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

[otterpop]

I tried the SDFP route a few years ago and for some reason I messed something up... would it be possible for somebody to please let me know if I understand everything correctly and my situation will work?

A few years ago, I set-up "phantom" users in my MDE account for an MNSSHP thinking I could get two sets of FP's...for whatever reason, it didn't work. So here's my current scenario; I have my family of four listed in MDE as well as 4 phantoms. The 4 phantoms each have an active card number linked to them (I honestly don't recall what the cards are though, but they do have the circled mickey head on them and they are not MNSSHP cards) and I still have the actual cards. As far as I can tell, the card numbers are not clones of any MB's or cards associated with my family of 4 and only linked to the phantoms.

If I understand SDFP correctly, it looks like I already have everything set up correctly (by random luck!) to take advantage of SDFP. I should be able to go to a park kiosk (enter park using MB/ticket associated with main family profiles), scan one of the 4 cards associated with the phantoms and book FP's for each phantom. Since the 4 phantoms are under the same MDE account as my main family profiles, I will need to uncheck the primary profile to get access to the phantoms at the kiosk.

Does the above sound right?

Thanks for any suggestions and comments!

Evan

 

[MINNIEANN MOUSE]

We are going in August. I have 4 magic bands that are friends of ours and are not linked to MDE account. Other than tapping them at a kiosk located in the park, do I need to do anything else?

 

[FlashFlash100YardDash]

We are visiting next month and I've purchased 4 magic bands in advance with the intention of having them set up and ready to use for SDFP from day one. I'd like to add the phantoms to my main MDE account to take full advantage of the Photopass included with our '14-day 'UK' tickets.

The thing is, we need to collect our tickets from guest relations. Is there any risk that the CM will see I have attached four Magicbands to the account and 'helpfully' merge the phantoms with our four ticket-holding profiles? Or will they simply hand out four plastic cards without looking at my MDE account?

 

[magpomom]

Got mine today in the mail, all linked to someone else. I hope they aren't the same someone, if so we still have 2 rogue bands and will be able to use 1 of the cards. Will try to report back when I find out for sure

I just saw this and thought I'd share. Coincidentally, I also bought three passes from the same "MadNola" within the past month or so. After reading through this thread again, I thought I should find out who had used them. When I asked if they were linked to anyone, they said all three of the passes had been "used by me and linked to my MDE account." I wish I would have asked before I clicked to buy them, but I'm glad I didn't find that out at the kiosk on our trip that they're all linked to the same person. I'm not even going to bother bringing them. I'm still annoyed at myself about it. It's not an expensive mistake - under $10, but still a mistake.

 

[ScrapYap]

I just saw this and thought I'd share. Coincidentally, I also bought three passes from the same "MadNola" within the past month or so. After reading through this thread again, I thought I should find out who had used them. When I asked if they were linked to anyone, they said all three of the passes had been "used by me and linked to my MDE account." I wish I would have asked before I clicked to buy them, but I'm glad I didn't find that out at the kiosk on our trip that they're all linked to the same person. I'm not even going to bother bringing them. I'm still annoyed at myself about it. It's not an expensive mistake - under $10, but still a mistake.

You should try them out for sure. She's sold over a dozen. Unlikely so many cards would have been on a single profile. It would of course be against company policy if a cast member were to sell something that was supposed to have been thrown away (such as used ticket cards), but that doesn't mean it hasn't happened. If you follow my drift.

 

[AngelDisney]

You're right - GS (Guest Services) is not going to give out cards when profiles A & B have no ticket entitlement.

Presumably, Disney will still be mailing out cards this year. (In the future, this will stop - since you'll be expected to enter special events with a linked MagicBand, linked parkhopper, AP - or eventually, your phone.)

So you buy the party tickets for A & B and have the cards mailed to you. Then you reassign the party tickets to resort guest phantoms F & G and prebook their FP for the party day at 60 days out. (We're assuming that, like last year, the umbrella function described in the first post will not function for parties - and the party guest must be on the resort reservation to book at 60 days.)

You would enter the party with the MagicBands you'll be receiving for F & G since those profiles now have the entitlements. A & B's de-ticketed cards will not work for party admission, but would work for SDFP on any day. And of course, you can book a separate set of SDFP on F & G's bands on any day other than the party day (since you'll have prebooked FP on that one day).

