Possible 2023 Trip with 17 people

[disfan458]

Not sure this is right place to post this but here goes. Possibly planning a massive family trip in Feb 2023, I know that is a long ways away, but I figured I needed to get started. So far we have 14 people on board to go with the possibility of 17. We are thingking of renting DVC and trying to get a 3 bedroom grand villia and 2 two bedroom villa. Has anyone rented this amount of points? Any advice?
We have a sort of narrowed list of resorts to choose from: Animal Kingdom Lodge (Kindani or Jambo), Bay Lake Tower, Copper Creek or Old Key West
Any pros or cons for these, person recommendations. Honestly, anything would be helpful

Thanks in advance

 

[Sandisw]

For that many, you’d want to use a broker and most likely, you would be dealing with more than one owner.

 

[Best Aunt]

If you're going to rent, you always have to make sure you understand the cancellation rules and the bed configurations of the resort you are considering. A sofabed will count as "sleeps 2" but that doesn't mean there are two people in your party who want to sleep on it together.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

The concern I have with renting with that group is that once made, those bookings are firm. If anyone in your group squirrels, doesn't matter.

 

[Granny]

So far you've gotten some pretty key pieces of advice. I'm going to go the other route and ask what the make up of the group will be. Are there little children involved? Teenagers? How many different families?

And what time of year are you wanting to go to WDW? That can affect the availability of villas and will put a premium on the owner(s) booking when business opens exactly at the 11 month mark.

You are correct in that you can't start too soon with the planning for a big trip like this.

You will almost certainly need to work through one of the rental brokers. I'd give them a call to solicit their advice on a trip like this. They will know which of their owners has a lot of points to rent, and at which resort(s). If you get started early, you might even find one that will bank points from the prior year so you don't have to cobble together a reservation with multiple owners. Good luck!

 

[starry_solo]

Separate villas for each family unit.

 

[AnnaS]

My recommendation........separate villas for each family - all the way!!!!!!!!

I would split a lock-off with a son/daughter's family. Other than that, I would rather have my own studio (or 1BDR .

 

[Ben E N]

Take a look at the point charts. A 2BR unit is pricier than 2 studios, and the Grand Villas are not a better deal per person. You will probably want at least one full kitchen, if for no other reason than to have access to a full fridge, so either a 1BR or 2BR in there would be useful.
For reference, I am planning a trip for 13 in the summer of 2021. We are planning to use one 2BR unit and 2 studios. It comes out to a much better overall price than using the Grand Villa.

 

[Debbie Jean]

Had you considered the Treehouse villas at SSR? They each sleep 9... you could book 2 and since they are in one section, they would be close, Going through a a rental agency, you would probably find more SSR owners renting points and there would be a considerable savings in the number of points needed for a reservation.

Just a thought.

 

[LauraLea]

My preference would be 1 grand villa and multiple studios. The grand villas will give you a much larger gathering area than only having a single 2 bedroom, with the exception of OKW.

Laura

 

[Buzzw0rthy]

Separate villas for each family unit.

My recommendation........separate villas for each family - all the way!!!!!!!!

I would split a lock-off with a son/daughter's family. Other than that, I would rather have my own studio (or 1BDR .

I couldn't agree more! We did a 12 person family trip with age ranges from 2 to 65 this fall. Each family had their own separate space. It was so nice to have a place to ourselves to decompress a little bit each day.

 

[Ben E N]

My preference would be 1 grand villa and multiple studios. The grand villas will give you a much larger gathering area than only having a single 2 bedroom, with the exception of OKW.

Laura

Not to get too fussy, but isn't it actually against fire code to have more than the stated occupancy hanging out in a single room? I'm sure it would be fine, but it is something to think about when planning to have a common gathering area.

 

[disfan458]

Thank you guys for the advice. By the time we go there will be 4 kids 9 and under and the rest Disney adults. Upon further research, my mom and I think that maybe 2 2-bedroom villas and 1 1-bedroom might work for us as well. And yes that will be essentially 1 villa per family. We from a previously trip that the villas at AKL Kidani are very spacious. And does anyone have any experience adding the dining plan when renting points?

 

[Afabena]

Thank you guys for the advice. By the time we go there will be 4 kids 9 and under and the rest Disney adults. Upon further research, my mom and I think that maybe 2 2-bedroom villas and 1 1-bedroom might work for us as well. And yes that will be essentially 1 villa per family. We from a previously trip that the villas at AKL Kidani are very spacious. And does anyone have any experience adding the dining plan when renting points?

