The cost of WDW with older kids

[LexiBantam]

We returned from our third trip to Disney last year. I had thought it would be our last one, both because of the cost and the age of our kids (13 and14).
Then at the weekend, DH casually drops into conversation that “we’ll definitely go back one day” and that he really wants to (Disney has been more my obsession than his). Assuming we have to wait 2/3 years, I think that the kids will be too old to do the type of holiday we’ve done in the past (on site moderate, all in one room). When hubby says we’ll go back, I don’t think he’s factoring in how much more expensive it will be with older kids.
Does anyone with older children stay on site? I don’t like driving which is why we’ve stayed in the bubble, but don’t think it will be possible again?

[Vanillapod]

I don’t know?
DS (16) is currently unfazed about sharing a room with us 🤷
I’m sure he’d love his own in an ideal world.
If he were to take a friend we’d obviously need 2 rooms!

[BevS97]

My two still share with us. We did a trip when they were 12 and 18 and spent over a week in one room.

[LexiBantam]

I think they’d be fine with sharing a room with us, it’s more sharing a bed with each other that would be the problem ! (son and daughter).

[JLH]

Depends on the children so only you would know , mine wouldn’t want to share a room but neither would I so have never holidayed that way. How ever yours have so may feel differently, could you not go for two cheaper rooms on site ?

[Willeve]

We’ve always shared rooms, kids now 20(son) and 17(daughter). I share with my daughter, husband shares with son, always have done for hols.

[dreamadream]

You know your children better but I know ours would hate to share a room, let alone a bed. We all prefer our own privacy, bed and bathroom!
Could you stretch to a 2 bed or suite at WDW?

[Hopefulholiday]

Yes we’ve found it expensive with older teens, ds and dd now 19 and 16. Although we’ve only stayed onsite at Disney once we’ve done onsite at Universal and other holidays too and normally we get 2 connecting rooms. At Art of Animation we had the suite but that wasn’t cheap for a value but worked well. Last Summer we did 3 nights at the HRH in a deluxe room as that had 3 decent sized beds but I wouldn’t have wanted to do it for longer. I suppose it depends partly how well your children get on as I couldn’t put up with the bickering for much longer than a few days and would need a bit of space to separate them !

[Beth_Disney]

Have you considered a villa stay? They could both have their own bedroom, possibly a bathroom each and WiFi. We stayed in a villa over Christmas and it was great to have the extra space and private pool. We found it more relaxing that our previous on-site stays.

Driving in Orlando is really simple, I actually enjoy driving in Orlando as the roads are so big, parking is easy as the spaces are wide and you get plenty of notice when you need to leave at a junction.

[sammykitten]

Originally Posted by LexiBantam

We returned from our third trip to Disney last year. I had thought it would be our last one, both because of the cost and the age of our kids (13 and14).
Then at the weekend, DH casually drops into conversation that “we’ll definitely go back one day” and that he really wants to (Disney has been more my obsession than his). Assuming we have to wait 2/3 years, I think that the kids will be too old to do the type of holiday we’ve done in the past (on site moderate, all in one room). When hubby says we’ll go back, I don’t think he’s factoring in how much more expensive it will be with older kids.
Does anyone with older children stay on site? I don’t like driving which is why we’ve stayed in the bubble, but don’t think it will be possible again?

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You could do a split stay ie cram in together for 5 nights onsite then move offsite but nearby in a villa or condo so you can all enjoy a bit more space.