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

[mesaboy2]

I've read somewhere and want to confirm that concierge desk at my hotel can secure 4th fast pass for second park I plan to visit in evening (I have ph). Is that true? Planning on using 3 fp+ at HS, lunch & pool at BC, then MK in evening. Would like to make 4th fp selection at lunch time while selection may be better and not have to go to the MK kiosk to do it. Thanks for your help

There are quite a few reports of guests doing just that.

 

[Cluelyss]

Thanks Cluelyss. Do you know what happens if one of the 3 you select is not available (ex: A&E)?

When you make your original attraction selections, anything that is unavailable already on that day will say "distribution done" and will be greyed out (so you cannot even select it). You can then go back and change your date immediately to search for availability on a different day without going through the rest of the steps.

 

[siskaren]

Hello! We will be at DHS at park opening and heading to TSM first thing. Do I need to get a FP+ if we'll be there early? I'm not sure how the stand by line is affected. TY!

It's a very popular ride, and I'm sure a lot of people will be heading there first thing as well. Unless you're trying to decide between that and RNRC for your tier one, I would definitely get a FP.

 

[preemiemama]

I've read somewhere and want to confirm that concierge desk at my hotel can secure 4th fast pass for second park I plan to visit in evening (I have ph). Is that true? Planning on using 3 fp+ at HS, lunch & pool at BC, then MK in evening. Would like to make 4th fp selection at lunch time while selection may be better and not have to go to the MK kiosk to do it. Thanks for your help

We were able to do this regularly last July. I would recommend asking nicely, not demanding, and thank the person once they help you. MK is the easiest park to secure a 4th FP in- but have realistic expectations as well. 7DMT, for example, is probably going to be unavailable. We had no issue getting Splash, BTMRR or Buzz, though!

 

[3adorablekids]

ok, A&E question here. Didn't read through all 120 pages, so I apologize if it has already been asked. I am contemplating whether to book an A&E FP or try for just going toward closing and waiting in line, as many say the lines are sometimes 20 minutes or less around fireworks times. Planning 2-3 evenings at MK, so we are ok missing the fireworks on one of those evenings. Has anyone had any experience with just waiting until near park closing and being able to do A&E without FP and not waiting a ridiculous amount of time? Was wondering if A&E is also available during EMH, like from 12-2am? I have one dd (6) and 2ds, and my ds (9&13) are not going to go for FP to A&E. I would like to avoid the confusion of booking for an individual vs. booking for the entire party, as it seems FP+ for a newbie will probably already be overwhelming enough. Thanks for any advice you can send my way

 

[hiroMYhero]

ok, A&E question here. Didn't read through all 120 pages, so I apologize if it has already been asked. I am contemplating whether to book an A&E FP or try for just going toward closing and waiting in line, as many say the lines are sometimes 20 minutes or less around fireworks times. Planning 2-3 evenings at MK, so we are ok missing the fireworks on one of those evenings. Has anyone had any experience with just waiting until near park closing and being able to do A&E without FP and not waiting a ridiculous amount of time? Was wondering if A&E is also available during EMH, like from 12-2am? I have one dd (6) and 2ds, and my ds (9&13) are not going to go for FP to A&E. I would like to avoid the confusion of booking for an individual vs. booking for the entire party, as it seems FP+ for a newbie will probably already be overwhelming enough. Thanks for any advice you can send my way

A&E do meet during late EMH. Save Disneywaittimes.com to your mobile device and you'll be able to view accurate wait times.

You should at least try for FPs for A&E for your last MK day. After confirming and completing all your days of FPs, you can go back and change the FPs for your two sons as they can go ride something by themselves as they are old enough. Just change their experience, don't cancel anything. I'm sure the 13 year-old can assist you.

 

[3adorablekids]

A&E do meet during late EMH. Save Disneywaittimes.com to your mobile device and you'll be able to view accurate wait times.

You should at least try for FPs for A&E for your last MK day. After confirming and completing all your days of FPs, you can go back and change the FPs for your two sons as they can go ride something by themselves as they are old enough. Just change their experience, don't cancel anything. I'm sure the 13 year-old can assist you.

So true! Thanks for the info and the link!

 

[Goofy'sPal]

Hello everyone. I haven been to WDW since 2008 and there was no FP+. I have a few questions Im hoping someone can help me out with. Do the water parks have FP+? If so if I go to a wp in the morning and a park in the afternoon could I schedule FP+ for both the wp and park that day? Also Im going solo do I really need a FP+ for fireworks, parade or nighttime show? Going back to WDW sometime either last week of Sept or early Oct. Ty for your time.

