FastPass 2011 vs. FastPass+ 2015

[njitgrad]

I haven't been to WDW since 2011 and this time my wife and I will be bringing our daughter for the first time (who will be 3.5 years old) in addition to our sons 10 and 8 who have been there twice (2009, 2011).

When I was making the reservation last week the agent highly recommended that I obtain online fast passes at 1230am on Jan 27 (2 months to the date of our arrival Mar 27).

She told me that I have to get fast passes for Ana and Elsa or else there's very little chance of getting into that attraction. And she also said to only request 2 or 3 fast passes max otherwise there's a chance I might not get any. First of all...this is not even a ride, right? So what's the big attraction?

Secondly, this whole online fast pass thing is new to me. I'm used to getting fast passes the old fashioned way....walking to the attraction. Does anyone have any newbie advice from recent experience? It sounds like I'm going to be up pretty late that night acquiring fast passes for each of my 8 days at the parks. Just one more thing to add to frantic WDW vacation planning, ugh! As if getting dining reservations wasn't enough!

The agent also mentioned getting fast passes for the Seven Dwarves mine train ride because they are a hot item.

I'm willing to take any and all input on this so fire away!

 

[Airship Ariadne]

I haven't been to WDW since 2011 and this time my wife and I will be bringing our daughter for the first time (who will be 3.5 years old) in addition to our sons 10 and 8 who have been there twice (2009, 2011).

When I was making the reservation last week the agent highly recommended that I obtain online fast passes at 1230am on Jan 27 (2 months to the date of our arrival Mar 27).

She told me that I have to get fast passes for Ana and Elsa or else there's very little chance of getting into that attraction. And she also said to only request 2 or 3 fast passes max otherwise there's a chance I might not get any. First of all...this is not even a ride, right? So what's the big attraction?

Secondly, this whole online fast pass thing is new to me. I'm used to getting fast passes the old fashioned way....walking to the attraction. Does anyone have any newbie advice from recent experience? It sounds like I'm going to be up pretty late that night acquiring fast passes for each of my 8 days at the parks. Just one more thing to add to frantic WDW vacation planning, ugh! As if getting dining reservations wasn't enough!

The agent also mentioned getting fast passes for the Seven Dwarves mine train ride because they are a hot item.

I'm willing to take any and all input on this so fire away!

First, you don't HAVE to do it that late at night IF you aren't trying for the Frozen meet and greet...yes, things have changed, they don't just limit the Fast Passes to rides anymore, you can skip the lines for character meetings as well.

Since Frozen is such a big hit, the line waiting can but over two hours...so fast passes for this are a must...and often are gone fast.

The 7 Dwarves Mine Train is another hot item because it is new. And of course Toy Story Midway Mania is big, since there are so few rides in that park.

But the good news is like the dining reservations, at 60 days before your trip, you can book ALL the days of your trip...so should you stay up, you only need to stay up one night.

And if you miss out on a hot ride, keep checking back...for our trip they added lots of times for the hot rides in the two weeks leading up to our stay.

 

[njitgrad]

First, you don't HAVE to do it that late at night IF you aren't trying for the Frozen meet and greet...yes, things have changed, they don't just limit the Fast Passes to rides anymore, you can skip the lines for character meetings as well.

Since Frozen is such a big hit, the line waiting can but over two hours...so fast passes for this are a must...and often are gone fast.

The 7 Dwarves Mine Train is another hot item because it is new. And of course Toy Story Midway Mania is big, since there are so few rides in that park.

But the good news is like the dining reservations, at 60 days before your trip, you can book ALL the days of your trip...so should you stay up, you only need to stay up one night.

And if you miss out on a hot ride, keep checking back...for our trip they added lots of times for the hot rides in the two weeks leading up to our stay.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[momsavealot]

Congrats on booking your trip! I have to be honest with you, I just got back a few days ago and I hate the new F+ system. Yes, it's nice to walk on the 3 rides you have a F+ for, but after that, forget it. After you use the FP you have, you can go to a kiosk in the park (they are few and far between) and get another FP. However, every time I did that, there was nothing left or rides I wasn't interested in. So, I never got to ride some of my favorite rides b/c I refuse to stand on line for more than 60 min. Since you have a little one and may not be going on some of the big ticket rollercoasters, you may be ok. Just so you know, you get a FP for a Disney "experience" which could be ride, a meet and greet, fireworks or a parade (special seating areas). So really think about what are your top 3 things for each park and book them early. I recommend booking them as early in the day as possible so that when they are done, you will have a better chance of getting more FP in the park that are good. The later in the day, the slimmer the pickings if you know what I mean. You no longer go up to rides and print out a ticket like the old days. Good luck! Unfortunately, the new system forces you to commit to a certain park each day ahead of time. There is no more spontaneity based on weather, etc. Sorry, just not a big fan of the new system.

 

[ReluctantDisaholic]

Read mesaboy's first post in this thread here http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3326057
for a great FP+ explanation/guide.

 

[dfb]

FastPass is quite different from before. It would be beneficial to get familiar before you go! Look on Disney's website for info on mymagic+ and FastPass+. Then do a search on this forum for FastPass+ and you'll find more info than you care to see. mesaboy2 has a basicinfo thread that covers alot. Most threads will be bs arguing about how they hate or love FP but if your game you can apply a big filter and get some good info. (90% bs / 10% info)

Have a good trip!

