Best Way to Stay at Disney for Large Families
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I (Monica) have a large family by today's standards. I take successfully taken my family unit of 6 to Disney Earth multiple times, and I am here to share my best tips and tricks. Consider this your complete guide to surviving Disney World with a big family.
Disney + Big Families
Yep, it is possible to go to Disney Earth with a lot of kids. I accept 4 of them, and simply like everything else in life, you learn how to navigate the world with a large crew. Disney Globe is no different. Not just do my hubby and I take our four kids, simply my parents normally come with us so we end up with a total of eight on near trips.
I've had to figure information technology all out – from which rooms arrange big families, how to stretch that Disney food budget with so many mouths to feed, and only how to navigate park touring with and so many varying interests (and heights).
I'grand going to share everything I've learned forth the way to make information technology easier for you as you plan your Disney trip! Let'southward accept a look at the major parts of planning a Disney trip through the lens of a large family: resort, transportation, nutrient, and park touring.
Choosing the right Resort
Finding hotels are one of the biggest obstacles I face when planning a trip anywhere. I can either go two rooms or dump a agglomeration of money and go a suite. The same is essentially true at Disney World, but there are some cheaper options that sleep larger families. Let's take a await at all your options for big families.
Value Resorts
The only value resorts that sleep 6 people are All Star Music and Art of Animation. Both resorts take suites that include a separate bedroom, a kitchenette, and pull out sofa. Unfortunately, All Star Music is closed at the time of writing and then your only option would be Art of Animation. To give you an idea of what those suites are like, read Kate's review Here.
Your other option for value resorts would be to go multiple rooms. Depending on your family size that could exist up to 3 rooms (which would sleep 12 for most resorts). If you find a corking disbelieve for your travel dates, it may exist worth splurging to go multiple beds (no pull outs!) and bathrooms.
I would consider the campsites at Fort Wilderness Resort to be value in price then I'll include them hither. If you take an RV (we do!), taking your camper downwards to Disney would be a fun experience! Nosotros oasis't been able to do this however, just being in your ain "abode away from habitation" while in the Disney bubble is a huge money-saver for larger families.
Hopefully nosotros volition take our camper down at that place soon so I tin do a big review!
Moderate Resorts
The moderate resorts at Disney offer a bit more than flexibility for your larger family. Caribbean Beach Resort and Port Orleans Riverside (currently airtight) slumber five in some rooms because they offer a pull-downwards bed.
Coronado Springs offers suites that sleeps upwards to eight depending on room type. However, those tin exist almost as expensive as palatial resorts! Additionally, the Cabins at Fort Wilderness tin can sleep up to 6 people simply are considerably smaller than other Disney Resort rooms.
Like value resorts, you lot can volume two moderate rooms. If you accept x people in your family, you could get two of the 5th sleepers. Otherwise, if I were to get 2 rooms I would just stay at a value resort. Y'all're getting the same number of beds and bathrooms for less money at a value resort.
Deluxe Resorts and Villas
If y'all have a larger upkeep for your larger family (and even if y'all don't – there are some ways around that!), palatial resorts offering accommodations that sleep up to 12. These are the nicest resorts on property, though, and they exercise come up with a bigger price tag.
Old Fundamental West and Saratoga will take your biggest rooms at the cheapest price. After that, you are looking at Animal Kingdom Lodge and the EPCOT area resorts every bit being the next nigh expensive. Finally, Riviera Resort and the Magic Kingdom resorts will have the largest cost tags. Do note that pricing tin can vary depending on flavor and discounts.
On our first family trip to Disney, nosotros stayed in a 2 bedroom at Quondam Cardinal Westward. We did non have a large upkeep, just my parents paid for their part of the room. Nosotros too ate at quick-service restaurants only to offset the resort cost.
Don't permit Disney scare you if y'all have a large family! Shift some things in the budget if yous need to spend more than on a resort.
Now that I know about renting points, I accept a completely different view of deluxe resorts. If y'all want to become really savvy, cheque out my how-to for renting DVC points HERE. Renting points allows my large family unit to stay in a large enough room without blowing the vacation budget.
Offsite
Finally, offsite hotels are an option for big families. If you are a large war machine family (thank you for your service!), Shades of Greenish has suites every bit do the Swan and Dolphin hotels.
Finally, there are countless hotels and rental houses nearby that will accommodate your large family. Many times they are very cheap compared to Disney Resort hotels so you tin can have the all-time of both worlds: a big space for your family and staying in the budget.
While you volition have to get a bit more creative finding enough space for your big family at Disney, you already practise that all the time in real life, right?
