Max Occupancy in DVC Resorts

[kristytru]

We are a family of four. I would like to stay in a 1 BR villa and was wondering if Disney would supply a cot or air mattress. My kids are getting too old to share a bed. We usually put DS & DH in one bed and DD and I together, but to be honest, they are "kickers" and the adults end up with no sleep. If we had a cot, we could separate the kids and DH & I would share the bed Because of points, I'd like to avoid the 2-BR if I could. Any suggestions?

 

[paults]

We are a family of four. I would like to stay in a 1 BR villa and was wondering if Disney would supply a cot or air mattress

sorry but as a member you should know DISNEY will not supply a cot or air mattress in any of the DVC's

I think your only options are to bring your own air mattress , add on more pts or bank and borrow as needed for the 2 bedroom or 2 studios.

 

[CarolAnnC]

Hi all - I would just like to check in here with my thoughts.

DVC is a wonderful, yet pricey WDW vacation. Putting 4, 5 even 6 in a studio or one bedroom (regardless of age) is truly overcrowding the room. That means one bathroom, one shower and many people getting ready to hit the parks in the morning.

If I needed accomodations for a larger party and could not afford the points for the appropriately sized DVC unit, I would seek out the value resorts. At least two rooms there would provide two bathrooms.

After all, it is vacation and why waste extra time with 5 or 6 people using one bathroom to get ready? Oh well to each his own, but I thought I would throw out some food for thought here.

 

[starbox]

Hi all - I would just like to check in here with my thoughts.

DVC is a wonderful, yet pricey WDW vacation. Putting 4, 5 even 6 in a studio or one bedroom (regardless of age) is truly overcrowding the room. That means one bathroom, one shower and many people getting ready to hit the parks in the morning.

If I needed accomodations for a larger party and could not afford the points for the appropriately sized DVC unit, I would seek out the value resorts. At least two rooms there would provide two bathrooms.

)

I agree with you on the 5 or 6. It would stress me out to have bedding all over the floor.

BUT - I disagree with the studio being too small for a family of 4. IMHO, a family of 4 (2 adults plus 2 children) is fine in a studio if you are not planning to spend much time in the room.

I grew up staying in hotel rooms with my parents and brother. When we vacation outside of WDW, we always stay at a resort like the Ritz or Four Seasons and a single room is enough for us to stay while we enjoy all the recreation and sights. I'd MUCH, much, much, much rather have my family of four in a room at the Ritz with access to the lounges/pools/recreation/etc than us the same amount of $$ to get two rooms at the Holiday Inn have my "own" bedroom and "bathroom"! Same with Disney - if I were paying cash - I'd MUCH prefer one room at the Poly for my family of 4 than 2 rooms at a value! With DVC - I prefer more vacation time in a studio than less nights in a larger unit.

We absolutely do not spend time at WDW "hanging out" in a room. We had a 2bd unit ar Fairfield once - and while it was initially a "WOW! Look at all this Space!" reaction - by the end of our Disney week we agreed that we had not spent any time at all in the unit (I don't even think the TV got turned on - and our fridge only held a carton of milk for our coffee). (Although, I did use the hot tub once and used the washing machine - which was nice).

 

[CarolAnnC]

I agree with a family of 4 consisting of two adults and two children. I had more in mind the party of 4 adults in a studio with one queen bed and a full size pullout, even an infant in the pack and play will cram the room further.

My girls were about 7 years old or so when we stopped vacationing this way. My late husband (the girls' father) and I just could not relax at bedtime with tv on, girls all wound up with excitement, etc., in one room. Not enough sleep never helped with park touring the following day.

At that point we utilized some great off site hotels that offered mini suite types of set up with privacy and quiet in one room, lol.

Then our DVC dream came true....

 

[starbox]

My girls were about 7 years old or so when we stopped vacationing this way. My late husband (the girls' father) and I just could not relax at bedtime with tv on, girls all wound up with excitement, etc., in one room. Not enough sleep never helped with park touring the following day.

We always just give the kids a little Benadryl on the way home from the parks! They fall right asleep when we get to the room.

 

[CarolAnnC]

Hey good idea!! But I think "I" needed the Benadryl LOLOL!!

