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

[Cluelyss]

I was unsuccessful at getting A&E last night at my window opening. I was playing on the app this morning and was able to score a single. Then I was able to get an overlapping second one. Then after some more playing around a third and fourth! WOOHOO! 3:40-4:40 4:20-5:20 4:40-5:40 4:50-5:50 They almost all overlap around 4:40/4:50, except the first and last which are off by 5 minutes on each end, but I'm going to keep them for now and hope some times open up so I can get them all to overlap. So all is definitely not lost when booking A&E!

Definitely keep checking, but if nothing else, there is a "reported" 5 min early grace period and 15 min late grace period, so you may be fine regardless. Congrats!!

 

[Cluelyss]

Thanks for all of the information and tips in this thread! I was able to successfully (mostly) schedule our FP last night. Was able to get SDMT no problem at all. Could have had it for both of our MK days. Even got a wishes one when I went to modify one. Woohoo! Will be looking for a FOF if I can find it and of course the ever elusive A and E. You know, if you're willing to give up 4 spots in feb for me, that'd be grrrrrreat. ::rofl:: I need to look into how to get individual ones to maybe get some that overlap for A and E.

You can modify individual FP return times via the app - just select modify existing FP, choose the attraction to change, then select just one member of your party on the next screen to search for singles. Note that while it will state that it is only checking for attractions with an available return time as your existing FP, it is actually searching the entire day. Good luck!

 

[sweetnjmom]

Just want to make sure I understand something correctly:

"All other guests can prebook FP+ attractions no more than 30 days in advance, for the number of days on their linked ticket in MDX, and can use either the MDX website or app to do so. Unlike onsite guests, it is not possible to book beyond the 30-day mark."

I realize that staying off-site affects FP+ for me and I can only book at 30 days out. Do I have to check at midnight at 30 days out for each day I'm planning to be there? I don't have 30 plus 7, right?

 

[doconeill]

Just want to make sure I understand something correctly:

"All other guests can prebook FP+ attractions no more than 30 days in advance, for the number of days on their linked ticket in MDX, and can use either the MDX website or app to do so. Unlike onsite guests, it is not possible to book beyond the 30-day mark."

I realize that staying off-site affects FP+ for me and I can only book at 30 days out. Do I have to check at midnight at 30 days out for each day I'm planning to be there? I don't have 30 plus 7, right?

Correct, you don't have any "+X" benefit, so it is 30 days from each day you want FP+ for.

 

[sweetnjmom]

Correct, you don't have any "+X" benefit, so it is 30 days from each day you want FP+ for.

Thanks. This will the only downside to staying off site this trip but there are only a few "hard" FP+ that I want and hopefully staying during a "slower" week will benefit me--but I'm not counting any chickens.

 

[hkp1042]

Ok probably a dumb question but we are staying offsite so no magic bands. I have our fast passes all booked and we are good to go there.
But since the fast passes are linked to each individual's ticket each kid will have to have their own ticket on them at all times, correct?

 

[ghtx]

Ok probably a dumb question but we are staying offsite so no magic bands. I have our fast passes all booked and we are good to go there.
But since the fast passes are linked to each individual's ticket each kid will have to have their own ticket on them at all times, correct?

One person/parent can carry the ticket for each kid. But each individual ticket will have to be tapped on the reader at the ride entrance to use FP.

Last trip all my kids got sick of wearing their MBs so I had to carry all of them around in my pocket.

 

[ghtx]

I realize that staying off-site affects FP+ for me and I can only book at 30 days out. Do I have to check at midnight at 30 days out for each day I'm planning to be there? I don't have 30 plus 7, right?

Or, you could wait until 30 days before the last day of your trip. On that day you could make your FP ressies all at one time. All of the superheadliners will be unavailable at 30 days out anyways, so there is no real loss in waiting a few more days.

 

[sweetnjmom]

Or, you could wait until 30 days before the last day of your trip. On that day you could make your FP ressies all at one time. All of the superheadliners will be unavailable at 30 days out anyways, so there is no real loss in waiting a few more days.

Not a bad idea... thanks for the suggestion. We're making 7 Dwarfs Mine Train our park opening target (like probably every other person at MK) and the only other "headliners" we want are Toy Story Mania and the MSEP.

I have until April... I might do it in two shots... 30 days from our HS day to try to get TSMM and 30 days from our last day--which is the day we want the MSEP.

Anna and Elsa would be awesome, but if my son doesn't get to meet them, so be it. He just wants to meet Ariel with her mermaid tail. I think we'll be OK there.

 

[Mommyof2Boos]

Does anyone know if the 60 day, 30 day, and Same Day FP+ are in different pools, like 50%, 30%, 20% become available at each date respectively?

