Resort Problem, Too Many Guests!

[sammi6]

So here is my problem, my niece is now going with us, and we can't really fit her in our room, we can but by Disney policy says we can't! We are reserved in the All Star Music and we have 2 adults and 2 kids, now with her that would make 3 kids and Disney will not allow that. My mom and dad, and two sisters are also staying at the ASMU in another room, hopefully connected to ours. We can't afford to upgrade to moderates and now I don't know what to do. We we made the reservation, we invited her and she wasn't able to go, now she is and she is only 5 and I can't break her heart. Sorry if I am not making much sense, I just don't understand why she can't be on our reservation. We all got in with the code that they released with the DDP for our October trip. I am just so frustrated!

 

[BrianD]

The room occupancy limit is 4 for the Value resorts, which is why she can't be added. And believe me, in the Value resorts, you don't want more than four in a room. If you try to bend the rules and just bring her without letting Disney know (& buy her a ticket separately), then she will not have a resort ID, which means that you will run into trouble if you try to go to any extra magic hours.

How about maybe dropping the dining plan to help pay for upgrading to a moderate or something like that?

 

[mmeb144]

Check out availability at POR, ASAP! You can sleep 5 to a room there. You might also check out the family suites at ASMU, you can sleep 6 there.

You code may be usable at the new resort, but I would make the call soon.

 

[sammi6]

So I just spent an hour on the phone with Disney, for the dates that we are going there are no rooms at the moderates or deluxes that will fit 5 people. The only suggestion was Ft. Wilderness Cabin and the price was $1400.00 more. So for now, we are going to have to keep calling. They said that the week we are going is exetrememly busy, they are expecting more than typical crowds and a lot of resorts have sold out.

 

[MissionMouse]

Do you plan on telling the child's parents she cannot come if you are unable to secure another room at a moderate?

I am not sure of your game plan by holding out...hoping to secure a cancellation by not making a change now to secure a FW Cabin, especially since you are being told this time period is selling out? The cabins (504 sq ft, includes a kitchen-sleep 6) do provide 244 sq ft more than All Star Music...which are only 260 sq ft.

 

[sammi6]

Do you plan on telling the child's parents she cannot come if you are unable to secure another room at a moderate?

I am not sure of your game plan by holding out...hoping to secure a cancellation by not making a change now to secure a FW Cabin, especially since you are being told this time period is selling out? The cabins (504 sq ft, includes a kitchen-sleep 6) do provide 244 sq ft more than All Star Music...which are only 260 sq ft.

No, that isn't my plan, and yes I have told her parents. I just simply can't afford to pay $1400.00 more. I am not rich, this vacation is to be our last for awhile. We are on a cruise for one week and then at Disney for one week. So it is a big vacation that we have been planning for almost 2 years. I really don't want to hurt her feelings but I can't just wave a wand and make the money appear, so I will have to hope that someone cancels and we get in or her mother and father will help to come up with the money.

 

[lulugirl]

If you can't find a room on property perhaps you can try one of the Downtown Disney hotels? I think most of them have nice, well priced rooms that are larger than the Disney resort rooms.
I know it's not the same as being at a Disney resort but if there aren't any rooms left it may be a nice alternative.
Good luck!

 

[dizneyluv]

No, that isn't my plan, and yes I have told her parents. I just simply can't afford to pay $1400.00 more. I am not rich, this vacation is to be our last for awhile. We are on a cruise for one week and then at Disney for one week. So it is a big vacation that we have been planning for almost 2 years. I really don't want to hurt her feelings but I can't just wave a wand and make the money appear, so I will have to hope that someone cancels and we get in or her mother and father will help to come up with the money.

I am sorry for this last minute stress. I hope your niece can attend, would she cruise with you too? My sil is very unorganized and pulls stuff at the last minute with my niece, it makes me crazy but I love my niece.

Hugs, and I will hope for a last minute opening!

Take Care

 

[HayGan]

Have you tried getting another room only reservation at ASMu? You could put a couple of the kids in that room making it more comfortable for everyone. That would greatly reduce your cost for her over other alternatives (but she wouldn't have any meal credits.) I think that the room only code is still valid as well. Could you split the cost of the additional room with her parents? You really don't want to risk squeezing a 5th person into either room. You could be ejected from the resort if they discovered it (which they do - often.)

I hope you find a solution!

 

[maxiesmom]

Are any of the children under 3? If they are, they do not count towards your room occupency, and your niece could go, no problem.

