FastPass restrictions for split stays

[Aussie RJ]

There has been some talk amongst DVC members lately suggesting Disney is trying to stop us from moving around at 7 months. Perhaps the new fastpass restrictions for onsite split stays is part of this? I know it’s a long bow but this will change everything for those who own at multiple resorts.

 

[Matty B13]

I think I saw on a Facebook page that there is a 2 day grace period, between canceling an rebooking a reservation. But you could call up MS to make sure.

 

[crvetter]

I called DVC about this. While on the cash side I confirmed (through dummy reservation and with MDE technical support) split stays are now considered two separate reservations and have their own fastpass booking window, MS claims this is not the case for DVC. They say DVC resort stays (and stays made through MS) will register as a continuous stay for making fastpasses. Unfortunately this is much harder to test short term needing rooms and points. But MS and their support staff claim back to back reservations have one booking period for fastpasses just like DVC has that for ADR too. Though they said we shouldn't have to call like we do with ADR. Maybe someone with a split stay setup soon can confirm what MS told me today.

I have been conversing with Disney regarding fastpass loopholes and the changes today closed many of them and I think split stays if effected were not the target. They were the unfortunate side-effect of killing leading reservation, throwaway rooms, and other fastpass loopholes. Many of which are done now.

 

[CarolMN]

There has been some talk amongst DVC members lately suggesting Disney is trying to stop us from moving around at 7 months. Perhaps the new fastpass restrictions for onsite split stays is part of this? I know it’s a long bow but this will change everything for those who own at multiple resorts.

It's much more likely that it's about the number of on-site hotel & campsite reservations cancelled right after the 60 day FP+ reservations are made. Disney was probably missing out on revenue for those rooms.

I don't think Disney cares at all if Members move around at 7 months. The resale issues being discussed arose because Disney wants to make buying direct a better alternative than buying resale. Nothing to do with discouraging moving at 7 months or split stays.

 

[Aussie RJ]

Fingers crossed Disney IT can get this right. Anyone with a split stay fastpass window approaching? Will be good to monitor.

 

[Matty B13]

We just did a split contract (different UY) stay at VGF, last week for 6 nights (4 nights on 1 contract and 2 night on the other contract). The fastpass window for us opened up, and we were able to book our fastpasses for the whole 7 days that we would be there.

However, the Dinsey IT system for dining reservations didn't see it as one continues stay, but 2 stays so we had to book our dining reservations in 2 stages.

 

[crvetter]

We just did a split contract (different UY) stay at VGF, last week for 6 nights (4 nights on 1 contract and 2 night on the other contract). The fastpass window for us opened up, and we were able to book our fastpasses for the whole 7 days that we would be there.

However, the Dinsey IT system for dining reservations didn't see it as one continues stay, but 2 stays so we had to book our dining reservations in 2 stages.

Yeah the change for Fastpasses on the cash side (confirmed and tested) went into effect today. As for DVC I was told it still would work for us. But that’s not confirmed and tested.

Also for ADR you can call MS for your entire stay and they will override that limitation for you.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

My fast pass day for my June stay is April 17th. I hope we have a definite answer by then. I’m doing 5 nights at BLT followed by 2 at OKW. My plan was to book my Flight of Passage and Slinky Dog fast passes for the last two days of my trip - which would have been 60+6 and 60+7, but under the new rules would be 60+1 and 60+2. There’s no way I’d get either of those FPs at 60+1 or +2. Sigh. I guess I’ll be looking for first hand reports of DVC members making FP reservations in the next couple weeks to see what to expect.

 

[Aussie RJ]

Think about this.. You own enough points (cheap resale @ $105pp) at SSR for a yearly 10 night stay. At 7 months the more fancied (and expensive) BCV opens up for 4 nights at the end of your trip. Most will jump at this split stay option. Now with the potential restriction I would not be able to book the generally easy FOP or SDD on days 7-10 as the system considers this a new trip.
I don’t usually look at things this way but the recent resale restrictions etc.. have me uneasy about the product.

 

[JenniferYoung44]

Don’t like it. Not one little bit.

 

[crvetter]

Think about this.. You own enough points (cheap resale @ $105pp) at SSR for a yearly 10 night stay. At 7 months the more fancied (and expensive) BCV opens up for 4 nights at the end of your trip. Most will jump at this split stay option. Now with the potential restriction I would not be able to book the generally easy FOP or SDD on days 7-10 as the system considers this a new trip.
I don’t usually look at things this way but the recent resale restrictions etc.. have me uneasy about the product.

This was a WDW wide change and DVC wasn’t the influence. It was all the abuses by people doing such as leading reservations and throwaway rooms or booking then canceling rooms within 30 days. To the effect it hurts DVC is not on DVC and something they probably wouldn’t want. But the choice was the WDW company at large.

 

[crvetter]

My fast pass day for my June stay is April 17th. I hope we have a definite answer by then. I’m doing 5 nights at BLT followed by 2 at OKW. My plan was to book my Flight of Passage and Slinky Dog fast passes for the last two days of my trip - which would have been 60+6 and 60+7, but under the new rules would be 60+1 and 60+2. There’s no way I’d get either of those FPs at 60+1 or +2. Sigh. I guess I’ll be looking for first hand reports of DVC members making FP reservations in the next couple weeks to see what to expect.

