Will my MIL get us into "trouble"

[WendyisDarling]

Almost certain we will get the DDP. It is not during FD. It is with the military discount so ticket issue doesn't come into play.
What does is my MIL. During our stay we will be at Poly for ten nights. MIL lives in central FL and may or may not come over and stay a night or two. (We have two rooms and plenty of space). She is extremely unpredictable. Even if she says she will do something there is a good chance she won't regardless of consequence. (Several times she has left us waiting for hours even in parking lots and unapologetically not shown up --even calling 10 minutes before to say she is on her way...so truly there is no telling with her.)

My question is if we purchase the DDP for our family and MIL shows up for one or two nights, what happens? I would be OK with sucking it up and paying for DP for her and realize that would be for the full 10 nights if necessary. (It would stink, but goes along with the territory when she is in the picture.) I don't want to put her on the reservation and commit to paying and then she doesn't show. It would also lessen the chances of us getting connecting rooms (would be fine if the kids' Grandma was definitely coming and staying the whole time, but not the case). And I have a gut feeling she won't come.

If she just shows up, what happens? How will it affect our DP? Will they just have us pay for her full 10 night DP when she gets there --I know 72 hours notice is required. Or will there be some weird twist of events that will cancel ours even if we have started using it?

TIA for any insight and advice.

PS: Telling her that we MUST know in advance and it will cost us money if she cancels will have absolutely no affect on her actions.

 

[Faldred]

If she's just staying a night or two out of ten, I personally just wouldn't put her on the reservation. Then, there's no DDP to pay for and her meals can just be covered OOP.

You may want to check with the reservations line, because technically there could be a per-night charge for an extra adult in the same room, and I'd hate for anyone to get in trouble for a small charge like that.

 

[serene56]

Booking her into a 10 day dining plan could get expensive- I agree that paying OOP might work better.

My concern will be-- what if you have reservations-- how easy will it be to show up with an extra person?

 

[TDC Nala]

Pay OOP for her if it's just a couple of days. The problem is you'll probably have to call WDW-DINE and try to add her to the meal reservations you want her to attend. This may mean you have to switch times or restaurants if the new party size isn't available. This could be a problem if you have to do all this and then she doesn't show up. Don't plan to have her attend CRT, a dinner show, Akershus or California Grill because of the no-show fee.

If you don't put her on your reservation, don't know if you will be able to get her a room key though.

 

[WendyisDarling]

We have two rooms for DH, myself and our two sons (11 and 14) so I don't think there would be an extra adult charge.
IF she comes It will be in the middle of the stay. That's the only option I am giving her.
We're staying CL. I don't know if they would need to do a whole official check in (of course, I would tell them about it). If so, maybe they would make a big deal about the DP rule.
I would MUCH rather pay OOP for her than the whole ten days DP. Just saying if we had no other choice (paying for her would probably wipe out any savings the DP would provide us).

 

[Nancyg56]

This happened to me twice. My DS was going to join us but really did not know the days he would have off from work. I called and was told to add him when he arrived. He would not be charged for the DDP. WE were at AKL CL, they did not charge us the additional adult charge but he was added to the resservation so he and his wife could join us in the lounge.

I added him to the ADR's that I could but when he surprised us one day I just told the CM at the desk. Each time he was added on without an issue. THis was during free dining so we thought that there would be a problem but thankfully there was not.

 

[WendyisDarling]

Pay OOP for her if it's just a couple of days. The problem is you'll probably have to call WDW-DINE and try to add her to the meal reservations you want her to attend. This may mean you have to switch times or restaurants if the new party size isn't available. This could be a problem if you have to do all this and then she doesn't show up. Don't plan to have her attend CRT, a dinner show, Akershus or California Grill because of the no-show fee.

If you don't put her on your reservation, don't know if you will be able to get her a room key though.

