FP+ Work Arounds

[kbmets]

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?

 

[siskaren]

My questions:

1. What do we use to actually FP the rides/ Are they bracelets?
2. 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?
3. Can I give my bracelet to my s16 year old and he use it for the week?
4. Do we have the option to have a paper FP?
5. Is the above plan nuts?
6. who has advice to make this work the most efficiently?

1. Yes, you use the Magic Bands to use FP.

4. No, it's all FP+.

5. Well, since you're not allowed to have 5 people in an All Stars room unless one is under 3, it's definitely not kosher.

 

[conniehar90]

Paper fast passes are now gone at all parks so you do not have that option. It should not be a problem to give your 16yo your band for her to use.

Personally, the stress of checking into one hotel and having to check out the next day and check into another just for FP+ would not be on my list.

We are major FP users and are staying offsite in March so also super bummed that we can't use FP anymore. But reading some of the strategies on this board about getting to the park early and which kiosks are less crowded has calmed me down a bit.

Hope you have a great trip!

 

[kmb584]

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?

Technically, it's illegal to sleep 5 people in a room coded for 4.

To answer your questions, your FP+ reservations will be accessible with your MB and should remain on the band for the rest of your trip. Yes, you can give your son your MB and no, paper FPs have gone by the wayside. The plan isn't nuts, lots of people have been booking 1 night stays for this reason.

 

[kbmets]

For those staying offsite, what do they use to access the FP+ line?

I can also put my son in his grand parents room at the Swan.

 

[wmpenguin]

Why not just check in at All Stars but actually stay at Swan? That way all 5 of you are "legal". Count the extra $135 as the cost of MBs and FP+ reservations.

 

[DebbieB]

If you are going to give your band to your son, he's going to have to be the first user through the turnstile, otherwise it will not work for future admissions. You can't swap it back and forth for admission.

 

[kbmets]

Why not just check in at All Stars but actually stay at Swan? That way all 5 of you are "legal". Count the extra $135 as the cost of MBs and FP+ reservations.

yes, will probably do this, but was thinking of saving the 10K points. But the moving of luggage will be too much. Also, an added benefit...we can take the Magical Express bus and save $70 with Happy Limo, so really just a $80 extra cost to us, (including tax).

 

[mesaboy2]

yes, will probably do this, but was thinking of saving the 10K points. But the moving of luggage will be too much. Also, an added benefit...we can take the Magical Express bus and save $70 with Happy Limo, so really just a $80 extra cost to us, (including tax).

See the green link in my signature for answers to basic FP+ questions.

 

[kbmets]

If you are going to give your band to your son, he's going to have to be the first user through the turnstile, otherwise it will not work for future admissions. You can't swap it back and forth for admission.

Do the bands come on and off?

Fort those staying off site, they don't get bands, correct? So, what do they use?

 

[mesaboy2]

Do the bands come on and off?

Fort those staying off site, they don't get bands, correct? So, what do they use?

Only onsite get bands at the moment, and yes they are removable.

Three links in my signature have first posts that if read, will go a long way to answering your questions.

 

[txtara]

Ok. Let me see if I understand. I am checking into Bonnett Creek on Monday, June 16th. I was contemplating staying 1 night, Sunday June 15th, on property. IF I do this it will allow me the 60 day FP+ window and Magic Bands? My husband works for Chase so we buy our tickets through them. Can we link them? Thank you so much to anyone that can answer these questions.

 

[JimmyV]

If you book an on site room for one night and then move off site, what is your MB linked to after day one? If you go to a TS restaurant on day three and try to pay for your purchase with your MB, what happens?

 

[kbmets]

Ok. My husband works for Chase so we buy our tickets through them. Can we link them? Thank you so much to anyone that can answer these questions.

Yes, I already had my tickets and you will need to register for MDE, download the app then scan the bar code on the tickets with your smartphone. I tried entering the numbers online and it was not working. Scanning the bar codes of tickets worked much better.

 

[kbmets]

If you book an on site room for one night and then move off site, what is your MB linked to after day one? If you go to a TS restaurant on day three and try to pay for your purchase with your MB, what happens?

Just a guess, but the credit card on file, I imagine.

 

[wisblue]

I wouldn't say that it's nuts because that is a matter of personal choice (except for the part about exceeding capacity for a room).

But, I am amazed at the lengths that people will go to in the form of cost and inconvenience just to make advance FP reservations.

 

[JimmyV]

I wouldn't say that it's nuts because that is a matter of personal choice (except for the part about exceeding capacity for a room).

But, I am amazed at the lengths that people will go to in the form of cost and inconvenience just to make advance FP reservations.

There is a small window of time when this makes sense, and that time is now. If you are staying off site during President's week without the ability to make advance FP+ reservations and you can book a room for $150, if you amatorize that over 7 days, that is roughly $20 per day for your whole family to be able to book the rides you want. That's not much to pay to avoid getting stuck with Captain EO, Muppets and other scraps that might be available on the "day of". There is an assumption that some spots will be saved for off site guests but I remain skeptical. And even if that is true, they will be gone within a half hour of park opening. Looks like a sure thing that FP+ will be a bust for off site guests on a crowded weekend without the ability to pre-book.

 

[bcrook]

I wouldn't say that it's nuts because that is a matter of personal choice (except for the part about exceeding capacity for a room).

But, I am amazed at the lengths that people will go to in the form of cost and inconvenience just to make advance FP reservations.

It is going to get even more interesting when the demand exceeds the ride capacity. Disney is touting that 90% of guests are using the system now, where only 50% used it before. With that kind of increase in usage - it is going to be most fun to watch.

In this case I admire kbmets tenacity in trying to make this work.

 

[stairstepmom]

I'm not sure- are you saying you're going to sit out all your FP+ rides so your 16 year old can use them? Or you plan to hit a kiosk and try to copy them to his ticket? There's a good chance some slots won't be available and that's kind of a bummer for you to miss out on rides with your family.

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.

 

[kbmets]

Or you plan to hit a kiosk and try to copy them to his ticket? .

I will try and copy as best I can. But the ages ranges are 5 boy-13 girl-16 boy, so I have different levels of interest. Between my wife and I we will work it out and do complete family stuff on the standby attractions. Also, a bummer...our favorite family ride is Splash Mountain which is closed for refurbishment. The hits just keep on coming.