Can we do this with Magical Express?

[bosuch]

Here's the travel scenario:
Me, my wife and 2 sons will be driving (with a trailer) to FW, arriving on a Saturday. My oldest son (11) will be flying with his grandmother in on Sunday. He'll be staying with us at FW, she will be staying at a resort TBD. Since his trip (resort & tickets) would be booked with ours instead of hers, can he still travel with her on ME? We'd be meeting them at her resort, so it's only a single destination... Thanks!

Bill

 

[klynn]

Here's the travel scenario:
Me, my wife and 2 sons will be driving (with a trailer) to FW, arriving on a Saturday. My oldest son (11) will be flying with his grandmother in on Sunday. He'll be staying with us at FW, she will be staying at a resort TBD. Since his trip (resort & tickets) would be booked with ours instead of hers, can he still travel with her on ME? We'd be meeting them at her resort, so it's only a single destination... Thanks!

Bill

If his grandmother puts your son on her reservation, he will be able to ride with her to her resort on the DME.

 

[bosuch]

If his grandmother puts your son on her reservation, he will be able to ride with her to her resort on the DME.

That won't work, since she's leaving several days before we are, and he's returning with us... He'd be without tickets and dining plan for a few days...

 

[klynn]

That won't work, since she's leaving several days before we are, and he's returning with us... He'd be without tickets and dining plan for a few days...

Put him on his grandmother's reservation so he can ride the DME upon arrival at the airport. Also put him on your reservation and only have him ride the DME upon your return to the airport. It's really not a problem at all. He will not be without tickets and and the dining plan as he will be on your reservation.

However, if the grandmother is doing the dining plan, it will not work to put your son on her reservation.

 

[goofy4tink]

Unless he is listed under his grandmother's reservation, he will be going to FtW. You get on the bus that goes to the resort you are staying at...period. Now, here's the issue.....I'm not sure they (DME) will allow an 11 y/o to be on DME without an adult. We have heard reports here that have told us this.
You may have to go to MCO and pick them up.

 

[tjmw2727]

That won't work, since she's leaving several days before we are, and he's returning with us... He'd be without tickets and dining plan for a few days...

If the grandmother has a room only reservation then just add him anyway, won't affect his reservation with you at all.

However, if the grandmother has a reservation with dining and park tickets he would have to have the same as she does so that won't work. In that case you will have to find another way to the resort for them.

 

[hbg4]

I had a similar issue with my child last year. WDW will not allow a child to travel without an adult on magical express.
Keep your son on your reservation, but you will need to let WDW magical express know that he is coming in on a later date than you, but he will be returning to the airport with your family.
Let them know that he will be accompanied by his grandmother.
When your son and mum get to the airport she will have to check in at the magical express desk, all she should need to do is just let them know that she and her grandson will be going to her resort. I think since he is not travelling with a parent or legal guardian, you will have to provide a notarised statement giving permission for her to be travelling with your child though, incase of any emergency situations.
But the best advise would be from WDW them self.
Good luck

 

[seashoreCM]

This is my suggestion if your mother has a dining plan.
Book DS on Magical Express for his arrivel which is a day later on his (your) reservation.
Give your mother a copy of your reservation papers.

(Quietly giving the CM's a chance to do the right thing even though it may be a goof.)
Be standing by at your resort when their plane comes in. Granny takes DGS to Magical Express and checks herself in to her reservation while she says "party of two" with one hand on DGS' head. They might jump to a conclusion and check him into DME using her (one person, herself) room reservation also. If they catch a discrepancy then Granny should check him into your reservation.

They both head for the bus for her resort. Granny is not obliged to take the first bus. So if any complications arise with her taking him to Disney's TBD+ Resort then she can take her time, retrieve the carry-ons, and propose that they both go to FW*. Or she can try to put him on the FW bus (you're waiting at the other end) and then go to her own bus.

If the CM's catch everything to play by the exact rules and things start to get difficult, then you, your mother, an FW resort CM and the DME welcoming CM's can certainly work something out by cell phone.

* Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort
+ Peruse the top post of this thread

 

[goofy4tink]

This is my suggestion if your mother has a dining plan.
Book DS on Magical Express for his arrivel which is a day later on his (your) reservation.
Give your mother a copy of your reservation papers.

