Can I "officially" add 5 to a room that states it sleeps 4?

[monkeyjuce]

Hi all,
I am staying at the AKL for 2 nights and then moving over to a 1 BR BCV for 5 days. Our trip was planned abut 3 months ago and originally it was my husband and I and our 2 youngest boys ages 9 and 14. A couple of days ago my 17 year old announced that he could now get off work for 5 days and he didn't want to stay with Granny and he "can" come for half our trip. I immediately booked him airfare but now am realizing that the official rules state 4 to a room with a child under 3 in a crib. My rooms are paid for and there is no money in the budget to upgrade to a suite or 2 bedroom but without a room key in his name we will not be able to do Extra Magic hour as a family which would Greatly alter our well laid out plans. Has anyone ever "sprung" three school age children on the front desk at a resort laid out for 4 and been given an "extra" room key. I know they have policies but I have no choice but to bring him....aero bed in tow. I would have just checked in normal but now with our schedule and dining plans set around the Extra Magic hour to change it now would be a great disappointment and inconvenience.
Any tips, pointers, or experiences that you can share to help?
Thanks!

 

[Moomduck1]

It is because of fire codes that there are limits to how many people can be in a room. I do not think that Disney can be aware of you having an extra person, and giving you a room key, when the fire codes will not allow that extra person. You can hope that some kind soul checking you in would give you a free upgrade to a larger room, but I seriously doubt that would happen. I know people have had an extra person in their room without notifying anyone, but you are right, you will not have the extra key in that case. You can try it that way, if you want, and just hope that CM aren't asking to see each and every room key.

You could always explain the situation to your older child. They are old enough to be by themselves at that age that in the event you are "sneaking" that 5th person in the room, that they have the potential of not getting into the parks as early as the rest of the family. They can wait outside the park and meet you inside at a prearranged place (unless you have cell phones with you). Teenagers might not mind....it will give him a chance to sleep a little later than everyone else. And he did let you know at the last minute.

There are a few hotels that sleep 5 that aren't a suite or 2 bedroom. You could always check those out. If you go to the front desk and announce the extra child, they may force you to upgrade to a room you can't afford there anyway, so it is better to be prepared before you leave.

Good luck!

 

[taximomfor4]

Just throwing in this thought - you will have to call and change your dining plans anyway! You are currently set up for 4-person tables. 5 people will be sat in a 6-person table. That needs a whole different ADR.

You can switch to 2 value rooms for less than the cost of one deluxe room, that is what we normally do.

Beth

 

[candicenicole19]

Just throwing in this thought - you will have to call and change your dining plans anyway! You are currently set up for 4-person tables. 5 people will be sat in a 6-person table. That needs a whole different ADR.

You can switch to 2 value rooms for less than the cost of one deluxe room, that is what we normally do.

Beth

I agree. I would stay at the value resort and get connecting rooms. To get the dinning for him you would have to have the plan for him as well and you would not be able to add it unless you had a ressie for him as well. KWIM? Unless, you were not putting him on the plan but then, where would you get his park tickets, at the gate? hmm, I would just do the value resort so that you knew for sure what was going on and all and you do not get tot he resort and have it sprung on you that you have to pay for a bigger room!

Candice

 

[Moomduck1]

Just throwing in this thought - you will have to call and change your dining plans anyway! You are currently set up for 4-person tables. 5 people will be sat in a 6-person table. That needs a whole different ADR.

You can switch to 2 value rooms for less than the cost of one deluxe room, that is what we normally do.

Beth

That's a VERY good point. When we went in 2005 we had dining ressies for 4. When we added a 5th person, it really changed everything. We had completely different times in a few restaurants because they just couldn't accommodate that extra person. I feel bad for you, but you should really just redo all of the dining plans as soon as possible to make sure that you can eat where you want to eat.

 

[meandtheguys2]

It is because of fire codes that there are limits to how many people can be in a room.

While not disagreeing with your post, I do question the whole "fire code" thing. Number of people isn't based on space, because room sizes vary, as do the number of people allowed in the same amt. of space.

The rules are just the rules because that is what a company has decided. It is their property, they have that right.

 

[Desnik]

You can get away with the 5 in a 1 bed room at a DVC resort. Though it isn't the "official" policy written in our contracts, member services alow it and will book 5 in a 1 bedroom and you will get the 5 keys to your room. So the only issue would be at AKL, and personally I wouldn't want to squeeze 5 in one of those rooms. The standard rooms are small. I would just do 2 values to replace the AKL stay. Also no matter what you have to change your ADR's. Like others have said the switch from 4 to 5 now puts you at a 6 person table, not 4 so a whole new ressie is needed. You may not get all your same times and might not even get to eat at the same places.

 

[Moomduck1]

While not disagreeing with your post, I do question the whole "fire code" thing. Number of people isn't based on space, because room sizes vary, as do the number of people allowed in the same amt. of space.

The rules are just the rules because that is what a company has decided. It is their property, they have that right.

