5th Person Sleeper Rooms New Rules 2026 ?

[sponica]

So I was able to get a standard 5th sleeper to appear as an option for a random range of dates in late april/early May at POR for 2 adults/2 children



I think they might be fiddling with things though, I could have sworn I saw a preferred location - 5th sleeper yesterday.

 

[jollygreen]

Will a family of 5 with one of them being under 3 count?

Yes. 4 adults & 2 year old going next April. 5th sleepers are an option for me to book.

 

[Pyxie]

Yes. 4 adults & 2 year old going next April. 5th sleepers are an option for me to book.

Well my family may just gain a new 2 year old on our next trip lol.

 

[jollygreen]

Well my family may just gain a new 2 year old on our next trip lol.

Congrats on your new addition

 

[HopperFan]

We just booked a 5th sleeper at POR for September 2025 - its just my 7yr old daughter and I but that was the only thing available for our dates and desired rate. I will be putting in a request or note that they can certainly move us to a smaller room if needed - we definitely don't need all that space. Really wanted to stay in the mansion section so hopefully they do change it as 5th sleepers are only in Alligator Bayou...

I think the new restrictions don't kick in until 2026.

Yes, it is in the title and my original post. This is for next year.

I must have too much time on my hands. Just out of idle curiosity, I searched for 2 adults 3 kids for next March. Offers standard room and preferred room, both of which say hold 4 adults. And 5th sleeper rooms at both CBR and POR not available. So then I had chat sessions with 2 CMs. Second CM said something about Disney changing names of room types and can't book a 5th sleeper room in 2026. I said confusing and not helpful. My best guess is parties of 5 will get dibs on 5th sleeper rooms when checking in. How a party of 3 or 4 will get a 5th sleeper room, I don't know. Guess you could put in a request either before arrival or on arrival.

When they first put in the 5th sleeper in the rooms they were not a bookable category. If you booked with 5 (over 3) then they would put you in the AB rooms with the pull out trundle bed. They would take requests from 4 or less but you knew that there was no guarantee so be prepared for just two beds. As booking online became the norm, and they could control prices on each room they added it as a bookable category - just like you couldn't book a King room, that was a request as well.

 

[chris4disney]

I must have too much time on my hands. Just out of idle curiosity, I searched for 2 adults 3 kids for next March. Offers standard room and preferred room, both of which say hold 4 adults. And 5th sleeper rooms at both CBR and POR not available. So then I had chat sessions with 2 CMs. Second CM said something about Disney changing names of room types and can't book a 5th sleeper room in 2026. I said confusing and not helpful. My best guess is parties of 5 will get dibs on 5th sleeper rooms when checking in. How a party of 3 or 4 will get a 5th sleeper room, I don't know. Guess you could put in a request either before arrival or on arrival.

I also did a little CSI work today and tried to book at CBR for 4 adults and one child age 13. It did show me Standard LOCATION for 2026. They still show even though not available the Standard View - 5th sleeper. I would assume this family of 5 would be assured a 5th sleeper room. I think they are just getting away with any category that specifically says "5th Sleeper" or "Water View". Starting in 2026 looks like CBR will only have "Standard Location", "Preferred Location" and "King Bed". So any of those could technically have a water view but water view is no longer a booking category. When there's no balcony at any of these rooms I don't see the need for "water view" anyways.

 

[HopperFan]

So any of those could technically have a water view but water view is no longer a booking category. When there's no balcony at any of these rooms I don't see the need for "water view" anyways.

Our first trip to CBR I booked Water View at RACK RATE! We were a family of 5 (youngest an infant). We checked in to the building out by the road, drove to our room and ....

They put us in a first floor room facing a stairway and parking lot. Cars feet from our door. Matters worse it was a H/A room so only a King bed ... for 5. It took well over an hour to get them to move us to our rack rate paid for Water View room. NIGHT & DAY on what was outside our door. And I know there is no balcony but we have (and I see others) who sit outside while the kids go to sleep. More pleasant with a nice view to make if feel like vacation. Some trips I don't see my car for a week, so I really don't want cars outside my room.

Booking Water View was a good way to guarantee you were not looking at the parking lot (and it's noise).

Seems like if they are changing the categories it is so guests can't complain as much about their rooms because lots of views fall into standard or preferred. Way easier for room assigners.

 

[Dug720]

Seems like if they are changing the categories it is so guests can't complain as much about their rooms because lots of views fall into standard or preferred. Way easier for room assigners.

Probably. Or if something changes like trees grow. It was a few months ago when I remember someone asking if anyone would consider a certain room in the Contemporary Garden Wing as "Water View" - which is what the hotel classified it. Well, before a couple of trees grew, yes it would have been. As it was currently you could kinda see a little water through the trees, so not really what most people would call "Water View".

 

[HopperFan]

Probably. Or if something changes like trees grow. It was a few months ago when I remember someone asking if anyone would consider a certain room in the Contemporary Garden Wing as "Water View" - which is what the hotel classified it. Well, before a couple of trees grew, yes it would have been. As it was currently you could kinda see a little water through the trees, so not really what most people would call "Water View".

Yeah, we were returning to AKL after having Savanna view, but not the budget this trip. I was so afraid of the parking lot view I booked Pool View. BIGGEST waste of money. We couldn't see the pool for the trees and all we looked at was the roof of Jiko etc. When I questioned about it what I was told is that "VIEW" only means which direction your room is facing and not the actual view you might get.

