So this will be our 4th visit in 7 years (and we can’t wait until Aug 2022). It’s my husbands 50th birthday & hopefully a celebration of his early retirement to boot…
In celebration of these milestones, we’re thinking of staying on-site for the first time. Our boys will be 12 & 14 and there is no way they will share a bed, not even a big one! So we need three beds (not a pull-out each night job) which I’m seeing seems to be quite a big challenge to find?
Our other criteria would be to ideally be able to WALK to some of the park attractions although we love the idea of the skyline too.
We usually stay in a lakeside villa on Windsor Hills & do enjoy the space and private pool this affords. We love the proximity to the parks…
My question therefore is, if you were to pick a room for us what & where would you choose?
Top of the line: one bedroom DVC villa - maybe rent points - at a location that sleeps 5, that has also been upgraded. We’re at Saratoga Springs and the ‘sofa sleeper’ is a Murphy bed that pivots down from the wall. Very comfortable. The single sleeper is a Murphy bed that pivots down from under the tv. My grandniece found this to be very comfortable 2 years ago, at 14, slender 5’ 2". Perhaps this would match with your 12 yo.
At Saratoga buses only to parks altho DVC bus stops seem not to be all the way at the end. Other DVC locations that sleep 5 in a one bedroom probably have similar Murphy beds
My personal choice would be a Wilderness Home at Fort Wilderness. There’s the queen Murphy bed in the living room, bunk bed and double bed in the back bedroom and a deck with a picnic table. Spring for the golf cart so you’re not dealing with the internal bus system which is generally considered an annoyance. While MK is a boat ride away, you’re not walking to any parks.
Fort Wilderness is a great place to relax when out of the parks.
One thing to keep in mind, it’s now possible to walk from the Contemporary past MK to Grand Floridian and then the Poly. Boat transport as well. And of course TTC.
Same is true with the Epcot area resorts, Beach Club, Yacht Club and the Boardwalk.
Since there’s no bus transportation between resorts, being in the MK or Epcot area makes celebrating at other resorts’ restaurants easier.
On big birthday trips we tend to celebrate all week.
I don’t know if this is just us, but we’re really not keen on paying top-dollar for a Murphy bed… we’re really looking for three full-size beds that don’t double up as our lounge area.
I guess I’m struggling with paying more for 2 beds than 6 beds and my own pool… so at least want to know that when I get back to the room I don’t have to ‘make’ one of us a bed… I presume this is the case with a Murphy (or what we call a sofa or temp bed).
They are 12 and 14, and it’s a celebration trip?
I’d get a big suite or two rooms at an Epcot Area resort.
The issue is, you’ll probably never go back to not staying at an Ep area resort.
Swan / Dolphin usually have decent prices if you can find them, but they also are not DIsney “run” resorts, so there are some pros and cons that you’d need to research for yourself to see if they would be a good fit.
My thoughts were something like the Yacht Club which has 1 king & 2 queen beds. I don’t know if there are any other hotels which offer similar? I think this room layout would be ideal with two big lads & a hubby looking to celebrate a big birthday…
I’ve tried using the room finder but you don’t seem to be able to look by number of beds which would be really helpful…
I’ve never searched for a big room like that, but, maybe if you narrow down your resort search to which ones you’d like to try and stay in, give the resort a call and see if they have a cfg that would suit you. I’d assume most of them have a few bigger rooms. Just check if the price is right compared with getting sep rooms - possibly even adjoining rooms, which I’m sure most hotels have by design.
If the 3 bed thing is going to be difficult to find (certainly seems to be) what about two rooms one with two beds? I am guessing that ‘officially’ it would have to be one parent in each of the two separate rooms?
If you want 3 double/queen or king beds then 2 rooms is your best bet, unless you are up to the cost of a suite. I will say the queen Murphy beds in Pop which I assume are like the new ones at SSR are actual beds, they just happen to pull down from the wall. But you can leave it down for your stay if you like and it is just as comfortable as a stationary bed. The newly refurbished family suites at All Star Music would be perfect for you if they are open by then, as a more affordable option, although not in walking distance to parks. We needed 3 sleep surfaces for teens on one trip last summer and stayed at Contemporary Garden Wing. The daybed is a flip-down mattress and not your typical sofabed. It was quite comfortable and my DS16 had no complaints about it. The same type is used in most deluxe resorts (non-DVC) for the 5th sleep surface I believe.
I think two rooms at either Pop or Swan/Dolphin would be comfortable enough with plenty of space for everyone, and in both cases, two rooms are cheaper than the most standard room at a Deluxe and nowhere close to the sky-high larger suite prices (even with extra resort fees at Swolphin). Both have the capability to give you one King room and one 2-Queens room. Some downsides to either place, but the Swolphin location can’t be beat (while sacrificing DME), and Pop is more attractive now with the Skyliner. I think either of those is getting the most for your money onsite while comfortably accommodating everyone, unless a ridiculously good DVC points rental comes up. Just my $0.02, from someone who would never pony up for those expensive suites.
Thanks all. I’m not really worried (too much) about the affordability at this point, but want to see what options actually exist.
We’re aware it will cost double what a six bedroom villa would cost, but for such a special occasion are thinking of treating ourselves.
Husband is a big Star Wars fan so the Epcot hotels do mean we could walk to Hollywood Studios… and we all like Disney Springs. It looks like there will be loads of new attractions we won’t of seen as our last trip was 2018.
@ISUamanda 2 bed suites do exist. Have already been looking at these at Saratoga & Beach Club hotels, but as someone who’s never stayed on site wanted peoples ideas for accommodation favourites.
I’m interested to find out if people think that the ‘extra’ cost of either a 2 bedroom suite or two rooms is value over an off-site villa…
Thanks all. Here’s hoping we can all get back to Disney soon.
If we have adjoining rooms, do we have to say there is an adult in each? Or can we officially say the adults are sharing and the boys are sharing? Thanks
No idea about the adult in each room question, best to confirm with resort if nobody has the intel.
Mkmuzzy has a great comment for the room selection though. Make sure they know you want rooms that connect, if that is indeed what you’d want. I’d confirm all of this stuff with the resort to make 100% sure. I’d also check room inventory with some kind of concierge over the phone, just in case these types of rooms are not listed online with the general types of selections.
Yes, there would have to be one adult 18 or over booked on each room. But, my understanding is if all the other party is kids, they will prioritize giving that group connecting rooms.
