HydroGuy
A Pirate's Life For Me
- Joined
- Jun 5, 2005
- Messages
- 18,415
Updated April 2017
Preamble
Some of you may want to skip this Preamble in the interest of time and just proceed to the FP Strategy section below. Fell free to skip forward!
Those of you who have been around Disney forums for a few years are probably aware that for many years Disney chose not to enforce the end of the FP windows. This allowed guests who were aware of this non-enforcement a lot of flexibility in how they collected and used FPs. It also generated endless online debate that we do not need to get into here.
In early 2012 WDW began enforcing FP windows and in early 2013 DLR followed suit. For the record, DLRP in Paris always enforced FP windows (and when I visited the windows were only 30 minutes long) and TDR in Tokyo followed the American parks in not enforcing the end of the FP windows. I do not know about TDR but suspect they have followed suit and now enforce windows as well.
WDW has moved to so-called FP+ which has done away with paper FPs. This occurred in late 2014 I believe. But FP+ at WDW works the same as the paper FPs previously at WDW and currently at DLR with regard to FP windows.
In any case, lots of people want to know how to best use FP with the rules as they are enforced today. I do not claim to have any special insight and am always open to learning how others view things to sharpen my own thinking. Many have asked for my perspective on this and I have collected my thoughts after a visit to WDW and DLR using enforced windows. Please take what I say as merely food for thought and use it to apply to your own unique situation however you see best.
Some Upfront Foundational Info
The rules for how FP works are fairly common knowledge and work mostly the same between DLR and WDW. Except now WDW has FP+ which changes how you get FPs.
Rather than create a whole new thread on this, if you need to know the nuts and bolts about DLR FP usage see this authoritative thread:
"The Fastpass Encyclopedia: Everything you need to know about FPs at DLR" by mysteriouspnai http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3094011
And this may help some newbies: "FastPass for Dummies and Smarties - A Photographic Explanation" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1186052
FP Collection and Usage Strategies
The whole strategy about FP usage is about collecting FPs where the return windows work to your advantage. Understand that FPs are not front of line passes. They allow you to bypass some but not all of the queue. In most cases when you enter the queue for a ride it still takes 10-15 minutes for you to board the ride. So if the standby queue is 20 minutes long you have not gained much.
Further, if you collect a FP now for usage a few hours from now, you need to spend time also collecting the FP - when at DLR. At WDW FPs are booked in advance or by smartphone day of so there no time spent on collecting the FPs. At DLR collecting FPs can take time if there is a backup line to get FPs and it also of course takes time to walk to the attraction from wherever you are and get the FP. This likely will take 5-10 minutes for you to get the FPs. So the bottom line is, on average, the time commitment to get and use a FP is the 5-10 minutes to get it and the 10-15 minutes to use it - or about 15-25 minutes. At WDW it is jus the 10-15 minutes to use it.
Getting and using FPs in the morning at DLR
If you are a rope drop (RD) person and are at the gates when the park opens - or in the park for EMH - and you happen to get a FP right away, the window will open 40 minutes away and close an hour after that or 100 minutes away. So if the park opens at 8AM and you get a FP right away, the window will be 8:40-9:40AM.
The deal is that for most rides - even the bigger ones (except for RSR which is still a special case at this time) - the queues will not be that long by 9:40AM. For that reason I am not in favor of getting FPs when the park opens. I think it is best to use your precious morning time on other rides or using the regular standby line for the bigger rides. I would recommend waiting to start your FP collecting until 30-60 minutes after that park opens. That will put your FP window closing out until 10:10-10:40AM. By that time the wait times are starting to build. But if the line has not built up to at least 30 minutes by then you really have not saved that much time. Again, RSR is an exception to this. But in my mind the only exception.
At both DLR and WDW: To get the most out of morning FPs you should use them at the end of the FP window.
Using FPs with evening return windows
Since the evening queues tend to get shorter as the night goes on, to get the most out of evening FPs you should use them at the start of the FP window.
Getting and using FPs mid-day
The biggest bang for the buck with FP is to use them when the queues are longest - mid-day. So the best FPs to collect are those with mid-day return windows. Of course you have to work these into your times for breaks and meals.
Pay attention to when your FP rides break down
When you have a FP and the ride breaks down during your window, that typically means the end of your FP window no longer applies. Which means you can use the FP anytime that day - like you could before window enforcement started.
During our DLR trip in August this happened for two rides on the same day - Space and Indy - so we just got to hold those FPs until the most convenient time for us to use them.
Using FPs for special time of day for certain rides
In the summer Splash Mtn and GRR are most fun when it is hottest out and so as much as possible you want to time your FP for that. Also, many like to ride RSR at night. So many want to time their FPs for that. Best way to do that is just to pay attention to the return windows and get the FP at the right time. For RSR some people purposely allow others in the FP distribution line to pass them up so they can get a later return window. CMs apparently support this and you can tell them that is what you are doing.
While imperfect, smartphone apps are helpful in tracking the FP distribution windows from a distance without having to go walk to the ride.
Summary
In general we use FP less now. More often than before we ride the FP rides through the normal standby lines in the morning or evening hours. Our tolerance for line wait times has increased. Before FP window enforcement we rarely waited in line for more than 20 minutes. Now we are more willing to to wait for 30 minutes and even 40 sometimes.
I am interested in your thoughts and constructive feedback!
Preamble
Some of you may want to skip this Preamble in the interest of time and just proceed to the FP Strategy section below. Fell free to skip forward!
