2 room, one with free dining and one with stay longer, dummy profile?

[psych58]

Very specific question here. First time poster so apologies if something is wrong or this isn't the right place to post this.

I have one room booked at Pop for free dining 3 people and a stay longer room booked for 1 person in my travel party, same dates. I read somewhere about a "dummy profile" that could be added to "guests managed by me" that could be used in a room reservation as a lead guest. Right now, both reservations are under my MDE account. I want all 4 of us to have free dining so can I add the one person to the room of 3, and use this "dummy profile" as lead guest in the stay longer room? We need the two rooms, one for me and wife, and one for my two teenage sons.
How would I handle getting into the stay longer room if our magic bands don't work? It is guaranteed to be connect since we are family so we can leave those doors open/unlocked.
Can I get room key cards to the stay longer room to use? Would that dummy account person need to get them or could I since the reservation is in my MDE?
Could I say this dummy account person had to cancel when I get there to explain the situation?
What other issues could I run into if I do this?
I don't want to do anything to jeopardize my trip, but it's a large financial difference and the free meal plan value for one person.
Thank you in advance for any help.

 

[starry_solo]

Very specific question here. First time poster so apologies if something is wrong or this isn't the right place to post this.

I have one room booked at Pop for free dining 3 people and a stay longer room booked for 1 person in my travel party, same dates. I read somewhere about a "dummy profile" that could be added to "guests managed by me" that could be used in a room reservation as a lead guest. Right now, both reservations are under my MDE account. I want all 4 of us to have free dining so can I add the one person to the room of 3, and use this "dummy profile" as lead guest in the stay longer room? We need the two rooms, one for me and wife, and one for my two teenage sons.
How would I handle getting into the stay longer room if our magic bands don't work? It is guaranteed to be connect since we are family so we can leave those doors open/unlocked.
Can I get room key cards to the stay longer room to use? Would that dummy account person need to get them or could I since the reservation is in my MDE?
Could I say this dummy account person had to cancel when I get there to explain the situation?
What other issues could I run into if I do this?
I don't want to do anything to jeopardize my trip, but it's a large financial difference and the free meal plan value for one person.
Thank you in advance for any help.

Someone needs to create a MDE account for that "dummy profile." Then link a credit card to the account to use for online check-in; that's the only way to avoid a trip to the front desk for room key cards. Otherwise, that "dummy profile" needs to go to the front desk to get the key cards and present photo identification and credit card.

*You do realize that there are no guarantees that your two rooms will be close together, right?*

Is there some reason why you didn't just book two people in each room?

 

[Marthasor]

There is absolutely zero guarantee your rooms will connect. Why don't you just book two rooms under free dining and put you and your wife as the lead guest in each room? There is no need to jump through all of these hoops. And no, you can't just show up and say the dummy person had to cancel.

 

[focusondisney]

Really, how much is it saving to book the 2nd room with the stay longer discount? Is it worth the hassle to you to go thru all the hassle to make a dummy profile? And possibly have your sons across the resort from you? You’ll have to link one of your sons’ phones to that account & use that to open the door. Or buy a MB for the dummy profile & have them use that. But, MBs don’t always work & you sometimes need to get them reset at the front desk.

I don’t see any way you could have all 4 of you get free dining unless you’re all listed in that room. So then you’ll have a room that none of you can prove you belong in if you do need to go
to the front desk at any point. I would just book 2 free dining rooms & be happy for those savings.

 

[brockash]

I get it; much more value in a room with 4 ppl. with free dining than 2 rooms with 2 each.

No guarantee on rooms connecting, but my extended family and I have bee going for decades always booking 3-4 rooms and the furthest we've ever been from each other is 1 in between room (I've always gotten my request to connect with my mom), but of course no guarantee.

What I would do is put 1 "dummy" on the free dining room (adult dummy) and then 1 real person, mom or dad, on the other room with a cpl. "dummies". Get key to world cards when check in and then give kids key to world to unlock "dummy" room and give mom/dad who is listed on dummy room key to world card for free dining room with dummy name so they can open their room and use for dining if needed (with mobile order probably not often that they would need it for that but still.) Only potential issue would be if adult on dummy room needed to use key to world card with dummy name to get alcohol via dining plan and they asked for id but again how often will they be eating by themselves wanting to use dining plan for alcoholic drink?

