5 in a room one is a 3 YEAR OLD

[jonahbear2006]

you can swim in the dragon pool. the 6 pools are shared by both PO resorts, you will just have to get to it, its kind of a walk.

CR no longer sleeps 5, used to though; explain that. I was told this was a Disney decision that they made. That is aggravating cause we love the contemporary. It's beautiful and the location is fantastic.

I love camping, but we go in the winter. We don't go camping down there in FL in the heat. When we went it was 84 during the day and at night 47-58 somewhere in there. We had one night where we had to use an electric blanket.

We definitely need more options. DVC is not one for us. We don't make enough. Heck we can't really afford to be Disney families but once a year my husband takes up a 2nd job for a few months so we can go; bless his heart.

I agree that it is not safe for them to split families up, esp. if it is only one parent. I have been told by every hotel in the country that we have to have 2 rooms, even ones that open to the outside. Even the Ritz Carlton. We asked for a suite and they told us it only slept 5 and that someone would have to split up bc of the baby; for a crib. The last thing I want to do on vacation is split up from my husband or decide which children have to go to one room and the other. We definitely need more family rooms.

[diz_girl]

The "golf resort" you are thinking of was the Disney Inn. It is now called Shades of Green and is owned by the DOD, not Disney. the Disney Village is the shopping place we now know as Downtown Disney. The Grand Floridan just celebrated it's 20th birthday on July 1.

Actually, the golf resort that I'm thinking of was was first called The Golf Resort when it was first built, and wasn't called The Disney Inn until the mid-80's. I also know that it's now SOG. And that the Disney Village is now DTD. I'm sure that you were just providing a little more current information for reference purposes.

I was making reference to the limited options for larger families and budget-minded folks back in the 70's (and what the resorts were called in the 70's) and the option for them was FW, where I would have liked to stay when I was a kid. And I was just suggesting that maybe her children might enjoy the experience of camping at Disney, and she could save some $ to use at a monorail resort that would sleep 5.

[Gooftroop5]

The OP i so agree it would be nice if there were more options. I am also the mother of 3 plus dh. This year dd is staying in her grandparents room. My mom's choice. she made the ressies & told us that she was taking her. DD is 9 my dses will be 4&5 when we go. They are better with mommy & daddy. plus dd doesn't do well sharing a bed. She sleeps fine but the person sharing ends up with bruises.

Next trip though it will be just the 5 of us. We are looking at a room with a trundle bed. I figure its a room. What more do we need. We are a family of 5 with one bathroom at home. What's a little closeness on vacay. It makes coming home seem like we live in a mansion.

I like FW stayed there a couple of time however it was in my parents camper. All the amenities of home & no sleeping on the ground. I like camping but after 20 plus years of sleeping in a camper I no longer enjoy sleeping in a tent. DH I did it a few times before kids. Sorry i got spoiled so is dh who use to sleep in tents in the middle of winter. I am sure my children are too since they have only been camping in the trailer since before they were born. Air mattresses just aren't the same as a bed. With gas prices we can't afford to borrow my parents camper(and their tow vehicle) nor do we have the room or want the added weight to the car to bring everything we need for camping. If your young children are like mine they do not like taking showers. My 4yo just started taking a shower my 3 yo still only wants a bath. I think the biggest perk though to staying at FW is you can get away from Disney without getting away from Disney.

Have a great trip no matter where you stay. Its what you make of the trip. If you don't like it then you will know in the future.If you do like it then you will have a hotel of choice like a lot of people here. If you never try somewhere then you will never know either way.

[Mickey'sGirl]

Some really good comments through this thread....but it got me laughing.

I am the youngest of 4 children. When we went to Disney as a child, we all squeezed into the Motel 6 outside of town, and visited MK for a day. Standards sure change!

[Jen C.]

Some really good comments through this thread....but it got me laughing.

I am the youngest of 4 children. When we went to Disney as a child, we all squeezed into the Motel 6 outside of town, and visited MK for a day. Standards sure change!

Agreed!!!....and SO true!

[Lizzie]

I understand the frustration. We are currently a family of 4 two adults and two kids. But we are expecting the third next year. My only concern with having a third is how it will affect our vacations at Disney. I know that is a silly thing but it went through my mind.

