Conclusion-FP+ reserving ahead is not necessary.

[Planogirl]

Wow Jade. On the day we went to Epcot we couldn't even get Spaceship Earth. That shows what missing the morning can do.

 

[IBFW]

Maybe I'm missing something, but walking into Epcot shortly after 9am and being able to pick a fast pass for Test Track or Soarin is an improvement over what exactly?

Or are there days now when that just isn't possible?

 

[jade1]

Maybe I'm missing something, but walking into Epcot shortly after 9am and being able to pick a fast pass for Test Track or Soarin is an improvement over what exactly?

Or are there days now when that just isn't possible?

Welcome to the dis.

Read the title of the thread.

 

[IBFW]

Thank you for your reply. But it was not very helpful.

I believe I asked a valid question and would appreciate a valid response.

 

[jade1]

Maybe I'm missing something, but walking into Epcot shortly after 9am and being able to pick a fast pass for Test Track or Soarin is an improvement over what exactly?

Or are there days now when that just isn't possible?

Thank you for your reply. But it was not very helpful.

I believe I asked a valid question and would appreciate a valid response.

We have found walking into EPCOT at shortly after 9AM we were able to select a FP+ for either TT or Soarin-that is in the pictures provided. Therefore we do not know if there are days you cannot. Our conclusion was that we do not need to reserve FP+ ahead-especially 60 or 30 days ahead.

 

[Ava]

In my experience, unless you travel at very busy times of year FP+ is not even really necessary except for a handful of the most popular attractions. I booked ours at 60 days out at midnight for our trip last Sept and will do so again for this Aug, because I want to make sure I get those popular attractions at times that work for us. However, last year we found that, with the exception of those few very popular attractions (A&E, 7DMT, TSMM, TT, Soarin', nighttime entertainment), it was easy to change times or attractions for our FP+ reservations as we went along, and there was plenty of availability for almost everything. Obviously this depends on how late in the day it is when you are looking and how crowded the parks are, but in my experience FP+ is a lot more flexible in practice than it seems on paper.

 

[jade1]

In my experience, unless you travel at very busy times of year FP+ is not even really necessary except for a handful of the most popular attractions. I booked ours at 60 days out at midnight for our trip last Sept and will do so again for this Aug, because I want to make sure I get those popular attractions at times that work for us. However, last year we found that, with the exception of those few very popular attractions (A&E, 7DMT, TSMM, TT, Soarin', nighttime entertainment), it was easy to change times or attractions for our FP+ reservations as we went along, and there was plenty of availability for almost everything. Obviously this depends on how late in the day it is when you are looking and how crowded the parks are, but in my experience FP+ is a lot more flexible in practice than it seems on paper.

Totally agree-the busy weeks you need to RD to get good ones (at least I think so)-or use the app the night before or a few days before, except maybe MK, that was good even after lunch Easter week.

 

[itchin2go]

In my experience, unless you travel at very busy times of year FP+ is not even really necessary except for a handful of the most popular attractions. I booked ours at 60 days out at midnight for our trip last Sept and will do so again for this Aug, because I want to make sure I get those popular attractions at times that work for us. However, last year we found that, with the exception of those few very popular attractions (A&E, 7DMT, TSMM, TT, Soarin', nighttime entertainment), it was easy to change times or attractions for our FP+ reservations as we went along, and there was plenty of availability for almost everything. Obviously this depends on how late in the day it is when you are looking and how crowded the parks are, but in my experience FP+ is a lot more flexible in practice than it seems on paper.

I'm responding to the bolded part. If we're comparing to FP-, wasn't that always the case? Then and now, we're not surprised that TSMM is out of FP early, and we're not surprised that you can always get one for Figment. Granted, there were no fastpasses for Figment before, but you get what I'm saying. So much changes, but so much stays the same.

 

[HopperFan]

DS texted me just tried to change a FP+ in the MK and he was offered Anna & Elsa for a decent time. Last week they booked FP+ for today and got Wishes and 7DMT - one week out.

I have to admit since we go often I'm not one that books at 60 days even if I'm staying onsite. And I have usually been pretty successful at getting all the hard ones. I think maybe one trip we didn't get TSMM. We booked hard ones for MLK weekend a week out.

There really are so many variables, when you travel, are you rope drop people, are you evening people, do you like EMH? Last month DS and I went to the MK at 10:30 pm and stayed until 2:45 am and we did practically everything and some twice.

 

[famy27]

If this is the current reality, I am encouraged. We did a last-minute (booked 16 days out) trip in September, and we had terrible luck with our FPs. I wasn't able to find a single slot for TSMM over a three-day period. I was eventually able to book two separate FPs with overlapping times, but I was on MDE constantly to get them. Then, our flight got cancelled in the great radar fire of '14, so our TSMM FPs were gone. We weren't able to get them back. Since it was a short trip, we weren't going to be at HS in the morning, so we had no chance to ride at RD. It was definitely a disappointment.

On the positive side, with my MDE stalking, I was able to secure two overlapping A&E FPs, so we did luck out there.

So, for me, it's a mixed bag, and I would always try to reserve at 60/30 days, just to be safe. It's easier to delete FPs I don't want than to make non-existent FPs materialize a few days before arrival.

