Max Occupancy in DVC Resorts

[Dean]

I just recently spoke with someone who was planning on renting a studio for her family of 5, (2 adults, 3 children ages 8, 7 & 3), from a DVC member. What if the family says their youngest if under 3, (which she didn't do), than what, Disney won't know, right? I don't feel confortable with this but I'm sure others would do it in a second. What do you think, not trying to start anything but I'm sure it happens all the time.

It happens all the time at DVC, other timeshare, non DVC Disney Hotels and other hotels. It also happens with pets including those that fraudulently claim to have service animals when they are not. Some systems enforce it better and more stringently than others. The issue with DVC is that in addition to simply dishonest people, DVC has been complicit in this matter knowingly allowing people to go over the occupancy. Up until a few years ago DVC would generally have allowed and actually listed 5 in that studio with non under 3.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I just recently spoke with someone who was planning on renting a studio for her family of 5, (2 adults, 3 children ages 8, 7 & 3), from a DVC member. What if the family says their youngest if under 3, (which she didn't do), than what, Disney won't know, right? I don't feel confortable with this but I'm sure others would do it in a second. What do you think, not trying to start anything but I'm sure it happens all the time.

If I were the member they rented from and they did not tell me, but I found out later on, I'd contact Disney. I'd keep the money and they would be out a vacation when DVC kicked them out.

 

[NJOGRE]

if you are comfortable in the room then go for i, just don't get caught

 

[3DisneyKids]

if you are comfortable in the room then go for i, just don't get caught

 

[drag n' fly]

Like everything in life there are those who choose to follow the rules and there are those that dont. For those who dont they must simply be able to accept responsibility for whatever comes their way. Thanks for clarifying the occupancy limit. I have read or been told differing opinions. We are a family of five. Our kids are 13, 11 and 4. We will always stay in a 2 bedroom.

 

[NJOGRE]

JUST LIKE waht Bruno Sammartino said Win if you can, lose if you must but always cheat


take that for what may

 

[dianeschlicht]

JUST LIKE waht Bruno Sammartino said Win if you can, lose if you must but always cheat


take that for what may

All that statement does is make me not trust anyone who would say such a thing.

 

[squirrlygirl]

Like everything in life there are those who choose to follow the rules and there are those that dont. For those who dont they must simply be able to accept responsibility for whatever comes their way. Thanks for clarifying the occupancy limit. I have read or been told differing opinions. We are a family of five. Our kids are 13, 11 and 4. We will always stay in a 2 bedroom.

HA!! That's what we thought! Then I realized I could leave the kids home and DH and I could go alone and stay in a studio After all, it's not really abuse if the kids still get to go every year

 

[bpmorley]

if you are comfortable in the room then go for i, just don't get caught

Kind of my feeling too. This subject has been beat to death. I would wager to say that for every group that sneaks an extra person into a villa, there is a group that is short a person. So it all evens out in the end. We always have only 2 in a studio so for those out there that have 5 for that same studio, it's on me.

 

[Mtnman44]

For those that want to feel good about it, perhaps you could sell of your extra capcity to someone who needs it...? Call them "Occupancy Credits".

By the way, I only have an 8 mile commute to work. Any of you with long commutes to work that feel guilty, I'm more than willing to sell you some "carbon credits"! PM me.

Kind of my feeling too. This subject has been beat to death. I would wager to say that for every group that sneaks an extra person into a villa, there is a group that is short a person. So it all evens out in the end. We always have only 2 in a studio so for those out there that have 5 for that same studio, it's on me.

 

[bpmorley]

For those that want to feel good about it, perhaps you could sell of your extra capcity to someone who needs it...? Call them "Occupancy Credits".

By the way, I only have an 8 mile commute to work. Any of you with long commutes to work that feel guilty, I'm more than willing to sell you some "carbon credits"! PM me.

I walk a little over a block to work, so i could sell you some.

