Best resort for family of 5 (with teens)

[heatherly]

we just had a wonderful stay at BC. We loved the resort, pool, and how close it is to EPCOT and HS. We did not love that all 5 of us slept in the same room. Our kids are 14, 14, and 10. It was just a bit cramped and I think we’d really enjoy a second bathroom. What would you guys suggest for a future stay? We are not DVC members, can we still rent a villa? How does that work? I’m already planning our next trip and we are still at the Orlando airport!
Thanks for your help!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

To get a second bathroom and natively sleep 5, you would either need to book a 1BR at Animal Kingdom Villas - Kidani or at Bay Lake Tower. Or an even larger unit (a 2BR). I believe the Family Suites at All Star Music may have 2 bathrooms.

DVC villas can be booked for cash via Disney, or you can work with a rental agency to rent a reservation, made with points, by a DVC member on your behalf. Points reservations made this way tend to be non-refundable, and you will not be eligible for any other Disney special offers - but tend to save quite a bit over Disney pricing.

 

[michyi]

I know it's a value, but we stayed at AoA in a Nemo suite. We loved it and the kids loved all of the extra room. My kids are 14, 12, and 10. Two bathrooms, a pull down bed, and couch bed. We've stayed at deluxe and were perfectly happy at the value. Good luck & happy planning!!!

 

[Average Joes]

The Poly standard villa we are renting has two bathrooms and sleeps 5. It looks like it would be cramped if you spent much time in there but there is a balcony. Not sure how comfortable that 5th spot is. It would be one cheaper option to stay deluxe.

 

[fab1976]

The Poly standard villa we are renting has two bathrooms and sleeps 5. It looks like it would be cramped if you spent much time in there but there is a balcony. Not sure how comfortable that 5th spot is. It would be one cheaper option to stay deluxe.

There is only one toilet though!

 

[happymommy]

I would look into the Swan or Dolphin and get two rooms. There are deals frequently, making it comparable to one room at the BC. They also offer a deal where the second room is significantly less and they'll TRY to make them connecting (used to be guaranteed, as we did that before). The location is still same, but I find that Swan and Dolphin are much nicer in amenities (more comfortable beds, nicer rooms overall, better service that I've experienced).

We hit the age at like age 8 & 10 where I would no longer do all 4 of us in a room.

We did stay at Kidani a couple years ago, but with the sofa sleeper and chair bed pulled out, we couldn't even walk through the living room. Had to climb over. We had booked it initially knowing it was only 3 of us, but our oldest joined us. I wouldn't do that again with us 4. Just too cramped; I'd rather have two rooms. I also hated the transportation - bus service was no where near as good as the value resorts. Plus to get to the food court, we had to take the long walk or a shuttle bus - I hated that. Just my 2 cents.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I agree with happymommy's suggestion of Swan/Dolphin. As PP said, the resort typically has family specials where you can get a discount on the second room.

If you would rather stay at an actual WDW resort, yes, you can book 2-bedroom villas with cash through WDW or by renting points through a dealer. BCV has two bedrooms, if you liked BC. Other resorts with close park proximity and 2-bedroom villas include BWV, BLT, CCV, BRV, VGF, and AKV (Jambo and Kidani). We LOVE the 2-bedroom villas as you get a lot of space, two bathrooms plus a full kitchen and a washer/dryer. ASMu and AoA Family Suites will also give you more space and 2 bathrooms but they are value resorts and do not have amenities nearly as nice as anything you would find at a deluxe. You could also do a "deluxe" room at a few of the deluxe resorts, but they wouldn't have a second bathroom.

 

[happymommy]

I'd love a 2 bedroom villa at a DVC resort, yes washer/dryer is IMHO the nicest feature! They tend to cost a lot, even renting points, though! I also agree, staying at a "real" Disney resort does give some perks (Magical Express, room charging with your magic band).

Definitely look into the Swan and Dolphin!

 

[Deb & Bill]

With the Polynesian studio, you'd get one queen bed, one queen sleeper sofa and a bunk sized murphy bed. And not much room with the sleeper sofa opened up and the murphy bed lowered for sleeping. The murphy bed is also smaller than a twin sized bed (shorter and narrower). If you are already worried about not enough space, I'd eliminate the Polynesian studio.

