How accommodating are they if you could only get part of your family into an onboard activity?

[PendingPeril]

I was only able to get one of my kids into the ticketed princess gathering. I'm going to go to port adventures on embarkation and I'm not sure if anyone really knows the answer to this, but I was wondering how accommodating they are. Is it solely based on availability or will they do what they can to get everyone in?

Not going to complain if they can't and I'm sure it might be different on a case by case basis with party sizes and availability. Just wondering if anyone else has had experience with this.

 

[MomOTwins]

The way it works is that some percentage of availability for princess gatherings is available to book online, and some portion is held back to book in person. It's not about being accommodating--they have a separate set of bookings they can make on the ship. Having a reservation at one time for one kid isn't going to make it any easier for the other kids because if that time isn't available on the ship, you'll be splitting up your party. In your case, I would cancel for the one kid and just go to guest services and see if you can book for everyone.

 

[PendingPeril]

Ok that’s good advice. will do

 

[SamFaniam]

You can also keep looking for the pre-book times. As people finalize their plans, more spaces may open.

 

[Calantha]

We had 5 kids spread between two times (although they were usually pretty close together) - and there was never an issue with everyone going together. (Even for the Disney Jr breakfast) - they always just told us to show up at the earlier time (We went to guest services the first day and that's what they told us).

 

[BruinEd03]

Ok that’s good advice. will do

I wouldn't necessarily cancel. I would go to port adventures first and see if they can accomodate. If you cancel now, you will never know the answer and can't get that spot back.

 

[Betsy82]

We had 5 kids spread between two times (although they were usually pretty close together) - and there was never an issue with everyone going together. (Even for the Disney Jr breakfast) - they always just told us to show up at the earlier time (We went to guest services the first day and that's what they told us).

this was our experience as well.

 

[Yokelridesagain]

I have never had the sense that the Princess Gathering ticketing was about 'limiting' the number of guests who got to attend. Maybe that was true for the Frozen thing at the height of the Anna/Elsa madness, although holding it in a restaurant out of sight of the crowds probably helped to reduce the demand as well.

The issue was more so that prior to the ticketing for these events, one either had to show up an hour earlier to sit on line, or show up on time and sit for an hour behind all the people who showed up an hour early.

Since the crowd control measures were instituted, these events have become a 15 minute rather than hour plus commitment.

Although I haven't personally encountered the situation described by OP, personally I would keep the existing reservation and make noises at Guest Services until they accommodated the rest of my party. I guarantee you that there are LOTS of reservations made by parents, etc. who have no intention of tying up the line by "meeting" the princesses, and the CMs certainly know that. A couple of more kids aren't going to make a significant difference.

 

[Sakura1017]

I would keep the ticket and then on the day of embarkation try to get more passes for the same time for everyone in the party, and exchange the one ticket out. I would definitely keep checking the site regularly as well before hand so that way you can try to schedule it before the cruise even starts.
I wouldn't exactly make noises at Guest Services since the meeting of the princesses is scheduled a lot throughout the cruise.

On the day of meeting the princesses I have seen CM's turn away families even when kids were crying that they didn't have a ticket, but they explained where to go and get them. I have seen them in lines that if a parent just has the ticket for their child they let them through. It depends on the CM who is running the lines. They will announce that you need a ticket for the event while you are in line periodically from what I remember.

They can't make an exception to everyone because you are probably not the only one in that same situation. So keep that in mind. I understand you want to keep your party together, so I would treat this meeting like a fast pass, where you come for that specific time, and if someone in your party didn't have a pass, they wouldn't let you in the fast pass line.

 

[Dug720]

I wouldn't exactly make noises at Guest Services since the meeting of the princesses is scheduled a lot throughout the cruise.

Great point. The princesses (other than Anna and Elsa) all have individual greetings that are the standard line up and wait throughout the cruise, so if you can't get tickets for the Gathering, the opportunity does still exist to meet them. (Again, the exception being Anna and Elsa.)

 

[thumpie's mom]

On our cruise in November our traveling party had 2 different dates for the Character breakfast a/c we are Platinum and were able to book earlier than the rest of the family. On embarkation day we were able to switch them to our reservation without any problems. Have a great cruise!

 

[tinkerone]

Don’t cancel the ticket you have, that’s probably not the best advice. Keep it and present when you go to guest services. That way you are assured of at least that ticket and there is also a very good chance that guest services can add to it as opposed to starting new and trying to get tickets for everyone. They do there best to not split up families.

 

[monkeydawn]

They dont use real tickets anymore, at least not on the Magic. There is a list of names/ cabin numbers. If you have any adults signed up that dont want to really do the meet then you will probably be OK with doing nothing else, just sub in the kids for the adult.

And the PP is correct in that there are likely adults that are taking up spots so that they really could take a few more kids. For example our party was 4 adults and 2 children. Only one child wanted to meet and spend time with the princesses but we did want a group picture so even though we were taking up six slots, we didnt really take up all that much time.

 

[PendingPeril]

So I was able to get one more at a different time. It’s silly because there was only one available so I could sign up myself but not my kid. I’m sure I won’t have a problem getting them both in now, but they really need to change it so you can just sign up your kid. I’m sure a lot of kids get left out because of this requirement.