FAST PASS + Strategy----Thread 1000 I know

[barney44]

Ok, here goes. We are a family of savvy, experienced DVC owning DISers. We have always used fast passes, rope drops, EMH and ADR's to make the most of our trips. Just when you thought you knew all things Disney, Disney changes things up. I liken it to being an English major and all of a sudden the day after you get your PhD, they change the rules and now everyone must learn Swahili. Where is Timon when you need him.

With that said, and after much research, it appears that this is what I can surmise. All comments are most appreciated.

1. If you arrive at Parks at rope drop and are early risers, you can still hit the key rides before the parks fill up and wait times get unbearable.

2. if you want to maximize your Fast Pass Plus experience ( 3 times only I know per day), book your fast pass times for mid day when the parks are most busy and that way you do not have to wait in long lines.

3. It is foolish to use Fast Pass Plus early or late in the day when the parks have the least amount of traffic.

4. Not proven yet, but I think the Disney Programers may have done this next one on purpose. When I tried to make FPP reservations and had dinner reservations in the park, it seemed like the options and times opened up a lot more than if we did not have an ADR yet that night.

Thoughts and comments are most appreciated.

 

[Laketravis]

Ok, here goes. We are a family of savvy, experienced DVC owning DISers. We have always used fast passes, rope drops, EMH and ADR's to make the most of our trips. Just when you thought you knew all things Disney, Disney changes things up. I liken it to being an English major and all of a sudden the day after you get your PhD, they change the rules and now everyone must learn Swahili. Where is Timon when you need him.

With that said, and after much research, it appears that this is what I can surmise. All comments are most appreciated.

1. If you arrive at Parks at rope drop and are early risers, you can still hit the key rides before the parks fill up and wait times get unbearable.

2. if you want to maximize your Fast Pass Plus experience ( 3 times only I know per day), book your fast pass times for mid day when the parks are most busy and that way you do not have to wait in long lines.

3. It is foolish to use Fast Pass Plus early or late in the day when the parks have the least amount of traffic.

4. Not proven yet, but I think the Disney Programers may have done this next one on purpose. When I tried to make FPP reservations and had dinner reservations in the park, it seemed like the options and times opened up a lot more than if we did not have an ADR yet that night.

Thoughts and comments are most appreciated.

Pretty much spot on, here's my editorial take on each point:

1. That is still true for now, although I think the length of that window of time from park opening to long lines is getting shorter. Depending on the park, you might still get one or two walk-ons until the lines build or you'll still get a couple of hours. We saw Epcot lines forming the fastest after RD, and Animal Kingdom the slowest.

2. Absolutely.

3. Maybe not so much late in the day - depending on the circumstances FP+ might prove useful up until non-EMH park close.

4. I think you are correct - early on there didn't seem to be any correlation or interplay between FP+ and ADR reservations, but I did notice an increasing degree of interoperability as time went on.

 

[liljohnvito]

Bump

 

[ArwenMarie]

1. Definitely agree, rope drop, rope drop, rope drop.

2. Mid-day makes sense. Also might want to book them for the evening after you've had a break at the hotel and perhaps at a different park that you went to for the morning, in combo with seeing fireworks, Fantasmic later on.

3. I don't think it's ever foolish to use your FPs when you want to use them Late in the day can be a good use of them actually, especially at DHS and Epcot for TSMM/Soarin/TT. And people with little kids will use them when it's best for their schedules, including the mornings.

4. I agree on the ADRs. I think that one of the big "tips" that is going to come out is to set up a separate account for your ADRs.

One more I would add is that your strategy will be different depending on the time of year. When it's cooler, weather won't be as much of an issue. During the very hot months with those daily rainstorms, then you will have to figure that into your schedule as well and the mid-day FPs might not be as desirable. Actually, even early FPs might be desirable to avoid the heat of later in the day (could still be combined with rope drop)

 

[Jenny Sanders]

Since this upcoming trip is only myself and my hubby, I think FP+ will be beneficial. We are planning on sleeping in every morning (except the day AK has EMH), and I reserved our FP+ selections for the afternoon. We don't feel we have to hit everything, because we've been to WDW sooooo many times. This trip, we are taking it leisurely!
29 trips to Disney World and counting...next stop POFQ March 2014

 

[2wins]

subscribing

 

[Judge Kemp]

We're heading on January 20-26. We lined up all 6 in our family for identical fastpass pluses throughout the day when it made sense for all of us to be in the same place (i.e. last day we're in Tomorrowland for Speedway, Space and Buzz).

