60 day FPP bait and switch loophole worked perfectly. Thanks to all

I’m staying offsite with only one night onsite and I was really worried that I wouldn’t get my FPP selections with the rolling 60 day window since the availability of some rides is 62+.

I followed the advice proposed here some months ago (I can’t locate the thread) that if you modify your reservation to a longer stay, preferably many days before your planned arrival, then take advantage of an earlier reservation window. Lastly, after you make your FPP selection modify your reservation back to your original plan and you still get to keep all of your FPPs!!!

Thank to all of you who contributed with your tricks. I’m still yet to try creating an alternate MDE account to double up on ADRs but maybe next time.

I like the bait and switch trick because it is very versatile and particularly useful during peak periods. For example, if you want to secure a particular ADR during a holiday or special occasion then moving your arrival window gives you an extra edge. And contrary to the throwaway room trick, you are not hoarding unused space so everybody wins.

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You are welcome.

I’m considering doing this for an upcoming trip. Thank you for the confirmation!

Very interesting. I booked a one night stay just to get the rolling 60 days and I can confirm that works. This loophole sounds like going one step further :slight_smile:

As a side note, I actually have an absolutely fiendish FastPass ‘trick’ that I’m going to use on my upcoming trip in September. Not really a trick but a cunning use of the way the booking system ways. If it works I’ll fill you all in :slight_smile:

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I have a lot of FP experience. I would love to hear this theory to see if it is one I am already familiar with.

interesting… Of course this go round I used a TA so i can’t play around with my stay to try it out :confused:

Can you go into some detail on this? I am considering getting a throwaway room at the campground when I go. What did you do? Does the throwaway room not work just as well? I’m not sure if they have changed things. It didn’t matter to me last time as I stayed onsite the whole time.

Do tell - my FPP day is tomorrow

A throwaway works too but it is frown upon (not by me) because you would prevent someone else from enjoying the room.

Basically, you book a hotel stay at any onsite resort (including the campgrounds) for a period that is beyond your planned stay. Let’s say that you are visiting for 5 days, then you make the reservation for 8 days. With the reservation starting before your planned arrival day (this is important later). If you live in the US you will be asked to pay for a 1 night deposit.

When your ADR window opens up, you will be able to book with a 3 day lead time (8 minus 5 equals 3). This is very important for securing those pre-RD ADR like GG or the coveted Illuminations ADR at R&C.

Similarly when the FPP window opens up, you will be able to book with the same 3 day lead time. Worried about FEA? not anymore. FOP? not a problem, everything will be available since you are basically only competing with the Club level folks.

Since the reservation covers the entirety of the stay, the 60 day rolling window is not even needed.

Wait a few days and modify your reservation to a shorter stay, let’s say 1 day. You could wait until the 30 day mark to be sure but I modified my reservation after my rolling window period was over and I kept all my FPP.

Even more, I made FPP at the 60 day mark for people in my party that are not even staying on site so the possibilities are endless.

Best of all is that this is completely legal, permissible, and encouraged thanks to WDW’s super duper reservation policy.

Wouldn’t it be to book the room for a few days before you go instead of after you’ve left?

Yes, that is what I was trying to say. Start your reservation BEFORE your planned arrival day to take advantage of the lead time.

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Cool. I’m pretty sure I’m doing this for when we go back down next November.

Can you still book your room through a disney travel agent, then cancel?

Yes, although I don’t have first hand experience doing it. Essentially, you are modifying a reservation and, regardless of the reason, a TA can help you in doing that.

I would just tell them that a family medical situation came up and that you must modify your reservation.

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Many thanks. I have heard of doing that, but not had any experience doing it. Glad to know it worked out.

I will make these points just to make people aware. In other words I’m not being judgemental or trying to be a doom-mongerer.

First, recent experience from various boards seem to suggest that things are changing with regard to dropping days from a reservation. Often people are finding they have to cancel and then re-book, which means there has to be be availability to do so. IOW, it isn’t as easy to drop days as it used to be.

Second, if you book a package then it’s even more of a pfaff, and you need to be sure you “rebook” within a day of “cancelling” (see point 1).

Third, if they do cancel booking no. 1 you will get an email telling you your FPs will be cancelled. Now as long as you have tickets you will be OK and can ignore the email.

Probably…

But they do have the ability to cancel those FPs and if that becomes their next “loophole” they decide to close then you could find yourself without the FPs. Just like the change to the magic bands and entering the park loophole they closed last year, and the recent upgrade which stopped the “change party” feature for FPs on one of the operating systems (can’t recall, maybe android app), there won’t be any notice, it will just happen one day.

And finally, if you’re from the U.K. and possibly elsewhere, be aware the cancellation policy is far less forgiving. In fact I think it costs you, as @profmatt will confirm.

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I have done this frequently, but instead of trying to shorten the trip, I just make 2 separate room only reservations that are back to back. Tickets/AP’s purchased separately. Once all your FPP days are in the right window, I cancel the first reservation. This is much easier than trying to modify/shorten your trip dates. Works like a charm for FPP.

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I don’t understand the point of going through all this trouble. People are ALWAYS staying there. Every. Single. Day. People are always starting their FPP window. Every. Single. Day. So are you really gaining anything by trying these “tricks” to book your own FPP a few days earlier than you otherwise would?

If you’re only staying 3 days, then yes you do get the chance to book FPs for FoP, Slinky etc for your 3rd day and beyond.

I guess “worth it” is subjective. Easy for me to say, given I stay longer and can always book what I want for later in my trip.

Absolutely. We went during Easter this year, arriving on the Wednesday before Easter. Most people take their trips Sat-Sat or Sun-Sun. We would never have been able to get FOP FPP for day 1 and 2 (Wed night and Thursday) like we did by booking on our actual FPP day. I like to book a week in advance, at my convenience (not 4am since I live on the West Coast). I always get exactly what times I want for every day of the trip this way. It is absolutely worth it.

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Because you can book the entirety of the trip 60 days before your first day -

-The people that are going during your real days, who haven’t used this loophole, aren’t able to book yet because their window hasn’t opened. They won’t be fighting for your FP+.
-the people that are going to be there on your fake days likely aren’t staying long enough for your real days, so they won’t be fighting for your FP+s either.

Sure, there would be some overlap for people who are really staying that long.

Whether it’s worth it or not to everyone, probably not.

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