Is there anything I can do?

[AC7179]

My husband says my MIL, who lives in FL, will probably join us for one day in the theme parks. We will be going for five days. He can't give me specifics on which day and I think it will likely be just whenever she can get away/feels like it, etc., and won't be decided until week of the trip.

Of course, I've got dining reservations and FP reservations set up already. There's no exception that could be made by getting her a carbon of our FPs day of, is there? I think I know the answer, but I'm hoping against hope.

I'll buy her a one day ticket and add her to our resort stay so she can stay with us, but that one day ticket will only allow me to just pick one random day to schedule her FP+ right?

The other thing I could do is buy her a whole five day pass and then just make her FP with us. Of course, four days will go to waste and that is a lot of money. Any suggestions?

I am not close with my mother in law and although we are in a good place right now, I'm afraid that my husband being all chill with her coming up for a day and me being like, "What day will you be here? How long will you stay? Would you like to be included in our dining reservation?" will be taken as me not wanting her to come, which isn't the case. It's just that I'm trying to figure this out on my own and it's not a case where I could just call her and explain things straight up.

 

[Robo]

My husband says my MIL, who lives in FL, will probably join us for one day in the theme parks. We will be going for five days. He can't give me specifics on which day and I think it will likely be just whenever she can get away/feels like it, etc., and won't be decided until week of the trip.

Of course, I've got dining reservations and FP reservations set up already.

1. There's no exception that could be made by getting her a carbon of our FPs day of, is there? I think I know the answer, but I'm hoping against hope.

I'll buy her a one day ticket and add her to our resort stay so she can stay with us, but

2. that one day ticket will only allow me to just pick one random day to schedule her FP+ right?

3. The other thing I could do is buy her a whole five day pass and then just make her FP with us. Of course, four days will go to waste and that is a lot of money. Any suggestions?

1. Exception to what?
2. One-day ticket=one day of advance FP+ selection.
3. $$$

If you can't get compatible FP+ for her (and you MIGHT be ABLE to do so, depending on the ride,) one of you skip that ride using FP+ and let her ride (using that FP+) with the rest of the family, or she skips that ride using FP+, or nobody rides FP+ but rides standby.

 

[AC7179]

Sorry, I don't have FP set up already. I will by the time the trip comes. I can book in JAnuary.

 

[leebee]

This is one of the drawbacks to FP+; if you are meeting friends, adding people to your trip, etc., you might not be able to get FP+ for them that align with your plans. This will be effected by time of year/crowd levels, how many days past the 60/30 day time point you are, etc., but mostly it could be a challenge to add your MIL to your FP+ plans. However… does she like headliners? You might be worrying for nothing if she isn't a coaster person or has physical issues that would prevent her from riding these things. One thing you might do is shift your FP+ times to earlier in the day. Once your FP+ rides are done, you can make more FP+ reservations (one at a time) and include her on those. ALSO… if you have booked your entire family for something that one of you doesn't care/choose to ride, you can swap that magic band for your MIL's so that she can ride in the "empty" spot. We kind-of did that at Space and Splash Mountains. I don't ride either of them, but it was too much of a planning/time hassle to book me on a different ride at the same time, so I just let DD take my bracelet and ride each of these a second time.

Regarding your ADRs…. Is there any possibility of rebooking them for a party with one more person? I know that won't happen for the "hard" ones (CRT, BOG) but maybe for some of the others? I think it's easier for Disney to seat a party of fewer people than it is to add a chair to a table if 5 show up instead of 4. I'd be tempered to rebook any ADRs that I can to include one more person- then whenever your MIL comes to the park, she'll already be on the ADR. (No, there is no penalty for showing up with fewer party members- just for not showing up at all.)

 

[disnut8]

If you can't get compatible FP+ for her (and you MIGHT be ABLE to do so, depending on the ride,) one of you skip that ride using FP+ and let her ride (using that FP+) with the rest of the family, or she skips that ride using FP+, or nobody rides FP+ but rides standby.

I agree with this. Make your plans when you can and once she decides on the day, you do what you can do. You can only do three advanced FastPasses so it's not that many attractions she wouldn't be able to do with your family. At this point, I wouldn't concern myself with it.

