Disney to cancel FPs if room is cancelled

[TheMaxRebo]

I am sure that Disney has done it's research and has run analytics on split stays to justify the change. There has probably been more people than we realize booking split stays just to obtain fast passes to just cancel the leading stay. Which, equals a loss of money for Disney. This past summer my DH wanted to stay at the All Star Movies. When we went to book the room about 5 months out they didn't have avalibity. So we booked Pop. However, when I checked again less than 30 days out I saw that Movies had open rooms which I thought was odd. This trip for March we are staying at POR, I was being nosey and checked rooms for our trip less than 30 days out and there were a lot of open rooms. I even saw that the Floridian was offering a room around $300 which is cheap for that hotel. I have always been told, one person can spoil things for everyone. This is just a case and point for it. With that being said, we are about two weeks away from our trip and I am going to check what rooms are now available.

Onbviously we don’t know exactly what Disney is thinking or have access to the data they do - but you are right that’s disney much have some data that shows this is an issue - otherwise they wouldn’t bother making the change

And by “issue” I’d say that 99% of the time means they are losing money and I would think that relates to having empty rooms at only 5 days out that are harder to fill - and they know this gaming of the system will only increase when Galaxy’s Edge opens

I would have thought that another option would be to extend out when you could cancel or maybe make it that once you book FP you can’t get a full refund or something (maybe let people roll their reservation or give them credit to use in the future to help out people with legit reasons why they need to cancel) - but I would think they have data to say that would be a less efficient change / more negative press /etc

 

[Boski]

I’m sorry you’re caught in the middle of this when you had no reason to suspect that your perfectly reasonable on-site vacation would have a simple FP booking process. I hope people posting how “good” this change is will read these stories and see how it is affecting legitimate folks just trying to enjoy their trip.

I always hoped people who posted how good it was to abuse the loopholes would realize that it would someday come back to hurt legitimate folk.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

I was excited last week when I added a night at the beginning of my trip and thought I’d get SDD and 7DMT at least twice in my two week stay but alas with my four different resorts at max four nights each I may get neither at all. Real disappointed in this timing and change. I am not at all trying to scam the system, just wanted to try a few different resorts for my last trip until 2021. First FP+ window opens 3/6 so there is a chance things change or I can get assistance from the AP HelpDesk

Sorry you're getting caught up in this. I do think it's unfair of Disney to make such a big change with no warning and no grandfathering. People who had no reason to believe when they booked their legit continuous split stays that it was going to affect their ability to get headlining FPs have a right to be upset. The parking fee even had a grandfathering clause. I hope you can call and get things booked.

 

[xfiles3010]

Can you clarify what you are confirming?

As of right now, FPs have not been deleted from a deleted leading reservation. It might take a few days, I’ll report back. But I’ve seen no confirmation that the leading reservation loophole has been addressed.

It appears to me that all Disney did was made FP booking more complicated and problematic for people with split stays.

What is a "leading reservation"?

 

[DisBuckMan]

Sorry you're getting caught up in this. I do think it's unfair of Disney to make such a big change with no warning and no grandfathering. People who had no reason to believe when they booked their legit continuous split stays that it was going to affect their ability to get headlining FPs have a right to be upset. The parking fee even had a grandfathering clause. I hope you can call and get things booked.

My guess is that the parking fee was grandfathered because there was money involved. Technically, there is no money involved with this.

Not saying it's right or wrong, just stating the difference.

 

[DisBuckMan]

What is a "leading reservation"?

Basically, a leading reservation is scheduling a split stay...with the intention of cancelling the first part of it after using it to gain a fastpass and/or ADR booking advantage for the second part.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

Basically, a leading reservation is scheduling a split stay...with the intention of cancelling the first part of it after using it to gain a fastpass and/or ADR booking advantage for the second part.

I disagree that leading reservation is just a loophole tool. It’s just the first reservation in a split stay.

 

[chaoskids]

I’ve read that some TAs were using the leading reservation to get their customers better FP. Maybe this was an issue.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

My guess is that the parking fee was grandfathered because there was money involved. Technically, there is no money involved with this.

