Family Members and MDE

[tjkraz]

I have the same question as kidanifano8. My wife and I are DVC owners and we each have our own MDE account (we're already listed as part of each other's family).

We're planning a big family trip in November and NONE of our relatives have there own MDE account yet BUT I already have them all listed on my MDE account as managed accounts. Since this is already done, do they need to set up their account on their own or can I simply "Invite" them (by using the invite button)? Keep in mind they also have small children (which do not have an "invite" button attached to their name) so I'm not sure how to handle them at all.

Also note that all our relatives prefer my wife and I do all the planning and handle all the details so maybe I'm better off just leaving them all as managed accounts. What do you think???

Sincere thanks for your help and advise,
David

If you have an "invite" button to link to the adults' MDE accounts, you should be able to do so after they've created an account. As for the kids, that may be trickier since they are currently in the system as managed accounts under your MDE. Ideally, you probably want them as managed under a parent.

You might have to call tech support to see what they recommend regarding the kids. I don't see any way to delete members from a room or dining reservation so you may need assistance to REMOVE the child accounts that YOU are managing and ADD the child accounts managed by a PARENT.

I still think it's cleaner--and more forward-thinking--for every adult to have their own account and for children to be managed by their parents. Even if this appears to be a one-time trip, repeat visits are always possible. And then you already have those family units segregated.

Functionally you COULD leave them all as managed accounts under your own. However, they will not be able to modify or even view any of the planning info. That leaves them out of the MDE website, MDE smartphone / tablet apps, PhotoPass, FastPass Plus, MagicBand customization, dining reservations, etc.

On the other hand, an adult with his/her own MDE account CAN view all of the above information.

Even if they want you to handle all of the planning, there may come a time where the others want to use the MDE mobile app to view the FP+ schedule, look at scheduled dining reservations or see the PhotoPass photos for your group. If that happens, they'll need your MDE username and password in order to log-in and view those items if you are managing all of the accounts.

 

[WelcomeHome]

Thank you so much Tim for that very informative and complete answer!

I sincerely appreciate your help!

Best wishes,
Dave

 

[Dean]

Has anyone done a trip with family members along with them since My Disney Experience/MB/FP+? How does it work? Do you have to manage their stuff as well? or Will they be able to set up their own account and manage their fastpasses without logging onto our MDE account? Please let know how it works if you have done it.

We are having DH's Mom, Dad and one niece(7) join us on our next trip. They are staying in the room with us, on one reservation. We don't plan on being with them all the time in the parks or at meals and what not; they are even buying less days on their tickets then us, so I was trying to get an idea of how everything will work?

Also is it good to start out with some ground rules when vacationing together? What kind would you make?

Anything else I need to know??

Thank you so much!!!!

Since you haven't gotten much on the other component of your question, I'll add some there. Traveling with friends/family can be very tricky. In my experience, people assume that everyone will be on their best behavior for a number of reasons and this is often far from the truth. IF there are those who bring drama, expect it to be worse in this situation. I also assume no dining plan as it doesn't sound feeble with the group and situations you're described.

As for rules, mine are very simple but we started with formal rules before our first family trip to VB in 1998. They really haven't changed much over the years and I don't spell them out as much as I used to because the group is usually about the same and we haven't had drama with one exception who's deceased.

• I determine dates but usually do so with the group in question in mind and sometimes ask for opinions from several for something new or different.
• There will be an occasional adult beverage but no one will be out of control.
• I don't wait on you, you don't wait on me. I put a lot of effort and consideration into not controlling other people's vacations.
• No drama
• We will have a family meal together, usually dining out. I make the choice but seek input where applicable and I consider cost, quality, variability and feasibility. I generally do something I can make reservations at late lunch time or early dinner realizing that I can usually get a reservation at places that don't normally take them for 3 reasons, group size, advanced planning and resorts concierge tie in.
• I'm covering the room but if you generate expenses like phone or room charges, you are responsible though for my kids/grandkids I usually cover small things.

