fitting 5 people in regular room

[mcadamsfamily]

So my family is making a trip to Disney in October 2014. We are trying to be as budget-friendly as possible. We are driving from Ohio and can easily take an air mattress to put in a room for 4 at a disney resort for our preschooler but my concern is that we would end up getting in trouble with tickets and meals. We are hoping to get the free dining deal but if we have only put in 4 family members we would have to buy our preschooler's tickets and meals separately. Will they let us do that? I really don't see how they could tell us no. Thoughts?

 

[Gracie09]

So my family is making a trip to Disney in October 2014. We are trying to be as budget-friendly as possible. We are driving from Ohio and can easily take an air mattress to put in a room for 4 at a disney resort for our preschooler but my concern is that we would end up getting in trouble with tickets and meals. We are hoping to get the free dining deal but if we have only put in 4 family members we would have to buy our preschooler's tickets and meals separately. Will they let us do that? I really don't see how they could tell us no. Thoughts?

Well disboard rules are not to discuss ways to go around Disney rules. Disney rules are you cannot have more than is allowed in a room. You will not be able to get more kttw than are registered for the room. If they check at the pool the odd person out cannot swim. There are a few resorts that allow five in one room. Or go offsite. If Disney catches you with more than is allowed in a room they can remove you from property. That doesn't sound like a nice vacation

Of course I am taking this post at face value which it may not be

 

[BigAlsGal]

So my family is making a trip to Disney in October 2014. We are trying to be as budget-friendly as possible. We are driving from Ohio and can easily take an air mattress to put in a room for 4 at a disney resort for our preschooler but my concern is that we would end up getting in trouble with tickets and meals. We are hoping to get the free dining deal but if we have only put in 4 family members we would have to buy our preschooler's tickets and meals separately. Will they let us do that? I really don't see how they could tell us no. Thoughts?

Excellent first post!

 

[luvmy3]

You can book a family suite, or a room in a moderate or a deluxe that accommodates 5. What you are trying to do is against WDW policy so you probably won't find support for it here.

 

[whatisgoofy?]

Disney's occupancy rules are based on the fire code, so if you're in a room limited to four persons your plan could get you into trouble. While the other part of your plan...buying tickets and meals for your preschooler outside of a package...would work, more than four in the room would not. Your best bet would be to crunch the numbers to see if Free Dining at a resort with higher occupancy rooms or family suites would still fit your budget. As a PP mentioned, you may also want to consider staying off-property. While yes, you wouldn't be staying at Disney or getting Free Dining...if it comes down to having to choose between going at all or not, it might be worth looking into.

 

[1000HappyWishes]

They certainly can tell you no and kick you out of your resort the moment they find out that you exceed room occupancy.

 

[GrammyJudy]

Don't do it they will kick you out. Besides isn't that teaching your children to cheat? Stay offsite or postpone the trip.

 

[2crazy4disney]

We went as a family of 5 and compared a moderate room to the price of 2 adjoining value rooms. We loved having the 2 rooms because then you have 2bathrooms and there is 4 beds so that each child had a bed to themselves and there was no fighting. I think it still worked out cheaper for the values. But when we went and got free dining it was the regular dining plan and now it is the quick service dining plan. The regular dining plan lets you have meals at places you would never be able to go to if you weren't on the dining plan and have character meals as well. My whole family loves the dining plan because character meals are so much fun..

 

[bushdianee]

When we went in June we didn't exceed 4 people at CB but we had 2 air mattresses. I shared a room with 2 of my sisters and a niece. As much as my sisters and I love each other we don't want to share a double bed! So we had a single air bed and a child's Tinkerbell air bed that actually isn't much more than a pool float that fits inside of a thin sleeping bag. I really don't see how mousekeeping could have known how many people were in the room unless they counted toothbrushes as we didn't deflate the beds all week. We stood the small one up on the table so they could make the beds as DN slept between the beds. Oh and we fit a ecv in there at night as well by the sink area.

 

[kaylasmom07]

You can stay in a room for 4 if one of the children is under 3 years old. Disney also has some rooms for five. Is port orleans riverside out of the budget?

Since you're driving and have a car, I'd stay off site. It's away cheaper. You could eat off site, possibly get a place with a kitchenette and have some meals in the room. You could do that for cheaper than staying at disney, even with the free dining deal.

 

[aaarcher86]

I have personally seen a family of 5 get caught in a room that holds 4. They then had to pony up the dough for a full priced second room or leave without refund. It isnt always mouse keeping that finds out the occupancy level is exceeded. The youngest would also not be listed on the room key to be eligible for EMH.

Not a great way to end a vacation. If you're looking for a budget trip you should stay off site, eat breakfast in the hotel, and forego the extras. If you have to break the rules and put the vacation in jeopardy to make it work for you, you may want to wait until its more financially feasible.

 

[Granny square]

I have personally seen a family of 5 get caught in a room that holds 4. They then had to pony up the dough for a full priced second room or leave without refund. It isnt always mouse keeping that finds out the occupancy level is exceeded. The youngest would also not be listed on the room key to be eligible for EMH.

Not a great way to end a vacation. If you're looking for a budget trip you should stay off site, eat breakfast in the hotel, and forego the extras. If you have to break the rules and put the vacation in jeopardy to make it work for you, you may want to wait until its more financially feasible.

