DHS Fast Pass Quandry/Advice Needed

[Laura's Dad]

We have an early December trip planned and our FastPass+ date is this coming Monday. We have a group of 8 and are doing a split stay at OKW and at the BCVs. I am supposed to be in charge of the FasztPasses and touring schedules. We will have a visitor from Chile that is part of our party and has never really experienced anything at WDW, so we want to be able to let her experience as much as she can on this visit.

I have been working on the FP plan but I cannot get a grip at all on DHS. We will arrive the day after the (hopeful) opening of Rise of the Resistance. We are staying 8 days and have two DHS mornings planned. We purposely put one of the DHS days at the end of the trip in order to secure FPs. We also have two evenings planned and have reservations to Oga's, Savi's, and Droid Depot already planned on those nights, along with Fantasmic on one of the nights. The other day is Day 4 of the trip which will be the Monday after ROTR opens. Here is the problem:

Right now, the regular hours listed for DHS during the trip is 9am to 9 pm. I know (an expect) Disney will lengthen these hours with the opening of the new ride, but I have no idea what to expect. We really want to do Slinky Dog Dash at least once (figured on a FP for that on the later morning) and very much want to experience Rock 'n Roller/Tower of Terror. Unfortunately, those are all Tier 1 so I know that we will have to pick/choose those. We like Star Tours and would use that as the 2nd FP both days. However, we would like to be able to do Rise of the Resistance and Smuggler's Run at least once if not two time each) We (for the most part) don't have an aversion to getting up early for rope drop and have done so with success in the past.

If you were setting up FPs, what would you do? I am leaning toward Slinky Dog one morning at either RnRC/TOT on the other. How long would you expect it to take to complete either one or both SWGE rides and then set the time for the first FP time. Would you set the first FP for 11 or noon and then go from there? Also, what do you think about some version of EEMHs or EMSs being available ? This one is difficult to plan.

Any help, advise, or comments would be appreciated..

 

[trishadono]

We have an early December trip planned and our FastPass+ date is this coming Monday. We have a group of 8 and are doing a split stay at OKW and at the BCVs. I am supposed to be in charge of the FasztPasses and touring schedules. We will have a visitor from Chile that is part of our party and has never really experienced anything at WDW, so we want to be able to let her experience as much as she can on this visit.

I have been working on the FP plan but I cannot get a grip at all on DHS. We will arrive the day after the (hopeful) opening of Rise of the Resistance. We are staying 8 days and have two DHS mornings planned. We purposely put one of the DHS days at the end of the trip in order to secure FPs. We also have two evenings planned and have reservations to Oga's, Savi's, and Droid Depot already planned on those nights, along with Fantasmic on one of the nights. The other day is Day 4 of the trip which will be the Monday after ROTR opens. Here is the problem:

Right now, the regular hours listed for DHS during the trip is 9am to 9 pm. I know (an expect) Disney will lengthen these hours with the opening of the new ride, but I have no idea what to expect. We really want to do Slinky Dog Dash at least once (figured on a FP for that on the later morning) and very much want to experience Rock 'n Roller/Tower of Terror. Unfortunately, those are all Tier 1 so I know that we will have to pick/choose those. We like Star Tours and would use that as the 2nd FP both days. However, we would like to be able to do Rise of the Resistance and Smuggler's Run at least once if not two time each) We (for the most part) don't have an aversion to getting up early for rope drop and have done so with success in the past.

If you were setting up FPs, what would you do? I am leaning toward Slinky Dog one morning at either RnRC/TOT on the other. How long would you expect it to take to complete either one or both SWGE rides and then set the time for the first FP time. Would you set the first FP for 11 or noon and then go from there? Also, what do you think about some version of EEMHs or EMSs being available ? This one is difficult to plan.

Any help, advise, or comments would be appreciated..

Error was thinking EMH's at 6a still going on. Disregard.

However EMH can be helpful when offered.

 

[cassie58]

I was at HS Labor Day weekend and 9/14-15. Go to HS for EMH’s , they start at 6am but even getting there at 7:30-8 will help accomplish what you want.

We walked on RR and TOT arriving as late as 8:30. The other guests aren’t in until 9 and no FP”s are being used so lines move more quickly, I’d still FP SDD and 2 others and do standby for others. We did not wait long on single rider for the new ride but having the 2nd ride it may be more busy in SWGE area.

Even at MK arriving at 7:30 with EMH at 7a and opening at 8 helped. Having 30 mins can get you a ride or 2 /3 with less of a wait.

I believe at this time that the 6-9 am EEMH at HS haven't been extended for early Dec., so unfortunately OP can't plan on those as part of her strategy at this time(although I can't imagine there not being some type of extended hrs with opening of 2nd ride).

 

[Rach3975]

Unfortunately, Disney is really making anything after 11/2 very challenging to plan! If you were to plan on the GE rides on your RNRC or ToT FP day you'd probably be able to modify those FPs once they announce hours or even day-of if GE is taking longer or shorter than planned. Once you make the SDD FP you're a lot more likely to be locked into that time.

 

[Laura's Dad]

Unfortunately, Disney is really making anything after 11/2 very challenging to plan! If you were to plan on the GE rides on your RNRC or ToT FP day you'd probably be able to modify those FPs once they announce hours or even day-of if GE is taking longer or shorter than planned. Once you make the SDD FP you're a lot more likely to be locked into that time.

Do you think 1o:30 for a FP would be OK for Slinky dog. That would give us until 11:30. Our others will be Star Tours and Frozen Ever After.

