I need help with a FP+ problem from a pro. Confusing scenario

[Princess Olivia]

Hi! Just hung up with IT. SO FRUSTRATED!! Here is my situation, can you help explain it or tell me what I need to do. I know this is a tedious post but I need help from an annual passholder or a FP+ pro. Seems nothing is easy any more.

We have a family (of 8) vacation scheduled for May. My daughter and I have DVC annual passes attached to our MagicBands. All of our FP+ are good for this trip. All set.

My daughter and I are also scheduled to travel to WDW with her dance team at the end of June. I bought just what I needed for the dance package which is June 25th-28th (a stay at Port Orleans, park hopper tickets that include a dinner at Epcot for dancers). We however are arriving on June 23rd and departing June 30th and I plan on using our annual pass for the uncovered dance tix days. I'm also running the dance MDE for two other families who bought the extra day park tickets.

Our FP+ window of 60 days opens April 24th. I can make FP for everyone else starting June 23rd except DD's and mine. I was told this is because she and I have all our FP+ used up for our May trip. I will only be able to make FP+ for us starting on the 25th of June because we'll have the dance tickets covering those days. This too apparently will be an issue after adding the dance tickets. I need to go to guest relations and tell them to only use my annual pass for May.

I am supposed to be making FP for a total of 8 people for this June trip. How am I going to get on their FP's after I get home from using the May passes? Am I missing something or am I just out of luck and need to wait until 30 days out and hope I can get on with our friends? Do I not even link my dance tickets until I get home and save some confusion but also possibly miss all the FP rides with our group?

Sorry so long. I just need some help and you are all pretty knowledgeable Thanks in advance.

 

[Robo]

Hi! Just hung up with IT. SO FRUSTRATED!! Here is my situation, can you help explain it or tell me what I need to do. I know this is a tedious post but I need help from an annual passholder or a FP+ pro. Seems nothing is easy any more.

We have a family (of 8) vacation scheduled for May. My daughter and I have DVC annual passes attached to our MagicBands. All of our FP+ are good for this trip. All set.

My daughter and I are also scheduled to travel to WDW with her dance team at the end of June. I bought just what I needed for the dance package which is June 25th-28th (a stay at Port Orleans, park hopper tickets that include a dinner at Epcot for dancers). We however are arriving on June 23rd and departing June 30th and I plan on using our annual pass for the uncovered dance tix days. I'm also running the dance MDE for two other families who bought the extra day park tickets.

Our FP+ window of 60 days opens June 24th. I can make FP for everyone else starting June 23rd except DD's and mine. I was told this is because she and I have all our FP+ used up for our May trip. I will only be able to make FP+ for us starting on the 25th of June because we'll have the dance tickets covering those days. This too apparently will be an issue after adding the dance tickets. I need to go to guest relations and tell them to only use my annual pass for May.

I am supposed to be making FP for a total of 8 people for this June trip. How am I going to get on their FP's after I get home from using the May passes? Am I missing something or am I just out of luck and need to wait until 30 days out and hope I can get on with our friends? Do I not even link my dance tickets until I get home and save some confusion but also possibly miss all the FP rides with our group?

Sorry so long. I just need some help and you are all pretty knowledgeable Thanks in advance.

Wow.
This new advanced-booking FP+ stuff sure is easy!

(The designers could not have possibly thought of these very real difficult situations.)

There IS an answer (several of them) for your situation, but I've got to leave here pretty quickly.
Others will be by to help you soon.

 

[supersnoop]

Are you staying on site the whole time? I can't tell where you're staying for the time surrounding the dance trip.

 

[Princess Olivia]

Hi. Sorry. Yes, May we are at home resort BLT. June we are with the dance team the whole week at Port Orleans

 

[nancydrew79]

Had sort of a similar issue (dance trip, POR, was only showing 30 days availability). Called IT and was told that with all youth group tickets and packages that it will treat you as a one day ticket holder until the 60 day mark of your resort reservation, then it will kick over and automatically allow you to book your FP+.

