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

[mickeygirl14]

Hi neighbor! We are just on the other side of Columbia.

From my understanding, the bands are activated when the are mailed out and that you can do online check-in and never even have to show up at the resort to use the bands. I know you plan on using the room but I don't see why Disney would even have a problem for you paying for a bigger room and not needing all the space.

Hi back, neighbor! Great weather we've had this week, huh? I think you're right, but I just KNOW that I would be the one reservation that they would want to see photo IDs for all the adults on the reservation for some unknown and unfathomable reason. I'm hoping I've got it all worked out. For about the same price, I booked them a "throw-away" room for the night they arrive...the price difference between the two rooms separate or the one suite wasn't that big and now they don't have to buy tickets that they won't use. (They would've needed 9-day PHs like us on our reservation.) Now that I think about it, maybe DH and I could use their room mid-week for a night off from the kiddos!

 

[iheartjuppy]

Hmmm - looks like starting with off-site visitors arriving in April, we'll be able to book FP+ 60 days out like on-site guests. I'm still hesitant for a few reasons:

1. We have an on-site room booked for our first night that, if we have FP+ 60 day advanced booking access anyways, I'd much prefer to cancel and stay offsite like the rest of our trip.

2. Our trip isn't until late April so while we are eligible to book early, right now it's showing up anyways bc MDE has our room reservation linked. I am waiting to see how it works for anyone who cancels a room but tries to keep FP+ as an offsite guest (or if everything gets canceled as they'd warned us for canceling before FP+ prebooking was announced for offsite).

3. I'd feel best if people actually reported back from the parks that it worked before I actually canceled my room but that would put me under 30 days and likely my MBs would have shipped - seems awfully wasteful to have the MBs shipped, cancel my room reservation thereby "deactivating" my MBs.

I don't want to game the system - I'm not trying to get MBs shipped to me, cancel the reservation and still try to use the MBs - I just don't know the "safest" way to proceed and am hoping that once the booking window opens, someone with similar plans (current "throwaway" type room booked but planning to cancel if FP+ early booking opens) goes through the process without problems.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Hmmm - looks like starting with off-site visitors arriving in April, we'll be able to book FP+ 60 days out like on-site guests. I'm still hesitant for a few reasons:

1. We have an on-site room booked for our first night that, if we have FP+ 60 day advanced booking access anyways, I'd much prefer to cancel and stay offsite like the rest of our trip.

2. Our trip isn't until late April so while we are eligible to book early, right now it's showing up anyways bc MDE has our room reservation linked. I am waiting to see how it works for anyone who cancels a room but tries to keep FP+ as an offsite guest (or if everything gets canceled as they'd warned us for canceling before FP+ prebooking was announced for offsite).

3. I'd feel best if people actually reported back from the parks that it worked before I actually canceled my room but that would put me under 30 days and likely my MBs would have shipped - seems awfully wasteful to have the MBs shipped, cancel my room reservation thereby "deactivating" my MBs.

I don't want to game the system - I'm not trying to get MBs shipped to me, cancel the reservation and still try to use the MBs - I just don't know the "safest" way to proceed and am hoping that once the booking window opens, someone with similar plans (current "throwaway" type room booked but planning to cancel if FP+ early booking opens) goes through the process without problems.

I would proceed cautiously right now as well. Keep the room for now if you are more comfortable with that. At a minimum, you'll get the bands to keep for the future even if it turns out you didn't need the room.

 

[slappy1974]

This would be a perfect plan for us.

Has anyone booked a 1 night stay with 10 day tickets, then was able to reserve and use FP+ for all 10 days?

 

[unbeknownst]

Just wanted to update. I have a room booked on April 11th - we are actually staying in the room the first night of the trip. We're checking out April 12th and moving off-site.

It will only let me make FP + reservations for April 11th and April 12th. On the days I have ADRs, it says I can make FP + reservations at the 60 day mark for that day. So for April 13th, it says I can make them February 12th. On days that I don't have an ADR, it says I am ineligble for Fastpass +.

I'll update if it lets me make FP + on February 12th.

I have three 9 day tickets linked.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Just wanted to update. I have a room booked on April 11th - we are actually staying in the room the first night of the trip. We're checking out April 12th and moving off-site.

It will only let me make FP + reservations for April 11th and April 12th. On the days I have ADRs, it says I can make FP + reservations at the 60 day mark for that day. So for April 13th, it says I can make them February 12th. On days that I don't have an ADR, it says I am ineligble for Fastpass +.

I'll update if it lets me make FP + on February 12th.

I have three 9 day tickets linked.

Thanks for the update.

So it sounds like they have possibly closed this feature.

 

[ckelly14]

Interesting. With the MDE update, there has been a new link between ADR's and FP+ availability. I assumed this was because how else would disney know you coming that day if you were offsite. I doubt they will use ADR as a requirement to pre-book FP+, but maybe they will. Becoming more confusing each day.

 

[ckelly14]

Thanks for the update. So it sounds like they have possibly closed this feature.

I wouldn't say they "closed" the feature. Now you just need "throwaway" ADR's...

 

[ampc3]

haha going to "add" to my ADR list right now j/k sortof not really ...