As for Kidani Village, we thought the one bedroom was really spacious. The master bedroom has a king bed and a separate master bath (also very spacious) with a separate tub and shower. The living room has a queen sleeper sofa and twin sleeper chair (and the sleeper chair is the same size as a twin bed and fairly comfortable for kids and smaller adults). Plus a full bath right at the entrance to the villa. You are about a five minute walk from the Mara at Jambo House. When we took a bus from KV to Epcot, the ride was about 13 minutes, not very long at all. DHS and AK would be even less time. MK would be a bit more. If you booked Bay Lake Tower, you'd have a similar set up with the extra bathroom just off the entry and the same bed set up. And you can walk to the MK, take a monorail to the T&TC to catch a monorail to Epcot and take a bus to DHS and AK. BLT doesn't have any dining facility in the building, but you are only about a five minute walk to the Contemporary for any of those dining facilities.

If you check out the DVC Boards on the DIS (make sure you log into the DIS) and go to the Rent/Trade Board and read the sticky threads at the top of the board. That should give you information on "renting points". You are actually purchasing a reservation that a DVC member made using their DVC points. Or you can just book almost any DVC villa directly from Disney Reservation Center on line or on the phone. If you go to the DVC member website, you can look at photos of the various villas (and you don't need a password to log into the site to look at those photos).

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I agree with @Deb & Bill about the Poly Studio. The claim that it has "two bathrooms" is misleading, and once you pull out the sofa bed and the murphy, if you felt like you were tripping over each other at BC, you will feel the same at Poly, only with an extra shower.

The difference between the size of a studio, and the size of the BLT or AKV-Kidani 1BR is Large.
You're looking at 465 square feet (including the bathroom) for a Poly studio. You're looking at over 800 square feet at both Kidani and BLT for a 1BR, and you get a kitchen with that.

 

[Wild4Walt]

I'd compare the rates for an AKL 1 bedroom at Kidani ( important to note - the 1 bedroom at Jambo does not have the 2 bathrooms ) against 2 rooms at a value resort or a moderate.

The 1 bedrooms are nice but if a true bed is important than you'll want 2 rooms.

 

[DisneyFive]

Two connecting rooms at a value like Pop is also an option. Lots of space and two full baths.

Dan

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

great post, not a family of 5 (4) but would love more space

 

[Babsy]

Also, the regular deluxe resort rooms in the MK resorts are larger than the rooms at the BC. You get two real queen beds and a large daybed, plus a balcony at the GF and CR (unless you book GW at CR). We never felt cramped in these with our teenage kids, but YMMV. You do only have one bathroom with either of these options. The Poly has large rooms as well, but there is a 1/3 chance of no balcony or patio there.

Another choice could be a cabin in FW, but, again, there is only one bathroom.

Already mentioned, but I like the option of two rooms at the Swan or Dolphin as well.

Good luck!

 

[gillep]

We loved the Kidani 1 bedroom, it was so spacious and the two bathrooms were great with 4 adults.

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

We loved the Kidani 1 bedroom, it was so spacious and the two bathrooms were great with 4 adults.

I havent looked at these yet, what is the second bed? A pull out bed? How comfortable is it? Ok for an adult? What about 7 nights on it?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I havent looked at these yet, what is the second bed? A pull out bed? How comfortable is it? Ok for an adult? What about 7 nights on it?

A Kidani 1BR has a King bed, double sofa sleeper and chair bed. They're just fine.

 

[gillep]

I havent looked at these yet, what is the second bed? A pull out bed? How comfortable is it? Ok for an adult? What about 7 nights on it?

The second bed is a sleeper sofa. This is where my husband and I slept for about a week, as we gave my mom and her husband the master. It was not the most comfortable sleeping surface, to be honest, I don't think that any of the sleeper sofas are really comfortable, but we were tired at the end of the day and we were fine for about a week. I would have really liked that King sized bed in the master though, it looked very comfortable!!!

 

[Deb & Bill]

A Kidani 1BR has a King bed, double sofa sleeper and chair bed. They're just fine.

Queen sleeper sofa in the one bedroom. Double in the studio.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Two connecting rooms at a value like Pop is also an option. Lots of space and two full baths.

Dan

But you have to remember that connecting rooms are not guaranteed. So if you get two that are not connected, the two adults will have to separate (one into each room) for the duration of the trip. Guests must be at least 18 yrs old to be the adult in the room.