Throwaway Room - Offsite to Onsite Stays

[Amanda999]

Got something of a complicated question here. Eh, maybe it's not very complicated at all, and I just don't understand things well. I searched through this thread about 5 pages from the start and about the last three pages looking for an answer but eventually my eyes got tired, so here we are!

We will likely be using rented points for a vacation in the near future. So, EMH, 60 day FP windows, parking, and all that aren't really of interest to me as we will already have those perks. What DOES interest me, however, would be taking advantage of free dinning...which is never an option with DVC stays.

We have a fairly large group going (11 adults and 5 kids), and so for all of us to get the quick service dinning plan for 5 nights it would be roughly $3,400--not a small chunk of change. If, however, we were able to book our DVC while free dinning was being offered and book 4 all star rooms at around $127/night, those rooms would cost about $2,540 and come with quick service dinning saving us nearly $1000 less than the $3,400 we would have spent on an outright dinning plan.

My question then, can I book those All-Star rooms as throwaway rooms solely for the dinning? Are there any glaring lapses in my logic that I'm missing? Does anyone have experience with this arrangement?

Keep in mind that for free dining, every person would have to buy a park ticket too, from Disney (usually 2 day hopper for free dining IIRC). And hope there's availability for 3 rooms at a value for just 5 night stay (often when I search they clearly have many rooms for only longer stays - 6 or 7 nights+). Sometimes just the upgraded categories - like preferred pool view or the like.

 

[PTinAdvance]

hi all,
Question. . I have 5 day magic your way tickets for my group of 6. Say I book a throwaway at a campsite... does it have to be for the first day of use of the tickets? Say I wanted to book the camp site so I could take advantage of EMH at AK on a Tuesday but I plan to go to MK on the prior Sunday. Can I do this? Would I have to go to guest services to activate the tickets before the "check in" date.

Thanks!

 

[hiroMYhero]

hi all,
Question. . I have 5 day magic your way tickets for my group of 6. Say I book a throwaway at a campsite... does it have to be for the first day of use of the tickets? Say I wanted to book the camp site so I could take advantage of EMH at AK on a Tuesday but I plan to go to MK on the prior Sunday. Can I do this? Would I have to go to guest services to activate the tickets before the "check in" date.

Thanks!

It can be for any day of your stay. For EMH at AK, you’d need a Monday or Tuesday stay.

Your tickets are already active. If they are linked to your MDX account, you will see an open 30-day FP booking window. That window expands to 60 when you are exactly 60 days out from your check-in Date. Complete online check-in prior to arriving at WDW.

 

[punkin]

Is a campsite the cheapest option for a throwaway room? I'm still trying to wight my options, but over $120 for a campsite I will not use is difficult. At least if I have a real room, I could take an afternoon break from the parks in it.

 

[lolomarie]

This thread has been so informative. I have a question regarding cast member passes. Not sure if anyone here can help. We will be visiting in September as guests of my sister, she will be letting myself, DH, DM into the park each day. We will then buy a child pass for my DS3, hopefully at a discount.
1. Can we book a throw away with a CM discount? Will this look bad on her? I don't want to do anything to jeopardize her.
2. If we book a throwaway for our 1 night only, do we also get rolling 60 day bookings for FP+? This would be of great value as with CM passes you only get a 7 day FP window, but it's my understanding that you can get the 60 day window with a resort reservation with these passes. We are staying for 12 nights. So would be get to book FP for the entire trip 60 days out, one day at a time?
Thanks so much.

 

[PTinAdvance]

This thread has been so informative. I have a question regarding cast member passes. Not sure if anyone here can help. We will be visiting in September as guests of my sister, she will be letting myself, DH, DM into the park each day. We will then buy a child pass for my DS3, hopefully at a discount.
1. Can we book a throw away with a CM discount? Will this look bad on her? I don't want to do anything to jeopardize her.
2. If we book a throwaway for our 1 night only, do we also get rolling 60 day bookings for FP+? This would be of great value as with CM passes you only get a 7 day FP window, but it's my understanding that you can get the 60 day window with a resort reservation with these passes. We are staying for 12 nights. So would be get to book FP for the entire trip 60 days out, one day at a time?
Thanks so much.

You'd need the tickets linked to your my Disney experience account to be able to do any fast pass selection. If the CM has to be there to let you in each day then you won't have any passes to link to fast pass. Maybe there is a work around.

 

[hiroMYhero]

2. If we book a throwaway for our 1 night only, do we also get rolling 60 day bookings for FP+? This would be of great value as with CM passes you only get a 7 day FP window, but it's my understanding that you can get the 60 day window with a resort reservation with these passes. We are staying for 12 nights. So would be get to book FP for the entire trip 60 days out, one day at a time?

