Beyond confused with the FP System

[BrianL]

Just curious, does WDW Mgmt care about the terminology of the word "throw away" to apply to their attractions? And if everyone is using this strategy, how is it helping crowd control/management and guest enjoyment?

I have never booked an FP that I didn't actually use so I've never done a "throw away" where I tapped and didn't enter the attraction. I have booked FPs that I didn't need at all and used them when there was basically no point. I like everything and will at least enjoy the attraction since I have the FP.

 

[yulilin3]

Just curious, does WDW Mgmt care about the terminology of the word "throw away" to apply to their attractions? And if everyone is using this strategy, how is it helping crowd control/management and guest enjoyment?

WDW Management (that matters) don't read these fan forums so it means very little to them what terminology is used.

 

[DisSurfer878]

So, unless I'm missing something here. If you didn't want to see any of the tier 2 fastpasses, wouldn't it be better to book nothing except your Tier 1, use it right awY, then start getting others?

or does this loop hole not work for some reason?

 

[Beer Me]

I book all fps as early in the day as possible and use them. They could be throwaways I guess- they fall off either way - but especially for the third one, using it on time is the fastest way to get to a 4th FP and beyond. I’m looking for the next FP while in line immediately after tapping in.

Only once I’ve experienced a FP not dropping off after I’d used it and we were unable to book a 4th. It was weird. Guest services cleared it up. In fact they added an any ride fp without any prompting. A bit of pixie dust!

 

[BrianL]

So, unless I'm missing something here. If you didn't want to see any of the tier 2 fastpasses, wouldn't it be better to book nothing except your Tier 1, use it right awY, then start getting others?

or does this loop hole not work for some reason?

That would still leave you with two Tier 2 choices to make. You wouldn't be able to make another Tier 1 until those are used.

 

[Disneypro1]

FP is actually easy to me. We book the first 3 and get them all as early as possible. Then after those 3. We go from there. We go in May and get many many after the first 3. Just have to refresh and master the system. But in any case. Get the tier 2 used and early!! I still can get FP at 6 pm for a day 9 pm splash mountain. Just have to understand the process. Once you get it. It’s really easy. Always get another FP when you can. And as soon as you can.

 

[Disneypro1]

I book all fps as early in the day as possible and use them. They could be throwaways I guess- they fall off either way - but especially for the third one, using it on time is the fastest way to get to a 4th FP and beyond. I’m looking for the next FP while in line immediately after tapping in.

Only once I’ve experienced a FP not dropping off after I’d used it and we were unable to book a 4th. It was weird. Guest services cleared it up. In fact they added an any ride fp without any prompting. A bit of pixie dust!

That’s another point. Any ride FP. Those are great to get!!

 

[tink fan]

Last week I had two tier 2 fast passes that I did not use at Hollywood Studios. I did use the tier 1. The tier 2 fast passes did not disappear from “My Plans.” However after the return window passed for the third fastpass, I was able to reschedule another Tier 1 FP. After I did this the two expired FP disappeared.

 

[wisblue]

My experience has always been that once the times for the 3 original FPs have passed, whether we use them or not, the window for the additional FPs opens up. Last Saturday, because of an unfortunate overlap between our ROTR return time and a FP for Flight of Passage that we had booked two months earlier, we had to skip FOP, which would have been our third FP of the day at DAK. But, as soon as that time expired, I was able to book something for Soarin.

 

[DisneyOma]

Right I didn't want to get to into the weeds and I'm not even sure I fully understand it. Obviously to prevent abuse you can't just book two throw-a-ways, miss them, and then move on to a day of tier1 bliss. And you're correct the FP doesn't automatically pop back in as soon as you miss your scheduled window. But they also don't count as one of your lower tier FP. So say you have two tier2s and a tier1 booked, if you miss one tier 2 and make one tier2 and your tier1. You'll still need to book another tier2 before you can move on to unlimited tier1s. Im openly to thoughts from any FP experts out there on this.

I don;t think this info is correct at all - but I'm also not sure what "get to into the weeds" means either LOL!

Ah okay thats good to how its supposed to work. Unfortunately in 3 years of manipulating FP+s we've always had to "rebook" missed FPs in all parks except WDW if we wanted to book more Tier1s. I wish Disney would get it working as intended then.

What theme park besides WDW uses FP? Are you talking about Universal? Or did you mean something else?

So, unless I'm missing something here. If you didn't want to see any of the tier 2 fastpasses, wouldn't it be better to book nothing except your Tier 1, use it right awY, then start getting others?

or does this loop hole not work for some reason?

It does not work that way. You need to book 3 FP+ first, and either use them or let them expire before you can go on to get the 4th and subsequent ones.

 

[Brett Wyman]

I don;t think this info is correct at all - but I'm also not sure what "get to into the weeds" means either LOL!



What theme park besides WDW uses FP? Are you talking about Universal? Or did you mean something else?



It does not work that way. You need to book 3 FP+ first, and either use them or let them expire before you can go on to get the 4th and subsequent ones.

Sorry meant MK not WDW.