For Space Mountain, that means we have three of us out of six who won't use the Fastpass+. Can my wife and the two oldest boys grab the bands from myself and my two youngest to ride Space Mountain twice?

I'll be on the PeopleMover with the little ones kicking back while they hit Space Mountain twice in a row if we can do this.

 

[wilma-bride]

We're heading on January 20-26. We lined up all 6 in our family for identical fastpass pluses throughout the day when it made sense for all of us to be in the same place (i.e. last day we're in Tomorrowland for Speedway, Space and Buzz).

For Space Mountain, that means we have three of us out of six who won't use the Fastpass+. Can my wife and the two oldest boys grab the bands from myself and my two youngest to ride Space Mountain twice?

I'll be on the PeopleMover with the little ones kicking back while they hit Space Mountain twice in a row if we can do this.

In short, my understanding is yes they can.

 

[LucyBC80]

2. if you want to maximize your Fast Pass Plus experience ( 3 times only I know per day), book your fast pass times for mid day when the parks are most busy and that way you do not have to wait in long lines.

3. It is foolish to use Fast Pass Plus early or late in the day when the parks have the least amount of traffic.

We always leave for a mid day break around 1-2PM. I'm still researching if it's best to use FP+ during the 10am - 2pm bracket or leave it all to use around 6pm when we go back to the park. I might leave it all to when we get back so we can ride the mountains or JC for a second or even third time.

 

[JSpsu05]

My wife and I are going late next week and we're curious how the updated FP+ system is going to work.

We used FP+ in September and really enjoyed it, but we were able to use FP- as well. As far as I know, Disney is removing FP- for resorts guests very soon so I'm wondering how that will work out if you park hop.

We have our FP+ set up for most days, but what happens when you leave the park? Do you now have to stand in line since FP- is being removed? It would be helpful to get an additional FP+ selection after you use you're first allotment and be able to make the selection regardless of the park.

Any word if this is how it will be in the future? I'm guessing they will continue to tweak...well, hopefully they do.

 

[wdwrule]

2. if you want to maximize your Fast Pass Plus experience ( 3 times only I know per day), book your fast pass times for mid day when the parks are most busy and that way you do not have to wait in long lines.

3. It is foolish to use Fast Pass Plus early or late in the day when the parks have the least amount of traffic.

I keep thinking.....won't fast pass plus lines for headliners be huge during mid day with a lot of people considering making them for mid day? I keep reading how afternoon seems to be the popular time to make them.

 

[recmouse]

I keep thinking.....won't fast pass plus lines for headliners be huge during mid day with a lot of people considering making them for mid day? I keep reading how afternoon seems to be the popular time to make them.

When I recently went on to make my selections, for early February, most of the times offered were late morning, mid afternoon and evening. No early mornings available.

 

[Tramp68]

The system books the 3 FP+ in a block almost. The early AM times are available, but you can usually only find them by going back and changing the time for 1 FP+ reservation at a time (1 ride reservation for as many people as you want) This will give a much broader selection of available times that do not necessarily conform to the computers options.

However, even during the busiest times FP+ is not a great choice for the first 2 hours in the park with very few exceptions (TSMM and RNRC) If you like the midday break aproach save them for the evening return or for right before you are ready to leave...(Or split them)

 

[mom2rtk]

What I find myself wondering is whether anyone will ever choose those early morning slots. At least with legacy FP the later times didn't come open until the earlier ones were taken. It seems like once they cover legacy machines it's possible many times would never be chose, or have very low usage.

 

[ArwenMarie]

What I find myself wondering is whether anyone will ever choose those early morning slots. At least with legacy FP the later times didn't come open until the earlier ones were taken. It seems like once they cover legacy machines it's possible many times would never be chose, or have very low usage.

I think so. Families with young kids. People who like to swim and eat for the rest of the day after lunch. The weather will be a factor too. In the summer, early timeslots will be more valuable than when it's cooler because it's so brutally hot midday and then the storms roll in. If they add more meet and greets, that's something I could definitely see being popular, even in the morning slots.

 

[pktbMouse]

Just wondering if anyone has tried this as we have a 6yr old that dosnt like to ride anything and its a shame to waste 3 fastpasses??

 

[mesaboy2]

Just wondering if anyone has tried this as we have a 6yr old that dosnt like to ride anything and its a shame to waste 3 fastpasses??

Many have done this.