 

[kimberh]

I just recently spoke with someone who was planning on renting a studio for her family of 5, (2 adults, 3 children ages 8, 7 & 3), from a DVC member. What if the family says their youngest if under 3, (which she didn't do), than what, Disney won't know, right? I don't feel confortable with this but I'm sure others would do it in a second. What do you think, not trying to start anything but I'm sure it happens all the time.

I made a reservation in Feb 07 for a family of 5, one under 3, no problem for the studio, there has been a schedule problem, so the reservation has been changed from Oct 07 to Jun 08, when I called to make the date change, MS said the computer would not allow a studio, until I provided a birthdate for the child that is under 3. The child is still under 3 in June 08, so all is fine, MS actually said, " that if the child is 3 at check in the family would be required to take a one bedroom," I said, " what if a one bedroom is not available?" She didn't really have a answer. What happens if the resort is sold out? Honesty is the best policy in all cases. I really don't know how MS will be able to see how old a 2 or 3 yr old really is, size can really vary. When I called back to give the birthdate, I had a different MS CM, it was all documented on the reservation. She (originial MS CM) had overrode the computer and booked it, even though she told me she could not. I feel that MS is cracking down on the occupancy limits for the villas.

Here's a question for renters: if you are renting and occupancy rules are being violated... then at check-in the CM requires a larger room, who pays for it, you or the renter??? I have a feeling I know the answer, but I'll throw it out there and see what happens.

 

[bpmorley]

One time we bought friends and wound up in similar circumstances. We asked for a 1bdr and were waitlisted for it. It never came through. So we had 4 adults and a 6yo in a studio. We tried not to break the rules. Actually it was MS that had told to just go ahead and book the studio.

I'd really like to get an answer to that question Kimber. That would be interesting to know how they would handle that and who would pay.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I made a reservation in Feb 07 for a family of 5, one under 3, no problem for the studio, there has been a schedule problem, so the reservation has been changed from Oct 07 to Jun 08, when I called to make the date change, MS said the computer would not allow a studio, until I provided a birthdate for the child that is under 3. The child is still under 3 in June 08, so all is fine, MS actually said, " that if the child is 3 at check in the family would be required to take a one bedroom," I said, " what if a one bedroom is not available?" She didn't really have a answer. What happens if the resort is sold out? Honesty is the best policy in all cases. I really don't know how MS will be able to see how old a 2 or 3 yr old really is, size can really vary. When I called back to give the birthdate, I had a different MS CM, it was all documented on the reservation. She (originial MS CM) had overrode the computer and booked it, even though she told me she could not. I feel that MS is cracking down on the occupancy limits for the villas.

Here's a question for renters: if you are renting and occupancy rules are being violated... then at check-in the CM requires a larger room, who pays for it, you or the renter??? I have a feeling I know the answer, but I'll throw it out there and see what happens.

That's an interesting question. If the resort has the booking listed as a rental, I suspect the people checking in are the ones responsible for "paying" for the additional accommodations. If MS was not notified that this is a renter, and the points were used as if it was for the member's "guest", then I would say the owner's points would be used. That is by no means a sure thing, but just my take on how I would perceive it to happen.

 

[Dean]

Kind of my feeling too. This subject has been beat to death. I would wager to say that for every group that sneaks an extra person into a villa, there is a group that is short a person. So it all evens out in the end. We always have only 2 in a studio so for those out there that have 5 for that same studio, it's on me.

Actually that's not accurate. No carbon credits here. The resort is sold assuming a certain density but expecting not all units will be max occupancy. And I'm sure there's a formula related to hotels that assumes a certain amount of overage. But that wouldn't really apply in this case as MS participating in the overage will skew the numbers much higher than would have otherwise been the case.

That's an interesting question. If the resort has the booking listed as a rental, I suspect the people checking in are the ones responsible for "paying" for the additional accommodations. If MS was not notified that this is a renter, and the points were used as if it was for the member's "guest", then I would say the owner's points would be used. That is by no means a sure thing, but just my take on how I would perceive it to happen.