 

[yorkieteacher]

You won't have EMH (so far) at HS this December except on Thursday, so keep checking back for calendar updates-But if you rope drop the two Galaxy's Edge rides, I would predict they would have longer waits than any other rides you decide to rope drop. I would get SDD one morning in the 10-11 range if you go on a day without EMH, and if you rope drop both ToT and RnRC on the same day since they are close, you should be done within an hour-less if you go on a day with EMH. I would go one day with EMH so I could get these two done early, get SDD FP from 9-10, but ride the other 2 TSL rides at nine at regular park opening before SDD. When it comes to GE, so far it has seemed MFSR has shorter lines later in the mornings or early evenings. Who can predict about RotR, except it will more than likely have longer lines than other rides in December!

 

[yorkieteacher]

To add to what I said previously, once you make your FP plan for each day, also have a plan B, and enlist the help of another adult in your group to also log into MDE on your FP morning to help get them. That way you have a better chance of getting the harder to get FP's like Slinky Dog, Flight of Passage, and 7DMT on the days you decide to try for them. It's really hard for one person to be able to get all the hard to get fast passes by themselves, as the hard ones seem to get snatched up within a couple of minutes!

 

[Laura's Dad]

To add to what I said previously, once you make your FP plan for each day, also have a plan B, and enlist the help of another adult in your group to also log into MDE on your FP morning to help get them. That way you have a better chance of getting the harder to get FP's like Slinky Dog, Flight of Passage, and 7DMT on the days you decide to try for them. It's really hard for one person to be able to get all the hard to get fast passes by themselves, as the hard ones seem to get snatched up within a couple of minutes!

that is already in the works, but thanks.

 

[Rach3975]

Do you think 1o:30 for a FP would be OK for Slinky dog. That would give us until 11:30. Our others will be Star Tours and Frozen Ever After.

Sorry, but I don't have any idea what to guess about wait times after ROTR opens. With 4 half days in HS, if I wanted a morning SDD I think I'd arrange it so that I could skip GE entirely that morning if waits were too long. Other alternatives to do both in one day could be a mid-afternoon SDD or an early SDD with a plan to do GE later. So far waits at Smugglers Run have been longest in the morning and drop later in the day.

 

[trishadono]

I believe at this time that the 6-9 am EEMH at HS haven't been extended for early Dec., so unfortunately OP can't plan on those as part of her strategy at this time(although I can't imagine there not being some type of extended hrs with opening of 2nd ride).

I was thinking it lasted forever with 3 of my trips in that time frame. OOPS.

And thx

 

[kimberwee]

We did SDD for our 2nd DHS day, but honestly, that was only because we couldn't get it on our first. We would have booked SDD for both and just did regular lines RNR and TOT. There are 7 of us, including 3 kids who are going to want to ride SDD more than once. ALSO, you might look at TP Reservation finder for Oga's. Our search came through and we were able to book for 7 people.

 

[Laura's Dad]

We did SDD for our 2nd DHS day, but honestly, that was only because we couldn't get it on our first. We would have booked SDD for both and just did regular lines RNR and TOT. There are 7 of us, including 3 kids who are going to want to ride SDD more than once. ALSO, you might look at TP Reservation finder for Oga's. Our search came through and we were able to book for 7 people.

I've got Oga's and will try to get Slinky Dog at 60+4. If not, we can get it at 60+8. Thanks.

 

[CastAStone]

You will have absolutely no problem getting day of FPs for both TOT and RNR.

None. Zero. Zilch.

Don't sweat it at all. Don't plan for them ahead of time, just book your prebooked FPs early enough in the day that you can grab additional FPs.

Ever since they put all the rides in 1 tier, TOT FPs have consistently been available between 1 and 2 hours later, and RNR FPs have consistently been available 90 minutes - 3 hours later. This is because there are about 3X as many Tier 1 FPs as there are guests per day, and the Toy Story Land ones all have been going first.

Have fun!

 

[CastAStone]

Do you think 1o:30 for a FP would be OK for Slinky dog. That would give us until 11:30. Our others will be Star Tours and Frozen Ever After.

I would probably make it even later than that personally. I can't imagine a scenario where you do both SWGE rides in 90 minutes, so why start your window so early? MFSR is at least 15 minutes from Hondo to walking out the exit, plus the line, and supposedly ROTR is 30 minutes+ preshow to exit, plus the line. If it were me I'd target 11:15 or 11:30 for SDD, something like that. If you happen to wind up with extra time, ride Toy Story Mania

 

[MomOTwins]

I’d get my FPs first thing and do SWGE later in the day. I think the morning stampede to RoTR is going to be too brutal to attempt in December. Plus doing your FPs early gives you a better shot at snagging tier ones all morning.

 

[CarolMN]

For one of the DHS days, get a fp for SDD and rope drop the RR and TOT. Almost everyone will go to TSL or SWGE at rope drop. Waits for the other two rides at park open will be very short.

We will be there about the same time and that is my plan.

 

[Davey Jones II]

Get in line for the GE rides near closing time.

 

[SteveInOmaha]

We are there Dec. 2 - 7. I was on at 7am yesterday to get fast passes. There was nothing available for Slinky Dog (or Flight of Passage). Your results may vary, but I wouldn't factor scoring the exact fast passes you want into your plan.

I agree that it's frustrating and hard to plan not knowing what the park hours are going to be, and how they're going to handle the crowds (virtual queue, etc.)

 

[LindyWebb]

I was planning to burn one FP at HS by putting it in really early then looking for SDD and Star Tours to get the 3. That way we can try to find a 4th FP. Last time I was in Disney (2 years ago) every day I could find a 4th FP at TOT.

 

[jberndt10]

Consider breaking up the group. For our family of 4 it was sometimes easier to get 2/2 that overlapped so we could still get on at same time. This works especially well for your 4th and later FP’s.