Another way to do this might be to reassign from F & G to A & B just before visiting GS. Ask for cards (which you'll be given, since A & B will then have the entitlement). Then, cards in hand for A & B, immediately reassign back to F & G before their FP fall off and enter the party with their MBs. (The falling off process usually takes more than 24 hours, but personally I wouldn't risk it and would stick with the first scenario.)

This is better than a crossword puzzle for mental gymnastics, right?

I dug through the house and finally found two Villains Unleashed tickets that were previously linked to A and B who would purchase MNSSHP tickets and later reassign the tickets to Phantoms F and G on resort reservation to book FP 60 days out.

Is it right that I don't need to have the MNSSHP tickets mailed to me anymore since A and B already have two card tickets?

It will be ok for adults to use the Phantom (age 10/11) MBs to get party wristbands because CMs are not checking biometrics of the MB, right?

Besides the Villains Unleashed tickets, I also found 2 card tickets from 2010 or 2011. They are green with Donald on the front and a circle with Mickey head inside on the back next to the code. These are not linked to any MDE. Can they be used for SDFP? Should I link them to two new separate profiles X and Y now and see if they work when I get to the park?

Thanks for your kind assistance again!

 

[Mom2Stitch]

I just saw this and thought I'd share. Coincidentally, I also bought three passes from the same "MadNola" within the past month or so. After reading through this thread again, I thought I should find out who had used them. When I asked if they were linked to anyone, they said all three of the passes had been "used by me and linked to my MDE account." I wish I would have asked before I clicked to buy them, but I'm glad I didn't find that out at the kiosk on our trip that they're all linked to the same person. I'm not even going to bother bringing them. I'm still annoyed at myself about it. It's not an expensive mistake - under $10, but still a mistake.

Thank you for the information. Maybe the person meant that they had them all linked to their MDE account and used by their friends/family. I have 8 people in my MDE account from various trips over the years, so I would have a lot of cards/MB just from one trip if we were all there at the same time. I'm going to at least try them at the kiosk, if they don't work I should be able to still use 1 of them and the rogue MBs I have for the other 2 of us.

 

[scrappingbuckeye]

Just wanted to stop by and thank you for the detailed info @ScrapYap - was able to use SDFP using rogue bands, worked like a charm. Was fairly busy last week at the park but we enjoyed our trip. Definitely will use them again, hopefully nothing changes : )

 

[biochemgirl]

We are going in August. I have 4 magic bands that are friends of ours and are not linked to MDE account. Other than tapping them at a kiosk located in the park, do I need to do anything else?

Is each magic band unique, no clones in your grouping of 4? Also verifying each band was previously linked to someone else's account and used? Then you should be able to make 3 FP for each band! Have a wonderful time

 

[biochemgirl]

I’ve been delayed in getting together my report on using SDFP, but here it is!

Between March 23 and March 31, DS and I spent 7 days at WDW. We park hopped a little, but mostly started and ended at the same park each day with a midday break on some days. I had purchased used magic bands from eBay for a few dollars each. I made sure to choose bands from different people (the names inscribed inside varied) and checked that the bands were indeed linked to someone else’s MDE by attempting to link the bands to a phantom in my MDE. We each had two SDFP bands and our primary bands. If used correctly, that would give us 9 FP reservations to begin each day.

SDFP worked very well!! I can’t recommend it enough if you are a planner and good at thinking quickly and tracking all the changes. I had a spreadsheet and ended up using paper to track our day because ultimately jotting changes down on paper was so much quicker than fishing out a phone, opening an app, and typing in the changes.

As mentioned by others, MK is the best place to use SDFP: so many options and lots of movement in availability. We were able to ride using primarily FP all day, hitting all the big rides multiple times and the smaller ones at least once. Usually the smaller rides fit in later as a 4th or 5th FP. I was also pleased by how later in the day FP would open up for the mountains (Space, Splash, Big Thunder). We rode BTMRR multiple days as the fireworks went off overhead – magical J

The usefulness of SDFP was much less for AK where there are so few rides to begin with. The morning safari was already gone long before, but we could have gotten an early evening safari SDFP if we had wanted. I should mention that we entered AK before official opening and used a kiosk on the way to our ADR at Tusker House. We like thrill rides and used SDFP for Everest and Dinosaur a few times. Since we mostly had evening options available for SDFP, it worked out well that our pre-booked FP were all done by 1pm. After a mid-day break, we returned to the park and could leisurely stroll through half empty trails and repeatedly ride what we wanted with SDFP.

