite a difference for us.

 

[maggs1035]

That's correct. There is always the possibility that you will not get connecting or even nearby rooms. You'll have to take that into consideration when deciding, but the price difference is fairly significant.

Just for comparison:
This year the price of two rooms at Pop in May (weekday) was $228.
The price of the family suite at AoA was $304.

So it's about $85 (w/tax) more a night for the suite.
We usually stay for 11 nights, so that's quite a difference for us.

I called to book a room only and was surprised at how high the price was, I had to call back for a dining question and got a 9 yr veteran reservationist and she said that the price I was quoted was for peak season and that once packages are released it should drop significantly! I hope so

 

[jenlov]

Yep! that's why we went w/ 2 rooms as well. AofA is $105 or $120 for weekends per room per night. I think it was $118 w/ tax per room? can't remember exactly. so just a tiny bit more than Pop per room.

 

[tzolkin]

I called to book a room only and was surprised at how high the price was, I had to call back for a dining question and got a 9 yr veteran reservationist and she said that the price I was quoted was for peak season and that once packages are released it should drop significantly! I hope so

You can estimate the cost by using this year's prices for your dates (you can find them here: http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/disney-rates.htm ) instead of the peak season rates the CM quoted you.

The price and dates of the seasons do change, but not significantly (maybe $5 per night increase) so you should be able to get a good idea of the rack-rate cost.

It won't be until much closer to your trip that any discounts would be offered (% off, free dining, etc.) and you can't count on that. I always make a budget for our trip without any discounts and then whatever we get just brings down the price I was expecting to pay.

 

[Nanu57v]

That is correct. Connecting rooms are not a bookable category and are only a request. Disney does it's best to meet requests, but there is always a possibility they can not.

Wait...I just came back. We had 2 GUARANTEED connecting rooms at POP. We weren't going to go if they couldn't guarantee it. We couldn't just have our kids at some other side of the resort.

 

[LilyWDW]

Wait...I just came back. We had 2 GUARANTEED connecting rooms at POP. We weren't going to go if they couldn't guarantee it. We couldn't just have our kids at some other side of the resort.

They sometimes SAY they are guaranteed, but they really are not. If you look at the fine print, all you are guaranteed is a room on Disney property. As such, it is a LOT safer to understand that you CAN be split up and use that information when planning. All you have to do is spend some time on the resort boards to see this happen. We once had a single adult with multiple underage children who had "guaranteed" connecting room who did not get them. If they will not actually guarantee them in that sort of situation, then it can happen to anyone (except very specific issues with ADA accommodations).

It is not guaranteed.

 

[mmiller711]

I know information can, and does, change depending on who you talk to but we were told that if it is a room with just kids and no adult they will make sure you get connecting rooms. I don't know if they would make you put one adult on each room or if you could list it with adults in one room and minors in the other. If they promise you something, make sure you get names and check with a couple of different people.

 

[maxiesmom]

I know information can, and does, change depending on who you talk to but we were told that if it is a room with just kids and no adult they will make sure you get connecting rooms. I don't know if they would make you put one adult on each room or if you could list it with adults in one room and minors in the other. If they promise you something, make sure you get names and check with a couple of different people.

If you ended up without connecting rooms they would require one adult to sleep in each room. I don't know why they even put Guaranteed Connecting Rooms on some reservations, as nothing is guaranteed, except that you will get a room on Disney property. Their own web-site states that connecting rooms are not guaranteed, and are a request only. Makes me crazy that they say one thing one place, and one thing another.

Whenever someone states flat out that they will get connecting rooms because their reservation says so, I now say that twice my reservation has said "preferred room location" only to find out that I had been downgraded to a standard room location. If Disney doesn't 100% guarantee paid for room types, there is no way on earth they would guarantee something that is not paid for, and just a request.

 

[Schmeck]

If they will not actually guarantee them in that sort of situation, then it can happen to anyone (except very specific issues with ADA accommodations).

It is not guaranteed.

ADA accommodations aren't a done deal either - they can overbook those, or have a problem with a room situation (removing/replacing furniture, etc) and someone with an accessible room requirement may find themselves out of luck.

 

[tripletsmama]

I was told that if the number of children listed on the reservations for the 2 rooms combined is greater than the number of adults, connecting rooms are guaranteed. For example, we will have three 8 year olds, a 5 month old and 2 adults. 4 kids/2 adults. So, the reservation agent said the rooms were guaranteed to connect. I'm not saying this is 100% accurate information, but it's what I was told.