T

 

[elvispursley]

Seems like such a hassle. I must be missing something because won’t you be paying for 4 packages with Free Dining regardless? I’d do exactly as mentioned above and book your DW and son in the 2nd room under the free dining promotion.

 

[brockash]

Seems like such a hassle. I must be missing something because won’t you be paying for 4 packages with Free Dining regardless? I’d do exactly as mentioned above and book your DW and son in the 2nd room under the free dining promotion.

If you get free dining you're paying rack rate for everything else which makes it pretty pricey. Doing 1 room with 4 ppl. under free dining and a 2nd room with a room discount can save quite a bit of money. It is a hassle, but depending on the amount of $ saved may be well worth it for some.

 

[lanejudy]

What I would do is put 1 "dummy" on the free dining room (adult dummy) and then 1 real person, mom or dad, on the other room with a cpl. "dummies". Get key to world cards when check in and then give kids key to world to unlock "dummy" room and give mom/dad who is listed on dummy room key to world card for free dining room with dummy name so they can open their room and use for dining if needed (with mobile order probably not often that they would need it for that but still.) Only potential issue would be if adult on dummy room needed to use key to world card with dummy name to get alcohol via dining plan and they asked for id but again how often will they be eating by themselves wanting to use dining plan for alcoholic drink?

But the real person on the "dummy" reservation still needs a ticket to enter the park -- and that ticket is purchased on the the free dining room and linked to a different profile.

Seems really convoluted to try and save a few bucks. And probably circumventing WDW policies as well...

 

[brockash]

But the real person on the "dummy" reservation still needs a ticket to enter the park -- and that ticket is purchased on the the free dining room and linked to a different profile.

Seems really convoluted to try and save a few bucks. And probably circumventing WDW policies as well...

They would be purchasing a room for 4 ppl. under the free dining package with 4 sets of tix. so all would have a tix. Yes, it's complicated and certainly not something you or anyone else has to do or even think about, but the OP asked a question and I shared the information. Not something for anyone to stress over.

 

[psych58]

Thank you all for your feedback, I really appreciate it.

For us, a thousand dollars ends up being a lot of money, which is the difference with 2 rooms, 2 people each, and free dining on both compared to what I have booked, listed above, now for our trip. Free dining offer is over anyways.

I made these 2 reservations online on my MDE and called to have those rooms connected. Had to do that twice since I had a different package booked first. Both Cast Members guaranteed connecting rooms since in we were all in the same family. I know a lot of people say it's never guaranteed, just sharing my experience this time.

My understanding is the Dummy could not be in the free dining room cause I would then pay for tickets no one could use.
I will probably keep it as is, and we will all share the 3 free dining plans credits. DW and I can share her room and Ill get a extra key to the world card linked to her for me to use and can also get in with my MDE.

Both these rooms are separate reservations booked on my MDE account. Did someone say that would be an issue for some reason. I've already started online check in on both rooms.

 

[focusondisney]

Is your wife the only person listed on the stay longer room? Have you already bought her a ticket? You might be able to add the dummy adult to your room & reassign that ticket to your wife. But you can’t do that until after you check in. So she wouldn’t have a ticket linked in advance if you’re planning to make Lightning Lane selections.

And just know, regardless of the guarantee the phone CM made, that is still only a request. You have 2 minors in your room. The other room has 1 adult in it. They will of course try to honor connecting rooms like they do for all requests. Unless it is a single adult traveling with all minors, connecting rooms aren’t a necessity. There are thousands of “the same family” parties traveling together every day.

 

[psych58]

Is your wife the only person listed on the stay longer room? Have you already bought her a ticket? You might be able to add the dummy adult to your room & reassign that ticket to your wife. But you can’t do that until after you check in. So she wouldn’t have a ticket linked in advance if you’re planning to make Lightning Lane selections.

And just know, regardless of the guarantee the phone CM made, that is still only a request. You have 2 minors in your room. The other room has 1 adult in it. They will of course try to honor connecting rooms like they do for all requests. Unless it is a single adult traveling with all minors, connecting rooms aren’t a necessity. There are thousands of “the same family” parties traveling together every day.

