Walt Disney World Resorts for Families of Five or More

Is your family a little bigger than the traditional family of four?  You know, like the two adults and two kids?  We are!  An that can be a challenge when finding a place to stay on vacation.  With over 20 resorts to choose from on the Walt Disney World property, there seems to be endless possibilities for accommodations.  But, not everyone is the traditional family of 4 traveling together.  We personally are a family of 5, so finding ANY hotel anywhere for the 5 of us can be challenge, especially now that the little princess isn’t in a pack and play anymore.  The first step in planning your Disney vacation is deciding which magical corner of the Walt Disney World Resort you’re going to call “home”.  So, today I am going to share with you Disney Resorts for Families of Five or More!

Since it’s opening, Walt Disney World has really stepped up their game when it comes to accommodating larger families. We have seen the studio and villa properties flourish, as well as options in the moderate and value categories.  There really is a Walt Disney World room configuration at a price point that will meet the needs of any family. Not only does this help with larger immediate families traveling together, but also in cases where you are traveling with extended family.

In the Value Category, Disney’s All Star Music or Art of Animation Resorts offer suites that will accommodate up to six guests, or seven if one is under the age of 3. So really, you can fit seven people in the suites. The suites have a master bedroom with a queen size bed, which is atypical of the “standard” rooms at the values. Most of those have double size beds, but Disney is working to refurbish the Values and are adding a queen and pull down queen size Murphy bed to the rooms. In the living space is a sleeper sofa and/or a sleeper chair.  At Art of Animation, the suites have a table that pulls down to a bed. Another plus side to the suites is the kitchenette and two full bathrooms.

Even if you have a room “just to sleep”, you still want to be comfortable  AND you are bringing things with you.  The suites at All Star Music and Art of Animation give you plenty of space for luggage, strollers, and all the things that come with traveling with a large family. I really like these options when you have younger children, so you can put them down to bed a bit earlier, and they won’t be disturbed if you are up talking, or coming and going from the room.

The Moderate Category has several options as well for families of 5 or more.  This resort category was not accommodating to families of 5 for quite some time. However, all the resorts in this category have some option for 5, except for Port Orleans French Quarter. Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside and Caribbean Beach have rooms for five guests.  These rooms are set up with 2 queen beds, and then a Murphy style banquette bed that folds out to accommodate the 5th person. These beds are great for children under the age of 9.  Port Orleans Riverside is my FAVORITE moderate resort option for families of five.  

Another option in this category is the Cabins at Fort Wilderness.  Cabins, yes!  They are SO cool….but you don’t even feel like you are camping!  They are set up as a master bedroom with one double bed and a set of bunk beds.  In the living room area is a pull down Murphy style bed that sleeps two as well.  They have a fully equipped kitchen….and the Mousekeepers will even do the dishes for you :). Over at Coronado Springs, you have Junior Suites that will sleep five as well. These tend to be on the pricey side, in my opinion.  So if you are looking for a moderate resort with room for five guests, one of the other options is probably better as far as budget is concerned.

The Deluxe Category has your most options for a family of 5 or more.  Most of the Deluxe Resorts have standard rooms that allow for 5 people, or up to 6 if the littlest is in a pack and play.  Many of the Deluxe Resorts-specifically Disney’s Polynesian, Disney’s Contemporary, Disney’s Grand Floridian, Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club, and Disney’s Boardwalk Inn have two queens and a daybed in them for families of five. Combined with the accommodations for five, with the larger square footage of the rooms, proximity to the parks, and the dining options, Deluxe Resorts can make a lot of sense for a larger family. 

Should you need a much larger space, you can look at the Studio and Villa options at several of the resorts.  All of the Deluxe Resorts have a villa option as well. And then you have the “DVC” Resorts, Saratoga Springs and Old Key West. These are great for your extended family traveling together.  They offer a studio, one bedroom, two bedroom, and three bedroom set up.  Full kitchens, generous living space, and full laundry facilities can make it so easy when traveling with a large family.

Did you know that there were so many options for larger families at Walt Disney World?  I LOVE planning Disney vacations for large families, extended family vacations, and groups.  Providing the best possible vacation for you and your family is something I love. Which Walt Disney World Resort do you prefer for a large family?