Hi there, Jamie, and welcome to planDisney! It's so exciting that you've stopped by with this awesome question about planning a Walt Disney World Resort vacation with your family! A multigenerational vacation is my favorite kind of vacation, and there's no better place to celebrate with family than at the Most Magical Place on Earth.
Jamie, you'll be happy to know that you have quite a few options when it comes to choosing which Disney Resorts Collection hotel to call "home" during your visit. I'll start with my top pick, and guide you through some others, as well.
When my family travels with a mixture of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, we love having a room that can accommodate all of us, yet still give each of our families privacy. A 3-Bedroom Grand Villa is perfect for this situation because it offers a large living room, dining room, full kitchen, in-room laundry, three separate bedrooms (it sleeps up to 12), and at least three bathrooms. My in-laws take the primary bedroom with the king bed, my family of five takes one bedroom with two queens, and my sister-in-law's family of five takes the other bedroom with two queens. We let the kids decide how they'd like to take advantage of pull-down beds and pull-out sofa beds. There is plenty of space for a pack and play and thoughtful storage for all of your luggage and clothing. It's fun to return from a day at the parks, put the kids to bed, and have time to relax with the adults all in one hotel room. This type of room is limited and very popular, and they can be found at the
Deluxe Villa Resorts like
Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - Kidani Village.
Deluxe Villa Resorts also offer 2-Bedroom Villas, which include a full kitchen, large living space, in-room laundry, two separate bedrooms, and at least two bathrooms. They sleep up to eight or nine Guests, depending on the room. This might be a good option if your two sons' families would like to stay together, but you prefer a separate space.
Disney Resorts Collection hotels will work to accommodate your room location requests, so if you decide that you'd like to book multiple separate rooms, don't hesitate to make that request. You might be able to book connecting rooms (two rooms that connect with a door) or adjoining rooms (rooms that are close to one another). The best way to do this is by calling a helpful Cast Member.
If you decide that booking separate rooms is best for your family, you can't go wrong with any Disney Resorts Collection hotel. For now, I'll pick on
Disney's Wilderness Lodge. It feels odd to describe this resort as "cozy," because of its awe-inspiring grandeur. But somehow, the fireplaces, rocking chairs, water views, and beautiful grounds make you feel right at home, like you could grab a blanket and hot chocolate and relax for hours. You can see the Magic Kingdom fireworks and Electrical Water Pageant from the water's edge, and there are activities for everyone (I love grabbing a cocktail at the lounge while my kids play foosball).
Jamie, I'm sure you can tell by now that I could talk about this all day! Large family vacations are truly the best, and I'd love to help you continue planning yours. Please head back here with any other questions you have! I'd be thrilled to share more about how to navigate the planning process, make reservations that suit everybody, plan your park days and rest days, and more!
See ya real soon!
Jennifer