I made the comment based on the fact that I have relatives who are managers of hotels. Not WDW hotels, but other major chains. That is what they told me.

 

[meandtheguys2]

I made the comment based on the fact that I have relatives who are managers of hotels. Not WDW hotels, but other major chains. That is what they told me.

Fair enough...

 

[debster812]

While not disagreeing with your post, I do question the whole "fire code" thing. Number of people isn't based on space, because room sizes vary, as do the number of people allowed in the same amt. of space.

The rules are just the rules because that is what a company has decided. It is their property, they have that right.

The fire code thing has as much to do with how many people can safely evacuate from a specific area as well. Think about interior and exterior hallways at some of the WDW resorts. 1 extra person, per room, can add up quickly, and crowd those areas as well.

Part of it is 'the rules are the rules' but the fire codes, and occupancies really do figure into some situations.

 

[meandtheguys2]

The fire code thing has as much to do with how many people can safely evacuate from a specific area as well. Think about interior and exterior hallways at some of the WDW resorts. 1 extra person, per room, can add up quickly, and crowd those areas as well.

Part of it is 'the rules are the rules' but the fire codes, and occupancies really do figure into some situations.

Interesting. Never thought of that! Of course, I still believe that they are just made up, many times. Otherwise ground floor could theoretically be limitless. If the exit was exterior.

 

[krissylynne]

You could always explain the situation to your older child. They are old enough to be by themselves at that age that in the event you are "sneaking" that 5th person in the room, that they have the potential of not getting into the parks as early as the rest of the family. They can wait outside the park and meet you inside at a prearranged place (unless you have cell phones with you). Teenagers might not mind....it will give him a chance to sleep a little later than everyone else. And he did let you know at the last minute.

There are a few hotels that sleep 5 that aren't a suite or 2 bedroom. You could always check those out. If you go to the front desk and announce the extra child, they may force you to upgrade to a room you can't afford there anyway, so it is better to be prepared before you leave.

Good luck![/QUOTE]


Your teenager should have no trouble getting into the parks. As long as they arrive on the bus or a form of disney transportation they should still get in at the same time. We are annual pass holders and every EMH we went to in the morning we never once had to show room identification. We had asked later why we did not have to show id, and it was because the only way to get to the park early in the morning for EMH was through Disney transportation.

Good Luck

 

[taximomfor4]

You could always explain the situation to your older child. They are old enough to be by themselves at that age that in the event you are "sneaking" that 5th person in the room, that they have the potential of not getting into the parks as early as the rest of the family. They can wait outside the park and meet you inside at a prearranged place (unless you have cell phones with you). Teenagers might not mind....it will give him a chance to sleep a little later than everyone else. And he did let you know at the last minute.

There are a few hotels that sleep 5 that aren't a suite or 2 bedroom. You could always check those out. If you go to the front desk and announce the extra child, they may force you to upgrade to a room you can't afford there anyway, so it is better to be prepared before you leave.

Good luck!

Your teenager should have no trouble getting into the parks. As long as they arrive on the bus or a form of disney transportation they should still get in at the same time. We are annual pass holders and every EMH we went to in the morning we never once had to show room identification. We had asked later why we did not have to show id, and it was because the only way to get to the park early in the morning for EMH was through Disney transportation.

Good Luck[/QUOTE]



That won't work for the evening EMH though.
Beth

 

[krissylynne]

Your teenager should have no trouble getting into the parks. As long as they arrive on the bus or a form of disney transportation they should still get in at the same time. We are annual pass holders and every EMH we went to in the morning we never once had to show room identification. We had asked later why we did not have to show id, and it was because the only way to get to the park early in the morning for EMH was through Disney transportation.

Good Luck

That won't work for the evening EMH though.
Beth[/QUOTE]

No that work for the evening. I was just speaking of the morning.

 

[pigget74]

I know that it is a tuff decision when someonw throws a kink into all of your planning. Good luck and let us know how you handle it.

 

[mtemm]

its so bizarre to me that a 1br villa only sleeps 4, when a standard deluxe room almost always sleeps 5 (at least it does at the BWI). any chance you can switch over to a standard, non-dvc room?

 

[debaudrn]

If you are a DVC member then Member Services will let you put 5 family members in a 1 Br. They will not however provide any extra bedding.
Deb

 

[poohfriend]

if someone's willing to sleep on the floor, you could...

get a wilderness campground reservation...then he'd have entry into the park for emh. Cost would be smaller than a suite or two rooms. Completely depends on dates for the rates though.

just a thought

personally, I'd give up the AKL and stay at PORiverside in the rooms that hold 5 or a ft wilderness cabin.

but it's your vacation!

 

[LoveMyBoys]

I don't know if you are using ME, but I just wanted to mention that if you are, you might have problems getting 5 people on the bus, because you only have 4 on your reservation.

Good luck

 

[monkeyjuce]

If you are a DVC member then Member Services will let you put 5 family members in a 1 Br. They will not however provide any extra bedding.
Deb

I personally am not a member, I am renting points. Will that matter?
Thanks,
Kelli