 

[Mickey]

Since the 1 bedroom occupancy is 5 now (if I'm reading right)....then can I have 5 plus 1 infant? Or is the 5 actually already 4 plus 1 infant.

You can read through this whole thread and you are going to get alot of opinions. The rules state you are only allowed to have 4 people, along with an infant in a one bedroom. From my past experience these rules are not enforced and the cast members are always more than willing to accommodate you. So, to answer your question, it all depends on where you are going to stay. OKW 1br are much larger than BW, SS, WLV and BC. The one bedroom at OKW is 1050 sq feet, as oppose to the others which are only around 750 sq feet. Some of the big differences are the size of the living room, kitchen and separate laundry area. OKW 1br has a couch, loveseat and chair in the living room (not to mention the living room is huge), along with a large kitchen table. The other resorts have a couch and chair, with a small kitchen table. You can easily fit an air mattress in the OKW living room, where the other resorts it would be rather crowded and tight. That being said, we have fit 6 people and one infant in the OKW one bedroom and did not have an issue. We did let the front desk know, and they did not have a problem. Would we try to fit 6 people in the other resorts, probably not as it would be crowded. I found the only issue was the bathroom, but to be honest we were not in our room enough to really notice it. In the morning one person could take a shower, while the other used the adjacent room to brush there teeth and get ready. I think if you are staying at OKW you will be fine. I personally wouldn’t waste my points to get a 2br, I would rather save them for another trip.

Back to my comment about the rules, I think bending the rules a bit with regards to the occupancy, as long as you are not hurting anyone, is not a crime. Think about all the times you are inconvenienced by Disney (i.e.: sitting on a monorail for 30 minutes waiting for it to go, a ride is not up when the park opens because they did not have enough people there to test it, the finger scans when they don’t work, buses that don’t arrive on time, and I could go on ). So when you think of all these times you are inconvenienced on your vacation, then personally don’t think I am doing anything wrong by having one or even two more people in my room. Disney is still making out, as I have to purchase tickets for all these people, they have to eat and more merchandise is being purchased.

Do what you think is right for you!

 

[Granny]

Do what you think is right for you!

A sentiment shared by many people. I like it, except for those last two words.

 

[Deb & Bill]

...Back to my comment about the rules, I think bending the rules a bit with regards to the occupancy, as long as you are not hurting anyone, is not a crime. Think about all the times you are inconvenienced by Disney (i.e.: sitting on a monorail for 30 minutes waiting for it to go, a ride is not up when the park opens because they did not have enough people there to test it, the finger scans when they don’t work, buses that don’t arrive on time, and I could go on ). So when you think of all these times you are inconvenienced on your vacation, then personally don’t think I am doing anything wrong by having one or even two more people in my room. Disney is still making out, as I have to purchase tickets for all these people, they have to eat and more merchandise is being purchased. ...

So two wrongs equal a right??????

 

[bpmorley]

Do what you think is right for you!

I agree totally!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Nanajo1]

We are a family of four. I would like to stay in a 1 BR villa and was wondering if Disney would supply a cot or air mattress. My kids are getting too old to share a bed. We usually put DS & DH in one bed and DD and I together, but to be honest, they are "kickers" and the adults end up with no sleep. If we had a cot, we could separate the kids and DH & I would share the bed Because of points, I'd like to avoid the 2-BR if I could. Any suggestions?

Disney will not supply an air mattress or cot in any of the DVC units. You can bring an air mattress or sleeping bag with you but no extra sheets will be supplied. You will have towels for four. You could make up a bed out of the sofa cushions depending on the age/size of your children.

 

[MIDisFan]

I would recommend a call to Member Services to get an actual answer to your question rather than an opinion.

This is probably the best advice to take.

Disney's official policy is ........ but the unofficial policy is ....... a CM told me this..... and my guide told me......

How do you know what to believe? We are a family of five and our guide started our paperwork for SSR Friday. I bought enough points to stay in a 2 bedroom if neccessary. However, if MS says we can stay in a 1 Bedroom and it is comfortable for us, why shouldn't we do it to stretch our points.

 

[Doctor P]

This is probably the best advice to take.

Disney's official policy is ........ but the unofficial policy is ....... a CM told me this..... and my guide told me......