 

[njitgrad]

Congrats on booking your trip! I have to be honest with you, I just got back a few days ago and I hate the new F+ system. Yes, it's nice to walk on the 3 rides you have a F+ for, but after that, forget it. After you use the FP you have, you can go to a kiosk in the park (they are few and far between) and get another FP. However, every time I did that, there was nothing left or rides I wasn't interested in. So, I never got to ride some of my favorite rides b/c I refuse to stand on line for more than 60 min. Since you have a little one and may not be going on some of the big ticket rollercoasters, you may be ok. Just so you know, you get a FP for a Disney "experience" which could be ride, a meet and greet, fireworks or a parade (special seating areas). So really think about what are your top 3 things for each park and book them early. I recommend booking them as early in the day as possible so that when they are done, you will have a better chance of getting more FP in the park that are good. The later in the day, the slimmer the pickings if you know what I mean. You no longer go up to rides and print out a ticket like the old days. Good luck! Unfortunately, the new system forces you to commit to a certain park each day ahead of time. There is no more spontaneity based on weather, etc. Sorry, just not a big fan of the new system.

Wow, that sounds awful. Rigid to say the least. Some flexibility should be added into it.

This is the first time I got park hoppers and from what I'm understanding is that all three FPs have to be for the same park. Let's say you use up your three FPs in the morning and hop over to another park. Since you already used your FPs in the first park (or the time for all three has passed) can you get three more FPs at the kiosk of the park you just hopped to?

Let's say you didn't use any at the first park or plans changed. Can you get three at a different park when you walk in?

There has to be a feasible FP strategy for park hoppers, otherwise what's the incentive to pony up the extra dough?

I'm wondering if I can request the PH option be withdrawn from my tickets and save on money. I'm still 80 days out.

 

[Mikie]

Wow, that sounds awful. Rigid to say the least. Some flexibility should be added into it.

This is the first time I got park hoppers and from what I'm understanding is that all three FPs have to be for the same park. Let's say you use up your three FPs in the morning and hop over to another park. Since you already used your FPs in the first park (or the time for all three has passed) can you get three more FPs at the kiosk of the park you just hopped to?

Let's say you didn't use any at the first park or plans changed. Can you get three at a different park when you walk in?

There has to be a feasible FP strategy for park hoppers, otherwise what's the incentive to pony up the extra dough?

I'm wondering if I can request the PH option be withdrawn from my tickets and save on money. I'm still 80 days out.

The link PP mentioned will discuss some of this, but yes, your first 3 must be same park. Many people think it's good for hoppers because you can do rope drop in 1 park with good lines, then take a break and hop to park #2 where your FP picks are waiting. You can get more FP after your first three, but you must get them one at a time (get, use, get, use) and its subject to what's available (widely varying opinions on whether you can get good ones day-of). At 60 days out, I think you can still remove the hopper option if you booked a pkg.

 

[DebbieB]

It's 60 days, not 2 months. 60 days for March 27 would be January 26. It's midnight unless MK is open later.

 

[prudence64]

We loved the new FP+ system!

In the old days I grabbed a fast pass for TSMM and it was hours before our return time and right in the middle of a dining reservation time, so we were stuck. With the new system I scheduled it at a convenient time for us and we did it much earlier in the day.

It depends on how crowded it is on the day you go as to how flexible you can be moving the times around once there. But, I didn't have any problems moving a planned magic kingdom day to a spontaneous Epcot day and getting the Test Track FP that I was after.

If you like to park hop, you might go early to the first park and ride without FP and then go to the second park in the afternoon with your FP selections and ride then when crowds are higher.

I was lucky in that my 8 year old daughter had no interest in meeting Anna and Elsa and she was more interested in the big coasters than the SDMT, so we didn't deal with those two things.

 

[mesaboy2]

I haven't been to WDW since 2011 and this time my wife and I will be bringing our daughter for the first time (who will be 3.5 years old) in addition to our sons 10 and 8 who have been there twice (2009, 2011).

When I was making the reservation last week the agent highly recommended that I obtain online fast passes at 1230am on Jan 27 (2 months to the date of our arrival Mar 27).

She told me that I have to get fast passes for Ana and Elsa or else there's very little chance of getting into that attraction. And she also said to only request 2 or 3 fast passes max otherwise there's a chance I might not get any. First of all...this is not even a ride, right? So what's the big attraction?

Secondly, this whole online fast pass thing is new to me. I'm used to getting fast passes the old fashioned way....walking to the attraction. Does anyone have any newbie advice from recent experience? It sounds like I'm going to be up pretty late that night acquiring fast passes for each of my 8 days at the parks. Just one more thing to add to frantic WDW vacation planning, ugh! As if getting dining reservations wasn't enough!

The agent also mentioned getting fast passes for the Seven Dwarves mine train ride because they are a hot item.

I'm willing to take any and all input on this so fire away!

The attractions that most require going online at midnight and getting FP for are Anna/Elsa, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Wishes, Main Street Electrical Parade, and Festival of Fantasy parade. The rest are relatively easy to get at 30 days or less from a trip. More information like this can be found in the green link in my signature.

 

[njitgrad]

The attractions that most require going online at midnight and getting FP for are Anna/Elsa, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Wishes, Main Street Electrical Parade, and Festival of Fantasy parade. The rest are relatively easy to get at 30 days or less from a trip. More information like this can be found in the green link in my signature.

Why are the parades FPs hard to get? I actually don't ever recall seeing FPs for any of them on our visits in 2009 and 2011. What do they offer?

 

[mesaboy2]

Why are the parades FPs hard to get? I actually don't ever recall seeing FPs for any of them on our visits in 2009 and 2011. What do they offer?

Very small supply. As noted in the link, FPs to parades allow access to a reserved area but do not save a guest much in terms of time. Just going by the name, that seems to me the point of a FastPass.