Park Reservations woes

[MiaSRN62]

I will start with, I know many love the park reservation system. I, personally, have encountered more than a few issues over past 2 years.

My most recent trouble is today........

My family booked Riverside (one of our fav moderates) for Dec 8-13th. We got AP discount and were super happy about this. We wanted to do the Christmas Party on 12/9. I went to make PARK RESERVATIONS and hit a big roadblock. My AP (and only mine) expires 12/9 and that was the only day I was permitted to make reservations. Everyone else in party had Jan 2023 or later exp dates.

I call WDW on phone. They acknowledged this is an issue---my whole family is now held up due to me from proceeding with securing park days (and we plotted it all out earlier this week). The cast member said she would see if she could book me a "AP PACKAGE" vs the "AP ROOM ONLY" I had just paid with my credit card. Nope. Nothing. I was willing to pay for park tickets for myself and she said it would be automatically reversed when I was within my AP renewal window. But we would lose the AP discount on the room if we did so and everyone is AP in party. So she Re-booked us the previous week for more money and a less desirable resort (for us, Coronado). Christmas Party no available that week.

The CM has escalated this issue to management and I plan to write an email as well about the frustration and glitzches with this system. I would have gladly either renewed my AP (but cannot until 30 days prior) or purchased regular tickets for the days I needed but it really altered the price of the room for the family and that is not fair to them. So we are splitting up. They will be going to WDW the original dates (and book the Christmas Party on 12/9 as we all had hoped to) and my husband and I will go Dec 2nd check-in with no Christmas Party available. The CM told me MANY guests have experienced these frustrations. It was about the 3rd time something similar like this happened for us (once while traveling with out-of-state friends and we could not link ANY of our park/dining/ride plans because of this issue. In the past, you used to be able to book your stuff and then when your booking window opened for AP renewal you were good-to-go.

***and yes....I checked that parks were open to AP guest reservations on all dates and they are open. I just can''t get around the roadblock of my AP can't be renewed until Nov 9th. Nothing will be available by then. My husband and I are tempted to just cancel Coronado since we can't do the party anyway and we can't share the week with our family.

 

[ars0525]

Can't you book your room under one of the other AP holders to just hold it & straighten it out when you get there & have a valid AP? I guess until you renew 60 days prior you wouldn't have any park reservations, but you could keep checking once you do that.

There are definitely some frustrations with the system that haven't been addressed.

ETA: I thought AP renewal was 60 days before & 30 days after? I renewed the end of Feb for my end of April date this year.

 

[MiaSRN62]

Can't you book your room under one of the other AP holders to just hold it & straighten it out when you get there & have a valid AP? I guess until you renew 60 days prior you wouldn't have any park reservations, but you could keep checking once you do that.

There are definitely some frustrations with the system that haven't been addressed.

No, I would not be permitted to make a park reservation. We experimented with another family member making the park reservations for the week and I was blocked. They had to remove me from "Friends and Family" in order for them to proceed. So I had them remove my husband and I so as to not hold them up. Very sad and frustrating experience as this was to be our holiday family time and now that won't be.

 

[patty57]

I don't know anyone who loves the park reservation system.

 

[ars0525]

No, I would not be permitted to make a park reservation. We experimented with another family member making the park reservations for the week and I was blocked. They had to remove me from "Friends and Family" in order for them to proceed. So I had them remove my husband and I so as to not hold them up. Very sad and frustrating experience as this was to be our holiday family time and now that won't be.

No you can't make the park reservation until 60 days prior if you renew as soon as it's allowed. I thought you were having issue with the room reservation too.

I mean you could still make a room reservation & see when park reservations open how it works out if you keep or cancel. Things do shuffle around is all I can say & you have to keep checking.

Still disappointing though & I am sorry.

 

[lanejudy]

I'm not understanding why the room needed to be rebooked. One does NOT need to have a valid AP in-hand at the time of booking, only at the time of your visit. Which you will have.

