FP+ Work Arounds

[ampc3]

.

Why not book at POR where you can have 5? Or a campsite?

We are planning our next trip for offsite and if offsiters still cannot book FP+ in advance at that time, we plan to book a campsite for arrival night ($65), drive straight to the Fort on arrival, check in to activate our bands and have a yummy dinner at Trails End and then head over to our offsite house to check in there.

 

[Jules123]

Since your 16 yo isn't on your reservation, they won't be able to use ME

 

[mickeyonasticky]

Guests staying at the Swan and Dolphin, through a contract/agreement/whatever with Starwood Hotels, get the same benefits as Disney resort guests. That includes EMH, resort buses, and FP+ (edit: and resort delivery for merchandise purchases, and boat service between Epcot and DHS... apparently not Magical Express). However, through technology and all that jazz, it's darn near impossible for Disney to hold up their end of the deal regarding FP+, specifically regarding advance reservations. That's why, at each of the 4 parks, there is a separate table for Swan and Dolphin guests to set up their day-of FP+ reservations. If you're going to set up day-of FP+ selections as a Swan and Dolphin guest, you should definitely initially go to this table rather than any old kiosk.

It is my understanding that, although Swan and Dolphin guests are still limited to 3 FP+ in one park, per day, you might be able to, for example, set up 2 FP+ (e.g. Test Track and Spaceship Earth) and obtain a paper-type FP from the CM at this table for a third attraction that is out of FP+ selections or doesn't have the time you want (e.g. Mission: SPACE). This accommodation is able to be made because Swan and Dolphin guests aren't able to make advance FP+ reservations, so they're left with what's available day-of (especially if they enter the park mid-afternoon). Due to the agreement with Starwood, Disney has to try their best to make it equal for these guests.

Again, that is just my understanding, so take it for what it's worth. Don't expect anything extra at the Swan and Dolphin table, but some pixie dust might be sprinkled on you. And it might save you from spending $135 at All Star, squeezing 5 in a room for 4 (not allowed, maybe even illegal), and from giving your 16-year-old your MagicBand (if tickets are on the MagicBands, they're non-transferrable just like any other ticket media).

 

[Jules123]

It doesn't list the Swan or Dolphin as participating hotels on Disney's ME page

 

[mickeyonasticky]

It doesn't list the Swan or Dolphin as participating hotels on Disney's ME page

Oh jk. Yeah I just looked, apparently they don't include Shades of Green either. What a joke.

 

[kbmets]

Since your 16 yo isn't on your reservation, they won't be able to use ME

Yeah, just realized that so my in-laws are just going to pick us up and bring my son to their room.

 

[ougrad86]

I am going to Disney Presidents week, staying at the Swan (on my hotel points) which was booked 4-5 months ago. Swan is not eligible for early FP+ reservations. I have a family of five...me, wife and son (16), daughter (13), and son (5). I read on another thread that a strategy is to book one night in a resort hotel and then I will be able to book FP+ for the week. So here is what I did:

I just booked one room at All Stars for four of us (left my 16 year old off the reservation) for $135. To book five would have been $375 for a deluxe room. I will squeeze all 5 in the room for one night, then check into the Swan the next day (I will modify my reservation at Swan). I just checked my MDE and my room is now linked to my experience and it is allowing me to now book our FP+ for the family excluding my 16 year old, for the week. I have ADR's for Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

My questions:

-What do we use to actually FP the rides/ Are they bracelets?
-If they are bracelets, what happens after I check out on the 18th? Will my FP's still be on the bracelet for the rest of the week?
-Can I give my bracelet to my s16 year old and he use it for the week?
-Do we have the option to have a paper FP?
-Is the above plan nuts?
_who has advice to make this work the most efficiently?

You use the Magic Band for park entry and room entry. Not sure if they will let you charge purchases since you are staying overnight.

Your FP's should remain on your band, it seems to be working that way now, but not guarantee when Disney might close that loophole.