Now I am not sure if this will be what happens, but this is what I was told, as well as others in my group who have called about this same issue (we sort of all panicked at the same time the other day and called, lol). Our FP+ booking days start on the 18th (some of us going earlier than others), so if you want me to, I will update you as to how things go for us.

 

[Princess Olivia]

Had sort of a similar issue (dance trip, POR, was only showing 30 days availability). Called IT and was told that with all youth group tickets and packages that it will treat you as a one day ticket holder until the 60 day mark of your resort reservation, then it will kick over and automatically allow you to book your FP+.

Now I am not sure if this will be what happens, but this is what I was told, as well as others in my group who have called about this same issue (we sort of all panicked at the same time the other day and called, lol). Our FP+ booking days start on the 18th (some of us going earlier than others), so if you want me to, I will update you as to how things go for us.

Thanks. The problem is that I have my annual pass tied in my MDE account. It will not allow me to make FP+ at 60 days from June trip because my annual pass already has FP scheduled for May. I only bought the exact dates of the dance package so that I could use my annual passes on the extra days we are there. The others in my group are not AP holders. They just added on to the dance package. It's so confusing....

 

[Princess Olivia]

Wow.
This new advanced-booking FP+ stuff sure is easy!

(The designers could not have possibly thought of these very real difficult situations.)

There IS an answer (several of them) for your situation, but I've got to leave here pretty quickly.
Others will be by to help you soon.

Thanks Robo. I knew you'd have an answer. Hopefully if you have some time later you could help me with what to do. I'd be deeply grateful! Although I don't post too often I've been reading your wisdom for over 10 years!!

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

I'm not going to be helpful at all but I am wondering why you bought a ticket for the dance timeframe when you could have just used your AP for the whole time not just the 'extra' days?

I hope it all works out for you - I can see where they are coming from with the 'you've used your FP' but I think that should be cancelled out by the fact that you have 2 onsite stays booked but I don't know that from experience (we are AP holders but no trips booked that closely together).

 

[ArwenMarie]

I'm not sure I am getting the whole situation but I think you are only allowed to make 7 days worth of FPs at a time with an AP? So you are out of FP entitlements via your AP until you use some of them up. For some reason it's not recognizing the AP as linked to an onsite stay, I assume because your second stay is part of the dance package with the tickets included.

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

I'm not sure I am getting the whole situation but I think you are only allowed to make 7 days worth of FPs at a time with an AP? So you are out of FP entitlements via your AP until you use some of them up. For some reason it's not recognizing the AP as linked to an onsite stay, I assume because your second stay is part of the dance package with the tickets included.

it's 7 days worth OR the length of your stay if you are staying onsite. I've always thought it was because with an onsite stay they KNOW you are in the area with Disney on the mind! Thus *I* think it might work out for her second stay (even though IT is saying it won't trigger/ work to make FP) The system is needlessly complicated IMO

 

[ArwenMarie]

it's 7 days worth OR the length of your stay if you are staying onsite. I've always thought it was because with an onsite stay they KNOW you are in the area with Disney on the mind! Thus *I* think it might work out for her second stay (even though IT is saying it won't trigger/ work to make FP) The system is needlessly complicated IMO

I agree, that's why it must have something to do with the fact that the second onsite stay is not being recognized as such in terms of the AP. Perhaps because it is a package with tickets attached and not a room-only? Or perhaps something specifically about the type of package?

 

[IrishNYC]

Can you cancel the dance package and rebook using a new MDE account for both you and your DD?

 

[Princess Olivia]

I'm not going to be helpful at all but I am wondering why you bought a ticket for the dance timeframe when you could have just used your AP for the whole time not just the 'extra' days?

I hope it all works out for you - I can see where they are coming from with the 'you've used your FP' but I think that should be cancelled out by the fact that you have 2 onsite stays booked but I don't know that from experience (we are AP holders but no trips booked that closely together).

Can you cancel the dance package and rebook using a new MDE account for both you and your DD?

I was required to buy the dance package due to the "extras" that come along with the performance. We are dancing on the Beauty and the Beast stage on Friday and have an illuminations dinner party on the terrace in "Italy" on Sunday. I also think they might have given a slight room discount due to the large group plus a T shirt and backpack or something.