You cannot make a park reservation without a ticket valid for that date. What you can do (and again I don't know why the CM said no) is purchase a ticket for yourself for those dates. Make your park reservations. Once your renewal period opens 60 days prior to expiration, you can have the value of the extra ticket applied to your renewal. You will not lose your park reservations by doing so. CMs have even been recommending this.

So sorry you got a CM who seems to have made a frustrating situation even worse for you with poor information.

 

[Mrs.AMC]

I don't know anyone who loves the park reservation system.

Yeah, same here. If anyone who uses it loves it I sure haven't met them. Maybe someone in corporate does but they don't' count.

 

[Mrs.AMC]

I'm not understanding why the room needed to be rebooked. One does NOT need to have a valid AP in-hand at the time of booking, only at the time of your visit. Which you will have.

You cannot make a park reservation without a ticket valid for that date. What you can do (and again I don't know why the CM said no) is purchase a ticket for yourself for those dates. Make your park reservations. Once your renewal period opens 60 days prior to expiration, you can have the value of the extra ticket applied to your renewal. You will not lose your park reservations by doing so. CMs have even been recommending this.

So sorry you got a CM who seems to have made a frustrating situation even worse for you with poor information.

Yeah, agreed. No reason not to buy a park ticket and use for renewal. Yes, it's a shame it takes this to work around the stupid reservation system. But I look at it as sort of a payment system for the AP (trying to put a positive spin on a very negative thing (park reservation)
I barely understand exactly the issues that happened in the OP post. I think unfortunately some of them are not really issues as much as a misunderstanding of how it works and a bad CM.
For one, AP renewal is not at 30 days, it's at 60 days
And I'm not sure that they comment about nothing will be available if they wait till Nov 9th till their AP is renewed. What won't be available? Park Reservations? I mean, it's possible but they haven't been filling up that often have they?

 

[RoseGold]

Hmmm.... This is a lot of wrong information and this whole thing is confusing. Maybe they won't be offering renewals and that's why they were so weird???? *puts on foil hat*

 

[gottalovepluto]

Hmmm.... This is a lot of wrong information and this whole thing is confusing. Maybe they won't be offering renewals and that's why they were so weird???? *puts on foil hat*

I’d bet a Mickey Bar it’s a simply case of a very badly trained CM.

 

[MiaSRN62]

I don't know anyone who loves the park reservation system.

I have read many posts from people on FB Disney groups who love it and wish it never goes away. I am not even close to their wavelength on that. Our family trip has been negatively impacted due to the park reservation system. Me having a room and knowing I can't renew my AP until Nov 9th should be recognized by Disney. So our family party is now separated by a week.

 

[MiaSRN62]

Yeah, agreed. No reason not to buy a park ticket and use for renewal. Yes, it's a shame it takes this to work around the stupid reservation system. But I look at it as sort of a payment system for the AP (trying to put a positive spin on a very negative thing (park reservation)
I barely understand exactly the issues that happened in the OP post. I think unfortunately some of them are not really issues as much as a misunderstanding of how it works and a bad CM.
For one, AP renewal is not at 30 days, it's at 60 days

The issue is:
1) we had Riverside booked at an AP discount rate.
2) I was VERY willing to just purchase tickets but the CM told me I could not do a "package with the AP room only rate". If I added park tickets it would be considered a "package" and AP DISCOUNT worthy. So this greatly increased our rate. The room for us would jump up an additional $150 per night + upfront costs of my tickets for 4 days. I would not get that AP rate. The room alone without the AP rate would cost me $900 more for same resort/same view.
So we re-booked the week previous at an AP rate (Coronado) but there is no availability for Christmas Party that week.
3) I believe AP renewal is 30 days prior or 60 days after your expiration date. If the CM and I am wrong on this please let me know.
If I am missing something please let me know what is the non issue? I was on the phone for 25 min with CM. She seemed very knowledgeable and sympathetic to my situation.

