Multiple rooms for large family gathering and waitlist

[elenalovesmmickey]

Welp, I goofed. I have a large party for January 8-12 and needed 3 rooms. I thought I had it all planned out! I booked SSR 3 bedroom at 11 months just so I would have a three bedroom and then I needed 2 two bedrooms but didn’t have enough points from my SSR contract so had to wait until 7 mo to book those. I really wanted AK kidani for the trip. I had been checking availability a few days prior to walking the reservation and I was going back and forth if I really needed to do that. I decided to chance it and just book at 7 months without walking. BIG mistake. Only 2 nights were available for the 3 bedroom. I can’t believe I didn’t trust my gut! Anyway, I booked all three rooms at Saratoga and have essentially three options:

1. Be happy with my reservation and move on
2. Try to do a split stay
3. Waitlist the entire stay…but how does that work with three rooms? Can you waitlist multiple rooms? Do I need to call member services to link the rooms or something?

Also, how likely would it be that the three bedroom just opens up if I keep stalking the website and make the change manually?

Any advice is appreciated!

 

[bobbiwoz]

Since we can only have two waitlists, I would be happy at SSR, but you may not be. Good luck. I hope someone here can help you figure this out.

 

[Dis507]

I say this with out knowing your full situation, but would it not be just as easy to book 3 individual deluxe suites? Just a thought.

 

[elenalovesmmickey]

I say this with out knowing your full situation, but would it not be just as easy to book 3 individual deluxe suites? Just a thought.

Are deluxe suites different than DVC two and three bedroom villas?

 

[bookbabe626]

We really like SSR, and I think in your case it might have some advantages.
Transportation is the pretty much same convenience level to the parks as AKV, but SSR is really close to Disney Springs if you’ve got some in your group that aren’t full-on parks people and/or it gives you more nearby dining options.
Occupancy is going to be lower, so you’ve got (IMO) a better chance of getting villas close to each other and/or in a good location.
No animals, but the grounds are pretty and peaceful.
If you’ve got rental cars, I find the parking is more convenient at SSR than AKV.

If you are still hoping for AKV, I’d stalk the website rather than trying to get three rooms via wait list, especially over the next week or two. People may have booked reservations to walk, and some will have wait lists at other resorts that they may get, which then frees up rooms for you.

 

[elenalovesmmickey]

Thank you so much for the reply! We own at SSR and I do really like it. But we are taking some toddlers (and their parents) for the first time and I thought they would be wowed by the animals. We have 23 people ranging in age from 1-83! So some of the teens will really like being closer to Disney Springs. I did suggest to the young parents to rent a car because I just think that’s easier with car seats and strollers. Some of us will do Uber or the busses. I’m leaning toward a split stay but I know that can be annoying for young parents too. So many decisions! I know in any case it will be tons of fun.

 

[drusba]

The lack of availability even at Kidani, when you tried at 7-months out, is due to the fact that you are trying for time during the marathon weekend in January 2025, which, annually, is one the super-high demand times of the year. You should probably be glad you have SSR because even rooms there sometimes disappear before 7-months out for that race weekend (Thurs to Sun).

Another factor for staying with what you have: SSR had a refurb a few years ago, which was nicely done, including adding the Murphy beds to replace the couch beds and a Murphy that pulls down from a cabinet in the living room in the 1BRs/2BRs; Kidani is supposed to be refurbed in 2025, and it has been almost 8-years since the last one was finished.

 

[CarolynFH]

I agree with those above recommending that you keep what you have at SSR. You can have only two waitlists per UY, so it doesn't seem that you could WL three villas. And what would you do if one WL filled and the other didn't?

Also, I wouldn't subject first-time families with toddlers to the complexities of a split stay!

We have stayed at SSR twice since the refurb, and it's very nice. If I were you, I'd chat/email/call MS, give them all three confirmation numbers, and ask them to note "traveling with" on all three so that the room assigners put you as close together as possible. And I'd be very happy with my GV and two 2BR!

 

[drusba]

Adding to CarolynFH’s comments, trying for a split stay also would likely not work and could result in disaster. You would have to get all three reservations changed to a split stay. Not only is it unlikely to do that with all three, you could actually lose a reservation you already have. You currently have reservations each for all the nights in the stay. To change to a split stay would require first modifying a reservation to drop the days you want to change, and then trying to to get a new reservation for those days at another resort. Between the time you begin that attempt, when you see an opening at another resort, and finish dropping days, the opening you saw for the other resort can be taken by someone else, and you could be left with only a half reservation and unable to get them back at SSR.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Keep SSR. trying to get mutliple rooms to waitlist/stalk over Marathon is just too much stress.

 

[Dis507]

Are deluxe suites different than DVC two and three bedroom villas?

If you've ever stayed at the 2 bedroom villas with a lockout, the lockout is the deluxe studio. In AK its a single queen with a pull down murphy queen. They have a small kitchenet and full bath. I generally find them more then adequate for a family. (https://disneyvacationclub.disney.g...ida/animal-kingdom-villas-kidani/points-rooms)

But as others have said, since you already have a confirmed stay at SSR, I wouldn't risk trying to get them as you would have to hope the resort is willing to work with you to get them all together in the same floor/area. Which is very risky.

 

[CarolMN]

We own at SSR and I do really like it. But we are taking some toddlers (and their parents) for the first time and I thought they would be wowed by the animals

It may not be quite the same as staying there, but it's relatively easy to visit AKL ( or any other resort) when staying at SSR. You'd just grab a bus from Disney Springs.

Maybe those with toddlers would not want/ need to be in a park each day. Lots of animals to see from the lobby and various nooks and crannies around the lobby. Pair that with a visit to Mara or Sanaa for a non-park day - no park pass required.

 

[Chuck S]

For trips requiring multiple rooms, if I were you, I'd be happy with SSR rather than the headache of trying to rebook.

I always do my multi room reservations at OKW at 11 months, I won't try for rebooking, it is too much of a hassle for multiple rooms.

 

[elenalovesmmickey]

Thank you everyone for your responses! I’m going to quit stalking the availability and just be thankful we have all three rooms for our nights at SSR!

 

[🍀TwinsMom]

So, first, I am glad you got SS and agree with everyone to enjoy a single set of reservations at one resort, but did you successfully get SS 3Bx1 and 2Bx2 that you needed?

 

[elenalovesmmickey]

So, first, I am glad you got SS and agree with everyone to enjoy a single set of reservations at one resort, but did you successfully get SS 3Bx1 and 2Bx2 that you needed?

Yes! We have a 3 bedroom and two 2 bedrooms preferred rooms for all four nights at SSR. Do you get to put in your preference for the Springs or Congress Park?

 

[drusba]

Yes! We have a 3 bedroom and two 2 bedrooms preferred rooms for all four nights at SSR. Do you get to put in your preference for the Springs or Congress Park?

You can make a request through MS for all three to be in either Springs or Congress Park. What you shoud definitely do is inform MS that all three rooms are for persons traveling together and thus would like rooms near each other or at least in the same building.

 

[Disdreaming479]

Yes! We have a 3 bedroom and two 2 bedrooms preferred rooms for all four nights at SSR. Do you get to put in your preference for the Springs or Congress Park?

That sounds like so much fun! I hope I get to do that one day. I would pick Springs.