I just don't want to be left out of all of our friends plans (THAT I MADE...lol)!

 

[Robo]

I was required to buy the dance package due to the "extras" that come along with the performance. We are dancing on the Beauty and the Beast stage on Friday and have an illuminations dinner party on the terrace in "Italy" on Sunday. I also think they might have given a slight room discount due to the large group plus a T shirt and backpack or something.

I just don't want to be left out of all of our friends plans (THAT I MADE...lol)!

Messy.

 

[ElizabethG]

Our FP+ window of 60 days opens April 24th. I can make FP for everyone else starting June 23rd except DD's and mine. I was told this is because she and I have all our FP+ used up for our May trip. I will only be able to make FP+ for us starting on the 25th of June because we'll have the dance tickets covering those days. This too apparently will be an issue after adding the dance tickets. I need to go to guest relations and tell them to only use my annual pass for May.

What do you mean by "All our FP+ used up"? AP holders should be able to make FP+ reservations for every day of their onsite stays. I am also a DVC member and had an AP last year. We only take one trip per year, but they are longer. I was able to make a full 11 days of FP+ (over a 15 day period) at 60 days from check-in last August.

 

[Princess Olivia]

I agree, that's why it must have something to do with the fact that the second onsite stay is not being recognized as such in terms of the AP. Perhaps because it is a package with tickets attached and not a room-only? Or perhaps something specifically about the type of package?

I have not yet linked my dance tickets. I can't make FP+ until 4/24. I only have the dance tickets for part of my stay using AP for the other days. Do you think I should wait to link the dance tickets? They told me I would need to explain to guest services in May to not pull off of these tickets. I worry that they are somehow going to mess this up....

OR

link the dance tickets so I can make FP+ for the days the dance package is eligible?

 

[Princess Olivia]

Why not create a NEW MDE account under "nick names" for you for the dance trip.

Won't that still leave me with the problem of not being able to make FP+ for the first two days and last 2 days of our trip due to annual pass and 30 day rule?

 

[IrishNYC]

Won't that still leave me with the problem of not being able to make FP+ for the first two days and last 2 days of our trip due to annual pass and 30 day rule?

As long as you're staying on site, the 60 day rule would apply to the AP days.

Edited to add: Ah, but not if you're using a new MDE account. Hmm.

Can you book a split stay? Or are you getting special rates on the extra days?

 

[Princess Olivia]

What do you mean by "All our FP+ used up"? AP holders should be able to make FP+ reservations for every day of their onsite stays. I am also a DVC member and had an AP last year. We only take one trip per year, but they are longer. I was able to make a full 11 days of FP+ (over a 15 day period) at 60 days from check-in last August.

Yes. I think it's because the trip is separate and a month later than my firs trip. I think AP holders can only make FP+ at 30days....is this right? Seems wrong seeing that I am on site?!

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

I have not yet linked my dance tickets. I can't make FP+ until 4/24. I only have the dance tickets for part of my stay using AP for the other days. Do you think I should wait to link the dance tickets? They told me I would need to explain to guest services in May to not pull off of these tickets. I worry that they are somehow going to mess this up....

OR

link the dance tickets so I can make FP+ for the days the dance package is eligible?

Robo is suggesting you make a separate MDE account and put the dance tickets there under 'nicknames' rather than your regular names (that your original MDE account is set up with). Then you don't have to worry about the whole AP vs dance ticket thing.

If you use your regular MDE account IT should be able to prioritize your AP for May and then your AP for the first part of the dance trip (then tell them to prioritize the Dance tickets) then your AP again. Sounds complicated but I have read of other people doing it. I think Robo's idea might be the easiest. Are you staying in the same room for your early arrival and late departure or are you staying elsewhere? That might be the complicating factor - IF you have one room / package confirmation for the dance event and you make a new MDE link that info in there (tickets and room) that's done. If you have another reservation number for your 'before' dance few days and after dance event days then you can link those reservation numbers to your original MDE account (with the AP) and all should be well. IF you only have one reservation number that would complicate things IMO