Best Family Suites at Disney World Resort Hotels
Larger parties have a tough time finding spacious hotel rooms at Walt Disney World without breaking the bank. Although accommodations exist for 5+ people at many resorts, most are expensive and aimed at luxury travelers. Hence this, which lists best family suites at Walt Disney World, including multi-room options and sleeper picks. (Updated June 25, 2023.)
Family suites are actually a relatively recent addition to Walt Disney World’s hotel inventory, which is somewhat shocking when you consider Disney’s target demographic. Family suites weren’t a “mainstream” room category until 2006, when Walt Disney World research revealed there was unsatisfied demand for family accommodations. With that, Imagineering converted standard rooms at Disney’s All Star Music Resort into family suites.
Following the success of that, Walt Disney World decided to expand the initiative, and finally found a use for the abandoned project, Disney’s Pop Century: The Legendary Years. This was to be the second-phase of the existing Pop Century, but was postponed indefinitely after 9/11 and the resulting drop in tourism. About a decade later, work resumed–converting the building into what’s now a fan-favorite, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort.
It’s not as if family suites were a new or novel concept at that point. To be sure, there were rooms for larger parties prior to the experiment at All Star Music and Art of Animation introduced character-themed options. Since the beginning, Walt Disney World resorts have had a selection of suites.
Even more significantly, Disney Vacation Club debuted almost two decades earlier and brought a range of room types, including 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, and Grand Villas. Disney’s “Best Kept Secret” has proliferated like rabbits since, with DVC being about the only thing that Walt Disney World builds quickly.
Call me old-fashioned, but it’s not really practical advice to suggest Walt Disney World first-timers drop thousands of dollars for a stay in a luxury suite or tens of thousands of dollars for a DVC membership. Those are great options for some guests, no doubt, but not even remotely realistic for regular families.
Hence this post. The goal here is to share family suites that are more ‘monetarily accessible’ to average Americans. These suites are still pricier than standard rooms at Walt Disney World (which themselves are expensive!), but there are viable options here for just about every budget. And nothing eye-roll inducing like “spend $5,000 per night for the Princess Diana Suite at the Grand Floridian” or “drop $40,000 for years of DVC magic!” So simple! Why doesn’t everyone just do that?!
Anyway, in addition to staying at every single resort at Walt Disney World numerous times, we’ve also done a variety of accommodations when visiting with family, friends…and sometimes just the two of us. Recently, we’ve been making the rounds at the family suites, revisiting familiar favorites since the rooms have been refreshed and trying new places for the first time.
From those first-hand experiences, we’ve put together this list of Walt Disney World accommodations for larger families. The spans a variety of options, but admittedly leaves out the simplest solution: booking connecting standard hotel rooms. That will frequently come out costing the least, but it’s (obviously) not the same as a family suite. Nevertheless, if you’re looking for what’s easiest and often cheapest, two standard connecting rooms will likely be your best bet.
Anyway, here are our favorite family-friendly accommodations options for larger parties who want a more economical option, more space to spread out without the luxury-level price, or those who want something fun for families…
All Star Music Family Suites – With rack rates starting under $400, these are the cheapest family suites at Walt Disney World. (Or rather, least expensive.) However, they’re also at the All Stars, a trio of resorts that have the reputation of being the least-desirable at Walt Disney World.
That’s at least partially unfair. Certain Walt Disney World fans are quick to dismiss the All Stars as overpriced and sketchy motels. This isn’t even remotely true. The All Star Resorts offer a slate of amenities superior to average motels in a setting that’s also dramatically better. The oversized decor, pools, and landscaping are miles above anything you’d find at most real-world motels. People can quibble over the thematic ‘quality’ of those oversized icons, but even that appeals to some families.
The more legitimate criticism is the location and lack of non-bus transportation. Unlike Pop Century and Art of Animation Resorts, there is no Skyliner station at the All Stars. We view the gondola as a game-changer, providing fast and predictable transportation to two parks (EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios). The lack of that means reliance on often inefficient buses to all four parks. If you have a car, this is no big deal. If not, that alone might be enough to cause you to move up to Art of Animation or another alternative with family suites.
