Failed Fastpass last October, need advice for upcoming trip

[qv09vvp]

Last October we were locked into 3 fastpasses & could get a 4th at a Kiosk.
We did rope dope & I planned early fast passes hoping that our 4th fastpass would pan out.

That whole strategy failed as there was never anything decent for the 4th fastpass. & I felt like I blew my fastpasses because rope dope time was used to do fastpasses.

Now we are going in December for what I thought was a super light week & Touring plans just sent out emails that park attendance is going to be much higher than we expected. That has me thinking about our fastpasses again.

So we are planning to rope dope... with the fastplass+ is it really better to plan mid morning/early afternoon fastpasses? and does this apply to all parks? We do have park hoppers & will be hopping on a few days...can I actually have 1 fastpass in MK & 1 in Epcot at the same time?

I think I'm overthinking this...but seriously guys, this morning I woke up thinking I had missed my early morning ADR & it was too late for rope dope!! pretty crazy since my trip isn't till December.


Thanks in Advance!

 

[Robo]

1. with the fastplass+ is it really better to plan mid morning/early afternoon fast passes?
2. and does this apply to all parks? We do have park hoppers & will be hopping on a few days...
3. can I actually have 1 fastpass in MK & 1 in Epcot at the same time?

1. That's one way to do it. There are many other options.
2. Yes, to varying degrees.
3. Not in ADVANCE. You can only book at a second park the day that you are there, after you have scanned/used the first FP+ at the first park.

 

[hiroMYhero]

Here's the thread that has FP and park hopping strategy that Robo explained above:
http://www.disboards.com/threads/fp-and-park-hopping.3514422/

 

[Shanti]

Last October we were locked into 3 fastpasses & could get a 4th at a Kiosk.
We did rope dope & I planned early fast passes hoping that our 4th fastpass would pan out.

That whole strategy failed as there was never anything decent for the 4th fastpass. & I felt like I blew my fastpasses because rope dope time was used to do fastpasses.

Now we are going in December for what I thought was a super light week & Touring plans just sent out emails that park attendance is going to be much higher than we expected. That has me thinking about our fastpasses again.

So we are planning to rope dope... with the fastplass+ is it really better to plan mid morning/early afternoon fastpasses? and does this apply to all parks? We do have park hoppers & will be hopping on a few days...can I actually have 1 fastpass in MK & 1 in Epcot at the same time?

I think I'm overthinking this...but seriously guys, this morning I woke up thinking I had missed my early morning ADR & it was too late for rope dope!! pretty crazy since my trip isn't till December.


Thanks in Advance!

I'm definitely against the "schedule FPs first thing to use them up & then get a 4th" method, due to the facts that:

1. As you noted, 4th FPs are often of little value (I wouldn't expect anything good in busy December), and
2. The hour or two after rope drop is the very best time of the day to get standby rides done with minimal waits. You don't want to be distracted with FPs at that time.

We do rope drop, and schedule our FPs for no earlier than 11am, but more often like 12pm, 1pm & 2pm. (No need to schedule them in a row- that is just an example.) That gives us some good rides to FP when the crowds are at their peak, & we intersperse them with no-line attractions like Carousel of Progress or Hall of Presidents.

One note that might help: if you aren't aware, Big Thunder and Splash Mountain never have lines at rope drop (most guests rush to Fantasyland or Tomorrowland first), so going straight there to ride those two, followed by Pirates, then maybe Haunted Mansion, is a great way to get some major rides done standby before lines get bad.

 

[Missyrose]

I look at it from another perspective, I'd rather get a couple of short-wait rides at rope drop using standby and then schedule my FP+ reservations for late morning or early afternoon, instead of scheduling early FP+ reservations and hoping for another worthwhile one.