 

[doconeill]

Hello everyone. I haven been to WDW since 2008 and there was no FP+. I have a few questions Im hoping someone can help me out with. Do the water parks have FP+? If so if I go to a wp in the morning and a park in the afternoon could I schedule FP+ for both the wp and park that day? Also Im going solo do I really need a FP+ for fireworks, parade or nighttime show? Going back to WDW sometime either last week of Sept or early Oct. Ty for your time.

No FP+ for water parks.

As for the others, it generally depends on how close to the show time that you want to be able to get a decent location. But being solo I think you can find spots more readily than a larger group or family can. Plus I think you are going at a relatively slow time in general.

 

[SeanTomorrow]

What does a FP+ attendant do when they see kids in the FP+ line who look 2-3 yrs old?

As I understand the policy, a 2 yr old needs no ticket, while a 3 yr old needs a ticket and FP+ reservation. Do they usually just wave all the young-ish kids through when the adults have a reservation? Ask to see birth certificates?

I'm traveling with a mixed age group and curious.

 

[doconeill]

What does a FP+ attendant do when they see kids in the FP+ line who look 2-3 yrs old?

As I understand the policy, a 2 yr old needs no ticket, while a 3 yr old needs a ticket and FP+ reservation. Do they usually just wave all the young-ish kids through when the adults have a reservation? Ask to see birth certificates?

I'm traveling with a mixed age group and curious.

Usually they don't care. You aren't required to have proof of age.

Presumably, since they issue magicbands for all resort guests including those under three, and the child taps his band (to be all grown up...) and it turns blue and the CM sees the child is 3 and has a ticket but no FP+, they could deny entrance to the attraction via FP+.

 

[hiroMYhero]

What does a FP+ attendant do when they see kids in the FP+ line who look 2-3 yrs old?

As I understand the policy, a 2 yr old needs no ticket, while a 3 yr old needs a ticket and FP+ reservation. Do they usually just wave all the young-ish kids through when the adults have a reservation? Ask to see birth certificates?

I'm traveling with a mixed age group and curious.

The Gate CMs don't even ask for birth certificates. The FP CMs will watch your family go through the line as they will trust that you have booked FPs appropriately. They aren't going to hold up the FP line.

 

[Stacey012345]

When you make your original attraction selections, anything that is unavailable already on that day will say "distribution done" and will be greyed out (so you cannot even select it). You can then go back and change your date immediately to search for availability on a different day without going through the rest of the steps.

Ah Thanks Cluelyss, that makes sense. Hopefully I can move fast enough to book all FP+ I want right at the 60 day mark. Time shall tell, thanks for your help.

 

[chiisai]

Thank you, thank you, thank you for this thread. I've read the first page and several other pages many times since I found it.

I just finished our FP+ reservations and I am totally happy with the outcome. I was even brave enough, and lucid enough (I'm never up at this hour), to change FP for half of our party on several of them (I've got height constraints with one). I messed up a bit on one of them, but was able to still get overlapping times.

Ok, going to bed. Or try to. I'm pretty wound now, ha!

 

[rfc0001]

QQ, sorry if it's been covered already (did a search of thread and didn't see it). Basic question is technically will a FastPass+ work if you haven't first scanned the corresponding MB for park entry? E.g. if you have 4 people to staying at a Disney resort, 4 MBs, 4 FP+ reservations, but just two of you go to the park and you want to use the FP+ for the other two people in your party. While I'm sure this it is against policy to use someone else's MB/FP+, I see people do it all the time (e.g. if their kid doesn't want to ride a ride, another kid will go in their place -- sometimes it is more obvious when the sex doesn't match up), and I've never seen a CM do anything about it, so unless it's technically prevented, my guess is you can probably get by with it. That said, I could see where this could get abused (e.g. you could feasibly create imaginary guests on your Disney resort reservation to get more MBs than people in your party, then user the phantom guests' MBs/FP+). As such, I'm all for Disney enforcing this to prevent abuse, but in the mean time if they aren't enforcing it, it would be nice to use in the above scenario where you legitimately have a FP+ for a paying guest, who can't use it (e.g. sick, tired, etc.). Thanks.