Those of you who have been around Disney forums for a few years are probably aware that for many years Disney chose not to enforce the end of the FP windows. This allowed guests who were aware of this non-enforcement a lot of flexibility in how they collected and used FPs. It also generated endless online debate that we do not need to get into here.
In early 2012 WDW began enforcing FP windows and in early 2013 DLR followed suit. For the record, DLRP in Paris always enforced FP windows (and when I visited the windows were only 30 minutes long) and TDR in Tokyo followed the American parks in not enforcing the end of the FP windows. I do not know about TDR but suspect they have followed suit and now enforce windows as well.
WDW has moved to so-called FP+ which has done away with paper FPs. This occurred in late 2014 I believe. But FP+ at WDW works the same as the paper FPs previously at WDW and currently at DLR with regard to FP windows.
In any case, lots of people want to know how to best use FP with the rules as they are enforced today. I do not claim to have any special insight and am always open to learning how others view things to sharpen my own thinking. Many have asked for my perspective on this and I have collected my thoughts after a visit to WDW and DLR using enforced windows. Please take what I say as merely food for thought and use it to apply to your own unique situation however you see best.
Some Upfront Foundational Info
The rules for how FP works are fairly common knowledge and work mostly the same between DLR and WDW. Except now WDW has FP+ which changes how you get FPs.
Rather than create a whole new thread on this, if you need to know the nuts and bolts about DLR FP usage see this authoritative thread:
"The Fastpass Encyclopedia: Everything you need to know about FPs at DLR" by mysteriouspnai http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3094011
And this may help some newbies: "FastPass for Dummies and Smarties - A Photographic Explanation" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1186052
FP Collection and Usage Strategies
The whole strategy about FP usage is about collecting FPs where the return windows work to your advantage. Understand that FPs are not front of line passes. They allow you to bypass some but not all of the queue. In most cases when you enter the queue for a ride it still takes 10-15 minutes for you to board the ride. So if the standby queue is 20 minutes long you have not gained much.
Further, if you collect a FP now for usage a few hours from now, you need to spend time also collecting the FP - when at DLR. At WDW FPs are booked in advance or by smartphone day of so there no time spent on collecting the FPs. At DLR collecting FPs can take time if there is a backup line to get FPs and it also of course takes time to walk to the attraction from wherever you are and get the FP. This likely will take 5-10 minutes for you to get the FPs. So the bottom line is, on average, the time commitment to get and use a FP is the 5-10 minutes to get it and the 10-15 minutes to use it - or about 15-25 minutes. At WDW it is jus the 10-15 minutes to use it.
Getting and using FPs in the morning at DLR
If you are a rope drop (RD) person and are at the gates when the park opens - or in the park for EMH - and you happen to get a FP right away, the window will open 40 minutes away and close an hour after that or 100 minutes away. So if the park opens at 8AM and you get a FP right away, the window will be 8:40-9:40AM.
The deal is that for most rides - even the bigger ones (except for RSR which is still a special case at this time) - the queues will not be that long by 9:40AM. For that reason I am not in favor of getting FPs when the park opens. I think it is best to use your precious morning time on other rides or using the regular standby line for the bigger rides. I would recommend waiting to start your FP collecting until 30-60 minutes after that park opens. That will put your FP window closing out until 10:10-10:40AM. By that time the wait times are starting to build. But if the line has not built up to at least 30 minutes by then you really have not saved that much time. Again, RSR is an exception to this. But in my mind the only exception.
At both DLR and WDW: To get the most out of morning FPs you should use them at the end of the FP window.
Using FPs with evening return windows
Since the evening queues tend to get shorter as the night goes on, to get the most out of evening FPs you should use them at the start of the FP window.
Getting and using FPs mid-day
The biggest bang for the buck with FP is to use them when the queues are longest - mid-day. So the best FPs to collect are those with mid-day return windows. Of course you have to work these into your times for breaks and meals.
Pay attention to when your FP rides break down
When you have a FP and the ride breaks down during your window, that typically means the end of your FP window no longer applies. Which means you can use the FP anytime that day - like you could before window enforcement started.
During our DLR trip in August this happened for two rides on the same day - Space and Indy - so we just got to hold those FPs until the most convenient time for us to use them.
Using FPs for special time of day for certain rides
In the summer Splash Mtn and GRR are most fun when it is hottest out and so as much as possible you want to time your FP for that. Also, many like to ride RSR at night. So many want to time their FPs for that. Best way to do that is just to pay attention to the return windows and get the FP at the right time. For RSR some people purposely allow others in the FP distribution line to pass them up so they can get a later return window. CMs apparently support this and you can tell them that is what you are doing.
While imperfect, smartphone apps are helpful in tracking the FP distribution windows from a distance without having to go walk to the ride.
Summary
In general we use FP less now. More often than before we ride the FP rides through the normal standby lines in the morning or evening hours. Our tolerance for line wait times has increased. Before FP window enforcement we rarely waited in line for more than 20 minutes. Now we are more willing to to wait for 30 minutes and even 40 sometimes.
I am interested in your thoughts and constructive feedback!
Last edited:
We are going next week and while I consider myself to be pretty knowledgeable about DL, I have not been since they started enforcing FP return times and am a little nervous about it.
. We've been many times before and so we don't feel the need to see it all, but I am trying to come up with a plan of attack. We did Christmas 3 years ago but having the wiggle room to use a FP a little late helped a lot. (Like walking through Adventureland to make Indy 
) 
. And we're not hopping righter, which is partially why (the cost is the real driver).
