Throwaway room (read post #2041 or #2710 before posting)

[doconeill]

Maybe I'm remembering it wrong, but I could've sworn I was told a throwaway room was one that was booked and paid for. Not cancelled.

I probably have a faulty memory.

Well, technically there is no formal definition of a "throwaway room"

At least on here, I believe the term predates Fastpass+ and generally referred to booking a room/campsite to get the amenities of an on-site stay that generally required keeping the room, like Extra Magic Hours and parking.

 

[allforpooh]

This is madness. I now feel like you need a PhD in Logistics to keep up with the Jonses at Disney. Maybe I'm just a simple girl with simple ambitions, but I will keep booking my full on - site stays, using my one set of MagicBands per person, making only the reservations I want and nothing more and just doing my best to have the best time possible. I don't want to have to worry that I'm not maximizing my FP+ use because of the time slots I took. I just picked ones for the times I thought we'd be near them. Honestly, it's fun to sketch out park days and make daily ADRs and choose a hotel, but listening to people talk about things the way they are sometimes just sounds so mercenary. Disney is supposed to be a place of dreams and imagination and magic... not a place where someone will Tonya Harding you just to get their FP+ in first. It just diminishes the spirit of our beloved place. And it does make me sad to think that some poor family who really wants to camp may now not be a to plan a vacation because someone has scheduled a reservation in bad faith that they don't intend to utilize. Just because we CAN do something doesn't mean we SHOULD.

Excellent Post...

 

[Ronda93]

No, cakebaker, your memory is fine. I think of throwaway rooms as paid for and kept. My question was based on something I'd seen in another thread on the TPAS board. Someone with an existing room only reservation changed it to be an off site visit. Their previously selected FPs stayed in place. I think she was beyond 30 days and could not make changes again until 30 days.

 

[ckelly14]

IMO - this MIGHT work. I don't think anyone has posted that this *HAS* worked. I think your ADRs would be fine, but I wouldn't go out on a limb and assure anyone that their FPs would be intact. Again, they MIGHT, but they MIGHT not. Just from a practical standpoint, I wouldn't chance it.

I agree I should have placed some modifiers in there, since I have not done this myself. However, there has been at least one post from someone that has done this successfully.

My point, although poorly worded, is that even if this practice is commonplace, it is unlikely to be discussed on this forum, since this is, to many on this board, crossing the line ethically ( and I agree).

 

[slicktravel]

Does anybody know if the parking pass with the Magic Bands will work for people who have more than 1 car?

We have a group of 8 and will have two cars and one campsite res. I am hoping to get in free parking at the parks for both vehicles.

 

[itchin2go]

My point, although poorly worded, is that even if this practice is commonplace, it is unlikely to be discussed on this forum, since this is, to many on this board, crossing the line ethically ( and I agree).

I agree. I just wanted to answer the question straight.

Nobody asked whether it was right or wrong, and I think we all know the answer. They asked what would happen, and I was trying to accurately answer the question. No more, no less.

The truth is, and I've said it before, FPs are fragile things. There have been reports of people losing them after doing ... nothing at all. So, can someone do what the PP suggested without losing their FPs? Who knows? Maybe, maybe not. That's all. All I know for sure is that I wouldn't chance it ... if the FPs were important to me at all.

For that reason, I don't even have to get to the ethical argument. It's not a wise plan. Period.

 

[ckelly14]

I guess I really don't see the downside to trying. The only thing you would be losing is ability to make 60 day FP+ reservations, and you wouldn't have that if you didn't do the throwaway room in the first place.

 

[Violet Parr]

Is booking a throwaway campsite still a practice? I could just cry. We love tent camping for long trips at Disney and for the first time ever, we can't get more than 5 days in a row for ANY of our potential trip dates.

Super, super bummed.

VP

 

[cakebaker]

Is booking a throwaway campsite still a practice? I could just cry. We love tent camping for long trips at Disney and for the first time ever, we can't get more than 5 days in a row for ANY of our potential trip dates.

Super, super bummed.

VP

Makes it hard for campers. Since the campsites are the cheapest, they're getting hit the worst.

About all you can do is write Disney, tell them you're aware of this issue and that you'd like to see it fixed. That's about it. It's going to continue until Disney stops it.

Honestly, I don't see the value of it, even with a campsite. Yeah, you get bands- big deal. You don't need them. Yes, you get sort of a 60 day window, but not really. It's only for the first and last day, then opens up a day at a time after that, so it's got to be difficult to schedule that way.

Those that get the real 60 days have a continual complaint that with short stays they can't get the popular rides- the other rides you can get with 30 days or less so, again- not a huge deal. Is it better than just 30? I don't know- not being able to get a pass at 60 days vs not being able to get it at 30- I don't see a difference.