Your son needs to be on the room reservation in order to get in the park with your band. He can't use your band. If you do not plan to use FP and just wait for your family to ride (there are no more paper FP's), I would put your wife and kids on the reservation. However, you are breaking Disney rules as well as fire code regulations, but if that doesn't bother you...; not sure if you have ever been in a value room, 5 people on two double (not queen) size beds?

I think it is nuts. I don't want to get up early, switch hotels and then rush to the park. We had a chance to stay at SOG (deluxe rooms larger than Disney deluxe, but on site so we get EMH and other benefits - except MB's). We chose to stay at Coronado instead and will not be rushing all over the place when we could either be sleeping or having fun at the park.

 

[Roxy13]

This may sound like whining but I booked our vacation onsite to use MB's and FP+, I find it really offensive that folks are cutting into a supposed perk by booking one night and getting up to 7 days of FP+. I suppose maybe Disney will change things and make FP+ for however nights you stay on property, but in the meantime, I look at this as cheating. I say that because they are taking away times that onsite guests could be using.

 

[Trinity88]

It seems like a lot of work to me. We are staying offsite right now and have had no issues getting the FP+ options we want. It is a quieter week, but there are lots of options available to choose from. I've been sending my family to do a rope drop ride while I get FP+ set up, it's worked well for us.

 

[goofy4tink]

Guests staying at the Swan and Dolphin, through a contract/agreement/whatever with Starwood Hotels, get the same benefits as Disney resort guests. That includes EMH, resort buses, and FP+ (edit: and resort delivery for merchandise purchases, and boat service between Epcot and DHS... apparently not Magical Express). However, through technology and all that jazz, it's darn near impossible for Disney to hold up their end of the deal regarding FP+, specifically regarding advance reservations. That's why, at each of the 4 parks, there is a separate table for Swan and Dolphin guests to set up their day-of FP+ reservations. If you're going to set up day-of FP+ selections as a Swan and Dolphin guest, you should definitely initially go to this table rather than any old kiosk.

It is my understanding that, although Swan and Dolphin guests are still limited to 3 FP+ in one park, per day, you might be able to, for example, set up 2 FP+ (e.g. Test Track and Spaceship Earth) and obtain a paper-type FP from the CM at this table for a third attraction that is out of FP+ selections or doesn't have the time you want (e.g. Mission: SPACE). This accommodation is able to be made because Swan and Dolphin guests aren't able to make advance FP+ reservations, so they're left with what's available day-of (especially if they enter the park mid-afternoon). Due to the agreement with Starwood, Disney has to try their best to make it equal for these guests.

Again, that is just my understanding, so take it for what it's worth. Don't expect anything extra at the Swan and Dolphin table, but some pixie dust might be sprinkled on you. And it might save you from spending $135 at All Star, squeezing 5 in a room for 4 (not allowed, maybe even illegal), and from giving your 16-year-old your MagicBand (if tickets are on the MagicBands, they're non-transferrable just like any other ticket media).

Oh jk. Yeah I just looked, apparently they don't include Shades of Green either. What a joke.

Those perks are for WDW owned resort guests only....when you see the S/D getting those 'perks' it's because they are either paying for it, or Disney is allowing them to get them. S/D and SoG are not Disney owned resorts, so they aren't entitled to every single perk there is. They don't get DME, they don't get to use the DDP, they can't charge back to their room accounts in the parks.

I'm going to sound like a whiner here, but don't much care. Disney will hopefully close this current loophole in the FP+ system. If Disney tells people that only those guests staying at WDW owned resorts can book their FP+ times 60 days out, then it hardly seems fair to allow people to book a value resort room for one night and then be able to book FP+ for the entire week.
Now...if they change it to anyone that holds park passes? Fine, have at it. I know that when I was at SSR in Dec, my AP expired two days before my trip ended. But I was booked at SSR right up to the end. I wasn't able to book FP+ for my last two days...at least not until I got there and renewed that AP. So, even though I was staying on-site, I wasn't able to book FP+ until 4 days before I wanted them (for those last two days) But it's okay for someone to have a 5 day ph, but only one night at an on-site resort, to book 5 days worth of FP+. Doesn't seem quite right to me. But....Disney gets to make that call, not me. Hopefully it will change going forward.
Otherwise, there are fewer and fewer good reasons to stay on-site...or go to the parks while there.

