FastPass restrictions for split stays

[MaryAnne220]

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.

They would not override mine for dining 90 days ago....I was very annoyed. Again, I hate how MS gives different people answers!

 

[crvetter]

Interesting, as I had the same conversation with MS and they said that it will not register as a continuous stay(it didn't on my dining weeks ago, and since I am close to FP day, I wanted to make sure my ducks were in a row...). I cancelled my split stay as there was room at my original resort for my whole stay. I find it very annoying that MS gives everyone different answers!

Yeah dinning is known not to register as such online. However if you call MS they will book dinning for split stays for you as if it was continuous. I’ve called MS about 6 times each time they told me it would. But I’ve not confirmed it ever.

 

[MaryAnne220]

Yeah dinning is known not to register as such online. However if you call MS they will book dinning for split stays for you as if it was continuous. I’ve called MS about 6 times each time they told me it would. But I’ve not confirmed it ever.

uhg.....MS could not help me with dining 90 days ago, I just wish they'd fix it so everyone gets the same answers!

 

[crvetter]

uhg.....MS could not help me with dining 90 days ago, I just wish they'd fix it so everyone gets the same answers!

Oh really they should have been able to. It’s been reported mostly that’s it works and I was able to do it. I’m not sure maybe it only works DVC to DVC split stays.

 

[DaveNan]

Oh really they should have been able to. It’s been reported mostly that’s it works and I was able to do it. I’m not sure maybe it only works DVC to DVC split stays.

It happened once to me also. I called MS and the "could" not help me with ADR until each "stay" opened. For me the entire FP window for my May split stay did open.

 

[Castillo Mom]

Although our next trip to WDW isn't until 2021, I'm keeping an eye on this issue in case I change my mind and decide to go back sooner. Our trip this coming July is at DCA and I'm so glad I don't have to deal with this mess since we don't have FP+ out here. Loving Max Pass more and more.

 

[kboo]

I have not recently had any problems with ADRs and split stays in recent years (no need for a call to MS, either). We often do split stays with Swolphin, so I am a little nervous about our December split stay over the holidays. If worse comes to worst, I guess we will Living with the Land and Under the Sea over and over again.

 

[rlk]

It happened once to me also. I called MS and the "could" not help me with ADR until each "stay" opened. For me the entire FP window for my May split stay did open.

I made my ADRs a few weeks ago for my cash/DVC split stay. I did have to call MS to make reservations for the second half of my stay.

 

[EdnaMarieMode]

My cash/ DVC split stay FP window opened on Saturday. I was only able to book FP for the first 4 days (our stay is 3/3). I called MS (honestly more out of curiosity- I only need FP for Epcot on the 4th day and I’m not too worried about availability). I was told that split stays whether cash/ DVC or all DVC or all cash are 2 booking windows for FP and they won’t be able to override it.

I take it for what it’s worth because I could call back in five minutes and get another response

 

[ParkHoppers]

Well if split stays are not going to be considered one continuous stay I,m sure a lot of people will do less split stays. Wouldn’t this make availability better at the 7 month window. If so a small silver lining?

 

[crvetter]

Well if split stays are not going to be considered one continuous stay I,m sure a lot of people will do less split stays. Wouldn’t this make availability better at the 7 month window. If so a small silver lining?

This would probably make it worse in my opinion. For availability to open you need people to move if those people moved when it was fully available there would be less movement in general.

 

[ljmiii]

Well if split stays are not going to be considered one continuous stay I,m sure a lot of people will do less split stays. Wouldn’t this make availability better at the 7 month window. If so a small silver lining?

My guess is that it will make shorter stays less available and longer stays more available. Now people book short stays at each of their home resorts. Or if they only have one home, book two consecutive short stays and hope to switch one at 7 months. Instead, if they own more than home they will bank and borrow to alternate resorts and if they own one home just make a longer stay.

But all my experience for the past decade or so has been in the cut and thrust of Presidents' Week, Easter, and Christmas/New Years. I honestly have no idea what availability looks like in shoulder or low seasons.

 

[4evryoung]

My guess is that it will make shorter stays less available and longer stays more available.

This may be the case generally, but there are some hiccups. Because people have been allowed to buy very small points contracts in recent years, there are quite a few people who "run disney" who have small contracts who block out resorts during the relevant weekends. Other people have bought small contracts in order to take a long weekend around a U.S. holiday. It can be quite difficult at some smaller home resorts during the 11-7 month window to get a full 7 day reservation during these time periods. So some members, who are limited on travel dates because of work commitments or flight availability, can be driven by lack of availability to book split stays even though they really want to stay in a single resort.

Edit: Just re-read my post and realized that it might come across as critical of those with small contracts, long-weekenders, or runners. I didn't mean that to be the case. I was just trying to explain that " high demand" at certain time frames may lead to others having to book a split stay regardless of the impact this has on FP access.