 

[rwdavis]

I would highly recommend staying offsite vs. the value resorts. A place called All Star Vacation homes (just put the name together with .com for the url) has much better priced lodging. Also check out some of the off site hotels that advertise on this site. At All Star you can rent a 5 bedroom house for less then $300 and it has a heated pool. 3 bedroom town homes start at around $139. The advertise on several of the boards and are recommended by AllEars. We plan to stay there in January. But, by saving costs you'll give up the Extra Magic Hours which is one of the few benes of staying at a value resort. Good luck,
Bob

 

[TammiMcMan]

Wow, I can imagine that you probably want to do everything you can to ensure your niece can make it. I think the suggestion to try for a room only at the AllStar Music is the best one. Is this girl related to your parents and sisters that are going as well or is she on your husbands side? Perhaps if the extra expense could be divided between everyone, maybe it would not be that big of a burden. Of course I don't know what was arranged initially with this little girl and her parents in terms of who was paying for meals/park tickets, etc. I can't imagine that eating off the menu would be very expensive with a 5 year old girl. My DD lived on mac & cheese, chicken fingers and grilled cheese sandwiches at that age . There must be a lot of conventions going on, because I can't imagine that in September, the resorts are going to be full of families.

Just out of curiosity, how are you handling the cruise? I imagine that is going to be similar, as most staterooms only hold 4.

 

[sammi6]

Wow, I can imagine that you probably want to do everything you can to ensure your niece can make it. I think the suggestion to try for a room only at the AllStar Music is the best one. Is this girl related to your parents and sisters that are going as well or is she on your husbands side? Perhaps if the extra expense could be divided between everyone, maybe it would not be that big of a burden. Of course I don't know what was arranged initially with this little girl and her parents in terms of who was paying for meals/park tickets, etc. I can't imagine that eating off the menu would be very expensive with a 5 year old girl. My DD lived on mac & cheese, chicken fingers and grilled cheese sandwiches at that age . There must be a lot of conventions going on, because I can't imagine that in September, the resorts are going to be full of families.

Just out of curiosity, how are you handling the cruise? I imagine that is going to be similar, as most staterooms only hold 4.

We are going in October, the second week. As for Disney my parent's can't pay anything, as they do not have any money and we paid for them. As for the cruise, we actually have a total of 35 people going and some of the inside staterooms hold up 6 people, probably not very comfortably. We are sailing with Royal Caribbean on the Freedom of the seas and only one of the staterooms is going to have 5 people. They were really nice about it and said it wouldn't be a problem.

 

[jarestel]

Good luck with your trip. I hope things work out one way or another!

 

[sammi6]

Have you tried getting another room only reservation at ASMu? You could put a couple of the kids in that room making it more comfortable for everyone. That would greatly reduce your cost for her over other alternatives (but she wouldn't have any meal credits.) I think that the room only code is still valid as well. Could you split the cost of the additional room with her parents? You really don't want to risk squeezing a 5th person into either room. You could be ejected from the resort if they discovered it (which they do - often.)

I hope you find a solution!

I did call and they are out of rooms for the discount. I could just scream, this is so frustrating and such a hard decision. I just don't know what to do, I think I am going to look into staying offsite, but I just hate to give up the resorts. It would just cost so much more to add a room only reservation, I actually did call about doing that as well. I will figure something out, but I hate having to stress about my vacation.

 

[TammiMcMan]

As for Disney my parent's can't pay anything, as they do not have any money and we paid for them.

Glad that the cruise is working out and it sounds like you already budgeted or have arrangements to pay for your niece there. I guess for Disney, I would go with Plan B then and look at dropping the dining portion of the package from your existing reservations. That would free up money for the 3rd All Stars room or you could consider booking 1 standard room and 1 family suite for about the same price. You can save a lot of money on food by preparing breakfast in the suite each morning and considering counter service as opposed to table service. I know for my family of 5, the dining plan actually ends up being more expensive, because of the way we eat.

It's definitely stressful, but I think if you sit down and list out everything and what you are paying now, that may be helpful. I'd do that first before looking at off site.

2 Rooms $XX.XX + DDP $0.00 + Park Tickets $XX.XX = $A

A + Room only $XX + Food/Ticket budget for a 5 year old $XX = $B

1 Room only $XX + 1 Suite $XX + Food/Ticket budget for all $XX = $C

3 Room only $XX + Food/Ticket budget for all $XX = $D

 

[hildarumpole]

I noticed you stayed at Shades of Green in the past. Are you still eligible to stay there? If so, that would be your best, least expensive onsite option for accomodating 5 people.

 

[sammi6]

Yup, Shades of Green is also full now. Just so close to my vacation time I guess. I just keep telling myself that it will all work out. I didn't think about the suite though at ASMu. That is a good idea, I just wonder why none of the CSR's mentioned it when I called.

 

[TammiMcMan]

Just so close to my vacation time I guess.

When you call back, have them look at checking in on the Monday or Tuesday instead. Looking at the calendar the weekend of October 5th is Columbus Day and Monday is a holiday for many. I don't know if that will cause you more stress, but an option may be staying off site for a night or two (or 3 value-room only) and then moving to Shades of Green, or a mod that will hold 5 and not break the bank. I think that may be why they aren't showing availability, simply because of the weekend date. If you can check in on Monday instead of the Saturday or Sunday, I think you'd have a lot more options.

 

[MissionMouse]

The second week on October (7-13) I find the Disney's All-Star Music Resort
Family Suites have openings, but I am not sure if the rate is within your budget ($2,933).