Need a primer on Friends/Family

[MommaBerd]

My family is traveling with my brother and his family in October. I have never had to make plans for a group other than my own family, and so I'm at a loss as to how to manage this initially. Currently, they do not have accounts in MDE. Should I just create Guests under my profile and leave it at that? Or, should DB or DSIL make an account and then I can link to them via Friends & Family? We will be doing most things together, but probably not everything. Also, maybe someone can recommend a good resource (thread, blog post, website) to read up on this? TIA!

 

[cmwade77]

They each will need their own MDE accounts and you need to invite them to your friends and family list in order to be able to book FPs for them. ADRs won't matter so much, as you can just say it is you an x number of guests, but FPs need to be linked to a specific person.

 

[hiroMYhero]

My family is traveling with my brother and his family in October. I have never had to make plans for a group other than my own family, and so I'm at a loss as to how to manage this initially. Currently, they do not have accounts in MDE. Should I just create Guests under my profile and leave it at that? Or, should DB or DSIL make an account and then I can link to them via Friends & Family? We will be doing most things together, but probably not everything. Also, maybe someone can recommend a good resource (thread, blog post, website) to read up on this? TIA!

If you don’t want to have to link each family member, just list them in your Family list and link tickets to them.

You can take screenshots of your plans and text them to them or share your login ID with them.

 

[Mome Rath]

If they plan to ever return, or you think they will, I'd go ahead and have them set up their own accounts and then link them. If this is a one time thing, or they will only go back with you, then just set them up in your account and manage them.

 

[MommaBerd]

They each will need their own MDE accounts and you need to invite them to your friends and family list in order to be able to book FPs for them. ADRs won't matter so much, as you can just say it is you an x number of guests, but FPs need to be linked to a specific person.

If you don’t want to have to link each family member, just list them in your Family list and link tickets to them.

You can take screenshots of your plans and text them to them or share your login ID with them.

So if DSIL creates an MDE account and adds my brother and their three boys on her account, can I just link her account and then all the others get linked too? Because kids don't really get their own MDE account, I am assuming they follow the account of the person who "owns" their profiles?

 

[Mome Rath]

So if DSIL creates an MDE account and adds my brother and their three boys on her account, can I just link her account and then all the others get linked too? Because kids don't really get their own MDE account, I am assuming they follow the account of the person who "owns" their profiles?

The parents make their accounts, then one creates their kids' accounts, then you can invite all of them (even the kids), and the parent will also accept for the kids.

 

[4Ds4Diz]

Watching this tread. I will be traveling with family next year. I am not sure where to start. OP, are you planning to eat most meals together? If so, will you be booking most of these reservations, along with FastPasses? Would appreciate your thoughts.

 

[sponica]

Watching this tread. I will be traveling with family next year. I am not sure where to start. OP, are you planning to eat most meals together? If so, will you be booking most of these reservations, along with FastPasses? Would appreciate your thoughts.

I'm not the OP but I have a large family trip next year. Since I'm the one with the most Disney experience, I'm more than likely making all the ADRs (but we're only doing one meal/experience together a day). We haven't gotten to the finer points of FPs, but I think we're all planning on being in the same parks every day, but not necessarily doing the same rides. We have different priorities as my sister is bringing my niece and nephew for their first trip.

 

[javamoma]

I’m trying to do something similar right now for an adult girls trip. My friends already have accounts from their own previous trips. How do I invite them through the app?

 

[sponica]

I’m trying to do something similar right now for an adult girls trip. My friends already have accounts from their own previous trips. How do I invite them through the app?

I'm assuming the app/website are the same process. Under family and friends you "add a guest"
If they have an onsite stay you can connect through their reservation confirmation number.
Or you can enter their name and age.

 

[TreeFalls]

I recommend having adults make their own MDE accounts (or you make for them), link tickets, and send invites. That way if you end up not all together, each adult can make/modify their own plans if they like. My MIL is not good at technology, but she was making FPs all over the place on our last trip.

In my family, we have one MDE account for each "couple" (I have one, my mom, my sister, and my MIL). Our spouses are linked to us within those account. We set it up so I can manage everyone, but they can only manage themselves. On our last trip, I had to call to get access to the spouses, because only the main invited person ended up linked.

The CM was extremely helpful when I called, and fixed everything. My dad somehow was in there twice (nickname and full name) and she merged his account and gave me access to all the spouses, plus set up some of my FPs for me. So do your best to set it all up with invitations, but calling can be really useful.

