Park ressies? who needs them and who doesn't??

[momtwoboys]

I let our AP's lapse and now just bought 3 day hoppers, for myself and my husband and son. We will upgrade just hubby and I's 3 day hoppers once there to AP's. Our son coming along with us is going to use the 3 day hopper, and then 2days of nonexpire tickets from years ago. How do I know who needs park reservations?

 

[Dave006]

How do I know who needs park reservations?

It's easy all tickets except new dated tickets require park reservations. The only exception would be AP holders when Disney has announced a Good to Go park day where no park reservations are required for those select days.

Is that clear?

Dave

 

[momtwoboys]

so once I upgrade myself and hubby to AP, WE need park ressies if its not a good to go day? and our son for his 3 day hopper does NOT need park ressies, except when the last 2 park days he uses his old nonexpire tickets? How the heck does one do this? It seems clear as mud. Thanks for the info though!

 

[momtwoboys]

we are planning on 5 park days between May4-9. Why does Disney have to make things still so complicated.

 

[Dave006]

we are planning on 5 park days between May4-9. Why does Disney have to make things still so complicated.

It is simple. They want to know what the projected attendance will be per park per day. Most park guests don't have multiple types of tickets to use during a visit.

Dave

 

[momtwoboys]

It is simple. They want to know what the projected attendance will be per park per day. Most park guests don't have multiple types of tickets to use during a visit.

Dave

true, but many guests who have AP's do travel with family who dont. How do I do this? Thats my confusion

 

[Dave006]

true, but many guests who have AP's do travel with family who dont. How do I do this? Thats my confusion

What is your confusion? If you plan to visit a park on for example Monday, then you need to make a park reservation for that day.

If you are staying on-site then there is no limit to how many days of park reservations you may make. If you are offsite guests then the specific number of days is determined by the type of AP you have. It is a rolling number of days, for example if your AP allows you to hold reservations for 5 days, when you use one reservation day then you are able to make another reservation.

Dave

 

[Minnie1222]

true, but many guests who have AP's do travel with family who dont. How do I do this? Thats my confusion

The only new thing you need to remember is that AP holders have to make park reservations. You will see a calendar where you get to choose the dates. If one of those dates is labeled as good-to-go, then you don't need to make a reservation for that day.

The guests with regular park tickets don't have to do anything. They can start at any park they like. You, however, need to reserve the same park as theirs, if you all want to start the day together.

 

[momtwoboys]

The only new thing you need to remember is that AP holders have to make park reservations. You will see a calendar where you get to choose the dates. If one of those dates is labeled as good-to-go, then you don't need to make a reservation for that day.

The guests with regular park tickets don't have to do anything. They can start at any park they like. You, however, need to reserve the same park as theirs, if you all want to start the day together.

thank you! this helps. So I only look at reservations for myself and hubby. Son is all set whether he uses the 3day park hopper or his last 2 days left of his nonexpire tickets. He just scans in when we do no reservations needed. PHEW.

 

[Minnie1222]

thank you! this helps. So I only look at reservations for myself and hubby. Son is all set whether he uses the 3day park hopper or his last 2 days left of his nonexpire tickets. He just scans in when we do no reservations needed. PHEW.

Yes, once your 3-day hoppers become an AP, you will need to do the park reservations.

Your son doesn't need park reservations for the 3-day hopper. I don't have an answer for the 2-day non-expired tickets since I'm not familiar with them.

 

[Dave006]

or his last 2 days left of his nonexpire tickets. He just scans in when we do no reservations needed. PHEW.

His non-expiring ticket is also slightly complex. Is it a physical ticket or is it listed in MDE and assigned to him?

He can't just scan in at the turnstile if this ticket is not in MDE or if it is a paper ticket.

If it is a older paper ticket. You have a couple of options for him. To use the remaining days, you can call Disney Guest Services (407) 934-7639 and provide the CM the ticket number. They will be able to add a 2 day ticket to MDE or you can also visit a ticket window at the theme parks before you enter a park. The CM will provide your son with a 2 day ticket.

You also want to confirm if the new ticket that Disney issues will require a park reservation. If it is not a date-based ticket then it will require park reservations.

Dave

 

[Genie+]

true, but many guests who have AP's do travel with family who dont. How do I do this? Thats my confusion

The most fun part about booking park reservations on your AP is when they later turn them into ‘Good to go days’. Then you:

A) Get a message that you may be blocked from entering the park due to capacity (even though we reserved parks 6 months prior)

B) Can no longer change what park you reserved in your MDE plans, even if you are no longer going there and are doing a different park instead.

