FP+ when staying on-site

[Barbara Maher-Erwin]

Hi, I'm an experienced DW visitor but have not been there since the new FP policy was adopted. We're going between Christmas and New Year's and I know that resort guests get the first choice of FP, 60 days in advance versus 30 days in advance for everyone else. I'm guessing this will make a big difference during the week we're going. I plan to stay at a Disney Resort but if I book hotel only without the tickets (I'm still debating how many days will be at the parks), will I be treated as a resort guest or not when booking FP?

 

[Robo]

Hi, I'm an experienced DW visitor but have not been there since the new FP policy was adopted. We're going between Christmas and New Year's and I know that resort guests get the first choice of FP, 60 days in advance versus 30 days in advance for everyone else. I'm guessing this will make a big difference during the week we're going. I plan to stay at a Disney Resort but if I book hotel only without the tickets (I'm still debating how many days will be at the parks), will I be treated as a resort guest or not when booking FP?

You can buy tickets separately from the resort.
You just need to link them to your MyDisneyExperience account.

You must have valid WDW tickets and a WDW resort reservation in place in order to pre-book FP+ between 60-days and 30-days in advance.

At 30-days in advance, or less, all guests with valid tickets can pre-book FP+.

FP+ questions like these are answered (and FP+ Priorities listed) in the highly recommended, super-complete, often discussed, gotta love it, not to be missed, must-read, gargantuan juggernaut, growing by leaps and bounds, constantly updated and refreshed by the DISboard's own mesaboy2...

FP+ thread found HERE.

-Also see-

Booking and Modifying FP+ found HERE.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

Hi, I'm an experienced DW visitor but have not been there since the new FP policy was adopted. We're going between Christmas and New Year's and I know that resort guests get the first choice of FP, 60 days in advance versus 30 days in advance for everyone else. I'm guessing this will make a big difference during the week we're going. I plan to stay at a Disney Resort but if I book hotel only without the tickets (I'm still debating how many days will be at the parks), will I be treated as a resort guest or not when booking FP?

When we debate how many days to buy tickets, we buy for the shortest amount of days we might want to go, then we can upgrade later.

This would at least give you the ability to book fastpasses 60 days in advance for 2 days in the parks (if you buy 2 day tickets for everyone prior to your 60 day window).

 

[Barbara Maher-Erwin]

Thanks, all! And thanks for the link. This new FP policy is confusing and stressful. I like the old FP process -- and I gather I'm not alone. I don't ride the bigger rides, so I was able to go ahead and get FPs for the rest of my party while they stood in line. Plus, now I have to buy a roaming packages (which aren't cheap in Canada) so that I can manage my FPs on my phone.

 

[IrishNYC]

Plus, now I have to buy a roaming packages (which aren't cheap in Canada) so that I can manage my FPs on my phone.

Wifi in the parks was recently upgraded. With the exception of a few dead spots it worked great two weeks ago. Just put your phone in airplane mode, then turn only the wifi back on.

 

[CAS239]

Yea there's no need to buy any roaming packages or anything. Use the wifi in the park and resorts on your phone for anything you need. You could even do it on an iPad or iPod touch if you have them. It's not limited to just phones

 

[Barbara Maher-Erwin]

I guess you don't get a MagicBand if you don't buy your tickets through the resort?

 

[Robo]

I guess you don't get a MagicBand if you don't buy your tickets through the resort?

Not true.

The MagicBands (MBs) are part of the resort stay.


As I said above, you just need to link your tickets (wherever you buy them)
and your resort stay info in your MyDisneyExperience account.

The MBs then access all of that info in the MDE account.

The MB has nothing "put on" it.
The MB is basically an electronic "key" that just unlocks the info in your MDE files
so that you can enter the park gates (tickets,) use FP+, unlock your WDW resort door,
charge back to your resort room, etc.


And, as I should have said earlier...

to posting on the DISboards, Barbara!

 

[greentea]

I guess you don't get a MagicBand if you don't buy your tickets through the resort?

You get magic bands if you stay at a Disney resort, whether or not you have tickets.

 

[disney world dreamer]

even if you buy your tickets separately you will be able to book your FP+ selections 60 day in advance since you are staying onsite.

however you cannot make FP+ selections until you have a ticket.

so you will need to make sure that you purchase and link your tickets to MDE prior to your 60 day mark in order to take full advantage of the resort guest perk.

 

[disney world dreamer]

Thanks, all! And thanks for the link. This new FP policy is confusing and stressful. I like the old FP process -- and I gather I'm not alone. I don't ride the bigger rides, so I was able to go ahead and get FPs for the rest of my party while they stood in line. Plus, now I have to buy a roaming packages (which aren't cheap in Canada) so that I can manage my FPs on my phone.

disney world has free wifi so no need for a roaming package.
just put your phone on airplane mode and use the free wifi to manage your FP+'s on your phone.

 

[disney world dreamer]

I guess you don't get a MagicBand if you don't buy your tickets through the resort?

incorrect.
magic bands are given to all resort hotel guests as that is now how you enter your room.
and as long as you link your tickets to MDE you can use the magic band to enter the parks.
you can also use the magic band to charge things to your room and you use it to use dining credits as well if you have a dining plan.

 

[Lucius Best]

As someone else mentioned, you can only get advanced FP for as many days as there are on the park tickets that you need to link to your account beforehand.

You also don't need to be constantly glued to your phone in the park to manage your FPs. You'll already have your first 3 FP reserved 60 days beforehand. Once you use those, you can get more, one at a time, but only at FP kiosks. Your FP selections can be modified on your phone, but also at the kiosks, and most FP kiosks have dedicated CMs there to assist you in your selections or modifications. Highly recommend reading mesaboy2's FP+ guides that robo provided.