FP Window Opening a Day Early?

[wisblue]

I wonder if anyone else has experienced this or can explain it. Because of an unusual string of circumstances (visiting daughter in Florida, Run Disney events, and a Disney cruise) I will end up making 4 short visits to WDW in 4 months (early December, Marathon Weekend, late February, and late March). The DVC points come in handy and the breaks from winter weather are welcome.

Anyway, in November, as I was preparing to make FPs for the January trip, I counted out the 60 days myself, used one of the online calculators, and looked at the date on the booklet I received from Disney and they all pointed to the same date. The night before the window was supposed to open I logged on to the WDW site to play around with the FP page and was surprised to see that the FP window was already open. When the window for the February trip came around, I checked the day before the window was supposed to open and, sure enough, right at 6 AM CST, the days for the trip opened up. The same thing happened this morning for our March trip even though the window is not supposed to open until tomorrow. In fact, I just got a message from Touring Plans telling me that I can first make FP reservations tomorrow.

The only thing I can think of is that having a second trip scheduled in the interim does something to the system. I have an annual pass and when I looked yesterday the system would have allowed me to make FPs through March 19 (60 days, not the usual 30). You'd think that at 6 AM this morning that window would jump a day to the 20th. But, instead, it jumped right to the 21st and the days of our pre cruise stay.

It's probably just a system quirk, but in the future I will always be checking a day or two before the official window opening date just to make sure. With the one day head start I was able to get FPs for Slinky on day 3 of our visit and FOP on day 4. Neither was available for arrival day.

 

[mesaboy2]

Multiple stays within a short timeframe triggers this, noted by a number of regulars.

 

[HydroGuy]

Interesting and lucky you!

 

[wisblue]

Multiple stays within a short timeframe triggers this, noted by a number of regulars.

That's what I thought. This is the first time I've had even two trips in less than two months.

 

[Claudia1]

Mine opened up 2 days early. We have a 2 day ressie for 3 of our party and today is our 60 day mark. We follow that one with an 8 day stay for a party of 6 (different ressie in different room), which should not have opened up for 2 more days. However, I could make FPs for everyone for both stays, including that 3 that are not included in our first ressie.

Our last visit was in October, tho, so I don't know if that qualifies as a short time frame. I assumed it was a glitch related to our multiple stays but when it let me do the other 3 in our group, I was surprised.

Pixie Dust!

 

[Nevada Jen]

Mine was open at least a day early also. Pretty sure it was a glitch because I have been able to log on exactly twice in the week since then.

 

[hiroMYhero]

Mine opened up 2 days early. We have a 2 day ressie for 3 of our party and today is our 60 day mark. We follow that one with an 8 day stay for a party of 6 (different ressie in different room), which should not have opened up for 2 more days. However, I could make FPs for everyone for both stays, including that 3 that are not included in our first ressie.

Our last visit was in October, tho, so I don't know if that qualifies as a short time frame. I assumed it was a glitch related to our multiple stays but when it let me do the other 3 in our group, I was surprised.

Pixie Dust!

It wasn’t 2 days early. It wasn’t Pixie Dust.

See the Split Stay section of @mesaboy2 ‘s FP FAQ to read how the normal FP window functions.

 

[Claudia1]

It wasn’t 2 days early. It wasn’t Pixie Dust.

See the Split Stay section of @mesaboy2 ‘s FP FAQ to read how the normal FP window functions.

Three of our party were not on the first ressie, so their 60 should have started based on the second ressie, not the first. They are a separate family with their own MDE, even they we all share the same last name. I figured that was why the 3 on the first ressie was able to make FPs but that doesn't explain how the ones on the second ressie could do it. Great info, tho! Thanks!

 

[Karin Brown]

Thank you to the OP for posting this thread. I have to stays split by a cruise this March. The first one opened up no problem. Then it began a rolling window. So yesterday March 21 was available to me but not any further. My next stay is the 23rd -25 th. So because I read this I checked just to see this am if maybe I could book the 23 and 24. And guess what ... I could! Now maybe that follows a rule I don’t know about but as far as I understood on the 22nd should have been first time I could book my second stay. So anyway long way to say thanks. I got my SDMT morning FP for what is 60+1 of my second stay. And everything else I wanted and perfect times. At 7:30 am.

 

[gharter]

Have never had it happen to us, but have read reports of it ocurring. Consider it pixie dust and enjoy it.

 

[hiroMYhero]

Have never had it happen to us, but have read reports of it ocurring. Consider it pixie dust and enjoy it.

It happens to everyone who has 2 stays within a 60 day period.

Opens 1 day early for Stay#2 because the window for Stay#1 rolls and meets up to open Stay#2 1 day early.

 

[tjmw2727]

Three of our party were not on the first ressie, so their 60 should have started based on the second ressie, not the first. They are a separate family with their own MDE, even they we all share the same last name. I figured that was why the 3 on the first ressie was able to make FPs but that doesn't explain how the ones on the second ressie could do it. Great info, tho! Thanks!

Once your FP+ window opens you can make selections for anyone in your friends and family that has valid ticket media even if they don't have an onsite stay. So your 2nd reservation opened your window early and then you were able to book for them because they are part of your friends and family with tickets.

We have family that live nearby and don't always visit for more than a day but I can still make FP+ for them along with us when my window opens.