For dining reservations, make them all with the maximum number of people possible. You can change them later or even at the podium when you check in or at the restaurant earlier in the day. No big deal there.

 

[Luvchefmic]

My husband says my MIL, who lives in FL, will probably join us for one day in the theme parks. We will be going for five days. He can't give me specifics on which day and I think it will likely be just whenever she can get away/feels like it, etc., and won't be decided until week of the trip.

Of course, I've got dining reservations and FP reservations set up already. There's no exception that could be made by getting her a carbon of our FPs day of, is there? I think I know the answer, but I'm hoping against hope.

I'll buy her a one day ticket and add her to our resort stay so she can stay with us, but that one day ticket will only allow me to just pick one random day to schedule her FP+ right?

The other thing I could do is buy her a whole five day pass and then just make her FP with us. Of course, four days will go to waste and that is a lot of money. Any suggestions?

I am not close with my mother in law and although we are in a good place right now, I'm afraid that my husband being all chill with her coming up for a day and me being like, "What day will you be here? How long will you stay? Would you like to be included in our dining reservation?" will be taken as me not wanting her to come, which isn't the case. It's just that I'm trying to figure this out on my own and it's not a case where I could just call her and explain things straight up.

I am trying to understand what you are saying here This could be a perfect opportunity to get closer to her by calling her and saying you are looking forward to seeing her. Then you explain you need as much advance notice as possible so that she can do things with you. This is how Disney works. Maybe she isn't aware, maybe she has never been there or hasn't been there in awhile. Why can't you do this ? Is there a reason not to pick up a telephone and talk to each other ?

 

[jtowntoflorida]

We have a similar situation (ILs are snowbirds who live in FL for the winter), but at least we know which day they're joining us. They usually get in on some sort of free CM pass that they get from a friend, so even though we know the day, there is absolutely no planning ahead for us. Luckily, we're eating at Biergarten that day, so I had a friend make them a separate reservation using my credit card in case they flake out on us. As for joining FP+s...I know my MIL, and she won't want to ride any rides. They usually take a trip to Epcot once a year, and they didn't even know that Epcot had rides, so I'm not too worried about the FP+s. I think FIL would like Soarin', but I'm not stressing myself out about that FP+ situation. If we have to, we'll just jump in the SB line with them later in the day. The kids like the ride in Mexico, and there's no FP+ for that, so I assume that will be the ride we ride with the ILs over and over.

My biggest stressor is having my MIL at my Happy Place. Luckily, there is really not too much at Epcot they can screw up for us. Of course, she's already complaining about Biergarten, so I've already got a baseline level of irritation going on. I'll probably drink myself around the world to make the day with them tolerable.

 

[Crl1817]

I hear you. My mil is not my biggest fan. And she is not a planner (or more precisely, as I have realized over 18 years, she wants to do the planning and keep it to herself so no one else can have any input and she can change things at the last minute without consulting anyone else).

In your shoes, I would have as many ADRs as possible be for five. And if I couldn't get mil fast passes at the same time as the family because of the last minute nature of her showing up, I would tell my dh that he will be handing his magic band over to his mom for any fast passed rides she wants to get on with the family--unless there was a ride I actually wanted to sit out and then I would oh so graciously volunteer my magic band.

 

[AC7179]

I am trying to understand what you are saying here This could be a perfect opportunity to get closer to her by calling her and saying you are looking forward to seeing her. Then you explain you need as much advance notice as possible so that she can do things with you. This is how Disney works. Maybe she isn't aware, maybe she has never been there or hasn't been there in awhile. Why can't you do this ? Is there a reason not to pick up a telephone and talk to each other ?

In a perfect world, that would be great. I dont believe she cares very much for me and she is easily offended. After several years of ******* (nothing terrible--just not seeing each other much) we have finally started moving forward. I get anxious before spending time together bc I don't want to do anything that may upset her. She may be fine if I call her, but I can see her also feeling like I'm making her commit early, making it more difficult for her, making her buy her ticket early, and her getting upset by that. It's not something I'm willing to risk our peace over.

 

[Luvchefmic]

That's too bad, well all I can say is good luck. I have no other ideas.