 

[ArwenMarie]

duplicate

 

[ArwenMarie]

I wouldn't say they "closed" the feature. Now you just need "throwaway" ADR's...

But that hasn't worked for anyone yet...

 

[ckelly14]

But that hasn't worked for anyone yet...

Great point.

I just hope they figure out what they're planning to do before my trip in June. I really don't want to stand at a kiosk...

 

[North of Mouse]

This could actually hurt Disney financially, at least at FW. If someone books one night at the campground, they in effect make the site useless for those who want to stay for a week. I think that the spot has a greater chance of sitting empty when it is booked for say just a Wednesday or Thursday.

There are no rules against it though. Maybe Disney will come up with a minimum stay just as some other campgrounds have.

As one that has been going to Fort Wilderness since they opened, I can say that I have not, personally, been impacted (yet).

But, there are many who have and voicing their complaints loud and clear. I'm sure they (Disney) are completely aware of what's going on (they do read these boards ). Fellow campers are 'very' upset (rightfully so IMO) and are becoming more vocal all the time. I will be too if/when it impacts my Disney trip. We don't book the tent sites so this may not ever keep us from getting our ressies.

Along with our fellow campers, we do not like the situation, as is, but know it will continue until Disney 'decides' to stop it!

 

[doconeill]

Just wanted to update. I have a room booked on April 11th - we are actually staying in the room the first night of the trip. We're checking out April 12th and moving off-site.

It will only let me make FP + reservations for April 11th and April 12th. On the days I have ADRs, it says I can make FP + reservations at the 60 day mark for that day. So for April 13th, it says I can make them February 12th. On days that I don't have an ADR, it says I am ineligble for Fastpass +.

I'll update if it lets me make FP + on February 12th.

I have three 9 day tickets linked.

Hmm...so the 13th would be outside the 60 day window as of yesterday, correct? So it sounds like what they've closed is the indefinite bookings beyond the 60 day window based on the tickets vs. the length of stay...

 

[agame2323]

As one that has been going to Fort Wilderness since they opened, I can say that I have not, personally, been impacted (yet).

But, there are many who have and voicing their complaints loud and clear. I'm sure they (Disney) are completely aware of what's going on (they do read these boards ). Fellow campers are 'very' upset (rightfully so IMO) and are becoming more vocal all the time. I will be too if/when it impacts my Disney trip. We don't book the tent sites so this may not ever keep us from getting our ressies.

Along with our fellow campers, we do not like the situation, as is, but know it will continue until Disney 'decides' to stop it!

I will happily take a campground as my "onsite location" to access FP+ and free parking. Meanwhile, I'll be pool side at an offsite location for 7-10 days. Hey, what can one say?? Its a dog eat dog Walt Disney World!

 

[mickeyinthehouse]

Here is my scenario. I have an upcoming trip in March. We are staying onsite the last day of our vacation. In order to utilize FP+ for our entire stay I booked a throwaway room a few weeks ago for today (today was the last day for cheaper rates). Got the magic bands in the mail and linked our UT tickets. I have FP+ booked for our entire stay in March. We should be getting our second set of magic bands this week that coincide with our March reservation. The only perk I can see us missing out on is we will not be able to charge anything to our magic bands until the last day of our trip when we will be staying onsite.

 

[ckelly14]

Hmm...so the 13th would be outside the 60 day window as of yesterday, correct? So it sounds like what they've closed is the indefinite bookings beyond the 60 day window based on the tickets vs. the length of stay...

Yes, maybe a tweak to better delineate on-site (length of stay) from future off-site booking (60 day only).

But who knows. Glad that something is happening even if I don't have a clue what it is...

 

[unbeknownst]

Just wanted to update. I have a room booked on April 11th - we are actually staying in the room the first night of the trip. We're checking out April 12th and moving off-site.

It will only let me make FP + reservations for April 11th and April 12th. On the days I have ADRs, it says I can make FP + reservations at the 60 day mark for that day. So for April 13th, it says I can make them February 12th. On days that I don't have an ADR, it says I am ineligble for Fastpass +.

I'll update if it lets me make FP + on February 12th.

I have three 9 day tickets linked.

Just updating again. It is letting me make FP+ reservations for April 13th today. My day with no ADRs isn't until April 15th, so I'll let you know if that effects it.

 

[kbelle8995]

I don't personally get this. I mean if I could manage to get a reservation at a Disney resort I would probably just stay there. Which I see some of you are.
It just seems an expensive price for extra time for FP+ reservations and a plastic band.

But it's your money who am I to judge.

Ah well Disney will close that loophole faster than you can say Jiminy Cricket.

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

I don't personally get this. I mean if I could manage to get a reservation at a Disney resort I would probably just stay there. Which I see some of you are.
It just seems an expensive price for extra time for FP+ reservations and a plastic band.

But it's your money who am I to judge.

Ah well Disney will close that loophole faster than you can say Jiminy Cricket.

Because they are only have a reservation for one night which isn't a huge expense. Most aren't staying onsite because the size of the rooms and/or it is cheaper to stay off-site in a larger place. Our family along with another family will be sharing a 3 bedroom, 3 bath, full kitchen, living room and washer and dryer time share that we ended up paying less than $900. Nothing onsite can compare to that!