Help! Got to change rooms :(

[CarolS]

Well we are all booked at AoA for the end of August and so looking forward to having room to spread out with 3 kids (10,7,2) and as luck would have it we find out today that my dh car needs a $3000 repair

So here's the thing......I don't want to cancel because the kids are so excited. Tickets are purchased, spending money is saved BUT the cost of the car is going to eat up what AoA will cost us and more. I do have enough points on my Disney Visa to just about completely cover a stay for the week at ASMovies. I had stayed there years ago but it was only me, dh and ds. The thought of the 5 of us crammed in a room for 8 nights is scaring me but the alternative is perhaps cancelling the trip all together. Let me add too that our first experience there was great, our second was horrible (staff messed up our reservations and cc charges, lots of crowds of teenagers, sheets were filthy up arrival and had obviously not been changed from previous guests etc. etc) so this is all I can think of.

Anyone done ASMovies with 3 kids in tow? Can anyone ease my fears about the issues we had the last time?

Thanks a million in advance! Not feeling the Disney magic today

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

I've never done it with three kids but we stayed there once with three adults and one child. We loved this resort. You will have to adjust to having double beds instead of queen sized and the room size will be smaller but it is still a nice resort. Like you said, at least you'll still be there.

[Disney Doll]

We stayed at ASMovies once and it was a long time ago so I don't have any recent experience to share, but I I certainly think you can have a great trip at ASMovies. Your kids probably don't care about which resort. You will be cramped for sure, but cramped in Disney is better than at home. I think your best bet is to be super organized and maximize your space. We like to use an over the door shoe organizer to keep all our toiletries off the counter and out of the way. I've even heard of people moving both beds against the wall to maximize floor space and make it seem more roomy. The bad experience you described sounds like something that could happen at any resort. I try not to judge based on mistakes, but on how well the mistakes are handled.

[Crow]

yea i wish i could try AoA also, but wouldnt b going w a family so for 2 people it wouldnt make sense. sounds like u have a lot of Visa pts, thats a good job.
tell the family it will b like camping out at disney. im sure they will b happy that they are there. they do have family suites so u may check into that also. i havent been to AS for a few yrs

[MstngDrvnDsnyLvr]

Can you swing the family suite at All Star Music??
We've stayed there with our family of 6.
But if we only had 5 - for the amount of time spent sleeping at the resort vs. time in the parks and at the pool - I'd go with All Star resorts so you don't miss the experience.

[ransam]

we never stayed in the resort w/ 3 kids and 2 adults, but when i was 18 i went w/ my mom dad, sister and brother and stayed off property. i can tell you this, it wasn't much bigger than the disney resorts, probably smaller. but i don't remember it being crowded, just that i was at disney and there are no problems at disney. lol

i don't know about you, but i never stay in the hotels but to sleep and dress anyway.
it will be cramped. know that, and just deal w/ it and have fun!
you can order a cot that will fold up. it's actually for a cot, pretty comfortable. you and your husband in one bed, two kids in the other and one in the cot (i think the cot is 10 dollars a night). during the day fold the cot up for more room getting ready.
make a game out of it. who ever behaves the best during the day gets the cot (or bed if they would prefer to sleep 2 to the bed).
when you're getting ready, alternate each day, you and 2 of the kids will go swimming while your husband and the other kid gets ready, that will save room in the room while getting ready. when they are ready, you and the other kids can go up get ready and your husband and clean kid can go start on breakfast. alternate it each day .
use the storage space above the hangers to store your suit case but don't unpack it. in the morning get the suit cases down and dress, put them back up, come back to the resort at night, get the cases down, get ready for bed, put them back up.
Yes, it will be cramped, but don't let that ruin your trip. the only space that is cramped will be the hotel and only an hour or two a day. you will still be in the same old huge WDW most of your time anyway.

have a great trip.

[LVT]

I have to second the shoe rack. I have a large closet version that gives me 12 shoebox cubbies in the closet. We thus can separate out our stuff and keep it off of the sink.

[TikiGoddess]

Why not give Pop Century a try, if you're going to do a value resort? I've stayed there quite a few times and it's always been quiet, clean, and the buses are great. Good food court too.

Kathy

[spoiledraf]

Just a thought.
charge the car repairs to your card and get that extra thirty bucks!

[BrerGnat]

Can book two rooms at a value cheaper than the one at AoA? Maybe that is an option, sort of middle ground. Or, move up to a moderate for more space? CBR has the largest moderate rooms. You could use your Visa points to bring down the out of pocket cost of the room.

[Aurora]

Sorry about the car repairs -- that is a real bummer. But don't fret about the vacation; we've done All-Stars with four adults. It's close quarters but certainly doable! And if the alternative is not doing the trip at all, blah to that!

Make sure to use all available "dead" space to store your luggage and sundries -- under the sink, in the TV cabinet and drawers, behind the table, on the floor and the luggage rack where the hangers are. Don't be afraid to shift furniture to maximize your floor space.

Most important, try to adjust your mindset about staying here. Think warm and cozy, not cramped or tight. Bring some nice-smelling soaps or shampoos from home that you enjoy. Have cookies and milk in the room.

Also, this might be your kids' only opportunity to see that awesome Toy Story area. My kids actually ask to go back there to see it, as if it's an attraction in itself!

[brownie]

If you'll only be sleeping in the room, I wouldn't worry about the space as much. If you plan on spending a decent amount of time in the room, then you might want more space.

[crmark1]

My family loves ASmovies. We stayed there last June and are booked there again this June. last summer all ASMovies rooms got a refurb. New furniture, paint, bedding, curtians, flat screen TVs etc... I love the giant palm trees around the main pool. In the morning hours each resort at AS's usually gets its on bus to the parks.

[disneynarula]

I don't think it's the end of the world, especially since one of the people in the room is a toddler. We always fold up the suitcase stand and stick the pack and play under the area where the clothes hang.

We also pack light and do laundry at some point. For the five of us (kids are 8,5,and 2) We only have three suitcases. Not having a lot of stuff in the room really helps.

[minnie04]

I was just there in March and I can tell you the place was great.The room was very clean and updated. The only thing missing was a fridge(which I thought all the rooms had now) I have had a few miss-haps in the past years at the All-Stars too, but this time was just fine. The only thing is the rooms are only supposed to hold 4 guest .At least that’s what I’m told. I only say that because they might question you when changing resorts. Five in a room that small isn’t that bad as long as the kids are younger. Maybe look at another hotel off property with more sleeping room. I know the Double tree by DTD has nice size rooms and also the Royal plaza does too. I know there is nothing like staying on property, but if price and comfort are a concern I would look off property. You’re spending a lot of nights you want to be comfortable at the end of a long day.

[Disney Doll]

5 in a room is fine provided one is a child under 3 sleeping in a crib.