Just back! Survived FP+, will try to answer any questions

[Deb in IA]

We were at WDW from Jan 12 - 19. "Kids" are all adults (18 and 22), so we didn't do any autographs, character meets, etc.

Stayed at Old Key West (we are DVC members).

Our rough itinerary:

Monday, Jan 13 - MK/HS
Tuesday, Jan 14 - AK
Wednesday, Jan 15 - Keys to the Kingdom tour, MK
Thursday, Jan 16 - Downtown Disney
Friday, Jan 17 - Epcot
Saturday, Jan 18 - HS

Here's where we ate:

Olivia's Cafe
Brown Derby
Flying Fish
Raglan Road
The Wave
Be Our Guest

If anyone has questions, I'll try my best to answer them!

 

[kP72]

HI there!

I wondered how the food was at Flying Fish? It's been years since we've been and wanted to know if the service and food is still worth the extra DDP.

Thanks!

 

[wiigirl]

HI there!

I wondered how the food was at Flying Fish? It's been years since we've been and wanted to know if the service and food is still worth the extra DDP.

Thanks!

I would like to know also....

 

[lugnut33]

Did you have good wifi connection in the parks?

When we went over Thanksgiving I ended up using our phones 4g connection because the Disney parks wifi was slow (or it might just be their website). However, I think they have since made some changes so perhaps it's better?

 

[gretchnh]

Hello all!
We're getting ready to head to WDW for the GSC in February. We've not been to WDW since 2012 so the whole FP+ thing is new.
So I've gone onto My Disney Experience. I've selected FP times for 3 rides. Here's my question...are those the ONLY 3 rides you can get fast passes for that day?
For example, I am going to MK one day and I've already selected my FP's for Big Thunder Mtn, Space Mtn, and Haunted Mansion. Does that mean that once I'm actually in the park, that those will be the only fast passes I can get all day?
What we used to do before was grab our fast passes for a ride, wait the allotted amount of time, and then go get more at a different ride. We could end up getting 5-6 fast passes in a day if we timed it right and we could get on rides with ease.
I'll have my magic band when we go this time. Are there kiosks around the park where I can load more to it then?
Just trying to get an action plan in place. You can NEVER ride Toy Story Mania too many times. Ya know?
Thank you!!!
--Gretchen in Ks.

 

[#1DopeyFan]

Hello all!
We're getting ready to head to WDW for the GSC in February. We've not been to WDW since 2012 so the whole FP+ thing is new.
So I've gone onto My Disney Experience. I've selected FP times for 3 rides. Here's my question...are those the ONLY 3 rides you can get fast passes for that day?
For example, I am going to MK one day and I've already selected my FP's for Big Thunder Mtn, Space Mtn, and Haunted Mansion. Does that mean that once I'm actually in the park, that those will be the only fast passes I can get all day?
What we used to do before was grab our fast passes for a ride, wait the allotted amount of time, and then go get more at a different ride. We could end up getting 5-6 fast passes in a day if we timed it right and we could get on rides with ease.
I'll have my magic band when we go this time. Are there kiosks around the park where I can load more to it then?
Just trying to get an action plan in place. You can NEVER ride Toy Story Mania too many times. Ya know?
Thank you!!!
--Gretchen in Ks.

Yes, unfortunately only 3 per day.

 

[Deb in IA]

Flying Fish was fantastic, as usual. Excellent food, great service. The best thing was that they were kind enough to seat us early. We checked in about 50 minutes before our time, and they didn't have any problems with getting us a table.

For appetizers, DD had the signature crab cakes, which were a bit too spicy for her. DS and DH had the mussels, which were a bit small and tough. I had the butternut squash soup, which I liked very much.

For entrees, DD and DH had the signature potato wrapped red snapper. I've had that before, so I went with the chef's special thunderfish - it was great. DS had the scallops, which he said was good.

