Hi Rebecca,
Thanks for visiting me here at the Moms Panel!
While there are some Disney Vacation Club condos on property that would accommodate your family, those are not the most economical option.
I have a couple of suggestions for you:
1) My choice, in your situation with 9 people, would be to book 2 rooms at Port Orleans Riverside. Many of those rooms have a pull down wall bed that would fit a 5 or 8 year old comfortably. You could put 5 people in one of those rooms and 4 in the other one. You can request connecting or adjoining rooms so that you are near each other. Those are never guaranteed, but Disney does do their best to honor your request. Port Orleans Riverside is located right on the river so you can take the boat to Downtown Disney. They have a fantastic food court and it's a very relaxing, beautiful property. If there are any princesses in your party, you may want to reserve a "Royal Room". Those are decorated beautifully and are especially loved by little girls. The regular rooms were recently renovated as well. I stayed there last December and was very pleased. The pool has a water slide that the kids would love.
2) A second option would be to rent a "Family Suite" at either the Art of Animation Resort or All-Star Music. Those sleep up to 6 people. You could then rent a standard room for the other 3-4 people (depending on the family make-up and how you plan to separate the group). While this is a decent option, I would choose Port Orleans Riverside if you can swing it. The pools at the Value Resorts do not have water slides, and I believe you'll enjoy the amenities at a Moderate Resort instead.
I'm not sure when you are taking your vacation, but you should keep an eye on the
Special Offers. Disney often offers 20-30% off your room during certain times of the year.
Happy planning!
Kaylene