So we are planning on gettting two rooms at a moderate when we go in a few years. But I didn't realize that they cant guarantee connecting rooms. How is that? When you are travelling with kids and all don't fit in a room.

[Disney Doll]

Some really good comments through this thread....but it got me laughing.

I am the youngest of 4 children. When we went to Disney as a child, we all squeezed into the Motel 6 outside of town, and visited MK for a day. Standards sure change!

You said it! I understand the need for more options, but some of the comments seem overly dramatic.

[Guya103]

We are a family of six and go for at least two consecutive weeks every year, usually during the summer months. I can completely understand the frustration of having many little kids and not being able to keep them in the same room.

Our kids are much older. We have always had two rooms and would never even think of cramming more than four people in one room! Aside from the size of the rooms, if we only had one bathroom we would not get to the parks until they were closing!

Two rooms are worth the money every time. Everyone will get along better and each person will have more space.

We are doing WDW in August for two weeks and will be staying at POFQ, WL, and CBR. I have never stayed at a value but can speak for the mods and deluxes when I say that the service is always wonderful no matter where you stay and your trip will be much more enjoyable if you have two rooms.

[jonahbear2006]

I understand the frustration. We are currently a family of 4 two adults and two kids. But we are expecting the third next year. My only concern with having a third is how it will affect our vacations at Disney. I know that is a silly thing but it went through my mind.

This is what I was saying. We have 4 and I really want two more children but our biggest reason we are on the fence is will we still be able to afford disney. We are already too big for one room though so I guess if there are 8 of us we are getting the most for out money, eh? hahaha.

[Lizzie]

Guya103

You said you split your family up. Do you always get connecting rooms? What is the furthest your rooms have been from each other?

[Guya103]

Lizzie,

We have lucked out with connecting rooms in the past at some of the mods and have only ever been a couple of rooms away or across the hall at the deluxes.

Since we are staying at three resorts this time, I an anxious to see how each resort places us.

They always mark the request for ajoining rooms on our ressie but can't promise.

I have never worried about having two rooms because we are always close enough. Don't hesitate- you will never be ridiculously far from each other.

[Tinkermom]

CR no longer sleeps 5, used to though; explain that. I was told this was a Disney decision that they made. That is aggravating cause we love the contemporary. It's beautiful and the location is fantastic.

.

Although not in every room the Contemporary Resort most definitely does sleep 5.
Contemporary Resort

[TammiMcMan]

CR no longer sleeps 5, used to though; explain that. I was told this was a Disney decision that they made. That is aggravating cause we love the contemporary. It's beautiful and the location is fantastic.

Where did you hear this, because it's definitely not true. Like some of the other deluxes, not all rooms at the CR have a daybed, but the majority of them do.

[TammiMcMan]

But I didn't realize that they cant guarantee connecting rooms. How is that? When you are travelling with kids and all don't fit in a room.

Trust me, in the hotel industry, the word guarantee doesn't really mean a thing. There are way too many variables that can affect the availability of the room and even the resort itself. Connecting rooms is however, a request that Disney does try it's hardest to fulfill.

[wendy*darling]

They always mark the request for ajoining rooms on our ressie but can't promise.

Just wanted to point out that "connecting" and "adjoining" do not mean the same thing.
Adjoining rooms are near each other. Connecting rooms have the door between them you can open to have access to either room.

If you want "connecting" make sure you specify connecting, not adjoining.

[doombuggy]

Actually, the golf resort that I'm thinking of was was first called The Golf Resort when it was first built, and wasn't called The Disney Inn until the mid-80's. I also know that it's now SOG. And that the Disney Village is now DTD. I'm sure that you were just providing a little more current information for reference purposes.