Thank you. That's great information. We will be booking multipass, so that would probably be a no go. Our three tickets with the dining plan say nontransferable on MDE. They can be switched after we check in?

My understanding is you need a lead adult guest on every room booked. You could book multiple rooms with only one adult?

 

[focusondisney]

Our three tickets with the dining plan say nontransferable on MDE. They can be switched after we check in?

Yes, once you check in, they become transferable until used the 1st time. You can’t do it earlier, because you can still cancel or change until you actually are there. So technically they’re not officially yours until then. But yea, sounds like it won’t work for you right now.

My understanding is you need a lead adult guest on every room booked. You could book multiple rooms with only one adult?

Families book more than 1 room for parents & kids all the time. I don’t think there’s a way to do it online, but can definitely be done by CRO. And sure, 1 adult might be traveling with 4 or more minors & need 2 rooms.

 

[brockash]

Thank you all for your feedback, I really appreciate it.

For us, a thousand dollars ends up being a lot of money, which is the difference with 2 rooms, 2 people each, and free dining on both compared to what I have booked, listed above, now for our trip. Free dining offer is over anyways.

I made these 2 reservations online on my MDE and called to have those rooms connected. Had to do that twice since I had a different package booked first. Both Cast Members guaranteed connecting rooms since in we were all in the same family. I know a lot of people say it's never guaranteed, just sharing my experience this time.

My understanding is the Dummy could not be in the free dining room cause I would then pay for tickets no one could use.
I will probably keep it as is, and we will all share the 3 free dining plans credits. DW and I can share her room and Ill get a extra key to the world card linked to her for me to use and can also get in with my MDE.

Both these rooms are separate reservations booked on my MDE account. Did someone say that would be an issue for some reason. I've already started online check in on both rooms.

Just fyi for future and honestly if you haven't already bought a tix on the dummy room I'd do it now so you get the 4th person "free dining" You definitely can have the dummy in the free dining room. Yes, those tix will be in a dummy name (that's why you want to make sure it's an adult dummy), but then the adult in the other room just uses those tix. I know Disney with the magicbands/mde accounts etc. makes us feel like we can only use tix that are assigned in our name, but that's really just ridiculous. You of course can't share the same ticket, but anyone can use the ticket you purchase (just needs to be the same person each time). Put the dummy in the middle name of the other adult if it makes it feel better, but definitely can do this. The adult on the other room just wouldn't be able to use their current magicband...they could of course buy a new magicband to attach to the new dummy profile if they just prefer to scan the band. We have done this a few times for various reasons.

 

[psych58]

Brockash, I see what you are saying now.
Wouldn't I HAVE to order a magicband to use for that new dummy account? I couldn't get a key to the world for that person since I cannot send them to the desk to get one? Or as the lead and the dummy being on my MDE account, could I get a key to the world for that person myself at the desk?
How else could that other adult use that dummy ticket without either of those two things?
Have you ever run into issues doing this since you said you've done it a few times?
Greatly appreciate all your help.

 

[brockash]

Brockash, I see what you are saying now.
Wouldn't I HAVE to order a magicband to use for that new dummy account? I couldn't get a key to the world for that person since I cannot send them to the desk to get one? Or as the lead and the dummy being on my MDE account, could I get a key to the world for that person myself at the desk?
How else could that other adult use that dummy ticket without either of those two things?
Have you ever run into issues doing this since you said you've done it a few times?
Greatly appreciate all your help.

We've always had/used magicbands, just because we prefer the convenience. however prior to Magicbands; I was alwas handed all of our Key to World key at checkin without anyone else being right next to me. - I would just ask for card (key to world card) for everyone in your room; I can't imagine they would insist on seeing everyone or asking for ids of the others.

We've never had any issues; like I said only thing I can imagine is if dummy adult wants an alcoholic beverage at a place when they're by themselves and no mobile order available (even then it'll probably be a non issue as if they id they're just looking to make sure dob works...they're not looking at the names on the mde account.) They don't match up or id ppl. name for name when you use the dining plan...you can use your meal credits however you wish, so there should be no issue.

As long as the dummy tix is an adult tix; you'll be fine there too.