Is there a way to get the free water park day without moving resorts?

[lilsonicfan]

Hi all, I've read about the free water park day being on check-in day. We will be coming into Orlando on a Friday night and then cruising on a Sunday out of PC. I'd like to stay at one DVC resort both Fri and Sat nights as it's a pain to have to move, plus, I have points to use. We can't do the water park on the Friday because we arrive past 8 pm.

Is there a way I can get the free water park day on the Saturday, if I made two reservations at the same resort? I do realize this would mean we might have to move rooms but I would take that over moving resorts. However, my concern is that DVC would merge my reservations without being asked, which has happened to me before.

I would rather have a WDW park day on the Saturday, but because of the length of the cruise, there really aren't any multi-day tickets I can buy where I can use one day on the Saturday, and the rest after the cruise. Thanks all.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

For me, that sounds like a lot of finagling and planning for a free day at the water park - perhaps it's easier just to buy passes to the water park and not worry about being without a room for 4-6 hours that Saturday as you prepare for your cruise? And don't forget, you could go through all those hoops for a free day, and then you have inclement weather and can't enjoy the water park anyway.

But if it's really important to you to do this, I'd do the same resort, but do a different room type so they couldn't merge the reservations into a single - not sure if that's realistic.

 

[mort1331]

You could book 2 rooms under different lead persons if you have 2 adults. Would need to move, but I can see not a huge deal since you would be at the waterpark from when you leave the room, drop luggage with bell services, come back and room should be ready. Save a couple hundred bucks, yup I would do.

 

[lilsonicfan]

For me, that sounds like a lot of finagling and planning for a free day at the water park - perhaps it's easier just to buy passes to the water park and not worry about being without a room for 4-6 hours that Saturday as you prepare for your cruise? And don't forget, you could go through all those hoops for a free day, and then you have inclement weather and can't enjoy the water park anyway.

But if it's really important to you to do this, I'd do the same resort, but do a different room type so they couldn't merge the reservations into a single - not sure if that's realistic.

I wouldn't buy passes to the water park, if we didn't get this benefit I'd just find something else to do. We already have 8 days after the cruise to do parks and would technically be able to do a water park day then if we wanted. I was more thinking that this would be a fun thing to do to take advantage of a free perk. - note that I am not trying to get two free days, it's just that we can't use it on the Friday even if we wanted to!

I don't think being without a room for 4-6 hours would be a huge deal, as we would likely be out and about in any event.

Fair point re: inclement weather!

 

[Kooks and Bay Bay]

That's a hassle.
Don't bother.
Just go on your check in day after the cruise.

 

[lilsonicfan]

Thanks for the thoughts all! I'm really surprised people think it's such a hassle to (maybe, not necessarily) move rooms considering many have talked about booking split stays to get extra days at the water park! Anyway, we'll see, I'll update if I do go this route!

 

[Kooks and Bay Bay]

Thanks for the thoughts all! I'm really surprised people think it's such a hassle to (maybe, not necessarily) move rooms considering many have talked about booking split stays to get extra days at the water park! Anyway, we'll see, I'll update if I do go this route!

Split stay is a bit different.
You're talking about arriving late on Friday and then switching rooms on Saturday morning... vs the usual split stay of a few nights here and a few nights there.

 

[Sandisw]

Book two different views and you are set….you would just store your stuff with bell services…and there is a chance that the second room could be ready before you head out to the water park…

This prevents any chance of a merge….since you don’t arrive until 8 pm anyway, just pack a bag for the night to make dropping your stuff at bell services easy.

 

[DisTravels]

Split stay is a bit different.
You're talking about arriving late on Friday and then switching rooms on Saturday morning... vs the usual split stay of a few nights here and a few nights there.

If you're really just overnighting before moving rooms, that should be a much easier move than a split-stay.

 

[Tatebeck]

If you reaaaaly want to have the free day in the middle of your stay, Book 2 separate stays with same view, and then have them link it as a "continuing stay" reservation

They will then try to keep you in the same room then as it saves them on housekeeping

 

[BaybeeYoda]

Thanks for the thoughts all! I'm really surprised people think it's such a hassle to (maybe, not necessarily) move rooms considering many have talked about booking split stays to get extra days at the water park! Anyway, we'll see, I'll update if I do go this route!

You can ask for a special circumstance and see if they will let you? Not sure who you should call...

 

[Sandisw]

If you reaaaaly want to have the free day in the middle of your stay, Book 2 separate stays with same view, and then have them link it as a "continuing stay" reservation

They will then try to keep you in the same room then as it saves them on housekeeping

I was told this will not work. If you are in the same room type, they will consider it continuing reservation so it won’t be eligible.

