Fastpass before official start of Very Merry Christmas Party

[DisneyGal1221]

I am coming to Orlando mainly to visit Universal Studios, but we have decided to attend a Very Merry Christmas Party as well. We will not otherwise be visiting Disney, so we do not have any other tickets or passes. I have read mixed messages about whether we will be able to book fastpasses, mainly whether you need a non-party ticket to book.

I know fastpasses are not used during the party, but will we have the option to book fastpasses for the 4pm-6pm timeframe? Our party tickets are already linked to our MDE accounts. Thanks for any help you can provide!

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Officially you can make them from 4pm to 6pm.
Personally I book mine for about 3:30pm, 4:30pm, and 5:30pm.

 

[nickys]

This is the first year that CMs have confirmed you can use party tickets to book FPs for that time before the party.

They will tell you you can make them from 4pm, but MDE will allow you to book them for any t8me that day; the onus is on you to make sure you can use them. DVC members could book them from 1:30ish, since they can enter at 2pm for the party.

(Usual rule applies of only three FPs per day, so if you have booked FPs on your regular ticket or AP, you will not be able to book extra on your linked party ticket).

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

This is the first year that CMs have confirmed you can use party tickets to book FPs for that time before the party.

They will tell you you can make them from 4pm, but MDE will allow you to book them for any t8me that day; the onus is on you to make sure you can use them. DVC members could book them from 1:30ish, since they can enter at 2pm for the party.

(Usual rule applies of only three FPs per day, so if you have booked FPs on your regular ticket or AP, you will not be able to book extra on your linked party ticket).

Actually CM's have always told you that you are allowed.
This just seems to be the first year in a few years that MDE is not threatening to delete last day of FP's.

 

[nickys]

Actually CM's have always told you that you are allowed.
This just seems to be the first year in a few years that MDE is not threatening to delete last day of FP's.

Some CMs may have done. But then if people lost FPs, which they did, then the CMs just pointed you at the small print which actually said that party tickets did not entitle you to book FPs. So if someone lost their FoP Fastpass, they were usually SOL.

So it was a case of mixed messages. This year, that small print is not there.

 

[Vacationeer]

Yes, you can book FPs with your party ticket.
Furthermore, you should have no obstacles because you have no other WDW tickets during your trip.

Even WDW Mom's Panel have confirmed FPs are possible with a party ticket this fall in 2 different questions but.... both did explain further that it's not specifically offered as part of a party ticket purchase therefore no entitlement to FPs (just possible).

Ways that FPs won't work on a party ticket:
*If you don't show up until 7pm (FP is not utilized during party hours)
*If you already have 3 FPs on another ticket that day (MDE has a limitation of 3 FPs per person per day)
*If all the FPs are gone already

 

[Vacationeer]

Actually CM's have always told you that you are allowed.
This just seems to be the first year in a few years that MDE is not threatening to delete last day of FP's.

For December Fri 13th, I have a regular park day MK ticket with 3 FPs to use. I also bought MVMCP tickets for that night.
The workaround to get my 6 FPs -
My MDE account holds my regular ticket package, and onsite I was allowed to book FPs at 60 days. For my party ticket to work around the limitation of MDE only allowing 3 reserved FPs per person/day, I made a separate 'dummy' account not linked to anything and using a different e-mail address and linked my party tickets there. Tomorrow morning I will be able to go into that account and book my MVMCP FPs at 30 days out.

Could I have done all 6 FPs on one day this year, in the same account?

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

For December Fri 13th, I have a regular park day MK ticket with 3 FPs to use. I also bought MVMCP tickets for that night.
The workaround to get my 6 FPs -
My MDE account holds my regular ticket package, and onsite I was allowed to book FPs at 60 days. For my party ticket to work around the limitation of MDE only allowing 3 reserved FPs per person/day, I made a separate 'dummy' account not linked to anything and using a different e-mail address and linked my party tickets there. Tomorrow morning I will be able to go into that account and book my MVMCP FPs at 30 days out.

Could I have done all 6 FPs on one day this year, in the same account?

No cheating the system is not openly allowed. I absolutely would not go through that trouble.

 

[Vacationeer]

No cheating the system is not openly allowed. I absolutely would not go through that trouble.

It's not cheating the system when Mom's Panel answered once in Sept '19 and once in Oct '19 that FPs are possible with party tickets and it is ok to do so. There is no guarantee however because it's not an entitlement of a party ticket the same way it is with a regular ticket. If I bought 2 tickets to WDW that day and I can get my 6 FPs to work, WDW is fine with that. That just don't want any headaches via guest services complaints if a guest is unable to get the extra FPs to work because they weren't explicitly offered with the MVMCP ticket to begin with.

That's how it read to me

 

[nickys]

Not to mention... Exactly how do you determine what statements WDW media releases we follow and which we do not? Should we follow you for clarification?

Not quite sure which part of her comments you’re getting at here. However, the Mom’s Panel is completely un-verified, and is indeed often wrong. Heck I’ve seen two opposing answers on the same question within hours of each other.

