4+ FP easy to obtain on 3-5 crowd level days?

[gellar]

This is our first trip since FP+ started, and I think I'm overly anxious as I'm planning. With exception to our first day in the parks (SUN, crowd levels between 5-7) the crowd levels are estimated between 3-5, but mostly are 3-4. I assume obtaining additional FPs will be very possible because of lower crowds. Am I right to assume so? My initial plan was to do EMH in the morning, the 3 FPs between 10:00-1:00ish and try for additional ones throughout the day, riding the less popular rides with short waits in between. How many additional FPs are realistically possible with those crowd levels and only 2 adults zipping around?

We'll be park hopping, so I'm hoping it's realistic to think we'll be able to grab FPs to a couple favorites after we've hopped over to our second park. (Another reason for earlier FPs, since we will likely hop sometime in the afternoon.)

I'm rambling...and stressing. If my plan makes sense to you, is it a good plan? Please tell me that the lower crowd level means FP doesn't have to rule the week. I'd like to be less regimented and more casual.

 

[Shaden]

In my experience, and from the stupid amount of reading I do here .... it depends on if its a 3 or a 5 ... and it depends on the park.

Epcot on a 5, not much of a chance. AK on a 5 later afternoon, there should be a ton of walk on stuff you probably wont even need FPs for. MK on a 5 ... hit or miss, at least until wishes, beyond that (park hours allowing) things should be pretty nice.

Any of those on a True 3 day, should be availability, and you might not need it.

Also depends on the rides you are looking at.

 

[Shaden]

Also, only have 2 in your party will make it easier, the more people the harder it is to find additional FPs.

I would be interested in reading a Trip Report from you though, Our trips are usually half just my wife and I, the other half big family styles. So your experience will be similar to ours I would imagine.

We had some good luck with the 4th and beyond FPs in MK. Epcot and HS to a lesser extent were really the only huge issues. It was just more of a hassle to be bouncing between attractions and the Kiosk, sometimes having to wait in lines, that was the worst part. And criss crossing the parks depending on what we got from the kiosk, since you don't know until you are there.

That being said, if the crowds are low, and SB times are pretty good it might not be worth it to go for the FP. IF the SB line is 15 or 20 mins, but you have to walk over to a kiosk, potentially stand in line, and then SEE if there is FP availability for what you want ... you might just be better going SB.

 

[Shaden]

If your plan is to hope, I would recommend using FP in Epcot and HS and then hopping to MK or AK ... you are going to find more availability there later in the day.

 

[gellar]

This is my plan with the park's estimated crowd level (according to touringplans.com) for that day in parenthesis. Our hop to park is a recommended park for that day according to easywdw.com

Sun- EMH@ AK(7) hop to Epcot(6) planned on strolling WS this heavier day *1st 3 FP @ AK, then Epcot WS strolling
Mon- EMH@ EP(5) hop to HS(3) we only want to do a couple things here and leave, and back to Epcot to stroll and end with Illuminations *3 FP @ HS
Tues- Epcot(4) hop to MK(4) *3 FP @ Epcot
Wed- EMH@ AK(3) hop to MK(4) *not sure on FP priority this day
Thurs- EMH@MK(4) hop to Epcot(3) *We have a lunch ADR at BOG and FPs scheduled at MK

We will be early waiting for the parks to open each morning. We want to spend a large amount of time at Epcot. We have FP for our must rides, but plenty of strolling and IllumiNations are high on our list of importance trip wide. I'd love to snatch an additional FP or 2 the evenings we hop to Epcot, but won't be disappointed if we can't. We barely want to be at HS and considered not going at all, but a trip to WDW without seeing our beloved Muppets 3D wouldn't be a trip at all. We love AK so one visit isn't enough. MK is so ride heavy that I think being there 3x is enough to make it more casual and less rushed.

How does my plan look?