I would always choose 2 rooms over a family suite because of the bedding situation. I'm just not convinced a table bed and a pull out sofa would be comfortable.

 

[twinboysmom]

I was told that if the number of children listed on the reservations for the 2 rooms combined is greater than the number of adults, connecting rooms are guaranteed. For example, we will have three 8 year olds, a 5 month old and 2 adults. 4 kids/2 adults. So, the reservation agent said the rooms were guaranteed to connect. I'm not saying this is 100% accurate information, but it's what I was told.

I would always choose 2 rooms over a family suite because of the bedding situation. I'm just not convinced a table bed and a pull out sofa would be comfortable.

No matter what they say it is not guaranteed although very likely that they will grant it. With 2 adults WDW can split one adult in each room. There have been multiple posters over the years that did not get their connecting (guaranteed) rooms. Also, WDW will not let an adult book 2 rooms with only one adult (say 1 adult and 5 minor children). This is because they cannot guarantee these rooms. Pixie dust for your vacation. It is very rare that they can't accommodate that request.

 

[tzolkin]

I was told that if the number of children listed on the reservations for the 2 rooms combined is greater than the number of adults, connecting rooms are guaranteed. For example, we will have three 8 year olds, a 5 month old and 2 adults. 4 kids/2 adults. So, the reservation agent said the rooms were guaranteed to connect. I'm not saying this is 100% accurate information, but it's what I was told.

I would always choose 2 rooms over a family suite because of the bedding situation. I'm just not convinced a table bed and a pull out sofa would be comfortable.

It seems that the CMs making the reservations always tell people that they are "guaranteed" in this situation, but then if you read the fine print on the reservation it states:
"Adjacent rooms, connecting rooms or specific room location and types of rooms or bedding are on a "request basis only" and are subject to availability at the time of check-in."

I can just imagine how frustrating it would be to be told that something was "guaranteed" and then wind up with rooms on two different ends of the resort. I would much rather be prepared for the possibility that they I may not wind up with connecting rooms.

 

[Schmeck]

No matter what they say it is not guaranteed although very likely that they will grant it. With 2 adults WDW can split one adult in each room. There have been multiple posters over the years that did not get their connecting (guaranteed) rooms. Also, WDW will not let an adult book 2 rooms with only one adult (say 1 adult and 5 minor children). This is because they cannot guarantee these rooms. Pixie dust for your vacation. It is very rare that they can't accommodate that request.

We were able to book a block of rooms at ASMovies with more minors than adults - for a school trip. It may be the exception to the rule, but we would not have been able to have one adult in each room. We did have a hired security officer patroling our area at night, so maybe that's why we were allowed the skewed ratio.

 

[maxiesmom]

I would always choose 2 rooms over a family suite because of the bedding situation. I'm just not convinced a table bed and a pull out sofa would be comfortable.

As far as the Family Suites at the All Star Music goes, the fold outs are very comfortable. I shared the couch one with one of my nieces, and we both slept just fine. And I'm kind of fussy when it comes to beds.


Something else to consider is that if some resorts have more connecting rooms than others to begin with. The Music has fewer than the other value resorts, because many of them were used to make the family suites. My Disney TA advised me to not book the Music if we wanted to go for connecting rooms. And the Contemporary is limited on connecting rooms as well. They have them, but your odds of getting them are not the best.

 

[luvmyguyz]

We booked 2 LM rooms at AoA for our November trip because the difference in price between 2 LM rooms and 1 Nemo suite was huge for our 10-day trip!! However, the CM told us that she couldn't even find a place to request connecting rooms at this resort - maybe because the LM rooms aren't finished? From what the CM could see, connecting rooms aren't even available in the LM buildings. I hope this is not the case. I can't imagine that three buildings of rooms would have no connecting doors, but I guess we'll have to wait and see. In our case, it's not the end of the world if we don't get connecting rooms because we'll have 3 adults an 3 kids, so no matter what, DH and I can stay in one room with 1 or 2 kids, and my mom can stay in the other room with 1 or 2 kids. But if my mom wasn't coming, I don't know that I would risk not getting "guaranteed" connecting rooms - I know for some it isn't a deal breaker, but spending the night in a room without my DH wuldn't be much of a vacation for me.