Best time to schedule FPs

[RLGNC]

When we go in August, I'm planning to use the RD, afternoon break, return in evening strategy. I currently have my FPs scheduled for around 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. every day. Parks are listed right now as opening at 9:00 (will that possibly change to earlier?), so I'm thinking we will do a few rides with hopefully little standby wait between 9 and 10. So, the question is, do the 10-1 FP times make sense?

Thanks!

 

[Alice777]

Before I went in April, I asked here what was the best time to schedule FPs if we plan to do rope drop everyday (originally I had planned morning FPs) and was advised to do FP+ later afternoon since we are doing rope drop and will get much of the rides done in the morning without FP. I listend to advised from the experts here and I moved all my FPs to afternoon and it looked perfectly for us.

We were able to do alot of rides in the morning when we did rope drop and it got crowded in the afternoon so FP came really useful.

 

[gap2368]

I go a lot and do my FP starting between 10:30 and 11 I think the crowds tend to pick up around this time. if you can change your first FP it maybe better for you. also remember you can get more FP after you use your first 3

 

[RLGNC]

I go a lot and do my FP starting between 10:30 and 11 I think the crowds tend to pick up around this time. if you can change your first FP it maybe better for you. also remember you can get more FP after you use your first 3

So do you mean change my first FP to a little later?

 

[gap2368]

if you can get the same one I would most of the time the first 60 to 90 minutes the rides are short ( beside 7DMT PP ) then they pick up if you first FP is starts between 10:30 and 11 this way you can be in a line at 10:30 for a ride that is not that long get done with ride and walk over to your first FP if you first FP starts at 10 then most rides at that time will still have 10-15 minute waits

now this is just what I have experienced at the parks ( mostly MK)

 

[Parker Clan]

When we go in August we do the same strategy. Some days we do our FP's like yours and head out in the early afternoon. Other days we save our FP's for the evening so we're not rushing around after dinner
But IMO your times are good. Those are what we have for our morning / early afternoon FP's

 

[ArielSRL]

I'd say either start around 11 or schedule them after your break. We did a little of both two weeks ago.

 

[elle101me]

I have most of ours starting around 9:15-9:30 in August. We will be there at rope drop and use the first FP towards the end of the hour window. Hopefully there will be something decent to pick for the evening park after our break. We are there for two weeks so I did pick evening FP's for a couple of days.

 

[Rich M]

I am under the same dilemma for my trip. I plan on doing one park in the morning and a different park in the evening. Most people advised me to make FP+ for the evening parks since the lines will most likely be longer then at rope drop. Our strategy is to get there at rope drop do as much as we can before it gets to crazy then either go mini golf, Disney Quest, or Swim/Rest, then go to another park that evening. Most of our dining plans are in the second park of the day. I figured most of the good FP will be gone and we wouldn't have much of a chance to get them after the 3 anyway so why bother. Any thoughts?

 

[wareagle57]

Depends on if you're planning to Park Hop and it depends on which park/parks, and what time your afternoon breaks are. At MK I will usually make my FPs for between 11-2. I think 10 is too early. There are still plenty of rides with little to no wait at that time you can do. If you're staying all day or coming back earlier in the afternoon, I prefer to have them in the 3-7ish times. Basically you want them to be during the most crowded time of day that you are in the parks, which will generally be right before or right after your break.

 

[Mousefan mom]

I think your fast pass times are great! I agree, around 10-1 is when it starts picking up, and goodness knows they will probably extend hours between now and then. We personally, never seem to make the rope drop. We find going in August, the heat is overwhelming and we do a lot of nighttime touring. Fast pass or not, the afternoons can get miserable (crowded, super hot, etc.) so we go back to the room around 2-3 and relax, take a nap, and swim. We often don't get back to the parks until 6-7 and then tend to close them, hence we are not up early enough (and often we have breakfast reservations) to do the rope drop. We love evening after hours, and always take advantage of those during August trips.

 

[Rich M]

I think your fast pass times are great! I agree, around 10-1 is when it starts picking up, and goodness knows they will probably extend hours between now and then. We personally, never seem to make the rope drop. We find going in August, the heat is overwhelming and we do a lot of nighttime touring. Fast pass or not, the afternoons can get miserable (crowded, super hot, etc.) so we go back to the room around 2-3 and relax, take a nap, and swim. We often don't get back to the parks until 6-7 and then tend to close them, hence we are not up early enough (and often we have breakfast reservations) to do the rope drop. We love evening after hours, and always take advantage of those during August trips.

Have you found the lines during Evening after hours to be unmanageable?

 

[Mousefan mom]

Have you found the lines during Evening after hours to be unmanageable?

Not terribly much. Last year at Hollywood, because they closed everything down at 8:00 or so for the Fireworks, we found the lines to be crazy when it "reopened" and it was EMH (however, that was mostly the line to Toy Story ride!). I find the first 20 minutes you will have more lines because a lot of people get in them while night shows and fireworks are going on, but then it settles down real quick. We were able to literally walk on to Test Track last year just 20 minutes into EMH, etc. I am not sure, but is Hollywood still shutting everything down to prepare for the fireworks and then having it shut down another 30 minutes to follow? My general plan is to watch the nighttime show and then casually head to the attractions afterwards. Use the app and follow wait times in the evenings and you will see a lot dies down considerably during and following the night time shows.