What do you do if you have 5 people?

[FLIKFAN]

I am looking into purchasing a resale at BWV. I have two kids under five and a wife. What do you do if you bring someone to help out so you can enjoy the rides? Are there enforced rules about putting 5 people in a studio or 1BR? Are there daybeds?

 

[RobDoc]

BWV has some dedicated studios called Studio Plus. These have a day bed suitable for a child, plus the queen bed and sleep sofa.

These may be requested, but are not guaranteed- just like all requests.

All DVC resorts list occupancy of studios and 1BR villas as "sleeps 4". There is also a pack-n-play crib for a child thru age 2. No extra beds or bedding will be provided by the resort.

Some have reported being comfortable with a sleeping bag or air mattress.

2BR's will "sleep" up to 8 and GV's will handle 12.

Enjoy!

 

[VMS]

This seems to be a "hot topic" on the boards. We have 3 kids (10, 7, 4) and before our purchase this year I MANY TIMES questioned our guide about whether we can use a 1BR and she said absolutely YES. She said lots of people bring an air mattress or sleeping bag. She said that until the kids were much bigger (teenagers), we could use a 1BR. We hope to make ressies next month at HH for a 2BR, but want to know what happens if we all show up at sometime with 1BR ressies?

 

[Richyams]

I certainly wouldn't planning to cheat on the occupany limits. I would buy buy enough points for the group I plan to travel with.

We have had many indications that DVC sales staff lying to prospective customers about room limits is going to start causing problems. We heard of one family that has an extra new born that may not be allowed to check in. They now won't guarantee a studio-plus unit at the BWV, I have been told by a sales manager that the sales staff is forbidden from telling that lie to prospective customers and further that over sized groups will be asked to secure proper sized accomodations or leave. I posted her name, position and title here after that conservation.

You can hope to get away with it, you can rationalize you cheating and stealing any way you want to your kids, but you may end up not being able to check in or being asked to leave. All members either signed papers acknowledging they were aware of the rules or bought a resale assuming the rules.

If nobody in your group is under three years old, a two bedroom unit will be needed.

 

[dianeschlicht]

To add to what Richyams said, there was also a report on this board recently about a family who had a new baby since making their reservation. That meant they would now have 2 adults, one child and 2 children under 2 equally 5. They were told they may not be allowed to check in that way. Now that case is special, and should probably be allowed since they did not even know they were pregnant when the ressie was made, but I am glad MS is telling people not to break the occupancy rule. I think it might be the case that only the number of keys will be given out for the number of occupants allowed. That might help the situation somewhat. If a group of 12 young people want to get by in a 2 bedroom unit, they might find it difficult to get by with only 8 keys.

Personally, I would not want to have 2 adults and 3 children from 5-10 in a studio or one bedroom unit. It would just plane be too crowded to enjoy that vacation. Also, in a couple of years there will be teens in the group, and you certainly will need a 2 bedroom just for the bathroom situation alone!

 

[fumipappa]

If 5 people are not arrowed to 1BR. is there any connected room at all DVC resorts?

If this is the case, people can get 2 studio or 1BR+1 studio(if such connecting room exists)

 

[CarolMN]

To the best of my knowledge, there are no connecting studios at any of the DVC resorts. A studio connecting to a 1 Bedroom is actually a two bedroom unit. Two bedroom units cost less in points than booking a 1 bedroom and studio separately.

If a party consists of 5 people all aged 3 or over, the choices at DVC resorts are two studios, two 1 bedroom units, or a 2 bedroom unit.

 

[wdwendyd]

If 5 people are not allowed then why is a daybed offered in the BWV studio?

 

[CarolAnnC]

As Doc stated above, there are some BWV studios with a small daybed that will accommodate a child only. There is no guarantee, however, that you can book this particular unit.

 

[ripleysmom]

You know Rich telling people that what they are proposing to do violates the checklist that they signed is, I think, a good way to answer a question. However, not content with that, once again Richy you jump all over someone and accuse them of being "cheaters" and "thieves" because they are doing what their guide assured them they could do. It must be hard to sit with that stick.....

Richy, also the example you were speaking of was 6 in a room. Definitely I could see MS having a problem with this. Gee I wonder how much of THAT family's head you left.

