What is your strategy in planning FastPass +?

[Pooh667]

Hi,

I have been to DisneyWorld many times but the new FastPass+ really has me stressing. What is your strategy for scheduling FastPass+? I was thinking of scheduling it for later in the day but show up when the park opens, do what I can then do the FastPass+? I just figure that if I schedule it for early morning, I am losing time on other lines and those lines will be longer by the time I am done with FastPass+. You see Disney has spoiled me with the old Fastpass. No matter what time of year I went , I didn't wait in line much. I used as many fastpasses as I could. We are going in late Jan. for a short trip and I will try my strategy out but I am curious as to what others have done.

Thanks!

 

[jco_direwolf]

I schedule late in the day.

It really depends on your style.

Are you going to go to MK for the day? Rope Drop to Wishes, or are you going to do RD at MK then hop to Epcot? If I'm hoping over I'm going to plan my FP+ in the second park.

If not then plan them after about 11am. And avoid the pitfall I saw one morning, IaSW FP+ for like 9:15am.

 

[wisblue]

The approach you're describing is basically what we did in the week between Christmas and New Year's and it worked like a charm. The one difference is that we took a break from the parks when they got really crowded in the middle of the day and then hopped to a different park in the late afternoon, and we used our FP+ there.

By our standards (usually having to visit at Easter or Christmas), if you are visiting in late January you almost have to be seeking out long lines to wait in. If you arrive at park opening, you should be able to do a lot in the first few hours without using any FPs.

 

[Pooh667]

I schedule late in the day.

It really depends on your style.

Are you going to go to MK for the day? Rope Drop to Wishes, or are you going to do RD at MK then hop to Epcot? If I'm hoping over I'm going to plan my FP+ in the second park.

If not then plan them after about 11am. And avoid the pitfall I saw one morning, IaSW FP+ for like 9:15am.

Thanks for your reply. We usually go in the morning to one park then take a break and go to another park late afternoon/evening. The plan you said is exactly what I was thinking. Thanks!!

 

[jco_direwolf]

One thing is some of the attraction queue dynamics are going to change. FP/FP+ queues for most part merge FP/Stand-by lines before the boarding.

PotC on Sunday showed a 25 minute wait. I said "What?" then I used my FP+ on it. PotC has 2 queue "sides" basically port and starboard, which correspond to the loading side of the attraction vehicle. NOW the Starboard side is Standby and the FP+ is Port. So a whole 50% of that attraction capacity is now FP+.

 

[Pooh667]

The approach you're describing is basically what we did in the week between Christmas and New Year's and it worked like a charm. The one difference is that we took a break from the parks when they got really crowded in the middle of the day and then hopped to a different park in the late afternoon, and we used our FP+ there.

By our standards (usually having to visit at Easter or Christmas), if you are visiting in late January you almost have to be seeking out long lines to wait in. If you arrive at park opening, you should be able to do a lot in the first few hours without using any FPs.

Thanks for your reply. I am happy that January will be a slow time. That is why I am testing it then. We will also be going in August and that is what was really stressing me. You have eased my mind that if it worked during the busy time you went, it will work when I go in August.

Thanks!

 

[Pooh667]

One thing is some of the attraction queue dynamics are going to change. FP/FP+ queues for most part merge FP/Stand-by lines before the boarding.

PotC on Sunday showed a 25 minute wait. I said "What?" then I used my FP+ on it. PotC has 2 queue "sides" basically port and starboard, which correspond to the loading side of the attraction vehicle. NOW the Starboard side is Standby and the FP+ is Port. So a whole 50% of that attraction capacity is now FP+.

That is very interesting! I am curious as to how this will effect the stand by wait times.

 

[wisblue]

One thing is some of the attraction queue dynamics are going to change. FP/FP+ queues for most part merge FP/Stand-by lines before the boarding.

PotC on Sunday showed a 25 minute wait. I said "What?" then I used my FP+ on it. PotC has 2 queue "sides" basically port and starboard, which correspond to the loading side of the attraction vehicle. NOW the Starboard side is Standby and the FP+ is Port. So a whole 50% of that attraction capacity is now FP+.

When we were there two weeks ago (Saturday after Christmas), in the morning there was virtually nobody in the FP line so they were directing standby down both sides.

 

[MonorailCentral]

We don't know that 50% of the capacity is being devoted to FP+. Just that they are loading from two sides - something they are doing on many attractions. The percentage of capacity devoted to FP+ isn't definitively known right now, but whatever it is, it will be fluid in the short term as things continue to roll out.

For scheduling FP+, we opted to schedule in the afternoon. We'll arrive for RD, as always, and get in all the rides we can when lines are shorter. For a re-ride of a popular favorite, or to skip certain longer lines, we picked FP+ on those attractions later in the day - when we typically would never wait in the standby line, due to the wait.

 

[Lindaland]

Hi,

I have been to DisneyWorld many times but the new FastPass+ really has me stressing. What is your strategy for scheduling FastPass+? I was thinking of scheduling it for later in the day but show up when the park opens, do what I can then do the FastPass+? I just figure that if I schedule it for early morning, I am losing time on other lines and those lines will be longer by the time I am done with FastPass+. You see Disney has spoiled me with the old Fastpass. No matter what time of year I went , I didn't wait in line much. I used as many fastpasses as I could. We are going in late Jan. for a short trip and I will try my strategy out but I am curious as to what others have done.

Thanks!

We loved the FP+ system and I am sure your plan will work. We always get the hopper mainly because I get bored staying in one park all day so we usually do one park in the morning, take a break at the resort, and then hit up a different park in the afternoon/evening. We just used our FP+ for the parks in the afternoon and none at the parks in the morning. It worked great!

 

[jco_direwolf]

We don't know that 50% of the capacity is being devoted to FP+. Just that they are loading from two sides - something they are doing on many attractions. The percentage of capacity devoted to FP+ isn't definitively known right now, but whatever it is, it will be fluid in the short term as things continue to roll out.

Two boat the same size, they are loading one with FP people and one with stand-by. Sounds darn close to 50% to me.

The second set of FP+ readers are right at the boarding area, a lot attractions there is a "Merge" point before "loading". This allows them to adjust the percentage. I don't see how you can take back some of the FP+ capacity and put it back to Stand-by, without losing FP-ness at Pirates.

My point was some of the things you would have never consider using FP on (like Pirates) you might use FP+ on, specially if the attraction is important to you.

 

[Pooh667]

Thanks for all the replies.It makes me feel a bit better for our trip in August with 30 family members!!! Some haven't been or haven't been for years so they are looking to me and my sister for advice.