Thoughts on how to handle 1 night with 6 people?

[Monorail Bob's dd]

We are planning on staying in Disney for 4 nights in July. My mother-in-law lives in Florida and wants to join us in Disney for 1 night. With adding her to our room, we would be 3 adults and 3 kids ages 13, 10, and 6. She does not want to have to get her own hotel room so I am trying to figure out the best way to handle this. Right now, we are considering a deluxe room at the Boardwalk, which I believe sleeps 6. The other thing I was thinking is a 2 bedroom villa at either the Beach Club or Bay Lake Tower but that would be pretty pricey and would not be club level like the deluxe room at the Boardwalk would be. It would be nice to have separate bedrooms, though. Would it be a pain to maybe book a 2 bedroom villa for the first night and then switch to either a regular room at the Beach Club or a 1 bedroom villa at BLT? We want to make this a nice trip although I am desperately hoping that a summer room only code comes out soon. WWYD of these options? We could potentially stay in a 2 bedroom villa the whole time if we can score a good code.

Also, my mother-in-law is a Florida resident and said she can get a good discount on park passes for us. Are we allowed to use passes bought by her for the parks? TIA!

 

[Deb & Bill]

We are planning on staying in Disney for 4 nights in July. My mother-in-law lives in Florida and wants to join us in Disney for 1 night. With adding her to our room, we would be 3 adults and 3 kids ages 13, 10, and 6. She does not want to have to get her own hotel room so I am trying to figure out the best way to handle this. Right now, we are considering a deluxe room at the Boardwalk, which I believe sleeps 6. The other thing I was thinking is a 2 bedroom villa at either the Beach Club or Bay Lake Tower but that would be pretty pricey and would not be club level like the deluxe room at the Boardwalk would be. It would be nice to have separate bedrooms, though. Would it be a pain to maybe book a 2 bedroom villa for the first night and then switch to either a regular room at the Beach Club or a 1 bedroom villa at BLT? We want to make this a nice trip although I am desperately hoping that a summer room only code comes out soon. WWYD of these options? We could potentially stay in a 2 bedroom villa the whole time if we can score a good code.

Also, my mother-in-law is a Florida resident and said she can get a good discount on park passes for us. Are we allowed to use passes bought by her for the parks? TIA!

It wouldn't be too bad to go from a two bedroom to BWI, except you will miss the space and the amenities of the two bedroom villa.

As for the FL passes, no, any adult will have to show documentation that shows you area FL resident like a drivers license.

 

[drew64]

The BWI rooms only sleep 5, so that woudl not work.

Your MIL would only be able to buy her ticket at Florida resident discount rate and not for any of you as each ticket person has to show proof of residence to use the discounted tickets.

Florida Resident Tickets:
Proof of a Florida residential address is required. For each adult ticket purchased, you may provide any of the following:

Florida driver's license
Florida state-issued ID card (must have a Florida address)
Florida-based military ID
The persons who will use the Florida Resident adult tickets must be present at the time of ticket pick up. If you do not have one of the IDs indicated above, then for each adult ticket purchased you must provide one of the following dated within the last two months and evidencing a Florida residential address together with a corresponding picture ID (passport, driver's license, state identification card):

Monthly mortgage statement
Florida vehicle registration or title
Homeowner's insurance policy or bill
Automobile insurance policy or bill
Utility bill
Mail from a financial institution, including checking, savings, or investment account statement
Mail from a Federal, State, County or City government agency

Honestly, as she is only there for 1 night, I would choose a room that is best for you for your stay and let her get her own room.

 

[Monorail Bob's dd]

The BWI rooms only sleep 5, so that woudl not work.

Your MIL would only be able to buy her ticket at Florida resident discount rate and not for any of you as each ticket person has to show proof of residence to use the discounted tickets.

Florida Resident Tickets:
Proof of a Florida residential address is required. For each adult ticket purchased, you may provide any of the following:

Florida driver's license
Florida state-issued ID card (must have a Florida address)
Florida-based military ID
The persons who will use the Florida Resident adult tickets must be present at the time of ticket pick up. If you do not have one of the IDs indicated above, then for each adult ticket purchased you must provide one of the following dated within the last two months and evidencing a Florida residential address together with a corresponding picture ID (passport, driver's license, state identification card):

Monthly mortgage statement
Florida vehicle registration or title
Homeowner's insurance policy or bill
Automobile insurance policy or bill
Utility bill
Mail from a financial institution, including checking, savings, or investment account statement
Mail from a Federal, State, County or City government agency

Honestly, as she is only there for 1 night, I would choose a room that is best for you for your stay and let her get her own room.

Good to know about the tickets, thanks. Pretty sure the deluxe club level rooms at the Boardwalk sleep 6. They have 2 queen-size beds and 1 queen-size sofa bed. Someone correct me on this if it is not correct.

