Booking FP's now - puzzled by Epcot

[Anal Annie]

So we don't normally waste FP's at Epcot because of the whole tiering system but this will be our first time going with our DS (home on winter break from college) since the new Soarin' film started and the new FEA ride opened. Thought we should probably use some FP's this time. ANYWAY, here's my confusion. Booking on Saturday 1/7 and the park hours list 9:00 as closing. I thought Illuminations was ALWAYS at 9:00 regardless of closing time HOWEVER it just let me book a FP for Illuminations at 9:40-9:55 & it says the "start time" for the event FP is 10:00. What's going on? That's got to be a messed up mistake, right? Like I don't REALLY have a FP for it do I? I have double checked the park hours and it says 9:00.

 

[Anal Annie]

NEVERMIND. I just figured it out. SOMEHOW my date got changed and it booked the FP for TOMORRRRRRROW not January 7th. I really hate this system.

AND Illuminations is already NOT AVAILABLE for my date. How is THAT possible? It's available for TOMORROW night but not Jan. 7th? That's messed up.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Just an FYI Illuminations is not always at 9pm.

January 7th is Marathon weekend. Perhaps that is why Illuminations already has no FP+ availability?

Why waste a FP+ on Illuminations anyways?
You should easily be able to find a good viewing spot without a FP+.
You mentioned having not gon on the new Soarin' or FEA so why would you not try to get a tier 1 FP+ for one of those?

 

[Anal Annie]

Just an FYI Illuminations is not always at 9pm.

January 7th is Marathon weekend. Perhaps that is why Illuminations already has no FP+ availability?

Why waste a FP+ on Illuminations anyways?
You should easily be able to find a good viewing spot without a FP+.
You mentioned having not gon on the new Soarin' or FEA so why would you not try to get a tier 1 FP+ for one of those?

I am aware that it is marathon weekend. I already booked FEA as I figured the wait times might be more manageable for Soarin' with the new theater. We usually do Epcot mornings and book our FP's at our afternoon / evening park. We don't usually waste them at Epcot AT ALL because of the tiering thing. You can't do TT, Soarin and FEA together and there's no need for FP's on any of the stuff that's left. We usually single rider TT & Mission Space is not a must-do. Neither is Spaceship Earth or anything else. Ellen is good for a nap. Just thought it might be nice if we're burning FP's at Epcot in order to ride FEA it would be nice to book one for Illuminations for a change. We've seen it dozens of times but always just stop to watch it wherever we are. Sometimes we have a good spot & sometimes we don't. The booking window just opened for our dates this morning - I was just surprised that all of the Illuminations ones were gone within the first hour.

 

[ajenali]

Am I booking FP wrong? I am going marathon weekend and it doesnt give me any options to book any FP for January, it only gives me up thru December. Am I doing it wrong?

 

[Anal Annie]

Am I booking FP wrong? I am going marathon weekend and it doesnt give me any options to book any FP for January, it only gives me up thru December. Am I doing it wrong?

It won't allow you to book until you hit exactly 60 days from your res. Since Dec. has 31 days you probably just need to allow another day or so. We're going Jan. 3rd but my window didn't open until Nov. 4th. Yesterday I still couldn't book - my window opened this morning.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

I am aware that it is marathon weekend. I already booked FEA as I figured the wait times might be more manageable for Soarin' with the new theater. We usually do Epcot mornings and book our FP's at our afternoon / evening park. We don't usually waste them at Epcot AT ALL because of the tiering thing. You can't do TT, Soarin and FEA together and there's no need for FP's on any of the stuff that's left. We usually single rider TT & Mission Space is not a must-do. Neither is Spaceship Earth or anything else. Ellen is good for a nap. Just thought it might be nice if we're burning FP's at Epcot in order to ride FEA it would be nice to book one for Illuminations for a change. We've seen it dozens of times but always just stop to watch it wherever we are. Sometimes we have a good spot & sometimes we don't. The booking window just opened for our dates this morning - I was just surprised that all of the Illuminations ones were gone within the first hour.

I assume you do know that you cannot book Illuminations if you have already booked FEA right?
Maybe that's the problem? Maybe you booked FEA and then went to see what was available for Illuminations?

If Illuminations is something that you want a good viewing spot for during this trip then I'd suggest just finding a spot about 30 minutes piror.
Illuminations is a must do for my family every time. We've seen it dozens of times and still want to have a good viewing spot.
We don't mind wiating a little while in order to get one.

Tiering isn't something I enjoy but I realize that it is necessary at Epcot and HS. If you didn't have tiering at Epcot everyone would choose TT, Soarin', and FEA which would make those FP+ options disappear even faster.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Am I booking FP wrong? I am going marathon weekend and it doesnt give me any options to book any FP for January, it only gives me up thru December. Am I doing it wrong?

Are you staying onsite or offsite?
Onsite FP+ booking window opens at 7am eastern exactly 60 days form your check in date.
Offsite FP+ booking opens 30 days prior to the date you want to go to a park and then you can only book one day at a time.

 

[Anal Annie]

Are you staying onsite or offsite?
Onsite FP+ booking window opens at 6am eastern exactly 60 days form your check in date.
Offsite FP+ booking opens 30 days prior to the date you want to go to a park and then you can only book one day at a time.

Ooops wrong answer. Uggg. Never mind.

 

[Anal Annie]

I assume you do know that you cannot book Illuminations if you have already booked FEA right?
Maybe that's the problem? Maybe you booked FEA and then went to see what was available for Illuminations?

If Illuminations is something that you want a good viewing spot for during this trip then I'd suggest just finding a spot about 30 minutes piror.
Illuminations is a must do for my family every time. We've seen it dozens of times and still want to have a good viewing spot.
We don't mind wiating a little while in order to get one.

Tiering isn't something I enjoy but I realize that it is necessary at Epcot and HS. If you didn't have tiering at Epcot everyone would choose TT, Soarin', and FEA which would make those FP+ options disappear even faster.

Actually no, I didn't realize that Illuminations was tied into the FEA FP tier bcuz we never book them at EP. Does that mean if I booked Soarin instead that Illuminations would be an option? We just don't usually waste our FP's at Epcot at all but I don't want to stand in some horrendous line for FEA...

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Actually no, I didn't realize that Illuminations was tied into the FEA FP tier bcuz we never book them at EP. Does that mean if I booked Soarin instead that Illuminations would be an option? We just don't usually waste our FP's at Epcot at all but I don't want to stand in some horrendous line for FEA...

You get 1 tier 1 and 2 tier 2's.
Illuminations is a tier 1 FP+ so you cannot book it if you have any other tier 1 FP+ booked.
Soarin' is a tier 1 so no you would still not be able to book an Illuminations FP+ if you switched from FEA to Soarin'.

 

[Anal Annie]

You get 1 tier 1 and 2 tier 2's.
Illuminations is a tier 1 FP+ so you cannot book it if you have any other tier 1 FP+ booked.
Soarin' is a tier 1 so no you would still not be able to book an Illuminations FP+ if you switched from FEA to Soarin'.

So basically this confirms why we don't usually book FP's in EP - there's nothing we want in Tier 2. thx.

 

[ArielSRL]

You only have to book 1 FP, if that's all you want.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

But you won't be able to look for availability for any Tier 1 FP+ after that first one UNLESS you use 2 Tier 2 first/book 2 T2 and let their times pass first.