Free Dining and late arrival??

[tinkercat]

I really hope this doesn't end up to be an issue for us but another thread has me wondering...

I booked a room at POR for 10 days from 11/18-28 for DH, myself, and our kiddos. The kids and I will arrive as planned on 11/18 but DH cannot arrive until 11/22. We all have to be on the same package since we are in the same room, so we all have 10 day tickets and the free dining.

Can anyone tell me if there will be a problem with DH arriving later than the rest of the family? He'd love to be able to be there on the 18th with the rest of us, but his work schedule won't allow it.

 

[Redwitch]

Well, you'll have extra credits on the adult side. Perhaps you could schedule some extra TS for when hubby arrives and pay OOP for the kiddies?

 

[tinkercat]

We just planned on the TS credits going unused, but I read on the "phantom child" thread about all members of the party needing to be present at check-in and we obviously won't be able to do that with DH flying down later. I'm also going to need to figure out the Magical Express stuff for him...just thought of that too.

 

[ajk912]

I am not a Disney CM but I would think it's MUCH more understandable and I am sure it happens a lot, where an adult has to join later due to work commitments. Now, trying to say a child will be arriving at a later flight...errr...I would love to be a fly on the wall during that convo. But I would not be worried about DH arriving later. He will be there in a few days if they want to flag your account or whatnot, you know?

 

[StacyMarie]

I am in the same situation. My girls, myself, and my mother are arriving to the Poly on August 28th, my DH is not arriving until August 31st. I was told there would be no problem with my DH not being present when I check in. Also, in my packet from Disney, DH has the same amount of meal credits as we do even though he is not checking in until 4 days later. Hope this helps!

 

[gigi1313]

i've been in this situation during free dining ('cept the adults were my nieces, not my hubby) and we had no problem at all... i simply told the cm when we checked in (because they needed all adults i.d.) and was told to just have them check in when they arrive... no dining credits were lost and no one seemed to blink an eye... as far as DME, they just used their "tickets" (from the booklet) when they arrived, and again, no issue w/the check in date having been the day before...

 

[Marionnette]

I really hope this doesn't end up to be an issue for us but another thread has me wondering...

I booked a room at POR for 10 days from 11/18-28 for DH, myself, and our kiddos. The kids and I will arrive as planned on 11/18 but DH cannot arrive until 11/22. We all have to be on the same package since we are in the same room, so we all have 10 day tickets and the free dining.

Can anyone tell me if there will be a problem with DH arriving later than the rest of the family? He'd love to be able to be there on the 18th with the rest of us, but his work schedule won't allow it.

Your ressie isnt likely to raise a red flag b/c you are paying for ten day tickets for the person who wont be there at checkin. Someone trying to get around the rules by having a phantom guest would be getting two day tickets for eveyone so that they didnt have to spend the extra money for their fake guest. You should be okay. Get seven day ticksts for everyone instead if you want to save some money. You can upgrade all the tickets to ten day tickets once you get there except your husbands.

 

[Justsyd2]

It depends. I have heard many times that all parties must be there at check-in in order to get Free Dining. You might have that taken away, but if that's ok, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[tinkercat]

Thanks so much for the replies!! I feel much better about things after reading that others have had a similar scenario with no problems. Now I can stop worrying and get back to PLANNING!!!

 

[skhermsmeyer]

This happened to us in 2008 and it wasn't an issue. My sister met up with us and I just told the CM she was having to change her plane ressie (airtran canceled her flight and couldn't get her to MCO until after 3pm the next day ). CM said no problem and to just have her check in when she got there.

 

[LisaInNc]

We had a problem similar to this with my family. I was the person that booked and paid for the reservation and my flight got changed and my Mom and 2 sisters were arriving the day before. I read all the stuff about eveyone needing to be present for check in and I was especially worried because I wasn't going to be there.

I called the resort and spoke to someone about it. Took names and was standing by the phone when they checked in, in case they had a problem. It was fine. They could probably tell by the reservation that we were all arriving seperately we had 3 different flight with Magical Express and mine wasn't scheduled until the morning after everyone else arrived.

Lisa

 

[dclfun]

I'd also think that if his flight is listed for DME then they'll know the date he's arriving and it won't be a problem and they'll know he's not a fake guest since he has a flight.---Kathy

 

[disneychrista]

Have you you thought about calling Disney and asking them if there is an issue?

 

[Traveliz]

I am not a Disney CM but I would think it's MUCH more understandable and I am sure it happens a lot, where an adult has to join later due to work commitments. Now, trying to say a child will be arriving at a later flight...errr...I would love to be a fly on the wall during that convo. But I would not be worried about DH arriving later. He will be there in a few days if they want to flag your account or whatnot, you know?

They are ... this happened to us a few years ago - I just just checked in and didn't say a word about my husband. I think they went over the names on the reservation (like before they give you the keys) and I said my husband was coming in later. It was no problem.

Liz

 

[Traveliz]

Have you you thought about calling Disney and asking them if there is an issue?

If you call they will say that all parties need to be present to check in.

Same as if you call they will say the holiday parties don't allow entrance until 7.

Same as if you call they will say Fast Passes are good only during the time printed on the pass.

Same as if you call they will say that buses only run one hour before the park opens and stop exactly two hours after the park closes.

You get the idea...the standard line on the computer isn't always the applicable procedure/policy.

I think the OP will be fine.

Liz

 

[emmakatbaby]

I don't think you will have a problem with either resort check in or dining. We don't fly to get to WDW so I can't help with that but I do know that my DH is never around at check in. He is always parking the car or walking the kids around the resort while I check in and I am NEVER asked if all of my party is present. Also, in restaurants on more than one occasion, either he or I would have to skip a sit down meal with a child for one reason or another and the rest would sit down and eat. The server will not question why your DH is not present. He could be sick in the room or off playing golf or whatever. They will ask you if you are on the dining plan or not and go over all of your choices. At checkout, they simply ask how many credits you are going to use and charge you accordingly. I don't think you will have a problem with that either. You might even be able to go to a one or two "Two" credit place as a meal to use up all of his credits such as Chef Mickey's, CRT or California Grill. Remember, they won't ask you at the restaurant when he arrived . (I hope I don't get flamed for this suggestion )
Hope this helps
Karen

 

[badblackpug]

I always check us in. I have never been asked to present the actual other people or their ID's.

 

[Disneyhay]

When we went in 2008, I drove my dauhgter, and her 2 cousins down and my mom and dad flew. We had 2 rooms and they put my daughter on my mom's room and the cousins on mine. My mom and Dad didnt arrive till later after we checked in and they gave me all of the room keys and room numbers for both rooms w/o any adults present for the 2nd room so I could get my daughters park pass.

So in long story short, I wouldnt worry too much about it!

 

[WDWorBUST]

We had the same scenario last year. I did call Disney and they did tell me that it would not be a problem. They instructed me on the procedure for notifying ME of his flight so he could use it without problems and we did not lose any dining credits.