Then there are the rooms themselves. The Family Suites at Disney’s All Star Music Resort were recently reimagined, and the difference is night and day. (Seriously, don’t rely on reviews or tours of the old rooms to make a decision.) The old rooms were dingy and dark, and felt like an afterthought–a quick retrofix to test the market, and very clearly a combination of two standard rooms.
In terms of basics, these 520 square foot suites have two full baths, a kitchenette with microwave, a full-sized refrigerator & freezer, sink, and single-cup coffee maker. The main bedroom in the family suite has a queen bed and 55″ flat screen TV above the dresser.
The second room has two pull-down queen beds and another 55″ flat screen TV above the dresser. One of the two bathrooms has a tub-shower combo, whereas the other is strictly a walk-in shower. There’s a lot of convertible space, which is a pro or con depending upon your perspective. We have a ton more photos & thoughts in our comprehensive All Star Music Family Suites Review.
Art of Animation Family Suites – As noted above, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort is a Value Resort offering Skyliner gondola service to EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It’s also a short walk across Hourglass Lake to Pop Century Resort, which effectively expands your slate of amenities and dining options.
Like the All Star Resorts, oversized movie icons are the name of the thematic game at Art of Animation Resort. Unlike those, there’s a sense of immersiveness here, with sections dedicated to Lion King, Finding Nemo, Cars, and Little Mermaid that are each very good. The Cars section, in particular, is a personal favorite, and does a pretty good job of simulating Radiator Springs. (It doesn’t hold a candle to Cars Land at DCA, but they’re fundamentally different.)
There are a handful of ways that Art of Animation feels like a Value+ Resort, with the most notable being the internal hallways in the buildings that house the family suites. The food court, pools, and other recreation are all arguably better at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. Given all of that, it can be worth the premium pricing over the All Star Music Family Suites if the price gap isn’t that wide or you’re willing to splurge. (Personally, we think these rooms are “worth” about $40 more per night, but your mileage may vary.)
As for the rooms themselves, the Lion King, Cars, and Finding Nemo family suites at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort are each 565 square feet. Like those at All Star Music, these family suites are approximately the size of two standard rooms combined into a single unit.
Each suite has a master bedroom, living room, two bathrooms, and a kitchenette with mini-fridge, microwave, coffeemaker, and two 55″ flatscreen televisions. Each family suite sleeps up to 6 guests: two in the main bedroom’s queen bed, two in the living room’s convertible full-size sleeper sofa, and the last two in the living-room table that pulls down into a full-size bed.
On paper, these rooms are very similar to the family suites at All Star Music. Personally, I prefer the pull-down beds to the convertible ones, which is a slight edge for All Star Music. However, the layout–offering more separation for each bed–is superior at Art of Animation.
I also find the design superior at Art of Animation, with each room going ‘all out’ to reflect one of the aforementioned movies. (Those who dislike Lion King, Cars, or Finding Nemo might disagree!) On balance, it’s probably a matter of personal preference, but we suspect most guests will favor these family suites over those at All Star Music. For more photos & comprehensive thoughts, see our Disney’s Art of Animation Resort Review.
Swan Reserve – The new “Scranton-style” office park addition across from the Swan & Dolphin has almost as many suites as traditional rooms. The hotel itself is quite a bit different than the main resort, with much less in-hotel dining and a slightly longer walk to the parks.
On the plus side, the Swan Reserve is only a couple minutes from the much more interesting and expansive Swan & Dolphin grounds. In fact, it’s a shorter walk to the Grotto Pool from many rooms at the Swan Reserve than from those at the Swan & Dolphin. It’ll take less than 5 minutes to get there from the Swan Reserve, and about 10 minutes or less to get to the restaurants in those buildings.
Turning to the rooms, the family suite equivalent is the Signature Suites that offer “residential-style comfort and boutique décor” according to the Marriott website. The downside–and it’s a big one–is that most of these suites only accommodate 4 guests, so they’re not really for larger parties. They’re for normal parties wanting a larger space.
