Family reunion with MB/FP+

[EvilQueen-T]

Background: I'm an old system disney vet (been going since I was a kid/1972). I've done 3 trips under mb/fp+ but just with one or two other people and all in the same room, all passholders, nothing complicated. Last year I got some experience with having 3 separate rooms with linking us, making plans, adr's etc... with the bigger group.

Now we're to this year's planning which is a family reunion after my daughter's wedding (at wdw yeah ) my dad/his wife and my brother and sister with their families are staying for a week after the wedding so we can all vaca together for the week. We have my room and the two other rooms of people to plan for/with (total of 7-8 adults and 4 kids). Here's my questions...

1. To book our fp+ with a group like this we will all have to be linked on mde (like we did for adr's last year) correct?

2. How would fp+ work for booking purposes if part of our group stays off site?

3. How would making group adr's work if part of our group stays off site?

4. How have things gone with anyone changing resorts under the new system? I'm hoping booking fp+ and adr's won't be affected. I'm staying the first few days of the trip at the gf for the wedding then switching over to por with the group staying for the family reunion part.

 

[stevehousse]

1. Yes everyone will need to be linked.
2. If they are staying offsite they won't be able to be added to your MDE account unfortunately and are only limited to day of FP+ using the kiosks only
3. ADRs, whether staying on or offsite will not be an issue at all. Just make sure your ADR accounts for all guests whether or not they are staying on site.
4. Switching resorts works just fine with the MB. You shouldn't have any complications.

 

[Rob562]

One clarification of stevehousse's #2 answer above: It really depends on when your trip is. If the OP's trip is in the near-future, then his answer is correct.

But if it's more than a month or two away, Disney will most likely be adding in advance FP+ reservations for all Guests at some point. Once that happens, you should be able to make group FP+ arrangements, even with a mixed on-site/off-site group.

Even if you're going in the near future, you can make advance FP+ for those who are eligible, and then visit a kiosk in the park for same-day FP+ and see if you can copy over from the existing FP+ reservations. (I know there's a way to copy FP+ from one person to another within the app if you're both eligible for advance FP+, so I presume it can also be done on the in-park kiosks)

-Rob

 

[stevehousse]

One clarification of stevehousse's #2 answer above: It really depends on when your trip is. If the OP's trip is in the near-future, then his answer is correct.

But if it's more than a month or two away, Disney will most likely be adding in advance FP+ reservations for all Guests at some point. Once that happens, you should be able to make group FP+ arrangements, even with a mixed on-site/off-site group.

Even if you're going in the near future, you can make advance FP+ for those who are eligible, and then visit a kiosk in the park for same-day FP+ and see if you can copy over from the existing FP+ reservations. (I know there's a way to copy FP+ from one person to another within the app if you're both eligible for advance FP+, so I presume it can also be done on the in-park kiosks)

-Rob

I have not read anywhere where it states people staying offsite will be able to make advance FP+ picks. It's anonsite resort only perk...have u heard differently?

 

[EvilQueen-T]

The wedding is the 1st Saturday in October and then they're staying through the week...so I'm stressing a bit with the new changes to be honest. In years past I could have planned it all in my sleep. Funny how the wedding isn't the part stressing me out at this point lol.

 

[jlsHouston]

One clarification of stevehousse's #2 answer above: It really depends on when your trip is. If the OP's trip is in the near-future, then his answer is correct.

But if it's more than a month or two away, Disney will most likely be adding in advance FP+ reservations for all Guests at some point. Once that happens, you should be able to make group FP+ arrangements, even with a mixed on-site/off-site group.

