SDFP: CHANGES COMING!! Beware the 7th of June?!

[GrnMtnMan]

Virtually every question you can think of will be answered here.

You’re missing one question from the Q&A. Q: How awesome is ScrapYap? A:Super-duper-summa-cum-laude awesome. Thanks so-much for this thread.

let us know how it goes!

A little update on how my GLFP process went.

My August trip is an 8 night DVC reservation, with 7-day PH/WPF&M tickets attached to my primary MDE account (MDE1). I’m spending 1 night at the Dolphin after we check out of the Poly. I’ve linked the Dolphin reservation to a secondary MDE (MDE2) and I bought 7 day base MYW tickets, and attached them to that account so I could make GLFPs.

Well, when 60 days from check-in for the Dolphin reservation came around (MDE2), I was able to make FP reservations for all of the days I’ll be in WDW, including the 8 nights prior to checking into the Dolphin (when I’m staying at the Poly which is linked to MDE1).

Did I catch a glitch, or is this a quirk in the system? If it’s not a glitch, the S&D have much better cancellation policies than Disney resorts. You could make a reservation at the S&D, link it to a MDE account, get 60 days FP reservation window, then cancel the S&D reservation 10-30 days out and have 60 day priority for the secondary GLFP set.

 

[mom2rtk]

You’re missing one question from the Q&A. Q: How awesome is ScrapYap? A:Super-duper-summa-cum-laude awesome. Thanks so-much for this thread.

 

[ckelly14]

You’re missing one question from the Q&A. Q: How awesome is ScrapYap? A:Super-duper-summa-cum-laude awesome. Thanks so-much for this thread.

A little update on how my GLFP process went.

My August trip is an 8 night DVC reservation, with 7-day PH/WPF&M tickets attached to my primary MDE account (MDE1). I’m spending 1 night at the Dolphin after we check out of the Poly. I’ve linked the Dolphin reservation to a secondary MDE (MDE2) and I bought 7 day base MYW tickets, and attached them to that account so I could make GLFPs.

Well, when 60 days from check-in for the Dolphin reservation came around (MDE2), I was able to make FP reservations for all of the days I’ll be in WDW, including the 8 nights prior to checking into the Dolphin (when I’m staying at the Poly which is linked to MDE1).

Did I catch a glitch, or is this a quirk in the system? If it’s not a glitch, the S&D have much better cancellation policies than Disney resorts. You could make a reservation at the S&D, link it to a MDE account, get 60 days FP reservation window, then cancel the S&D reservation 10-30 days out and have 60 day priority for the secondary GLFP set.

I think the Swan and Dolphin have the same 5 day cancellation policy as the Disney Hotels.

What you describe is not a glitch. All the days prior to check in will always open up at the 60 day mark.

 

[GrnMtnMan]

I think the Swan and Dolphin have the same 5 day cancellation policy as the Disney Hotels.

What you describe is not a glitch. All the days prior to check in will always open up at the 60 day mark.

Thanks.

I guess I was mis-remembering old Disney packages that a forfeit of a night's deposit for cancellations inside of 45 days. Or something like that, its been a while.

That being said, the S&D have something WDW doesn’t have, and that’s the ability to book for free. You can book free nights with Starwood Preferred Guest points, which you can get back 100% if you cancel with appropriate notice…probably 5 days, as you said.

 

[ckelly14]

Thanks.

I guess I was mis-remembering old Disney packages that a forfeit of a night's deposit for cancellations inside of 45 days. Or something like that, its been a while.

That being said, the S&D have something WDW doesn’t have, and that’s the ability to book for free. You can book free nights with Starwood Preferred Guest points, which you can get back 100% if you cancel with appropriate notice…probably 5 days, as you said.

I like free. The majority of my last 20 trips to WDW have been at the Dolphin on points.

 

[SgtTibbs]

These separate rogue bands will not be part of the "hive mind." They won't know about your tickets or your Memory Maker, etc.

If I add phantom names to my MDE account and link a set of Magic bands to them, they will become part of my friends and family. If they are part of my Friends and Family linked to my MDE account would Memory Maker pick them up and add photos of anyone wearing one of the phantom bands?

 

[hayesdvc]

Can someone provide me the closest to the front gate/best kiosk at each park to get a SDFP ?

 

[Tondee]

Can someone provide me the closest to the front gate/best kiosk at each park to get a SDFP ?

I can't say for all of the parks but at MK I have had luck using the kiosks by Stitch. (level 8 according to touring plans) Took about 5 to 8 minutes to schedule all my SDFP. The kiosks were empty when I left.

 

[SorryI'mNotSorry]

OP, I love your sense of humor. That post is great.

My Question-

Can kids under three book fast passes? Can I add two kids under three to my reservation and book their fast passes the same as a "phantom" guest?

 

[marciemi]

OP, I love your sense of humor. That post is great.

My Question-

Can kids under three book fast passes? Can I add two kids under three to my reservation and book their fast passes the same as a "phantom" guest?

You could add 2 kids under 3 to your reservation and get MB's for them (assuming onsite of course) that could then be used for SDFP's. You could not pre-book FPP's since there wouldn't be valid ticket media attached to them and kids under 3 don't need FPP's for rides since they don't need a ticket.

