Conclusion-FP+ reserving ahead is not necessary.

[jade1]

See the thing is, all we really did was report back what transpired Easter week (and the 3 trips before that) with either minimal FP+ planning, or none at all.

This is information some may want, some may not, some may like, some may hate. They were all pretty last minute trips anyway.

But hopefully everyone can draw their own "conclusions' on what to do going forward.

Like our conclusion is the trips were far better than ever with FP+ and didn't need to reserve them ahead. Reserving them ahead would not have made them better actually. The times we got were well within windows we wanted. And we did use FP+ every day. Not just a couple days, not just the less busy days, were talking the 3 peak weeks of the year and one spring break week.

If we had had minimal FP+ success-we would not have gone back 3 times after Thanksgiving. Why would we do that? And certainly why would we not report that. Mostly why wouldn't that be at least kinda good news on here?

Its information-nobody has to do it. As other I and others have said-why would you do it if you can schedule ahead? MOST SHOULD/CAN. We had minimal time to schedule, and then purposely didn't the last couple trips-just to see what we could get in the parks.

Even the "sick and missed the one day you had scheduled FP+ for TSM" should be discussed-it's a great example/hurdle for some. Probably not for everyone-if you really think about how many people have one day there, actually do get sick or miss it, do not have a hopper or AP. But regardless-what can you do to avoid that from happening.

1) We went with no FP+ scheduled (although it was last minute so wouldn't have mattered). We did not have a "DHS" day scheduled, so no chance of missing TSM.

2) Buy a hopper (or add hopping if this happens) or AP, schedule your FP+'s for mid morning/late morning/afternoon or evening. That way if you miss TSM-you can RD it (and maybe do more DHS) before going to the scheduled park.

3) If you only have one day at each park, and FP+ scheduled-getting sick will miss an entire park anyway, a risk you have to take. But if you get sick on DHS, and want to switch it with AK for example-just reschedule it on the app. If nothing is available-just RD TSM like we did Easter week on your AK day instead.

4) Like mom2rtk said-just add another DHS day later in the week, if no TSM FP+ just RD it like we did Easter week, and if you want-do TSM/RNR/TOT in 45 minutes Peak week.

For some, if they miss doing TSMM on their day at DHS, it's just not a big deal. They'll be back next week (local AP holders) or in a few months (for the frequent traveler).

If your kid gets sick on the one day you had scheduled for DHS but you won't be back for years, it's a whole other ballgame. With legacy FP, you could regroup and decide to add in another day at DHS later in the week. Now with people having booked FPs for that ride for 60+ days already, it really complicates things.

 

[IBFW]

PS Not sure if you are just new to join or new overall but "misleading" titles are a norm, it's marketing their post. There are many posters on here that are here to help, here to share, here to complain, here to antagonize, here to have fun and ............. it takes time to figure out and from time-to-time you will need your body armor.

Welcome to DIS

I'm familiar with forum decorum and many that I participate on would have a misleading thread topic edited by a moderator. Thanks for explaining that isn't the case here, I'll certainly have to take such seemingly definitive claims with a grain of salt.

Like when people tell me that there are an abundance of misleading thread topics but this one isn't.

 

[KrazeeK120]

DH and I just booked our Memorial Day weekend trip last night. He wants to ride 7DMT (I can't because I'm pregnant). I told him I'd try to get a FP+ for him, but at 33 days out from a holiday weekend trip, I was sure they'd be out. Nope - I had choices throughout the whole day. I wasn't really worried about getting FP+ for anything else that we wanted (we're not seeing A&E).

Unless you're going for A&E, there's no reason to worry and fret about being online 60 days out from your trip most times of the year. Lots of FP+ options will be available, even as you get closer to your trip. I do think it's prudent to get FP+ prior to going to the park for the day because you don't know what sorts of snags you may run into. But for the most part, losing sleep 60 days out isn't necessary.

 

[momof2n2]

Conclusion?
This thread is now on life-support.
Folks showing up at the parks today without previously reserved FP+ are sorely out of luck.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Conclusion?
This thread is now on life-support.
Folks showing up at the parks today without previously reserved FP+ are sorely out of luck.

Conclusion--there is still standby.

 

[momof2n2]

Conclusion--there is still standby.

for sure - but that's not the title of this thread.

 

[lauradis]

Conclusion?
This thread is now on life-support.
Folks showing up at the parks today without previously reserved FP+ are sorely out of luck.

