Adding a Guest at Check-In?

[3leggedtable]

My sister and I planned a trip to Disney for November. We are staying at the Boardwalk and have purchased 4 day Park-Hopper tickets.

Now my brother has decide to join us: he is an Annual Pass holder. When I called Disney to add him to the reservation I was told NO. Since he is not purchasing park tickets we need to add him at the front desk when we check-in. The cast member told me it would be an additional $35 per night. I was also informed that he could not take Magical Express, and to get a cab from the airport!

Should I be worried that they will turn my brother away at the hotel? And have any Annual Pass holders taken Magical Express without a reservation? He does have a Magic Band.

Thank you.

 

[Bjkandma]

In order to use the Magical Express, you need to be a registered guest at a Disney resort. He will not be able to ride.

 

[kaytieeldr]

But they also will not turn him away at the resort.

 

[Lynne M]

The CM was correct. All guests in a room must be on the same package, so if you want to add him to the reservation in advance, he would have to purchase tickets.

The $35 per night extra adult charge will be added whether he is added in advance or is added on arrival.

If you add him on arrival, he would not be able to use ME to travel from the airport to the resort, as he would not yet be on the reservation. He would be able to use ME for the return trip to the airport, as he will be a registered resort guest at that point.

 

[Lynne M]

Oh, and they won’t turn him away. Adding someone on arrival is a very common thing.

 

[lanejudy]

Any chance your brother might be arriving after you and your sister? If you have time to get to the resort and add him, you can then set-up ME for him - assuming he’d be coming later.

enjoy your vacation!

 

[hes122]

You can also switch your reservation from a package to a room-only and purchase tickets separately. You can add him this way as well. Even if you have a DP purchased you still still do it by calling in.

 

[AwPhooey]

The easiest thing to do is to drop the tickets from your package. Then you'll have a room with dining plan. If you didn't purchase the dining plan, ask the CM to remove the tickets and make it a basic package. If you change to a Room Only, you have to do a cancel/rebook which takes longer and you'll get a new confirmation number and need a new deposit. Going to a basic package the confirmation number stays the same and the deposit is good to go. Then go ahead and purchase stand alone tix to link in MDX. Other drawbacks for dayguests: no extra magic hours and no FP at 60 days (must wait for the 30 day window to open) BUT - if you arrive at the resort first and add your dayguest, they CAN ride the Magical Express. After being added to the booking, the CM will then contact DME to inform them and your brother can get on the bus. I've done this numerous times.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

The easiest thing to do is to drop the tickets from your package. Then you'll have a room with dining plan. If you didn't purchase the dining plan, ask the CM to remove the tickets and make it a basic package. If you change to a Room Only, you have to do a cancel/rebook which takes longer and you'll get a new confirmation number and need a new deposit. Going to a basic package the confirmation number stays the same and the deposit is good to go. Then go ahead and purchase stand alone tix to link in MDX. Other drawbacks for dayguests: no extra magic hours and no FP at 60 days (must wait for the 30 day window to open) BUT - if you arrive at the resort first and add your dayguest, they CAN ride the Magical Express. After being added to the booking, the CM will then contact DME to inform them and your brother can get on the bus. I've done this numerous times.

OP is traveling in November, so I'm assuming they are within their 30 day cancellation/change fee window. If they drop to a basic package within that window, they will, most likely, be charged a $50 change fee. It would be cheaper, at this point, to simply take a cab or uber from MCO and add him when they get there.

As far as FP+, a guest listed on a resort reservation can make FP+ at 60 days for anyone linked via Friends and Family in their MDE as long as the Friends and Family guests have valid ticket media linked to their profiles. Those Friends and Family do not have to be listed on the resort reservation. In OP's case, as long as her brother is linked via Friends and Family, she could have made his FP+ at 60 days prior - it doesn't matter that he is not on the reservation.