Regretting split stay :(

[MakiraMarlena]

Can iBook at 30 days out or no?

You can book at 60 days out from your WDW resort reservation but ONLY if you have tickets that correspond to your stay. By putting the room-only reservation ahead of the package, you have arranged it so that you will not have tickets for the first part of your stay. Since you don't have tickets for those 3 days at all you cannot book any FP+ for those days until you have tickets on your account that cover those 3 days. The way you have to do it now, you will not have those tickets until after you have arrived at WDW and gotten your package tickets early from Guest Services. So no, you can't book for those 3 days at 30 days or 60 days or any time until those tickets can be applied to that stay.

Don't u have to have tickets to add dining??

Free dining, yes.

On a DVC reservation, no.

It's been noted that WDW is now allowing ANYONE (not just annual passholders) to book a ticketless room plus dining package if you call and request one (can't be done online). This was supposed to be a test and might stop at any time.

 

[princessap]

You can book at 60 days out from your WDW resort reservation but ONLY if you have tickets that correspond to your stay. By putting the room-only reservation ahead of the package, you have arranged it so that you will not have tickets for the first part of your stay. Since you don't have tickets for those 3 days at all you cannot book any FP+ for those days until you have tickets on your account that cover those 3 days. The way you have to do it now, you will not have those tickets until after you have arrived at WDW and gotten your package tickets early from Guest Services. So no, you can't book for those 3 days at 30 days or 60 days or any time until those tickets can be applied to that stay.



Free dining, yes.

On a DVC reservation, no.

It's been noted that WDW is now allowing ANYONE (not just annual passholders) to book a ticketless room plus dining package if you call and request one (can't be done online). This was supposed to be a test and might stop at any time.

Thanks. I like the dining package idea!

 

[Altoqueenkelly]

You can buy a ticketless, room-only discount + dining package if you would like.

My suggestion - drop the free dining AKV stay. Re-book under the room-only discount and add a dining package if you would like (you don't have to purchase tickets to do this). Then, buy tickets for your entire stay separately, link them to your MDE account and, voila, your FP+ situation is solved!

This sounds like a smart plan! You should be able to do this if you call Disney directly (I don't believe you will be able to do this online)

 

[princessap]

I have free dining booked so I will have to cancel that to book room only and do a different deposit right??

How do I get them to add the dining on without tickets???

 

[MakiraMarlena]

1. Yes.

2. Ask specifically for a room plus dining package, no tickets. Sometimes referred to as a ticketless package. Make sure it's available before you cancel anything.

 

[DemoBri1]

Couldn't the OP purchase tickets equal to the amount of days in the park and use them over both ressies, or does the free dining plan require you to have tix as part of that actual ressie? If the OP already has the tickets in hand for that time why can't a CM piggy-back them and use them as qualifiers for the free dining?

 

[MakiraMarlena]

The OP has a free dining package with which she purchased tickets (which is required with that type of package). Those tickets are matched up to the start date of that package. When she added a room only reservation BEFORE the package date, she ended up with a reservation for which there was no matching tickets. Guest Services can access the package tickets up to 3 days before the date of the package for her to be able to use on those days - but ONLY when she arrives at WDW, not before. And nobody will do this outside of Guest Services at a park or DTD, which means you have to be physically present.

Had she added the room only reservation AFTER the package, there would not have been this issue.

 

[Missyrose]

Basically the OP has two options to remedy the situation:

1. Keep her reservations as-is. Pick up her package tickets three days early and make the FP+ reservations for the first part of her trip then (will likely mean some of the harder-to-get FP+ reservations may be unavailable or at less-than-desirable times).

2. Abandon the "free" dining promotion, book a room-only room for the second part of her trip and buy tickets for the length of the full trip that can then be attached to her first resort reservations. Downside is meals *might* exceed the cost of the difference between the room-only discounted room and the free dining room, but the upside is OP can book all their FP+ reservations at 60 days out.

 

[bcrook]

Seriously?

I posted partly because your answer was condescending. Just like this post.

Normal people generally trust the answers actual employees (of a business) give over answers given out by strangers on the internet.

"But some guy on the internet said I could get my tickets three days early."

I've had the misfortune of having to visit guest services a number of times. Most of the time, I have to speak to a manager to convert my regular park ticket to an AP, or bridge a ticket bought by a discount broker. I even had one CM accuse me of ticket theft when I wanted to add days to a UT ticket!

It's not nearly as simple as you make it sound to successfully remedy out-of-the-ordinary ticket situations.

