Can a day guest use DME?

[mousestruck]

Okay, I’m getting conflicting information so I’m coming to the experts! My husband will be joining my daughter and I for 2 days of our upcoming 6 day trip. For that reason he is not on our package. I plan to add him as a day guest upon arrival. As a day guest, can he use DME from airport to our Disney resort? And if so, can I arrange this for him a day in advance of his trip? We arrive one day before he does.

Wondering if anyone has done this, or if he should just plan on getting an Uber or taxi.

Thank you!

 

[Alesia]

You will have to add him before he takes DME.

You can add him and make the DME reservation when you get to the resort

 

[OKW Lover]

Wondering what kind of package you have. Adding him might require additional package cost.

 

[supersnoop]

There have been lots of reports of people not being allowed to add people to the room reservation at check in or later. You might be able to add him as a “day guest,” but then he wouldn’t have access to the room. It’s my understanding that a “day guest” cannot ride DME. They do not have a room reservation, and DME is licensed as a hotel transfer service, not a taxi service. Without a room reservation, they can take you.

Have you considered booking a room only reservation and getting your tickets separately? The dining plan is usually the main issue. Have you done the math on that?

 

[tjmw2727]

I have done this many times with my sister / after you check in for your package you have fulfilled the package requirements and can add him at that time. (I think one CM used the term "exploded" the package LOL)

After your done checking in just add your DH for just the nights he stays and book DME for his arrival and departure. If he has an old MB he should be able to use that for DME and room access, if not your reservation # at DME should be fine.

 

[bumbershoot]

You might be able to add him as a “day guest,” but then he wouldn’t have access to the room.

I put two adults on our room in feb and they printed cards for them that gave them access to the room. No prob. And this was at a Dvc where the issues have been reported more. I said “I’d like to put them on the room so they are Disney-legal” and smiled. Easy.

 

[wisteria1019]

I have done this many times with my sister / after you check in for your package you have fulfilled the package requirements and can add him at that time. (I think one CM used the term "exploded" the package LOL)

After your done checking in just add your DH for just the nights he stays and book DME for his arrival and departure. If he has an old MB he should be able to use that for DME and room access, if not your reservation # at DME should be fine.

Thank you. My daughter is joining me for four days of my ten day trip - arriving a day later than I...good to know that I may add her when I check in.

 

[Dbktmc]

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[Dbktmc]

Thank you. My daughter is joining me for four days of my ten day trip - arriving a day later than I...good to know that I may add her when I check in.

Will you report back your experience after your trip? When we tried to do this on our last trip it was a disaster of an experience. I have only heard of one person being able to do this so far although they said that they have done it multiple times successfully.

 

[Allison]

Will you report back your experience after your trip? When we tried to do this on our last trip it was a disaster of an experience. I have only heard of one person being able to do this so far although they said that they have done it multiple times successfully.

I have read dozens of reports of people doing this over the years. What did they tell you? They should be able to add them to the room but they can't get package components such as the dining plan.

 

[Fern]

I was able to do this with no problem at FQ in March of this year. My husband joined our family 2 days after we arrived. While we could NOT add him to the reservation (we were on a dining plan), I went to the guest service desk at the resort the day he arrived and added him as a day guest for the next 2 days. I gave them the flight info, and they called MEx and arranged transport. He just checked into the MEX desk upon arrival and gave his name, no problems. He could not use his old magic band since he wasn't on the reservation, but the desk issued a plastic key for the room, which I left at the front desk for him to pick up when he got dropped off (we were in the parks by then). I left him one of my old magic bands in the room. Since he was not added to the reservation, he could not technically take advantage of perks such as EMH.

 

[Dbktmc]

We were at AKL (2016) and my sister was joining us in our parent's room the last 4 days of a 10 day trip. The cast member and manager threatened to have my parents evicted if they attempted to have my sister stay with them in their room. They continually referenced the fact that my parents had the dining plan and that they didn't pay for my sister to have it. My mother (71) left the desk crying and was terrified the rest of the trip. We had no choice but to let her stay there as she had already arrived that day. We were trying to do the right thing and pay the $25 per night fee for the extra adult in the room. I have read multiple other reports of guests having the same experience as us and not being permitted to add another adult. My travel agent even warned me that this wouldn't be allowed. In fact, I asked that very question on this board before we attempted to have my sister join us and I was told that it would not be allowed. My sister and mother did not believe me which is why they still attempted to do it. Perhaps it is because we never used the wording "day guest" and instead tried to add them to the reservation. However, in our defense, we didn't even know to use that term.

 

[focusondisney]

I don't understand what folks are meaning by "day guest". That to me implies that they will not be staying in the room at night. Such as if you have a local friend coming to visit just for the day. Are you paying the additional guest charge?

I have heard you can add a guest after you check in. But it has always sounded like the person was added as a regular resort guest, staying overnight & with all the privileges allowed. And that the additional guest fee was charged.

Are there 2 different things being discussed?

 

[mousestruck]

We were at AKL (2016) and my sister was joining us in our parent's room the last 4 days of a 10 day trip. The cast member and manager threatened to have my parents evicted if they attempted to have my sister stay with them in their room. They continually referenced the fact that my parents had the dining plan and that they didn't pay for my sister to have it. My mother (71) left the desk crying and was terrified the rest of the trip. We had no choice but to let her stay there as she had already arrived that day. We were trying to do the right thing and pay the $25 per night fee for the extra adult in the room. I have read multiple other reports of guests having the same experience as us and not being permitted to add another adult. My travel agent even warned me that this wouldn't be allowed. In fact, I asked that very question on this board before we attempted to have my sister join us and I was told that it would not be allowed. My sister and mother did not believe me which is why they still attempted to do it. Perhaps it is because we never used the wording "day guest" and instead tried to add them to the reservation. However, in our defense, we didn't even know to use that term.