To that point, the Signature Suites are 610 square feet, versus 330 square feet for the traditional room. These suites are essentially the traditional room plus a living room. Assuming my math is correct, that living area is about 290 square feet. These rooms feature high-quality finishes, furniture, lighting, etc. The huge windows make for a brighter room than you’ll find at Walt Disney World’s Value and Moderate Resorts. The natural light flowing through the windows against the blue and white color scheme really pops.
The headboards, bedside tables, lamps, carpet, and even the dresser drawers also give the rooms plenty of personality. Even the otherwise all-white bedding has a bit of texture to it. Everything about the rooms has heft, texture, and a substantial feeling. There’s a tremendous amount of attention to detail and quality in the rooms at the Swan Reserve.
Pricing for the Signature Suites at the Swan Reserve is all over the place; I’ve seen these rooms both lower and higher than Art of Animation, depending upon the dates. These are going to be a better option for those wanting something more sophisticated and “less Disney” while still being amidst the heart of the action at Walt Disney World. Another distinction is that these rooms only sleep 5 (really only 4 comfortably). Despite their larger size, these are more about spreading out and having space than high occupancy. For more photos & comprehensive thoughts, see our Swan Reserve Resort Review.
Fort Wilderness Cabins – These rustic cabins are interesting from the perspective that they’re technically a Moderate Resort, but with pricing and amenities more akin to a Family Suite or Deluxe Villa. The Cabins at Fort Wilderness might have a rustic theme, but they’re entirely modernized. The kitchen is one highlight and distinguishing factor, as it has a full-sized fridge, dishwasher, convection and microwave oven, plus 2 countertop burners.
The living room features a dining room table, couch, and side chair along with a pull-down murphy bed behind the large television. The bedroom offers bunk beds and a queen bed, with ample storage space under the bed, in a dresser, and closets. There’s one bathroom with a bathtub with a shower.
Fort Wilderness Cabins measure 504 square feet, with most of the size differential between these and the All Star or Art of Animation Family Suites coming down to the cabins only have one bathroom. However, these are also standalone units that also offer a private patio with picnic table and charcoal grill–the Value Resorts don’t even have balconies.
Essentially, the Fort Wilderness Cabins are great options for anyone wanting privacy, outdoor space for dining or activities, or a secluded and serene atmosphere. Fort Wilderness as a whole is fantastic–a great way to decompress after busy days in the parks, and all only a short boat ride from Magic Kingdom.
With that said, it’s also not for everyone–this is a campground, after all–and the sprawling size, being in the woods, and only having one bathroom might make the Fort Wilderness Cabins less appealing to a lot of families. Personally, we love it. For more photos & comprehensive thoughts, see our Fort Wilderness Cabins Review.
(Note: Fort Wilderness Cabins will starting being replaced by Disney Vacation Club Cabins at some point in either late 2024 or early 2025. Currently, it’s possible to book the Cabins at Fort Wilderness through December 2024. It’s unclear whether this means the DVC project is delayed, will happen in phases, or guests booking the cabins will be moved. All are possibilities and something to keep in mind if you’re making reservations in late 2024.)
5th Sleeper Style – An increasingly common room category that’s now found at several Walt Disney World resorts is the “5th sleeper” style. These rooms offer accommodations for a party of 5-6 people, depending upon ages. The rooms typically have 2 queen beds that can each sleep 2 guests (of any age or size), plus a pull-down bed for a small adult or child.
There’s no hard and fast rule about who can sleep in the 5th sleeper, but we’ve noted in the past that it’s “suitable for Sarah.” In general, you’d probably want to have a child under 5’6″ and 120 pounds use that bed. Even that is pushing the bounds of comfort for a longer stay. Essentially, these rooms are suitable for up to 4 average American adults, plus one atypical adult or child, and an infant in a crib. At least, on paper–the square footage of the room and only one bathroom might make housing that many people a non-starter.