 

[MommaBerd]

@4Ds4Diz - I did ask my brother and SIL to make accounts OR I offered to make accounts for them. That actually would be my preference (or that they give me their logins once accounts are made) because then I could have control and see the whole picture. @sponica and @javamoma - I haven’t gotten to the next step of inviting them to be on my Friends and Family list, but I did see that I could invite based on reservation. But, since they don’t have accounts yet, they don’t have a linked reservation.

I’ll update as I go through the process...

 

[MommaBerd]

I forgot to add that, upon request of my SIL, we will do most everything together. I think that my brother and SIL are relying on my expertise, which is fine. I feel like I may end up making a few separate FPs, based on my nephews tolerance for thrill rides. And honestly, I do want to schedule some things separate from them because the age difference and interests of our kids are different. For example, I think their boys would *love* to go to TRex, whereas my DSs could not care less.

My SIL’s work is crazy-busy during tax season; she’s not an accountant but works for a national tax agency. She doesn’t have the mental bandwidth to really focus on these things right now. So, I think I’m going to need to do the best I can for now and adjust as needed later.

 

[Mome Rath]

From family trips several times a year here is my "advice" for what it's worth; I second the idea of all adults having their own accounts, especially if there is ever a chance they are going back. Then for kids, pick the parent that is going to be online more, that is more tech savvy and more responsive, have that parent make accounts for all the kids. Then, you invite all those you want to connect with, kids included (the parent in control will accept the invite on their behalf of course).

Once everyone has made their accounts, using MDX, you go to Family and Friends tab. You can go to "add a guest" in that tab. It asks "how would you like to add this guest?" and gives you choices, pick the easiest one for you. Follow the steps along, and it will invite them. Then, they need to go on to their own account and accept the invite. You can see who all you have invited, and who all you have accepted. When they have accepted, make sure each person chooses to "share their list" so you can see all relevant info (the other option is to keep your list private, which limits who can see what). You can also make sure that each person is able to see photos and either all your plans, or shared plans. You get to this option by clicking "update" next to the names.

Now, if this is truly a group trip where you are doing things together it is easier for one person to be the main planner and ADR/FP person. But, this allows each individual (except the kids) to modify their own FP's and such. You can see who manages who in your list; so you can see that Parent 1 manages Tommy and Annette's account (the kids lol), you can make ADR's and FP's for everyone who is connected to you, even the kids.

 

[Herding_Cats]

YES to one adult from each group having their own account so YOU don't get stuck having to make all of their fastpasses for them, or with THEM being upset because they missed/wanted to change a fastpass and you were not available to do so for them. (I also made DH make an account so we could use his phone if mine died or had issues in the park.)

YES to sharing the lists....when I coordinated DH's entire family (25 people) for Christmas 2 years ago I had to get the logins from my SILs because they weren't sharing their lists and I was only seeing one person. I made all the inital FPs, and then made sure I showed the SILs how to make a new/modify an existing FP so that once we did all of our "together as a family" stuff they could make their own plans....they have all girls, I have all boys, so our plans were not going to overlap on some stuff.

YES to making sure that if you think your relatives might screw up ADRs or FPs (if they aren't doing the same rides as you) on accident because they are really bad with technology that you check that box for "ONLY I CAN PLAN FOR THESE PEOPLE" for your personal family.

 

[sponica]

@4Ds4Diz - I did ask my brother and SIL to make accounts OR I offered to make accounts for them. That actually would be my preference (or that they give me their logins once accounts are made) because then I could have control and see the whole picture. @sponica and @javamoma - I haven’t gotten to the next step of inviting them to be on my Friends and Family list, but I did see that I could invite based on reservation. But, since they don’t have accounts yet, they don’t have a linked reservation.

I’ll update as I go through the process...

If they have an onsite reservation booked through Disney, then they might have an account. I don't know if booking a resort stay forces you into creating an account.

 

[MommaBerd]

If they have an onsite reservation booked through Disney, then they might have an account. I don't know if booking a resort stay forces you into creating an account.

Sorry - I wasn’t clear. We’re DVC Members, so I made the reservations.

 

[javamoma]

I still don’t understand how to link other adults who already have a MDE account.

 

[iheartglaciers]

I would agree with them having their own accounts (so they have the option of learning to book their own FP on the app while you're there, and the possibility for a future return trip), but get their log-ins/passwords so that you can do all the work now (during this busy season). That way you can set everything up and hand it over to them

 

[Mome Rath]

I still don’t understand how to link other adults who already have a MDE account.

The bit I posted above, "Once everyone has made their accounts, using MDX, you go to Family and Friends tab. You can go to "add a guest" in that tab. It asks "how would you like to add this guest?" and gives you choices, pick the easiest one for you. Follow the steps along, and it will invite them. Then, they need to go on to their own account and accept the invite."

Use the website, not the ap.