Day trip

[Kriii]

Quick question about the new FP kiosks: Once we use the three pre-scheduled FPs, is it worth our time to get in line for the additional 3 FPs? Last time we were at WDW, the FP+ system was in test mode so we were able to get FPs from the old kiosks located outside each attraction after the pre-scheduled ones were used up. I am envisioning long lines for the 4 kiosks the park has now? The crowd level is projected to be a 7. We are only going to MK for one day on this vacation, so I'd like to use the time wisely. We've been to WDW for week long trips many times, so we know which highlights we'd like to visit and I figure that I can just check the wait times on our phone app after we use the 3 pre-scheduled passes. Any thoughts on this plan? Thank you in advance!

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

First, you don't get 3 additional FPs. You get one. Once that is used, you get another. Use that, get another. On and on. And there are certainly more than 4 kiosks in the park. Maybe there are 4 areas, but there are multiple kiosks in each area.

As for whether it's worth it, you'll need to decide for yourself when you check out the lines at the kiosks. When we were there last August we didn't encounter long lines at all. We'd wait behind maybe one other person. We'd get a FP for almost immediately, walk to the attraction and walk right on. We easily used 7 or 8 FPs on a MK day this way. Five minute wait in a kiosk, walk on an attraction with FP in hand.

Now, I've also heard people say the lines at the kiosks get long. Makes no sense to me to wait in a line to avoid waiting in another line.

We found our best approach overall was to be at rope drop. Ride a few headliners right away--for example, we started with Peter Pan, then went to Splash and BTMRR. Rode those two a few times in a row with little to no wait at all. Then we had our first FP scheduled for about an hour after park opening and then each right after that--so 10:00, 11:00, 12:00. That meant we had used up all our FPs early and were able to book more after. The later in the day, the harder it is to find available FPs.

 

[Alesia]

Quick question about the new FP kiosks:
1. Once we use the three pre-scheduled FPs, is it worth our time to get in line for the additional 3 FPs?
2. I am envisioning long lines for the 4 kiosks the park has now?
3 I figure that I can just check the wait times on our phone app after we use the 3 pre-scheduled passes.

1. I think so. A note, though: after your original 3, you can only get one more at a time.
2. Lines aren't any longer than they were for the old fast pass machines. And there are more than 4 kiosks.
3. You can do that, too, but also get the additional fastpasses.

 

[bbjunkie]

A couple of quick questions (especially since you are saying you only have one day at MK). Are there morning or evening EMH on your planned day? Are you staying onsite?

If there are EMH for you, I agree with the PP: go for rope drop and hit the headliners you were not able to get fast passes format you are interested in. Keep in mind, only Tommorland and Fantasyland will be open for EMH. I'd pick 7dMT first, then head west riding no-line rides working my way toward the rope that will be at the Rapinzel Bathrooms. So, Pooh, Peter Pan, etc. Then, I would be at the Rapinzel rope by 8:50 or so. When that rope drops, you can go to Haunted Mansion or head around Fronteirland to BTMRR and Splash. You should be able to get on those once or twice each in that 2nd rope drop with almost no wait. This will take you up until about 10:00. I would schedule my fastpasses starting at 10:00 in Tommorowland. I'd walk through Liberty Square, cut across the hub, and head to Space Mountain (FP) Speedway (FP) and Buzz (FP). Also, if you need to spend time between FP, you can usually get into Monsters, Inc without a wait, and you can always do the TTA People Mover, or C of P with no wait. Then, after your Buzz FP, you are close to the set of Kiosks near Stitch's Great Escape (which probably also won't have a line, but it is a terrible attraction IMO). Book your next FP there. If you are in a large group and are struggling to find a "soon" FP, break up your group and schedule overlapping times. It is unlikely you will have to wait for any more than a couple of minutes at a kiosk. There are (I think--trying to picture it in my head) 4 kiosks at each of the locations, and in my experience, there was always one open any time we approached them.

Using this strategy, you will likely find that 1). You will get a lot of headliners done before you even start to need your fast passes. Barnstormer, 7dmt, teacups,pooh, Peter Pan, Ariel, can all be accomplished in the first hour without using a FP if you get to 7dmt first with little or a 5 minute wait. 2). You will get to ride the headliners in Fronteirland without a wait as well. 3). You can book your one at a time FP to do others: Jungle Cruise, then head to the kiosk by Diamond and book a FP for Pirates, etc.

You may find you get enough done this way that after 6 or 8 FP, you are ready to just tour casually.

 

[clr055]

Can anyone give advice on (or a map would be awesome for us visual learners) of where the kiosks are located? I would love to have that worked into my touring strategy.

 

[Alesia]

You can find them on the park maps.

 

[Kriii]

Thanks for the feedback. Not staying on the property and not an EMH day. I scheduled the three fastpasses for the AM and plan to get additional ones afterwards if the line is not too long. I did understand that I can only get one FP at a time but thought the overall limit of additional FPs was three. Thanks for the clarification. I don't expect to hit every attraction in one day but since our family has been to WDW many times we figured we could hit the highlights. This is actually a side trip on our way to a cruise. Can't go to FLA and skip WDW!

 

[bbjunkie]