Unlike the other entries on this list, 5th sleeper rooms do not have a wall separating the living and sleeping area, so they are not suites. However, they’re also not priced like suites. If you can deal with the smaller square footage and lack of a wall, these are going to be an incredibly economical option–cheaper than suites or booking two connecting standard rooms.
Little Mermaid Rooms at Caribbean Beach – This is the newest example of a 5th sleeper room that is actually suitable for a family of 5-6. You’ll note the above asterisk about the other 5th sleeper rooms only being suitable for larger families on paper due to the square footage and usable space.
The new ‘Under the Sea’ style rooms at Caribbean Beach are arguably an exception to this, as the pull-down bed that transforms into a couch and abundance of storage space means there’s more breathing room for larger parties. With the exception of 5th sleepers at pricey Deluxe Villas and Disney Vacation Club Resorts, this makes the new Little Mermaid rooms at Caribbean Beach the best 5th sleeper rooms for most parties in practice. For more photos & comprehensive thoughts, see our Review, Photos & Video: Little Mermaid Rooms at Caribbean Beach Resort.
Third Party “Bubble” Resorts – Already mentioned is the Swan Reserve, which is a third party hotel located within walking distance of EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. In addition to that, there are on-site third party hotels offering suites at Bonnet Creek and Disney Springs, as well as the Four Seasons Orlando.
Admittedly, aside from the Four Seasons Orlando (which is hardly a budget option), we haven’t stayed at the aforementioned suites within the last few years. Nevertheless, you can check out our Disney Springs Resort Area Hotel Rankings, which covers the accommodations there–just keep in mind that it’s not totally current.
Flamingo Crossings – For those who are unfamiliar with Flamingo Crossings, it’s an up-and-coming area of Walt Disney World and Central Florida. Flamingo Crossings has a “Pleasantville meets college campus” vibe to it, as it’s home to housing for Disney College Program participants and Cultural Representatives and features a walkable, downtown-like area that’s limited but useful.
For our purposes, the hotels are the pertinent part of Flamingo Crossings:
- SpringHill Suites by Marriott at Flamingo Crossings Town Center/Western Entrance
- TownePlace Suites by Marriott at Flamingo Crossings Town Center/Western Entrance
- Residence Inn by Marriott at Flamingo Crossings Town Center
- Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott at Flamingo Crossings Town Center
- Homewood Suites by Hilton at Flamingo Crossings Town Center
- Home2 Suites by Hilton at Flamingo Crossings Town Center
All of these offer suites, which is probably obviously by “suites” being in every single name save for the Residence Inn, which doesn’t need the word since its name implies suites. We haven’t stayed at every hotel in Flamingo Crossings (yet!), but that Residence Inn is my favorite thus far (read our full review here).
This entire area warrants mentioning because these hotels all offer family and budget-friendly accommodations. Prices can vary considerably based on demand, but we’ve frequently found options at or under $150 per night during normal seasons. This puts the hotels about on par with the Disney Springs Resort Area.
The key difference is that many of these are family suites with more space. There are a range of extended stay or family suite style rooms, many of which have fully-equipped kitchens so you can prepare meals. If you’re curious about this area, read more in our Guide to Flamingo Crossings at Walt Disney World.
Treehouse Villas – At the absolute opposite end of the spectrum is the Treehouse Villas at Saratoga Springs Resort, which sit on stilts above the wetlands in an undisturbed area of Walt Disney World. These date back decades, and have an incredibly interesting history as mixed-use accommodations that were once housing for Disney Institute guests and International College Program participants before being renovated and turned into DVC villas.
The Treehouse Villas are neither cheap nor easy to book, making them relatively impractical as far as suggestions for family-friendly accommodations go. However, I absolutely love these old school Walt Disney World hidden gems, and find them to be perfect for extended family vacations or reunions where the parks take a backseat to bonding.
In terms of basic info, there are 60 Treehouse Villas; each have 3 bedrooms and sleep up to 9 guests. Many Disney Vacation Club members are attracted to the Treehouse Villas by virtue of this, their unique quality, and the fact that the point chart is very attractive as compared to Grand Villas. For more photos & comprehensive thoughts, see our Treehouse Villas Resort Review.
