12 people in a 2 bedroom.

[DanenRox]

I've asked this before and have called MS too but still am left with sort of an "eh" answer. We have a 2 bedroom booked for 8 days in Sept. At no time will there be more than 8 people in that room BUT throughout the week we have the comings and goings of many...most who will need Magical Express. I know we're not doing anything contrary to DVC rules even a little bit. I'm simply not able, according to MS, to add all of the names of the guests with their check-in/check-out dates. So in order for everyone to get room keys and Magical Express it appears I will have to make a few trips to front desk during the stay revising the reservation. I'm really hoping to avoid that. Does anyone have any advice?

 

[CarolMN]

You can try calling MS and asking them to make separate reservations out of your one reservation so that the names match up correctly. Then you can make separate ME arrangements as needed. You will have to go to the front desk between the reservations to get new keys, but you should be able to stay in the same room.

FWIW, I think you are asking for unknown hassles if you ask front desk CMs to alter your DVC reservations. They are not known for their expertise in points reservations and your account will most likely be messed up after they do. (I can personally attest to that happening to my account due to a front desk CM who decided to give us an upgrade - which I did not ask for or actually even appreciate, LOL. I am not the only victim of front desk CMs "help").

If I had this situation, I'd just have the guests who aren't arriving & departing on the same days as you are, pay for Mears to transport them to and from the airport. I don't think it costs that much and that will avoid all of the hassles. Those folks may even end up on a ME bus, even if they are paying.

 

[DanenRox]

FWIW, I think you are asking for unknown hassles if you ask front desk CMs to alter your DVC reservations. They are not known for their expertise in points reservations and your account will most likely be messed up after they do. (I can personally attest to that happening to my account due to a front desk CM who decided to give us an upgrade - which I did not ask for or actually even appreciate, LOL. I am not the only victim of front desk CMs "help").

I appreciate this information. I don't want to be playing games with front desk. May I ask..since 4 of my guests only need outgoing ME, can I arrange that once they arrive during the week? If I can do that, I would name the other 8 guests on the entire reservation (my husband and myself among them) and just ask people to hand over the room keys when they depart. I'll be sure the room keys are sans charging privileges and park passes. It could work.

 

[sweetdana]

My DH often comes a day or 3 days after DD and I. I have never had to make more than 1 ressie, and we have never had to switch rooms.

I think they can do this. without separating the ressies. call again tomorrow.

It could be a new policy, but I have this exact senerio booked in April, and a yr ago sept.

I said I need ME for DH on X date (2 days into the trip) and they okay ..


It may be due to names changing I guess, but I cannot imagine they cannot do this.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

A reservation can not be alter midway through a trip.

If you go to the front desk and try to alter a reservation you would have to cancel the reservation in order to make a new one and doing so you forfeit all those points. You would ultimately be doing a last minute cancellation of a reservation and the rules are that last minute cancelation of a reservation forfeits all of the remaining points on that reservation.

You would have to make all seperate reservations for the various groups checking in and out of your room.

keep in mind all room keys will be deactivated with each check out and new keys will have to be reissued to everyone who is now listed on the reservation for that particular date.

 

[CarolMN]

I appreciate this information. I don't want to be playing games with front desk. May I ask..since 4 of my guests only need outgoing ME, can I arrange that once they arrive during the week? If I can do that, I would name the other 8 guests on the entire reservation (my husband and myself among them) and just ask people to hand over the room keys when they depart. I'll be sure the room keys are sans charging privileges and park passes. It could work.

To use ME, a guest must be listed on the reservation. (No way that I knnow of to get around that). But you could arrange for MEARS to pick them up & take them to the airport. Check the MEARS website to see the amount they charge for that. If all 4 will be leaving at the same time, a cab or limo would be less expensive.

 

[CarolMN]

My DH often comes a day or 3 days after DD and I. I have never had to make more than 1 ressie, and we have never had to switch rooms.

I think they can do this. without separating the ressies. call again tomorrow.

It could be a new policy, but I have this exact senerio booked in April, and a yr ago sept.

I said I need ME for DH on X date (2 days into the trip) and they okay ..


It may be due to names changing I guess, but I cannot imagine they cannot do this.

The problem is that the OP has more total people involved than the villa's maximum occupancy. You didn't. There wouldn't be a problem if there were 8 people instead of 12.

 

[luckyman_apd]

I appreciate this information. I don't want to be playing games with front desk. May I ask..since 4 of my guests only need outgoing ME, can I arrange that once they arrive during the week? If I can do that, I would name the other 8 guests on the entire reservation (my husband and myself among them) and just ask people to hand over the room keys when they depart. I'll be sure the room keys are sans charging privileges and park passes. It could work.

I want to say yes, but not totally sure. Carols suggestion I'd ideal. It would list who will need the room on each day, all 12 people will get keys, ME service etc. the ONLY hassle is each day there is a change you essentially have to check out and check back in. Really you will just be getting new keys.