OK, so maybe I don't know the place as well as I thought, after visiting some many times since 1974, and working since 1996, so I went to Wikipedia to find:
Disney's Contemporary Resort, Disney's Polynesian Resort, and Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground were also completed in time for the park's opening on October 1, 1971. The Palm and Magnolia golf courses near the Magic Kingdom had opened a few weeks before.
Originally, the Shades of Green resort was a Disney-owned property first called The Golf Resort and later The Disney Inn. The original resort was more of a country club for the golf courses and it did not actually have any guest rooms until December 1973. The resort expanded in 1986 and was renamed The Disney Inn as well as receiving a new Snow White theme. It was leased by the Department of Defense beginning in 1994 for the MWR program. The resort was purchased outright January 12, 1996 and renamed Shades of Green.
Downtown Disney began life on March 22nd, 1975, as the Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village, a shopping complex intended to serve the planned residences within Walt Disney World property. As the residential units evolved into more resort hotel space, the complex became more focused as a shopping destination for all Walt Disney World visitors, and renamed Walt Disney World Village in 1977. With the advent of new management under Michael Eisner in the mid-1980s, Disney began looking for ways to keep vacationers on Walt Disney World property longer, and entice them with offerings to prevent them from leaving for entertainment beyond Disney's borders. To compete with the popular Church Street Station clubs in downtown Orlando, Pleasure Island was announced on July 21st, 1986, as an expansion to the Village for highly-themed, adults-only nightlife. Construction began the following August, and Pleasure Island opened on May 1st, 1989, (the exact same day as the Disney-MGM Studios theme park) featuring unique clubs with the Disney touch for quality and creativity. That same year, the Walt Disney World Village was once again renamed as the Disney Village Marketplace to reflect the ever-changing nature of the area. In the mid-1990s, the growth of Walt Disney World once again created the potential for expansion of the offerings around Village Lake at Pleasure Island and the Disney Village Marketplace, so on June 20th, 1995, major enhancements and expansion were announced for the area. The Disney Village Marketplace and Pleasure Island would be folded into a newly-branded district called Downtown Disney, with the former renamed one more time on September 7th, 1997, as Downtown Disney Marketplace. Just a few days later, on September 15th, Downtown Disney West Side opened as a third shopping, dining, and entertainment zone featuring more eclectic venues such as Cirque du Soleil, DisneyQuest, and Virgin Megastore. Major changes for the complex also included the conversion of the somewhat sedate Mickey's Character Shop into the bustling World of Disney, becoming the world's largest Disney store, and the expansion and upgrade of the AMC Pleasure Island Theatres.

So I'm getting the "Disney Village" from all of my uniforms, marked "DVM."

[stephntampa]

I tried booking a king room at CSR thru MJ for me, DH and 4yo DS, and was told that "fire codes" don't allow three people in one king room. Conversely, we stayed at the Ritz-Carlton in Sarasota and requested a king room for 3 people and were granted the request. Someone earlier in this thread stated that it is "Florida fire code", I have heard "Reedy Creek fire code", I think its kinda bogus!!!

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . Due to Florida Fire code . . .

1) We are fond of blaming the fire codes.
2) But, a comparison of room sizes does not bear this out.
3) Why would a 314 sqft room be allowed 5, when a 344 sqft room doesn't?
4) Below are Standard room sizes (not suites or deluxe rooms).
5) You be the judge.
6) Greed or fire codes?

RESORT BASIC/STD Room:
4 guests - 344 sqft - Animal Kingdom Lodge
5 guests - 380 sqft - Boardwalk
5 guests - 422 sqft - Contemporary
6 guests - 504 sqft - Fort Wilderness Cabins
5 guests - 400 sqft - Grand Floridian
5 guests - 410 sqft - Polynesian
4 guests - 340 sqft - Wilderness Lodge
5 guests - 380 sqft - Yacht and Beach Club
4 guests - 340 sqft - Caribbean Beach
4 guests - 314 sqft - Coronado Springs
4 guests - 314 sqft - Port Orleans French Quarter
5 guests - 314 sqft - Port Orlenas Riverside
4 guests - 260 sqft - All Stars
4 guests - 260 sqft - Pop Century

[Seasonscraps]

1) We are fond of blaming the fire codes.
2) But, a comparison of room sizes does not bear this out.
3) Why would a 314 sqft room be allowed 5, when a 344 sqft room doesn't?

I thought the fire code controlled occupancy for egress purposes not how many people can fit in a space. How many people can be safely evacuated through the corridors & stairwells?

[diz_girl]

So I'm getting the "Disney Village" from all of my uniforms, marked "DVM."

I wish that they'd offer apparel that had the old names and logos on it, for a bit of nostalgia. If they do sell it on-site, where do I find it?