Disney Vacation Club Rentals – On a similar note, we’d be remiss if we didn’t at least mention DVC point rentals as a viable option. While we dismiss the idea of dropping tens of thousands of dollars to buy into Disney Vacation Club, point rental is a much easier and more economical route. There are a number of sites from which you can rent points, and they offer a cheap way to ‘get your feet wet’ with DVC, so to speak. You can also book Deluxe Villas from Disney directly, although this isn’t as cost-effective.
Savings vary by date, type of accommodations, resort, how far in advance you’re booking, and a range of other variables. In general, you can expect to pay less than half of the price that Walt Disney World charges directly for Deluxe Villas, which still (usually) ends up being more than family suites at Art of Animation or All Star Music. There’s a lot more to know–if you’re potentially interested, we’d highly recommend reading our Money-Saving Guide to Renting Disney Vacation Club Points for everything you need to know.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you stayed in any of these family suites or larger accommodations at Walt Disney World? What did you think of the rooms? Looking forward to checking out the Swan Reserve, Art of Animation, All Star Music, or any other options on this list? Do any of these accommodations look appealing to you? Anything not to your tastes, preferences, or needs? Do you agree or disagree with our assessments? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
My family loves the 2-bedroom villas at Old Key West resort. I believe they are the largest villas among the Disney resorts. One bedroom has a king size bed, and the second bedroom has two queen beds. Each bedroom has its own connecting bathroom. The living room also has a sofa bed. There is a full kitchen and large seating area as well as a nice-sized balcony. We are not DVC members, but we use DVC rental sites to get great deals. We typically have another couple stay with us and split the cost so we essentially are paying the nightly price of a moderate resort! We take our own groceries and drinks to help reduce our food costs. Local stores will also deliver groceries. The resort has a lot of great amenities and boat service to Disney Springs. If you plan to spend a lot of time at the resort, check it out!
The brand new Drury Plaza has family suites. I stayed in a regular room so I can’t speak to the suites but I really enjoyed my (cheap) stay and was a quick 16 minute walk to the Disney Springs Starbucks! Bonus they have early entry currently!
About the Fort Wilderness Cabins: “along with a pull-down murphy bed behind the large television.” This is no longer the case! The murphy bed has been replaced with a pull out sofa
For a family of 6 we almost always have to get 2 rooms, but we stayed at Boardwalk Inn club level last year and it was actually cheaper than getting 2 rooms at any other non-value resort… PLUS we got access to the club which was a huge win!!
Our lodging options are limited by the fact that we need a king size bed ! It frustrates me that there are so few affordable Disney options. That is why it is usually the Swan for us !
Thank you for this! While we (still) haven’t booked our WDW trip yet, I’ve spent an embarrassing amount of time searching through the various sites for suite options. We’re a family of four and greatly prefer suites due to one fact that may not be apparent to non-parents – having a door between where the kids are and the parents are sleeping makes for a much more relaxing trip. For one thing, it means that the parents aren’t tied to the kids bedtime (truly essential with young kids). My kids are both school-aged now so there’s less bedtime pressure, but my 11-yo daughter now strongly prefers having her own bed and not sharing with her 7-yo brother. When they do have to share, I always look for at least a queen pull-out sofa – I hate it when suites only have double beds.
This is a great point. Even with just the two of us, we actually also prefer this style of room, as it also makes it so much easier for us to get up or go to bed at different times.
We are with you on that. Love having the 1-bed villa rooms at Disney. However, a single sleeper sofa isn’t cutting it as much now that the kids are getting older. Having the 5th sleeper is a big deal for us.
We bought into DVC after trying to make connecting rooms work for our family of 6. This was back in the mid-2000s, before Disney began building the family suites. We managed to make it work, but sometimes we weren’t guaranteed connecting rooms. The other reason we bought into DVC was that the condos have a full (albeit small) working kitchen. Our sons struggled with sensory issues in their younger years, and going out to breakfast was rough for all of us because of that. Being able to get everyone’s favorite breakfast items and keep things calm in the morning was definitely worth the DVC price.