Cite till you are blue in the face. Until MS stops taking reservations with 5 in a room I think you should keep you overly judgemental pontifications to yourself.

 

[VMS]

Thank you Ripleysmom. I did feel jumped all over by the comments and like I was being judged. We are new to DVC, having purchased just this summer. On our tour the guide told us we could do a 1BR, we did not ask - this info was offered to us. When we got the papers to sign, we did notice the 4 people limit with the 1 BR and both my husband and I did question the limit because of the conflicting info the guide had told us. We were both told that it was not a problem, that we could not do a studio, but a 1 BR would be fine for us for a number of years.

This is our story, we are not cheaters or looking to violate anything, but we are disappointed by the misinformation by the guide, and by people who feel they have the right to judge others without knowing the full story.

 

[fumipappa]

I agree with Rich's point.

I think nobody can say " Hey OK, youcan break a rule" or "You should be able to bring in 5 people. The rule is wrong." I think if there is a rule to follow, we have to folow.

Especially nobody should justify wrong thing at public discussion board.(especailly when you talk about the place where the dream comes true!!)
If people get Ok from DVC to bring in 5 people to 1BR, they should feel like "lucky", not as thier "right".


I am going to buy DVC within a few years,(I am still in process of buying "First" home)

When I bring my daughters first time to DVC, I want to say to my kids to "follow the rule".
But if I don't follow any rule, they do'nt listen. So, I will follow the rule. And I hope people follow the rule to be a good model of their kids at the most wonderful place on Earth!!

 

[Peggy Sue]

This issue has been beat to death, and still beaten some more. It always amazes me the anger this topic can provoke, but that may be becaused I'm not faced with this situation personally and don't have to think about all the extra points 5+ people require to secure a 2 bedroom unit.

All families are different, and as such we need to respect what we all find as tolerable when we vacation. Personally, I don't like tripping over bodies in a hotel room and would find 5 people in a one bedroom very hard to take. (I like everything put away and everything in its assigned place....)

That said, Kids are little people and it's very easy to have a small child sleep with the parents in that big old king size bed. I know we often joke that we could rent out the other half of that bed when we are there. 3 kids in a queen size sleeper probably isn't a stretch either. I'm sure everyone knows that once teenagers come into the equation none of these type of sleeping arrangements work anyway because they will be pushing for more privacy too, and that extra bath will be a critcal consideration..lol!!

So..my two cents, for what it's worth, is live and let live. Every person who has signed their DVC contract knows the stated occupancy limits. How they choose to manange that is really up to them and how they work it out with member services. As far as wear and tear on the resort etc...I know that we never come close to the occupancy limits..2 of us always in a 1 bedroom, if we bring along another couple..it's a 2 bedroom. I'm sure there are many folks just like us who vacation at the same time a family with 5 wants to use a 1 bedroom. It all evens out in the end.

Now, I would start to have a problem if a family of 6 or 7 tried to squeeze into a one bedroom, but again, I'm not the judge and jury..so it's really none of my business. I sure Disney and DVC is well aware of how the rooms are being used. If we are concerned about this issue, we have the right to write a letter to the powers that be and express our concerns. I would think that would be more constructive than bickering about this on this board. Besides, flickfan asked a simple question.....

That's my two cents...I'll get off my soap box now!

 

[FLIKFAN]

Thank you for everyone's input. I didn't realize it was such a touchy subject. The reason I asked is because the guide told me that "there are no room police" while everything in writing states otherwise.

I do not think anyone is looking to cheat the system. When we brought my mother-in-law (Ok tell me I'm nuts) with us a few years ago, we paid extra to have her in the room. I would think there could be a happy medium worked out in cash or points that would benefit both parties.

 

[shelbyjosh]

Plain and simple...you get a 2 bedroom!

 

[CarolAnnC]

You cannot "pay extra" to have additional people in DVC Resorts. The guidelines are clear. 4 people plus a baby under age 3 in a studio, and the same occupancy limit applies for the 1 bedroom units also.

As we have stated on this board before, we will not allow any debates of the occupancy limits. Please visit the Debate Board if you want to continue your discussion.