Do DVC members have to be staying at a DVC resort to participate in Moonlight Magic?

[Antonia]

Just wondering if it is okay to be staying at Allstar Movies for example. We are DVC members, but having trouble finding availability for a family of 6 in a DVC resort.

We are hoping to do a quick trip for MNSSHP and the Moonlight Magic at Hollywood Studios.

What if we are not staying at a Disney resort at all, but perhaps in a hotel nearby. Does any nearby hotel qualify as though we were staying on-site - Disney Springs area or Bonnet Creek, Swan/Dolphin?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

You do not have to be staying on points. You do need an on-site reservation to get tickets, and the system has been very up and down about recognizing a non-DVC reservation when trying to get tickets.

The DHS tickets are going to sell out very quickly, so I would expect that if there is any problem with recognizing the booking you will not get the tickets. (You might not anyway.)

People staying on-site get first crack at the tickets. Do not expect any tickets for DHS to be available to those not staying on-site.

 

[DenLo]

You do not have to be staying on points. You do need an on-site reservation to get tickets, and the system has been very up and down about recognizing a non-DVC reservation when trying to get tickets.

The DHS tickets are going to sell out very quickly, so I would expect that if there is any problem with recognizing the booking you will not get the tickets. (You might not anyway.)

People staying on-site get first crack at the tickets. Do not expect any tickets for DHS to be available to those not staying on-site.

Actually there are two periods to book the Moonlight Magic event, one for those with DVC/Disney reservations and another one for members that are not staying on a reservation. Some of the slots for the Moonlight Magic event will be held back for the second reservation period.

Edit: Here are the registration dates and information for DHS.

Initial Registration Window
This initial registration window for this event is open to Members with existing Resort reservations—booked prior to August 28, 2018—at the Walt Disney World Resort or at Disney's Vero Beach Resort.

The initial registration window opens on Thursday, August 30, 2018 at 9:00 AM Eastern Time. Event registration opens to all Members on Thursday, September 13, 2018 at 9:00 AM Eastern Time.

Party Size Limits
A Member can register themselves and up to 5 additional guests (total of 6)—or up to the number of guests on his or her Resort reservation. Children younger than 3 years old do not need to be registered for this event.

 

[keishashadow]

Had a room specifically booked via CRO for 8/15. An add-on to our planned stay @ the Poly.

Hate to say it but it seemed much ‘easier’ to book for Epcot that it did for MK earlier this year.

Can’t say there is a correlation there, just stating my personal experience.

Have VWL booked for MGM I’m attempting to snag on 8/30. After reading so many negative experiences, starting to worry I may not succeed this go-round.

 

[gillep]

Had a room specifically booked via CRO for 8/15. An add-on to our planned stay @ the Poly.

Hate to say it but it seemed much ‘easier’ to book for Epcot that it did for MK earlier this year.

Can’t say there is a correlation there, just stating my personal experience.

Have VWL booked for MGM I’m attempting to snag on 8/30. After reading so many negative experiences, starting to worry I may not succeed this go-round.

I agree with this, we had CRO reservations booked for both the MK event and the Epcot one, the MK event required us to call, whereas the Epcot registration actually recognized my CRO reservation online.

 

[n2mm]

Had a room specifically booked via CRO for 8/15. An add-on to our planned stay @ the Poly.

Hate to say it but it seemed much ‘easier’ to book for Epcot that it did for MK earlier this year.

Can’t say there is a correlation there, just stating my personal experience.

Have VWL booked for MGM I’m attempting to snag on 8/30. After reading so many negative experiences, starting to worry I may not succeed this go-round.

I feel the same way. We didn’t book to attend, it was just the trip we booked October 2017 (11 month window). I’m already stressing about getting in. I was already shut out of attending any of the passholder mornings because I didn’t get the email.

 

[southerngirl528]

People staying on-site get first crack at the tickets.

This will greatly impact whether anything will be left to book by those without a reservation for that date. As other PP's have said, it will be tough to get the MM event for HS, IMO as well. We shall see... good luck to everyone trying!

 

[keishashadow]

Can’t remember, did people have issues getting into MK event? I’m thinking ‘off’ season & more capacity, probably not. Last year @ TL over 4th of July, they were giving out wristbands to those who just showed up when we were waiting in line to enter.

 

[wdw4rfam]

Just wondering if it is okay to be staying at Allstar Movies for example. We are DVC members, but having trouble finding availability for a family of 6 in a DVC resort.

We are hoping to do a quick trip for MNSSHP and the Moonlight Magic at Hollywood Studios.

