Advice on happy touring without FP? (gasp!!!)

[Mrs~Incredible]

Booking 1 set of FP doesn't require constantly looking at phone and refreshing FP[/QUOTE

Booking 1 set of FP doesn't require constantly looking at phone and refreshing FP

you are right!

I get so sucked in when I’m there.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

Booking 1 set of FP doesn't require constantly looking at phone and refreshing FP

No it doesn't. But it sounds like her husband is worried that it won't just be booking one set of fast passes.

Yeah, I think I’m all reality we will have a few FPs for a couple of high priority rides, and then maybe once we know where we are headed we can schedule a few more
Dh just doesn’t want to feel tied to our FP ressies. Even though we’ve altered from them in the past, I think it’s a mental thing to just have a wide open day.

I think the biggest issue is me constantly refreshing and getting FPs in the Park once we are there. It’s fun for me, almost like a game- but I would like to see If I can be more in the moment this trip without my nose in mde all the day long.

Exactly. I like the idea that you either turn off the phone or pass it to your husband.

 

[sweetnjmom]

My husband asked that I not over-plan for our upcoming trip this August (we have one child, a son who will be 9). He wants to be more spontaneous and go with the flow, for the most part. Though he agrees with me that we need to plan the 3 fastpasses per day (on the earlier side) and since we'll want to see Pandora and Toy Story Land, we'll do our best to make those fastpasses. I think a balance between constantly refreshing your phone for FP times and being completely unplanned is the way to go.

 

[Mrs~Incredible]

These are great responses everyone.

I know rope drop will be key, that is our favorite time of day to be in the parks.

I think I can talk Dh into a few key preplanned FPs (I’m looking at you, fop if I can ever get you).

But wondering if I can:
A. Pick a park that morning and schedule FPs that day on our way here (the mere thought has me in a cold sweat)

b. Not do the constant refresh. I think I have a problem. I can actually see myself sneaking into the bathroom to check for FPs for test track

Would love to hear stories of fun times winging it, and steps I can take to let go of my planning mania. I want to do this.

 

[Mrs~Incredible]

No it doesn't. But it sounds like her husband is worried that it won't just be booking one set of fast passes.

Exactly. I like the idea that you either turn off the phone or pass it to your husband.

You might be right! I want to suck up and drink in every second, I want to wander the world showcase and come upon performers, I want to notice things I may have missed before.

 

[Mrs~Incredible]

I am going the same period this year.

I expect it to be crowded Nov. 9-12 due to the Veteran's Day holiday weekend (it's why we are going .. I am off work and my son is off school that Monday), but I plan on hitting the majority of the parks 13th-15th.

Here is how I've gone in the past few years, and how I will probably due it this November.

Just do rope drop and book three fast passes for the hours before lunch (one after the other) in the same "area" of the park. No need to be checking your phone because your morning is planned out. Hit nearby rides between the fast past times. If you think you'll miss one ... just let it be. It's OK to miss a fast pass (you didn't pay for it). Let the rest of your day be flexible. If you are looking to go on a ride in the afternoon check for a fast pass, if not, no big deal, but no need to be on the phone all the time trying to be efficient.

Fast Passing can get tiring if you find yourself running from one to the other .. across the park. Not fun.

An example of my "flexible" fast pass use from my trip with my 3yo and his cousins in 2015:

I planned my 3 morning fast passes simply based on how I want to tour the park (the direction I want to travel).
So I did this last trip to MK, for example.
Do EMH -- head to Tomorrowland and spend the first hour there, hitting Buzz, People Mover, Speedway, Teacups, and Little Mermaid (see how I am starting to work towards Fantasyland?).
Once EMH is over, do my fast passes:
1) Belle .. then hit things like the carousel, Philharmagic, while waiting for next one.
2) Peter Pan (while the girls hit Fairy Tale hall), hit Small World or Pooh in between or check out some shops, get some snacks.
3) SDMT
Lunch at Be Our Guest.

That was our morning. No pressure .. no running to get to a FP before it expires (since they are all right there). Did some quick rides, etc.

It rained in the afternoon so we went back to resort for break, came back before dinner and just "winged" the rest of the evening. Dinner, Dumbo, Goofy, Buzz again, Incredibles dance party, watch the fireworks, etc. We stumbled upon the Incredibles Dance Party because of this flexibility. I didn't really know it existed, nor did I have it planned. We just stumbled upon it because my son wanted to do Buzz again. It was probably the highlight of the day as the little kids just enjoyed the music while the parents enjoyed the joy on their little faces.

I am going the same period this year.

I expect it to be crowded Nov. 9-12 due to the Veteran's Day holiday weekend (it's why we are going .. I am off work and my son is off school that Monday), but I plan on hitting the majority of the parks 13th-15th.

Here is how I've gone in the past few years, and how I will probably due it this November.