(Quietly giving the CM's a chance to do the right thing even though it may be a goof.)
Be standing by at your resort when their plane comes in. Granny takes DGS to Magical Express and checks herself in to her reservation while she says "party of two" with one hand on DGS' head. They might jump to a conclusion and check him into DME using her (one person, herself) room reservation also. If they catch a discrepancy then Granny should check him into your reservation.

They both head for the bus for her resort. Granny is not obliged to take the first bus. So if any complications arise with her taking him to Disney's TBD+ Resort then she can take her time, retrieve the carry-ons, and propose that they both go to FW*. Or she can try to put him on the FW bus (you're waiting at the other end) and then go to her own bus.

If the CM's catch everything to play by the exact rules and things start to get difficult, then you, your mother, an FW resort CM and the DME welcoming CM's can certainly work something out by cell phone.

* Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort
+ Peruse the top post of this thread

"Hoping' that things go their way isn't a great way to start a vacation..not for anyone involved. It's not 'doing the right thing' to bend the rules for someone. Disney has stated that they don't allow children to travel alone on DME. So, either get it approved before you get there or plan to make alternative plans. It just isn't fair to hope that things will work out as you want them to.

So.....if the OP wants to be 100% sure that things go their way, then they should be prepared to 1. drive back to MCO and pick up grandma and ds or 2. pay for a car service to bring them to grandma's resort.

Otherwise, there is no telling what will happen.

 

[gigi1313]

can you add g'ma to your reservation? and get her room only elsewhere if she desires?
she could use her dining credits while she is there and give you her leftovers (HDDR anyone?) and you could all order the lowest denominator tickets and upgrade the family that needs add'l days...

as far as having one's name on two reservations... it's not "disney illegal" and we have done it multiple times... we are space hogs and like two rooms even though we "fit" in one room... so we will use the FD for one room and a room only discount for the 2nd... having all of our names on both... so it's not a big deal...

 

[seashoreCM]

It's not 'doing the right thing' to bend the rules for someone.

(Disney's) doing the right thing consists of achieving a valid end result, here, getting the kid from MCO to WDW free since he is staying at a Disney's resort upon arrival. This is where handling things on a case by case basis has merit compared with just following rules.

I agree that it is not doing the right thing to bend the rules to achieve a result (pool hopping, refillable mugs, hopping on a base ticket) for a particular guest but not intended for all to enjoy.

can you add g'ma to your reservation?

Do campsites at FW have extra person charges?

 

[smitch425]

Here's the travel scenario:
Me, my wife and 2 sons will be driving (with a trailer) to FW, arriving on a Saturday. My oldest son (11) will be flying with his grandmother in on Sunday. He'll be staying with us at FW, she will be staying at a resort TBD. Since his trip (resort & tickets) would be booked with ours instead of hers, can he still travel with her on ME? We'd be meeting them at her resort, so it's only a single destination... Thanks!

Bill

I would imagine that this scenario is not that rare. If the grandmother is getting the dining plan and tickets with her package you could put him on her reservation and just upgrade your son's ticket by however many additional park days he would need. Then just pay out of pocket for the remaining meals. I'm not sure you should even be allowed to really have him on your reservation if he's not there when you check in because you would be getting a bunch of extra dining credits for someone who sort of doesn't exist in a way. Does that make sense??? It does in my head, but trying to explain it is a little hard. LOL! Of course, that leaves the issue of him not having a REAL reservation when it comes to EMH and such. What a mess! Sorry that this is your only option. Is there a good reason that your son just can't go with you in the first place??? Seems like that would be better for you than trying to get all of this worked out. I would be on the phone with ME and reservations as soon as possible to get this worked out. I wish you the best of luck!

 

[seashoreCM]

I'm not sure you should even be allowed to really have him on your reservation if he's not there when you check in because you would be getting a bunch of extra dining credits for someone who sort of doesn't exist in a way.

Having a few extra dining credits floating around should be a non-problem so long as the guests don't ask for a refund. It is very common for a family member to arrive late or leave early, and also DME takes separate reservations for this.

Another choice for the OP: In advance, call to reserve DME explaining that grandma is going to resort A and young grandson with her is staying at resort B. Let the reservationist make the reservations and you write down what to do. There is still the chance that when they get there the welcoming area CM doesn't have the details on hand i.e. the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.