So how did they find out? Nosey neighbours?

Op, I'd suggest off site. Even if your little one is under 3 it would still be crowded and expensive.

 

[aaarcher86]

So how did they find out? Nosey neighbours?

Op, I'd suggest off site. Even if your little one is under 3 it would still be crowded and expensive.

I don't know. I'm pretty nosey and just watched the fit a woman threw because they fit in the room last year. They were in a royal room over at POR so I imagine it was pretty pricey at full price for the vacation! She was talking to a very unsympathetic manager when I got there.

I had gotten the feeling that all staff kind of watches for families that don't seem to 'fit' and then lets someone know so they can look into it. Like a lifeguard notices a family of 5, tells someone, and then someone higher up sees the only have 4 on the reservation or something.... I'm sure Im getting way more Criminal Minds with this than they are lol. I mean, they're starting to monitor beverages. Why not monitor families a little harder I guess lol.

My husband finally forced me to leave the spectacle she was making :-/

 

[drinkme]

We stayed at POR in June with 5 people. There is a small Murphy bed that pulls out. Only a little one can sleep on it. When ds12 tried to lay on it his feet hung over the edge. He's just under 5 feet. It's a nice resort so I think it's worth the extra money. The values are small and a family of 5 would really feel cramped.

Another thing to think about is if they are offering free dining you will have the full table service plan. With staying in a value you would only get the counter service plan.

 

[Schmeck]

So my family is making a trip to Disney in October 2014. We are trying to be as budget-friendly as possible. We are driving from Ohio and can easily take an air mattress to put in a room for 4 at a disney resort for our preschooler but my concern is that we would end up getting in trouble with tickets and meals. We are hoping to get the free dining deal but if we have only put in 4 family members we would have to buy our preschooler's tickets and meals separately. Will they let us do that? I really don't see how they could tell us no. Thoughts?

You would not be eligible to use EMH, as the unlisted child would not have a room key. At every table service meal, they would also be looking at a family of five with only 4 members on the dining plan, which is a big flag for them to get suspicious. Your room key has all kinds of info on it, and it wouldn't be hard at all for them to figure out you have exceeded the allotted number of guests in one room.

Is it really worth the stress of possibly getting kicked out of the resort to be illegally 'budget-friendly'? Do you really want that for your family vacation?

 

[Kasarahh]

We're going in September 2014 and we also have a family of 5. I considered getting a room at the animation resort, because it was a value resort, but Port Orleans Riverside ended up being cheaper. We're also driving from Pennsylvania to save on costs, and hoping for the free dining. I think you'd be better off just going to POR and doing the free dining with the tickets.

As someone else suggested, I also looked into staying off site, but the rooms were about the same and you'd have to pay for all your meals and tickets separate. Plus you have to pay daily for parking if you stay off site.

Just letting you know what I've found, good luck.

 

[aubriee]

We personally saw a family get kicked out of Pop one year. We couldn't help but hear the loud arguement between a man and two manager type CMs. The man was yelling that he paid for the room and could have as many people in it as he wanted and it was none of Disney's business, especially since his kids were fairly small. The CMs were trying to calmly explain to him about room occupancy limits and fire codes. I don't know if they were offered the chance to get a second room or just kicked out but do know they left. Not too long after the CMs left we heard them leaving, dragging their suitcases. The mom made some comment to the dad about telling him she'd warned him they might get caught. He yelled back telling her to shut up. We peeked out and saw them leaving with three kids (about 7 y/o, 5 y/o, and maybe 4 y/o). I don't know how management found out they had too many in the room.

 

[beck02]

When you stay on Disney, everything is tied to that room key... you use that same CC type card to get into the parks, into your room, etc. Oh! And for the dining plan. And you *have* to use a credit at any of the sit down meals--you only pay for the meal, but you're really paying for the oppertunity to see all those characters as well. If you only have quick service meals then this isn't as big of a deal, but come on--part of going to disney is to see the characters, and there's no better way to see them than while you get to sit in a/c enjoying a meal. Yeah, it's expensive, and the food is OK, but it's just part of the cost, and you REALLY need the down time, esp. with kids.

Disney's hotels are not like a normal hotel room where you could sneak someone in. For goodness sakes--at the gate they check your passes to make sure you're staying on-site! So right there they might notice--I can't remember if they looked at ALL our passes or just the drivers, but I'm thinking it was all of them. And I'm fairly sure that Disney WOULD find out--maybe not on the first day, but sometime during your trip they would.

Like others have said, go to a different Disney hotel room that allows for 5, stay offsite, or don't go until you can afford a 2nd room.

 

[fairestoneofall]

i would try to get the POR rooms that sleep five. once my youngest turns 3, that is going to be where we stay most of the time.

i couldn't imagine staying in a value with five people. on our last trip, the youngest was six month and i just thought it would be horribly crowded even then. those rooms are small.

also, if you have the dining plan, the number of credits per meal are printed on your card. that fact is something that would stand out on any TS meals. they could easily see that you only four on your room that way (especially if your fifth person is having to pay OOP).

 

[pooh4evr]

Don't know if this will help butb we are a family od 5 as well. We have stayed at All Star Music in the family suite a few times and it is great. Por is also wonderful for 5. For our upcoming trip we booked 2 rooms through travelocity at sports for $90 a night ! Which is cheaper than anything through Disney even with the room discounts.