Please keep us posted if it allows the whole stay or on the first reservation on your 60 day window. I think it will help a lot of us out.

 

[Aussie RJ]

This was a WDW wide change and DVC wasn’t the influence. It was all the abuses by people doing such as leading reservations and throwaway rooms or booking then canceling rooms within 30 days. To the effect it hurts DVC is not on DVC and something they probably wouldn’t want. But the choice was the WDW company at large.

I understand. The skeptic in me sees it another way. I guess we now await reports from fellow members.

 

[LeslieLou]

Do I need to do anything with my DVC split stay reservations to “link” them or does FP booking recognize them that way automatically?

 

[DizneyLizzy]

Please keep us posted if it allows the whole stay or on the first reservation on your 60 day window. I think it will help a lot of us out.

I will definitely let everyone know. I also feel like I will at least try calling either MS or MDE on my fast pass day if I am NOT able to book for my entire stay. Can’t hurt to try.

 

[crvetter]

I will definitely let everyone know. I also feel like I will at least try calling either MS or MDE on my fast pass day if I am NOT able to book for my entire stay. Can’t hurt to try.

I would start with MS and have them patch in MDE. Also if the MS doesn’t know the issue just call in again.

 

[DaveNan]

This was a huge rumor in early Feb, originally thought to be starting on Feb 4th. There was a lengthy thread on the rumors page. It was closed a few days later when nothing happened. I spoke to a co-worker whose DW works for one of the Disney focused travel agencies about the rumor this week, and he stated it was happening and Disney had communicated it to her company. He even said they were told it was specifically targeted at leading reservations, not bait and switch cancellations or throw-aways. It was common practice for her agency to get leading reservations for some customers in order to get the "premium FP's". His/her impression was the rule would be FP's made based on timing of the the first part of a split stay would be cancelled if the first part of the stay were cancelled, even if those FP's were during that later part (kept part) of a split stay. Based on that interpretation it is definitely targeted at people doing leading reservations, that they cancel. Since, she just works with cash hotel reservations, she did not know how DVC would be impacted.

I believe that rule of cancelling all FP's if you cancel/shorten a leading reservations would be more difficult to implement from an IT perspective than the one described here, you can only make FP's based on individual reservations, not split stays. Personally, I don't like this method because we do a decent number of split stays and this rule would make me reconsider split stays.

Time will tell......

On a side note, for my May 5-12 reservation I have a split stay (5-10 BCV, 10-12 PVB). When I tried to make my ADR's at 180 days before May 5th, I could only make them for the first stay. MS and the dining reservation cast members "could not do that in the system even for DVC point stays". I had to wait till 180 days in front of the 5/10 to get ADR's for the last 2 days. It may be YMMV on the ADR rule on split stays on DVC points.

 

[Aussie RJ]

On a side note, for my May 5-12 reservation I have a split stay

Please keep us updated on your fastpass booking experience.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Think about this.. You own enough points (cheap resale @ $105pp) at SSR for a yearly 10 night stay. At 7 months the more fancied (and expensive) BCV opens up for 4 nights at the end of your trip. Most will jump at this split stay option. Now with the potential restriction I would not be able to book the generally easy FOP or SDD on days 7-10 as the system considers this a new trip.
I don’t usually look at things this way but the recent resale restrictions etc.. have me uneasy about the product.

This is the Parks division's decision probably in conjunction with the hotel side. They don't care about DVC members booking elsewhere at 7 months or if they even moved day by day by day.

 

[crvetter]

This was a huge rumor in early Feb, originally thought to be starting on Feb 4th. There was a lengthy thread on the rumors page. It was closed a few days later when nothing happened. I spoke to a co-worker whose DW works for one of the Disney focused travel agencies about the rumor this week, and he stated it was happening and Disney had communicated it to her company. He even said they were told it was specifically targeted at leading reservations, not bait and switch cancellations or throw-aways. It was common practice for her agency to get leading reservations for some customers in order to get the "premium FP's". His/her impression was the rule would be FP's made based on timing of the the first part of a split stay would be cancelled if the first part of the stay were cancelled, even if those FP's were during that later part (kept part) of a split stay. Based on that interpretation it is definitely targeted at people doing leading reservations, that they cancel. Since, she just works with cash hotel reservations, she did not know how DVC would be impacted.

I believe that rule of cancelling all FP's if you cancel/shorten a leading reservations would be more difficult to implement from an IT perspective than the one described here, you can only make FP's based on individual reservations, not split stays. Personally, I don't like this method because we do a decent number of split stays and this rule would make me reconsider split stays.

Time will tell......

On a side note, for my May 5-12 reservation I have a split stay (5-10 BCV, 10-12 PVB). When I tried to make my ADR's at 180 days before May 5th, I could only make them for the first stay. MS and the dining reservation cast members "could not do that in the system even for DVC point stays". I had to wait till 180 days in front of the 5/10 to get ADR's for the last 2 days. It may be YMMV on the ADR rule on split stays on DVC points.

As for the dinning if you called member services they could have always over rode it and it is the policy for DVC that split stays functioned as a continuous stay for the 180 day rule. But they said Disney IT just relies on them to do this. I’ve been told this on many different calls.

My calls today they swore DVC wouldn’t be subject to the new rule for split stays but I wonder if they will. Hopefully not because most people doing DVC couldn’t do the loopholes without burning through points so were on the financial hook.