School Trip Advice Needed

[BarryCF]

First, the good news. We leave for WDW this Wednesday 12/16 with our High School Choir. We'll be in the parks Thursday 12/17 thru Sunday 12/20. This will be our first trip since FP+ started. This will be our 8th or 9th trip overall. I've kept up with all the MyMagic+ and FP+ changes since the last time we were there so I think I have a pretty good understanding of how the system works. I have the My Disney Experience app on my phone and I think I'm ready.

Now, for the bad news. Really, really bad news. The people planning the trip and the school either don't know what they're doing or don't understand that things need to be done in a timely manner when planning a Disney trip. To make a long story short we made our final payment to the school 30 days prior to departure and the school didn't send in the payment for almost 3 weeks. We don't have room assignments and/or tickets yet, and we won't until we get there.

No tickets in hand = No FP+ reservations...I knew making the final payment 30 days prior to departure was going to put us a little behind in getting them, but now we won't be able to make any at all until we are on site. I've expressed my displeasure to some of the proper people and the rest of them will hear from me. Do any of you VERY knowledgeable people have any advice for what I should do when I get there?

I hoping the fact that I got a BOG lunch reservation TODAY after looking for months is a good omen. We'll see...

Thank you all for any and all help and/or advice.

Barry

 

[hiroMYhero]

Set up an MDE account to include you and the group that will be with you in the parks. Then, when you reach your resort, link everyone's MagicBands and tickets to their MDE profiles in your MDE account.

Do not tell each choir member to set up an MDE account. It should be set up for the groups that will be touring the parks together so that they can book FPs all at once.

 

[subtchr]

I am a tour director for high school bands and choirs. Did your school use a travel company to set up the trip?

There is no reason for you not to have your ticket numbers, to link to MDE.

Our company emails ticket numbers over 30 days in advance of any trip to the individual travelers. We do not distribute physical tickets until arrival the first day, but that is not important, as you know.

Are you staying onsite? There are some idiosyncracies that happen with group resort reservations. Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[mom2rtk]

That must be pretty disappointing. In the past, not having your ticket (or numbers) in hand ahead of time never would have affected your ability to access attractions.

Set up an MDE account to include you and the group that will be with you in the parks. Then, when you reach your resort, link everyone's MagicBands and tickets to their MDE profiles in your MDE account.

Do not tell each choir member to set up an MDE account. It should be set up for the groups that will be touring the parks together so that they can book FPs all at once.

Gads, that does not sound like a fun job at all.

 

[Laz]

If you did not use a TA, did you try contacting WDW and asking for some help? It couldn't hurt. Just tell them that if you don't get some help, a very large group of high schools teens will be standing around with nothing to do.

 

[BarryCF]

I am a tour director for high school bands and choirs. Did your school use a travel company to set up the trip?

There is no reason for you not to have your ticket numbers, to link to MDE.

Our company emails ticket numbers over 30 days in advance of any trip to the individual travelers. We do not distribute physical tickets until arrival the first day, but that is not important, as you know.

Are you staying onsite? There are some idiosyncracies that happen with group resort reservations. Let me know if you have any questions.

We are staying at PoP Century. They used a travel company (I believe it the company is called Academic Travel). Unfortunately I'm just a parent and have no way that I know of to get ticket numbers. I'm not the point of contact. I'm afraid we've spent almost $3,000 for a 4 day shopping trip. The first 2 days shouldn't be packed but 1/2 of the 2nd day will be spent at Disney Springs because they are singing that day. Oh, and the best part is that's the day Star Wars opens. I can't imagine how busy Disney Springs will be that day.

 

[subtchr]

We are staying at PoP Century. They used a travel company (I believe it the company is called Academic Travel). Unfortunately I'm just a parent and have no way that I know of to get ticket numbers. I'm not the point of contact. I'm afraid we've spent almost $3,000 for a 4 day shopping trip. The first 2 days shouldn't be packed but 1/2 of the 2nd day will be spent at Disney Springs because they are singing that day. Oh, and the best part is that's the day Star Wars opens. I can't imagine how busy Disney Springs will be that day.

All is not lost -- remember that you CAN reserve FP on the day of a visit. Will you get Seven Dwarfs or Anna and Elsa? Probably not. But almost everything else WILL be available.

And once you do receive your tickets and link them to your MDE account, you can make FP reservations for the rest of the trip.

With a stay at Pop Century, you will receive MagicBands to use as your room keys. In the past, they would be gray, but this past fall the two groups I had that stayed onsite received red ones. Unfortunately, with group reservations, you can't automatically link those MagicBands to your MDE account, because you will not have a resort confirmation number. Each year at the meetings we have with Disney Group Travel, they say that capability is coming, but it hasn't happened yet. They say it has to do with the students being minors.

Having said that, I usually do give the confirmation number (we have it in our paperwork) to the directors, so you might be able to ask your director/coordinator for it to link it to your MDE, so that your bands will work for your room and for park admission and FP. Otherwise, you use the band for a room key and your ticket card for the rest. Not a big deal, but much easier if you can use the band for all.

Again, don't despair. Take a look at your itinerary, and make some FP reservations when you can. Check out the shows, and especially the nighttime spectaculars.

Let me know if you have any questions, I'd be happy to advise! I love taking groups to WDW. I've been doing it for about 8 years now, and it never gets old. The Disney Performing Arts folks are top notch and make the students feel very special.

 

[BarryCF]

And so, another Disney trip is winding down. We are sitting outside at the Electric Umbrella in Epcot waiting for our FP window at Space Ship Earth. This is our last High School trip. Kayla is a Senior. The Cardinal Singers put on a beautiful performance at Disney Springs on Friday, and we've been running for 4 days. I was worried about using Fast Pass plus for the 1st time, especially since we didn't get our tickets until we arrived, but it worked out really well. There were no Mine Train or Toy Story FPs, but we rope dropped both of them and got to ride them. The Christmas crowd arrived for real today, so we saved Epcot for today and browsed World Showcase. My wife has been down on Disney since they made all the changes, but she looked at me yesterday and said "I'm back"...lol I'll start a trip report tomorrow after I get some rest.

 

[subtchr]

Thanks for reporting back, and glad the trip was good overall!

Happy you were able to rope drop a couple days. For many of my group trips, we are not able to do that because of schedule and transportation restraints.

 

[BarryCF]

Sorry it took so long, but I've started my trip report:

One Last High School Disney Trip

http://www.disboards.com/threads/one-last-high-school-disney-trip.3471248/