For 4 kids under 9 also consider BLT. The walk and security to MK is so easy. When thinking about resorts definitely think about which parks you will spend the most time at. I also second the recommendation of reaching out to a broker to get their take. You may also need to book at 11 months, or at least put in your request.

I have rented points through a broker and added the dining plan. Was a very easy process. We also added DME once our flights were booked.

 

[Ben E N]

Thank you guys for the advice. By the time we go there will be 4 kids 9 and under and the rest Disney adults. Upon further research, my mom and I think that maybe 2 2-bedroom villas and 1 1-bedroom might work for us as well. And yes that will be essentially 1 villa per family. We from a previously trip that the villas at AKL Kidani are very spacious. And does anyone have any experience adding the dining plan when renting points?

One suggestion when adding the dining plan is to buy gift cards, and then combine them into high value ones, and pay that way.
The owner that you are renting from has to directly purchase the dining plan, and if you don't do gift cards then you will have to give them your credit card information.

 

[Best Aunt]

Thank you guys for the advice. By the time we go there will be 4 kids 9 and under and the rest Disney adults. Upon further research, my mom and I think that maybe 2 2-bedroom villas and 1 1-bedroom might work for us as well. And yes that will be essentially 1 villa per family. We from a previously trip that the villas at AKL Kidani are very spacious. And does anyone have any experience adding the dining plan when renting points?

If you are going to rent points and it's 1 villa per family, have each family make their own reservation. Then it's not your problem (financially) if somebody decides to cancel after the reservation is made. Also let each family make their own decision about adding the dining plan. It might make sense for some but not for others. And each family can make their own decision about buying trip insurance.

 

[CaliAdventurer]

We did 21 at VGF last October. We own there so idk about renting but I have had no problem renting 600 pts from an owner as we as a broker in the past.

We landed on three 2 bedrooms and that worked well. We got deluxe dining plan on our room only and then used those credits to pay for a few group meals. A welcome, Biergarten, an Ohana Breakfast, and a farewell Jiko Dinner. Use a desktop to book dining for large groups as it lets you have more people on the res than the app.

The room situation worked out really well. We looked at grand villas and other combos but in the end this was perfect.

Have fun!!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

The members of your party would need to understand that renting, they are likely to pay their entire share of lodging cost up front, and they'd have to pay DDP costs all at once, up front. No payment plans unless another member of the party is willing to front the cash and let them pay it back.

(PS: not recommended, that last, unless the nice party member is open to holding the bag and family dramaz later.)

 

[crisi]

Have every family rent their own points. DVC rental transactions are often final (through brokers, through individuals you should consider them final - some members will try and work with you, but it isn't always possible). With a big group, life can get in the way - and you don't want to be out money (I wouldn't rent DVC points at all for this, because someone is going to need to cancel and end up with hard feelings being out money).

Fifteen years ago or so I started to plan a family trip using my own points for my own family. With my own points, I gained some flexibility over a rental. I planned it almost two years out to get buy in. Well, my sister got pregnant and was either going to be huge or have a tiny newborn - and asked me to move it. I did, I moved it a year. Well, after the baby was born, she found a lump in her breast. And we pushed it again, giving her a full year for chemo, and another for recovery - Disney with her two boys while still low energy from chemo was not a great idea. During this drama, my baby sister broke up with her long term boyfriend, entered rehab twice, and by the time we traveled, had been unemployed due to her alcoholism and was only a few months sober. So a trip that started with my parents; my husband and I and our two children; my sister, her husband and one child; and my other sister and her fiance happened five years later with my parents; my husband and I and our two children; my sister her husband and her TWO children. My other sister decided to stay home. (Everyone is fine, my sisters are both good - that was the final trip through rehab for the youngest and the other one has a set of perky new breasts).

Once in a lifetime problem? Nope. Years later my husband's brother got cancer and we scheduled a cancer recovery trip for him when he got his clear. The trip was to be us; my in laws, and my brother in law and his girlfriend. The cancer came back and he passed away, and my husband and kids and I spent four days in a Grand Villa by ourselves.

Pregnancy and cancer are pretty dramatic, but people also loose jobs and have to reassess the spending, marriages fail. Or they just decide that the priorities don't align - their kid is really good and soccer and has a major tournament that weekend. Big groups need flexibility a DVC rental doesn't give you.

 

[disfan458]

Good advice. Only that my grandma is footing the bill for the entire trip and she knows what it entails. She is going to insist we stay on property, insist we have the deluxe dining plan, though I can talk her down to the regular one. And since we stayed at Kidani Village last year for our trip, she thinks we need those villas again. I'm trying to trying to figure out the best way to do that and save her money. We booked directly with Disney last time...way too much.
So I have much to explain to her.
You guys are awesome