CM Main Gate Passes- still "day of" FP+ ?

[mamattorney]

Can Cast Member Main Gate Passes be linked to MDE or are they still "day of" for purposes of Fast Pass + bookings? These are the thick plastic/almost credit card like passes (I think they are called Main Gate passes)

Also, when would the blackout dates for June traditionally be released - last email I got from my CM friend (in December I think) said blackout dates had only been released through March.

Last year we went to Epcot and MK, but were only able to use the passes for Epcot because MK was blacked out for practically the entire month of June, I'm wondering if it will be the same this year.

 

[jesse8931]

Can Cast Member Main Gate Passes be linked to MDE or are they still "day of" for purposes of Fast Pass + bookings? These are the thick plastic/almost credit card like passes (I think they are called Main Gate passes)

Also, when would the blackout dates for June traditionally be released - last email I got from my CM friend (in December I think) said blackout dates had only been released through March.

Last year we went to Epcot and MK, but were only able to use the passes for Epcot because MK was blacked out for practically the entire month of June, I'm wondering if it will be the same this year.

It's now 7 days out and they have a magic band instead of a hard ticket.

 

[tinkerbelletreasure]

My husband just got his main gate pass. We were able to link ours to MDE. If we understand it right, we'll be able to book our FP + at 30 days because we are staying offsite. Magic bands are optional, and additional cost. They also can't be used with guest passes. We called and clarified that one. So my DH and I can her magic bands because we each have a main gate pass, but our children will not be able to.

 

[mamattorney]

It's now 7 days out and they have a magic band instead of a hard ticket.

Oh boy, so if we can use three passes, those three people get to use magic bands?

We have five in our family and try to use the passes for myself, my husband and our 12 year old. We also have two other kids who are still "kids" to Disney that we buy tickets for from undercover tourist because of the child/adult cost difference.

After the turnstile, it won't matter if we give the three kids the magic bands for the day and just kept the RFID tickets for mom and dad would it?

 

[mamattorney]

My husband just got his main gate pass. We were able to link ours to MDE. If we understand it right, we'll be able to book our FP + at 30 days because we are staying offsite. Magic bands are optional, and additional cost. They also can't be used with guest passes. We called and clarified that one. So my DH and I can her magic bands because we each have a main gate pass, but our children will not be able to.

We're just friends and family - so we have guest passes, I think.

They are the ones with blackout dates, that I know for sure.

 

[jesse8931]

From my understanding I've still got 9 days before I do this but the cm will add you in there mde and at 7 days they can pick the fast passes. Now as far as getting in I think you still need there guest hard passes.

 

[Itinkso]

All 3 guests of the CM must use the plastic Guest Passes. Only the CM's MagicBand can be linked to their Main Gate-Guest Passes combo in MDE.

The CM schedules the FPs using her/his MDE and the FPs automatically link to each Guest Pass. I believe if the CM links or adds guests with Valid Tickets or links his/her MDE to another MDE with guests with Valid Ticket media (not Guest Passes), then they can book FPs 30 days in advance. If not, it's only 7 days in advance of a park visit for FPs.

 

[mamattorney]

Thanks for all the replies! We'll be there June 20th (a Saturday, so even more likely to be a blackout date), so this is all good information.

The "day of" FP+ wasn't that bad last year, but I have to imagine 7 days out and "day of" are virtually the same thing. If we could get 30 days out, that might make a difference, and like I said, we have to buy at least two tickets anyway, so that may help.

I remember last year, we waited until we got to the park to buy our MK tickets to see if Disney would lift the blackout and even though we had the two kids' tickets more than 30 days in advance, we still couldn't book FP+ because they were age 8 and 4 and weren't old enough to ride together without an adult so it kept rejecting our selections and telling us we had to book an adult ticket within the same FP+ window.

 

[Berlioz70]

Block Outs are posted 3 months out, so dates are only posted through April at this time. I would assume that your weekend date will be blocked, especially because all Saturdays are blocked Feb-April at MK.

 

[mamattorney]

Block Outs are posted 3 months out, so dates are only posted through April at this time. I would assume that your weekend date will be blocked, especially because all Saturdays are blocked Feb-April at MK.

Ahh . . . bummer. Good for FP+ reservations, bad for my wallet! And good luck getting the kids to want to switch to a different park. Can't do it any other day though - two days at Universal/IOA before and we're driving to Ft. Lauderdale to embark on a cruise on Sunday.

 

[MickeyMinnie1971]

.

 

[kati708]

Another question related to this. We will be using guest passes of a cast member in March at Magic Kingdom. Can you set up Fast Passes with the guest passes ahead of time or will we have the option to do that at the park once we arrive even if the cast member is not with us?

 

[Itinkso]

Another question related to this. We will be using guest passes of a cast member in March at Magic Kingdom. Can you set up Fast Passes with the guest passes ahead of time or will we have the option to do that at the park once we arrive even if the cast member is not with us?

The CM can schedule the FPs 7 days in advance from her/his MDE account for the Main Gate and the 3 Guest Passes. You can use the Guest Passes at the kiosk to choose "day of" FPs if they aren't scheduled in advance.

 

[jayohjayoh]

Another question related to this. We will be using guest passes of a cast member in March at Magic Kingdom. Can you set up Fast Passes with the guest passes ahead of time or will we have the option to do that at the park once we arrive even if the cast member is not with us?

If you're using the actual guest passes, and not comp tickets, the CM who is doing this needs to be careful. Disney is starting to crack down on Maingate usage. Anytime a CM uses their Maingate passes to get guests in they are supposed to accompany them the whole time. Comp tickets, however, can be used without the CM being present.

So if the CM if going to get you in with the maingate passes and then leave, I would be very leery about letting you guys make FP+ selections at the kiosk day of. If they ask for the CM, and they aren't with you, it could be cause the CM to get in a lot of trouble. As always, some CM working at the kiosks will probably be lenient whereas others may not be.

The CM can set up fastpasses for the guest passes 7 days in advance though.

 

[kati708]

Thanks for the quick responses!!!

 

[shpooey]

Anyone have any experience setting up FP+ for guest passes? I'll be travelling with a CM friend who works for a Disney sub, so she gets the main gate and guest passes, but since she doesn't know much about the planning, I'm doing it on her behalf. When I'm logged into her MDE account, I can see the main gate and guest passes, but when I go to make FP+ selections (within 7 days), I get the following message:

Guests will be removed from FastPass+ party
Guests listed do not have valid park admission on this date.

Any idea why?

 

[Sargeant Tibbs]

Also, when would the blackout dates for June traditionally be released - last email I got from my CM friend (in December I think) said blackout dates had only been released through March.

Only MK is blocked for June. Dates were released a week or so ago.

 

[delmar411]

Anyone have any experience setting up FP+ for guest passes? I'll be travelling with a CM friend who works for a Disney sub, so she gets the main gate and guest passes, but since she doesn't know much about the planning, I'm doing it on her behalf. When I'm logged into her MDE account, I can see the main gate and guest passes, but when I go to make FP+ selections (within 7 days), I get the following message:

Guests will be removed from FastPass+ party
Guests listed do not have valid park admission on this date.

Any idea why?

Might be a blocked out day

 

[shpooey]

Might be a blocked out day

That's exactly what it is. Thanks so much, that completely did not occur to me. I tried a park that wasn't MK and it worked perfectly.

 

[mamattorney]

Only MK is blocked for June. Dates were released a week or so ago.

Oh rats. That's where we are going. Well, that's that, I guess. Good news is, for the low, low price of $552, I get to book FP+ 30 days out.