FastPass+ Basic Info, Suggested Priorities, And Strategies--Part II

[ffugitive]

Not at all.... I've read reports of that happening!! If you are going to try the copying route, I'd recommend using the website and not the app. What I've heard is that the website will at least warn you if one if the attractions you're trying to copy has no availability, whereas the app will sometimes change the original FP to something else that does have availability for both parties.

VERY good to know - thanks!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

I'm asking the experts here - I'm planning an April 11-17 trip for the boss. His DD,5 really wants to meet A&E like all the other girls. I'm planning with TP. For her "Princess Day" with BBB and all Fantasyland, the program is insisting that we do A&E at RD with no FP, followed by BBB, then a FP for PP. When I try to change PP and A&E around in the plan to be sure they get it all in, it looks like the wait times are way longer, even with the FP utilized.

I'm just worried they won't "book it" over there. They are the most polite people I've ever met, and I think they will let everyone in front of them and be too far in back of the line to make their BBB.

Do you think with the timing of their visit, there really is no need for a 9am FP for A&E, even with all of their politeness, or should I have them do PP at RD and get a FP+ for A&E - even if the wait times are longer.

 

[Cluelyss]

I'm asking the experts here - I'm planning an April 11-17 trip for the boss. His DD,5 really wants to meet A&E like all the other girls. I'm planning with TP. For her "Princess Day" with BBB and all Fantasyland, the program is insisting that we do A&E at RD with no FP, followed by BBB, then a FP for PP. When I try to change PP and A&E around in the plan to be sure they get it all in, it looks like the wait times are way longer, even with the FP utilized. I'm just worried they won't "book it" over there. They are the most polite people I've ever met, and I think they will let everyone in front of them and be too far in back of the line to make their BBB. Do you think with the timing of their visit, there really is no need for a 9am FP for A&E, even with all of their politeness, or should I have them do PP at RD and get a FP+ for A&E - even if the wait times are longer.

If A&E is a must do, get a FP for it. Regardless of what TP says, I've never seen the wait times for PP shorter than A&E. Even if they head there right at RD, without being at the front of the line and running, they are likely to encounter 30-60 minute waits. Now, TP suggestions may work if you are pushy and willing to arrive at 7 am to ensure that you are the first in the park and therefore one of the first in line for A&E. Otherwise, this is the most valuable FP on property.

 

[hsmamato2]

If I am asking in error, please direct me to the proper place.... once I log in,and try to book, how do I choose a time? while trying out a 'dummy run' for a date(mine isn't here yet) it showed only one choice,how do you choose a time? say I want morning vs. afternoon....

 

[Cluelyss]

If I am asking in error, please direct me to the proper place.... once I log in,and try to book, how do I choose a time? while trying out a 'dummy run' for a date(mine isn't here yet) it showed only one choice,how do you choose a time? say I want morning vs. afternoon....

You cannot select a specific time during initial scheduling. Usually the system will give you 3 options, timed throughout the day. Just select one, then go back in to "modify fast pass" and you can then select from a available times on that day.

 

[hsmamato2]

thank you!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

If A&E is a must do, get a FP for it. Regardless of what TP says, I've never seen the wait times for PP shorter than A&E. Even if they head there right at RD, without being at the front of the line and running, they are likely to encounter 30-60 minute waits. Now, TP suggestions may work if you are pushy and willing to arrive at 7 am to ensure that you are the first in the park and therefore one of the first in line for A&E. Otherwise, this is the most valuable FP on property.

Thanks! That's what my gut was telling me to do - that is one aspect of TP I don't like - you can't reason with it!

 

[ottawamom]

I had 3 fastpasses booked for HS. Wasn't going to use the 3rd one so I cancelled it to make it available to others. I am park hopping around 1pm. Will I be able to book a fastpass in MK even though my "3rd' (cancelled) fastpass from HS won't have been used?

 

[hjbvet]

My FP+ window opens tomorrow night and I am interested in a report from those who book tonight. Did your window open at midnight or 1 am EST? Can someone who books tonight let us know?

 

[PoohsFan1]

My FP+ window opens tomorrow night and I am interested in a report from those who book tonight. Did your window open at midnight or 1 am EST? Can someone who books tonight let us know?

My FP+ window opens tomorrow, but I believe I can start making them at 11pm tonight because I live in the Central Time Zone so it will technically be midnight Eastern Time Zone. If I am wrong, could anyone please correct me because I plan on making them tonight .

 

[mesaboy2]

My FP+ window opens tomorrow night and I am interested in a report from those who book tonight. Did your window open at midnight or 1 am EST? Can someone who books tonight let us know?

My FP+ window opens tomorrow, but I believe I can start making them at 11pm tonight because I live in the Central Time Zone so it will technically be midnight Eastern Time Zone. If I am wrong, could anyone please correct me because I plan on making them tonight .

My current theory is that the 1:00a booking windows occur on days where the MK itself closes at 1:00a (not including EMH). It doesn't make much sense to me, but that appears to be a recent pattern.

If true, then tomorrow night (Monday night/Tuesday morning) may see the booking window not open until 1:00a. When I originally looked into this a month or two ago, this entire upcoming week had 1:00a MK closings scheduled, but now it looks like it only happens tomorrow night.

