Unique Situation, Need Input

[DoulaMel]

My DH and DD and I are booked to go to WDW in a month. We are going as part of a very large group and are booked through a TA in the UK. We have our hotel booking and 4DPH tickets and have booked a few fast passes and are getting things relatively organized-ish.

My DS recently had an accident and we are now looking at taking him with us (he is an adult). He is super pumped about joining us and we all recognize that there may be some restrictions about what he can and cannot do. This is all fine.

The questions are:

How do we get him booked with hotel and park tickets? Through the TA? Through the park?

Which is more cost effective and which is easier to do?

If we book tickets through a TA, then we cannot FP him with us as the confirmation numbers are not immediate and we cannot link him in until we get there, I believe, so that messes up other plans. I am not sure we can add him to existing DR if we book one way over the other. But is it even possible to add him in through Disney?

 

[Alesia]

Your TA owns the reservation, so if you're going to add him to your existing reservation, you'll have to go through them

 

[sharonabe]

My DH and DD and I are booked to go to WDW in a month. We are going as part of a very large group and are booked through a TA in the UK. We have our hotel booking and 4DPH tickets and have booked a few fast passes and are getting things relatively organized-ish.

My DS recently had an accident and we are now looking at taking him with us (he is an adult). He is super pumped about joining us and we all recognize that there may be some restrictions about what he can and cannot do. This is all fine.

The questions are:

How do we get him booked with hotel and park tickets? Through the TA? Through the park?

Which is more cost effective and which is easier to do?

If we book tickets through a TA, then we cannot FP him with us as the confirmation numbers are not immediate and we cannot link him in until we get there, I believe, so that messes up other plans. I am not sure we can add him to existing DR if we book one way over the other. But is it even possible to add him in through Disney?

If your booking through the TA is some kind of package that includes hotel and tickets, then you may not have an option other than using the TA to add your son. If it's not a package, then you'll still need to use them to add him to the hotel, because Disney will not recognize you as the owner of that reservation if you call, but you should be able to get tickets on your own for him through Disney and then you can go ahead and do the FP.

 

[Happiest.Haunt_999]

You are going to have to go through the TA.

 

[hiroMYhero]

Even if you have booked a package, you can buy a separate ticket for him and link it to him in MDE. Book his FPs when you book yours, or Change Party to add him to your pre-booked FPs, and he shares your booking window.

You can add him to your room reservation when you arrive and pay an extra amount per night... it used to be $25/night for an adult.

 

[DoulaMel]

Thank you all so much. I appreciate the help very much. I booked the airfare yesterday and will get onto the rest this morning with this information.

 

[kwdw]

You should be able to get a confirmation number on his ticket the minute it's purchased - either through the TA or self-purchase. Then you can add that into MDE right away for booking FP's.

 

[DoulaMel]

I have now been back and forth with the TA a few times in the last two days. It seems they need a wire transfer within the week so they can then transfer it straight to Disney. They do not accept credit or PayPal and a wire transfer, for various reasons, takes me over a week to ten days which they say they cannot do. Can I just show up with the kid and pay at the hotel and buy tickets that way? The downfall is the fast pass system and dining reservations, though... We have been planning this for over a year, but did not foresee this.

 

[hiroMYhero]

Can I just show up with the kid and pay at the hotel and buy tickets that way?

Use your own MDE account and buy the kid’s ticket now and link it directly to him.

Pay for him when you arrive at the hotel. See my previous post in this thread.

 

[Kindermouse]

I have now been back and forth with the TA a few times in the last two days. It seems they need a wire transfer within the week so they can then transfer it straight to Disney. They do not accept credit or PayPal and a wire transfer, for various reasons, takes me over a week to ten days which they say they cannot do. Can I just show up with the kid and pay at the hotel and buy tickets that way? The downfall is the fast pass system and dining reservations, though... We have been planning this for over a year, but did not foresee this.

