CM Tickets - Any guesses???

[CT Disney]

My DH is a CM up here in Connecticut. We travel down to Disney just about every year. We always enter the parks using his main gate pass.

As it stands now, those entering with a CM ticket are still unable to link their tickets in MDX, and are therefore unable to pre-book FP+.

We have reservations to visit this year in early August. Booked them a long while ago and also booked airfare....so there's no turning back now!

So...was wondering if anyone 'in the know' has heard any rumblings about when CMs may be able to link their tickets in MDX. Being up in Connecticut, my DH doesn't always hear the latest 'gossip' about when things are happening...

As a HUGE Disney fan, I sooo look forward to our trips every year. But, this year I'm feeling a little nervous...I would be very sad to be the only on-site guests who can't pre-book FP+.

Anyone want to venture a guess for me?

 

[Itinkso]

My DH is a CM up here in Connecticut. We travel down to Disney just about every year. We always enter the parks using his main gate pass.

As it stands now, those entering with a CM ticket are still unable to link their tickets in MDX, and are therefore unable to pre-book FP+.

We have reservations to visit this year in early August. Booked them a long while ago and also booked airfare....so there's no turning back now!

So...was wondering if anyone 'in the know' has heard any rumblings about when CMs may be able to link their tickets in MDX. Being up in Connecticut, my DH doesn't always hear the latest 'gossip' about when things are happening...

As a HUGE Disney fan, I sooo look forward to our trips every year. But, this year I'm feeling a little nervous...I would be very sad to be the only on-site guests who can't pre-book FP+.

Anyone want to venture a guess for me?

"Before the end of the year" is what is understood by onsite CMs. The roll-out to DVC, APs, and off-site guests has to be completed before the CMs get their opportunity.

There have been Connecticut area CMs (ESPN?) on the boards who have reported linking their ticket media and booking Fp+ prior to their trip, but, they never report back as to if it was successful once in the parks.

You could always experiment to see what links and if Fp+ is available 60 days before your trip. At best, you'll have pre-scheduled Fp+ and at worst, you'll have day of Fp+ as an onsite guest. I was onsite last month and booking "day of" Fp+ wasn't horrible. The only thing we tried for and that had a 13 hour later Fp+ return time was ETWB... so we just did it later in our trip with a 30 minute wait.

Hope everything works out Fp+-wise!

 

[SyracuseWolvrine]

I would not recommend linking (or trying to link) a main entrance pass until the official announcement comes that it can be done. I know people who have, and have then had issues getting into the parks, and had to go to the cast admissions office and replace their main entrance pass.

 

[CT Disney]

Thank you both for your input!

But..."before the end of the year"....that's definitely not what I wanted to hear. We are big fans of park hopping and are pretty concerned that fast passes will be gone at our afternoon park by the time we get there after lunch. Oh well...

I think that we are too nervous to try to link any of my DH's tickets in MDX until we get the official word from Disney. We definitely don't want to mess up his main gate pass before we get there.

I really do wish Disney had some sort of 'work-around' for CMs staying on-property...especially those of us coming from out of state. Maybe a few special paper CM-fast-passes or something like that?? I definitely am not looking forward to being at a disadvantage compared to other on-site guests.

Hopefully summer lines at those kiosks won't be too long!

 

[pogopossum]

we are going about a month ahead of you and will be cm guests of my father-in-law, so i can post an update after that

 

[CT Disney]

we are going about a month ahead of you and will be cm guests of my father-in-law, so i can post an update after that

Thank you!!

 

[uicbear]

I'll be going next month to visit my niece in the college program. I'm so happy to not have to worry about park tickets that even though I would love to be able to pick out a few fastpasses ahead of time, I am trying not to think about it too much. We're just planning on getting to the parks early, seeing what we can get, and going with the flow.

Good luck to you! Hopefully by your trip they'll have it worked out for you!

 

[ejcraft]

I'll be going next month to visit my niece in the college program. I'm so happy to not have to worry about park tickets that even though I would love to be able to pick out a few fastpasses ahead of time, I am trying not to think about it too much. We're just planning on getting to the parks early, seeing what we can get, and going with the flow.

Good luck to you! Hopefully by your trip they'll have it worked out for you!

you do realize, that you can only go in early if your Niece isn't working that day, otherwsie you will have to wait for her to get off work, unless of course she has evening hours then your set, when we did this with my daughter, took some planning as she didn't have every day off while we ere there and worked 8am-4pm

 

[Sleepy425]

you do realize, that you can only go in early if your Niece isn't working that day, otherwsie you will have to wait for her to get off work, unless of course she has evening hours then your set, when we did this with my daughter, took some planning as she didn't have every day off while we ere there and worked 8am-4pm

Have they gotten more generous with CP tickets? When I did it in 2004 I got a couple of one day passes to give to family (I did not have to be there when they went in) and that is it. I hope so, and I hope they continue to get more generous - I have 14 more years before I'm making my son do the college program!

 

[dvc at last !]

subbing...I need to know this also...

 

[Itinkso]

Have they gotten more generous with CP tickets? When I did it in 2004 I got a couple of one day passes to give to family (I did not have to be there when they went in) and that is it. I hope so, and I hope they continue to get more generous - I have 14 more years before I'm making my son do the college program!

CPs receive three Guest Passes and can bring guests in for a total of 6 days. The Guests have to be with the CM to enter a park and can only park hop without the CM with them if they are immediate family members, otherwise, they have to stay in the one park for that day.

 

[olszie]

The other thing you have to check will be the blackout dates for CM Main Gate tickets. Disney has only released the blackout dates through June 30 but there are a lot more than in previous years. Here is what has been released so far for the Magic Kingdom.

