Please help: Strange Park passes question

[slug]

I could really use some help. I always research everything before asking, but this one has me totally stumped.

5 of us are going for 7 days in October. We are going to go to the MK 3 times during this period. We have a family member who is a cast member and is going to get 3 of us into the theme parks with her CM passes. I am going to buy 7 day hoppers for the other two people. However, MK is blocked out the whole time we are there. So I am going to buy 3 day base tickets for the 3 people who will be using the cast member passes at the other parks.

My question is: How will this work with the magic bands? My understanding is that the cast member needs to be with us to check into a park in the morning, but after that we are allowed to hop around with or without the cast member. I am assuming when the cast member checks us in that something is noted on our magic bands? But I am getting confused with the interplay of the base tickets. Should I just keep the base tickets separate and in paper form so that they do not get mixed up with the information from the cast member passes on the bands? I am so confused. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Elevationist]

I've run into this issue myself, I'm in the travel industry and have received comps for various reasons. I also have an old No-Expiration ticket that I use a day from sometimes in combination with comps and/or additional purchased regular tickets.

You're going to need to link all tickets, purchased and comp, to your MDE account for the purposes of FP+.

What I've done is rather than scanning my MB as I enter a park, I handle it the old fashioned way... I just carry the physical tickets with me, and at the turnstile I make sure to scan the appropriate one that I want to apply to that day's admission. That way the system doesn't get confused, and take away a day from the wrong ticket on my MDE account, messing me up later in the trip.

 

[slug]

I've run into this issue myself, I'm in the travel industry and have received comps for various reasons. I also have an old No-Expiration ticket that I use a day from sometimes in combination with comps and/or additional purchased regular tickets.

You're going to need to link all tickets, purchased and comp, to your MDE account for the purposes of FP+.

What I've done is rather than scanning my MB as I enter a park, I handle it the old fashioned way... I just carry the physical tickets with me, and at the turnstile I make sure to scan the appropriate one that I want to apply to that day's admission. That way the system doesn't get confused, and take away a day from the wrong ticket on my MDE account, messing me up later in the trip.

That is my concern as well: I do not want to hop to a new park after being let in with a CM pass and have a day taken off of my base ticket. I am also under the impression that there is a difference between a cast member pass that the cast member needs to be there for you to check in and a comp pass which can be used anytime.

 

[Elevationist]

That is my concern as well: I do not want to hop to a new park after being let in with a CM pass and have a day taken off of my base ticket. I am also under the impression that there is a difference between a cast member pass that the cast member needs to be there for you to check in and a comp pass which can be used anytime.

You're correct. I was just using my experience with juggling comp passes and purchased passes as an example, as it's similar to what you're facing.

It's been a long time since I've used a CM pass, but when I did, yes, that was the rule. My friend's uncle, a CM at AK, would meet she and I at the gate at AK, get us through, then returned to his workday, while we went about our plans. We were able to hop without him using the 1-Day Hopper CM Hopper Pass. So that paper ticket is what you would use upon arrival at whatever park you hop to.

 

[Boopuff]

My DD is a CM. Family members ONLY can "hop" without the CM. If you're not family the CM must remain with the guest.

 

[CT Disney]

I think I can help on some of this. It's confusing, I know! My DH is a CM and so I'm pretty familiar.

There are two ways to enter the park using CM passes:

1. Comp Passes - These are paper passes that the CM can give out to friends and family. They are 1 day hopper passes. You do not need to stay with the CM during your park visit if you enter with a Comp Pass. (You don't even need the CM to be there to get in using this type of pass.) The Comp passes can be linked to your MDE account and you can make FP+ with them (30 days ahead for off-site and 60 days ahead for on-site).

2. Guest Passes - These are the entitlements that are attached to the CM's main gate pass. Usually a CM can get himself and 3 guests into the park using his main gate and guest passes. The CMs main gate pass and the guest passes are all plastic cards. (They look like credit cards). The guest passes can not be assigned to any individual guest. If the CM is getting you in with Guest Passes, then the CM needs to go into HIS MDE account and make the FP+ reservations. The FP+ are connected to the guest pass and not the individual guest. If the CM is staying on-site they can make the FP+ reservations 60 days in advance. If the CM is not staying on-site, I'm not sure what the window is. (Sorry we always stay on-site so I'm not sure if it's 7 days or 30 days.) Also, if you enter with the CM using guest passes then you need to stay with the CM unless you are family.

