Fast Pass Decisions vs How crowded parks are

[auntiemare]

Help! I am planning a trip for 8(9 with infant) Dec. 4-9(4 days of tickets). I get mixed reviews on how crowded the parks are. I really need two days of FP for Animal Kingdom. If I forego FP at Disney Studios, how long are we likely to wait for Toy Story and RNR?

 

[MusicalAstronaut]

That's the week that the cheer groups or whatever will be there. It won't be peak season busy, but it won't be empty like it used to be in "off season". I would try to get FP for toy story. I've gone there at rope drop and still waited 1.5 hours. The line regulation for that ride sucks (the standby line gets held for a long time to let FP go). Not sure why but I've noticed that with toy story and RNR. RNR has single rider and I'd suggest doing that or going there at rope drop. Single rider can be iffy and they will close it if the standby line isn't bad. TL;DR Get a fastpass for toy story if you can and rope drop RNR. Hope that all made sense, I'm in a meeting at work.

 

[KittyKitty]

I have been to WDW during that week.Its a great time to go. The cheerleaders and Pop Warner football participants usually stay at All Stars Sports, Caribbean, or Coronado resort. So I would avoid those resorts. I have seen a schedule of their events in the past, but don't see it now. They are not not like tour groups that go to the parks all day, since they have competition going on at ESPN.
https://www.espnwwos.com/sports/football/ look down at the bottom for dates.

https://www.espnwwos.com/complex/wonderful-world-of-options/resorts/

My best guess is to get the FP at Animal Kingdom for afternoon, and go standby in the morning for Studios.

Have a great time.

 

[srauseo]

Curious - why do you need two days of FP at AK?

 

[scrapquitler]

Curious - why do you need two days of FP at AK?

Presumably because she wants FP for both Na'vi River Journey and Flights of Passage. They are both tier 1 rides, and you are only allowed to get a fast pass ahead of time for one of them on a given day. If you want FP for both, you need to get them on separate days.

 

[Amelia :)]

If you only have 4 days of tickets there's no guarantee you will get a FOP FP at all. With such a limited amount of time, I would only do 1 day at AK and rope drop whichever Pandora ride you don't FP.

 

[auntiemare]

Curious - why do you need two days of FP at AK?

Honestly, because I am having a hard time planning because I did my dining reservations in May. I was planning to do AK on Friday, the 8th which is when I booked our Tusker House lunch reservation. This was before the official show times were released and Rivers of Light is not showing on Friday but on Thursday. As of now(I will keep trying), I cannot get the reservation changed to Thursday. We can park hop but we have 3 young children so this does not happen as speedily as I would like. So, since I cannot split up the park FP and I NEED the FP for Rivers of Light, I was just not going to waste the other two. I agree with the Pandora rides...it would be sensible to do these at rope drop with a FP for one which is what I plan to do Friday but since there is not a Rivers of Light at Animal Kingdom on Friday, the 8th, I would have to get FP for it on Thursday. So, two days of FP for AK. This can all be solved, if I can just get my reservation switched, which I will still work towards. Any suggestions are appreciated!

 

[elaine amj]

FYI: FPs for Rivers of Light may not be as hard to get. On Sunday, Aug 27, I got FPs for ROL for our party of 7 the morning of. I simply had to search for one person, refresh constantly until I got it, move on to the next person, and repeat. I did that for each of our 7 people and it took me about 10-15 mins. The refresh repeatedly WORKS!

I found it MUCH MUCH harder for RnRC though and was not able to get FPs for either that or ToT even though I tried for a while (my time window was shorter though - I needed it just 30+ mins later - I did see some FPs pop up for 8-9 hours later).

 

[auntiemare]

FYI: FPs for Rivers of Light may not be as hard to get. On Sunday, Aug 27, I got FPs for ROL for our party of 7 the morning of. I simply had to search for one person, refresh constantly until I got it, move on to the next person, and repeat. I did that for each of our 7 people and it took me about 10-15 mins. The refresh repeatedly WORKS!

I found it MUCH MUCH harder for RnRC though and was not able to get FPs for either that or ToT even though I tried for a while (my time window was shorter though - I needed it just 30+ mins later - I did see some FPs pop up for 8-9 hours later).

good to know! Thank you!

 

[Lesley Wake]

Honestly, because I am having a hard time planning because I did my dining reservations in May. I was planning to do AK on Friday, the 8th which is when I booked our Tusker House lunch reservation. This was before the official show times were released and Rivers of Light is not showing on Friday but on Thursday. As of now(I will keep trying), I cannot get the reservation changed to Thursday. We can park hop but we have 3 young children so this does not happen as speedily as I would like. So, since I cannot split up the park FP and I NEED the FP for Rivers of Light, I was just not going to waste the other two. I agree with the Pandora rides...it would be sensible to do these at rope drop with a FP for one which is what I plan to do Friday but since there is not a Rivers of Light at Animal Kingdom on Friday, the 8th, I would have to get FP for it on Thursday. So, two days of FP for AK. This can all be solved, if I can just get my reservation switched, which I will still work towards. Any suggestions are appreciated!

That was the way it was for my September trip, with ROL not showing on MWF. But then a few weeks ago they opened it up so it is showing every day in September. I wouldn't be surprised if the same thing happens for December, especially because that will be busier than September.