I'm sure Disney's idea of all these categories just made it harder to assign, and lots of complaints and wanting to be moved. Keeping it simple is better for Disney and front desks.

 

[mmouse50]

Wanting to book a 5th sleeper but will only have 4 people in room - 3 females (adult, 17, 9) and 1 15 year old male. Do you think that they will take in consideration the guest names on the reservation when assigning room? June 2026 booking.

 

[HopperFan]

Wanting to book a 5th sleeper but will only have 4 people in room - 3 females (adult, 17, 9) and 1 15 year old male. Do you think that they will take in consideration the guest names on the reservation when assigning room? June 2026 booking.

Doubt it, I mean how do they even do that? DS#2 has a BOYS name but many modern day girls have that name. Some names from other locales may be completely gender unknown to assigners. And at this point I imagine some of the assigning is by computers with human oversight.

Your best bet is call in advance to special request a 5th sleeper as you having a single male / teenager in your party. BUT be ready to figure it out if you don't get one. Could you pack a blow up mattress for him just in case? You could ask hotel for extra sheets.

 

[Grandmasplan]

We are booking three rooms at CBR for April 2026. One family has two adults and three children, the youngest will be two when we travel. Our travel agent is telling us that there is no longer an option to book fifth sleeper rooms. People with five in the room will get a fifth sleeper but because the youngest is under three and free, she doesn't count. We can only request a fifth sleeper room. No guarantees. This is our first trip in more than ten years. It doesn't give me good feelings about how this trip is going to go.

 

[sponica]

Wanting to book a 5th sleeper but will only have 4 people in room - 3 females (adult, 17, 9) and 1 15 year old male. Do you think that they will take in consideration the guest names on the reservation when assigning room? June 2026 booking.

I don't know what they're calling preferred in 2026 at POR, but currently all preferred rooms in POR are in Alligator Bayou, and those all have the pullout.....but it would really only work for the 9 year old, unless the 15 year old is on the shorter side.

 

[Mle8308]

Wanting to book a 5th sleeper but will only have 4 people in room - 3 females (adult, 17, 9) and 1 15 year old male. Do you think that they will take in consideration the guest names on the reservation when assigning room? June 2026 booking.

Nope, won't even look, waayyy too many reservations to do that. Best thing to do is to make a request, but remember, it is only a request and don't get upset if it isn't possible.

 

[SL6827]

With room only reservations, people can book a phantom 5th guest to guarantee a 5th sleeper room with out much issue, as of now. I know when we stay at POR, I always want in the AB section, so a 5th sleeper room is a must. But we stayed there last year and a few other times in the past, so I am not looking to stay there again anytime soon.

With CBR I don't see any issues there, but I might be missing something that other families might want.

 

[SL6827]

But I do think this all just boils down to making it much easier for the room to be assigned and the inability to make a call against such. It can have some pros for the guest too, but moreso for Disney. I think arriving at your resort as early as possible to reiterate your desires for room location, will be even more important now than before.

 

[HopperFan]

I don't know what they're calling preferred in 2026 at POR, but currently all preferred rooms in POR are in Alligator Bayou, and those all have the pullout.....but it would really only work for the 9 year old, unless the 15 year old is on the shorter side.

No there are preferred rooms in the Mansions. It is called "Preferred Location" with just 2 Queen Beds and the photos w/description are of Mansion rooms. A "Preferred Room" shows the bunk in the description and the photos. Same for 2025 and 2026.

Preferred Location​

View Photos

• Views of the Landscaping, Courtyard, Garden, Bayou, Riverfront or Courtyard Pool
• 2 Queen Beds

 

[SL6827]

We had

No there are preferred rooms in the Mansions. It is called "Preferred Location" with just 2 Queen Beds and the photos w/description are of Mansion rooms. A "Preferred Room" shows the bunk in the description and the photos. Same for 2025 and 2026.

Preferred Location​

View Photos

• Views of the Landscaping, Courtyard, Garden, Bayou, Riverfront or Courtyard Pool
• 2 Queen Beds

I wonder when this changed? They used to just be located in AB. Not shocked that Disney would do such though.

 

[HopperFan]

We had
I wonder when this changed? They used to just be located in AB. Not shocked that Disney would do such though.

I don't know but not surprised. I was more surprised when they added categories to give us more options. Had to be harder for assigning.

There seems to be more change happening lately and it would make sense to widen your scope so that (1) they can charge more if Disney perceives room advantages, we know guests have figured them out (2) it creates a less narrow expectation from guests and should reduce issues getting what they booked.

I repeat my story above in short: When my Pool View room had no view of the pool they told me that "views" mean which way the room is facing. So I was facing the pool courtyard but my view was blocked by trees to my right and my only view was left/below me of the roofs. I got what I paid for, per Disney.

When it comes to Preferred at POR, there are some Mansion rooms just across the bridge from the Main Pool making it a short walk there or the Main hub. I think the closer to a bridge the more preferred the room. We once got a preferred in AB and it was AWFUL! We backed up to the delivery dock and the pizza truck drive and everyone walking to the food court. Was so loud! Nothing preferred about it to us ... but it was a two minute walk to food court so it was preferred. I could have complained about the noise, but I got what I booked.

I think we'll see more and more "room identity" changes. Doing that can flex their rates and flex their room assigning.

 

[Mle8308]

We had
I wonder when this changed? They used to just be located in AB. Not shocked that Disney would do such though.

This is not new, it's been a few years, at least. Preferred rooms in Magnolia Bend/Mansions were close to the bridge that goes to the main area of the resort.