Amongst other topics, these are some clangers I’ve seen:

Take the boat from WL to Disney Springs.
Thee are three parts to AKL: the Lodge itself, Jambo and Kidani.
You cannot add a dining plan to a room-only Reservation (technically true in that you have to convert it to a ticketless package, I guess, but not exactly helpful)

And they sure as heck don’t understand FPs, other than 30 and 60 day windows. Forget booking for friends, split stays.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Not quite sure which part of her comments you’re getting at here. However, the Mom’s Panel is completely un-verified, and is indeed often wrong. Heck I’ve seen two opposing answers on the same question within hours of each other.

Amongst other topics, these are some clangers I’ve seen:

Take the boat from WL to Disney Springs.
Thee are three parts to AKL: the Lodge itself, Jambo and Kidani.
You cannot add a dining plan to a room-only Reservation (technically true in that you have to convert it to a ticketless package, I guess, but not exactly helpful)

And they sure as heck don’t understand FPs, other than 30 and 60 day windows. Forget booking for friends, split stays.

Yeah IDK what that poster's problem is.
I'm not saying I'm always right or do everything proper but I don't care for people that come onto a forum acting like they are entitled and encourage others to do what they do.

 

[Vacationeer]

However, the Mom’s Panel is completely un-verified,

I totally agree but they are vetted thought TWDC to represent Disney Parks. They especially do not stick their necks out to offer advice which is in detriment to Disney.

The accusation that my comment about payment is 'entitlement is complete garbage. If I bought 2 tickets and WDW allows FPs on each of those,

*tiny violin*

 

[nickys]

I totally agree but they are vetted thought TWDC to represent Disney Parks. They especially do not stick their necks out to offer advice which is in detriment to Disney.

The accusation that my comment about payment is 'entitlement is complete garbage. If I bought 2 tickets and WDW allows FPs on each of those, it's ironic that a poster called me entitled when their aggressive superiority is more entitled than anything here, lol.

Their answers are not vetted in any way. The selection process is very competitive, but I have seen totally different answers. As in “I have friends staying offsite whilst we are onsite. Can I book fastpasses for them when I make our?”
A) Yes, link them in MDE and you can book for them.
B) No, you cannot book Fos for them until they are 30 days out.

I would not trust any answer they give. Period. Simply because if they can get such simple things wrong, how do you know if what they are saying is correct or not.

 

[Vacationeer]

Their answers are not vetted in any way. The selection process is very competitive, but I have seen totally different answers. As in “I have friends staying offsite whilst we are onsite. Can I book fastpasses for them when I make our?”
A) Yes, link them in MDE and you can book for them.
B) No, you cannot book Fos for them until they are 30 days out.

I would not trust any answer they give. Period. Simply because if they can get such simple things wrong, how do you know if what they are saying is correct or not.

How is a guest supposed to decipher that something is not allowed when various panelists continue to say it is indeed ok?

 

[nickys]

How is a guest supposed to decipher that something is not allowed when various panelists continue to say it is indeed ok?

Indeed. I think we’re kind of in agreement on this? Their answers aren’t vetted, but many people assume they are official. So personally I wouldn’t trust any answer. But the same could be said of a phone CM, many of whom have never set foot in WDW.

At the end of the day, it’s the CM you encounter who determines what happens. If you’ve been told on the phone, or on the Mom’s Panel, that you can accompany the rest of your party to a pre-park opening breakfast without being listed on the reservation (which I’ve seen suggested is “usually possible”), it counts for nothing if the CM scanning bands refuses to let you through. You can argue until you’re blue in the face, show them a copy of the reply, swear the CM told you it was OK. It won’t change things.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Indeed. I think we’re kind of in agreement on this? Their answers aren’t vetted, but many people assume they are official. So personally I wouldn’t trust any answer. But the same could be said of a phone CM, many of whom have never set foot in WDW.

At the end of the day, it’s the CM you encounter who determines what happens. If you’ve been told on the phone, or on the Mom’s Panel, that you can accompany the rest of your party to a pre-park opening breakfast without being listed on the reservation (which I’ve seen suggested is “usually possible”), it counts for nothing if the CM scanning bands refuses to let you through. You can argue until you’re blue in the face, show them a copy of the reply, swear the CM told you it was OK. It won’t change things.

And this is why just because "they" did it does not mean that its actually allowed. It should be presented more as "this was my experience but YMMV".

 

[Vacationeer]

Indeed. I think we’re kind of in agreement on this? Their answers aren’t vetted, but many people assume they are official. So personally I wouldn’t trust any answer. But the same could be said of a phone CM, many of whom have never set foot in WDW.

At the end of the day, it’s the CM you encounter who determines what happens. If you’ve been told on the phone, or on the Mom’s Panel, that you can accompany the rest of your party to a pre-park opening breakfast without being listed on the reservation (which I’ve seen suggested is “usually possible”), it counts for nothing if the CM scanning bands refuses to let you through. You can argue until you’re blue in the face, show them a copy of the reply, swear the CM told you it was OK. It won’t change things.

Right. And they are making it clear I have no grounds to complain if my FPs don't work because they're not explicitly offered thru the MVMCP ticket, just that they are possible and allowed to be used with your ticket. No caveats beyond that either.

Maybe TWDC should discontinue hosting Mom's Panel if nothing there can be relied upon because there are instances of mistakes. Why bother offering it at all if nobody can take it seriously? A big waste resources then.