 

[SorryI'mNotSorry]

You could add 2 kids under 3 to your reservation and get MB's for them (assuming onsite of course) that could then be used for SDFP's. You could not pre-book FPP's since there wouldn't be valid ticket media attached to them and kids under 3 don't need FPP's for rides since they don't need a ticket.

It sounds like that's my only option since I have a package with tickets and a dining plan. If I add phantom guests, I'll need to pay for their ticket and dining, which is obviously stupid. So adding two kids under age 3 is my only avenue, right?

 

[marciemi]

It sounds like that's my only option since I have a package with tickets and a dining plan. If I add phantom guests, I'll need to pay for their ticket and dining, which is obviously stupid. So adding two kids under age 3 is my only avenue, right?

To get MB's free, yes. Just for SDFP though, they don't need to be on your room reservation, just linked on MDE (and really not even that unless you want to view the SDFP's you make at the kiosk). So you could buy MB's and then just link them as phantoms and use those bands for SDFP.

 

[hayesdvc]

Will the FP+ system allow me to make just one FP+ reservation at Epcot which would be a tier one, then as soon as I scan my magic band make a SDFP on MDE reservation for a tier one at Hollywood?

 

[marciemi]

Will the FP+ system allow me to make just one FP+ reservation at Epcot which would be a tier one, then as soon as I scan my magic band make a SDFP on MDE reservation for a tier one at Hollywood?

The system will allow you to do that without a problem but it's not really using SDFP as we discuss it here, more just making one of your regular 3 FPP's at a different park on the same day. You could actually book two for HS at that time (but only one of them a Tier 1).

 

[marciemi]

Also just one more update that both kiosks were working again today inside City Hall at MK and I used the one that had been having so much trouble before (and then was closed) today without a problem. The bathrooms there are open again too although there are still some walls up around the area.

 

[BookGirl305]

q

 

[marciemi]

Now the question becomes, with the lower crowds this summer, am I going to need a set of SDFPs in late August?

You never "need" SDFP but it can always be helpful depending on which parks, crowd levels, length of your trip and when you'll arrive in the day. SDFP is especially useful at the MK and if you're going to a park for the morning and then returning after a break in the evening since you can almost always get good FPP selections for later in the day (Epcot being the main exception due to the limited Tier 1 rides). If you go at a less crowded time and have FPP for say MK, you'll probably be more likely to get good (meaning harder to get) SDFP's for an earlier time if there are lower crowds- so you might get Splash or Space or Peter Pan for a couple hours out instead of like 7pm. Even for HS, SDFP can help you get that second Tier 1 you want - with the third track at TSMM open now, there is usually same day availability for both that and RnRC.

Only you can decide if it's worth the hassle (planning it in your day, keeping track of the extra FPP's, going physically to a kiosk) and the cost (if you have to buy additional MB's) if it only saves you from waiting in a 30 minute line (and waiting 10 with FP instead) instead of a 120 minute one. You could always set up an extra MDE (or phantom profiles on your main MDE) at home while you have time and then once in the parks if you find additional FPP's would really be helpful, you could just buy the MB's there and ask them to leave them in "link it later" mode and then link them yourself (using the numbers on the back) to those profiles if needed. That whole process would only take about 10 minutes and you could do it while taking a break or at a meal.

 

[hayesdvc]

Also just one more update that both kiosks were working again today inside City Hall at MK and I used the one that had been having so much trouble before (and then was closed) today without a problem. The bathrooms there are open again too although there are still some walls up around the area.

Would you suggest going to City Hall before heading off to Stitches to get SDFP at MK?

 

[marciemi]

Would you suggest going to City Hall before heading off to Stitches to get SDFP at MK?

If you're getting to the park at/before Ropedrop, I would recommend taking advantage of that first and getting ahead of the crowd to 7D or PP or Space or anything else where lines build first. Then hitting the kiosk closest to there after the first couple rides ahead of the crowds. Same day availability won't change drastically during those 20 minutes but attempting to go to 7D or PP even 10 minutes later will make a huge difference. Otherwise, if coming into the parks later in the day, I find the City Hall kiosks to be the easiest since they're right on your way as you enter the park.

 

[Luckybee]

So I've been reading and reading to try and get how these things work so pls be gentle if I ask a silly question pretty pls....lol

Dh and I are doing a 2 day stay at the Poly in November(stopover enroute to Aruba) for which we will each be buying a 1 day ticket to use at MK. We will then be coming back for a weeks stay(off property) next May and I expect we'll buy either 2 or 3 day tickets(although we may do a 1 day stay in May to open up the fp 60 day window). We don't have any MB's. Only used them the one time and didn't keep them, and we've been off property for all other trips so we used the hard tickets with the strips. Since we're from Canada we only get MB's on arrival at the resort.

Am I correct that if we purchase both our 1 day tickets and say our 2 day tickets for next May now we could book 6 fp's ea for our MK day in Nov ?

We would have to have the 2nd set of tickets linked to false names? Then not use those tickets for entry ? But what happens when we want to use those tickets next May? How do we link them back to ourselves ? Will we be able to get fp's in May with them under our own names?