Ughhh & Yayyyy .... Adding 1 to group of 6 four weeks out?!?!?

[sretav]

We're a family of 6 (4 daughters .. 8, 6, 6, 4) seriously considering adding our 14 yr old niece to our trip. She's great with the girls and would be an extra set of hands and eyes for bathroom breaks, being a buffet buddy, a ride buddy, etc etc but I'm nervous about how complicated it's going to be to add 1 extra to ADRs, FPs, hotel, etc with only 4 weeks to go.

 

[rwdavis2]

You won't until you try. But you should not show up at the ADR without adding her. They may not be able to seat her.

 

[joanchris]

We added one to our party of 4 about a month out, the only adr we had a portable with was Akeshus breakfast, I got a later time for 2, figuring one of us world eat later with her if necessary, but they accommodated us together just a little later than our original time. Most fps should still be available with overlapping times, or maybe you or your husband could take an occasional break. It sounds like it would be a big help for her to go with you.

 

[Disney Khaleesi]

It'd be difficult to go from 7 to 6, I imagine many of the restaurants would no longer be able to accommodate you without adjusting your ADR. At 14, she is still somewhat young and would probably be extra responsibility. Is she going to want to go on the trip just to be a babysitter? At four weeks out, it isn't something I would do personally.

 

[HM2012Butler]

You won't until you try. But you should not show up at the ADR without adding her. They may not be able to seat her.

This pretty much says it. It depends on the ADR's. One more shouldn't be a problem though. And with the FP+, I know if you couldn't get all the same times, if I were the CM I would let it go. People try to get in with additional groups and that doesn't fly. but you having one more child without the time, most CMs wont care

 

[HM]

At 14, is she in High School? Would this even be convenient for her to go? I feel like the timing would be bad.
Have you even mentioned this to her or her parents, or is it a wishful thinking thing....?

 

[GWhitten98]

Like PP said you don't know unless you try.

Hotel could be pretty much impossible to keep your reservation if you are staying on sight. 6 is max occupancy for suites which I assume is what you would be in. If you off site that may be another story. I would start there.

Next I would work with ADRs. Call instead of trying on line, you may be amazed how much help the CMs can be. Our last trip with a large group they were able to book 2 ADRs at the same time for three meals and were told no guarantee of being at the same table, but would be at table nexty to each other. When we arrived we are at the same table for all 3 that were booked like that.

On the fast passes concentrate on those that the whole family will be involved in, for those that have height requirements(rockn' roller coaster, tower of terror, space mountain, etc) like the roller coasted just use ride swap since I assume your youngest will not be tall enough any way.

 

[daemom]

I just did this--but went from 5 to 6. Adding to resort was easy and I then asked the CM if I needed to contact dining or someone else about the possibility of adding one more to all of our ADRs. They sent me to "Itinerary Planning" and the CM there was able to add one more to all of our ADRs except 2. She told me to call back every couple of days and to even check the day of, to add the addition. They were very helpful and made the process relatively easy for me. I can't speak to FP+ though as I'm just a few days away from that window. Call........

 

[sretav]

I just did this--but went from 5 to 6. Adding to resort was easy and I then asked the CM if I needed to contact dining or someone else about the possibility of adding one more to all of our ADRs. They sent me to "Itinerary Planning" and the CM there was able to add one more to all of our ADRs except 2. She told me to call back every couple of days and to even check the day of, to add the addition. They were very helpful and made the process relatively easy for me. I can't speak to FP+ though as I'm just a few days away from that window. Call........

May I ask which restaurants they couldn't change? I was able to change 4 of our 8 ADRS online but will need to call for the other 4 (BOG, Akershus, 1900 and Scifi).

 

[daemom]

May I ask which restaurants they couldn't change? I was able to change 4 of our 8 ADRS online but will need to call for the other 4 (BOG, Akershus, 1900 and Scifi).

It was Ohana and Beaches and Cream. Each time we've gone to Ohana, we (5) have been seated at a table for 6 with an empty chair, so I'd hoped that it would be an easy addition.....nope. Beaches and Cream is so small so I may end up letting this one go. We had SciFi, but she was able to move our reservation up about 15 minutes. Good Luck with all!

 

[BuckeyeBama]

If you already have a reservation for 5, you will be seated at a table for 6 almost anywhere. Just show up with the extra. They will seat everyone.

 

[sretav]

I was able to get Ohana for same time as previously booked so no problem. I think I'm more concerned with BOG, Akershus and 1900.

 

[Hopefully]

Since you are already a party of 6:
You will now exceed occupancy for most onsite accommodations unless you have a 2 or 3 bedroom DVC Villa
If you are staying offsite, then you can work it out.
You will need to have a larger table at almost - if not all - restaurants. This will make it much harder, if not impossible to add 1 more.
You are unlikely to get matching FP+ times added.
If you can not add her to your reservations she will not be eligible for either MDE transportation nor EMH

Sounds like quite a lot to work out
Good Luck

 

[siskaren]

If you already have a reservation for 5, you will be seated at a table for 6 almost anywhere. Just show up with the extra. They will seat everyone.

They're a family of 6 already, so they'd be going from 6 to 7.

 

[daemom]

If you already have a reservation for 5, you will be seated at a table for 6 almost anywhere. Just show up with the extra. They will seat everyone.

That's what I thought, so I was kind of bummed that they couldn't accommodate our party at two different places. And if I showed up with that one extra person, I'd be terrified that we'd be turned away! LOL!

 

[BuckeyeBama]

They're a family of 6 already, so they'd be going from 6 to 7.

Sorry - I was replying to a different post in the thread. Should have quoted it. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[SnipsNSnails]

If you go with this plan try to change your ADRs and FP+. Call and see if they can help you. If you can't find an ADR for 7, look for an additional ADR around the same time for 1 or 2. Same with the FP+, search for one person. If you can overlap with your existing times, that will work. If not, search for a new time for all of you. I'm guessing BOG will be really difficult to change but keep looking even the day before to change it and even day of for the addition 1 or 2.

 

[sretav]

If you go with this plan try to change your ADRs and FP+. Call and see if they can help you. If you can't find an ADR for 7, look for an additional ADR around the same time for 1 or 2. Same with the FP+, search for one person. If you can overlap with your existing times, that will work. If not, search for a new time for all of you. I'm guessing BOG will be really difficult to change but keep looking even the day before to change it and even day of for the addition 1 or 2.

If you have an ADR for 6 and then add an ADR for 1, will they seat you together? Just curious. BOG is seat yourself so no biggie there but 1900 and Akershus may be more difficult. We'll see.

 

[SnipsNSnails]

We had 13 eating at Garden Grill. There were no ADRs for that many people. We did an ADR for 8 and one for 5 at 6:40 & 6:45 and they sat us all together. You might need to wait a few more minutes but they will do their best. You might want to do 6 & 2 in case they can sit you near but not at the same table. It won't matter if you have 5 for the one. We only ended up with 12 at our ADR and it was fine.

 

[sretav]

We had 13 eating at Garden Grill. There were no ADRs for that many people. We did an ADR for 8 and one for 5 at 6:40 & 6:45 and they sat us all together. You might need to wait a few more minutes but they will do their best. You might want to do 6 & 2 in case they can sit you near but not at the same table. It won't matter if you have 5 for the one. We only ended up with 12 at our ADR and it was fine.

Thanks. I was able to get a BOG for one 15 minutes later so hopefully they will let us all go together since it's cafeteria style/seat yourself. Phone CM couldn't add just one for Scifi, Akershus or 1900 so I will need to keep checking.