Arrive later than check-in date to get FD

[redoschi]

Hi!

I'm a huge Disney fan and have planned several trips for me and for friends and family.

I have a friend who is going on his first trip to WDW (actually first time to the USA) with his girlfriend in early November and I'm helping them with all their planning (ADR window coming up!)

When we started they had already booked flights and hotels and now they found out there would be some big change fees to change their flights.

They'll be arriving in Miami in November 3rd, rent a car and drive to Orlando on that day, check into All Star Music from Nov 03 to 10 and change into an Int. Drive hotel for another 5 nights to go to Universal Studios, Sea World and outlet shopping.

As you all know by now, Free Dining is being offered until Nov 01st and then starting again on Nov 09th. So their check-in date is off by 2 days!

I have thought of 2 ways for them to take advantage of FD.

The first would be to reserve the room starting on Nov 01st (but only arriving on Nov 03rd), but I'm not sure if it could lead to problems for not arriving on the reserved date.

The other would be to mix the hotels, staying 1st on the Int. Drive and changing into ASM on Nov 9th, but that would mean that they would visit the other parks before the Disney ones.


Any suggestions?
Anyone know if they could reserve the room and only arrive a couple days later?

Thanks!

 

[O Town Girl]

Your friends won't be able to take advantage of FD at all. WDW will not hold a room for them for 2 days if they do not check in in person on Nov 1. Their room would basically be released and they would not qualify for FD if checking in on Nov 3. If they stay at WDW Nov 9-10, that isn't long enough to qualify for FD either as it must be a minimum 3 night stay with a package.

Nice of you to plan things for them but unfortunately FD won't work out for them this trip.

 

[Love Tink]

They'll be arriving in Miami in November 3rd, rent a car and drive to Orlando on that day, check into All Star Music from Nov 03 to 10 and change into an Int. Drive hotel for another 5 nights to go to Universal Studios, Sea World and outlet shopping.

Your friends won't be able to take advantage of FD at all. WDW will not hold a room for them for 2 days if they do not check in in person on Nov 1. Their room would basically be released and they would not qualify for FD if checking in on Nov 3. If they stay at WDW Nov 9-10, that isn't long enough to qualify for FD either as it must be a minimum 3 night stay with a package.

Nice of you to plan things for them but unfortunately FD won't work out for them this trip.

Not sure what you missed, but the OP's friends are staying in Orlando until November 16.

Op, the previous poster was correct in telling you that WDW will not consider your friend as starting his visit on November 1 if he isn't there to check in that day. So that is not an option.

However, you can do the second option of changing their schedule so they stay offsite until November 9, and check in that day. Personally, for free dining it would be worth it to me to switch up my schedule.

 

[Shagley]

So, if I understand correctly, their original plan was to stay at ASMu from Nov 3-10, then an I-drive hotel from Nov 10-15, is that correct?

It won't work for them to reserve a room at ASMu starting on Nov 1st, but not checking in until the 3rd. When they don't show up on the 1st, Disney will consider them a "no show" and cancel their reservation.

The best idea is for them to change the order of their trip and have them stay in the I-drive hotel and do the other parks from Nov 3-9, then check into ASMu for free dining from Nov 9-15th.

 

[GWhitten98]

Yea I would say flip the two parks to take advantage of free dining.

 

[redoschi]

Thanks!

I already thought that making a reservation for Nov 1st wouldn't work, but it doesn't hurt to ask!

I'll tell them to change the hotels so as to take advantage of FD!

 

[O Town Girl]

Not sure what you missed, but the OP's friends are staying in Orlando until November 16.

Oops sorry about that, I don't know how I missed the very important detail of 5 extra days in Orlando. Of course swapping would be a great option for getting FD for the second half of the trip. Good catch thanks.