Just buy his tickets online through Disney and link him the MDE to book his FP's as a post above explained. And yes-just show up with h and pay the difference. It seems very odd to me that they want a wire transfer and wont accept any of the ways that you can have consumer protection for your purchase (CC and PayPal). Maybe this is showing my lack of worldliness but no way am I sending money via a wire transfer for goods. nope.

 

[DoulaMel]

I am not really too concerned about the wire transfer and reliability/ethics of the travel group. We do have our confirmation numbers and all is linked through Disney, I just can't seem to figure out why it is so challenging to add the injured kid into the group. I will call Disney now and see what they say and likely buy his PH online. Thank you so much.

 

[DoulaMel]

90 minutes on hold and Disney says that they cannot touch the reservation made through the TA.

The TA says they cannot add him in if I can't get the transfer to them within the week and even then, can't release ticket numbers so we can link all the stuff so that he can join us.

I am inclined, now, to buy the 4DPH on my own, link him in and show up with him at hotel and be done with it.

 

[DoulaMel]

Use your own MDE account and buy the kid’s ticket now and link it directly to him.

Pay for him when you arrive at the hotel. See my previous post in this thread.

Thank you!

 

[GoofyMB]

I am inclined, now, to buy the 4DPH on my own, link him in and show up with him at hotel and be done with it.

Definitely the way to go.

 

[G719]

I have now been back and forth with the TA a few times in the last two days. It seems they need a wire transfer within the week so they can then transfer it straight to Disney. They do not accept credit or PayPal and a wire transfer, for various reasons, takes me over a week to ten days which they say they cannot do. Can I just show up with the kid and pay at the hotel and buy tickets that way? The downfall is the fast pass system and dining reservations, though... We have been planning this for over a year, but did not foresee this.

You can alter your dining reservation even if the kid is not yet on the hotel reservation.

 

[DebbieB]

90 minutes on hold and Disney says that they cannot touch the reservation made through the TA.

The TA says they cannot add him in if I can't get the transfer to them within the week and even then, can't release ticket numbers so we can link all the stuff so that he can join us.

I am inclined, now, to buy the 4DPH on my own, link him in and show up with him at hotel and be done with it.

Are you planning on riding Magical Express? He will not be able to ride on the way from the airport if he is not on the reservation.

 

[tjmw2727]

90 minutes on hold and Disney says that they cannot touch the reservation made through the TA.

The TA says they cannot add him in if I can't get the transfer to them within the week and even then, can't release ticket numbers so we can link all the stuff so that he can join us.

I am inclined, now, to buy the 4DPH on my own, link him in and show up with him at hotel and be done with it.

Yes - agree with this and above posters!!! Go online and purchase him a park ticket, link it in MDE and then you can book his FP+ with yours (even though he isn't on the room) and add him to your ADRs. As long as you aren't exceeding room occupancy you can add him at check in. Extra adult charge applies and varies by category, deluxe is $25 moderate and value are less.

 

[hiroMYhero]

Are you planning on riding Magical Express? He will not be able to ride on the way from the airport if he is not on the reservation.

He could purchase a seat through Mears at the airport to get shuttled to the hotel on a Mears bus if he can’t ride DME.

 

[DoulaMel]

They may or may not be able to add him at the desk. The group sales person said that since it is a group booking with an agency, we are not paying them, technically, the group is. Back to the group we go..... sigh.

The Magical Express... had not thought of that! Jeez. What would I do without you guys?

 

[bumbershoot]

I am inclined, now, to buy the 4DPH on my own, link him in and show up with him at hotel and be done with it.

Yes. Do that.

The group sales person said that since it is a group booking with an agency, we are not paying them, technically, the group is. Back to the group we go..... sigh.

The group sales person knows not what she is talking about.

Once you're there and have a room they are out of the equation.


Stop listening to the silly TA (and even the Disney CMs who *arent at the resorts and probably aren't even in florida* and don't know personally how things work at the resorts) and listen to the actual experts here.


The only issue is dme. But one option is listed above, or you could always get a cab or rideshare or rental car...