Additional Fast Pass question

[tjmw2727]

Mother Murphy! Sounds like a lot of time staring at the phone on vacation. I’m not sure I’m up for this....craving ye olde days when I didn’t have a cell on vacation!

Inga

When your reading these threads it does seem like lots of time but at least for us in practice it isn't that bad!!

We don't use phones at meals, (even counter service) or of course during rides or shows but my kids use them in line anyway so along with talking and playing things like heads up together we do often refresh for fast passes, and make that a game as well!

Once we tap into our 3rd we will take a peek to see what options there are for a 4th, book something and then take turns either trying to move that earlier or switch it for something else. I would say just a few minutes at a time and then we go on with what we are doing.

 

[goodeats]

I don't think I used the app at all in 2015. How I knew when each FP was I don't remember? Maybe I had a spreadsheet printed out? But yes, I back then we used our initial 3 and then only used standby lines (or saw a show, shopped, ate, etc).

The app seems so useful now (and maybe it was back then too?) I plan to use it through out the day. Mobile ordering, checking the itinerary, modifying FP or ADR, checking wait times, etc.

 

[MudQueen22]

It really isn't much time at all. Usually just the time it takes between tapping into the ride and getting on that same ride, I will have my next fastpass. 2-3 minutes most of the time. If I'm trying hard to get one of the more popular rides, it may take a little longer than that. But it's usually when I'm either in line for a ride or eating. Doesn't take away from my vacation even in the slightest.

This. I don't consider this being on my phone for vacation. I would consider it a waste of time if I had to run to a kiosk to get paper fast passes, where I can use my phone to "double dip" the more menial parts of a Disney vacation, which are the line waiting & booking FP+.
Also, lines aren't always entertaining, so we end up on our phones reading, pulling up games for the kids, etc.

 

[Spunky946]

Mother Murphy! Sounds like a lot of time staring at the phone on vacation. I’m not sure I’m up for this....craving ye olde days when I didn’t have a cell on vacation!

Inga

It really wasn’t. A couple of minutes here and there. Well worth it when the park is busy and you want to ride. Much better then the old system rushing about the park to just find out you can’t get a fast pass. I could have gotten more, but we left to eat dinner.

 

[Tara8595]

I've had NO luck with refreshing but I am trying to get FoP. Probably not going to happen for me.

It happened for me same day last year around that time. It does take a bit more persistence and refreshing though.

 

[Christine]

It happened for me same day last year around that time. It does take a bit more persistence and refreshing though.

My son and I refreshed almost constantly for 2 hours and our batteries were just about shot!! We then did it while standing in line whenever we could. Nothing!!

 

[Tomh]

Mother Murphy! Sounds like a lot of time staring at the phone on vacation. I’m not sure I’m up for this....craving ye olde days when I didn’t have a cell on vacation!

Inga

Well, you could forgo the 5 minutes of fiddling with the app to get a fast pass, and spend 30 or 40 minutes in a standby line waiting to go on a ride instead, if that is what you consider to be a better use of your vacation time.

 

[lilpiglet97]

Refresh has been our friend this week. Made our origional FP's at 60 days out. Then modified them. Once here, we've consistantly gotten 4, 5, 6th FP after using the origional 3. Only rides we haven't gotten 2nd time around were...FOP, SDD, and 7DMT. Everything else was easily had by refreshing the specific time.

 

[baozi]

Just a datapoint, at DLR, which still uses the same paper FP system (I do not usually buy MaxPass) where there are only FPs for major attractions, I usually get 10 at the minimum. So different people have different interest, but it is arguable that the new system is better.

 

[disneygirlsng]

Just a datapoint, at DLR, which still uses the same paper FP system (I do not usually buy MaxPass) where there are only FPs for major attractions, I usually get 10 at the minimum. So different people have different interest, but it is arguable that the new system is better.

10 is usually my minimum per day at WDW, closer to 15 at MK, mostly headliners. Plus I'd rather not have to go to an attraction just to get the FP and have to go back later to use it. Similar results, much less effort IMO.

 

[Gehrig1B]

Is this feasible even during super busy times? We will be in the parks 12/22-12/29 and obviously will book our 3 FP but do you think we will have any luck getting additional ones?

Yes, we visit the week after Christmas through NYE and have had great success getting rolling fast passes by refreshing. As so many others have said, just spend a few minutes refreshing while in the fast pass line after scanning in.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Yes I need to set boundaries . Being on my cell doesn’t feel like vacation....

You're right! Boundaries is key as it can become too easy for me to hop from FP to looking at Instagram to....... I get what you're saying for sure!!

But then, I'd rather spend a minute or 2 on the phone looking for FPs then unnecessary time waiting in lines I don't need to. The self discipline comes in putting the phone away as soon as I've booked.

The last time we went my DD and I used 8 FPs each between 9am and 3pm. More than once we pulled up a new FP as we walked to a ride, booked it, tapped our bands and passed by the 'Stand By' queue of 30 minutes or more most times.

Is it my first choice to be on my phone? Nope! But I'll choose that over waiting in lines if I don't have to. There will be enough lines that we wait in happily when there isn't an option to snag a FP.

 

[tobikaye]

Just a datapoint, at DLR, which still uses the same paper FP system (I do not usually buy MaxPass) where there are only FPs for major attractions, I usually get 10 at the minimum. So different people have different interest, but it is arguable that the new system is better.

I did quite well with the old system of FP, but I enjoy not having to walk 10 minutes out of my way for a FP. I remember wanting to pull a Dinosaur FP after doing Safari once and then planning to hit EE single rider line. About half way to Safari, I said "screw this" and didn't do Dinosaur that trip as after I did EE, I did not want to wait the additional hour for the next Dinosaur FP to be ready to use. Also, in the last 20 years, I rarely have done a 1 park per day trip, so I like being able to pull up the app and make a FP at the park I decide to head to as I am on my way there.

I do not like that I have to decide 60 days out what I want to ride when and I have at least one day each trip where I scrap all three choices and do something else. I also tend to have to change many the day before or same day. I basically use them more as a place holder until either closer to the trip or when I arrive and decide what I really want to do. I do like the flexibility of the additional FPs that I did not have with the original FP pulling method. I