What to do ~ extra person on free DDP reservation

[dznyacct]

I don't know what to do and thought my DIS friends could help me out . I have the free dining offer booked to arrive on 9/19. My 45 day mark of "no changes without a fee" is tomorrow. When I first booked the trip last year during free dining is was going to be my friend and myself. Well, I started a new job and was really unsure if I could still go. My friend, who has become quite the WDW addict herself still really wanted to go, so she made a new reservation for herself and a friend of hers. I kept my original reservation with the hopes that I could still go. A few months a go I found out that indeed I could still go . I took my original friend off my reservation and added someone else who I thought could go. Now this person is not sure if she can go and won't know until very close to the trip . What will happen if she can't go? I have one day base tickets with our package since I am thinking about getting an annual pass for myself. Will I just be left with her unused one day park ticket? Thanks for your thoughts .

 

[rt2dz]

I'm not sure, but I've heard others say it on here, that everyone on the package has to be present at check-in with free dining in order for free dining to be applied. So, you might have a bigger problem.

I would see if you can find another friend, be added to the other two room for free dining, or see if the current friend would be willing to pay the change fee if he/she can't make it.

You might also want to post this on the theme park planning board. It's more active and there are many knowledgable people over there. I'm just guessing.

 

[aubriee]

I would take your friend off now. If you take her off before the 45 days final payment date, there will be no fee. If she does wind up being able to go, then you could add her back later. As long as the pkg price goes up (which it would with adding a one day ticket for her) then Disney will usually waive the change fee. If your price goes down (which it would if you remove her after the 45 day mark) then you would be charged the change fee. She can still be added back, up to 72 hours before your check in date.

Just FYI: I did this exact same thing for my Sept '07 trip. I had booked free dining for me and my mom with one day park tickets. She changed her mind prior to the 45 day mark, but my husband said he might go. However, he wouldn't know for sure until just a few weeks before the trip. I took my mom off the pkg prior to the 45 days so I wouldn't be charged the change fee, then waited until two weeks before the trip to add my husband. Disney did not charge me the change fee to add him, (because the price of the pkg went up when I added his one day ticket). We both had free dining for the entire trip.

 

[happymommy]

When we went last December (with free dining) my husband didn't arrive until two days after I did with the kids. They never asked to physically see him at check in. I would think frequently folks arrive at different times, maybe on different flights, so they may be used to just checking in one person. They gave me his room key and ticket and I did all the check in for us. Also, it's hard to have 3 or 4 people at the counter to check in. Usually a family will have one person do that, and the other parent may occupy the kids walking around and such.

I'd leave it if it were me.

 

[dd50]

I would take your friend off now. If you take her off before the 45 days final payment date, there will be no fee. If she does wind up being able to go, then you could add her back later. As long as the pkg price goes up (which it would with adding a one day ticket for her) then Disney will usually waive the change fee. If your price goes down (which it would if you remove her after the 45 day mark) then you would be charged the change fee. She can still be added back, up to 72 hours before your check in date.

Just FYI: I did this exact same thing for my Sept '07 trip. I had booked free dining for me and my mom with one day park tickets. She changed her mind prior to the 45 day mark, but my husband said he might go. However, he wouldn't know for sure until just a few weeks before the trip. I took my mom off the pkg prior to the 45 days so I wouldn't be charged the change fee, then waited until two weeks before the trip to add my husband. Disney did not charge me the change fee to add him, (because the price of the pkg went up when I added his one day ticket). We both had free dining for the entire trip.

I would follow this advice.

 

[tinka-belle]

If you change your package within 14 days, there is now a $10 fee in addition to the $50 change fee. If increasing your package the $50 is waived, but not the $10.

I beleive it started last year, and CM's have called it a "document reissue fee", "late change/booking fee", etc. Basically it's a late fee to reissue and send out your new docs, whether you really need new docs or not doesn't seem to matter. I have not been able to get it waived for clients most times, but on the upside they get a new set of docs with another arcade voucher, PH voucher, etc. to use.

 

[disneyfan55]

If you change your package within 14 days, there is now a $10 fee in addition to the $50 change fee. If increasing your package the $50 is waived, but not the $10.

I beleive it started last year, and CM's have called it a "document reissue fee", "late change/booking fee", etc. Basically it's a late fee to reissue and send out your new docs, whether you really need new docs or not doesn't seem to matter. I have not been able to get it waived for clients most times, but on the upside they get a new set of docs with another arcade voucher, PH voucher, etc. to use.

Yes and I think the 10 pays for the info to be sent overnight. We added an additional room in May within 10 days and the package info for the second room was sent fedex.

 

[DisneyWisher]

If you change your package within 14 days, there is now a $10 fee in addition to the $50 change fee. If increasing your package the $50 is waived, but not the $10.

I beleive it started last year, and CM's have called it a "document reissue fee", "late change/booking fee", etc. Basically it's a late fee to reissue and send out your new docs, whether you really need new docs or not doesn't seem to matter. I have not been able to get it waived for clients most times, but on the upside they get a new set of docs with another arcade voucher, PH voucher, etc. to use.

Maybe that explains why I paid so much more than I thought it should have been last year. I added DD22 5 days prior to leaving, though they never sent extra travel documents. I thought they were just adjusting my tickets to include the price increase. I had went and bought myself and DD15 tickets at Disney Store and had our 1 day tickets refunded on our last day. He refunded them at the pre ticket price increase and I said no I paid the new price because I added DD22 late. He adjusted it and refunded at the current price. Oh well. Hmmm now this has me wondering. We are going next month and she is again unsure she can go and I didn't add her before the ticket increase in case she can't so now I wonder when and if I add her will they charge the new ticket prices to everyone.

 

[dznyacct]

Thanks everyone . I did call and take my friend off the reservation, just to be safe.