 

[gellar]

I'm hoping that SB will be short most of the days and we won't need to bother with extra FPs. ***Fingers crossed!

 

[Lorelai]

Not trying to hijack your thread, but I am about to plan my family's first FP+ trip and I think your plan looks great! My question to you is, how far in advance can you make the FP+ reservations? Did you order your tickets online, then start booking meals and FP+ as soon as they arrived, or is it a 120, 90, 60, whatever day window? Thanks & have a magical trip

 

[Angel Ariel]

Not trying to hijack your thread, but I am about to plan my family's first FP+ trip and I think your plan looks great! My question to you is, how far in advance can you make the FP+ reservations? Did you order your tickets online, then start booking meals and FP+ as soon as they arrived, or is it a 120, 90, 60, whatever day window? Thanks & have a magical trip

The fp+ booking opens at 60 days for guests staying at Disney hotels and 30 days for those staying offsite (including SOG).

 

[nilla]

When will you be there? We were in WDW in May last year, after Spring Break and before end of school. It was not uncommon for us to finish the day having used 6 or more FastPasses.

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

We've had very good luck with MK for obtaining extra FP In fact I often plan MK as our 2nd park for that reason. AK also has fairly good availability. Key thing with getting extra FP (IMO) is aim for a FP that is good immediately or close to it - use it then get another one. If you select a FP that is available later in the day back out of that screen and try for something else that has a window open sooner.

 

[tink9702]

On the Wednesday I'd pick FP+ for MK, not AK. on a day when you do AK with EMH I just don't see needing FP+. Plus you already have FP+ at AK on your first day.

You are not likely to find availability of 4th FP+ for Soarin', Test Track, parades, wishes, Toy Story Midway Mania, Anna&Elsa, 7 Dwarfs. Depends on the exact day if you're looking for Space, Splash, Big thunder, Rock n'roller, Tower of Terror. You are much more likely to find rides like Jungle Cruise, Dumbo and the secondary rides.

 

[gellar]

Thanks for all the replies!

We will be there the last week of April. Angel Ariel is right. FP can be scheduled 30 days out if you're staying offsite, and 60 days out if you're staying onsite. I purchased my tickets from undercovertourist.com, and entered the ticket info when they came in the mail. We had to wait about a week to hit our 60 day mark. Now, at a little over 30 days out, there's still tons of FP options available. (I'm interested in seeing if there's a huge change after I pass the 30 day mark.) We aren't doing any characters though, so I'm not sure if we missed Anna & Elsa availability. We got lucky with our lunch ADR, as BOG lunch ADR became a thing after we planned our trip (We decided to go much less than 180 days out so we couldn't get BOG dinner ADR).

 

[siskaren]

Not trying to hijack your thread, but I am about to plan my family's first FP+ trip and I think your plan looks great! My question to you is, how far in advance can you make the FP+ reservations? Did you order your tickets online, then start booking meals and FP+ as soon as they arrived, or is it a 120, 90, 60, whatever day window? Thanks & have a magical trip

I would highly recommend reading the first two posts of this thread:

http://www.disboards.com/threads/fa...ed-priorities-and-strategies-part-ii.3326057/

 

[Cloudless Nights]

Honestly, we never do FP+ at AK. Get there at opening, go right on Safari, then move to Everest and Dinosaur (even in the summer). We then hop to another park in the afternoon, with FP+ already lined up there.

 

[Lorelai]

I would highly recommend reading the first two posts of this thread:

http://www.disboards.com/threads/fa...ed-priorities-and-strategies-part-ii.3326057/

Thank you!!

 

[JennyDrake]

I've been there the last week of April the last 3 years and honey, no park has been a '3.' IMHO you should plan on crowd levels of 5-7. Last year headliners had wait times of 50-70 minutes at 11:00 am.

 

[gellar]

Even at a 3 crowd level, the headliners will be at a 50-70 minute wait time in the afternoon. That's what makes them headliners, honey.