OVERVIEW
This page summarizes Walt Disney World recommendations for four types of families with special circumstances: Large Families, Families on a Tight Budget, Families with Difficult Transportation Challenges, and Military Families. For each family type, links are provided to additional pages with more detail and specifics.
Families with unique physical, health or other challenges should review PassPorter’s Open Mouse for Walt Disney World and the Disney Cruise Line: Easy Access Vacations for Travelers with Extra Challenges.
LARGE FAMILIES
A large family is more than 5 for those who otherwise would stay at the Polynesian and more than 4 for those who would be thinking Pop Century.
Note: Large Military Families: review the Military Families section.
Polynesian Alternatives for Large Families
- The best alternative for large families that can afford it is two connecting rooms at the Polynesian, sleeping up to 10, for $6,120
- The best choice for large families looking for deluxe accommodations at much less than $6,120 is two connecting rooms at the Wilderness Lodge, which will cost $4,050 and sleep up to 8
- Another alternative to consider is reserving a two-bedroom suite at The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, sleeping up to 8. For $5,491 you get a master bedroom, a kid’s bedroom that sleeps 4, a combined full kitchen and living room with a pull-out couch that sleeps 2, and two bathrooms
Pop Century Alternatives for Large Families
- Families of 5 or 6 should stay at the Family Suites at Disney’s All-Star Music Resort, sleeping up to 6, which will cost $1,658. For this you get two rooms: a private parent’s bedroom and a living room that converts into sleeping space for 4 kids; two bathrooms; and a sink, fridge and microwave
- Families of 5 that find this price too high should delay their trip, or cut items out of their budget, until they can afford it. (See Families on a Tight Budget for ideas on where to cut)
- Families of 7 or 8 should get two connecting rooms at Pop Century, sleeping up to 8. The cost will be $1578, including approximately $100 for one refrigerator
See Large Families for more detail on these choices.
FAMILIES ON A TIGHT BUDGET
The key to making a tight budget work: don’t shorten your stay–stay in a less expensive hotel instead!
Families on a tight budget ideally should save for another year. If impossible, do the following four things, in order, until you reach a budget you can afford.
- Consider driving—it is almost always cheaper than flying. TOTAL SAVINGS: ASSUME $500, until your own figures illuminate the potential more specifically.
- Eliminate dinner at the Rainforest Café, and the Gospel Brunch at the House of Blues.Replace them with meals at the counter service of your hotel, saving about $200. TOTAL SAVINGS SO FAR: $700
- Eliminate Cirque Du Soleil, saving about $325. TOTAL SAVINGS SO FAR: $1,025
- Eliminate one day from your trip—ideally the last Saturday night–saving about $230-$360 in room, food and show costs.See Families with Difficult Transportation Challenges for instructions in how to modify your itinerary. TOTAL SAVINGS: $1,255 to $1,385, or 22-24% of a trip that started with a $1500 transportation budget.
See Families on a Tight Budget for more details
FAMILIES WITH DIFFICULT TRANSPORTATION CHALLENGES
Some families will have difficulty arriving early Saturday afternoon, and/or departing Sunday afternoon. The best answer is to take a vacation a day or two longer to allow for the full recommended time on site, following the basic itinerary as is.
If you can’t take a longer vacation, you can skip the first Saturday night in Orlando (losing because of this your much-needed off day on Thursday), the second Saturday night in Orlando (losing your morning off that day, and depending on your travel plans, a few hours in the Magic Kingdom, plus the Gospel Brunch Sunday) or both. If your plans allow you to skip only one night, skip the second Saturday night if you can arrange to depart Orlando in the late afternoon or evening, as the full off day on Thursday is much more valuable than what you will lose on the second Saturday and Sunday.
See Families with Difficult Transportation Challenges for details and changes to the basic itinerary from shortening your trip.
MILITARY FAMILIES
Eligible military families, and those who can travel with an eligible military sponsor, should consider a split stay that includes Shades of Green, a deluxe resort owned by the U.S. Department of Defense located across the street from the Polynesian, because of its very low prices.
If you are aimed at Pop Century, spend your first four nights at Pop, and your last four at Shades of Green. If you are aimed at the Polynesian, spend your first four nights at Shades of Green and your last four at the Polynesian.
See also this Disney site for how to get discounted tickets: http://www.disneymilitarysales.com/. Mousesavers.com is also reporting a great offer from Disney World to military families–see its “Military and Civil Service Ticket Discounts” section on this page: http://www.mousesavers.com/wdwtixdiscounts.html.
See Military Families for more details.