Despite the flexibility of the 5th sleeper rooms, and having stayed in them, I’m hard pressed to consider them suites. In fact, I can’t. 🙂 Your mileage may vary, of course…
Fort Wilderness Cabins. We’ll see what happens with the redo of these, but even now they are quite nice. More expensive than the All-Star Music Suites by $25, they are cheaper than the suites at AoA starting at $75 and going to well over $100 cheaper. I really like these cabins and the atmosphere at Ft. Wilderness. It can be quite a hike, however, so know what you’re getting into. Rain is not your friend at this resort. While there is only 1 bathroom, what you currently get is an honest to goodness kitchen! 2 stovetop burners, a convection microwave real refrigerator and dishwasher…all of which can combine for substantial food savings, if you so choose.
DVC. Not even counting point rental, but going straight through WDW for booking, a lot of the 1-Bedroom Villas are competitively priced with AoA, the Deluxe Studios even more so, although just about all of those seem to only sleep 4 these days.
Deluxe Rooms – Club level. Back in 2021 we did a split stay. They had not yet resumed Club level service at that time, and to our delight we got an upgrade to what the Wilderness Lodge calls a Deluxe Room Club Level. Other resorts call them the same, others call them 1 Bedroom Suites. As I said, club level was closed and it was pure luck to get an upgrade. That said, these are proper suites, with a separate bedroom with 2 queen beds. It really does comfortably sleep 6. The downside, aside from the rarity of such an upgrade and the cost, is that there’s no kitchenette, other than a bar faucet and sink; you get a beverage cooler and coffee/tea station like any regular room. Any club level accommodation is expensive, but if you want extra pampering for your family & extra elbow room, highly recommended.
Treehouse Villas. Last but not least. We stayed there a number of times there over the decades, the last before they were closed for a number of years and then reopened with the current update, so I can’t comment much about the new designs other than that everything seems to be a significant upgrade. The setting is fantastic for those who want to escape from Disney while at Disney. I have fond memories of eating breakfast on the outdoor deck, watching assorted wildlife. My Mom loved eating on that deck. This is a good place for a multigenerational gathering or 2 or more families sharing the villa. The best setup, IMHO, for that is 4 adults, 2 to each bedroom, with the remaining beds given over to the kids. But, yeah you can fit 9, so it can be done however you want. The last time we went, my parents stayed there while my brother, his wife and 3 kids stayed there. My wife and I had our own room elsewhere. Mom cooked some meals there for family gatherings, aside from joining up for dinner at Disney restaurants. With the full kitchen, again, you can eat in a relaxed setting that can save you money. And if you’re splitting costs, this villa can become pretty reasonable by Disney standards. But the tranquil setting in the woods at treetop level makes for a great way to unwind after rushing around the parks. There used to be a small room on the ground floor, accessed by a spiral staircase; one of us would always try to get that room for ourselves.
Thanks again for the great article. It’s nice to see the Flamingo Crossing hotels mentioned, but aren’t there suites in Disney Springs and Bonnet Creek? Is there a reason they don’t make the cut?
You’re totally right about the 5th sleeper rooms not being actual suites–those are simply options suitable for larger parties. I’ll go back and update that to clarify.
Disney Springs and Bonnet Creek didn’t make the cut simply because we either haven’t stayed in those suites at all, or anytime recently (within the last ~3 years). Another option is Four Seasons Orlando, which has great suites–but that doesn’t make the cut due to price.
just a mention that the cabins at Fort Wilderness are going to be converted to DVC soon. Disney has not given any detail about cost, point charts, floor plans etc. Except, there are going to be pet friendly cabins, a first for DVC.
This is a good reminder, but I wouldn’t necessarily say that this will happen “soon.” The current cabins are still bookable throughout the duration of 2024–it’s unclear whether that means the DVC project is delayed, or it’ll happen in phases and not remove all of the existing cabins by the end of 2024.