The only way it might work, for same room, is if you have them booked on two different memberships and make sure you don’t say it’s continuing so you do change rooms.

If they allowed just this type of situation, everyone would do it, including those cash guests.

 

[Tatebeck]

I was told this will not work. If you are in the same room type, they will consider it continuing reservation so it won’t be eligible.

The only way it might work, for same room, is if you have them booked on two different memberships and make sure you don’t say it’s continuing so you do change rooms.

If they allowed just this type of situation, everyone would do it, including those cash guests.

Ooh has anyone reported if so or not yet? They may not advertise it but it could still work. Like LLMP on party days without a day ticket worked for me my last Halloween trip.

I figured if they showed as separate stays in the app it would work. I figured it wouldn't work on the cash side, but with DVC when we book ourselves I hoped it might. Maybe if you have a room booked at a 11 months with home resort points and then add a few nights at 7 months with other points so they can't be as easily merged?

Edit: And may be worth a try anyway since it doesn't cost anything to try!

 

[Sandisw]

Ooh has anyone reported if so or not yet? They may not advertise it but it could still work. Like LLMP on party days without a day ticket worked for me my last Halloween trip.

I figured if they showed as separate stays in the app it would work. I figured it wouldn't work on the cash side, but with DVC when we book ourselves I hoped it might. Maybe if you have a room booked at a 11 months with home resort points and then add a few nights at 7 months with other points so they can't be as easily merged?

Edit: And may be worth a try anyway since it doesn't cost anything to try!

I know that it will not work for cash guests and I have been informed it won’t work for DVC stays as it will be treated like the DDP that no longer allows this work around.

Split stays will work, different views will work and it’s possible it will work for same rooms in different memberships, if people use different names so they can’t be linked.

But when you link rooms for continuous stay…I do it a lot with three memberships..it shows as one in MDE once I check in.

I don’t see anything different in terms of check out or check in.

And the 11 month and 7 month bookings of the same room type can easily be merged….another thing I have done regularly.

YMMV.

 

[Tatebeck]

I know that it will not work for cash guests and I have been informed it won’t work for DVC stays as it will be treated like the DDP that no longer allows this work around.

Split stays will work, different views will work and it’s possible it will work for same rooms in different memberships, if people use different names so they can’t be linked.

But when you link rooms for continuous stay…I do it a lot with three memberships..it shows as one in MDE once I check in.

I don’t see anything different in terms of check out or check in.

And the 11 month and 7 month bookings of the same room type can easily be merged….another thing I have done regularly.

YMMV.

Ah okay, I wasn't aware it combines the stays into one longer stay in the app when a continuous stay is requested. I thought they just put a note on the reservation but it still showed as 2 separate stays

 

[Sandisw]

Ah okay, I wasn't aware it combines the stays into one longer stay in the app when a continuous stay is requested. I thought they just put a note on the reservation but it still showed as 2 separate stays

It stays that way up until check in…then when you are kept in the same room, they are able to do something in the app that now combines it.

It used to be that you had to go to the front desk to check out and in…but that is no longer required.

I go next week and we are doing a split stay so it works because we are going to head there on the split day…even just to hang out with a drink and the sun!!!

Well…I’ll be doing the water because it’s been in the teens here with over a foot of snow so darn it…I’m getting in water!!!! Hahaha

 

[Tatebeck]

It stays that way up until check in…then when you are kept in the same room, they are able to do something in the app that now combines it.

It used to be that you had to go to the front desk to check out and in…but that is no longer required.

I go next week and we are doing a split stay so it works because we are going to head there on the split day…even just to hang out with a drink and the sun!!!

Well…I’ll be doing the water because it’s been in the teens here with over a foot of snow so darn it…I’m getting in water!!!! Hahaha

I hear you, been slammed by snow a couple times in the last week here as well. And we are going to WDW on the 27th with a split stay, so weather permitting we may try a water day as well lol

 

[BaybeeYoda]

Could you use two different names on the reservation , then on the day of check out, ask for the same room?

 

[Sandisw]

Could you use two different names on the reservation , then on the day of check out, ask for the same room?

You could try but at that point, they may have already slated you into a different one and can’t change it.

If you are in a lock off room, it because even more difficult.

And, if you ask to stay in the same room, they will merge when you ask…so you’d need to actually move all your things and then not ask until later.

Obviously if someone is willing to chance the move and try, they could but just like the DDP when people used to do this, they closed the loophole.

And, if you leave people off the reservation, the front desk can’t always add them back in a way they’d get the free water park.