There is access to xtra magic hours- but most people who stay on site a lot know that xtra magic hour parks are the ones to avoid.

That's really about it. I'm amazed this trick didn't die once off site guests were given 30 days, but it hasn't.

Sorry you're having trouble booking- I imagine there are lot just like you. Write them, if enough people complain, maybe they'll listen.

I'm not here to listen to arguments about how people are entitled to it, that Disney wants it this way or any other argument anyone can come up with to justify this. I'm addressing this persons concerns and have no interest in debating the subject with people who do this.

So respond away- I'm headed to Disney in 4 hrs- I won't be here to read it. Yay!!!!

 

[Violet Parr]

Well, they probably wouldn't really hear my complaints, because what happens when we can't camp? We book a deluxe villa. But still, it's sort of an old tradition that we did these 12 night camping trips since the oldest was 6. She's off to high school next year (we homeschool) so this is our last year to do one of those long Disney Christmas camping trips. She'll be off to college after that, so while this wouldn't be our last Disney trip by any stretch of the imagination, it's our last chance to do one of those special, long camping trips we've been doing since our kids were bitty.

Oh well. It's a bummer. It could also just be that this is the latest we've ever booked a long Disney trip (late September for December? Crazy!) and that weekends in Dec. are popular at the campgrounds. We'll live. We'll camp the 5 nights and then switch to VWL or something.

But if anyone who has a throwaway room at the campgrounds for a weekend night in Dec and wants to throw our family a bone, I'll take it!

VP

 

[itchin2go]

Well, they probably wouldn't really hear my complaints, because what happens when we can't camp? We book a deluxe villa. But still, it's sort of an old tradition that we did these 12 night camping trips since the oldest was 6. She's off to high school next year (we homeschool) so this is our last year to do one of those long Disney Christmas camping trips. She'll be off to college after that, so while this wouldn't be our last Disney trip by any stretch of the imagination, it's our last chance to do one of those special, long camping trips we've been doing since our kids were bitty.

Oh well. It's a bummer. It could also just be that this is the latest we've ever booked a long Disney trip (late September for December? Crazy!) and that weekends in Dec. are popular at the campgrounds. We'll live. We'll camp the 5 nights and then switch to VWL or something.

But if anyone who has a throwaway room at the campgrounds for a weekend night in Dec and wants to throw our family a bone, I'll take it!

VP

I'd throw you mine, but it's in November.

I booked it back when offsite guests were only getting same day fastpasses, and that had me REALLY scared for our first Thanksgiving week trip. I kept it just to see how it would work out. It's not working very well so far. If I can't get SDMT for any of our MK days, I'm gonna cancel it.

I think this was more of a strategy back when FP plus was initially rolled out, and things were SO uncertain. Now that day guests can book 30 days out, there's less of a need for it, BUT there are those of us who booked way back when, and are still mulling over what to do.

 

[itchin2go]

I guess I really don't see the downside to trying. The only thing you would be losing is ability to make 60 day FP+ reservations, and you wouldn't have that if you didn't do the throwaway room in the first place.

I guess my point is: if the FPs are important to you, I wouldn't cancel. I would look at it as a cost of getting the vacation I wanted.

If you're willing to go to the trouble to book the room, pay the deposit, stalk MDE day by day for FPs, have everything set, cancel and then have no FPs, I guess it's no harm, no foul. It's just a lot of trouble to go through to maybe end up nowhere. Also, just because Disney didn't cancel the FPs immediately doesn't mean they wouldn't cancel somewhere down the line. Depending on when that was, it could mean you relied on the old FPs, and then didn't book your day-guest FPs at 30 days out. Then you would end up worse off than if you didn't try the room trick.

For me, if the FPs are that important to you, you don't cancel. Your mileage may vary.

 

[Canuckbiggs]

I'd throw you mine, but it's in November.

I booked it back when offsite guests were only getting same day fastpasses, and that had me REALLY scared for our first Thanksgiving week trip. I kept it just to see how it would work out. It's not working very well so far. If I can't get SDMT for any of our MK days, I'm gonna cancel it.

I think this was more of a strategy back when FP plus was initially rolled out, and things were SO uncertain. Now that day guests can book 30 days out, there's less of a need for it, BUT there are those of us who booked way back when, and are still mulling over what to do.

Having a throwaway campsite got me 12 SDMT FPs for my Nov trip. Plus 9 magic bands, dining at CRT etc. plus hopefully a BOG FP

JMO

 

[totallytigger]

Having a throwaway campsite got me 12 SDMT FPs for my Nov trip. Plus 9 magic bands, dining at CRT etc. plus hopefully a BOG FP JMO

I sure hope that someone isn't denied a campsite stay just because you are using it as a "throw away"!! :-(

 

[Disneyhappy]

Someone at work just told me this week that they are paying for a tent campsite for one week in order for a 9th person to get a MB, A 2 BR BCV only sleeps 8 and they plan to have one person sleeping on the floor. I told the person it will be plenty crowded with 9 people and 2 baths. As it was someone I work with, I was not about to get into a debate.

