Another dilemma with onset of FP+...

[Ted C]

Hi,

I just ran into a situation where FP+ may be a problem. We visit often and usually my DD ends up bringing someone with her. But sometimes, as is in this case coming up in April, we're not for sure the friend will be able to go until another month or so. In times past this hasn't really been an issue, you simply made ADR's for an extra person, and if it didn't work out then it didn't work out, no big deal. As for fast passes, if an extra person did end up going, you simply utilized the FP- system, and all was equal and well, first come/first serve.

Now I'm stuck with a dilemma. Today is 60-days out and I'm able to start booking. In order to book her friend's FP+'s to coincide with ours I have to buy her park ticket. However I don't want to do that because she's not sure she can go as stated above. So what happens in a month from now when I try to add her in? Its very likely the chances of her having the same FP+ times as us over a 10-day period will be very unlikely. Am I missing something?? Is there a way around this?

I'm not complaining but it will change the way we've always gone about things. It will be much harder to add someone at the last minute which we really enjoy doing as situations arise.

 

[Lizard Valley]

Make the FP reservations for your confirmed people for now. When your daughter's friend confirms and buys her ticket, there is an option to "copy fp selections" to the new person.

I just did this. We are a family of 4, but had only 1 NE ticket with days left on it. I reserved my FP times at 60 days out with this ticket, and once I was sure we were definitely going, I purchased the remaining tickets, linked them, and copied those fp selections over (we are now 3 weeks out).

 

[Ted C]

Oh, so you're saying you can reserve FP+ reservations without everyone's ticket vouchers entered into the system? Or are you saying there is a provision for adding people at the last minute once their voucher is purchased at a later date?

 

[ArwenMarie]

Oh, so you're saying you can reserve FP+ reservations without everyone's ticket vouchers entered into the system?

No unfortunately. Do your FPs at 60 days. Then once she buys her ticket, you can link it and then copy your FPs to her ticket.

 

[Lizard Valley]

Yup . As long as you have one linked ticket, you can reserve for that one person. Then you just copy the selections as the others get their tickets. No need to try to match exact times at all.

As of right now, I wouldn't expect any problems with availability. But don't wait until the last minute. And this could change if/when off site guest are able to prebook in the near future, or if the other two parks start to tier.

 

[Ted C]

So couldn't you get into a situation where the same time slots weren't available for her ticket?

Thanks by the way, just trying to understand and absorb it all

 

[Ted C]

Ok thanks! I'll get ours going right now...

 

[ArwenMarie]

So couldn't you get into a situation where the same time slots weren't available for her ticket?

Thanks by the way, just trying to understand and absorb it all

You could, which is why it's best she decides sooner rather than later. But if it's the best you can do right now, then that's all you can do

 

[AmyB2006]

So couldn't you get into a situation where the same time slots weren't available for her ticket?

Thanks by the way, just trying to understand and absorb it all

Not likely in April. You're not picking her new times. You're copying your reservation to hers. If the exact time slot isn't available the system will pick something within a few minutes.

It shouldn't be a problem in April.

 

[Lizard Valley]

Yes, that could theoretically happen, but from what I've been reading, there is almost full availability until a few days before. For now.

You could also run into issues with some limited shows/experiences - like MSEP and Wishes. I would expect those to fill up very quickly once they become available. Hopefully your daughter's friend will be able to confirm sooner rather than later.

 

[Ted C]

Thanks. Hopefully she will know in a couple of weeks.

 

[fairy8i8]

Also, this is still a test, and people have reported not having any availability show the night before or morning of, but then once the park opens, more tickets are released and available for overlapping times. However, certain experiences seem to be reserved for on site guests like the parades and Wishes. To be more accurate, Disney releases all available slots for those attractions prior to day of, so that they are typically not available same day.

easywdw shows how he was able to get the same times reserving in park during the morning as he was able to get prebooking (except for parades and Wishes). No need to stress too much as at least right now, things are pretty flexible. As everyone says, once off site people can prebook, then things might get less flexible, so just keep an eye on the boards for an announcement.