Good point about the ADR's. I also will be sure to not schedule the more difficult TS ADR's during the span of days I am giving her as an option. (She better not decide to show up on different days or she may be dining solo --I know that sounds mean, but you have no idea. The world doesn't revolve around her.) Anyway, I had not thought about that.

I don't care if she doesn't have her own key. She can borrow one of ours if need be. (I'm biting my tongue to not say something else terrible.)

Thanks

 

[WendyisDarling]

This happened to me twice. My DS was going to join us but really did not know the days he would have off from work. I called and was told to add him when he arrived. He would not be charged for the DDP. WE were at AKL CL, they did not charge us the additional adult charge but he was added to the resservation so he and his wife could join us in the lounge.

I added him to the ADR's that I could but when he surprised us one day I just told the CM at the desk. Each time he was added on without an issue. THis was during free dining so we thought that there would be a problem but thankfully there was not.

Great news! This should work out then and I can just sit back and let her do what she wants.

 

[TDC Nala]

I wouldn't count on being able to add her at the podium everywhere. Your concierge may be able to do it easily, though. If you haven't made reservations yet, add her to the ones you think she will attend. It's far easier to remove someone from a reservation than to add someone.

 

[Piglets Mommy]

I wouldn't count on being able to add her at the podium everywhere. Your concierge may be able to do it easily, though. If you haven't made reservations yet, add her to the ones you think she will attend. It's far easier to remove someone from a reservation than to add someone.

ITA...It will be much easier to have her on the reservation for days you think she might be there and take her off when you get there than add her in. I have never had to do this, but I think t hey will be able to add her to your ressie for a few days when (IF) she gets there. Even if they do charge you the extra adult fee (which I don't think they would since you have 2 rooms) it would be a heck of a lot less than 10 days of DDP.

 

[Nancyg56]

I wouldn't count on being able to add her at the podium everywhere. Your concierge may be able to do it easily, though. If you haven't made reservations yet, add her to the ones you think she will attend. It's far easier to remove someone from a reservation than to add someone.

That is true. I added DS wherever I knew he was going to be able to join us. I was concerned that when he surprised us and showed up that we would need to cancel our meal if we could not add him. Thankfully we were able to be accomodated. This was at Kona Cafe.

 

[yrdlyprincess]

I would not put her on the reservations b/c as you said "what if she doesn't show up??" if she does then I think they can split the check @ dining (not sure- but worth asking!) and if you can't split the bill...then just use one of yous & pay for yourself later. That stinks that she is like. If it were mine I wouldn't ask her to come, why upset yourself or anyone else that would like to see & get their hopes up.

 

[WendyisDarling]

We were seriously tempted to not tell her about our trip. (DH included, I'm not just a mean DIL). But, afraid she'd see a picture.
We aren't telling kids she might come. Hurtful to them that she doesn't want to see them (that is how they would see it, I think. We have tried to keep from them that their grandmother is self-centered.)


At any rate, thank you all for the advice. Especially the ADR, I am making my final decisions now and plan to try to get places she will enjoy that won't take away from other ppl if we cut back from 5 to 4. Ex. Biergarten.

 

[mkandjpsmom]

my DH DD9 and DD5 are going for a week and my SIL will be joing us for the last few days, I was told that if I added her to our ressie (in advance) I had to add her for the whole time and the park passes DDp ect, but they told me when she gets there we could add her to the room only for $35 a night. We only have 1 room but it's at POR riverside. I was able to add her to most of our ADR's. They told me could pay OOP.
Your MIL sounds like my mom. In her own world. Good Luck!

 

[scanmom]

pay for her meals OOP. Way easier and cheaper than having her on the ressie. And, I would make ADR's including her for the whole trip. That way, if she shows up, you already have ADR's for the correct # of people.. no matter WHICH days she shows. Like previous posters have said, it is way easier to remove her from the ADR at the podium than add her!

 

[gigi1313]

i'd add her to the whole thing and hope she doesn't show and use her dining credits for HDDR, SoA, and CRT!!