It isnt supposed to happen like that but in affect it does when the FPs don’t fall off After “letting them expire”. Which for us is every time. I didn’t even know the other way was the intended way as it never happens for us.

Im honestly surprised Disney allows you to just miss two in tiered parks.

 

[DisneyOma]

Thanks for the clarification!

Since the tier 2 FP+ aren't usually even needed to get on those attractions it's no skin off Disney's back to let them expire. They don't want to use up manpower having to deal with people who missed their FP time and needed a manual erase, etc.

 

[Brett Wyman]

Thanks for the clarification!

Since the tier 2 FP+ aren't usually even needed to get on those attractions it's no skin off Disney's back to let them expire. They don't want to use up manpower having to deal with people who missed their FP time and needed a manual erase, etc.

Im eager to try it the proper way again. I’ve ran to FP terminals many many with 4 MBs in hand just to scan them and walk away.

 

[10CJ]

Im honestly surprised Disney allows you to just miss two in tiered parks.

I am not sure if they really care. Many of the tier 2 fastpasses are not needed. What do you propose they do? People miss fastpasses for all sorts of reasons. Get to the park later than planned/get off schedule, just decide they don't want to do it (especially if kids are involved), etc. Especially at HS where many of the FPs are shows are there are short return windows it does not take much to get off schedule.

They are serving the purpose of filling up two hours of time that you can not book another FP. Sure some are tapping and modifying and getting through 3 FPs quicker than 3 hours but I don't think it is enough people to be a concern to Disney.

 

[Remy is Up]

Just curious, does WDW Mgmt care about the terminology of the word "throw away" to apply to their attractions? And if everyone is using this strategy, how is it helping crowd control/management and guest enjoyment?

90% of the people in the park have no clue how to actually use fp, must less understanding burners/throw aways and refresh.

 

[midnight star]

90% of the people in the park have no clue how to actually use fp, must less understanding burners/throw aways and refresh.

LOL! This is me. I understand most of it, but the throw aways, and tiers confuse the heck out of me! I understand refreshing though, so we will be using that method after using the 3 originals.

 

[Remy is Up]

Basic application:
If in one park that has tiers you must use one tier 1 and 2 tier twos before pulling another tier 1.
If crossing parks Tiers do not apply so you can pull tier 1 in multiple parks but you must use the one in park1 before making anything for park 2.
Example-This coming Monday on our 4 park Eride binge day ( We only do this once a year because we have APs and go a ton but we do this once a year for the fun of it), we have a 730AM for RNRC and we will do the following: Pull a boarding group for RotR, Do SDD(RD), TSM, FP for RNRC(1), and ToT, make it to Epcot by opening, RD FEA and on the way pull a Soarin(2) and Land(3).- so 2 parks, 2 tier 1 and 1 tier 2, but, we have now used our 3 and can pull anything at any park. So we will pull an SE(4), head back to Studios for the RotR Boarding Party and do Smugglers run and pull a FP for Star Tours(5) before heading to AK to pull a FP for FoP(6), do FoP and Safari, then pull and do EE(7), then Dinosaur(8) and Navi(9). Then we have after hours at MK but since we are AP Holders we will get in earlier and pull Splash(10), JC(11), HM(12)and do those in order since they eat time we dont want to take away from After hours. I figure we will go through12-15FPs and still have After Hours with no lines to knock out all we want in MK. We will likely use DAS twice- Once for Safari at AK and Once for Smugglers Run at Studios.

 

[AngiTN]

Just curious, does WDW Mgmt care about the terminology of the word "throw away" to apply to their attractions? And if everyone is using this strategy, how is it helping crowd control/management and guest enjoyment?

Honestly, doesn't matter to me if they care if someone uses the term "throw away" or not
Why should what they think matter?
My enjoyment is higher when I don't have to use a FP I don't want. Or even sometimes, a FP I opt to sleep through vs use.

 

[AngiTN]

I have never booked an FP that I didn't actually use so I've never done a "throw away" where I tapped and didn't enter the attraction. I have booked FPs that I didn't need at all and used them when there was basically no point. I like everything and will at least enjoy the attraction since I have the FP.

There's a couple of rides where I book and use FP when there's not even a stand by wait simply because the FP line is a shorter walk. Nemo and Little Mermaid both come to mind. If you use their stand by line the walk in is long and very windy, and dark. The walk in the FP line is very short. So I always stand outside those rides and book a FP for right that moment and take the short walk in.

 

[nkereina]

Just curious, does WDW Mgmt care about the terminology of the word "throw away" to apply to their attractions? And if everyone is using this strategy, how is it helping crowd control/management and guest enjoyment?

I'm sure WDW management has bigger fish to fry than worrying about what a fraction of WDW visitors sometimes call fast passes for less popular rides. And I can assure you not everyone is using this strategy. As mentioned, DisBoards represents a fraction of WDW visitors and only a fraction of people on DisBoards actually employ the strategy. Further, these fast passes are considered "throwaway" because the attractions almost always have low standby times and/or fast pass availability on demand. Its not impacting others if people book them and do not use them.