 

[Cluelyss]

Does anyone know if the 60 day, 30 day, and Same Day FP+ are in different pools, like 50%, 30%, 20% become available at each date respectively?

Pretty sure everything is released into the system at 60 days. I had heard some were held back until 30 days, but was online to check again for A&E at my 30 day mark and didn't notice an increase in inventory

 

[KEVD]

I'm just starting our strategy planning for our trip in April 19th - 24th, 2015. We have not been to WDW since they instituted FP+ so I'm new to this. And I'll admit that I have not read to the entire thread (it's 100 pages long). Anyway, my question is: We're staying offsite so we have the 30 day window to book FPs. We like to arrive at rope drop and usually leave the parks by around 5p. Which rides can I definitely expect NOT to be able to get FP's for and which ones should I have no problem with? Keeping in mind that we prefer to leave the parks around 5p.

 

[doconeill]

Does anyone know if the 60 day, 30 day, and Same Day FP+ are in different pools, like 50%, 30%, 20% become available at each date respectively?

There is no definitive evidence of such. I certainly haven't heard much about a release at 30 days.

For a while there was anecdotal evidence that at about 5 minutes before park open, they released some more FP+ for that day. I haven't heard anyone mention it in a while.

 

[Cluelyss]

I'm just starting our strategy planning for our trip in April 19th - 24th, 2015. We have not been to WDW since they instituted FP+ so I'm new to this. And I'll admit that I have not read to the entire thread (it's 100 pages long). Anyway, my question is: We're staying offsite so we have the 30 day window to book FPs. We like to arrive at rope drop and usually leave the parks by around 5p. Which rides can I definitely expect NOT to be able to get FP's for and which ones should I have no problem with? Keeping in mind that we prefer to leave the parks around 5p.

Outside of parades and fireworks, Anna and Elsa, and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, I would suspect there would be inventory for everything else at 30 days. The only other exceptions may be Toy Story Midway Mania, Soarin, Test Track and Enchanted Tales with Belle (which may have their earlier windows filled). I had no trouble tweaking my FP times on most attractions up to a week before my October trip.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Does anyone know if the 60 day, 30 day, and Same Day FP+ are in different pools, like 50%, 30%, 20% become available at each date respectively?

A CM from Guest Relations told me on the phone that they were different pools, but not any percentages.

 

[mom2rtk]

A CM from Guest Relations told me on the phone that they were different pools, but not any percentages.

I don't think we really have consensus yet on whether they save any for those other dates.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

I don't think we really have consensus yet on whether they save any for those other dates.

We need someone on the inside of their IT department here! It is strange how some people will go in and get what they want, and others in the system at the same time won't. And how they seem to release a bunch on certain rides sometimes. Hard to predict.

 

[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?

Just back thought I would update as no one was 100% sure of the answer. I used the 2 FP I had booked at HS. We went to MK later in the day and I was able to book additional FP one at a time during our time in MK. There was no issue with having only 2 FP booked initially.

Hope this may help others int the same situation.

 

[snowtommm]

So Disney IT just gave me this scenario and I want to know if the info they gave me is correct.

I am an annual passholder and I have an upcoming split stay trip in May/June. I am staying for 4 days at the Boardwalk followed by 10 days at the Villas at GF. IT just told me that when my 60 day fastpass window opens I should only book FP+ for the four days of the first stay instead 7 days. Then when my second reservation 60 day mark comes book for the remaining 10 days. They said if I book 7 days from the first stay date that I will be locked out of booking for the remainder of the 7 days. Apparently with the split stay the system will not recognize my 14 days as the length of stay to book all of the fastpasses as once

Is this correct?

 

[doconeill]

So Disney IT just gave me this scenario and I want to know if the info they gave me is correct.

I am an annual passholder and I have an upcoming split stay trip in May/June. I am staying for 4 days at the Boardwalk followed by 10 days at the Villas at GF. IT just told me that when my 60 day fastpass window opens I should only book FP+ for the four days of the first stay instead 7 days. Then when my second reservation 60 day mark comes book for the remaining 10 days. They said if I book 7 days from the first stay date that I will be locked out of booking for the remainder of the 7 days. Apparently with the split stay the system will not recognize my 14 days as the length of stay to book all of the fastpasses as once

Is this correct?

I don't know for certain that it is true, but it is definitely feasible.

An annual pass generally acts as a 7-day ticket for FP+ purposes. The exception is that if you book a stay that is longer, you can book for the length of stay. If you book a stay that it shorter, you still get 7 days. I'm not sure, however, that you can book beyond the length of the stay - I think it just opens the 60 day window prior to check-in, for which you previously only had a 30 day window. If it allows you to book beyond the reservation, I'm not sure how they limit how far out you can book.

If you book up FP+ while you only have a 7-day max, it might set a flag saying your ticket is "fully booked", and even the later reservation might not unlock it at that point.