 

[Violet Parr]

The more I think about this, the more I think Disney will eventually close this loophole. The whole point of making staying onsite more advantageous is to get those dollars spent onsite. Booking a one-night campsite will eventually cause them to lose plenty of money because it makes it advantageous to book a one-night campsite, rather than to stay onsite.

Personally, I wouldn't attempt this because at any time, Disney could require that the campsite be actually checked into and used, and at any time if you are not there, they could probably eventually drop any Fastpasses associated with that stay.

As with many things FP+ related, there are loopholes that are advantageous until they get closed. Remember people using old KTTW cards from previous trips? They figured that one out and fixed it. They'll fix this one too, because they want people to stay onsite, not to book a campsite for one night.

The bummer is, we don't camp at Disney because we're cheaping out or can't afford nicer accommodations. We do it because we love it. We stay in all levels of resorts, but camping at Disney is a really, really lovely experience.

But people do what they have to do within the limits that a system sets up for them. And to be honest, I do not know how common this practice really is. Campsites fill up during the weekends during nice weather. Weekend campers go and sometimes don't even visit the parks. Fort Wilderness is a REALLY nice campground. Other than weekends, I can find sites for pretty much any weekday in December.

It is what it is. I'll keep my fingers crossed we can pull off a longer camping trip this December. If not, we'll camp five days and then relax at VWL or WL for a few days.

But again, if anyone wants to cancel their weekend December campsite for me, I'm totally okay with that! (On the off chance that someone does do that, PM me so we can coordinate and I can pick it up!)

VP

 

[Violet Parr]

Someone at work just told me this week that they are paying for a tent campsite for one week in order for a 9th person to get a MB, A 2 BR BCV only sleeps 8 and they plan to have one person sleeping on the floor. I told the person it will be plenty crowded with 9 people and 2 baths. As it was someone I work with, I was not about to get into a debate.

Yikes, we've put 7 in to a 2 -bedroom villa before and two of those were small children and it was tight!

VP

 

[Canuckbiggs]

I sure hope that someone isn't denied a campsite stay just because you are using it as a "throw away"!! :-(

And yet I'm paying for it just like they would.

I booked it 200+ days in advance. They could have too.

No different than being unable to get your preferred choice of room because they are all booked.

 

[Canuckbiggs]

The more I think about this, the more I think Disney will eventually close this loophole. The whole point of making staying onsite more advantageous is to get those dollars spent onsite. Booking a one-night campsite will eventually cause them to lose plenty of money because it makes it advantageous to book a one-night campsite, rather than to stay onsite.

Personally, I wouldn't attempt this because at any time, Disney could require that the campsite be actually checked into and used, and at any time if you are not there, they could probably eventually drop any Fastpasses associated with that stay.

As with many things FP+ related, there are loopholes that are advantageous until they get closed. Remember people using old KTTW cards from previous trips? They figured that one out and fixed it. They'll fix this one too, because they want people to stay onsite, not to book a campsite for one night.

The bummer is, we don't camp at Disney because we're cheaping out or can't afford nicer accommodations. We do it because we love it. We stay in all levels of resorts, but camping at Disney is a really, really lovely experience.

But people do what they have to do within the limits that a system sets up for them. And to be honest, I do not know how common this practice really is. Campsites fill up during the weekends during nice weather. Weekend campers go and sometimes don't even visit the parks. Fort Wilderness is a REALLY nice campground. Other than weekends, I can find sites for pretty much any weekday in December.

It is what it is. I'll keep my fingers crossed we can pull off a longer camping trip this December. If not, we'll camp five days and then relax at VWL or WL for a few days.

But again, if anyone wants to cancel their weekend December campsite for me, I'm totally okay with that! (On the off chance that someone does do that, PM me so we can coordinate and I can pick it up!)

VP

Coming soon - "Bed checks" at Disneyworld!

Too funny.

The loophole is easy to fix. Require multiple night stays OR not allow any advantages beyond the # of nights you have accomodations booked.

No need to go around with a flashlight inspecting campsites for tents, or knocking on hotel room doors like a highschool trip chaperon.

 

[asmit4]

Coming soon - "Bed checks" at Disneyworld!

Too funny.

The loophole is easy to fix. Require multiple night stays OR not allow any advantages beyond the # of nights you have accomodations booked.

No need to go around with a flashlight inspecting campsites for tents, or knocking on hotel room doors like a highschool trip chaperon.