Even if you're going in the near future, you can make advance FP+ for those who are eligible, and then visit a kiosk in the park for same-day FP+ and see if you can copy over from the existing FP+ reservations. (I know there's a way to copy FP+ from one person to another within the app if you're both eligible for advance FP+, so I presume it can also be done on the in-park kiosks)

-Rob

How do you know Disney is going to expand advance FP+ reservations out to non resort guests in the future ? Is there an announcement somewhere about this ? Because I would like to stay at the Dolphin again but at this point Dolphin is still same day FP+ selections just like offsite guests and day guests to the park and I would like to know what month Disney is going to set up the website for everyone with a park ticket to do FP+ selections.

 

[BearsMom2011]

1. Yes everyone will need to be linked.
2. If they are staying offsite they won't be able to be added to your MDE account unfortunately and are only limited to day of FP+ using the kiosks only
3. ADRs, whether staying on or offsite will not be an issue at all. Just make sure your ADR accounts for all guests whether or not they are staying on site.
4. Switching resorts works just fine with the MB. You shouldn't have any complications.

Just an FYI...I tried to make a ADR for my group of 4 without linking them to the reservation through my disney experience yesterday and it would not let me. However, when I did the same thing though the mobile app, it let me do it without linking

 

[stevehousse]

Just an FYI...I tried to make a ADR for my group of 4 without linking them to the reservation through my disney experience yesterday and it would not let me. However, when I did the same thing though the mobile app, it let me do it without linking

Do you have your family members entered into your MDE account? I know hen I made ADRs for our stay this coming May, it asks me specifically who is dining wih me. You just need to add your family members to your MDE account and make sure they are labeled as "travel frequently with"

 

[Weather_Lady]

At this point, you're limited to "day-of" for FP+ and honestly, I think that's the best way for a large group to do it anyway. It will be much easier than trying to get everyone to decide ahead of time where they'll be and what FP+ they want! Instead, give every family a little "handout sheet" with an overview of FP+ well ahead of time, so they know how to do it themselves (or can designate a tech-savvy member of each nuclear family to handle FP+ for their particular touring party each morning).

We're going in May as a party of 6 (motion-sickness prone DH who can't do rollercoasters, daughter who won't do attractions with a big drop, my son and I, who will try anything once and then will want to do it ten times, Dad who can't do anything that spins and Aunt who can't do jerky simulators), and I'm doing FP+ reservations for the group in advance. Doing this effectively has required no less than a one-hour family meeting and two written "surveys" concerning ride preferences!

 

[EvilQueen-T]

Do you have your family members entered into your MDE account? I know hen I made ADRs for our stay this coming May, it asks me specifically who is dining wih me. You just need to add your family members to your MDE account and make sure they are labeled as "travel frequently with"

my sister's family and mine are already linked...or at least we were last summer so if it hasn't changed we'll do that again but with all members of our traveling party so we can check them when that part pops up.

 

[Rob562]

I have not read anywhere where it states people staying offsite will be able to make advance FP+ picks. It's anonsite resort only perk...have u heard differently?

Disney hasn't made any official announcement, but I'm making suppositions based on a few pieces of info:

-First, nowhere on the site or app does it say that making FP+ reservations is or will be a Disney resort guest only thing. When you click on the "Learn More" link on the MDE app, the first paragraph of the page that pops up is titled "Make FastPass+ Selections From Home" and goes on to say "Disney FastPass+ service will let you lock in select attractions and entertainment before you leave home, so you can relax and enjoy every moment." The MDE website says something similar. I would be extremely surprised if they would put such info so prominently on the site, with no mention of requiring a resort stay, and *not* open advance reservations to off-site guests.

-More recently, just last week they announced that select offsite guests would be added to testing the entire MDE/FP+ experience. Why add them if there are no plans to do so?
http://www.wdwmagic.com/other/mymag...fsite-guests-to-take-place-during-january.htm


Put all that together, and it leads you to believe that pre-reserved FP+ will go available off-site at some point. Though the one way-up-in-the-air item is just *how* far in advance off-site Guests will get access. Every wording has been "up to 60 days in advance", so the full 60 days may be for on-site Guests (and probably AP's), with off-site getting a shorter window.

-Rob