Can I make FP + selections before buying theme park tics?

[4inOhio]

Today is supposed to be the day that we are able to make FP + selections (according to the mailer we got from Disney).

I go into the My Disney Experience portion of their website this morning.

I customized our Magic Bands (each person's favorite color).

Then I tried making FP + selections for our first park (Epcot). And I got this message:

We're Sorry!
In order to select FastPass+ experiences, party members must have a valid ticket and be within at least one party member's FastPass+ selection window.

So do I need to buy theme park tickets first before making FP + selections?

My plan was to make the FP + selections now then buy the tickets when we show up (just in case we need to cancel the trip for some reason, I wouldn't have tickets for a theme park 900 miles away).

Thanks!

 

[wilma-bride]

You have to have a valid ticket linked for each member of your party to be able to make FP+ reservations. If you already have an onsite reservation, can't you just add the tickets to your booking, essentially making it a package and thereby eligible for cancellation the same as the room is.

 

[Robo]

Today is supposed to be the day that we are able to make FP + selections (according to the mailer we got from Disney).

I go into the My Disney Experience portion of their website this morning.

I customized our Magic Bands (each person's favorite color).

Then I tried making FP + selections for our first park (Epcot). And I got this message:

We're Sorry!
In order to select FastPass+ experiences, party members must have a valid ticket and be within at least one party member's FastPass+ selection window.

So do I need to buy theme park tickets first before making FP + selections?

My plan was to make the FP + selections now then buy the tickets when we show up (just in case we need to cancel the trip for some reason, I wouldn't have tickets for a theme park 900 miles away).

Thanks!

Gotta have the tickets before reserving FP+.

 

[Hopefully]

Just as it says: You need a Valid Ticket

 

[Robo]

You have to have a valid ticket linked for each member of your party to be able to make FP+ reservations.


If you already have an onsite reservation, can't you just add the tickets to your booking, essentially making it a package and thereby eligible for cancellation the same as the room is.

Wouldn't that mean that the OP would have to cancel the package in the next 15 days (45 days before check-in) in order not to incur the package cancellation fee?

Regardless. Any tickets purchased now (even stand-alone tickets) would remain valid for any future trip if this one was cancelled.

 

[wilma-bride]

Wouldn't that mean that the OP would have to cancel the package in the next 15 days (45 days before check-in) in order not to incur the package cancellation fee?

Regardless. Any tickets purchased now (even stand-alone tickets) would remain valid for any future trip if this one was cancelled.

I guess. Presumably the cancellation window is different for a room-only booking

Either way, OP, the answer remains the same. You need valid tickets to be able to book FP+

 

[EEPETEZ]

Can you use a magic band from a previous trip and link new tickets to make fastpass+ reservations even if you are staying off-site? Or do you have to have another on-site stay. I know it works for AP's but would it work for regular tickets as we'll. just trying to decide on or off site for our next visit.

 

[letsgoreds]

NOT A PROBLEM : )

1. DO NOT BOOK A 'PACKAGE', or 45 day policy is in effect
2. Just call 407-number and buy tickets. You will need to pay for the tickets in full when you call, but they are fully refundable if unused.
3. Get them to attach the tickets to your account while you are on the phone so you can start making your FP+ reservations

PLEASE make sure that when you are talking to the CM (will need to call), you confirm the cancellation policy with the tickets, but when I called last September, both options (make it a package or add on tickets) were available. Both were refundable, but with different timelines. We were having trouble linking tickets purchased at a Disney store, so I was exploring other options. IT was able to link our vouchers for us, so I didn't need to buy additional tickets.

 

[Robo]

2. Just call 407-number and buy tickets. You will need to pay for the tickets in full when you call, but they are fully refundable if unused.

I don't think that is the case.
As far as I know, stand-alone tickets purchased from Disney are non-refundable.

Tickets purchased from www.undercovertourist.com are refundable, with a 5% restocking fee.
Those tickets can be linked to MDE and advance FP+ reservations made.

 

[4inOhio]

OP here again. Thanks for the info, everyone.

We will try to do as "letsgoreds" says. Just buy tickets outside of a package, link them to our reservation, & then make FP + holds.

The other thought we had was to skip the FP + holds altogether. Buy tickets when we show up (just in case for whatever reason the trip gets cancelled). Then try to get normal FP when we get to each park. But we weren't sure if having Magic Bands (even with zero FP + holds) precluded us from any normal FP holds when arriving in each park.

letsgoreds - We also live in Cincy. Detroit native. But GABP & the Reds are hard not to like. Hoping for a good season this year. Also hoping BP is back.

 

[Robo]

OP here again. Thanks for the info, everyone.

We will try to do as "letsgoreds" says. Just buy tickets outside of a package, link them to our reservation, & then make FP + holds.

The other thought we had was to skip the FP + holds altogether. Buy tickets when we show up (just in case for whatever reason the trip gets cancelled). Then try to get normal FP when we get to each park. But we weren't sure if having Magic Bands (even with zero FP + holds) precluded us from any normal FP holds when arriving in each park.

Please read my post #9 above.

BTW, (as of the end of this week) there are no "normal FP" available at any park.

 

[OnlyDisney]

You have to have a valid ticket linked for each member of your party to be able to make FP+ reservations. If you already have an onsite reservation, can't you just add the tickets to your booking, essentially making it a package and thereby eligible for cancellation the same as the room is.

We made room-only reservations. Later on I called to add tickets to make my FP+ reservations. Even though I added tickets it was still considered a room-only reservation (said room-only on all Disney paperwork.)

 

[JanaDee]

OP here again. Thanks for the info, everyone.

We will try to do as "letsgoreds" says. Just buy tickets outside of a package, link them to our reservation, & then make FP + holds.

The other thought we had was to skip the FP + holds altogether. Buy tickets when we show up (just in case for whatever reason the trip gets cancelled). Then try to get normal FP when we get to each park. But we weren't sure if having Magic Bands (even with zero FP + holds) precluded us from any normal FP holds when arriving in each park.

letsgoreds - We also live in Cincy. Detroit native. But GABP & the Reds are hard not to like. Hoping for a good season this year. Also hoping BP is back.

As of tomorrow, paper fastpasses are a thing of the past. They will not be available.

If you choose to wait until you arrive to buy tickets, you will either be spending a lot of time on your smartphone trying to figure out FP+ reservations or waiting for what's left day-of at a park kiosk.

 

[4inOhio]

OP here again with a final update in case this helps others -

So we had our Fort Wilderness reservation made already.

I called Disney & bought park tickets. I specified that I wanted these to be standalone park tickets & not added to my room as a package. They gave me a confirmation number. I linked that confirmation number inside MyDisneyExperience. I was then able to make FP + selections.

Now, several days later, my Fort Wilderness reservation still says "room only". And I have my park tickets linked & FP + selections made.

According to the agent... I can still cancel my Fort Wilderness reservation up to 5 days prior to arrival (which makes sense since it's room only). I cannot get a refund for my tickets but can use those at any date in the future if the trip needs to be cancelled for some reason.

 

[wilma-bride]

Glad it worked out for you OP. Just a note that, no matter where you purchased those tickets, that would have been the case. So, in future, it is worth knowing that you can buy them at a slightly discounted rate from places like Undercover Tourist or Mapleleaf.