What if we are not staying at a Disney resort at all, but perhaps in a hotel nearby. Does any nearby hotel qualify as though we were staying on-site - Disney Springs area or Bonnet Creek, Swan/Dolphin?

I know this post is older, but wanted to chime in because I just got off the phone with memeber services. We have a trip booked at ASMU next month and want to go to the moonlight magic. The CM put me on hold and got a supervisor. They said I did qualify but my resort reservation number that started with a “1” would not work to book online on the 30th. They verified my reservation and gave me a reservation number starting with a “4” to put in on booking day. You do have to be in a Disney resort, but not a DVC resort.

 

[TexasChick123]

I know this post is older, but wanted to chime in because I just got off the phone with memeber services. We have a trip booked at ASMU next month and want to go to the moonlight magic. The CM put me on hold and got a supervisor. They said I did qualify but my resort reservation number that started with a “1” would not work to book online on the 30th. They verified my reservation and gave me a reservation number starting with a “4” to put in on booking day. You do have to be in a Disney resort, but not a DVC resort.

Best of luck, and thank you for sharing. I couldn't register online for MM at TL and had to call MS despite having a reservation number starting with a "4" at Poly. I have 3 memberships, and only 1 of them is eligible for benefits. Because of this, it doesn't recognize us as eligible unless staying on points from that membership (allegedly) despite being eligible members and those on cash being eligible. It's certainly frustrating. If it doesn't work for us to register on the 30th, then we will just hit up Universal for an extra day and use our Annual Passes there. I am trying not to stress over it too much. We haven't received the email with the information about it, so I doubt it'll work for us.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We hope to go to DHS MM. For a long time I have not felt confident about getting in, still, I am going to try.

 

[wdw4rfam]

Same, I’m going to try, but if we don’t, oh well. We went to the one in April at AK. I had no problems. But this last one I watched everyone have problems. I have low expectations that this will work, but I will try.

 

[n2mm]

Boy, I share all the same anxiety as the rest of you.

 

[PatMcDuck]

ugh I have 2 contracts too, only one is eligible. I am worried that I will not be recognized to sign up for Studios. We have a room, reservation starting with a 4, at Art of A.

I know signups are online, but is it also still available by phone if I can't get it to recognize us? I wish they emailed the "invitation" earlier so I could figure this out.

 

[gillep]

ugh I have 2 contracts too, only one is eligible. I am worried that I will not be recognized to sign up for Studios. We have a room, reservation starting with a 4, at Art of A.

I know signups are online, but is it also still available by phone if I can't get it to recognize us? I wish they emailed the "invitation" earlier so I could figure this out.

I had to call when booking the AK event because even though I was staying DVC I was using my non-eligible contract to book the room, if I had known I would have used my eligible one since it was just a one night stay. The person in MS had to escalate it to a different person/group and it took a while on hold as there were multiple people that had similar issues that had to call in, also the person in MS tried using the online reservation form for me and would not escalate until he saw that it wouldn't allow me to register online. Now I was staying on cash at YC for the Epcot event and had no issues booking online so I don't know if they updated the system or if I just got lucky. Good luck!

 

[Cbtexan04]

I had to call when booking the AK event because even though I was staying DVC I was using my non-eligible contract to book the room, if I had known I would have used my eligible one since it was just a one night stay. The person in MS had to escalate it to a different person/group and it took a while on hold as there were multiple people that had similar issues that had to call in, also the person in MS tried using the online reservation form for me and would not escalate until he saw that it wouldn't allow me to register online. Now I was staying on cash at YC for the Epcot event and had no issues booking online so I don't know if they updated the system or if I just got lucky. Good luck!

We're staying at CBR with a cash room, and our confirmation number starts with a 4. Here's hoping everything checks out!

 

[bobbiwoz]

I just hope we all get into the Member Site and are able to register!

I actually had gotten in and registered for a January MM in MK, we were there, but I had the flu. So close, but no fun.

 

[Cbtexan04]

Does anyone know the registration link already? I recall a single link being passed around for the AP exclusive TSL preview, didn't know if there was anything similar for the MM events.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

We were at BWV for the AK event in May. I got an e-mail link ahead of the booking day (maybe 48 hours prior?) and I did manage to book it online. We are on points at BWV again for September but I am not at all confident that we will manage to get in for DHS. We also got shut out of the Passholder mornings because they only sent the e-mail telling me to "watch for another e-mail with the link". By the time word got around that the link had been shared publicly all of the spots were full. In light of that little debacle, we are not looking at MM as a sure thing in our schedule.

 

[n2mm]

Lets all revisit on Thursday to see how we do.