Family of 4 vs 5...adding one. (1st visit)

[mnmomtothree]

Hello!
Looking for advice. My husband and I are planning our first trip to WDW. We have 3 kids, ages 12, 10, and 3. We originally thought about leaving our 3 year old home with grandparents and having more of a grown up trip, one on one with our older kids -- thought it would be much easier. We booked our trip on the Disney site, purchased meal plan, and we are staying on property in March at the POFQ. As the trip has gotten closer and I have spoken to friends about it, I am starting to feel like leaving the 3 year old out is a mistake. Not wanting to start over and completely change our reservation, I am wondering what to do. Can I purchase park tickets for her while there for the parks we are at on any given day without adding her to our meal plan and hotel reservation? Should I purchase in advance? How and when is the best way to do this without completely starting over? WWYD?
Thank you!

 

[Mousemommy1]

Hello!
Looking for advice. My husband and I are planning our first trip to WDW. We have 3 kids, ages 12, 10, and 3. We originally thought about leaving our 3 year old home with grandparents and having more of a grown up trip, one on one with our older kids -- thought it would be much easier. We booked our trip on the Disney site, purchased meal plan, and we are staying on property in March at the POFQ. As the trip has gotten closer and I have spoken to friends about it, I am starting to feel like leaving the 3 year old out is a mistake. Not wanting to start over and completely change our reservation, I am wondering what to do. Can I purchase park tickets for her while there for the parks we are at on any given day without adding her to our meal plan and hotel reservation? Should I purchase in advance? How and when is the best way to do this without completely starting over? WWYD?
Thank you!

You will not be able to stay at POFQ as those rooms only accommodate 4. You will need to change your hotel as well.

 

[maxiesmom]

You do need to switch hotels. POR allows 5, as do CBR (in a few rooms) and the Wilderness Cabins, all of which are moderate resorts.

If you are for sure going to add another child, call asap and see what they have available. POFQ does not allow 5 guests, so staying there is not an option.

 

[Happyjen27]

You'll have to call and have her added to your reservation. You won't be starting over, per se, as all the decisions have been made for your trip already (and that's the tricky part!), you just need to make a small resort change and you're all set. I would call and handle the change in resort to allow for 5 guests, the ticket purchase and meal plan addition now to have a smooth arrival.

 

[mm1971]

Hello!
Looking for advice. My husband and I are planning our first trip to WDW. We have 3 kids, ages 12, 10, and 3. We originally thought about leaving our 3 year old home with grandparents and having more of a grown up trip, one on one with our older kids -- thought it would be much easier. We booked our trip on the Disney site, purchased meal plan, and we are staying on property in March at the POFQ. As the trip has gotten closer and I have spoken to friends about it, I am starting to feel like leaving the 3 year old out is a mistake. Not wanting to start over and completely change our reservation, I am wondering what to do. Can I purchase park tickets for her while there for the parks we are at on any given day without adding her to our meal plan and hotel reservation? Should I purchase in advance? How and when is the best way to do this without completely starting over? WWYD?
Thank you!

As others have stated, you will need to add the 5th to your reservation and change resorts as POFQ does not allow 5 to a room. You don't need to start over just call and let them know you need to add another person to the reservation and they can provide the resorts with vacancies that will hold 5. You could easily just move to POR in one of the larger rooms. You may or may not have to add her to the meal plan based on the type of reservation.

Hope everything works out.

 

[momto3pirates]

Also if you don't add the little one to the reservation, you cannot schedule FP+ with the rest of the family and that child will not have access to EMH.

 

[MSSANDRA]

Call WDW now and tell them the story and they will take care of you. A resort switch will be needed, but other than that it should be no issue at all. Do it now before you make any ADRs or FP.

 

[Meghoya]

You can probably sneak her into your room and avoid buying her the meal plan if you are only doing counter service, don't want to use EMH, and don't want her included in any of your fastpass plus rservations, BUT, if you have dining rservations you do need to change those to a party of 5. I would also want to be able to use the EMH and fast pass plus for her. So, I would call, and change whatever you have to so that she is on your reservations. Yes, it sucks, but it's more likely you'll get a room/dining reservations/ride reservations now than if you wait until you show up and hope Disney doesn't catch her in your room!

 

[pooh4evr]

Switch to Port Orleans Riverside - their rooms can hold 5.

 

[Marthasor]

You can probably sneak her into your room and avoid buying her the meal plan if you are only doing counter service, don't want to use EMH, and don't want her included in any of your fastpass plus rservations, BUT, if you have dining rservations you do need to change those to a party of 5. I would also want to be able to use the EMH and fast pass plus for her. So, I would call, and change whatever you have to so that she is on your reservations. Yes, it sucks, but it's more likely you'll get a room/dining reservations/ride reservations now than if you wait until you show up and hope Disney doesn't catch her in your room!

You can't "sneak" her into anything. If you get caught with 5 at POFQ, disney could throw you out. Plus, no magical express, magic band, FP+, dining reservations, etc. As others have mentioned, simply call to add your child and Disney will help you modify the reservation so you are in a resort and room that can accommodate 5.