It is the op conclusion from their experience, which is valid.

Every experience is valid, be it what you would decide for your group or not.

Be it current fp + system off line all day till about hour or so ago.

Be it fp + not showing up in MDE in the first couple of months all the time or randomly now.

Every experience is information, that helps use understand it better and one day beat/cheat the system for what each of use whats for your trip. period.

 

[larryz]

Conclusion--there is still standby.

For you and all the day guests who didn't reserve 30 days out...

But it'll sure be "spontaneous," as long as your idea of spontaneous includes standing in line.

 

[Cee]

Completely agree. We never used FP before and now with FP+, I wait until the day before or the morning of going to a specific park and reserve. It continues to allow for SOME spontaneity. So far, so good.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

For you and all the day guests who didn't reserve 30 days out...

But it'll sure be "spontaneous," as long as your idea of spontaneous includes standing in line.

I've been going since 1972 and standing in line is the Disney way of life for us. The sad part is now the standby lines are longer, but after having a miserable time last year trying to conform to predetermined (months ahead) fps and ADRs, we were truly happy once we dropped all our plans and just went on the fly. Just as the OP did, we booked fps day by day. Didn't get everything but we had a much better time! That's what works for our family.

 

[MrInfinity]

Your missing the op point, she is say to most of the regular visitors stop freaking out, its not the end of the world.

If I really wanted to know about disney planning for fp+ all I have to do is a simple google search.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Best+day+to+attend+MVMCP&oq=Best+day+to+attend+MVMCP&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i60&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8#q=fast pass planning

Or simply make an acct here and ask what ever you want to know.

Everyone has a different style of touring and there is no right answer, except for your own party.

OP cant help it if people don't simply take the time to info them selves on all aspects of FP+.

I commend the OP for going against the current freak out to give us information oh how their FP+ went. So again op thank you.

I have to agree... w this, and the original post. I've been going to WDW for a long time... one time we went and had no ADRs, cuz we'd been going to DL and there you reserved things day-of. We were surprised that we were blocked out of several of our first choices to eat, but it was not in any way a game-changer. We just made a mental note, and booked them next time. Our trip was no worse. And we're not regular goers that can just go back in a couple weeks... we only go every 2 years or so.

And it's the same thing w FastPass. The bulk of visitors are not staying up till midnight, nor calculating their exact 60-day mark on which to select them. And you do not have to, and these guests have amazing times.

Even given all that, There is still a small set of uber-planners, that love to detail out everything about their trip. These guests find their way to boards like this, and they ask the questions they need, and they find the tricks that get them a little edge. Just like they did with FP-. These guests might pick up that they can get that extra A&E by being prmompt. Or that they can get the perfectly aligning back to back slots, or whatever it is they seek. But this is a niche thing, and that is evidenced by the fact that booking at 60-days does get you what you want. Obviously most guests are not doing this, else A&E would become a lottery essentially, not something you can book w certainty just by being early.

So the natural conclusion is, if you want to book at 60 days, by all means do so! If you do not want to, then there is no pressure to. Most guests will still get everything that will make for a happy trip, as it's been posted over and over that ppl get plenty at 30 days or less. You certainly cannot conclude "to have a good time at Disney World one must book rides at 60 days". That would be completely false.

If you want to go last minute and wing it, that's totally fine too. I'm not one to say I should never wait in a line ever... especially at-- Disney World. There are millions of guests there competing for the same rides, so if you want to just show up and be one of the unplanned masses, that's fine too. Many people really are content to just go.

I think a lot of folks out here make the mistake of thinking the typical guest is like them - i.e. a super-planner. It's really not.. Most guests do not do this level of planning or research, and vacations are things people just book and go to. There are many types of visitors, and FP+ does a good job of accommodating them all -- much better than FP- did. Out here, you're talking about the subset of guests that do the MOST planning of all guests. Say, the top 5% or 1% or whatever. So you have to consider when you make a post out here, you're addressing ultra-planners by default. To tell this group of ppl you do not need to plan is debatable. We're here because we plan. But guests in general do not need to, and do not do, the same amount of planning.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I know someone who went in the fall. First time with her kids, who are 8 and 6. She didn't plan in time and didn't get a FP for 7DMT. Then during their MK day, the wait was really long and her kids couldn't wait and they decided to bail. I asked her when she got back, how was your trip, and the first thing she said was, "Ugh, so annoying. We didn't get to ride the new ride because I didn't get a FP in time."

