Can someone explain "refresh"?

[Surgie2]

i have an AP so I've been playing around with reserving FP ( and quickly canceling) so I can see how the system works.

Right now I have a FP for iasw tomorrow at 8:15. Pretending that I would like a different FP I clicked "refresh" above the FP. This takes me to a page where I can choose to cancel or modify the FP. If I select modify I get a list of available FP. Is this the correct way to do it?

When people say they hit refresh repeatedly I don't get what that does since after hitting it each time you have to move to a different screen, then modify, then make a new choice. I feel like I'm missing a key piece of information since this process seems a little clunky... and I'm only trying for one person, not multiple which will be my actual situation.

 

[OB1]

If you are trying to acquire a FP that is not available, the refresh allows you to keep searching for that desirable FP. So - 7 Dwarfs is not available for a given day. HOWEVER, you know that at times people cancel, or maybe a few more come open. That is why you keep searching and refreshing - in hopes that someone just dropped their FP.

 

[Tomh]

Refreshing refers to reloading the web page, searching for the results again, so that your device asks the Disney server to send it the results again. In this way, if someone happens to cancel an ADR, or FP+ which you have been looking for, you might get lucky enough to catch it just as they have cancelled it, and have the opportunity to get it yourself.

I managed to grab 3 FP+ for FoP just 45 days out from my vacation this past August using this method.

 

[Surgie2]

If you are trying to acquire a FP that is not available, the refresh allows you to keep searching for that desirable FP. So - 7 Dwarfs is not available for a given day. HOWEVER, you know that at times people cancel, or maybe a few more come open. That is why you keep searching and refreshing - in hopes that someone just dropped their FP.

So I shouldn't even be looking at my current FP reservations if I'm trying to find a hard to get one? I should go to the page as if I'm making a brand new FP reservation and keep refreshing that page? Then when I find one I want, I select it.

Let's say I have iasm and by refreshing the FP selection page 7DMT comes up. Will I be prompted to cancel one of my existing FP reservations (assuming I have 3 and I am doing this in advance of using any). Or do I choose modify and is there a way to replace iasm with 7DMT?

I know I'm making this way more complicated than it is but I want to fully understand the system before we arrive.

 

[Surgie2]

Refreshing refers to reloading the web page, searching for the results again, so that your device asks the Disney server to send it the results again. In this way, if someone happens to cancel an ADR, or FP+ which you have been looking for, you might get lucky enough to catch it just as they have cancelled it, and have the opportunity to get it yourself.

I managed to grab 3 FP+ for FoP just 45 days out from my vacation this past August using this method.

Thanks for clarifying. I thought I was supposed to be refreshing the page of my actual FP reservations since that is where I see the refresh symbol...right above my first FP reservation. Duh!

 

[Klayfish]

So I shouldn't even be looking at my current FP reservations if I'm trying to find a hard to get one? I should go to the page as if I'm making a brand new FP reservation and keep refreshing that page? Then when I find one I want, I select it.

Let's say I have iasm and by refreshing the FP selection page 7DMT comes up. Will I be prompted to cancel one of my existing FP reservations (assuming I have 3 and I am doing this in advance of using any). Or do I choose modify and is there a way to replace iasm with 7DMT?

I know I'm making this way more complicated than it is but I want to fully understand the system before we arrive.

No, if you already have 3 existing FP+, then you can't go to select a new one. You would select "modify" an existing one. Then look for a different ride, or different time for the same ride, that you may want. If you don't see anything, you can refresh or click a different time. There should be a scroll bar at the top of your screen that moves left to right or right to left. It'll have times in 30 minute increments....9:00am, 9:30am, etc... So if I don't find a new ride I want or time I want, I'll just click the next time slot, which forces it to refresh...so I'll hit 10:00am, then 9:30am, then 10:00am, etc...back and forth. Every time, it refreshes and gives you what's available that very second.

 

[iujen94]

So I shouldn't even be looking at my current FP reservations if I'm trying to find a hard to get one? I should go to the page as if I'm making a brand new FP reservation and keep refreshing that page? Then when I find one I want, I select it.

Let's say I have iasm and by refreshing the FP selection page 7DMT comes up. Will I be prompted to cancel one of my existing FP reservations (assuming I have 3 and I am doing this in advance of using any). Or do I choose modify and is there a way to replace iasm with 7DMT?

I know I'm making this way more complicated than it is but I want to fully understand the system before we arrive.

If you've already got 3 FP, start with the one you'd prefer to replace (IASW) and click "Modify." At the top of the modify choices will be different times for IASW, but below that will be other available rides. 7DMT is an annoying one to try to get because rides are listed alphabetically, so it will be way at the bottom of the list.

If you want to quickly refresh over and over, at the top of that screen there will be a list of times you'd like to check. Click on any one of those and it will refresh the page. With a ride like 7DMT, it really doesn't matter what time you click, because there will probably only be 1 choice (if any). So if you click 8am, it's going to show that 1 choice, even if it's at 10pm.

Modifying/refreshing is much easier once you get a FP for a ride and you just want to get a better time. So if you do grab a 7DMT FP for 10pm and want an earlier one, choose the Modify option for that FP. The good thing now is that, because 7DMT is the FP you want to modify, that is the first attraction that will be listed.

IMO, refreshing over and over (and over) again is most helpful the day you are in the park, because that's when people are constantly changing FPs and you'll see availability constantly changing. That's not to say I wouldn't check here and there well before that, but refreshing over and over won't be that helpful.

Be patient! In some cases, I've refreshed probably 50-100 times looking for hard to get rides during crowded park days, but I almost always manage to get what I'm looking for! This is a great way to pass the time while you are in the FP line for your third FP ride. As soon as you tap in at the Mickey head, you can start searching for your next FP.

Hope that helps!

 

[Sparkly]

Interesting knowledge, did this to a certain extent in September but didn't manage to get much. I got one FP for Little Mermaid then it said MK was out of FPs for that day

 

[scottandtisha]

I do the same thing except I just keep tapping the same time slot, which refreshes it as well.