For example, we had APs and a trip the first week of Feb. Booked our 6 park days in advance as necessary. A couple weeks before the trip WDW changed the 3 middle days to ‘Good to go (no park reservations needed)’. Our family ended up changing our schedule for which parks on which days (because the switchout of EEH from EP to AK), but our OLD park picks stayed in our MDE plans the whole time and could not be over-written. Just an extra level of complication in case keeping track of LLMPs, LLSPs, VQs, etc is not enough.

 

[Dave006]

A) Get a message that you may be blocked from entering the park due to capacity (even though we reserved parks 6 months prior)

You can ignore this message since it is now marked as a Good to Go day for AP holders.

B) Can no longer change what park you reserved in your MDE plans, even if you are no longer going there and are doing a different park instead.

You don't need to change / modify your Park reservation for a Good to Go day, it is just ignored. There is no impact on your LLMP and/or LLSP or even LLPP purchases.

Just an extra level of complication in case keeping track of LLMPs, LLSPs, VQs, etc is not enough.

And VQs are gone until new attractions come online in the future. Maybe for TestTrack 3.0 late this summer.

Dave

 

[Genie+]

If in fact they’re making non-expiring tickets book park reservations, it doesn’t sit well with me. Was not in the fine print back when they were charging extra for the non-expiring feature.
Basically they sold it as a full value ticket and then later put it in the second tier. Today first tier tickets can come and go as they please. Discounted tickets (like military and others, maybe ticketsatwork?, etc) and APs have to make the park reservations. So how can they legally/morally change a premium priced non-expiring ticket into the what is now apparently the second-class ticket tier? I realize it’s not a big deal but at the same time do not respect this type of business decision. For sure they wouldn’t like getting similar treatment.

You can ignore this message since it is now marked as a Good to Go day for AP holders.

Not really. I went from 100% being able to enter the parks we reserved to now being told capacity may be an issue. Supposedly the whole reason of reserving in first place is so you already have a reserved spot in that park on that day. Otherwise it is meaningless, right? That is exactly how they explain it. Reserve the park - you will get in. It changes to ‘good to go’? Now all of a sudden you can be blocked.

You don't need to change / modify your Park reservation for a Good to Go day, it is just ignored. There is no impact on your LLMP and/or LLSP or even LLPP purchases.

Just ignore them. Sure, I must’ve looked at the wrong park/days at the top of my MDE pages over 100 times that trip. Annoying - especially when consulting with my party about today’s and tomorrows’ plans and everyone keeps seeing the wrong parks listed and getting confused.

And VQs are gone until new attractions come online in the future. Maybe for TestTrack 3.0 late this summer.
Dave

That is good news I guess.

The VQs were great early on. Less so once they got the LL system rolling full speed.

 

[Minnie1222]

Not really. I went from 100% being able to enter the parks we reserved to now being told capacity may be an issue. Supposedly the whole reason of reserving in first place is so you already have a reserved spot in that park on that day. Otherwise it is meaningless, right? That is exactly how they explain it. Reserve the park - you will get in. It changes to ‘good to go’? Now all of a sudden you can be blocked.

I understand the concern but the chance of being blocked is extremely low. I think certain days are changed to Good to Go because those days are forecasted to have lower attendance.

 

[Genie+]

I understand the concern but the chance of being blocked is extremely low. I think certain days are changed to Good to Go because those days are forecasted to have lower attendance.

I’m sure you’re right. Just feels a bit done dirty lol.

 

[Dave006]

If in fact they’re making non-expiring tickets book park reservations, it doesn’t sit well with me. Was not in the fine print back when they were charging extra for the non-expiring feature.

If they are not date based tickets then you need a park reservation. Disney only dropped park reservations last year on Jan. 9th for date based tickets. For all other ticket types they just say that a park reservation may be required.

So how can they legally/morally change a premium priced non-expiring ticket into the what is now apparently the second-class ticket tier? I realize it’s not a big deal but at the same time do not respect this type of business decision. For sure they wouldn’t like getting similar treatment.

Ah, Disney makes the ticket rules and as always the rules are subject to changes in the future.

That is exactly how they explain it. Reserve the park - you will get in. It changes to ‘good to go’? Now all of a sudden you can be blocked.

No again you can ignore that message on days marked Good to Go. You will not be blocked on a Good to Go day unless the park is reaching physical capacity and then all bets are off for all ticket holders as Park Closer steps are implemented.

Dave