help with fastpass reservations for large group

[drdrowsy]

Need advice on how to approach booking FP+ for a large group with differing disney arrival days. Everyone will be staying at a disney resort, but the 60 day mark is on 3 different days

group 1 four people-- arriving on Jan 23 staying 10 days
group 2 two people arriving on Jan 24 staying 5 days
group 3 3 people arriving on Jan 27 staying 6 days

there is some overlap between the groups, and we'd like to tour together as much as possible. Right now i'm thinking that i will make FP for group 1 and then the next day try to make FP for group 2 that mostly overlap with group 1 and then same thing for group 3. I'm assuming there's no way to sync/copy FP from group 1 to group 2 (and 3).

to make matters more confusing, i think we have a group meeting us for just one day during the trip, but they are going to be 30-day FP with florida resident tickets.

 

[hiroMYhero]

Need advice on how to approach booking FP+ for a large group with differing disney arrival days. Everyone will be staying at a disney resort, but the 60 day mark is on 3 different days

group 1 four people-- arriving on Jan 23 staying 10 days
group 2 two people arriving on Jan 24 staying 5 days
group 3 3 people arriving on Jan 27 staying 6 days

there is some overlap between the groups, and we'd like to tour together as much as possible. Right now i'm thinking that i will make FP for group 1 and then the next day try to make FP for group 2 that mostly overlap with group 1 and then same thing for group 3. I'm assuming there's no way to sync/copy FP from group 1 to group 2 (and 3).

to make matters more confusing, i think we have a group meeting us for just one day during the trip, but they are going to be 30-day FP with florida resident tickets.

The only thing you haven’t mentioned is if all the groups have booked /hotel + ticket/ packages. If they have, you’ll need to follow your plan:

“Right now i'm thinking that i will make FP for group 1 and then the next day try to make FP for group 2 that mostly overlap with group 1 and then same thing for group 3. I'm assuming there's no way to sync/copy FP from group 1 to group 2.”

If everyone has separately linked tickets, you can book for everyone when the first FP booking window opens - this includes the stragglers who may show up for one day.

 

[drdrowsy]

The only thing you haven’t mentioned is if all the groups have booked /hotel + ticket/ packages. If they have, you’ll need to follow your plan:

“Right now i'm thinking that i will make FP for group 1 and then the next day try to make FP for group 2 that mostly overlap with group 1 and then same thing for group 3. I'm assuming there's no way to sync/copy FP from group 1 to group 2.”

If everyone has separately linked tickets, you can book for everyone when the first FP booking window opens - this includes the stragglers who may show up for one day.

We all rented DVC points and have purchased (and linked) tickets separately.

 

[hiroMYhero]

We all rented DVC points and have purchased (and linked) tickets separately.

Perfect!!! You’ll be able to book for everyone when FP window #1 opens!

 

[Bete]

Keep in mind you have an hour window to fit everyone in to the same fastpass. If the first group has the earliest time they can just wait a little bit to join up with the other groups within that hour window.

If you get all the same times that will be great. Just be a little flexible in case you can't do it.

You may have to be satisfied with some less prime fastpasses to stay as a whole group. Don't be greedy.

 

[mrsap]

We are a group of 16 (18 at some point), all arriving different days for our upcoming November trip. I booked FP’s first, then sent the FP list I made to everyone else. 2nd group, booking same day, an hour later, got all our FP’s. 3rd group, booking 2 days later, got all but Slinky. Worked out great. Booking dinner reservations were tough, but we booked places that were easier to get with larger groups. Good luck and have a great time!

 

[drdrowsy]

We are a group of 16 (18 at some point), all arriving different days for our upcoming November trip. I booked FP’s first, then sent the FP list I made to everyone else. 2nd group, booking same day, an hour later, got all our FP’s. 3rd group, booking 2 days later, got all but Slinky. Worked out great. Booking dinner reservations were tough, but we booked places that were easier to get with larger groups. Good luck and have a great time!

Thanks for the pep talk! That gives me hope if i have to do it piece meal like that.

 

[drdrowsy]

Perfect!!! You’ll be able to book for everyone when FP window #1 opens!

Hope it works! thanks for your replies

 

[hiroMYhero]

Hope it works! thanks for your replies

As long as 1 onsite person is included in the FP grouping, the booking window opens. Then, the onsite person can be removed if a Warning pops up and the window remains open for the remaining group members.

 

[JPKnapp]

You are a saint for taking this on. Two suggestions from someone who did a 15 person group arriving on 2 different days.
1. Remember - its NOT ALL ON YOU if you dont get the times aligned. Just do your best and everyone will have a blast regardless of what happens. Try not to be the person refreshing MDE every 20 minutes for 2 months so Aunt Beth and Uncle Fester have an overlapping time with everyone else. It'll all work out.
2. I would book a couple character meet-n-greets. They make for great group photos where everyone is together and the cast members are a lot more open to accepting early/late times of a partial group as long as everyone has a fastpass for that day. Just tell which ever cast member who is smiling the biggest why you are there together (aka we really wanted everyones picture with Mickey) and ask for forgiveness and to let you all in. The key to that one is having a FP for at least sometime during the day.

 

[Lisa F]

as long as someone who is arriving first is in the party, it will allow you to make mixed group (arriving early/arriving later) FPs for the entire group.

 

[SG131]

Make sure everyone is linked as friends and family on My Disney Experience. Once you’re linked, the head of group 1 can make fastpasses for all the rides you plan to do together the day group 1’s window opens up. No need to piece it together unless it’s a hard to get ride in which case you may need to split into two groups to get overlapping times.

Keep in mind if you do have to split into multiple groups for say FOP, when booking make sure one person from group 1 is in each of the booking groups and then you should still be able to book all on group 1’s fastpass day. The only fastpasses you won’t be able to book day 1 are rides that group 2 or 3 may want to do on their own and no one from group 1 will be coming along.

 

[hiroMYhero]

The only fastpasses you won’t be able to book day 1 are rides that group 2 or 3 may want to do on their own and no one from group 1 will be coming along.

If the OP includes and onsite person in Group#1 to initiate the booking and then removes them when the Warning appears, the window remains open for the Group#2 and #3 people to complete their FP booking using the opened window.

 

[drdrowsy]

You are a saint for taking this on. Two suggestions from someone who did a 15 person group arriving on 2 different days.
1. Remember - its NOT ALL ON YOU if you dont get the times aligned. Just do your best and everyone will have a blast regardless of what happens. Try not to be the person refreshing MDE every 20 minutes for 2 months so Aunt Beth and Uncle Fester have an overlapping time with everyone else. It'll all work out.
2. I would book a couple character meet-n-greets. They make for great group photos where everyone is together and the cast members are a lot more open to accepting early/late times of a partial group as long as everyone has a fastpass for that day. Just tell which ever cast member who is smiling the biggest why you are there together (aka we really wanted everyones picture with Mickey) and ask for forgiveness and to let you all in. The key to that one is having a FP for at least sometime during the day.

thanks for your advice

All FP+ made for 2/3 groups on my 60 day mark this past saturday-- third group didn't have their tickets yet! They got them today and i was able to add them to all of fast pass times that we had already (luckily no pandora/AS2! on those dates, and lucky too that we are going in january)