Obviously there are many variations and the answer would be different for many different scenarios. Ultimately DVC would not be able to use points from the member without their permission. And I doubt they'd be able to do a points plus cash option either. If denied occupancy, unlikely given Disney's track record but OK by me, I suspect the family would have to pay full price and then negotiate with the member for satisfaction. Certainly I'd hope they'd call the member on the spot and see if something could be worked out. As for who was ethically responsible, it really depends on the situation and communications. If the person rented made it for 4 and showed up with 5 for a studio, it'd all be on them. If MS made the reservation for the the group with honest and accurate info, it would be on them. The only way I'd see the member who rented the points would be ethically or legally at fault would be if he/she knew there were overages and hid them and/or encouraged those renting to do the same.

 

[bpmorley]

Actually that's not accurate. No carbon credits here. The resort is sold assuming a certain density but expecting not all units will be max occupancy. And I'm sure there's a formula related to hotels that assumes a certain amount of overage. But that wouldn't really apply in this case as MS participating in the overage will skew the numbers much higher than would have otherwise been the case.

Now I would have thought that DVC would operate on the notion that all villa's are filled to capacity. Even though I believe you're right about some kind of hospitalities formula. I guess I always have that outdoor cookout mentality "better to have too much than too little"

 

[3DisneyKids]

if you are comfortable in the room then go for i, just don't get caught

JUST LIKE waht Bruno Sammartino said Win if you can, lose if you must but always cheat


take that for what may

Well then, here's hoping you get caught, I guess.

All that statement does is make me not trust anyone who would say such a thing.

 

[Dean]

Now I would have thought that DVC would operate on the notion that all villa's are filled to capacity. Even though I believe you're right about some kind of hospitalities formula. I guess I always have that outdoor cookout mentality "better to have too much than too little"

From a hotel standpoint occupancy is whether the unit is occupied or not as one in a room takes that room out of service. I think the term they use for how many people total is density. My guess, and it's only a guess, is that is assumed to be at somewhere around 70-75% when the occupancy as noted above is near 100%. This notion impacts pool usage, transportation, parking, restaurants onsite, front desk staffing, laundry room usage, etc. Obviously there will be some variation but I'd bet Disney has some great stats in these areas for DVC and non DVC options. For sake of discussion lets assume SSR with all units full (100% occupancy) and an expected density of 75% of the max. An increase or decrease of 5% would be maybe 250 people. If 10% used the pools any given day and 75% the transportation, that's a substantial shift. And that's maybe an additional 25-50 cars on that property. We all know there are dishonest people that will sneak around but my contention is that DVC allowing it increases the numbers significantly, likely 5-10% more than it would be otherwise. And then there's always the additional wear and tear on both the units and community areas which is in addition to any other item that might also increase these maint costs.

 

[MichelleB]

Ok, I've been weeding through all the MANY posts and I just want to know if MS is still allowing 9 in a 2 bdrm. I know they are still allowing 5 in a 1 bdrm. as I've been told recently about this. I am assuming that since they are doing that that they will still allow 9 in a 2 bdrm. Yes, I know what the contract states and I'm not disputing that so let's not get into that argument again. I also understand that they don't account for bedding/towels for 9. We are a family of 5 with a 2 bdrm. ressie for an upcoming trip. My DH would like to invite friends that are a family of 4 to join us. We figure they could have 1 room for their family, our DDs would sleep on the sleeper sofa and my DS (6) would share the king with us (we are fine with this as we normally sleep in a queen at home and have more than enough room in the king when we go -- or we can toss in a sleeping bag if necessary). I am not concerned about towels as we're driving and I will just toss in some extras. I just want to know what MS is saying before we ask them and I can't reach MS now. I will try them tomorrow, but thought I'd ask here.

 

[CarolAnnC]

I have not heard of 9 being allowed in a 2 bedroom unless the 9th person is under the age of 3 in a pak n play.

If you put 9 in a 2 bedroom anyway, one of you will not have a KTTW card hence will not be allowed in for early entry at the parks. This would of course impact the Dining Plan if you were electing that option as well, since that person could not be added to it.