Because of the DISboards, when I go to guest services or ticket windows, or AAA offices, or even talk to the the DVC guest services I am armed with better information than average bear. Sometimes it is a challenge to deal with a guest service CM who are less in the know. But, the information I get from the "experts" on here have never let me down.

 

[Marthasor]

Don't u have to have tickets to add dining??

No, they now have ticketless dining packages. It started this year.

 

[Missyrose]

No, they now have ticketless dining packages. It started this year.

Ticketless packages only exist if you want to PAY for the dining plan. You can't have a ticketless free dining package.

 

[vfalkner]

I have to ask about our specific situation to see if I fully understand the split stay/ FP+ conundrum. We are planning a trip for Nov 7-12 of this year. There is Free Dining for the 9-12 so we were going to do a split stay but in the same resort. (Haven't booked it yet because I wanted to do my research first.) We are planning to stay in CSR the whole time but will need a Nov 7-9 room only reservation AND a Nov 9-12 Free Dining reservation. (I am assuming I can't make this one reservation in any way.) We were going to get the 5 day tickets and attach them to the 9-12 reservation (as we have to in order to get the free dining) but want to use them Nov 8-12. SOOOO here are my questions:

1. It sounds like I will be able to make FP+ selections for the Nov 9-12 but not Nov 8. Is that correct?

2. Can I pick the bands up at the resort when we check in on Nov 7 or do I have to go to DTD or one of the parks to pick them up 3 days early?

3. Will we be able to stay in the same room with a split stay in the same resort or will we have to move rooms?

4. Once we pick up the tickets on Nov 7 - can we jump online and do FP+ at that point for Nov. 8?

It's kind of a bummer that when you are purchasing tickets for longer than your on-site stay that they don't give you the days either before OR after the stay for FP+ booking. But we must deal with the rules as they are!

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

1. Yes
2. You'll get bands when you check in on Nov. 7 but you won't be able to use them for park entry until you get the tickets at Guest Services.
3. Maybe. It depends. You should request it when you check in for the first stay. It's just a request though - not guaranteed.
4. Yes
5. You actually CAN get the FP if your room only stay is AFTER your package - just buy tickets that cover the full stay with the package. You can't get the FP ahead of time (until you receive the tickets) if your room-only reservation is BEFORE your package.

 

[vfalkner]

Thanks for the info. Is Guest Services only at the parks or DTD? Can we get to guest services in the resort? We will be checking in late at night so I would like to save an extra trip somewhere if possible. How late are they open ?

 

[siskaren]

2. You'll get bands when you check in on Nov. 7 but you won't be able to use them for park entry until you get the tickets at Guest Services.

Actually, unless vfalkner is from outside the US, the bands will be sent to her (him?).

 

[vfalkner]

Actually, unless vfalkner is from outside the US, the bands will be sent to her (him?).

Is this true? I haven't seen that in my searches.

So when can I start setting up FP+ and for what days? Can the resort activate them when we check in if we can't set up FP+ for Nov 8?

 

[MakiraMarlena]

I assumed vfalkner was not in the US as they mentioned picking up the bands. If you are outside the US or you did not book in time to have your bands shipped you would pick them up at the resort. Otherwise they will be shipped to you.

Won't make any difference to actually have the bands though. You won't be able to use them for park entry until you have valid park admission attached to your MDX account and you do not at this time have valid park admission for any date prior to November 9.

You can start setting up FP+ for November 9 and after on the day that is 60 days from November 9.

You can set up FP for November 8 only after you have received your package tickets early, which you must do only at Guest Services at a park or DTD. Not at your resort. Guest Services will link them to your MDX so you can start making FP reservations.

 

[vfalkner]

Thanks for the info. Been to Disney many times but not since this new Magic bands and FP+ system so trying to figure it all out.

Is there any risk of not being able to activate the tickets/ bands for the day before our package? We are going to do Animal Kingdom that day to avoid missing out on any big FP+ opportunities but want to make sure we can actually use the ticket.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Everyone who posted in this thread should also read this one:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3301381&page=1

THIS thread is EXACTLY my point! Not only would it be smart to read the OP's complaint, but post #2, post #6, and post #7.

 

[Missyrose]

Thanks for the info. Been to Disney many times but not since this new Magic bands and FP+ system so trying to figure it all out.

Is there any risk of not being able to activate the tickets/ bands for the day before our package? We are going to do Animal Kingdom that day to avoid missing out on any big FP+ opportunities but want to make sure we can actually use the ticket.

There hasn't been a single report of anyone being refused when they've gone to pick up their package tickets early.