Everyone with an onsite stay receives the “rolling 60 FP booking.” If the CM is listed on the room reservation, she will have a 60-day booking window for check-in through checkout of the onsite stay. Then, the booking window rolls.

Your sister can only pre-book FPs for a total of 4 days. The it’s use a day, book another day of FPs. Also, depending on her status, she may or may not have many days to get you into the park. Some CMs can use Guest Passes for a total of 16 days per year and most have a smaller number of guest entry days.

So, technically, you’ll only benefit from 4 park days where FPs have been booked 60 days in advance.

 

[lolomarie]

Everyone with an onsite stay receives the “rolling 60 FP booking.” If the CM is listed on the room reservation, she will have a 60-day booking window for check-in through checkout of the onsite stay. Then, the booking window rolls.

Your sister can only pre-book FPs for a total of 4 days. The it’s use a day, book another day of FPs. Also, depending on her status, she may or may not have many days to get you into the park. Some CMs can use Guest Passes for a total of 16 days per year and most have a smaller number of guest entry days.

So, technically, you’ll only benefit from 4 park days where FPs have been booked 60 days in advance.

Great! She gets the 16days per year passes. I know that for sure! So we can book 1 night, and book for 4 days 60 days out, then do the rest of our trip at 7 days out?

If this is true I think it'll be worth it for pandora and TSL. Any thoughts on if this looks bad for a CM?

 

[hiroMYhero]

So we can book 1 night, and book for 4 days 60 days out, then do the rest of our trip at 7 days out?

No. The CM can book for the check-in day and the checkout day when the FP booking window opens. Then 60 days out for ParkDay#3, then 60 days out from ParkDay#4.

Then, use a day of FPs, book another day...and so on.

 

[lolomarie]

No. The CM can book for the check-in day and the checkout day when the FP booking window opens. Then 60 days out for ParkDay#3, then 60 days out from ParkDay#4.

Then, use a day of FPs, book another day...and so on.

Thanks so much. Can the CM book for all of us? Or just her? I appreciate your answers Hiro!

 

[hiroMYhero]

Thanks so much. Can the CM book for all of us? Or just her? I appreciate your answers Hiro!

She books for her MainGate, the Guest Passes, and the kid with the ticket.

She can book for the 4 must-do park days and then fill in as you use a day.

 

[lolomarie]

She books for her MainGate, the Guest Passes, and the kid with the ticket.

She can book for the 4 must-do park days and then fill in as you use a day.

Awesome! I'm totally doing this! Seems like a no brainer for our situation! 2 days parking, Magic bands for 5 people, plus the fast passes. I'm so excited I found this thread. Love the Dis!

 

[ashleyr409]

Please forgive me if this has been explained before. I tried to go through all 37 pages to get the answer.

We are staying offsite for 7 nights. June1st-June8th( check in will be late June 1st)

what I understand is we should book the throwaway room on June 2nd check out June 3rd.

Meaning we will get magicbands( saving me $70) also free parking for June2,3( saving me $44) and also EMH for those two days.

And I can book FP+ For June 2 and 3. And everyday after that book for 4-8th

Campsite will be $61.88 with tax

Is this correct?

 

[hiroMYhero]

Please forgive me if this has been explained before. I tried to go through all 37 pages to get the answer.

We are staying offsite for 7 nights. June1st-June8th( check in will be late June 1st)

what I understand is we should book the throwaway room on June 2nd check out June 3rd.

Meaning we will get magicbands( saving me $70) also free parking for June2,3( saving me $44) and also EMH for those two days.

And I can book FP+ For June 2 and 3. And everyday after that book for 4-8th

Campsite will be $61.88 with tax

Is this correct?

Yes. Everything is explained in Post #1.

 

[lolomarie]

Has anyone added the DDP onto their throw away 1 night "stays"? Are park tickets required to add the dinning plan?

 

[TEM1234]

You must have park tickets or an annual pass to do the dining plan

 

[lolomarie]

You must have park tickets or an annual pass to do the dining plan

Thanks! Sorry for the "dumb" question!

 

[lolomarie]

Any thoughts on if the newly implemented overnight parking fees at the resorts will effect the free parking at the parks?

 

[PTinAdvance]

Any thoughts on if the newly implemented overnight parking fees at the resorts will effect the free parking at the parks?

Would love to know as well.

 

[Chippy4]

Has anyone added the DDP onto their throw away 1 night "stays"? Are park tickets required to add the dinning plan?

You can buy a room and dining plan package without buying tickets (but not online, you have to call), but unless you have an Annual Pass, it's a two night minimum stay to add a dining plan. (With an AP, if you book an AP rate room online, even for only one night, you can add a dining plan.)