For dessert, DS and I had the creme brulee - I liked the figs and gooseberry, DS did not. I think DH had the banana Napoleon, which he said was good but filling. Can't remember what DD had.

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WiFi was better in the parks than in the resort. In the room, it was often slow and cut off a lot. We were able to access MDE from our iPhones in the park without problems.

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Yes, one of the things we were most disappointed with was only 3 FastPass + per day. I asked if we used up all 3 of ours, could we get more in the parks, and the answer was no. And, as you know, there are some groups of attractions that you can only pick one FP+ from. For example, at HS, we had to choose between Rock 'n' Rollercoaster and Toy Story Mania. Well, I chose Rock n Rollercoaster, but I should have chosen Toy Story Mania, and we could have used the single rider line for Rock n Rollercoaster (no single rider line for TSM).

 

[bjakmom]

How did you like Keys to the Kingdom tour? DH and I have it scheduled for next week.

 

[Deb in IA]

I thought it was the highlight of our trip, but I have been wanting to do this for a long time. We had to wait until our youngest was over 16 to do it.

We had the 9 am tour on Wednesday, Jan 15. We checked in at the Main Street Chamber of Commerce and met our tour guide Debbie. Before we left, we all got a bottle of Dasani, our name pins and we ordered our lunch for later at the Columbia Harbor House (choice of chicken strips, fish strips, combo fish and chicken - each of those with fries, and sandwiches with chips - one was tuna salad, I think the other was chicken salad; with pop). The tour was about 5 hours, lots of walking and standing. Several bathroom breaks were built in. We rode 3 rides together, Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean - this was not typically on the tour, but it was Debbie's favorite so she took us on it; our boat was a bit heavy with 20 adults and we frequently got jammed up on the track), and Haunted Mansion. She took us "backstage" behind Splash Mountain, and we saw some of the Country Bears characters without their heads. Finally we went down into the Utilidors - that was amazing.

It was a great tour. We learned and saw so much, it was definitely worth it.

Oh, they say you need photo ID, but we were never asked for them. No cameras, though. And yes, you can take your cell phone, but you are being watched and if they see you looking like you are using your phone to photo/record, they will confiscate it.

 

[bjakmom]

Oh, thanks for that wonderful review, Deb! I have been waiting 32 years for a 'child free' trip so I could do this tour - LOL Finally booked the trip and the tour and at the last minute (as always) DD34 and DGrD2 are coming with us now because she is 7 mos pregnant and my DSinL is working very long hours away from home - just couldn't leave them out of the fun when they need it so badly.
They are fine to take a day of rest at the resort or go to MK by themselves while we do the tour, though - I can't wait to walk under the MK - hope it's as cool as I've always imagined.
I hope they offer the veggie option for lunch as my DH is now eating Vegan - I love CHH - one of my fav CS restaurants.

 

[Deb in IA]

Have a great time!

You might want to call the tour ahead and tell them about your DH's vegan diet. I can't remember if they had a veggie option. Oh, and the tour eats together in a special roped off area on the second floor of the CHH. The food was pre-plated and waiting for us when we got there.

 

[bjakmom]

Have a great time!

You might want to call the tour ahead and tell them about your DH's vegan diet. I can't remember if they had a veggie option. Oh, and the tour eats together in a special roped off area on the second floor of the CHH. The food was pre-plated and waiting for us when we got there.

Thanks for the suggestion - I will do that!

 

[kylmac]

Was there alot of space at OKW? We are bringing my daughter and 3 of her friends plus ourselves (me, DH, and DS) so I am looking at a 2 bedroom at OKW vs BLT (our home resort). I know it takes fewer points at OKW and you don't have the monorail but there might be more space at OKW which I like the idea of (think 4 16 year old girls-yikes). We have only stayed at a studio in OKW and enjoyed the space that it provided our family of 4. We love BLT for the convenience as well as the space from a 1 bedroom that we usually get.
Thank you and glad you got to enjoy Disney with your older kids.
Elizabeth

 

[Deb in IA]

We've only been to BWV, VWL, and Saratoga Springs, but we thought the OKW villas were very spacious!

