What if you can't book FP+ in advance?

[SSH]

Thank you to everyone who has posted helpful comments and advice in these threads. Hoping someone can advise me re: Pop Century's restrictions re: FP system. I'm staying at POP Dec 1st-3rd and was sent the new bands, but then discovered I am ineligible to book FP+ attractions ahead of time due to my park tics. (These are a 2-day paper hopper I've been saving to use, not sold through normal channels. Definitely valid WDW passes, sent by Disney exec office. Just older tics from 09 that don't have bar code info required to register on MyDisneyExperience site.)

When I called Disney CS, they told me I must wait to redeem tics at park gate and cannot book FP+ ahead of time. So do I have the option to forget these bands altogether and just use regular FP system the day I visit, since I have paper park hopper tickets? Or are all Pop Century resort guests automatically restricted from using FP, no matter what kind of tics they have? (Seems like I'd be better off using FP, given that I can't book anything in advance with FB+ and they have stricter limits and park hopper negatives. Or do other MB band benefits still make its use worthwhile?)

Been experiencing long hold times each time I've called Disney and reps seem quite confused about the system: they've already sent me to wrong phone numbers for more info and are contradicting each other in their replies. So any recommendations from the forum are so appreciated!

 

[EvilQueen-T]

I don't know if this is one of the numbers you've called or maybe been transferred to but 1-407-939-4357 is their number the cm told me is literally the magic band help line. Anyone answering that number is SUPPOSE to know what's going on with anything related to the new system. I haven't called them yet but I'm wondering how preselecting fp+ will work with renewing our ap's since mine is up in december but my granddaughter's is up in january and all the drama that can incur even under the old system with renewals (sigh).

 

[SSH]

Thanks EQ..appreciate your fast reply! I did call that number (although reps didn't provide it - I found it on my magic band email confirmation.) Unfortunately, they weren't much help...they agreed that the tics I have don't allow me to book FP+ in advance and said there was nothing they could do.

 

[Tom]

Unless Disney can somehow update your ticket media before you go, you won't be able to book FP+ until you're at the parks.

And since you're staying at Pop Century - the first resort to discontinue the use of traditional FastPass - I don't think you'll be able to use that system, unfortunately.

This is going to be a continuing problem for anyone with old tickets, since that serial number is important for linking tickets to your MDE account.

 

[krb2g]

If your tickets have a magnetic stripe and you don't link them to MDE, you should be able to use them in the machines in the park to pull paper FPs, just like you would have before FP+ was an option.

 

[skimbob]

The Disney IT has been no help at all nor has guest services. As I have posted elsewhere I am unable to do FP+ until I renew my Premier Pass on January 9. I was told there is no way to overide the system. I told them they aren't taking very good care of their guests. They said they are still in testing with the Magic Bands. Well to me it is not fair that some people get to use FP+ while those of us that have different pass situations are left out in the cold. I am paying $979 for my pass if it didn't pay for itself I would not be renewing it.

 

[Gabe1]

Well for one thing, not booking in advance makes you vulnerable to Disney's weekly changes of FP+. Look at the unsuspecting guests at Pop that are the only resort to get their KTTW cards taken away as a case study. Or the guests that already are safe for their holiday DHS FP+ choices but those who held out have their choices curtailed. And now if you change them like Disney says you can you will be penalized by tossed into their new classification.

Yeah, this experiment is going real well. Remember Disney said this is what we wanted. Oy.

 

[SSH]

Thanks Tom, krb2g, SkimBob and Gabe1 for your comments. Krb2g - you bring up a good point. I could just redeem my older paper passes at gate and use regular FP system: where I'm staying is irrelevant. The only glitch is I still have to wear the bands to get into my POP hotel room, get through parking and enjoy extra magic hours. (Does anyone thinks cast members will reject paper FPs I show them, if they see me wearing a band?) I can't believe WDW expects guests to put up with all the restrictions of FP+ if they can't enjoy the main benefit - advance reservations - because of WDW system limitations that are no fault of their own.

 

[lilclerk]

(Does anyone thinks cast members will reject paper FPs I show them, if they see me wearing a band?)

I certainly hope not, especially since they won't see where you're staying.

 

[Tuvalu]

We have given paper fastpasses to CMs while wearing our bands. No problems at all.

 

[SSH]

Great news Tuvalu: thanks. I guess it's back to the old FP system for us on this trip. Maybe we can try FP+ next time.

 

[asialeigh]

The Disney IT has been no help at all nor has guest services. As I have posted elsewhere I am unable to do FP+ until I renew my Premier Pass on January 9. I was told there is no way to overide the system. I told them they aren't taking very good care of their guests. They said they are still in testing with the Magic Bands. Well to me it is not fair that some people get to use FP+ while those of us that have different pass situations are left out in the cold. I am paying $979 for my pass if it didn't pay for itself I would not be renewing it.

Well your annual pass renewal isn't actually a ticket media yet so even if you renew online it's basically a "certificate" not a ticket and must be redeemed. That's just how it is. So you technically don't have active ticket media yet to make fastpass+.

 

[asialeigh]

If your tickets have a magnetic stripe and you don't link them to MDE, you should be able to use them in the machines in the park to pull paper FPs, just like you would have before FP+ was an option.

But if they are paper tickets they will not be able to use them to enter the parks unless they redeem them for a RFID hard ticket media first of all. So they won't be able to keep those paper tickets to use at legacy fastpass machines...

 

[Rob562]

A quick question/suggestion for the OP:
Do the 2-day tickets you have actually have a magnetic-stripe on them? Or are they some kind of voucher that you'll have to turn in to Guest Relations to get your ticket?

If it's a voucher, then it seems that you'll have no choice but to wait until you arrive.

If you have a mag-stripe ticket, go into MyDisneyExperience and go to the "Link Ticket" page. Down at the bottom there's text that says "Did you buy your ticket before 2010 or don't see an ID number on your ticket? Add It Here". That'll bring up a page with a number of additional ticket options for you to compare your ticket against and the number you'll need to enter from it.
If your ticket *still* doesn't appear, then unfortunately you'll have to wait until you get there.

-Rob