I hope that makes sense. If not, just ask and I will try to clarify. And, I'm sure someone will pipe in and let me know if any of this is incorrect. We were there in December and this is the way it worked



Edited to add: The paper "Comp Passes" can be used on any day...even days that are blacked out. The "Main Gate and Guest Passes" can not be used on black-out days.

 

[slug]

My DD is a CM. Family members ONLY can "hop" without the CM. If you're not family the CM must remain with the guest.

Yes, we are family. Question for you: When the CM lets you into the initial park, are the guests given a pass or is something stored on the guest's magic band that indicates to the system that the guest can hop? Have not had the opportunity to use the magic bands yet. Always just used old plastic passes.

 

[UCFGrad01]

Yes, we are family. Question for you: When the CM lets you into the initial park, are the guests given a pass or is something stored on the guest's magic band that indicates to the system that the guest can hop? Have not had the opportunity to use the magic bands yet. Always just used old plastic passes.

Neither, I don't think. The cast member has three plastic cards with their maingate - one for each person getting admission. Those are your "tickets", any fast passes would be there. I know the CM can have a magic band and have their pass and FP info there, but I don't think it's the same for the guest tickets. The CM (other than family) is supposed to stay with the guests, so they don't issue paper tickets anymore like they used to. (I'm sure there are other reasons too )

 

[CT Disney]

Yes, we are family. Question for you: When the CM lets you into the initial park, are the guests given a pass or is something stored on the guest's magic band that indicates to the system that the guest can hop? Have not had the opportunity to use the magic bands yet. Always just used old plastic passes.

If you get in with "Paper Comp Passes" you will be given re-admission tickets (the credit-card sized paper passes with the character's pictures on them). You can use these for park-hopping and re-admission.

If you get in with a "CM Guest Pass" then that is your ticket for the day and is good for park hopping and re-admission.

Also note that Disney defines "family" as dependent family members who are eligible to receive employee benefits, parents, mothers / fathers-in-law, brothers, sisters, grandparents, grandchildren and non-dependent children and their spouses / same sex domestic partners. If you don't fit into any of these categories then you are considered a "guest" and must remain with the CM at all times when using a guest pass. Just an fyi

 

[MickeyMinnie1971]

.

 

[CT Disney]

I'm a CM spouse that is local. If you are entering on CM guest passes you will scan the plastic guest passes, not your Magic Band. Only the CM and CM spouse can link a magic band to main gate pass because guest passes aren't linked to a specific person. The previous poster is correct with what qualifies as family as far as Disney is concerned. The CM can get in trouble if the rules aren't followed. Also the CM can make FP reservations 7 days in advance if not staying onsite.

Thanks for clearing up the bolded part...that was the only thing I wasn't quite sure about. I knew I had heard 7 days but wasn't sure that was still the policy.

To the OP...I really feel for you...you're going to have to be super organized keeping all of the fast passes straight and organized. If the CM is NOT staying on-site, they won't be able to make fast passes for the 3 guests until 7 days prior. I can imagine that may get a little messy since the rest of your party will be able to make FP+ well before then. Comp Passes are much easier than the Guest Passes since they can be linked to specific guests like regular ticket media and FP+ can be made at 60 or 30 days out.

Good luck with everything and let us know if you have any other questions!

 

[slug]

Thank you everyone, this has been very helpful. I didn't know about the 7 days out FP+ availability. For the two of us with 7 day hoppers, I can make FP+ reservations now, but then the other three won't have the same FR+ reservations so that isn't going to work I guess. So much to think about.

 

[Boopuff]

Thank you everyone, this has been very helpful. I didn't know about the 7 days out FP+ availability. For the two of us with 7 day hoppers, I can make FP+ reservations now, but then the other three won't have the same FR+ reservations so that isn't going to work I guess. So much to think about.

We had the same thing when we dropped off our DD for the DCP. We bought her a one day pass so she could join us before starting the DCP. DH and I had made all our FP+ but obviously she didn't. We went to Guest Services and the charming CM there did a quick maneuver and was able to add her onto my existing FP. It all went really well!

 

[loves to dive]

I can't answer your question but I have to say, that all reminded me of math class. If Johnny had two FP and Susie had 3 but 2 of them were CM and Mary had 3 regular but was going with Johnny and Susie, how long would it take before someone melted down?