So maybe people don't plan like us crazies on the Disboards but it doesn't mean they are more satisfied with their trips either.

 

[itchin2go]

Your missing the op point, she is say to most of the regular visitors stop freaking out, its not the end of the world.

To play devil's advocate, I would say truly "regular" visitors already know that.

I am very interested in the OP's experiences. However, we're back to that misleading thread title that got a lot of us twisted up in the first place.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I think a lot of folks out here make the mistake of thinking the typical guest is like them - i.e. a super-planner. It's really not.. Most guests do not do this level of planning or research, and vacations are things people just book and go to. There are many types of visitors, and FP+ does a good job of accommodating them all -- much better than FP- did. Out here, you're talking about the subset of guests that do the MOST planning of all guests. Say, the top 5% or 1% or whatever. So you have to consider when you make a post out here, you're addressing ultra-planners by default. To tell this group of ppl you do not need to plan is debatable. We're here because we plan. But guests in general do not need to, and do not do, the same amount of planning.

Overall , I think this is a great post, but I'm not sure I agree with this paragraph. I would not rank myself as a typical DIS uber-planner. We say, try to arrive by 9:30am at the latest, but rarely make actual rope drop. We're also done plenty of late arrival days, and days with no plan.
That said, I'm not fan of the FP+. I disagree that FP+ works better. We thought touring was far more relaxing in the old days.

But really, I'm only posting here to say, we're US converts. Touring US/IoA with on-site perks is awesome! We just did what we wanted when we wanted, and that included eating! No ADR's, no no-show fee, no following a stupid meal plan. We got hungry, and sat down to eat! We put almost no planning into where we went, and still managed to avoid long lines for anything.

For me, pre-booking online from home isn't that hard, it's the follow-up. I hate that often the bus is a no-show for 45minutes (many times), a magicband won't scan (sent to the morning GS line outside MK! 45 min -ARGH!), etc. All those unknowns mean it's hard to arrive on-time at WDW. It isn't relaxing to have our time constrained.

It's the frustration of MAKING and ADR and STILL waiting 20-50+minutes to be seated! It is SO insulting as a guest to MAKE an ADR, rush to arrive ahead of that time, then have to wait around for over half an hour! Adding insult to injury is the idea that if we are no-shows- WDW will charge us a no-show FEE! The joy of eating TS at WDW has been drained.

At US, we simply arrived where we wanted to eat. Someone greeted us right away. We sat, and had delicious food in a timely manner. We ordered what we wanted to eat- not some crazy pre-priced meal. Ahh!

 

[Mambo Junkie]

Overall , I think this is a great post, but I'm not sure I agree with this paragraph. I would not rank myself as a typical DIS uber-planner. We say, try to arrive by 9:30am at the latest, but rarely make actual rope drop. We're also done plenty of late arrival days, and days with no plan.
That said, I'm not fan of the FP+. I disagree that FP+ works better. We thought touring was far more relaxing in the old days.

But really, I'm only posting here to say, we're US converts. Touring US/IoA with on-site perks is awesome! We just did what we wanted when we wanted, and that included eating! No ADR's, no no-show fee, no following a stupid meal plan. We got hungry, and sat down to eat! We put almost no planning into where we went, and still managed to avoid long lines for anything.

For me, pre-booking online from home isn't that hard, it's the follow-up. I hate that often the bus is a no-show for 45minutes (many times), a magicband won't scan (sent to the morning GS line outside MK! 45 min -ARGH!), etc. All those unknowns mean it's hard to arrive on-time at WDW. It isn't relaxing to have our time constrained.

It's the frustration of MAKING and ADR and STILL waiting 20-50+minutes to be seated! It is SO insulting as a guest to MAKE an ADR, rush to arrive ahead of that time, then have to wait around for over half an hour! Adding insult to injury is the idea that if we are no-shows- WDW will charge us a no-show FEE! The joy of eating TS at WDW has been drained.

At US, we simply arrived where we wanted to eat. Someone greeted us right away. We sat, and had delicious food in a timely manner. We ordered what we wanted to eat- not some crazy pre-priced meal. Ahh!

Yes I think next time I go I'm staying offsite (timeshare) and booking a couple days at US. We used to do this all the time and occasionally stay onsite but the last 4 trips have been onsite. For me, fp+ is a game changer in that I want to spend LESS time in the parks, mainly because I feel it's trying to force me to spend MORE time there.