Since the keys won't have charging privileges, I don't see it as a big deal to get everyone there own key with a name on it as they never ask to show I'd with your key for hours. If your guests are willing to pay for the Mears transportation that would be easiest. Not sure how the whole magic bands thing is going but that could require the more complicated check in/check out method.

 

[AmyB2006]

The problem is that the OP has more total people involved than the villa's maximum occupancy. You didn't. There wouldn't be a problem if there were 8 people instead of 12.

Agreed that this is part of the problem this time. You can't book 12 people in a room that won't allow for 12.

I'm curious to see what they say.

 

[Dean]

I don't think you'll be able to do this for ME for all. You'll also need to go to the front desk to list the new people. I'm presuming there's no dining plan involved.

 

[Minniesgal]

I think the only real way to do this is to have separate bookings. MS and front desk can struggle with simple things so this even of it is technically allowed is so complicated you risk having a total mess. I would split your reservation the add the correct names so you can have ME etc

 

[DanenRox]

I think I've come up with a solution which, thanks to these responses, involve Mears instead of ME for a couple of the folks. Sharing room keys should eliminate the need to involve front desk (and potential problems). BUT, I'm realizing too, that if not listed on the room, then no EMH. As adults, this isn't THAT big of an issue but I have to say again, since what we're doing is completely within the DVC rules it seems crazy that this is such an issue. With that said, my next (hopefully last) question is, when I check in at start of stay, can I get the room keys for ALL guests...even those coming in on ME later in the week?
For those interested, the plan will simply be to share room keys...keeping park passes separate. We'll give up EMH for a few of the folks and use alternative transportation for a few as well.
I'll say again though, seems like we shouldn't have to give stuff up to make this work. Thanks for all of the advice and suggestions.

 

[Nola Girl]

I have had this same situation. They are only going to give you as many room keys as maximum occupancy allows. When your party arrives later in the week they will tell you to come to the front desk to get them. Or at least that is what they did to me. Now, when my first group left they did not take their keys. So we had plenty later in the week.

 

[Minniesgal]

They won't give you adult room keys without the presenting identification to the front desk you will need to pick them up whether arrive.

 

[LisaS]

I'll say again though, seems like we shouldn't have to give stuff up to make this work. Thanks for all of the advice and suggestions.

Looking at it another way, you have a complicated situation. You have different sets of guests coming and going over the course of your stay that in total exceed the maximum occupancy of the room. You are within the rules but the reservation system is simply not engineered to accommodate this scenario. One could also argue that it isn't worth the cost to implement the software to cover cases like this because they are not very common.

You don't have to give up anything other than some of your time if you do what Carol suggested -- set it up as separate reservations, each with the appropriate guests listed, and have those reservations linked. Yes you will have to check out/check in at each transition but the upside is that everyone can use DME, everyone gets keys with their names on them and can take advantage of EMH.

It seems like a reasonable solution and reasonable trade off of some of your time in exchange for getting free transportation to/from the airport for your entire party.

 

[DanenRox]

Thanks again to all who have offered advice and suggestions. I think I've got this worked out.

 

[Dean]

I think I've come up with a solution which, thanks to these responses, involve Mears instead of ME for a couple of the folks. Sharing room keys should eliminate the need to involve front desk (and potential problems). BUT, I'm realizing too, that if not listed on the room, then no EMH. As adults, this isn't THAT big of an issue but I have to say again, since what we're doing is completely within the DVC rules it seems crazy that this is such an issue. With that said, my next (hopefully last) question is, when I check in at start of stay, can I get the room keys for ALL guests...even those coming in on ME later in the week?
For those interested, the plan will simply be to share room keys...keeping park passes separate. We'll give up EMH for a few of the folks and use alternative transportation for a few as well.
I'll say again though, seems like we shouldn't have to give stuff up to make this work. Thanks for all of the advice and suggestions.

You are supposed to have them listed so I'd at least call the FD and let them know.

 

[DanenRox]

You are supposed to have them listed so I'd at least call the FD and let them know.

Will do. Thanks.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

You are supposed to have them listed so I'd at least call the FD and let them know.

It took me a minute. All I could think of for FD was Fire Department.

You have 12 in the room, so you call the Fire Department.

Ok...front desk...

Carry On.

 

[bumbershoot]

I think the only real way to do this is to have separate bookings. MS and front desk can struggle with simple things so this even of it is technically allowed is so complicated you risk having a total mess. I would split your reservation the add the correct names so you can have ME etc

That's absolutely what I would do.

They won't give you adult room keys without the presenting identification to the front desk you will need to pick them up whether arrive.

We've only ever needed ONE adult to show ID to pick up everyone's tickets when we have extended family with us. On our last trip we got in hours before extended family, and it was actually a big deal to them that we were NOT picking up everyone else's keys. (family loves to do the checkin process on their own when they stay at a brand new-to-them resort)