 

[ckelly14]

I don't think that Disney will "close the loophole" since I don't think it's a loophole at all. FP+ is, by design, linked to tickets, not on-site reservations. There is a reason that AP and MYW ticket holders that already have MB's from prior stays (or "throwaway rooms") are able to reserve FP+ ahead of time, even if they are staying off-site. WDW is restricting the normal use of FP+ during this "roll-out", but once you have a qualifying stay, it's just functioning how it's supposed to.

This is a moral argument that will be rendered moot in a few months when ALL MYW and AP ticketholders are able to make advanced FP+ reservations, as per the My Disney Experience terms and conditions.

 

[Networth]

I don't think that Disney will "close the loophole" since I don't think it's a loophole at all. FP+ is, by design, linked to tickets, not on-site reservations. There is a reason that AP and MYW ticket holders that already have MB's from prior stays (or "throwaway rooms") are able to reserve FP+ ahead of time, even if they are staying off-site. WDW is restricting the normal use of FP+ during this "roll-out", but once you have a qualifying stay, it's just functioning how it's supposed to. This is a moral argument that will be rendered moot in a few months when ALL MYW and AP ticketholders are able to make advanced FP+ reservations, as per the My Disney Experience terms and conditions.

Yes but how much of an advanced booking each "category" gets has not been addressed by Disney. I think they plan to stagger with different times, which is why in all official material it doesn't say 60 days just "advanced booking" Again who knows, some times I wonder even if Disney knows what their full plan is at this point.

 

[ckelly14]

Yes but how much of an advanced booking each "category" gets has not been addressed by Disney. I think they plan to stagger with different times, which is why in all official material it doesn't say 60 days just "advanced booking" Again who knows, some times I wonder even if Disney knows what their full plan is at this point.

The "official" terms and conditions says "Magic Your Way ticket holders and AP pass holders may make FP+ reservations 60 days prior to day of use", but I agree they can change it if they want.

 

[nugov2]

The "official" terms and conditions says "Magic Your Way ticket holders and AP pass holders may make FP+ reservations 60 days prior to day of use", but I agree they can change it if they want.

Exactly, I don't think WDW will change that based on off site or on. I think what will come into play will be the tiering. Deluxe gets one extra from tier one etc. That will have people going nuts complaining that value/mod isn't being treated the same, but I see that is where the system is headed IMO. It may even be where higher levels get more overall FP if the system can handle it. I also see it going to a pay for more system so that off site can get a bigger piece of the pie. I know people don't like it, but that is business and WDW sees all the parks around them making bank off of a pay for FOTL access. Yes, they are all about magic but more importantly they are about money and charging for FP will bring in a ton of it.

 

[Networth]

Ah last I saw was just an Ad showing advanced reservations. Didn't know they mentioned the 60 day window for magic your way. But for sure something must be brewing how do they use "advanced booking" as a selling point if every guest has 60 day access. Maybe all they really care about is all the data they will get. But I feel like they are always pushing "stay in the magic!!!!" (Have you guys seen the new TV ads about staying at a Disney Resort blah blah with the monorail going through the CR) That they would give on-site some sort of new perk, maybe it will be them moving tiering around like mentioned. Whatever the master plan is I really really wish they would just let it out. No way this is it.

 

[Tinknalli]

People mentioned charging meals to the magic band after they have moved off site. If it works like key to the world cards the charging part will be turned off on the day you check out. I can see this being the same for magic bands. You are not actually charging the purchase to your band, you are charging to your room.

 

[cberhorst]

If you book a one night reservation just for the fp perks, then move off site, will the fastpasses that you book after your stay remain on the band, or will everything be cancelled out after you check out?