Not saying it's right or wrong, just stating the difference.

Depends on why they do grandfathering. I assume in most cases it's to avoid/reduce bad press. I'd like to say it's also to be fair and above board with your business dealings but I'm not that big a polyanna. FPs at 60 days do cost money because the Disney resorts are more expensive than off sites but agree that Disney may not see it that way. This will, however, cause them bad press.

 

[gwynne]

I disagree that leading reservation is just a loophole tool. It’s just the first reservation in a split stay.

JMO--Maybe. But most folks who regularly book (and keep....) split stays don't use the term "leading reservation."

 

[Gentry2004]

I’ve read that some TAs were using the leading reservation to get their customers better FP. Maybe this was an issue.

That’s dedication! The two times I tried a TA, I couldn’t even get them to return phone calls/emails once they had my deposit!

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

JMO--Maybe. But most folks who regularly book (and keep....) split stays don't use the term "leading reservation."

And this, right here, is why the split stays are being treated as separate windows. It would be incredibly hard for someone to write code to differentiate between the two. How would the system legitimately distinguish one persons BS leading reservation with someone else's split stay?

 

[Cinderumbrella]

JMO--Maybe. But most folks who regularly book (and keep....) split stays don't use the term "leading reservation."

I’ve only ever heard the term here on the forums. What does (or did) Disney reservations call the first portion of a split stay?

 

[jlundeen]

is there any information on whether or not the Good neighbor hotels that are not Disney properties but do allow 60-day fastpass booking, are following the same policy?

 

[Cinderumbrella]

is there any information on whether or not the Good neighbor hotels that are not Disney properties but do allow 60-day fastpass booking, are following the same policy?

They better be!

 

[Gentry2004]

is there any information on whether or not the Good neighbor hotels that are not Disney properties but do allow 60-day fastpass booking, are following the same policy?

We don’t even have info directly from Disney on any of this. We should know tonight or tomorrow if fastpasses are actually being cancelled. I don’t know if anyone tested with a good neighbor/DS hotel though.

 

[jlundeen]

Sorry,I just thought of another question to that I should have included in my previous post.

What is the normal cancellation policy for all the area hotels? If Disney is 45 days for a package and 5 days for a full refund, for a room only, is that consistent with the surrounding hotels?

 

[msb578]

is there any information on whether or not the Good neighbor hotels that are not Disney properties but do allow 60-day fastpass booking, are following the same policy?

I’m still within 48 hours, but the linked DS hotel reservation I cancelled still appears in MDE. All fastpasses still intact.

 

[cel_disney]

Hopefully Disney will resolve the issue with legitimate split stays, it doesn't make sense to treat people who are staying at two separate resorts, continously, differently than those who stay at one. I do think that people who cancel any part of a reservation, split or continous, should lose all FP made with the ressie and have to start over. This has to be more of a problem than people think or Disney wouldn't be dealing with trying to fix the virtual line cutting tactics, that both tie up rooms and deplete the FP pool. This is a consequence of the 60 day FP +14. For me, I wouldn't be happy if I saw people "cut" in line at the parks, am I am not happy about them doing it with the anonymity of a system. For Disney, maybe it is about $$$, public perception, guest satisfaction, who knows?

I think Disney should change the FP booking date to be fewer days in advance to match the hotel cancelation policies. I don’t think it’s fair to penalize people with FP who got a better rate somewhere (possibly off property) or had to change their start date because life happened.

Their system forces 60 day FP planning but only 5 day resort planning. They shouldn’t penalize people for following the policies.

 

[gwynne]

I’ve only ever heard the term here on the forums. What does (or did) Disney reservations call the first portion of a split stay?

When you call to book, you say "I'm booking a split stay. The first resort I'd like to book is ___, and the second resort is ___."

If you have CL reservation and are talking to DSS, they also will reference the 1st part of a guests split and then the 2nd. I have never heard them use the term "leading reservation".

To me, leading reservation is a DIS term that is used to quietly reference a specific "strategy."