Fast Pass at DLP and suggestions for 1 day?

[2ndstartotheright]

Hi all- we will be visiting DLP for just 1 day in a few weeks. Plan to get a 1 day hopper and really just want to hit the highlights at both parks- it's me, DH and DD20- and we are WDW and DL vets- so no to need to see and do it all- just want to do the unique to DLP rides and some others for comparison purposes- Pirates, Phantom Manor, etc.

Can anyone tell me how FP works at DLP- is it same as WDW- in that we can use the FP after return window has passed?

Was thinking we hit DL first- do a few rides, grab a few FPs- then over to Studios- and later back to DL to use those FPs?

Would this work? Or does anyone have a great 1 day "best of" plan?

We plan to be there at opening with tickets in hand and can stay as long as we need to.

Thanks so much!

 

[6.2.6]

Can anyone tell me how FP works at DLP- is it same as WDW- in that we can use the FP after return window has passed?
No, you have to use your FP on your time window. And you cannot have more than one FP simultaneously...and I don't mean for the same ride...I mean ONE Fast Pass (at least, this was the way it worked last june)

Was thinking we hit DL first- do a few rides, grab a few FPs- then over to Studios- and later back to DL to use those FPs?
I won't jump from one park to another. You won't enjoy any of them doing it that way

 

[ukstitch]

Not sure if this will be of any help to you or not (you might already know this), but Ware Bears made a post not that long ago, highlighting the differences between Paris and Florida, which should give you a starting point on what you want to try to check out.

Lucky you

Right, this may help, it's a trip report from a lady who did a day trip from Paris.

Right, if I list the things that aren't at WDW (hope I haven't left any out! )

Disneyland Park
the resident dragon under the Castle
the Sleeping Beauty gallery on the first floor of the Castle
Alice's Curious Labyrinth
the Storybook ride le pays des Contes de Fees
Casey Junior train
les Voyages de Pinocchio
Nautilus walkthrough
Indiana Jones

Studios
Cars
Crush
Cinemagique
Animagique
Armageddon

If you read up about them on DLRP Magic then decide if you want to experience them or give them a miss.

IMO Big Thunder Mountain is better at DLRP so definitely do that ~ it's actually set on an island. POTC and Phantom Manor (as opposed to Haunted Mansion) are different so worth doing too.

She also forgot to mention Space Mountain, which is way more thrilling in Paris than the others, so well worth a look, especially if you like Rock 'n' Rollercoaster, which is similar.

 

[2ndstartotheright]

Thanks- that TR is helpful- but now I have conflicting answers! She mentions getting FPs for Buzz- then getting FPs for Space once Buzz window had opened. Then used the Space FP after the return window ended- so I am going to assume the FP system is more like WDW and DL than not- figure the FP technology must be the same? As in the FP machines have no way of knowing if or when you have used a FP?

From what I gather- you receive some sort of FP card when you enter the park to use in machines- have I got that part right?

Anybody got a pic of a DLP FP?

 

[ukstitch]

Thanks- that TR is helpful- but now I have conflicting answers! She mentions getting FPs for Buzz- then getting FPs for Space once Buzz window had opened. Then used the Space FP after the return window ended- so I am going to assume the FP system is more like WDW and DL than not- figure the FP technology must be the same? As in the FP machines have no way of knowing if or when you have used a FP?

From what I gather- you receive some sort of FP card when you enter the park to use in machines- have I got that part right?

Anybody got a pic of a DLP FP?

Here you go

Copyright on the above image is reserved to House Of Secrets Incorporated, original image here

 

[MinnieMouse73]

At DLP you USED to be able to hold fastpasses for several rides simultaneously. I'm not sure when it changed because the last time we went was December 2006 (when you could hold lots of fastpasses at once), until last week (and now you can't).

They used to be very strict on the times and you definitely couldn't use them past the expiry time when we've been before, but as we didn't try to do it last week I don't know whether that's changed now that you can only hold one at a time.

 

[2ndstartotheright]

Oh thanks! So they do look pretty much the same.

Has anyone ever tried using FP past the window and been turned away?

 

[MinnieMouse73]

Though like WDW and DL you CAN get another fp as soon as the time slot has opened up for the one you already hold.

e.g. in the one pictured above, you could get a fp for, say, Buzz at 12.11 then go and use the BTM one.

Note though that you only have 30-minute time slots for the DLP fastpasses (they're an hour at WDW aren't they? I'm not certain as it's a while since I went).