Transportation
Speaking of existent life, transportation for a large family can be a struggle. Having to skip all those sleek cars for a huge SUV or minivan tin drag you downward. At that place are a few key things to keep in mind when getting to and around Disney World. Taking your own vehicle or renting one will be your all-time pick, but at that place are some ways to go around not having that huge minivan on vacation.
Disney'due south Magical Express and Resort Transportation
If you plan to fly into the Orlando area versus driving, Disney's Magical Limited is a godsend for large families. This is a free service Disney provides for Guests staying at a Disney Resort. This is a large motor coach so no car seats needed, and there are plenty of seats!
Unfortunately, this free service will end in 2022. This is problematic for large families in particular because our options for ride sharing volition be smaller than normal-sized families.
One time you are on property, y'all can utilize Disney transportation to any of the theme parks, resorts, and Disney Springs area. The Skyliner, Monorail, and Boats don't present a trouble at all for large families. Yous may have a bit more trouble using busses because of the physical distancing and reduced chapters on busses.
Solely using Disney transportation can be problematic for early on or tardily dining reservations. In most cases, park transportation doesn't get-go until an hr before the parks open up, and busses don't run betwixt resorts. Using a ride share service would exist your only option in some cases, which can be costly for big families.
Personal Vehicles and Motorcar Rentals
As I mentioned to a higher place, taking your personal vehicle or renting a auto will circumvent many of the issues large families run into using Disney transportation. However, it can add together upwards with overnight parking fees at Disney resorts. Right at present, value resorts price $15/night, moderate resorts cost $twenty/nighttime, and palatial resorts cost $25/nighttime. DVC members practice not pay for resort parking.
Parking at the parks is free right at present for Guests staying at Disney hotels, simply if you are staying offsite y'all will have to effigy in the cost of parking each day ($25/day). Parking at Disney Springs and the water parks is costless for all Guests.
Ride Sharing Services and Car Services
Several companies offer car services are bachelor in the Orlando surface area. I remember for one trip we were lodging at Shades of Dark-green. Since they do not offer gratis transportation, we decided to take a car service take u.s. to/from the airport and hotel. My husband absolutely loved it because the commuter handled our numberless, we didn't take to wait for the Magical Express, and nosotros went straight to the hotel.
However, nosotros had to get a large SUV to accommodate all 6 of united states of america plus the driver and the cost (about $100 each way + tip) pushed me to never book a hotel offsite again!
Using Uber/Lyft is also an option for getting effectually property and to/from the Orlando airport. However, this can exist very costly for large families. The few times we take used this service, my parents had to go their own Uber, and information technology cost me upwards of $40 i way to accept the Uber 40. I exercise non recommend solely relying on car services for your entire Disney holiday.
Food
Ah, feeding your large family unit. This is hard enough at home ($50 for fast food…no thanks), but at Disney it can be a full buzzkill. I cook nearly every meal at home to go on food costs downwards, but at Disney it is a whole other ballgame.
In that location are a few options, though, so don't worry!
Eat in the hotel room
I didn't mention this when talking about resorts, just the villas offer full kitchens! Aye, full kitchens will total-size refrigerators, all the cooking supplies you demand, and a dining space. If you need to salve money on food, consider increasing your hotel budget and cook the majority of the meals in that kitchen. I'll be the first to say, "Simply who wants to melt on vacation!?"
However, making a hearty breakfast in the room every day or taking a mid-day intermission and making a tardily dejeuner or early dinner in your villa can save you a lot of coin. Take your crock pot (if y'all're driving) so y'all aren't spending valuable park time preparing those meals. Set like shooting fish in a barrel meals that will feed everyone.
Ordering groceries makes it insanely piece of cake to have a calendar week's worth of groceries sent to your hotel. If you aren't staying in a villa, I yet recommend having an order sent to cover breakfast staples, non-perishable snacks, and more.
Snacks, Snacks, Snacks
Speaking of snacks, bring lots of them. If y'all have young kids who prefer to snack more than eat full meals or accept picky eaters who won't similar park food, snacks are a lifesaver. For one trip, I had groceries sent to the hotel and I made my picky son a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in case he didn't want park food. Sure enough, he ate that sandwich every day.
I besides packed an obnoxious amount of snacks in a carve up handbag each day. I ordered individual servings of fries, fruit snacks, applesauce, juice boxes, and cookies. No, they didn't eat very healthy that week, but it was so easy to pull out a snack and it saved us a lot of money.