How terrible. Did your room exceed occupancy? If not, I can’t understand why it was even an issue.

 

[mousestruck]

I was able to do this with no problem at FQ in March of this year. My husband joined our family 2 days after we arrived. While we could NOT add him to the reservation (we were on a dining plan), I went to the guest service desk at the resort the day he arrived and added him as a day guest for the next 2 days. I gave them the flight info, and they called MEx and arranged transport. He just checked into the MEX desk upon arrival and gave his name, no problems. He could not use his old magic band since he wasn't on the reservation, but the desk issued a plastic key for the room, which I left at the front desk for him to pick up when he got dropped off (we were in the parks by then). I left him one of my old magic bands in the room. Since he was not added to the reservation, he could not technically take advantage of perks such as EMH.

Thanks for sharing your experience. Good to hear!

 

[Fern]

I don't understand what folks are meaning by "day guest". That to me implies that they will not be staying in the room at night. Such as if you have a local friend coming to visit just for the day. Are you paying the additional guest charge?

I have heard you can add a guest after you check in. But it has always sounded like the person was added as a regular resort guest, staying overnight & with all the privileges allowed. And that the additional guest fee was charged.

Are there 2 different things being discussed?

I had the same thoughts about "day guest", but the cast member (DVA) I always book my trips with told me that this is just the terminology they use. In our case, I was not charged an additional fee (adding my husband still left us with only 3 in the room, 2 over the age of 18). I was clear the he would be staying overnight, but both the phone CM and the resort CM still said he had to be added as a day guest. The resort CM was very firm that he couldn't be added to the reservation. If we hadn't been on the dining plan, I wonder if they could have added him to the reservation with full privileges. The guest service desk at the resort told me that the only difference was that he couldn't take advantage of EMH and couldn't link his magic band to the room. I ended up just giving him my old band for the room, food and charging ability. He used his own band for park entry. They said he could use the pool, but I don't think this would have been the case if we'd been at a SAB resort.

 

[tjmw2727]

As stated above I have done this many times - eta With a dining plan - and there are at least 3 others on this thread alone who have been successful. (as well as many other reports on the resorts board) I have never heard the term "day guest" used and my extra guest has always been issued a MB or had one she already owned set to open the door. She was able to use DME r/t as well as EMH and open the pool door.

I can't understand what the issue is with the dining plan above - once you check in you get a certain number of credits after that how you use them is up to you. Adding another guest would not increase that number of credits or make it more likely that you would buy another person a meal. - I am not questioning or debating the poster who shared just wondering what the CM's thought process could have been.

I have on occasion purchased my niece a meal both via dining plan credits and via cash and she wasn't in our room at all.

Either way we no longer purchase the dining plan as it doesn't save us money any more, we prefer room only and can modify/add and change up to 5 days prior

edited for clarity

 

[AngiTN]

As stated above I have done this many times - and there are at least 3 others on this thread alone who have been successful. (as well as many other reports on the resorts board) I have never heard the term "day guest" used and my extra guest has always been issued a MB or had one she already owned set to open the door. She was able to use DME r/t as well as EMH and open the pool door.

I can't understand what the issue is with the dining plan above - once you check in you get a certain number of credits after that how you use them is up to you. Adding another guest would not increase that number of credits or make it more likely that you would buy another person a meal. - I am not questioning or debating the poster who shared just wondering what the CM's thought process could have been.

I have on occasion purchased my niece a meal both via dining plan credits and via cash and she wasn't in our room at all.

Either way we no longer purchase the dining plan as it doesn't save us money any more, we prefer room only and can modify/add and change up to 5 days prior

I get the issue.
If the family has a reservation package with the dining plan and you add another person to the reservation package then they will need the same package, meaning dining plan too. So in the case of PP's stay, the CM couldn't add the added person to the reservation officially. They can add the person as a "day guest" which must be a different classification in the computer. Won't give them the dining plan or the same privileges as the person on the package. Someone with a room only stay wouldn't have any of those problems. You can add a person to that reservation without any problems. So in this case the dining plan does make the entire difference.

 

[tjmw2727]

I get the issue.
If the family has a reservation package with the dining plan and you add another person to the reservation package then they will need the same package, meaning dining plan too. So in the case of PP's stay, the CM couldn't add the added person to the reservation officially. They can add the person as a "day guest" which must be a different classification in the computer. Won't give them the dining plan or the same privileges as the person on the package. Someone with a room only stay wouldn't have any of those problems. You can add a person to that reservation without any problems. So in this case the dining plan does make the entire difference.

I understand this - but I was told once you check in and receive your entitlements the package requirement has been fulfilled and there are no more restrictions. We had the dining plan, checked in and then a few hours later went back and added my sister who was arriving the next day. No problems whatsoever.

I am going to edit my post to be more clear that we did have a dining plan.

 

[goofy4tink]

Many, many people have reported having a package that included the ddp, arriving at the resort, checking in, and adding an addtl person to the reservation for a day or two later. Those late add-ons didn't have to be on the same pkg as the original guests. In some cases those addtl guests were going to be there for just a few days out of the entire booked reservation...so it made no sense to have them have to have passes and ddp for days they wouldn't be there.
Now, I wish Disney had a way to add those late comers to the reservation, but charge them for the days they would be there. If they were arriving on day 3 of a week long reservation and leaving on day 5, then they could be charged for 3 days, or 2 nights, of the pkg. I realize this won't be a popular thought, but it would make it much easier to add latecomers, or those that would be there for just part of the time.