Hi, we’ve stayed many times at Ft. Wilderness cabins and love it. Never seen a pull down Murphy bed behind the tv. Under the tv is drawers to put clothes in. The couch lets out into a full size bed. The bedroom with a queen bed and bunk beds do have space under the beds but usually very dusty! Also, there is a nightstand, a four (or three?) drawer, built in, chest of drawers with a tv on top, an additional counter top area with a mirror and a small curtained closet with a small built in safe.
Btw, thanks for all your info and love your sense of humor!
FYI, you mention that the Fort Wilderness cabins have a murphy bed behind the TV. That was prior to the renovations many years ago; now there is no murphy bed but the couch is a pull-out.
We’re a family of 7 and have stayed at both the Lion King section of Art of Animation (when our youngest was under 3) and stayed at DVC resorts on both rented points and booking directly. The DVC resorts offered amenities that easily made the trip more enjoyable and a better value overall.
DVC rentals larger than a studio have a full kitchen and in room washers and dryers. In a larger family per person charges add up quickly. The ability to cook a real breakfast in the morning is huge! Pre-packaged and cold foods mean my family will be hungry earlier in the day and even quick service meals get expensive fast when everything is multiplied by 7. Depending on the resort lay out it can also save time. It’s faster for me too cook and load a dishwasher while my husband helps the kids get ready than to take 5 kids through a food court during a breakfast rush.
The ability to wash laundry is also a huge help. Little kids spill things on themselves and have accidents. You can try to pack enough extra clothing but may still find yourself needing to do laundry. At AoA you have to find an open washer and dryer so when you have the opportunity to do laundry is dictated by other people. If you’re planning to be in the park all day it may not be possible. It’s so much easier to start a load of laundry before bed and throw it in the dryer before heading out for the day. Knowing that doing laundry isn’t going to be a problem means I don’t have to pack as much. One extra outfit per person multiplied by 7 is almost a full bag so it makes a difference.
Once I’ve factored in the cost of breakfast and laundry the price gap between AoA and a 2br DVC villa narrows. Once I factor in the value of our time there is no longer any question.
Hi Tom,
I recently re-read your article on renting DVC points and actually took the plunge! Rented a 1 BR villa at the Grand Californian for a girls trip next September, right at the 11-month mark. Just wanted to thank you for all the useful info in there and I actually mentioned you during the reservation process (not sure if it’ll be useful to you in any way…).
Thanks again!
Wow Chapek FIRED!
Iger to return!!!
Thank goodness
Price wise, Fort Wilderness Cabins have a rack rate cheaper than the Art of Animation suites, in addition discounts that I don’t think we typically see on the family suites. Also, there’s some relative bargains at Disney Springs, which get you early entrance into the parks which you won’t get at Flamingo Crossings.
Also, off topic, but WHAT?
I totally agree that the family suites are very nice . We stayed in a Lion King family suite in 2017 with our group of 6 after previously staying in 2 BR villas in 2012 and 2009. We thought it was great there – to be able to have TWO bathrooms and a master bedroom with a door that shuts – very nice. No – it’s not as huge as a 2 BR villa, but it was perfectly wonderful during that trip, and we really enjoyed the food court at AOA more than quick service options at the DVC resorts. It was much easier to get something quick that everyone wanted. We would have booked this again this year, but really wanted to try either Wilderness Lodge or Animal Kingdom Lodge.
As far as getting a reservation for a 2BR villa without being a member, I have not had an issue when booking 10-11 months out (we stayed between 7 and 10 nights 3 different times over the past 15 years, most recently in August 2022).
I think that Disney is missing a prime opportunity by not creating a non-DVC villa resort. Good luck to anyone that is not a DVC member and is interested in a two bedroom villa. It’s virtually impossible. Disney desperately needs a Village Nature Paris type resort. Those apartments and cottages would be incredibly popular.
Just sayin’…. A “family suite” needs to have a full size coffee maker. NOT a single serve unit. Dumb idea.
the two full bathrooms in the family suites are really a game changer.