Split Stay offsite - Confused about band activation and check-in

[Corbie]

This is our first trip to Florida. I've been stuck with the planning and am confused about a few things.

1: Our trip is October 19-30. We are staying off-site 10/19-10/27. We move to POR on 10/27 and check out on 10/30.

2. We have four day park-hopper tickets. CM assured me the ticket could be used before our check-in date of 10/27. We plan to hit Epcot on 10/25.

3. Can we activate the ticket before we arrive at Epcot (via online check-in)? If not, where do we go to do so? (Is activate even the proper word? )

4. Can we arrange to have our room ready at POR on 10/27 when we get back from MK that night or will we need to take time to go to the resort and finish check-in?

5. Am I right in thinking out FP+ on 10/25 will be 30 days out or can I make FP+ reservations 60 days out for 10/25 once I'm 60 days out on 10/27 (i.e., on 8/27 rather than 8/25)?

6. The above is confusing since I had no problem making ADRs for 10/25 at 180 days.

Thanks in advance. Mainly, I'm trying to figure out how to manage our arrival/check-in time strategy.

 

[loves to dive]

Your tickets have nothing to do with your stay unless they were part of a package, just link them now on MDE and that's it. You can use the MB's that will be sent to you for your stay at POR to get in the parks.
If you do on line check in and put your CC information into MDE, you will receive a text when your room is ready. Any time after you receive the text, you can just go straight to your room. If you want to get into a room before you receive the text, go to the front desk and tell them you will take any room that is available, I've had luck sometimes with that.

I can't help you with the FP, I never book mine any further out than a couple of days.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Your FP+ for 10/19-10/27 will be 30 days out. The 10/27-10/30 FP+ will be 60 day.

 

[lanejudy]

Dining ADRs and FP+/tickets are completely different -- and yes, ADRs are much less confusing

Are your tickets part of a package with the on-site stay? Or purchased separately? I believe that may make a big difference in your timing for FP+.

If your tickets were purchased separately, not part of a package with your WDW on-site stay, the poster above is correct. You can link the tickets to MDE and make FP+ for 10/19-10/26 at 30 days out. And before that you'll be able to make FP+ for the on-site portion of your trip at 60 days out.

If your tickets were purchased as part of a package with your WDW on-site stay, it's more confusing. Tickets purchased with a package can be activated as much as 10 days early; I think you need to stop at Guest Relations or a ticket window the first day you wish to use them prior to your onsite reservation. You can't schedule FP+ until the tickets have been activated, so you won't have much advance timing to schedule FP+ for the days that you plan to be off-site. The FP+ thread on the TPAS forum has info about this: https://www.disboards.com/threads/fastpass-frequently-asked-questions.3491680/#post-55337492

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[Corbie]

They're part of the package. This is our first trip. I was confused and thought I had to buy them as a package. I'll do it differently when we go back!

So we don't need to worry about showing up at POR when we're trying to power through MK? That's a relief!

It's not really that big a deal. That's our Epcot day, and we plan to be gorging ourselves more than riding!

(ETA: because I think I finally understand thanks to you wonderful people!)