When you practice swallow at a eating house on property, whether that exist quick-service or sit down down, be prepared to spend some money. When we first started going to Disney, we had a much tighter budget. My kids shared meals when nosotros could. Honestly, I knew they wouldn't eat an unabridged burger anyway so it produced less waste as well.
But, nosotros likewise wanted to enjoy ourselves and care for our kids to many grapheme meals so nosotros simply prepared ourselves financially every bit best as nosotros could. On a week-long trip in 2018, one child was under iii and the three others were betwixt three-9 and then nosotros ate at 'Ohana for breakfast, San Affections Inn for the Candlelight Processional package, Cinderella's Royal Table for breakfast, 1900 Park Fare for dinner, Hollywood and Vine for breakfast, and Bon Voyage for breakfast.
Pirate tip: large parties volition often take tip automatically included at sit-down meals. Don't forget to upkeep for that!
At present, with ii kids over ten and no one nether 3, we do a lot less sit-downward meals, and I but enquiry restaurants that fit our preferences and budget. Still, I don't let the numbers freak me out. If it's something I plan in advance, I can prepare to cover the toll of anywhere nosotros want to eat.
Park Touring
Yes, it's catchy finding the perfect resort for a large family and finding the right balance between your budget and having fun…only park touring can be one of the virtually difficult parts of Disney vacation planning for large families.
Depending on the ages and interests of your kids, y'all could detect yourself beingness pulled in several directions in one case you footstep human foot in the parks. Should yous go straight to Dense for the toddler or head to Infinite Mountain to please the older kids? Does just 1 child desire to encounter the Frozen Singalong while the residual would rather get dorsum to the hotel and swim?
There are some ways effectually the situations you lot may run into so your large family unit tin still accept a magical time!
Have a good touring plan
Fifty-fifty if y'all don't have a large family, I will e'er and forever recommend Grapheme Locator. Kenny's touring plans are designed and tested to minimize time waiting in line.
The sooner you reach your goals for the twenty-four hours, the more than fourth dimension you lot tin can have to "wing it" or head back to the hotel for a break. The ameliorate your touring programme, the more attractions you tin squeeze in for everyone. Y'all get the thought.
Breaks
Speaking of breaks, they are so necessary for a large family. If you have younger children, the parks tin be very overwhelming. Nap time should non be missed just because you're on vacation. If y'all can get them to nap in the stroller, then groovy, but sometimes your baby or toddler just needs some peace and repose.
The older kids will surely enjoy the puddle time and the parents definitely demand a interruption, as well. My husband and I are always wearied on our trips because taking intendance of a lot of children is difficult enough to exercise at domicile. It's amplified during a calendar week-long family vacation. However, it's the best kind of burnout though!
It'due south ok to split
If you have a wide diversity of interests and "must do" attractions in your big family, it's ok to split up for a flake so every child gets to practise what they want. If you take some kids who can't ride some of the attractions anyhow due to height requirements, employ that opportunity to take them off to practise something else that the other kids don't care about doing.
My only request for the times our family does split is that we each have to take plenty of videos and photos so nosotros don't miss out on anything!
Try to bring help if you can
I mentioned before my parents usually come with united states to Disney Globe. This is for two reasons. One, because nosotros love to spend time with them. During our first trip, we but had two children plus an infant so it wasn't too challenging. But, we invited them because my parents took me and my brother on so many trips equally kids. I wanted them to experience Disney with their grandkids.
Every bit the years went on and our family grew, we realized what a blessing it was to accept two actress sets of easily and eyes to help! My dad isn't much of a ride guy and then he will gladly sit out with anyone who is too short to ride. My mom is a rockstar at those late-night baths when we all come back to the room exhausted.
I realize it'due south not always possible to have actress help with you, but information technology is something to consider if you accept someone in your extended family who would love the invitation.
Going to Disney Earth with a large family is completely achievable!
I promise I've eased your worries a scrap most traveling to Disney with your big family unit. There are a few logistical things to consider, simply once you make information technology past those, a Disney vacation can be very magical!
Some of my best memories from Disney trips involve watching 3 of my four kids do the Jedi training at Hollywood Studios and seeing them all environment Mickey and give him a giant hug.
I dear that they are making memories with each other that we will all talk nigh years from at present. I definitely won't call back how much I spent on food or how nosotros had to skip out on a ride, but I will e'er call up how special it is enjoying Disney with all of my children.
Do you have a big family? What tips do you have about taking a trip to Disney? What questions practice yous have? Comment beneath or share on Facebook!
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Source: https://www.kennythepirate.com/2021/03/04/how-to-survive-disney-world-with-a-big-family/
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