Help! I thought I was okay with plans, but I think I messed up.. big time

[marvali]

Need some more info to get the best response:

You are staying 11/21-11/28 and sister is staying 11/22-11/26. I assume that is check-in and check-out days, or is that staying those "nights?" (Since Thanksgiving is past and this would have to be 2009, those dates would mean your sister is leaving on Thanksgiving Day if check-out)

I need more info on all of the children. Which ones are boys and which are girls? Teenagers are typically bad about sleeping in a bed together. Is this an issue with any of them? Do any of your sister's kids feel comfortable/close enough to any of their cousins to sleep in the same bed with them? Are there any possibilities of an older (bigger) sleeping with a younger (smaller) child so the beds aren't so crowded?

 

[Dizzy over Disney]

Thanks for the offer to help.

We will be checking in on the 21st of Nov and my sister's family will be checking in on the 22nd and out the 27th. We will stay on for the night of 27th and 28th .. checking out on the 29th.

My sister's four kids.. 2 boys .. 2 girls. They live in a small house and when they visit.. they end up all (except the 18 year old) in one bedroom in my house!

None of the kids mind sharing... From what I have researched... there is no way I can get a 2 bedroom and be okay for all of us because of the number of people.... We are all doing the dining plan and from what I gather.. they will not allow 11 people in the two bedroom. ....?

The cheapest points wise thing I came up with (and I would love opinions):

Nights of Nov 21-26 = 2 bedroom Savannah view (my husband and I have waited too long for this.. we are definitely having one)
+
Nights of Nov 22 - Nov. 26 (checking out the 27th) = a Studio Standard or Savannah (I would like my sister and 2 of her kids at least in the same building.. on the phone today they told me they would be if in a Savannah)
+
Nov 27-28 (checking out the 29th) = 1 bedroom, Savannah view

It equals up to 417 points. We have 270.. so we would borrow next year and the next year.

I'll take any comments!

 

[marvali]

Okay, sounds like you are getting this down pat with the many different options, so I will probably leave it to you to figure out the best plan, BUT......

Since you are a newbie I will remind you of one thing just to make sure you consider all options. Next Thanksgiving Kidani will be open and a 2BR in Kidani will sleep NINE plus the 3yo in the crib. This is not the case with a Value category room in Jambo House (the old building). Maybe you already realize and have considered this, but I didn't want to assume.

The square footage in the rooms will be larger, so people don't feel so cramped, AND, since a couple of the kids are younger/smaller (11 and 7), one can sleep on the sleeper chair, and MS will probably allow you to bring your own bedding (cot or air mattress) for the other so you wouldn't need the second room. This would probably be too cramped in Jambo House with the smaller rooms, but may be doable in Kidani with more floor space, PLUS, you get an additional bathroom for all those people. Your sister and her hubby would be in the second bedroom with two of their kids, and you still get the MB for you and hubby.

You could switch to a Studio the last two nights (high point Friday and Saturday) after your sister and family leave to cut down on points.

I know what you are saying about the Savanna View, but depending on your daily plans, there are plenty of places and opportunities to view the animals if you go with a Standard View and save the points. If you can make my suggestion work, you could always make the Studio the final two nights a Savanna View.

One last thing; the great part about DVC is you know you will be coming back on a regular basis, so if you don't go with the Savanna View this time, you will be back soon enough and can do it next time.

 

[Deb & Bill]

At a minimum, you need a grand villa OR a two bedroom for the sister and her family and a one bedroom (only at AKV or BLT) for your family.

The three year old will count towards room occupancy. So you are a family of five. Sister is a family of six. That makes eleven. Two or three too many for a two bedroom depending on the location of the two bedroom. You can't put five in a studio. It's not permitted.

And let me tell you this, fitting nine people with most of them Guests 10+ will be a nightmare in anything other than a GV. Even with the sleeper chair at AKV and BLT, you will have three in the living room.

We've had seven and eight at OKW in a two bedroom. In both cases about 4 or 5 adults and the rest kids. It was doable. We had four in a one bedroom at SSR (three adults this time) and we were wishing for a two bedroom the whole time.

 

[Claire L]

I would book a 1 bed for the duration and then a 2 bed for the nights your sister is staying. The 1 bed will be the same as a 2 bed ie have the master bath and kitchen area so you will be getting a good size esp if in Kidani as will have two bathrooms in the 1 bed and 3 in the 2 bed.

Claire

 

[bobbiwoz]

There are no cribs in DVC, they are pack and plays and they are small! A 3 year old counts towards occupancy. I think you have too many people staying for what many here are suggesting you get.

Bobbi

 

[ILIKEWDW]

I would suggest you the Grand Villa it sleeps 12!!! you will be more roomy, but you must stay 5 nights, and you would only need to borrow a few of your next year´s points, or you could rent the missing points to complete the total for 5 nights.....