Epcot is another, meh, for SDFP. Between tiering and limited day of availability, using SDFP didn’t make the day amazing, but it certainly helped us get in an extra ride or two from Tier 1 and Tier 2 had great availability we just didn’t want to experience most of the Tier 2 attractions repeatedly. The other drawback at Epcot is the sheer size of the park. Unless you can get all your SDFP to line up closely by time, they are not helpful. A random 3:30 pm FP for Soaring isn’t helpful if you want to be exploring the world showcase in the afternoon.

On to HS. We actually loved this park. It is currently undergoing renovations and that means its footprint is quite compact compared to some other parks. Also, we like thrill rides and were happy as clams to ride those at HS all day. We did the coaster and tower of terror 4-6 times each. Star Tours was also available SDFP so we got to do it 2 or 3 times. We would have done it more, but it had less day of availability. DS is not a fan of Toy Story, but it was also available SDFP and we used that one time each day that we were there (2 days). We also used SDFP for two shows, Beauty and the Beast and Little Mermaid. I didn’t feel like having FP made a difference in seating options here.

A few more odds and ends. SDFP was most useful when we arrived early to claim something for the day. The couple of days where we started late, there were far fewer options. Towards the end of our trip, I used that to our advantage by starting the day at HS and then heading to MK where we used SDFP and our main band’s 4th and 5th FP. Also, since our SDFP bands were not linked to my MDE, I had to find a kiosk to adjust or make more FP. Next visit, I’m going to use phantoms in my MDE so that I can manage everyone from my phone.

 

[jeffg4]

I have old KTTW cards linked to my current MDE that I would like to use as SDFP. I don't like the idea of having to set up a 2nd MDE for my upcoming trip because I would need to use my wife's email address which would mean I would lose some control, as emails associated with the 2nd account wouldn't be coming to my phone. I'm also afraid I might lose ADRs that I have already set up on the current MDE. Any suggestions?

 

[AngelDisney]

I have old KTTW cards linked to my current MDE that I would like to use as SDFP. I don't like the idea of having to set up a 2nd MDE for my upcoming trip because I would need to use my wife's email address which would mean I would lose some control, as emails associated with the 2nd account wouldn't be coming to my phone. I'm also afraid I might lose ADRs that I have already set up on the current MDE. Any suggestions?

If your KTTW cards are linked to your only MDE, they would be clones to your MBs. They wouldn't work for SDFP if you book your new trip using the same MDE.

You can create your second MDE using another email account of yours. I have both a personal email and a work email accounts. I can access both via my iPhone. This way you don't lose control.

You don't have to move your ADRs to your second MDE if you choose to book your trip using a second MDE. You can keep ADRs separately in your first MDE. Use your second MDE for room reservation and tickets for your trip. Old MBs/KTTWs linked to first MDE can be used for SDFP.

Edited reply after reading the first post over again.

 

[Mom2Stitch]

I’ve been delayed in getting together my report on using SDFP, but here it is!

Between March 23 and March 31, DS and I spent 7 days at WDW. We park hopped a little, but mostly started and ended at the same park each day with a midday break on some days. I had purchased used magic bands from eBay for a few dollars each. I made sure to choose bands from different people (the names inscribed inside varied) and checked that the bands were indeed linked to someone else’s MDE by attempting to link the bands to a phantom in my MDE. We each had two SDFP bands and our primary bands. If used correctly, that would give us 9 FP reservations to begin each day.

SDFP worked very well!! I can’t recommend it enough if you are a planner and good at thinking quickly and tracking all the changes. I had a spreadsheet and ended up using paper to track our day because ultimately jotting changes down on paper was so much quicker than fishing out a phone, opening an app, and typing in the changes.