 

[drew64]

They do sorry, forgot the deluxe rooms there sleep six so may be a good way to go

 

[cbg1027]

I would not want to move rooms for 1 night. Switching rooms/resorts isn't that much of a pain, but my rule is that I want to spend at least three nights each place. Sounds more annoying than having 6 people in the room for one night to me. So I would go with the deluxe BW room, which would be significantly cheaper, with our without a discount.

 

[Polydweller]

Good to know about the tickets, thanks. Pretty sure the deluxe club level rooms at the Boardwalk sleep 6. They have 2 queen-size beds and 1 queen-size sofa bed. Someone correct me on this if it is not correct.

It isn't the number of sleeping spots that counts, what matters is what the fire code rating is for the room. If that's 5 then that's the maximum allowed in the room. Anymore is illegal and the hotel cannot allow more. I believe that 5 is the maximum number in those rooms unless someone else has more recent info about the fire code rating.

edited to add: I was writing this as someone answered 6. Is that the actual fire code rating?

 

[catne]

It isn't the number of sleeping spots that counts, what matters is what the fire code rating is for the room. If that's 5 then that's the maximum allowed in the room. Anymore is illegal and the hotel cannot allow more. I believe that 5 is the maximum number in those rooms unless someone else has more recent info about the fire code rating.

edited to add: I was writing this as someone answered 6. Is that the actual fire code rating?

the deluxe club room at Boardwalk is available for 3 adults & 3 kids...I just tried to book a reservation there, with 3 adults & 3 kids (using OP's kid's ages) Put in a night in March 2011, and it came back with the deluxe club level room, so you can put 6 in one of those rooms, legally.

Now whether or not you'd want to pay $894 for one night is another matter. Even with a substantial discount that's going to be an expensive night to share a room!

 

[Monorail Bob's dd]

the deluxe club room at Boardwalk is available for 3 adults & 3 kids...I just tried to book a reservation there, with 3 adults & 3 kids (using OP's kid's ages) Put in a night in March 2011, and it came back with the deluxe club level room, so you can put 6 in one of those rooms, legally.

Now whether or not you'd want to pay $894 for one night is another matter. Even with a substantial discount that's going to be an expensive night to share a room!

For my dates in July, it came up around $600 a night. Hoping for a summer rate code to make it more reasonable. Here's another thought I had last night as I laid in bed obsessing over this - we could just get 2 rooms at the Beach Club, which was where I was kind of hoping to stay, pay for the one night for my mother-in-law, and then be done with the second room. This way, we could keep our room the whole time and it is cheaper than most other options unless we were to switch rooms after a night. Fingers crossed that a discount becomes available soon so I can just book this!

 

[drew64]

For my dates in July, it came up around $600 a night. Hoping for a summer rate code to make it more reasonable. Here's another thought I had last night as I laid in bed obsessing over this - we could just get 2 rooms at the Beach Club, which was where I was kind of hoping to stay, pay for the one night for my mother-in-law, and then be done with the second room. This way, we could keep our room the whole time and it is cheaper than most other options unless we were to switch rooms after a night. Fingers crossed that a discount becomes available soon so I can just book this!

That would be great. Love the BC/YC and you will have the 2 bathrooms and space to spread out.

 

[jfsdrv6]

Fingers crossed that a discount becomes available soon so I can just book this!

Maybe Disney will offer a Florida resident discount for July so your MIL could book a discounted room at the Beach Club Resort for one night adjoining your room at BC, then as you suggested, you wouldn't have to move.

 

[DrMikey2]

Go to the rent/trade board below and have a DVC member book a 2 bedroom villa and pay them by the point. It is a bargain over renting a villa directly from Disney. It is usually a fraction of the rack rate. The DVC member can call Member Services on your behalf, see what's available, determine the number of points needed and offer to make the reservation for you. The price per point varies, but it is usually posted by the advertiser, so you know exactly what you are going to pay. Additionally, there are no taxes added on, so that is the final price.

 

[ppony]

I won't be of much help, but wanted to say that we just stayed in a 2 BR at BLT and O. M. G.!!!! the S-p-a-c-e! If you can swing it, DO! You won't care that it's not club level. Take it from experience. I've done lots of club levels at various resorts and would take that villa in a heartbeat EVERY TIME!

 

[dvcHammer]

I agree with checking out renting a 2 bed room villa from a DVC member. Depending on weekend or weekday, it would run about 70 to 90 points depending on location. At an average of about $10 per point it would cost you between $700 and $900 for two nights. Plenty of room for everyone.
The problem with a 2 BR villa is that it makes the hotel rooms look so small from then on!

 

[ppony]

The problem with a 2 BR villa is that it makes the hotel rooms look so small from then on!

WORD! That's no lie! I'm wodnering how we'll feel about a 1 BR now when we started off in 2 BRs! A studio is now utterly out of the question.

Don't even get me started on our first and only DCL cruise thus far having been in a suite. We are SOOOOOO scr*wed!