 

[TinkerbelleMom]

Also, this is still a test, and people have reported not having any availability show the night before or morning of, but then once the park opens, more tickets are released and available for overlapping times. However, certain experiences seem to be reserved for on site guests like the parades and Wishes. To be more accurate, Disney releases all available slots for those attractions prior to day of, so that they are typically not available same day.

easywdw shows how he was able to get the same times reserving in park during the morning as he was able to get prebooking (except for parades and Wishes). No need to stress too much as at least right now, things are pretty flexible. As everyone says, once off site people can prebook, then things might get less flexible, so just keep an eye on the boards for an announcement.

I'll report an unavailbility the day before, lol. We made a last minute day trip to DHS on MLK day, and TSM was listed as standby only when I tried to book it. I'm an AP holder, and still have my MB active from a previous trip. Last Sunday at MK the only return time available for Storytime with Belle was 3:30 or later, any request to change for earlier gave us the alternate choice of visiting Ariel in her grotto. I booked these the Friday before, and crowd levels were not bad at all, most standby waits were 30 min or less. BTMR had an issue, so it's line backed up quite a bit, even FP.

And all that said, I was able to add myself to my friends FP times easy enough for an upcoming weekend trip, and it's another holiday weekend. She had them all set, all I had to do was click copy.

 

[Ted C]

I'm afraid when we get into busier times, and the off site guests come on line, this gap will close. One of the cool things about ADR's is the cancellation penalty. I've obtained some good current day ADR's due to people canceling to avoid being charged. That won't happen with fast passes... I bet it gets a lot more difficult this summer to ebb and flow last minute, not even mentioning the IT nightmare caused by that enormous attempt to ebb and flow. I can't even imagine the load on those CPU's and network on any given day which I'm sure is the most challenging thing they're dealing with attm. I bet you those involved are getting very little sleep and it will continue this way for a very long time...

Reminds me of my restaurants several years back when we attempted order entry via tablets at the table. That only lasted a few days, what a nightmare. Although the idea was good it wasn't ready for prime time. We ditched it immediately and went back to the good ole reliable pen and paper. Some things are better left simple



Thanks for all of the help and replies!

 

[iheartjuppy]

If you go frequently wouldn't you likely be buying a single-day ticket for whenever the next person comes anyways? If I understand correctly, you can buy a ticket, link it to MDE, add your FP+ reservations but your ticket isn't actually USED until you enter a park for the first time, right? So if you bought a ticket, linked it, made your FP+s and she decided not to come, couldn't you just cancel the FP+s if need be (day of or whenever) and hold onto that same ticket and just use it the next time she DOES bring someone? Or am I misunderstanding the ticket thing?

 

[Ted C]

No actually in this case it would be a 10-day hopper, plus water. I don't want to buy it if she's not going... From what everyone is saying it won't be an issue in a few weeks anyway. Thanks.

 

[Silock]

Copying reservations works IF there are available FP+ slots.

I made reservations for my wife and I, and tried to copy those reservations to our friends about 12 hours later. There were no available time slots for the original reservation times, so I ended up having to move EVERYONE's time.

This was done in advance, too.

 

[JEWLSVERN]

I copied my moms FP to ours about a month later. I was able to copy everything except TSMM which was off of ours by 5 minutes. Ours were made at 55 days and hers at like 25. My brother just copied his for 2 park days and got the same times. All just last week and we leave Friday.

 

[Brian Noble]

Today is 60-days out and I'm able to start booking. In order to book her friend's FP+'s to coincide with ours I have to buy her park ticket. However I don't want to do that because she's not sure she can go as stated above.

By all reports, there's no need to do them right at 60 days. I suppose that *could* change if/when more offsite guests have access, but unless you are going at a super-peak time, I would not worry about it and just wait until you know for sure.

Alternatively, I think there is a way to make FP+ reservations for the people you have know, and copy them (assuming times are still available) to an added person later. But, I've never done that, so I'm not sure how easy it is.

 

[jeneric997]

I think you will have success copying the friend to your FP+, since it is one person. It would be harder with multiple people. Report back on the success if the friend goes.