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

[Miffy]

I still don't get why AP holders who are staying on-site need to make park reservations. Disney knows that we're going to be there. It's not like we're going to surprise them and drop in unexpectedly.

And anyone who's booked LLMPs/SPs/PPs in advance is telling WDW where they're going to be even without a park reservation. So Disney is prepared.

But, even with that being said, I'm an out-of-state AP holder, always staying on-site, and I have never had a problem changing my park reservation at the last minute.

 

[momtwoboys]

I still don't get why AP holders who are staying on-site need to make park reservations. Disney knows that we're going to be there. It's not like we're going to surprise them and drop in unexpectedly.

And anyone who's booked LLMPs/SPs/PPs in advance is telling WDW where they're going to be even without a park reservation. So Disney is prepared.

But, even with that being said, I'm an out-of-state AP holder, always staying on-site, and I have never had a problem changing my park reservation at the last minute.

true we have been ok swapping parks, this trip is just different because we are bringing one son who has different tickets. The 3 day hoppers guess dont need park ressies, but not sure on the 2 days left on his nonexpire. So I make park passes for part of the fam and then for son its half and half. Its just nuts! Also we arent upgrading our tickets untill we arrive. So do I not make park passes and then once there and we upgrade I have to step aside and on my phone make them?

 

[Minnie1222]

we arent upgrading our tickets untill we arrive. So do I not make park passes and then once there and we upgrade I have to step aside and on my phone make them?

When do you plan to make the upgrade?

 

[momtwoboys]

When do you plan to make the upgrade?

we have the 3 day hoppers now, but were planning on upgrading in person the day we get there and enter the park. May4. was going to do that at intl gateway at epcot before we enter the park. So not sure what to do

 

[Minnie1222]

we have the 3 day hoppers now, but were planning on upgrading in person the day we get there and enter the park. May4. was going to do that at intl gateway at epcot before we enter the park. So not sure what to do

Once your ticket becomes AP, you need to make a reservation for Epcot in order to enter the park before 2 pm. You don't need a reservation if you're entering after 2 pm.

 

[momtwoboys]

Once your ticket becomes AP, you need to make a reservation for Epcot in order to enter the park before 2 pm. You don't need a reservation if you're entering after 2 pm.

so yes we go to window upgrade then have to make a reservation right then before walking to the tapstiles. That is nuts.

 

[Dave006]

so yes we go to window upgrade then have to make a reservation right then before walking to the tapstiles. That is nuts.

You also have the option of waiting until after you enter a park on your third day before you upgrade to your APs.

It is your choice if you want to upgrade before you enter a park on your first day of your 3 day Park hoppers. Then you can easily make your park reservations for the remaining days of your visit.

Dave

 

[momtwoboys]

You also have the option of waiting until after you enter a park on your third day before you upgrade to your APs.

It is your choice if you want to upgrade before you enter a park on your first day of your 3 day Park hoppers. Then you can easily make your park reservations for the remaining days of your visit.

Dave

true but the discount for dining can be used at table service so we figured do it from the start.

 

[subtchr]

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.

Your A) concern is never, ever a concern. There haven't been any capacity closures for years, and more importantly, Disney will only make a date a good-to-go day if the crowds are low.

B) What plans?? You can always modify any bookings, and choose another park in MDE when you are using it. I don't know whawt you mean by "could not be over-written."

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.


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.

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.



That is good news I guess.

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

Again, you will never, ever be blocked on a good-to-go day.

And the making of park reservations is not because of any "discounts". It's for types of admission that are not date-based. That's it.

As far as any confusion about who needs to make park reservations, it's simple: Try to book park reservations in MDE. If you need them, the system will allow you to book them. If you do not need them, it won't.

People overthink this. Park reservations are no big deal. I have never NOT been able to book a park I want, or modify one.

 

[Genie+]

B) What plans?? You can always modify any bookings, and choose another park in MDE when you are using it. I don't know whawt you mean by "could not be over-written."

Do you even know what I was talking about lol

 

[elvispursley]

I still don't get why AP holders who are staying on-site need to make park reservations. Disney knows that we're going to be there. It's not like we're going to surprise them and drop in unexpectedly.

And anyone who's booked LLMPs/SPs/PPs in advance is telling WDW where they're going to be even without a park reservation. So Disney is prepared.

But, even with that being said, I'm an out-of-state AP holder, always staying on-site, and I have never had a problem changing my park reservation at the last minute.

THIS!!! I gave up my AP, in part, for this very thing! We're out of state and stay on property as well and it would be really great to have a little.spontaniety as to where we'd like to go in the mornings.

ETA--yes, I'm aware that I can modify the morning of but would rather not

 

[PolyRob]

but not sure on the 2 days left on his nonexpire.

You absolutely 100% need park reservations for legacy non-expiring tickets. If you try to purchase any LL product with this ticket without a reservation it will say "Needs a park reservation to this park on the selected date." The ONLY tickets that do not require a reservation are date-based 1-day tickets and date-based multi-day tickets.

 

[subtchr]

Do you even know what I was talking about lol

Please enlighten me!