Anything to Consider Adding a 3rd Adult?

[jbeyes]

Hi all!

Next summer the plan is for our family of 2 adults and 2 kids (7 & 8) to drive to WDW and stay at the Poly for 7 days with Grandma flying down to join for 4 or 5 days in the same room. We plan on having her on the reservation (no shady business) and having her join us in the parks. We will have separate tickets and room reservation, not a package deal. The Magical Express should be able to bring her to the resort right?

Are there any special considerations that I would need to know doing something like this? I feel like it should be the same as just the 5 of us going together but since we are coming/going at different times and via different modes I just want to be sure. Everything seems so complicated now, I'm afraid I'll overlook some technicality that will leave us scrambling last minute.

Thanks!

 

[anneboleyn]

I believe there is an extra nightly charge for a third adult in the hotel room.

And also don't forget to add her to any ADR's you may have

 

[HM2012Butler]

DME should take her no problem

 

[Hopefully]

Also link her to your MDE account so that you can make FP+ for her the days she is with you

 

[lustergirl]

extra charge for the room

 

[Sandi]

If your mom is joining you for a subset of the days that the rest of your family will be there, that will be hard for Disney to deal with in the reservation from the outset. It can be done, but just be aware it can be a challenge. If you want her to have DME, it's important to get her added early so the right DME stuff goes to her. Where you might run into trouble is with the extra adult charge. It seems fair to only charge for the days that your mom will be staying in the room, but I'm not sure that the average CM can do that from the outset. My example is where my mom and I flew down to stay at POFQ. DD had exams, so needed to fly in later the same day. Then she needed to get back to school a couple of days before my mom and I were to leave. I could not get the CM to understand that there were 2 nights where we wouldn't have a third adult. It was easier to just book her for the full time and give DME all of our flights -- DME handled the early return just fine. I decided it wasn't worth arguing about the extra $30 we paid for the two nights DD wasn't there and life went on. (I think it is $15/night at a mod and $25/night at a deluxe.) Had we been at a deluxe, I might have tried to make the adjustment at the front desk and I think I would have won. Pretty funny that my break point is a $20 difference.

 

[jbeyes]

Thanks everyone- I will make sure she is set up on MDE for sure!

Sandi, yes this is the type of info I want to study up on so I can be informed when getting everything booked and finalized. As you said I can see this situation being a challenge. We will definitely get the DME set up right away. If they try to apply the extra $25 a night for the full stay it may or may not be worth putting up a fight depending on if she ends up staying with us for 5 nights or for 3 so we'll see. I wonder if there is an additional guest charge if we decide to stay DVC at the Poly rather than in a standard room? Hmmm.... all things to consider.

 

[mickeynut1]

Hi all!

Next summer the plan is for our family of 2 adults and 2 kids (7 & 8) to drive to WDW and stay at the Poly for 7 days with Grandma flying down to join for 4 or 5 days in the same room. We plan on having her on the reservation (no shady business) and having her join us in the parks. We will have separate tickets and room reservation, not a package deal. The Magical Express should be able to bring her to the resort right?

Are there any special considerations that I would need to know doing something like this? I feel like it should be the same as just the 5 of us going together but since we are coming/going at different times and via different modes I just want to be sure. Everything seems so complicated now, I'm afraid I'll overlook some technicality that will leave us scrambling last minute.

Thanks!

Is grandma arriving the first day with everyone else or a day or so later? If she isn't coming in on the first day, you can add her to the room when you check in for just the nights she will be there (and you will only be charged for the nights she's there). You can then arrange DME for her arrival day. However, if she is arriving on the first day, you would have to add her to the reservation ahead of time in order for her to use DME (as well as to book FP+ with everyone else at 60 days). By adding her early, you will incur the extra adult fee for all nights. With that said, you can tell the CM when you check in that she will only be there for so many nights and ask if it's possible to only be charged for those nights. We've never booked a DVC room so I can't answer about an extra adult fee for those room types, but hopefully someone else will be able to help. Good luck and happy planning .

 

[MakiraMarlena]

There is no extra adult charge on a DVC points reservation.

 

[Hopefully]

If you use Mickeynut1's suggestion to add her when you arrive if she is coming later than you, you will not be able to schedule her FP+ at 60 days out like yours, but rather only 30 days out. There is a (good) chance you won't get the same times as yours. You won't pay for extra nights, but you may not be able to ride together.
Good Luck

 

[jbeyes]

Ok- Thanks for the suggestion Mickeynut1, I recognize you from the Poly thread which is where I decided we are going to be staying there! I think I would rather pay the extra if that's the only option and be sure have her on the reservation from the beginning so she can be on all of our reservations. MakiraMarlena, you are right, I poked around and found out there isn't the extra charge for 5 in a DVC points reservation so depending on rates for each we may go that route and get the extra shower bathroom thing also!

 

[mickeynut1]

Ok- Thanks for the suggestion Mickeynut1, I recognize you from the Poly thread which is where I decided we are going to be staying there! I think I would rather pay the extra if that's the only option and be sure have her on the reservation from the beginning so she can be on all of our reservations.

You're welcome .

Hope you have a great time at the Poly! Enjoy the planning .