 

[CarolMN]

Well if split stays are not going to be considered one continuous stay I,m sure a lot of people will do less split stays. Wouldn’t this make availability better at the 7 month window. If so a small silver lining?

Maybe, but it might depend on which owners were doing the split stays. If BCV, BWV, VGF, BLT & Poly owners all stay home for their entire trip, there's less availability at 7 months for those who wanted a few nights at the near park resorts.

 

[Ariel620]

I want to send feedback about how I dislike this change. Is there a DVC specific email address or should I just send my message to guestservices@disneyworld.com?

 

[lovin'fl]

Doesn't matter in regards to SWGE as they won't offer FP for those at first.

But still matters for things like FOP. I have a Sept 27-Oct 5 stay at BWV. Without going into details, I have 1st night on one UY/membership, then 6 nights on other UY/membership and recently added an 8th night using the 1st UY/membership. All will be linked so we don't have to move rooms...all are 2BR standard view. I hope this will be considered a continuous resie for ADRs and FPs. ugghhhhh.

 

[CarolMN]

Doesn't matter in regards to SWGE as they won't offer FP for those at first...........

But it will matter big time as soon as they do - especially if they reduce the number of free FP+ so that they can offer a paid option.

 

[DVC Fanatic]

Can confirm the split stay restrictions about booking fast passes is full effect. We are set to arrive on a Saturday and decided to just stay in a cash room at Pop Century that night and transfer over to VGF on Sunday for the rest of our 12 day stay. My Disney Experience told us when our fast pass booking window was to open, so I got up at 6AM Central and it did not work. Spoke to 3 different cast members and they gave me various reasons, but none mentioned the split stay restriction. The next morning we were able to book all of our Fast Passes. What is interesting, I could not book any fast passes for the day we arrived because we have the Florida Resident Weekday pass, thus blacked out on the weekends. it would not even show us the month of May on the day My Disney Experience told us we could book. Hope Disney will revise this policy for split stays that are completely on property. This will discourage us from booking any split stays in the future, because the ability to get the premium fast passes is very important to our family, and they are much easier to get 5-10 days into a long reservation.

 

[chiisai]

Can confirm the split stay restrictions about booking fast passes is full effect. We are set to arrive on a Saturday and decided to just stay in a cash room at Pop Century that night and transfer over to VGF on Sunday for the rest of our 12 day stay. My Disney Experience told us when our fast pass booking window was to open, so I got up at 6AM Central and it did not work. Spoke to 3 different cast members and they gave me various reasons, but none mentioned the split stay restriction. The next morning we were able to book all of our Fast Passes. What is interesting, I could not book any fast passes for the day we arrived because we have the Florida Resident Weekday pass, thus blacked out on the weekends. it would not even show us the month of May on the day My Disney Experience told us we could book. Hope Disney will revise this policy for split stays that are completely on property. This will discourage us from booking any split stays in the future, because the ability to get the premium fast passes is very important to our family, and they are much easier to get 5-10 days into a long reservation.

We bought at different properties to be able to split our stays between MK and Epcot areas. Not long stays, maybe a 3/4 or 3/3 split. We go at high point times and can’t stretch one property through everything either. Sometimes we add a cash stay to be able to do it. I would not have purchased if I knew “entire length of stay” was going to change. If this doesn’t revert, after our stay next year I’m going to sell.

 

[lovin'fl]

We bought at different properties to be able to split our stays between MK and Epcot areas. Not long stays, maybe a 3/4 or 3/3 split. We go at high point times and can’t stretch one property through everything either. Sometimes we add a cash stay to be able to do it. I would not have purchased if I knew “entire length of stay” was going to change. If this doesn’t revert, after our stay next year I’m going to sell.

We too are big split stayers so as to have better transport at the various parks (and dining). Might do AKV for 3 nights and BWV for 4. Or BWV and SSR. Those are our fave splits (we are not MK people). Won't do that anymore.

AND to top it off we bought 55 direct June UY BWV a few years back. We had to go on waitlist and since we have 2 UY (june and aug) we went on both WL. June came through first so we bought. Then a month later we got a call that our Aug had also come through...we could not resist 25 more and were told how we could just do point transfers. Then we later added 25 more Aug and 150 more June (for 50 Aug and 255 June). Well we weren't made aware that when you transfer you cannot book online but have to call MS. We bought for standard studios during F&W and that 1 hour difference (between booking online and calling MS) matters. So we just book a few nights with Aug and then a few more nights with June and link (once we run out of June points). Now I worry that linking will not be considered a continuous stay. I have one this fall...2BR standard view at BWV (1st night Aug points, nights 2-7 with June and recently added night 8 with Aug points). Maybe I should sell the two 25 point Aug UY.