Checking in ONE day before a promo starts; what are my options?

[MellyBeans]

Hi Disney experts. My party of six adults is traveling to Disney January 4th-11th. We already booked our airfare so we are pretty locked into our dates. There is a pin code out for stay, play, dine for check in dates beginning Jan 5th, ONE measly day after we check in. Our party of six adults could really benefit financially by getting the dining plan and park tickets for children's prices. Are we out of luck for getting this package, or would Disney still give us those rates for our dates? I know we could always book a room only for the 4th, but would that mean we couldn't access our park tickets until the 5th? We are arriving VERY early on the 4th, and I definitely have park touring plans for us that day. HELP! What will be my options here?

 

[smitch425]

Hi Disney experts. My party of six adults is traveling to Disney January 4th-11th. We already booked our airfare so we are pretty locked into our dates. There is a pin code out for stay, play, dine for check in dates beginning Jan 5th, ONE measly day after we check in. Our party of six adults could really benefit financially by getting the dining plan and park tickets for children's prices. Are we out of luck for getting this package, or would Disney still give us those rates for our dates? I know we could always book a room only for the 4th, but would that mean we couldn't access our park tickets until the 5th? We are arriving VERY early on the 4th, and I definitely have park touring plans for us that day. HELP! What will be my options here?

Did you receive the PIN code? You must receive the PIN in order to use the deal. As it stands now, package tickets are able to be picked up no sooner than 3 days prior to the start of a package. There is no way to know if this will still be the case in Jan, but as of now, it is still a valid procedure. Your only option is to do the room only the first night, and start a package the next day, but again, you have to have the PIN in order to get the deal. You can get the full amount of tickets days with the package and pick them up on the first day of your trip at guest relations at any park. Good luck!

 

[MellyBeans]

Thanks. No, I did not receive a pin (yet). I'm just hoping like crazy this pin is just a precursor to a similar public offer.

So, based on what you are saying, we could do a room only the night we check in, then transfer to our s,p,d package the next day, but still pick up our park tickets the day we check in? This isn't so bad! The way I see it, everything works out the same except we'd be out one day of the day of the dining plan, which isn't ideal, but at least we wouldn't miss out of the promo entirely.

 

[purple figment]

So, based on what you are saying, we could do a room only the night we check in, then transfer to our s,p,d package the next day, but still pick up our park tickets the day we check in? This isn't so bad! The way I see it, everything works out the same except we'd be out one day of the day of the dining plan, which isn't ideal, but at least we wouldn't miss out of the promo entirely.

You would have to make 2 separate reservations. You need a 1 night room only reservation for the first night. Paying for your food on the first day may not be "ideal," but it would be much cheaper than adding a paid dining plan for one night! The second reservation would be for the s/p/d package and as smitch425 said, as of now you can pick up your park tickets up to 3 days early. An explanation of the procedure is on the Ticket Sticky at the top of the "Touring Parks and Strategies" forum - see post #15-I.

 

[MellyBeans]

Hi everyone! I'm at the point where I am finally booking our package. I'm booking s,p,d Jan 5-11, and a room only for Jan 4th. Except, the CM's are telling me I CAN'T get my tickets in advance, and couldn't get them until the first day of my package (the 5th). I asked them if this was new (I talked to 2 different CM's) and they said it has ALWAYS been like this... For years! Does this mean in order to get into parks on Jan 4th I'd need to buy a one day MMY ticket for all 5 of us (over 500 extra dollars????) If so, that is ridiculous. I was really planning on just getting an 8 day MMY ticket and picking up just the tickets one day early, as was previously advised here. Help!

 

[JessicaW1234]

I did this one trip with the separate room only for first night and package starting next day. We went to guest relations at DTD the first nite and picked up our tix early with no problem.

Even then, I had read multiple reports of cast members telling them this could not be done. Like the previous poster said, unless they changed the policy for 2014, it is still done.

 

[smitch425]

Hi everyone! I'm at the point where I am finally booking our package. I'm booking s,p,d Jan 5-11, and a room only for Jan 4th. Except, the CM's are telling me I CAN'T get my tickets in advance, and couldn't get them until the first day of my package (the 5th). I asked them if this was new (I talked to 2 different CM's) and they said it has ALWAYS been like this... For years! Does this mean in order to get into parks on Jan 4th I'd need to buy a one day MMY ticket for all 5 of us (over 500 extra dollars????) If so, that is ridiculous. I was really planning on just getting an 8 day MMY ticket and picking up just the tickets one day early, as was previously advised here. Help!

Read the ticket sticky at the top of the Theme Parks and Strategies forum. Section I in post 15 will tell you all you need to know.

 

[MellyBeans]

Thank you so much!! That really eases my mind. My touring plans definitely involve being in a park on Jan 4th, but that so wouldn't be worth $500!! At this point, our dates can't change either and I do not want to change my plans or have to choose between the Osbourne Lights and Splash Mountain, both of which close on the sixth!

Any word if this policy will stay the same with the magic bands into 2014?

 

[tyniknate]

Thank you so much!! That really eases my mind. My touring plans definitely involve being in a park on Jan 4th, but that so wouldn't be worth $500!! At this point, our dates can't change either and I do not want to change my plans or have to choose between the Osbourne Lights and Splash Mountain, both of which close on the sixth!

Any word if this policy will stay the same with the magic bands into 2014?

We have picked up tickets early on our past to vacations, for the exact reason why you are needing to do so. We just followed the instructions posted and t was very simple, very easy