 

[mom2rtk]

DS texted me just tried to change a FP+ in the MK and he was offered Anna & Elsa for a decent time. Last week they booked FP+ for today and got Wishes and 7DMT - one week out. I have to admit since we go often I'm not one that books at 60 days even if I'm staying onsite. And I have usually been pretty successful at getting all the hard ones. I think maybe one trip we didn't get TSMM. There really are so many variables, when you travel, are you rope drop people, are you evening people, do you like EMH? Last month DS and I went to the MK at 10:30 pm and stayed until 2:45 am and we did practically everything and some twice.

Being possible is not the same thing as being probable.

 

[ArwenMarie]

It's kind of like certain ADRs. Sure you might hit the jackpot later on in the game, but if you really want them, it's best to book them as soon as possible.

 

[Maddysdaddy]

I booked 60 days out at midnight because we were going to be in the parks the week before - and over - Easter, and I wanted to lock down the things we 'had' to do. Would I book FP's that way again? Yes. Better safe than sorry.

But for all the doom and gloom about FP unavailability, I was able to go onto MDE Good Friday evening around 8 pm (my family made a last minute decision to switch our park from Epcot to MK on the Saturday), and was able to book Buzz for 7 pm, Space for 8, Splash for 9 and Big Thunder for 10. I wholly expected to be stuck with Barnstormer followed by Barnstormer followed by Barnstormer, and ended up with all 3 mountains. At least FOR ME, MDE worked much better than expected - your mileage may vary.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I booked 60 days out at midnight because we were going to be in the parks the week before - and over - Easter, and I wanted to lock down the things we 'had' to do. Would I book FP's that way again? Yes. Better safe than sorry.

But for all the doom and gloom about FP unavailability, I was able to go onto MDE Good Friday evening around 8 pm (my family made a last minute decision to switch our park from Epcot to MK on the Saturday), and was able to book Buzz for 7 pm, Space for 8, Splash for 9 and Big Thunder for 10. I wholly expected to be stuck with Barnstormer followed by Barnstormer followed by Barnstormer, and ended up with all 3 mountains. At least FOR ME, MDE worked much better than expected - your mileage may vary.

I found the same over Presidents Week, the night slots were relatively easy to get the day before at least in MK.

 

[Planogirl]

DS texted me just tried to change a FP+ in the MK and he was offered Anna & Elsa for a decent time. Last week they booked FP+ for today and got Wishes and 7DMT - one week out.

I have to admit since we go often I'm not one that books at 60 days even if I'm staying onsite. And I have usually been pretty successful at getting all the hard ones. I think maybe one trip we didn't get TSMM. We booked hard ones for MLK weekend a week out.

There really are so many variables, when you travel, are you rope drop people, are you evening people, do you like EMH? Last month DS and I went to the MK at 10:30 pm and stayed until 2:45 am and we did practically everything and some twice.

We luckily had Soarin' suddenly pop up in the afternoon after checking and finding nothing. The kiosk CM said that she hadn't seen any Soarin' available since early morning so we were lucky. There was just the two of us that day too which probably helped.

What percentage of visitors seem to be using FP+? Has that ever been mentioned? I seem to remember numbers for MDE but are there any for FP+ itself?

 

[HopperFan]

We luckily had Soarin' suddenly pop up in the afternoon after checking and finding nothing. The kiosk CM said that she hadn't seen any Soarin' available since early morning so we were lucky. There was just the two of us that day too which probably helped.

What percentage of visitors seem to be using FP+? Has that ever been mentioned? I seem to remember numbers for MDE but are there any for FP+ itself?

I've never seen any reference to it but if we did it would probably be bulk numbers, nothing that would help us understand daily percentages. I do think LOTS more are using it than ever used FP- which, combined with the bigger crowds, is why they are maxing out. I would guess that most onsite guests are using it because you get emails, mail and reminders to book them, especially those that would rather use them later in day. BUT there are lots of offsite guests coming that I would venture if they did not research are not booking them. My DD works at Soarin' and so at times she is the first line of attack from guests without FP+ for it. She said lots of people do not get them and then get upset with the Standby lines.

 

[jade1]

DS texted me just tried to change a FP+ in the MK and he was offered Anna & Elsa for a decent time. Last week they booked FP+ for today and got Wishes and 7DMT - one week out.

I have to admit since we go often I'm not one that books at 60 days even if I'm staying onsite. And I have usually been pretty successful at getting all the hard ones. I think maybe one trip we didn't get TSMM. We booked hard ones for MLK weekend a week out.

There really are so many variables, when you travel, are you rope drop people, are you evening people, do you like EMH? Last month DS and I went to the MK at 10:30 pm and stayed until 2:45 am and we did practically everything and some twice.

Nice.

Yea I have not even tapped the 4th FP+ or changing FP+ tests-maybe soon though.

 

[jade1]

And have never "sat" on the app all day seeing what we could get. Simply have either checked when we get to a park for some tests, or the night before on the app for others, and some a few days out. That's it-no mystery.

 

[momof2n2]

A piece of it that isn't mentioned often enough is party size. As a family of 8, plus grandma and aunt, nabbing 10 FP+ will likely cause me a lot more grief than walking to FP- with our tickets...

 

[Luckybee]

I'm envious and I'd love to know how to do this without having to make our plans fit fp. . I've been trying for 2 weeks to just change 1 fp+ namely 7dmt to either a later time or to two days later for the beginning of May and I am sol. So I cant change dinners or our plans because I'm stuck with the plans we have.
But this is exactly the same thing we ran into in Sept. Changing plans even a few weeks out was impossible for us so I shouldn't be surprised.