March 2014: Saturday, March 1; Sunday, March 2; Saturday, March 8 thru Sunday, March 16; Saturday, March 22; Sunday, March 23; Saturday, March 29; Sunday, March 30

April 2014: Friday, April 4 and Saturday, April 5; Thursday, April 10 thru Saturday, April 19

May 2014: Thursday, May 1 thru Sunday May 4; Satruday, May 10; Thursday, May 22; Saturday, May 17; Friday, May 23 thru Saturday, May 31

June 2014: Sunday, June 1 thru Monday, June 30

 

[pogopossum]

How soon will blackout dates beyond June will be released? Are any other parks affected by blackout dates?

 

[olszie]

In the past Disney releases blackout dates 3 months in advance. I have seen Disney lift the blackout dates but they have also blacked out CM Main Gate tickets the same day. We went for my DD's birthday 2 years ago and showed up at MK only to find out they blackout out the tickets that morning due to large crowds. It was not a peak time or holiday weekend either.

Magic Kingdom
March 2014: Saturday, March 1; Sunday, March 2; Saturday, March 8 thru Sunday, March 16; Saturday, March 22; Sunday, March 23; Saturday, March 29; Sunday, March 30
April 2014: Friday, April 4 and Saturday, April 5; Thursday, April 10 thru Saturday, April 19
May 2014: Thursday, May 1 thru Sunday May 4; Saturday, May 10; Saturday, May 17; Thursday, May 22 thru Saturday, May 31
June 2014: Sunday, June 1 thru Monday, June 30

Epcot none

Hollywood Studios
March 2014: Saturday, March 8; Sunday, March 9
April 2014: Sunday, April 13 thru Saturday, April 19; Monday, April 21 thru Thursday, April 24
May 2014: Friday, May 23 thru Monday, May 26
June 2014: none


Animal Kingdom
March 2014: none
April 2014: Sunday, April 13 thru Saturday, April 19
May 2014: Saturday, May 24 thru Tuesday, May 27
June 2014: Tuesday, June 3; Tuesday, June 10; Tuesday, June 17; Tuesday, June 24

You can also call 407-566-5675 for an up to date listing.

 

[RabFlmom]

"Before the end of the year" is what is understood by onsite CMs. The roll-out to DVC, APs, and off-site guests has to be completed before the CMs get their opportunity.

There have been Connecticut area CMs (ESPN?) on the boards who have reported linking their ticket media and booking Fp+ prior to their trip, but, they never report back as to if it was successful once in the parks.

You could always experiment to see what links and if Fp+ is available 60 days before your trip. At best, you'll have pre-scheduled Fp+ and at worst, you'll have day of Fp+ as an onsite guest. I was onsite last month and booking "day of" Fp+ wasn't horrible. The only thing we tried for and that had a 13 hour later Fp+ return time was ETWB... so we just did it later in our trip with a 30 minute wait.

Hope everything works out Fp+-wise!

I am wondering how you can link a ticket you don't have yet anyway. Using the main gate pass, you don't get a ticket till you get there or has this changed since I haven't gone in on a main gate pass since last summer?

 

[Itinkso]

I am wondering how you can link a ticket you don't have yet anyway. Using the main gate pass, you don't get a ticket till you get there or has this changed since I haven't gone in on a main gate pass since last summer?

It's changed to hard, plastic RFID cards. The CM has a Main Gate and 3 Guest Passes in their possession.

 

[RabFlmom]

CPs receive three Guest Passes and can bring guests in for a total of 6 days. The Guests have to be with the CM to enter a park and can only park hop without the CM with them if they are immediate family members, otherwise, they have to stay in the one park for that day.

And the CM or CP are responsible for you even if they aren't with you, so if you act up and get in trouble in the park the CM gets in trouble, too-even if they are not with you.

 

[CT Disney]

I am wondering how you can link a ticket you don't have yet anyway. Using the main gate pass, you don't get a ticket till you get there or has this changed since I haven't gone in on a main gate pass since last summer?

It's changed to hard, plastic RFID cards. The CM has a Main Gate and 3 Guest Passes in their possession.

Yes, I believe the process has changed for using the main gate pass. It used to be that you could just show your main gate pass at the entrance turnstile and the CM would be permitted to enter with 3 guests. Each of the guests used to receive a paper ticket good for the day (the kind with the character pictures on them). You could use these tickets for fast passes.

Now, as I understand it, the CM needs to get a set of RF-enabled guest passes before entering at the turnstile. I believe you can get them prior to your trip or right at Guest Relations.

I am assuming that one day we will be able to link these re-usable guest passes in MDX to pre-book FP+.

I am really looking forward to that day. It will be nice to book FP+ for our afternoon park and be able to rope drop another park in the morning.

 

[uicbear]

you do realize, that you can only go in early if your Niece isn't working that day, otherwsie you will have to wait for her to get off work, unless of course she has evening hours then your set, when we did this with my daughter, took some planning as she didn't have every day off while we ere there and worked 8am-4pm

Yep, we knew she has to be with us...the blackout dates pose a whole different issue though, I'm afraid

 

[11290]

Now, as I understand it, the CM needs to get a set of RF-enabled guest passes before entering at the turnstile. I believe you can get them prior to your trip or right at Guest Relations.

New Main Entrances Passes and reusable Guest Passes were mailed to all CM's last year. The CM has the Guest Passes currently has ( or should have) in their possession and when used, the CM is responsible for getting them back from their guests at the end of the day. If they lose them they have to pay to get new ones reissued. They cannot be issued at Guest Relations on the day of entry. Gr does not handle any MEP ticketing with the exception of exchanging CM Complimentary printed paper tickets that have to be exchanged for RFID media.