Yes you can have the family stay longer. My family stayed 2 weeks. AJX paid for 1 week and I paid the same rate for week 2. I think it was around $90.00 per night much less expensive than any hotel in the area. If you do stay in one room it is tight quarters, if you have kids, but doable. They will provide you with a mattress to put on the floor for the kids, you just have to pick it up every morning so you can walk around. Another AJX guy had younger children that were not in school. They all stayed in the same room for much of his training. He stayed at the training center later and also used the table in the lobby and the Starbucks to study.
My family came out for a second visit and we all stayed in the one room. (Wife and 3 boys) We did OK and I used the Starbucks as a study area. There are a couple of playgrounds in the area around the condo for the kids to play at and a enclosed cage to play catch. My boys packed their Razors and baseball gloves. We then went to Narita and we had 2 rooms at the AJX rate together but you need to arrange this in advance. The hotel in NRT has a pool (swim caps required), Tennis court, gym, a fish pond to feed fish and a crew cafe that your family can eat at also.
As for the family/wife concerned about the long training, not sure what to tell you. I will say it is not easy but Skype is a lifesaver. I did get a 4 week break between GS and SIM because of the delay of the JCAB check rides getting scheduled but this will be taken care of by this fall because 2 ANA guys are getting approved to do the check rides in house so don't plan on a break like I was lucky enough to have.
Hope this helps.
Last edited by koelemon; 10th Aug 2009 at 19:59.