Just do rope drop and book three fast passes for the hours before lunch (one after the other) in the same "area" of the park. No need to be checking your phone because your morning is planned out. Hit nearby rides between the fast past times. If you think you'll miss one ... just let it be. It's OK to miss a fast pass (you didn't pay for it). Let the rest of your day be flexible. If you are looking to go on a ride in the afternoon check for a fast pass, if not, no big deal, but no need to be on the phone all the time trying to be efficient.

Fast Passing can get tiring if you find yourself running from one to the other .. across the park. Not fun.

An example of my "flexible" fast pass use from my trip with my 3yo and his cousins in 2015:

I planned my 3 morning fast passes simply based on how I want to tour the park (the direction I want to travel).
So I did this last trip to MK, for example.
Do EMH -- head to Tomorrowland and spend the first hour there, hitting Buzz, People Mover, Speedway, Teacups, and Little Mermaid (see how I am starting to work towards Fantasyland?).
Once EMH is over, do my fast passes:
1) Belle .. then hit things like the carousel, Philharmagic, while waiting for next one.
2) Peter Pan (while the girls hit Fairy Tale hall), hit Small World or Pooh in between or check out some shops, get some snacks.
3) SDMT
Lunch at Be Our Guest.

That was our morning. No pressure .. no running to get to a FP before it expires (since they are all right there). Did some quick rides, etc.

It rained in the afternoon so we went back to resort for break, came back before dinner and just "winged" the rest of the evening. Dinner, Dumbo, Goofy, Buzz again, Incredibles dance party, watch the fireworks, etc. We stumbled upon the Incredibles Dance Party because of this flexibility. I didn't really know it existed, nor did I have it planned. We just stumbled upon it because my son wanted to do Buzz again. It was probably the highlight of the day as the little kids just enjoyed the music while the parents enjoyed the joy on their little faces.

thanks for your response, those moments are definitely the best!!!

 

[FloridaNative8]

I am a color-coded-spreadsheet-loving planner. I mean, down to outfits for vacations! That being said, I typically schedule 3 FP for attractions I know are "not to miss" for us, and I try to stagger them out. However, if we're not feeling it that particular day, we just cancel and go on to what we want to do. I feel like it's a great blend of planning and free flow.

There are so many great things to see and experience when you take your time to really explore the parks. Like you said - the performers in World Showcase, happening upon characters on Main Street, walking all the little trails on Tom Sawyer's Island - those have been some of my favorite moments!

 

[AngiTN]

These are great responses everyone.

I know rope drop will be key, that is our favorite time of day to be in the parks.

I think I can talk Dh into a few key preplanned FPs (I’m looking at you, fop if I can ever get you).

But wondering if I can:
A. Pick a park that morning and schedule FPs that day on our way here (the mere thought has me in a cold sweat)

b. Not do the constant refresh. I think I have a problem. I can actually see myself sneaking into the bathroom to check for FPs for test track

Would love to hear stories of fun times winging it, and steps I can take to let go of my planning mania. I want to do this.

A. It's not bad at all. We change our plans day of often. We'll get up and opt to do a different park that day, for whatever reason. I'll move our FP from the original park to the new park while waiting on the bus. Even in the summer when it's busy. This is really not hard to do and there are plenty of FP there to pick from. As I look at it, time is money at Disney. If I equate out how much each hour of park time costs us I'd be wasting a whole lot of money not making a FP and standing in line instead.
B. Maybe turn your phone over to your DH to hold for you? Take away the temptation.

 

[tlmadden73]

There is definitely pressure to try and "game the system" for those who know the system. Refreshing and getting a same day fast pass for a high-demand attraction feels like you are winning the lottery. It is hard to resist.

The only way to really be flexible and not worry about Fast Passes in general is:
1) Go for frequent, but shorter trips, knowing you can't do it all. So, if you have to wait in long lines, you can do new stuff next trip.
2) Go for an epic 10+ day trip where you have 2-3 days in each park .. hitting a key ride or two and just spending the rest of the day enjoy the non-ride stuff.
3) Get an annual pass, so you feel less pressure to get it done in your scheduled days. You feel less pressure to go morning to night and talking relaxing half-days in the parks is fine too since you can come back any day.

Since I can't imagine the cost of a giant 10-day trip, I've been doing short 2-park day trips about every year and half since 2014. Knowing we would go back soon, I wasn't worried if we missed attractions or didn't have efficient fast passes.

Now that there is new stuff to see (Pandora, Toy Story Land), I am upping our next trip (in Nov. 2018) to 4 days, and potentially getting an AP to come back again in the Spring and Fall of 2019. So there still won't be pressure to do it "all" this trip.

I feel bad for my daughter though (who will be 2) .. we "took it easy" (didn't want to wear him out) when my son was 2, 3 and 4 with those short 2-day trips and I am about to subject her to 8+ days of Disney in the course of 1 year. Heh. I guess that is true for most "Disney" second children.