How do you know what to believe? We are a family of five and our guide started our paperwork for SSR Friday. I bought enough points to stay in a 2 bedroom if neccessary. However, if MS says we can stay in a 1 Bedroom and it is comfortable for us, why shouldn't we do it to stretch our points.

Actually, there is only one thing that you can believe--the only thing that is binding is what is in writing in the POS. MS has been allowing five in a 1BR, but it should be noted that MS technically has no authority to allow it, so it is POSSIBLE (though highly unlikely) that someone could get to WDW and not be allowed to put more than the stated room occupancy into a room. I don't think that this will happen, and it would be very poor PR if the names are on the reservation. Nevertheless, anyone deciding to put more than the stated number (including the extra child under 3) should always be aware that this could happen and that there technically would be no recourse. Again, I don't think it will happen, but it should always, IMHO, be in the back of one's mind.

 

[paults]

Actually, there is only one thing that you can believe--the only thing that is binding is what is in writing in the POS. MS has been allowing five in a 1BR, but it should be noted that MS technically has no authority to allow it, so it is POSSIBLE (though highly unlikely) that someone could get to WDW and not be allowed to put more than the stated room occupancy into a room. I don't think that this will happen, and it would be very poor PR if the names are on the reservation. Nevertheless, anyone deciding to put more than the stated number (including the extra child under 3) should always be aware that this could happen and that there technically would be no recourse. Again, I don't think it will happen, but it should always, IMHO, be in the back of one's mind.

also if MS is now allowing this then there's nothing stopping them from reversing this in the future if they get a lot of complaints from members.
MS has nothing in writing on this .(5 in 1 bedroom) and I don't think they can write it in now.

 

[MIDisFan]

Actually, there is only one thing that you can believe--the only thing that is binding is what is in writing in the POS. MS has been allowing five in a 1BR, but it should be noted that MS technically has no authority to allow it, so it is POSSIBLE (though highly unlikely) that someone could get to WDW and not be allowed to put more than the stated room occupancy into a room. I don't think that this will happen, and it would be very poor PR if the names are on the reservation. Nevertheless, anyone deciding to put more than the stated number (including the extra child under 3) should always be aware that this could happen and that there technically would be no recourse. Again, I don't think it will happen, but it should always, IMHO, be in the back of one's mind.

I agree with you 100% and think it should be as simple as what is written. I think what makes it complicated and this thread 80 something pages long is Disney having the official policy (written in the POS) and then having MS or Guides telling members that they don't enforce that policy or that the unofficial policy is to allow 5 people. And like yourself, I think it should be in the back of ones mind that they can decide to enforce what is written into the POS. I guess my thought was the only way to know if they are enforcing the rule or not at the moment is to call MS.

 

[Doctor P]

No argument with that.

 

[Mtnman44]

I have not read the whole thread but to add my two cents to the heap:

I don't understand why it's any business of the Hotel's as to whether you have 2, 3, or 4 kids or no kids. You paid for a room, you get a room. If you only have one or two people, do they give you a discount? NO. Now obviously, packing 35 migrant workers in there or something is a different story. It's only a "policy" to make it harder for people to share a room and to force them to get two rooms thus increasing sales revenue. I don't think they have a right to enforce that. It's as ridiculous as saying, "you can only use Disney-purchased soap and shampo in the bathroom."

I also don't have a problem bringing my own snacks to the movies, despite their "policy" of no outside food.

I'm an honest person, but I don't beleive they have a right to charge for a hotel room by the person. It costs them nothing more whether it's one person or 5 people. Ok, a few cents for extra water use perhaps and I'd be happy to pay that.

 

[Chuck S]

I'm an honest person, but I don't beleive they have a right to charge for a hotel room by the person. It costs them nothing more whether it's one person or 5 people. Ok, a few cents for extra water use perhaps and I'd be happy to pay that.

Actually, many states have laws that DO give them the right, just as a landlord in some states can restrict how many people live in an apartment.

 

[Mtnman44]

Well if they claim that somehow 5 people in a room would cost them(Disney) more, then surely one or two people in a room costs them less and they should charge accordingly. Otherwise, the argument is not intellecutally honest. Hence, it is a stupid rule and I doubt anyone at the hotel cares, as long as it is not abused. No one counts your family at check in and no one comes by your room to count people.

Actually, many states have laws that DO give them the right, just as a landlord in some states can restrict how many people live in an apartment.