ADVICE please--planning 1st trip to WDW since introduction of Magic Bands

[CRSTEPHE]

I am ready to plan our next trip to WDW--we have been at least 10 times over the past 12 years but this will be our first trip with MAGIC BANDS and my oldest son will be 18! So, we are a family of 4 -mom, dad, son 13 and son 18. I knew exactly how to plan in the past--now I'm second guessing everything! Looking at late July, early August 2015 dates-depends on discounts available and when son starts college. Any advice? tips? I usually know exactly how to plan and all of this new info is intimidating!

 

[CoP I Love You]

the introduction of magic bands should have absolutely nothing to do with your planning.
its just like having a key to the world card but in a bracelet form.

if you mean its your first trip with FASTPASS+ and you are having a hard time planning now that's completely different from magic bands.

it can be a bit challenging to plan the fastpass selections around everything else but it can be done quite successfully.

and you can even change fastpasses on the fly if need be.
we ended up having to change a fastpass on our last trip cuz my niece fell ill just before we were supposed to go on space mountain so we changed it for later and she felt better and we went on without incident.

my advice is just plan the way you normally would.

then think about the fastpasses from tier 1 and tier 2 that you would like most for each day and come up with a backup list and then when it comes time to make your fastpass selections you have something to work with.

I suggest that you read about the fastpass+ system and how it works so you get a feel for it.

 

[lovetoscrap]

Moved to the Theme Parks board.

 

[strawberrylilacs]

This was my first year making fastplus reservations on line. After reading many a horror story, I found it easy and user friendly (somewhat). We found out what rides individual family members did not want to miss. Figured out what and when we wanted to ride all ahead of time. Then when the window opened up did all 10 days in one sitting. Be calm, take a breath, and enjoy the Disney experience! lol

 

[memakwed]

Our trip was last Dec. with the magic bands and FP+. They shipped the bands in a timely manner and I was able to easily book FP+ online. It was before there were kiosks in the park and one morning I was able to change FP+ from the pool at the resort on our laptop. We have windows phones so we couldn't use our phones to make adjustments etc. but our laptop worked fine form the resort when we wanted to change our morning plans. Plan as you always would. Being that you have been so many times I am sure you have a routine as to what you like to do when and how you break the parks down. Apply your FP+ choices to those plans. For example we break MK into two halves and I make FP+ according to that for the day. Picking online is a piece of cake. We wore them all the time. They worked well everywhere, hotel, restaurant, parks, stores, and we even wore them swimming no worries. Plan like always.

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

My #1 suggestion to anyone using FP+ for the first time is to READ Mesaboys FP+ informational post. It is brilliantly put together and contains great information. I highly recommend it.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3326057

 

[tjmw2727]

This is just what I was going to say - definitely recommend this thread -

My #1 suggestion to anyone using FP+ for the first time is to READ Mesaboys FP+ informational post. It is brilliantly put together and contains great information. I highly recommend it.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3326057

Everything else is generally the same except your son is now an extra adult and will be charged as such (my dd just turned 18 too!). IIRC Value charges an extra 10 per night, moderate 15 and deluxe 25. If you book a suite or DVC villa there is no extra charge for the 3rd adult.

We actually switched from a traditional room at boardwalk inn to a studio villa at the boardwalk villas to save the extra adult charge as it can add up!

 

[CRSTEPHE]

Thanks for the tips. I've started reading Mesaboy's thread-wow! We are rope drop people so I've always ran into the parks, grabbed a fast pass for a headliner (to use later) and then got in standby line for another headliner. This is what I've got to figure out for this trip-do I use a fastpass early morning or do I save them for later--still reading about this. Also, I did not realize that the Deluxe resorts will charge me $25/night for an 18 year old son. Wow--we usually stay for 8 -9 nights and that is a significant cost. May have to rethink accommodations.

 

[Vowelmommy]

Thanks for the link to the FP+ thread. I thought I knew how to plan a Disney trip, but I'm overwhelmed at the changes in the last few years! Good thing I still have 8 months to plan and learn.

 

[patty57]

Thanks for the tips. I've started reading Mesaboy's thread-wow! We are rope drop people so I've always ran into the parks, grabbed a fast pass for a headliner (to use later) and then got in standby line for another headliner. This is what I've got to figure out for this trip-do I use a fastpass early morning or do I save them for later--still reading about this. Also, I did not realize that the Deluxe resorts will charge me $25/night for an 18 year old son. Wow--we usually stay for 8 -9 nights and that is a significant cost. May have to rethink accommodations.

I believe the DVC resorts don't charge more for extra adults.

 

[Bete]

Thanks for the tips. I've started reading Mesaboy's thread-wow! We are rope drop people so I've always ran into the parks, grabbed a fast pass for a headliner (to use later) and then got in standby line for another headliner. This is what I've got to figure out for this trip-do I use a fastpass early morning or do I save them for later--still reading about this. Also, I did not realize that the Deluxe resorts will charge me $25/night for an 18 year old son. Wow--we usually stay for 8 -9 nights and that is a significant cost. May have to rethink accommodations.

I've been to Disney World over 40 times through the years and I feel for us Fastpass+ is a whole new ball game.

If you spend a good amount of time at the parks, then the strategy has changed to get the most out of the parks. If you are early risers I feel the best strategy is to go to the extra morning magic hour park and wing it for the morning. Hit the front of the park with stand by and make your way to the back of the park by the time the general public gets into the front area. Now, enjoy the back of the park with standby for about an hour or two. By late morning or early afternoon is when I would utilize fastpass+.

 

[tjmw2727]

ITA re our newly turned "adults" but in order for things to be correct with MDE the age has to be correct and technically they are now adults and not eligible to stay free with a parent.

FWIW we did enjoy the space in the boardwalk studio villa over the typical resort room and the mini kitchenette area was nice. As I mentioned above if you choose the vilas instead of the regular resorts there are no extra adult charges. Also the cabins and the new "suites" at the value resorts won't charge the extra adult fee.

We are still trying to figure out if we like to rope drop - rest and then using our FP+ in the later afternoon evening or book morning FP+ and then try for additional FP+ later. I have booked a combination of those for our next trip !

Thanks for the tips. I've started reading Mesaboy's thread-wow! We are rope drop people so I've always ran into the parks, grabbed a fast pass for a headliner (to use later) and then got in standby line for another headliner. This is what I've got to figure out for this trip-do I use a fastpass early morning or do I save them for later--still reading about this. Also, I did not realize that the Deluxe resorts will charge me $25/night for an 18 year old son. Wow--we usually stay for 8 -9 nights and that is a significant cost. May have to rethink accommodations.