 

[Debbie Jean]

Thanks for the offer to help.

We will be checking in on the 21st of Nov and my sister's family will be checking in on the 22nd and out the 27th. We will stay on for the night of 27th and 28th .. checking out on the 29th.

My sister's four kids.. 2 boys .. 2 girls. They live in a small house and when they visit.. they end up all (except the 18 year old) in one bedroom in my house!

None of the kids mind sharing... From what I have researched... there is no way I can get a 2 bedroom and be okay for all of us because of the number of people.... We are all doing the dining plan and from what I gather.. they will not allow 11 people in the two bedroom. ....?

The cheapest points wise thing I came up with (and I would love opinions):

Nights of Nov 21-26 = 2 bedroom Savannah view (my husband and I have waited too long for this.. we are definitely having one)
+
Nights of Nov 22 - Nov. 26 (checking out the 27th) = a Studio Standard or Savannah (I would like my sister and 2 of her kids at least in the same building.. on the phone today they told me they would be if in a Savannah)
+
Nov 27-28 (checking out the 29th) = 1 bedroom, Savannah view

It equals up to 417 points. We have 270.. so we would borrow next year and the next year.

I'll take any comments!

This would present problems for the dining plan, if I'm counting the numbers correctly. You won't be able to put your sis's family which has 6 members in the studio, and even if you let a couple of the kids stay with you, you'd need to put them onto your 2 bedroom ressie and pay the extra day even through they weren't there... does that make sense??? or am I misteaken?? Someone??

 

[Dizzy over Disney]

I was planning to put my sister and her husband in the studio with 2 kids and then keep 2 kids in the 2 bedroom with us.

what do you mean about the dining plan?

 

[Debbie Jean]

I was planning to put my sister and her husband in the studio with 2 kids and then keep 2 kids in the 2 bedroom with us.

what do you mean about the dining plan?

The dining plan is tied to the names on the reservation. If you want your sisters 2 children to be on the plan, their names will need to be on the reservation for your room and you will need to pay for them the same as you do for your own family. Everyone has to be on the plan for the entire length of stay on the reservation, not just the days they happen to be there.

In other words, it's not a "you decide who gets it and for how long" plan... everyone on the reservation must purchase it and it must be for the entire reservation. Does that make sense?

Edited to add: the Dining plan is tied to the room key.

 

[cigarboo]

If you want your sisters 2 children to be on the plan, their names will need to be on the reservation for your room and you will need to pay for them the same as you do for your own family. Everyone has to be on the plan for the entire length of stay on the reservation, not just the days they happen to be there.

That's a good point. But it looks like the 2BR would only be for 1 extra day, so OP would have to pay approx $80(assuming regular ddp) for the 2 extra kids listed on the 2 BR reservation. Looks like OP is moving to a 1BR at the end of the trip when her sister's family is leaving, so it shouldn't be an issue at the end of the trip. Maybe they can just plan to use those extra credits.

 

[Claire L]

I was planning to put my sister and her husband in the studio with 2 kids and then keep 2 kids in the 2 bedroom with us.

what do you mean about the dining plan?

If you had no dining plan that would work fine, but I get the feeling if you added two kids into your ressie for only part stay they would have to be included for all the stay in your room for the purpose of the dining plan.

Claire

 

[Dizzy over Disney]

Oh my... I never thought of that !

This has become so complicated. I am so ready to give up

 

[Lexxiefern]

Don't give up! I would probably book the 2 bedroom and the studio. Then change down to a 1 bedroom after your sister leaves. I think point wise it would be the cheapest. Please let us know what you decide!

 

[Dizzy over Disney]

You guys must be so sick of me by now! First, I cannot express to you enough how thankful I am for your thoughts. Although it is hard for me to believe right at this moment... you saved me so much heartache later!

Alright. I think I have the plan... think is the operative word here

Just to remind you: My family = 5 Sister's family = 6

I am going to book a 2 bedroom and a studio and then a 1 bedroom for us when they leave. The only thing I am down about ... My husband and I really wanted to check into the 2 bedroom on the 21st - explore the resort and have a nice dinner ...then my sister and fam could arrive that night (they are driving, we are flying) and then we could start bright,early and fresh in the 22nd. BUT.. I can't do that .. because I have to put them down on paper for the 2 bedroom because of the dining plan (and put one of my kids "in" the room) ... sooo it kinda sucks we can't get started on the night of the 21st, but I cant figure out what else to do. I can't put our name down for the 2 bedroomo because then we would be stuck with 2 of her kids on the dining plan for our entire length of stay... and they are all over 10.

Thank you again for all your help!

 

[Dizzy over Disney]

HOLY Cockroaches, I think I figured it out!

Tell me if this is right...