 

[MKMomma]

I am trying to understand what you are saying here This could be a perfect opportunity to get closer to her by calling her and saying you are looking forward to seeing her. Then you explain you need as much advance notice as possible so that she can do things with you. This is how Disney works. Maybe she isn't aware, maybe she has never been there or hasn't been there in awhile. Why can't you do this ? Is there a reason not to pick up a telephone and talk to each other ?

To most sane people, telling them you need to know what they want to ride months in advance is crazy talk.

 

[MPB82]

Tell your husband to get his mom in line, repo ally if you are buying. She can't just give you a day? Monday to Friday? Or your hubby can't just say "hey mom we have your I let for Tuesday, we can't wait to see you"? If she is that self centered thn no matter what you pick that day, it will be wrong. If my mother ever did they to my wife or family I would tell her that she can get her tickets and meet us but she might not be Doug a lot with us due to previous reservations where a ticket is needed.

 

[maxiesmom]

To most sane people, telling them you need to know what they want to ride months in advance is crazy talk.

So that gives the OP a chance to explain that they do get to pick a few rides ahead of time, and ask if there is anything special MIL would like to ride.

 

[AC7179]

Thanks for the ideas.

We have a 2 year old so I may get Baby Pass on all the headliners early in the week and then hoard those in case we need them on the day she joins us.

She may join us on a Universal Day, which opens up a new can of worms in that we got a night in a Universal Hotel to get Express Pass. But that may be more easily remedied in just pony-ing up and buying another Express Pass.

I don't think she will be super INTO any rides---like nothing that she especially will want to do, but I don't want to be in the position of her not being ABLE to ride bc we don't have enough passes.

It's a bad combination of Disney requiring advance planning, me trying to hop on and do everything I can to ensure we have a great trip and then her (not being a Disney expert so not knowing that it's such a problem) not really wanting to commit to a day until she sees how her schedule is that day. She's retired, so she may also be wanting to wait and see how her financial situation is at the time.

I'll have my husband continue to ask her if she knows what her plans will be. Our ADRs are all pre-park opening at 8 am. I doubt she'd want to join, but my overplanning brain is worried that if she arrives at the gate at 9:30 while we are in line for Anna and Elsa, she may get upset if we don't ALL go to the gate to greet her. I guess we will just do the best we can and hope for peace.

Thanks to all who helped!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Thanks for the ideas.

We have a 2 year old so I may get Baby Pass on all the headliners early in the week and then hoard those in case we need them on the day she joins us....

I have never heard of a "baby pass." Are you confusing this with "rider switch?"

I'm not sure why you are so worried about setting up her FP+ rides. If she really cared, she could give you a firm date. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[DorkyDisneyMom]

Depending on when you are going you may be able to make an overlapping FP+ time for her. I had Monday-Wednesday by myself and because I only needed 1 FP I was able to make them for myself for headliners the morning of. I got Soarin, Peter Pan, and ELP, talking Mickey on his birthday, character spot in Epcot, the earliest time for Kilimanjaro Safari, Festival of Lion King, Everest too, all the day of. I even had the choice of Mine Train and I was able to book my BOG lunch the day of. I tell you this because maybe it won't be as hard as you think because you just need one.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

We have a 2 year old so I may get Baby Pass on all the headliners early in the week and then hoard those in case we need them on the day she joins us.

I am pretty sure the Rider Switch passes are only good for the day that you obtain them.

 

[AC7179]

I had read they had made them good for a month now, but maybe that's incorrect. I'll check. Thanks!

 

[LBIJim]

Or you or DH can tell her that Disney is so crazy these days that you need to know which day, which rides, which restaurants you want to do NOW. Maybe she'll decide not to join you after all.

 

[chelseabun76]

My MIL is not a Disney person, you would never catch her in the parks so I know that she would have NO idea why I would need to know absolute specifics and she'd take it the wrong way too. LOL But, I think by letting your MIL know that you really want her to join you guys in whatever you have planned on the day she decides to come, but the only way to guarantee that is to firm up a definate day that she will be there. Explain the fp+ system and how if she joins on a day where you have highly sought after fp+ at the last minute, she might have to stand by and watch you guys use them instead of joining you on the rides. Same with the ADR, as it's fine to show up with one less person if you book for more, but not to bring an extra along with you for the most part. Good luck!!!