 

[patty57]

I have read many posts from people on FB Disney groups who love it and wish it never goes away. I am not even close to their wavelength on that. Our family trip has been negatively impacted due to the park reservation system. Me having a room and knowing I can't renew my AP until Nov 9th should be recognized by Disney. So our family party is now separated by a week.

You should be able to purchase a ticket and use that to make reservations. Then upgrade it to your AP. If you were told that isn't possible, I think that person may be wrong?

 

[patty57]

3) I believe AP renewal is 30 days prior or 60 days after your expiration date. If the CM and I am wrong on this please let me know.

It's 60 days before, and 30 days after. https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/index.php/faq/passholders/annual-pass-renewal/

 

[FuzzyPeach]

I don't know anyone who loves the park reservation system.

I was going to say that. I have nothing helpful to add to the actual issue at hand but the most glowing review of the park reservations I’ve seen is tolerance

 

[honeymo78]

You should be able to purchase a ticket and use that to make reservations. Then upgrade it to your AP. If you were told that isn't possible, I think that person may be wrong?

It seems like the CM wanted to add her tickets to the room, making it a package. She should have been offered the option to just purchase a ticket separately (not along with room) for the dates she was staying.

OP, from the passholder FAQ (https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/index.php/faq/passholders/annual-pass-renewal/) "Annual Passes can be renewed up to 60 days before and 30 days after expiration."

 

[MiaSRN62]

One does NOT need to have a valid AP in-hand at the time of booking, only at the time of your visit. Which you will have.

Apparently in order to make a park reservation you need a valid AP. Mine expires Dec 9th. So only 12/8 and 12/9 would I be able to make park reservations with my family. So we could not make all our park plans together. I offered the CM to buy regular park tickets at her suggestion but they she told me my room would jump an extra $900 for the stay + the up front cost of tickets. Once I chose to add tickets, I would forfeit the AP room only discount. So price of my trip jumped $900. Not fair considering this is all based on the fact I cannot renew my AP until 30 days prior (Nov 9th). Simply put......one must have a valid AP/ ticket for the dates they desire to make park reservations. I could make park reservation for Dec 8th and 9th........then I was blocked even despite traveling with a group and having a Disney room booked. Frustrating.

 

[patty57]

OP, I believe that you should be able to book a room only for the week you want using your AP discount. You should be able to then purchase a regular ticket, and add it to your account, and use that to make park reservations. You can then upgrade to your AP 60 days before. I don't know why this wouldn't work.
I don't believe the info you got from the CM is correct. If you don't want to attempt doing this by yourself online, try calling back and speaking to someone else.

 

[Skippyboo]

It’s 60 days prior . The 30 days is after it expires. You can book the AP room now and then make your park reservations after you renew at 60 days.

 

[honeymo78]

Apparently in order to make a park reservation you need a valid AP. Mine expires Dec 9th. So only 12/8 and 12/9 would I be able to make park reservations with my family. So we could not make all our park plans together. I offered the CM to buy regular park tickets at her suggestion but they she told me my room would jump an extra $900 for the stay + the up front cost of tickets. Once I chose to add tickets, I would forfeit the AP room only discount. So price of my trip jumped $900. Not fair considering this is all based on the fact I cannot renew my AP until 30 days prior (Nov 9th). Simply put......one must have a valid AP/ ticket for the dates they desire to make park reservations. I could make park reservation for Dec 8th and 9th........then I was blocked even despite traveling with a group and having a Disney room booked. Frustrating.

You got a bad CM (or mis-informed CM). You should and still can make room reservation for the week your family is going using your AP discount (assuming those dates are still available - and if they aren't you should call and explain the situation and why you changed your dates even though shouldn't have had to.)

If you want to make park reservations prior to renewing your AP on 10/9 (it's 60 days), you can buy tickets, not in connection with your room reservation, for the dates you need. When your AP renewal window opens you can apply the ticket to your AP renewal cost.