Split Stay: MDE let me make FP+ >60 days from my package check-in date -- glitch or the norm?

[Weather_Lady]

We have an upcoming Disney vacation with a split stay (albeit same resort and room category), which was arranged to take advantage of the free dining for stays checking in 11/15 and after:
(1) a room-only reservation for one night, checking in 11/14 (60 days from today); and
(2) a room+ticket package for 6 nights (with 8 days of parkhopper tickets), checking in 11/15 (61 days from today).

Because the package to which our tickets are attached has an 11/15 check-in date, I'd been assuming that I wouldn't be able to make FP+ until 60 days from that date, which would be tomorrow, even though we'll be arriving for our room-only reservation on 11/14 and plan to start using the tickets from our room+ticket package to enter the Magic Kingdom that day.

However, while playing around with MDE this morning, I discovered that it was allowing me to make FP+ as of this morning, which suggests that Disney is calculating my FP+ window from the date of my initial room-only reservation and not my room+ticket package check-in date.

Nonetheless, MDE will not allow me to make any FP+ for the room-only check-in date of 11/14 -- only for 11/15-11/21 (the room+ticket package check-in and check-out dates) -- so even though WDW is calculating the 60-day FP+ window from the date of my 11/14 room-only reservation, it won't actually let me make any FP+ for that day, because it "thinks" I don't have tickets until the following day when we check in for the room+ticket package (which begs the question why it's allowing me to make FP+ today at all if it "thinks" that our tickets aren't good until 11/15, and further, why if it "thinks" that our 8-day parkhopper tickets will be activated starting 11/15, it's only letting me make FP+ for a total of 7 days, 11/15-11/21...) Any ideas???

All I know is, I'm really glad I decided to tinker around with MDE today to familiarize myself with it "so I'd be all ready to make FP+ tomorrow," or I wouldn't have realized I could do it today (and might have missed out on some of the FP+ I was able to get, including Frozen and 7DMT!!!). I'm just praying it's not some sort of random glitch, and that my FP+ won't magically disappear!

 

[nickys]

We have an upcoming Disney vacation with a split stay (albeit same resort and room category), which was arranged to take advantage of the free dining for stays checking in 11/15 and after:
(1) a room-only reservation for one night, checking in 11/14 (60 days from today); and
(2) a room+ticket package for 6 nights (with 8 days of parkhopper tickets), checking in 11/15 (61 days from today).

Because the package to which our tickets are attached has an 11/15 check-in date, I'd been assuming that I wouldn't be able to make FP+ until 60 days from that date, which would be tomorrow, even though we'll be arriving for our room-only reservation on 11/14 and plan to start using the tickets from our room+ticket package to enter the Magic Kingdom that day.

However, while playing around with MDE this morning, I discovered that it was allowing me to make FP+ as of this morning, which suggests that Disney is calculating my FP+ window from the date of my initial room-only reservation and not my room+ticket package check-in date.

Nonetheless, MDE will not allow me to make any FP+ for the room-only check-in date of 11/14 -- only for 11/15-11/21 (the room+ticket package check-in and check-out dates) -- so even though WDW is calculating the 60-day FP+ window from the date of my 11/14 room-only reservation, it won't actually let me make any FP+ for that day, because it "thinks" I don't have tickets until the following day when we check in for the room+ticket package (which begs the question why it's allowing me to make FP+ today at all if it "thinks" that our tickets aren't good until 11/15, and further, why if it "thinks" that our 8-day parkhopper tickets will be activated starting 11/15, it's only letting me make FP+ for a total of 7 days, 11/15-11/21...) Any ideas???

All I know is, I'm really glad I decided to tinker around with MDE today to familiarize myself with it "so I'd be all ready to make FP+ tomorrow," or I wouldn't have realized I could do it today (and might have missed out on some of the FP+ I was able to get, including Frozen and 7DMT!!!). I'm just praying it's not some sort of random glitch, and that my FP+ won't magically disappear!

I can answer the 2nd question. It's letting you make reservations for the length of your stay. As your reservation is until 11/21 then that is the last day you are eligible to make fps at 60 days out. Although your tickets will not have expired, because you don't have a reservation beyond that date then you cannot make fps for any further dates. You would be an offsite guest so that window will not open until the 30 day mark.

As for the 1st question, you are still an onsite guest. I guess it's similar to the +10 day perk for onsite guests. Pity it isn't allowing you to make them for that first day!

 

[Weather_Lady]

I can answer the 2nd question. It's letting you make reservations for the length of your stay. As your reservation is until 11/21 then that is the last day you are eligible to make fps at 60 days out. Although your tickets will not have expired, because you don't have a reservation beyond that date then you cannot make fps for any further dates. You would be an offsite guest so that window will not open until the 30 day mark.

As for the 1st question, you are still an onsite guest. I guess it's similar to the +10 day perk for onsite guests. Pity it isn't allowing you to make them for that first day!

Thank you for your insights -- that makes sense!

 

[ToTBellHop]

Yes, that is the norm. We've had a few split stays and always been able to book FP+ thru the end of the 2nd stay as long as the overall trip was no more than 10 days.

 

[ktkerber]

It allowed me to do the same. We are checking in 11/11 and our free dining stay starts on 11/15. It allowed me to make my FP for my second stay beginning on the 15th but not 11/11-11/14. I assumed the same as OP but I received an email from Disney saying I could book my FP. I thought it was a mistake but decided to give it try anyway and it worked. There was an issue with my daughters ticket so it wouldn't let me book for her. I called Disney to get the ticket issue fixed and the CM insisted that I couldn't and shouldn't be able to, but I told her I was already able to. She was very surprised. She fixed the issue with my daughters ticket and we are all good now.