We had a one-bedroom. While the shower was a bit smaller than what I recall from VWL, the living room was much bigger, there was an extra sleeper chair, and the bathroom had 2 entrances - didn't have to go through the master bedroom to get to the bathroom!

I think the 4 16-year old would be fine in the living room/studio side. Should be plenty of room/beds and two bathrooms.

Yes, no monorail, but the buses were running very frequently. Also, OKW doesn't share a bus line with any other resort, and we didn't have any major wait times.

 

[cigar95]

If anyone has questions, I'll try my best to answer them!

Our trips overlapped by a few days.

Did you try using the kiosks to get same-day FP+ reservations beyond your pre-arranged ones? At the moment, that seems to be a question that needs some research.

 

[jpdeg99]

Deb - I have a question I can't find answered anywhere - did you notice, especially in MK, whether the old non-FP rides now "require" FP+? Such as, IASW, PoTC? Or have these rides been pretty much unaffected?

My girls love small world, but I cannot wrap my mind around getting a FP for it.

And thanks in advance!

 

[cigar95]

Deb - I have a question I can't find answered anywhere - did you notice, especially in MK, whether the old non-FP rides now "require" FP+? Such as, IASW, PoTC? Or have these rides been pretty much unaffected?

I was there the same time as Deb, and I can tell you that the attractions that had short lines before still had short lines. As long as the total number of people stays more or less the same, that's going to be the thing that matters the most.

the one exception to my observation was that for the first time ever, I actually had to wait in the outer holding area for Philharmagic. But that was likely just a one-off thing, like a large group having arrived all at once for the show before me, or the attraction being short-staffed. The show I was in had the usual fairly sparse crowd.

 

[WILDERNESS FAN 55]

Was there alot of space at OKW? We are bringing my daughter and 3 of her friends plus ourselves (me, DH, and DS) so I am looking at a 2 bedroom at OKW vs BLT (our home resort). I know it takes fewer points at OKW and you don't have the monorail but there might be more space at OKW which I like the idea of (think 4 16 year old girls-yikes). We have only stayed at a studio in OKW and enjoyed the space that it provided our family of 4. We love BLT for the convenience as well as the space from a 1 bedroom that we usually get.
Thank you and glad you got to enjoy Disney with your older kids.
Elizabeth

Stayed recently at OKW 2br with 6 adults and it was VERY spacious. You will love it! Only problem is 4 16 yr old girls sharing one bathroom Maybe you can let your daughter use yours Enjoy and have fun .

 

[Deb in IA]

Our trips overlapped by a few days.

Did you try using the kiosks to get same-day FP+ reservations beyond your pre-arranged ones? At the moment, that seems to be a question that needs some research.

I had the same question - I approached a CM at the FP+ kiosk outside of Test Track.

The answer was no, you can only get 3 per day, even if you have used your pre-booked ones that day.

 

[Deb in IA]

Deb - I have a question I can't find answered anywhere - did you notice, especially in MK, whether the old non-FP rides now "require" FP+? Such as, IASW, PoTC? Or have these rides been pretty much unaffected?

My girls love small world, but I cannot wrap my mind around getting a FP for it.

And thanks in advance!

Yes, as cigar says, the only things that had huge lines (60+ minutes) were the ones that traditionally had them - Soarin', Toy Story Mania, Test Track, etc.

Peter Pan has had long wait times in the past, so we had a FP+ for that.
Little/no waits for us for IASW, Winnie the Pooh, Philharmagic.

For our 3 FP+ for Magic Kingdom, we got Peter Pan, PoTC, and Barnstormer. We had already done Space Mountian, Buzz Lightyear and Big Thunder on a previous day, and Splash Mountian is down for rehab now.