So, going to WDW in just under 4 weeks with family. Currently 6 of us, my mom, her husband, aunt, brother, niece (6) and myself. I am the planner in all this. Now I’m pretty experienced with MDE. This will be my 7th trip, 3rd in the last year (as I got an AP, last 2 trips were with a friend. 2 people, easy peasy!)
Here is my dilemma - I have already booked the first 4 days of FP+ (staying off-site, so I have to do it daily) A few weeks back, my brother said my SIL would not be joining us - she couldn’t get a single day off work. Now today, he said she might quit her job so that she can go on the trip (she’s only had the job for a few months, doesn’t really like it, or there inflexibility)
Here is the dilemma - is it possible to get her added to the FP+ that are booked for the other 6?! She doesn’t currently have a ticket. So I can’t add her until she gets one. For those FP where there is availability, could I add my friend that has an AP, then remove her and add my SIL if she joins? I already know a few of the FP won’t let me add anyone in the app
ADR’s are OK as we only have Oga’s (twice) and I booked them for 7 (SIL was originally coming the entire week, then it changed to 2 days, then to not at all…you can’t remove a person, so I never changed the ADR’s)
Worst case, I’ll let my SIL take my place on any FP where I can’t add a person, or maybe my mom’s husband won’t be into going on all the rides (he’s 70) My mom, her husband and my aunt and I are staying a second week, and I go again April. SIL has only ever been to MK for 1 day.
First, until SIL has a ticket there is nothing you can do.
Adding someone to an FP group depends on there being available FPs, there is no special pool kept for that.
If you book FPs for your friend who has an AP, you’ll be limited to the 7 days. They took away the option to transfer FPs on the app and website though. So to transfer the FP to your SIL you have two options:
There’s a technical work-around which involves using an old version of the app. There’s a thread about it which someone will have bookmarked, hopefully they’ll post it for you.
Call IT and ask them if they would transfer the FPs (I would suggest a sob story about your AP friend who cannot go and another friend who is coming instead).
Hope it works out, although it seems somewhat drastic to quit her job to go to WDW. . It sounds like maybe she’s waiting for an excuse though, which is fair enough.
My though process with adding my friend with the AP is that once my SIL decides if she is going, I “cancel” the friend from the FP and add the SIL…logically thinking, if I drop a person, that FP becomes available to add another person…
Yes I know AP can only book 7 days. Bro & Niece only coming for a week due to niece being in kindergarten now, so they only have 6 day passes. Other half has 9 day passes, but they don’t know when/where they want to go week 2 anyways, so will wing it.
Yes, crazy to quit job to go on trip. But, my brother has a job where he can take vacation whenever, so they want her to have something with more flexibility.
I added my husband on to my trip later this week just 2 weeks ago. We didn’t have the best FPP since the travel party wasn’t finally settled until less than 30 days out but we did alright. I have been able to add him or modify all except SDD to include him, and he is just as happy to have TSM anyway. I found that even days out, if I just sit and patiently refresh, refresh, refresh I could still find a lot of what I wanted. Good luck! Thanks to this community and site for the advice and information, I feel I’ve been able to get most of what I want reserved and have a good plan in place for my first CL10 trip on less than 30 days notice!
What are the FPS? I travel in the parks
solo quite a bit and have very few issues getting an FPP for one when I want it - particularly when also factoring the drop times.
You might not have luck in advance, but I would think you’ll be able to pickup day of. Remember: SIL just needs an overlapping time - not the exact time. With the 5 minute lead time and 15 minute buffer after, that’s quite a window.
You are all too nice. I’d be inclined to say to SIL that she has to sit out when you have FPs (or just give her your band). I appreciate she couldn’t get the day off, but it wasn’t anyone else’s fault that she changed her mind several times. I wouldn’t be spending too much time trying to add a FP for the hard to get rides at this point. Maybe same day.
The will she or won’t she is driving the planner in me crazy. We started planning this trip in April, my brother & niece only finally committed in mid-November. Until they bought plane & WDW tickets we didn’t know if they were joining or not. (My Mom would have been super disappointed had my niece not went - she hasn’t seen her in 6 months as they don’t live close)
I didn’t read all the responses but my first thought is that not everyone in the group has to do all the same stuff. Perhaps the person with the AP and the SIL can plan FP together? Or, the planner person can plan it for them—I am the planner person so I know how that goes. Anyway, in my group of 6 we often had places with 3 here while the other 3 were there etc. If you can get the timing and the general area the same that is helpful. What about ADRs? Is that an issue? Might be harder to get that b/c it’s nice for the whole group to eat together, although we also had that split up many times—eg older boys eating sushi for dinner while less adventurous group ate basic American fare in a different restaurant.
to close this off. She quit her job. (granted, she’s not the only one that has left this place of employment, another person walked today - she can find something better).
So we got her a 6 day pass. The remove/add does not work (as I tried it with today’s FP’s). I managed to get her into same FP group, or overlapping on 14 out of 18 FP’s. So not bad. Will continue to play with the modify for the rest. I’m sure the group will stick together for the most part, as its all about the 6 year old - she’s going to be spoiled by her grandparents, great aunt, and myself (aunt) lol
Tidbit: I was trying to get my SIL an overlap FP for a couple rides at AK. It was not giving my anything close, so I decided, I’ll just cancel the reservation for 6 and select something else for the group of 7. (Add a Guest was not working either)
Well, when I did that it then let me select the same slot I had before, but for all 7 people! (Navi being one of these)
. It sounds like maybe she’s waiting for an excuse though, which is fair enough.
The will she or won’t she is driving the planner in me crazy. We started planning this trip in April, my brother & niece only finally committed in mid-November. Until they bought plane & WDW tickets we didn’t know if they were joining or not. (My Mom would have been super disappointed had my niece not went - she hasn’t seen her in 6 months as they don’t live close)
Anyway, in my group of 6 we often had places with 3 here while the other 3 were there etc. If you can get the timing and the general area the same that is helpful. What about ADRs? Is that an issue? Might be harder to get that b/c it’s nice for the whole group to eat together, although we also had that split up many times—eg older boys eating sushi for dinner while less adventurous group ate basic American fare in a different restaurant.