As mentioned by others, MK is the best place to use SDFP: so many options and lots of movement in availability. We were able to ride using primarily FP all day, hitting all the big rides multiple times and the smaller ones at least once. Usually the smaller rides fit in later as a 4th or 5th FP. I was also pleased by how later in the day FP would open up for the mountains (Space, Splash, Big Thunder). We rode BTMRR multiple days as the fireworks went off overhead – magical J

The usefulness of SDFP was much less for AK where there are so few rides to begin with. The morning safari was already gone long before, but we could have gotten an early evening safari SDFP if we had wanted. I should mention that we entered AK before official opening and used a kiosk on the way to our ADR at Tusker House. We like thrill rides and used SDFP for Everest and Dinosaur a few times. Since we mostly had evening options available for SDFP, it worked out well that our pre-booked FP were all done by 1pm. After a mid-day break, we returned to the park and could leisurely stroll through half empty trails and repeatedly ride what we wanted with SDFP.

Epcot is another, meh, for SDFP. Between tiering and limited day of availability, using SDFP didn’t make the day amazing, but it certainly helped us get in an extra ride or two from Tier 1 and Tier 2 had great availability we just didn’t want to experience most of the Tier 2 attractions repeatedly. The other drawback at Epcot is the sheer size of the park. Unless you can get all your SDFP to line up closely by time, they are not helpful. A random 3:30 pm FP for Soaring isn’t helpful if you want to be exploring the world showcase in the afternoon.

On to HS. We actually loved this park. It is currently undergoing renovations and that means its footprint is quite compact compared to some other parks. Also, we like thrill rides and were happy as clams to ride those at HS all day. We did the coaster and tower of terror 4-6 times each. Star Tours was also available SDFP so we got to do it 2 or 3 times. We would have done it more, but it had less day of availability. DS is not a fan of Toy Story, but it was also available SDFP and we used that one time each day that we were there (2 days). We also used SDFP for two shows, Beauty and the Beast and Little Mermaid. I didn’t feel like having FP made a difference in seating options here.

A few more odds and ends. SDFP was most useful when we arrived early to claim something for the day. The couple of days where we started late, there were far fewer options. Towards the end of our trip, I used that to our advantage by starting the day at HS and then heading to MK where we used SDFP and our main band’s 4th and 5th FP. Also, since our SDFP bands were not linked to my MDE, I had to find a kiosk to adjust or make more FP. Next visit, I’m going to use phantoms in my MDE so that I can manage everyone from my phone.

Thank you SO much for the detailed review on how you used SDFP. I was especially concerned with DHS because DH is a RnRC fan, but we love TSMM, I have TSMM booked already and sounds like we'll have a decent shot at a SDFP for RnRC. Our main goal at Epcot is to try and get one for Test Track-any luck with that?

 

[sweetpea29488]

If I have some old KTTW cards that aren't linked to MDE do I just bring them to the parks and scan at the Kiosk and get SDFP? Do you have to link them as phantoms in MDE?

 

[marciemi]

If I have some old KTTW cards that aren't linked to MDE do I just bring them to the parks and scan at the Kiosk and get SDFP? Do you have to link them as phantoms in MDE?

Only if you want to be able to view them via an MDE account. You won't be able to make changes either way, so easiest may be just to bring the cards, make your SDFP's at a kiosk, and then just take a quick pic of the screen before leaving.

 

[sweetpea29488]

Only if you want to be able to view them via an MDE account. You won't be able to make changes either way, so easiest may be just to bring the cards, make your SDFP's at a kiosk, and then just take a quick pic of the screen before leaving.

What if the cards are before MDE's time? Would they still work?

 

[AngelDisney]

What if the cards are before MDE's time? Would they still work?

Check to see if there is a circle with Mickey head on the back of the card. Pre-2013 ones probably wouldn't work.

 

[sweetpea29488]

Check to see if there is a circle with Mickey head on the back of the card. Pre-2013 ones probably wouldn't work.

Thanks. What if they are in MDE but are listed as nonactive?

 

[ArielSRL]

Also, since our SDFP bands were not linked to my MDE, I had to find a kiosk to adjust or make more FP. Next visit, I’m going to use phantoms in my MDE so that I can manage everyone from my phone.

I don't think you can adjust or make more from your phone with rogue bands/cards (used for SDFP) even if you have the phantoms on your main account. I think you have to use the kiosk, regardless. Correct @marciemi or @ScrapYap ?

 

[AngelDisney]

Thanks. What if they are in MDE but are listed as nonactive?

If that's the case, they are clones and can't be used for SDFP as it's been linked to your profile in the past, active or not. If you buy new tickets and link to a second new MDE, old MB or cards linked to your first MDE can be used for SDFP.