 

[hiroMYhero]

QQ, sorry if it's been covered already (did a search of thread and didn't see it). Basic question is technically will a FastPass+ work if you haven't first scanned the corresponding MB for park entry? E.g. if you have 4 people to staying at a Disney resort, 4 MBs, 4 FP+ reservations, but just two of you go to the park and you want to use the FP+ for the other two people in your party. While I'm sure this it is against policy to use someone else's MB/FP+, I see people do it all the time (e.g. if their kid doesn't want to ride a ride, another kid will go in their place -- sometimes it is more obvious when the sex doesn't match up), and I've never seen a CM do anything about it, so unless it's technically prevented, my guess is you can probably get by with it. That said, I could see where this could get abused (e.g. you could feasibly create imaginary guests on your Disney resort reservation to get more MBs than people in your party, then user the phantom guests' MBs/FP+). As such, I'm all for Disney enforcing this to prevent abuse, but in the mean time if they aren't enforcing it, it would be nice to use in the above scenario where you legitimately have a FP+ for a paying guest, who can't use it (e.g. sick, tired, etc.). Thanks.

Park entry does not affect FP usage. The FP tapstiles only link/read FP data and it doesn't care about ticket usage at all.

 

[siskaren]

1. While I'm sure this it is against policy to use someone else's MB/FP+, I see people do it all the time (e.g. if their kid doesn't want to ride a ride, another kid will go in their place -- sometimes it is more obvious when the sex doesn't match up), and I've never seen a CM do anything about it, so unless it's technically prevented, my guess is you can probably get by with it.

2. That said, I could see where this could get abused (e.g. you could feasibly create imaginary guests on your Disney resort reservation to get more MBs than people in your party, then use the phantom guests' MBs/FP+).

1. I'm pretty sure it's not against policy, since, like you said, people do it all the time and CMs don't say anything.

2. The only way that would work is to buy tickets for the imaginary guests, which seems like a pretty expensive way to get more FPs.

But to answer your question, although with legacy FP, ticket media had to be used to enter a park in order to get FPs, I'm positive I've read that it isn't necessary for a Magic Band to be used for park entry for the FPs linked to them to be used.

 

[doconeill]

Park entry does not affect FP usage. The FP tapstiles only link/read FP data and it doesn't care about ticket usage at all.

1. I'm pretty sure it's not against policy, since, like you said, people do it all the time and CMs don't say anything.

2. The only way that would work is to buy tickets for the imaginary guests, which seems like a pretty expensive way to get more FPs.

But to answer your question, although with legacy FP, ticket media had to be used to enter a park in order to get FPs, I'm positive I've read that it isn't necessary for a Magic Band to be used for park entry for the FPs linked to them to be used.

Pretty much correct on all counts according to reports. Right now, the FP+ system does not take into account whether the ticket media was used to enter the park. Seems odd considering the old system, but that's the way it is working.

As for "policy", there are two things - policy and practice/procedure. There were a few common things in the past that were against the strict letter of the policy but generally allowed in practice.

 

[rfc0001]

1. I'm pretty sure it's not against policy, since, like you said, people do it all the time and CMs don't say anything.

2. The only way that would work is to buy tickets for the imaginary guests, which seems like a pretty expensive way to get more FPs.

But to answer your question, although with legacy FP, ticket media had to be used to enter a park in order to get FPs, I'm positive I've read that it isn't necessary for a Magic Band to be used for park entry for the FPs linked to them to be used.

Regarding 2, I wasn't aware of that requirement -- I knew you could book FP+ @ 60 days with Disney resort ressie -- so, you are saying you have to have a unused ticket linked to that same MB to create FP+. That makes sense -- they are checking it at the time you book it in MDE, not at the time you use it. Still a way to get around it -- you could use a 1-day pass to book FP+ 7 days. Thanks!

 

[siskaren]

1. Regarding 2, I wasn't aware of that requirement -- I knew you could book FP+ @ 60 days with Disney resort ressie -- so, you are saying you have to have a unused ticket linked to that same MB to create FP+.

2. Still a way to get around it -- you could use a 1-day pass to book FP+ 7 days. Thanks!

1. It doesn't have to be an unused ticket, it just have to have days left on it. (So for instance a non-expiration ticket that's been partially used or an AP that's already in effect can be used.)

2. Nope, you can only book FP+ for the number of days on the ticket. If you only have a 1-day ticket, you can only book 1 day's worth of FPs.