I would be interested in hearing anyone's experiences, especially tomorrow night. And thanks in advance!

 

[mesaboy2]

I had 3 fastpasses booked for HS. Wasn't going to use the 3rd one so I cancelled it to make it available to others. I am park hopping around 1pm. Will I be able to book a fastpass in MK even though my "3rd' (cancelled) fastpass from HS won't have been used?

I wish I could help you. I know everyone wants to be thoughtful and cancel FPs to free them up for others, but it seems to cause more problems than it solves and generates more unknowns.

 

[ottawamom]

Thanks for the reply I guess I'll just have to wait and see how it goes. I thought I remembered reading a while back about people who cancelled the unwanted fastpasses as a strategy for being able to book another Tier 1 earlier. Hopefully the park hopping will allow me to be able to get one in MK

 

[ottawamom]

I think I may have found and answer to my problem on the Disney website

In advance, you can reserve up to 3 FastPass+ experiences per day at one theme park. After you use all of the initial FastPass+ experiences on the day of your visit (or your arrival windows have passed), you can select one additional FastPass+ experience to use that same day (based on availability). The additional FastPass+ experience is a rolling FastPass+ experience—each time you use an additional FastPass+ experience, you can select a new one.

If I am interpreting this correctly I can have 2 fastpasses for a day, once I experience those two I will be able to get another. Just posting this here in case someone else has the same concern.

Those in the know please let me know if I'm not reading this correctly.

 

[mesaboy2]

I think I may have found and answer to my problem on the Disney website

In advance, you can reserve up to 3 FastPass+ experiences per day at one theme park. After you use all of the initial FastPass+ experiences on the day of your visit (or your arrival windows have passed), you can select one additional FastPass+ experience to use that same day (based on availability). The additional FastPass+ experience is a rolling FastPass+ experience—each time you use an additional FastPass+ experience, you can select a new one.

If I am interpreting this correctly I can have 2 fastpasses for a day, once I experience those two I will be able to get another. Just posting this here in case someone else has the same concern.

Those in the know please let me know if I'm not reading this correctly.

It makes sense to me, but how it works in practice--which is what you're really wanting to know--is the big question. Can that third FP (in your case, since you cancelled one) be in a different theme park or must it be in the same one? We already know you can use the fourth FP in a different park (when no FPs are cancelled). This is one of many nuances of FP+ that is difficult to know....

 

[doconeill]

It makes sense to me, but how it works in practice--which is what you're really wanting to know--is the big question. Can that third FP (in your case, since you cancelled one) be in a different theme park or must it be in the same one? We already know you can use the fourth FP in a different park (when no FPs are cancelled). This is one of many nuances of FP+ that is difficult to know....

That's the key...I can't recall anyone testing this specific use case. I think some figure it is safer to book the three with one being a throwaway, than to risk park hopping and finding out your locked out.

 

[PoohsFan1]

My current theory is that the 1:00a booking windows occur on days where the MK itself closes at 1:00a (not including EMH). It doesn't make much sense to me, but that appears to be a recent pattern.

If true, then tomorrow night (Monday night/Tuesday morning) may see the booking window not open until 1:00a. When I originally looked into this a month or two ago, this entire upcoming week had 1:00a MK closings scheduled, but now it looks like it only happens tomorrow night.

I would be interested in hearing anyone's experiences, especially tomorrow night. And thanks in advance!

Thanks for the info. I guess I will have to wait and see when I log on tonight....if it lets me make my FP+ selections then , if not, then I know I will have to wait until tomorrow.

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

Just wanted to throw in a big Thank you for this thread yet again. We've been to WDW plenty of times and have planning down pat....but I still refer back to the information in this thread when getting ready to make FP+ arrangements.
Mesaboy you rock!

 

[mesaboy2]

Thanks for the info. I guess I will have to wait and see when I log on tonight....if it lets me make my FP+ selections then , if not, then I know I will have to wait until tomorrow.

Sounds to me like you'll be good to go at 11:00p (your time) tonight.

 

[bhyer]

I have been to Disneyland a few times. This is my first visit to Walt Disney World and I feel like I am having a mental break down of some kind!!! Should it be this difficult to plan? Don't get me wrong - super excited about the trip but I feel like this has become a full-time job. I have read all the wonderful information at the beginning of this thread (and say THANK YOU!!!!). It is tremendously helpful. But still, how does a person decide what time of day to actually BOOK a fastpass+ reservation? I know there is no right or wrong answer but for a person who has problems deciding where to go for dinner..... well, perhaps I should have stuck with Disneyland We have two days at Epcot, 2 days at AK and 2 days a DHS. We have five days at MK and a couple of rest days. So LOTS of time to explore and we are going end of January/beginning of February so crowds shouldn't be too terrible. It's just two adults (although my daughter turns into a little kid around the characters and insists on lining up for pictures with every one she sees). I was thinking I would just do fastpass+ reservations for the headliners and wing the rest but then I got a subscription to TouringPlans.com. Does everyone follow these touring plans? Or is it common to just book a few reservations for early afternoon and wing the rest? I had set aside this weekend to get my plans all in order so I would be ready to make reservations at midnight on Thursday and am starting to panic as I feel like I'm nowhere closer to any sort of decision. Sigh. I'm mostly just venting.