 

[MinnieMouse73]

Has anyone ever tried using FP past the window and been turned away?

Yes, although in the end they did let us use it as there was some special reason (for the life of me I can't remember what!) that we hadn't been able to get there on time. But they initially said no and it took some talking (hooray for my French!) to get them to let us on. I don't think we were that far past our time either, maybe an hour or so not 8 hours like we've used them at WDW and DL!

 

[2ndstartotheright]

Oh well phooey! Guess we'll just do the best we can and use them in the return window. My French is non existent- so don't think I could talk anybody into anything!

Thanks for all your help- any more tips?
Where to go first- that sort of thing- I have scrolled thru this forum and not really seeing any touring plan advice- so if it's here- could someone point me to it?
Or how about most popular rides/areas to hit first?

 

[Cyrano]

Are you staying on-site? If so you'll benefit from 2 hours Extra Magic Hour early entry.
Given that August is amongst the busiest time at the park you may be better concentrating on 1 park

 

[Emergency Kitten]

Don't know how helpful this is, but apparently people do tend to go in, go down Main St to the hub, then turn right. Its like in shops - stuff they really want to sell is on the right of the door. Just one of those human nature thingies. So if you do it 'backwards' eg go in, go through the cut through to frontierland and do it that way round, you're going against the crowds. Slightly. we have trialled this and found it DOES make a bit of a difference, but really only very slightly.

In one day I'd start at the studios, tick off ToT, RnRC and Crush (get there at opening, run for the Crush queue!), have a short bimble around, then across to the main park. BTM, PM, Pirates, Indy, Space Mountain, Buzz, Star Tours, then spend the rest of the day just taking in whatever else you can fit in...Fantasyland great for atmosphere; main street fabulous; adventure land has little for a pair of grownups; Frontierland best for themeing....

All, of course, my humble opinion. And we are ride addicts, so this is what we'd do in one day. the 'biggies'.

Oh and fastpass - you can usually show up a bit late, particularly if park is quiet, but we have been turned away for being an hour late before.

 

[ukstitch]

interesting - I guess we're abnormal then.

It's actually in our nature to start with Frontierland and work clockwise - always has been since we first went to WDW about 11 years ago.

I guess it's a continental / U.S. thing about the right hand side. I remember when we went to WDW, the advice was to take the left hand queue when offered a choice because it would be shorter and it really worked.

 

[2ndstartotheright]

Very helpful Emergency Kitten!

Does Fantasyland build lines like WDW and DL? my DD is a Peter Pan freak so I know we'll have to ride that.

 

[Emergency Kitten]

Peter Pan does get horrifically busy, I'm afraid, although later in the day, particularly if its a weekday, it can be a walkon.

luck of the draw, unfortunately.

PP has the worst lines i've seen in Fantasyland - the rest seem to be pretty quick. But then again, as a pair of adults with no kids, we tend to 'do' fantasyland only at times when it is quiet enough for us to whip through the rides without spending too much time on it.

I love the atmos in fantasyland, its so wonderful, but the rides don't justify the q times for us at least. Except teacups, I love the teacups.

 

[MinnieMouse73]

We found the queues in Fantasyland to be fairly short in the evenings - Snow White and Pinnochio were a walk-on from around 8.30/9pm. In fact they were only 5 minutes wait on Friday afternoon, when I come to think of it! Tea cups were short too, I think Peter Pan was about 20 minutes at 8.30/9pm ish. We did manage to hop into the PP line just as they closed it (10pm when the park shuts at 11pm, as Fantasyland closes early to get fireworks ready) - we were the last people on PP that night and the wait then was only 5 minutes.

 

[robind]

Given that August is amongst the busiest time at the park you may be better concentrating on 1 park

I am going the last weekend in August - 30 and 31. Can you give me some idea of how busy? I know the last part of August in the states can be a little less busy because of the children returning to school, but of course weekends are always busier - due to 'locals' - is it the same in Paris?

 

[MinnieMouse73]

UK schools don't return to school until September, and I'm fairly sure French schools are the same. Having said that most of us go back the 1st week of September so it might have calmed down a bit by the 30th and 31st!

We were there last week and it was the busiest we've ever seen it (having been at Easter, Halloween and Christmas (21st-24th so not for the very busy period just after Christmas) before. I would say it was busier than either WDW or DL at the equivalent time of year.

Hopefully everyone will have been already and there'll be hardly anyone there by the time you go!