Booking advice for 2018

[Tiffanie]

We are a family of 5 planning a February 2018 trip - I am unsure of the best way to book our trip when the 2018 booking opens next week. My son who is in college is going to join us, but not for the entire trip due to his class schedule (which we won't know until November) - should I book him as staying with us the entire time to make dinner reservations and fast passes, then change his dates as we know them for sure later this year? Is there a deadline for me to make these changes related to him? Or should I book as though he isn't coming at all and add him once we know his schedule more? I am also torn between booking a room only for now and hoping for SPD discounts later on, or just book a package now so we can do our dining and fast passes, then try to apply the discounts later - advice on this also? Thanks so much!

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Your son doesn't have to be on the reservation to make dining reservations or fast pass reservations. You can make dining reservations for as many people as you would like (pending availability) and, as long as he is linked to your MDE account and has valid theme park admission (which I would advise you to buy separately for him and not part of a package as it sounds like he will need less days than everyone else), you can make his FP+ at 60 days as long as you have a resort reservation.

If you book a package, I would not add your son until check-in. Otherwise he will have to have the same package components (length of stay dining and tickets connected to package) that everyone else that is staying longer has. If you book a room-only, to keep things a little easier (DME to name one), I would put him on the reservation now as long as he doesn't count as an extra adult and add the extra adult charge for your entire stay. Will there be more than 2 guests over 18 in your group? If so, again, I would add him once you check-in so you only have to pay the extra adult fee for the nights he is there. If you let us know the ages of the people in your group, it will be a little easier to advise you on best booking scenarios.

 

[Tiffanie]

Ages are 9, 15, and 19, along with myself and my husband - we are looking at Port Orleans Riverside as a resort.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Ages are 9, 15, and 19, along with myself and my husband - we are looking at Port Orleans Riverside as a resort.

OK, POR makes this a little tricky. The only way to guarantee you get a room for 5 people is to either put everyone on the reservation from the start (to guarantee you are in the Alligator Bayou section with the extra bed) OR book a preferred room (which are only in Alligator Bayou with the extra bed). If you book a standard or garden category for 4, show up and say you now have 5, they may not have a room to accommodate your new guest number.

It sounds like, it will be cheaper to keep your 19 year old off the reservation until he arrives to avoid extra room charges and package component charges (if you want them). Would you purchase the dining plan regardless of a discount? If so, I would book a Preferred room package, with tickets and dining for 4 people and plan to buy your 19 year old's tickets separately and add him when you get to the resort. If you aren't interested in the dining plan, I would probably just book Preferred room, room-only for 4 right now and go from there. No matter what you do, if you don't add your 19-year old initially to the POR reservation, you really need to book the Preferred room to guarantee he will fit in the room when he arrives.

 

[Tiffanie]

Great advice, thanks for the detailed help!