This has worked well but it's really not been an issue. The reason I started with formal rules up front was because my mother could be difficult in some areas and my brother was a minister. I simply wanted to avoid drama and I didn't want to make anyone uncomfortable. That way they knew ahead of time that there would be an occasional brew or glass or wine (we're very much lightweights) and could chose not to go if they weren't comfortable. My BIL was very thrilled with the rules and I must say it's worked out great. I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that our best vacations have been are larger family vacations even over the exotic ones, the last was the best and the one before that second.

 

[Kidanifan08]

I was on the phone with Disney IT support for about 40 minutes yesterday. Surprisingly, I was not put on hold when first dialing, so they must have several support people working the phones.

The first thing I wanted to do was to remove people from DW's MDE account who traveled with us last summer. I could not do it on the website. They had MB's attached to them, even though they are not going to WDW, and the system won't allow someone to be deleted if MB's are attached. The CM at IT was able to delete them on his end.

I then added park tickets to our accounts. My DS already has an active PAP, but DW and I have DVC AP certificates that we bought before the last price increase last summer. Those cards have a 20-digit code under the barcode in the lower left corner on the back of the card. The CM did not know if that 20-digit code would be recognized, but it work fine.

For our trip this summer, I have our 2 friend and their DS9 listed as friends on my MDE profile. I asked him about their DS being managed by my account. The way it is now, I would have to add his ticket through my MDE. He said that once the child's parent has an account, she can go into her F&F list, click on add a guest, and then click on "invite through a mutual friend". By doing that, he said that she would be able to co-manage his account. Maybe that's something you could do also, WelcomeHome.

I guess when the trip is over, I will try to remove him from my profile, although I suspect I will have to call to have Disney do it manually.

 

[RooRach0906]

Since you haven't gotten much on the other component of your question, I'll add some there. Traveling with friends/family can be very tricky. In my experience, people assume that everyone will be on their best behavior for a number of reasons and this is often far from the truth. IF there are those who bring drama, expect it to be worse in this situation. I also assume no dining plan as it doesn't sound feeble with the group and situations you're described.

As for rules, mine are very simple but we started with formal rules before our first family trip to VB in 1998. They really haven't changed much over the years and I don't spell them out as much as I used to because the group is usually about the same and we haven't had drama with one exception who's deceased.

• I determine dates but usually do so with the group in question in mind and sometimes ask for opinions from several for something new or different.
• There will be an occasional adult beverage but no one will be out of control.
  [*]I don't wait on you, you don't wait on me. I put a lot of effort and consideration into not controlling other people's vacations.
  [*]No drama
  [*]We will have a family meal together, usually dining out. I make the choice but seek input where applicable and I consider cost, quality, variability and feasibility. I generally do something I can make reservations at late lunch time or early dinner realizing that I can usually get a reservation at places that don't normally take them for 3 reasons, group size, advanced planning and resorts concierge tie in.
  [*]I'm covering the room but if you generate expenses like phone or room charges, you are responsible though for my kids/grandkids I usually cover small things.

This has worked well but it's really not been an issue. The reason I started with formal rules up front was because my mother could be difficult in some areas and my brother was a minister. I simply wanted to avoid drama and I didn't want to make anyone uncomfortable. That way they knew ahead of time that there would be an occasional brew or glass or wine (we're very much lightweights) and could chose not to go if they weren't comfortable. My BIL was very thrilled with the rules and I must say it's worked out great. I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that our best vacations have been are larger family vacations even over the exotic ones, the last was the best and the one before that second.

Thank you for your input on the rules situation.

I should have said at the beginning but yes we are doing the dining plan and this was decided by all of us. We are doing 7 nights and they will have 5 day tickets. We did already decide dates.

DH and I will sit down and talk over what rules we do need. I know the main ones will be with the two kids (The older one has a habit or irritating the younger one) and not inviting the extended family (That lives in Orlando) to the resort. We need to include the ones I put in BOLD tho.

Thank you so much I really appreciate it!!