OVERVIEW: LARGE FAMILIES AT DISNEY WORLD
A large family is one that will not fit into a standard Walt Disney World hotel room—more than 4 people for standard rooms at the values and most moderate rooms, and more than 5 for most deluxe resorts.
(See this for the distinctions among the resort classes at Walt Disney World.)
The problem with connecting, adjoining, or nearby rooms as a solution is that Disney won’t guarantee that you will get them.
When you show up at Walt Disney World, your “connecting rooms” may be not connected, and in fact may be in completely different buildings at your resort.
Your chances of getting connecting rooms are best during the slow season—which is when this site recommends you go, see this for when to go—but even then, there are no guarantees.
DISNEY WORLD SOLUTIONS FOR LARGE FAMILIES
The links below present the best options–by price and family size–for large families at Walt Disney World
Room capacity figures on the pages linked below always exclude one child under 3 in a crib, which can be added to any Disney room—so always read, when a capacity figure is given, “plus one child under three at time of check in, in a crib.”
These links cover large family options
- Large families looking for low-priced rooms—what Disney calls “Value” rooms—see this page
- Large families looking for deluxe level accommodations can see recommendations on this page
- Some recommendations involve reserving Disney Vacation Club rooms, or even renting points from current Disney Vacation Club members to use. See this for more on Disney Vacation Club rooms in general, and this for more on renting points
- For suites, see this
- For staying off-site, see this
MORE ON WHERE TO STAY AT DISNEY WORLD
- For where to stay, see this
- For your next best choices, in order, see this
- For picking your resort based on appeal to kids, see this
- For picking your resort based on convenience, see this
- For where not to stay, see this
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- For what you get in each resort price category, see this
- For Walt Disney World resort price seasons, see this
- For resort reviews, see this
- For the value resorts, see this
- For the moderate resorts, see this
- For the deluxe resorts, see this
- For suites at the deluxe resorts, see this
- For the Disney Vacation Club (“DVC”) Resorts, see this
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- For a (geeky) overview of comparative room size, see this
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- Military/DOD families should look at this
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- Families seeking the most comfortable place to stay should see this
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Connecting rooms ARE guaranteed for large immediate families. It will need to be called in and both rooms will be on one reservation and it will say right on the reservation, ‘CONNECTING ROOMS GUARANTEED FOR FAMILIES’. We have 5 kids and for all of our trips we had guaranteed connecting rooms (my husband, myself and our 5 kids). This DOESN’T apply with extended families with more than two adults.
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Jess, you are correct, and I need to update this page. The rule is something like 1) you can’t fit a standard room. 2) you have to have more kids than adults. Your “doesn’t apply to extended families” I can’t confirm, (that doesn’t mean you are wrong, just that I can’t confirm) unless it means something like “also, no more than 2 adults.” I will follow this up and correct–all my $/night numbers are ancient as well…
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Hi Dave My friend is going to Disney on Feb 2019 with his 2 son 13 and 20 yr.old .The will be staying Polynesian resort 6 nights first time. need help to write a plan for them. I bought your book today I am so excited. Thanks for all your advice when I went to Disney with my grand girls 2013 . Thanks Maria
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Thanks Maria and good luck!!
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