I get a 1 bedroom Savannah View for us five for the nights 21-28th
I get a 2 bedroom Value room for sister (the 6 of them) for nights 22-26

This would work then, right? Everyone has their own families.. no one on anyone else's dining plan.... Right????

 

[Deb & Bill]

Your biggest problem is that you have 11 guests, and nine of them are Guest 10+. Have you thought about the tickets as well? That is going to be a pretty big expense for your sister. For her family alone for six days worth of tickets the base ticket for six days is over $200 per person. That's no park hopping, no water parks, no Disney Quest.

You also have to guests 3-9 yrs old. So those tickets aren't much less.

Plus you'll have five Guest 10+ and two guests 3-9 on the dining plan for the entire stay in the two bedroom and four Guests 10+ in the studio. And then don't forget to add the dining plan for the one bedroom after your sister leaves.

Whew, you must be getting brain damage after all this. Hope you don't feel too bad for trying to be nice.

 

[Dizzy over Disney]

Your biggest problem is that you have 11 guests, and nine of them are Guest 10+. Have you thought about the tickets as well? That is going to be a pretty big expense for your sister. For her family alone for six days worth of tickets the base ticket for six days is over $200 per person. That's no park hopping, no water parks, no Disney Quest.

You also have to guests 3-9 yrs old. So those tickets aren't much less.

We are getting tickets through AAA, not much of a discount, but at least something . No water parks and no Disney Quest. They and we are there to do the four parks. This is their first time ever to Disney.

Plus you'll have five Guest 10+ and two guests 3-9 on the dining plan for the entire stay in the two bedroom and four Guests 10+ in the studio. And then don't forget to add the dining plan for the one bedroom after your sister leaves.

I am not following on this part.... If I do what I said in the previous (last) post... we'll have the 1 bedrooom for us (so we will be on our dining plan and then they will all be in the 2 bedroom (so they will all be on their dining plan).. I will get the 1 bedroom for the 21-28 and the 2 bedroom for the 22-26. I do know that we will probably not have rooms by each other, but at this point I am happy if they are AT the same resort!.

Whew, you must be getting brain damage after all this. Hope you don't feel too bad for trying to be nice.

I do! I have to keep telling myself that I am doing this for her because she has dreamed about going since her 18 year old was 2! I want her to have this experience!!

 

[hematite153]

I get a 1 bedroom Savannah View for us five for the nights 21-28th
I get a 2 bedroom Value room for sister (the 6 of them) for nights 22-26

This would work then, right? Everyone has their own families.. no one on anyone else's dining plan.... Right????

Yes, your plan works and separates the dining plans. However, it would mean you having 3 kids sleeping in the living room. So, you'll be much more crowded than your sister's family. I'd consider whether you could request that your kids sleep in her unit for the shared nights (or at least one or two of them) since you wanted to treat yourselves.

My point calculations for your plan are:
2 Bdrm 22nd-26th: (33pts x 3) + (40pts x 2)
1 bdrm 21-28th: 48pts + (24pts x 3) + (30pts x 2) + 59pts + 48pts
Total pt usage: 466

Something to think about to compare:
GV 22nd-26th: (73 pts x 3) + (99pts x 2)
1 bdrm 27-28: 59 pts + 48 pts
Total pt usage: 524

Not that many more points, but, it would give you LOTS more space. Each of the couples could have their own bedroom (you would have a full master suite with a private balcony). And, if you book a Kidani Grand Villa there's supposed to be a sleeper sofa in a nook area off the stairs. So, 4 of the kids could sleep in the bedroom and 2 in the nook (nobody in the living room). If the 3 year old really fits in the pack 'n play then she'd fit into any of the spaces and you could choose whatever makes you most comfortable.

You'll notice that I dropped the 21st. I did this mostly because 48 pts seems like an awfully high price to pay for an evening arrival and morning departure. You could spend that first night with a cash reservation at a value or moderate resort, or just in a nearby location. You can check in early on the morning of the 22nd, head to the parks and come back later after the room is ready. If you stay at another resort on-site you can get your bags transferred by bell services. If you've bought tickets attached to the AKV reservation, I've heard that you can now pick them up about 3 days before check-in at Guest Services. If you want the DDP to start, then, you'll have to send one person over to AKV to check in and then meet everyone else at the park entrance.

Just some thoughts. Regardless of what you choose, have a great vacation.

 

[Claire L]

HOLY Cockroaches, I think I figured it out!

Tell me if this is right...

I get a 1 bedroom Savannah View for us five for the nights 21-28th
I get a 2 bedroom Value room for sister (the 6 of them) for nights 22-26

This would work then, right? Everyone has their own families.. no one on anyone else's dining plan.... Right????

Yes that would work, but bear in mind values are only in Jambo House so you would need your unit to be there as well if you want to be close by.

Claire