Thoughts on my friends' first trip?

[Anne5555]

We are staying during free dining. We had hoped we could add mother in law for free dining without buying her park tickets, too, but no such luck. Either she must buy the same package including park tickets to get free dining, or we just add her to the room through the resort at check in (if possible-confirm with resort) and no free meals for her. She would probably have enjoyed hanging around the resort all day with free meals at the GF. But it's not cost effective to pay extra for tickets she does not want to use to get free meals.

 

[4under4]

I don't know if that's what my friend requested or if that was at the TA's suggestion. Either way, she started out with 3-day tix with a Park Hopper. I'm having her drop the Park Hopper and get 6-day tix (possibly 7 depending on what flight times they end up with and if they decide they want to hit the ground running). It saves them money to do it this way and they get twice as much time in the parks.

Instead of getting the 6 (or 7) day tickets now (without hopping!), why not get the minimum 2 day tickets for all (including Grandma). Then your friend can upgrade the tickets that will actually be used, and only have the 2 days of tickets waiting for another trip rather than a 6 day.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

I am usually against this but maybe your friend should leave baby at home with family if she refuses to take him to parks. Normally I wouldn't suggest it but it seems a waste to me if you are that against going to parks with baby

I had planned on mentioning this as an option, although I highly doubt my friend will go for it. She'll still be breastfeeding, won't want to be away from the baby that long, etc.

We are staying during free dining. We had hoped we could add mother in law for free dining without buying her park tickets, too, but no such luck. Either she must buy the same package including park tickets to get free dining, or we just add her to the room through the resort at check in (if possible-confirm with resort) and no free meals for her. She would probably have enjoyed hanging around the resort all day with free meals at the GF. But it's not cost effective to pay extra for tickets she does not want to use to get free meals.

When I spoke with Disney I asked "Am I correct in thinking that everyone staying in that room must be booked under the same package? Meaning that everyone has to purchase the same dining plan upgrade and the same number of park tickets, even though Grandma has no intention of using any of them?" The woman who was helping me replied with "That's correct". But you were told you could get around that by just showing up with Grandma in tow and adding her to the room at check-in? I don't understand why Disney would handle it that way. It seems like it should be either everyone has to be included on the package or they don't. I'm not sure why different rules would apply depending on when people are added to the reservation. I guess I'll have to call Disney again, but now I'm not sure how I'll know if the person assisting me is giving me the correct info, seeing as how people seem to be giving different answers.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

Instead of getting the 6 (or 7) day tickets now (without hopping!), why not get the minimum 2 day tickets for all (including Grandma). Then your friend can upgrade the tickets that will actually be used, and only have the 2 days of tickets waiting for another trip rather than a 6 day.

I'll keep that in mind, but first I need to figure out if Grandma is going to have to purchase park tickets in the first place. I thought I had this all figured out already! Sheesh...

 

[4under4]

I am usually against this but maybe your friend should leave baby at home with family if she refuses to take him to parks. Normally I wouldn't suggest it but it seems a waste to me if you are that against going to parks with baby

Assuming there isn't a nursing consideration, then i would agree with this, especially if Grandma isn't thrilled with the idea of going anyway.

 

[vicki_c]

I had planned on mentioning this as an option, although I highly doubt my friend will go for it. She'll still be breastfeeding, won't want to be away from the baby that long, etc.



When I spoke with Disney I asked "Am I correct in thinking that everyone staying in that room must be booked under the same package? Meaning that everyone has to purchase the same dining plan upgrade and the same number of park tickets, even though Grandma has no intention of using any of them?" The woman who was helping me replied with "That's correct". But you were told you could get around that by just showing up with Grandma in tow and adding her to the room at check-in? I don't understand why Disney would handle it that way. It seems like it should be either everyone has to be included on the package or they don't. I'm not sure why different rules would apply depending on when people are added to the reservation. I guess I'll have to call Disney again, but now I'm not sure how I'll know if the person assisting me is giving me the correct info, seeing as how people seem to be giving different answers.

This is how it works. Once you check in to your package at the resort, you can add a guest (subject to room occupancy) without buying the package for them. If it's a third adult, then you will just pay the extra adult fee. If you add another person prior to arrival, they have to have the exact same package as everyone else in the room. The glitch is that the added person could not use DME if they were arriving at the same time as everyone else because they won't have a reservation. If they are arriving a day or more later, then you can make them their own separate DME reservation once you add them at the resort.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

This is how it works. Once you check in to your package at the resort, you can add a guest (subject to room occupancy) without buying the package for them. If it's a third adult, then you will just pay the extra adult fee. If you add another person prior to arrival, they have to have the exact same package as everyone else in the room. The glitch is that the added person could not use DME if they were arriving at the same time as everyone else because they won't have a reservation. If they are arriving a day or more later, then you can make them their own separate DME reservation once you add them at the resort.

Okay, I'll pass this info along to my friend. I believe you, but that seems like an awfully large loophole for Disney to leave open. Odd.

 

[lanejudy]

Well, now I'm getting confused. They have a package booked under the Free Dining promotion. I spoke with Disney and they said if Grandma stays in that room on their reservation she will have to purchase the same package everyone else in that room has -- dining plan upgrade and the same number of park days regardless if she uses them. They didn't say anything about a second option to pay a room up-charge only.

Personally, I don't think they should take Grandma at all. She doesn't want to go and having her along is just costing more money and further crowding an already crowded suite. I can't imagine Grandma's going to be thrilled sleeping on pull out furniture in the living room surrounded by her four grandsons for a week. I know I'd want a real bed and a little more privacy. Add to that, she's just going to sit by herself alone in the room the whole time with the baby. If I were my friend I'd spend so much time worrying about how miserable Grandma might be that I wouldn't be able to enjoy the trip myself. They're going to spend more money on airfare, food, and tickets (which will go unused) to drag along an unwilling participant than they would if they left her at home and just hired Kids Nite Out for their date night. But, for some reason, my friend does not want to bring the baby to the parks no matter how much I try to assure her it's not that big of a deal. Catering to children of all ages is kind of what Disney does best, ya know?

Correct, if Grandma is booked in advance of arrival, she will have to have the same package - tickets and DDP. "Option 2" is only available to add her at check-in, but as others have mentioned, Grandma would not be eligible to ride Magical Express from the airport without already being named on the reservation. What would Grandma do for meals if not on the DDP with the rest of the family? Even if she doesn't use the tickets to enter the parks, she could join them for meals at resorts or DTD.

Good luck with the plans!

 

[lanejudy]

Okay, I'll pass this info along to my friend. I believe you, but that seems like an awfully large loophole for Disney to leave open. Odd.

It's because the DDP cannot be added at check-in, that must be done at least 3 days prior to arrival. So Grandma could not be added to the package at that point even if she wanted it.

How about suggesting Grandma stay home with the baby, rather than making her hang out at the resort all day everyday with baby? Both would likely be happier and more comfortable.