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

[123SA]

1. With that size party, I think chances are low--sorry.

2. I'd put it at a 50% chance of working, maybe less.

These are just huge guesses, kinda like guessing Florida weather more than a day in the future.

Thanks for your response. It's frustrating. My last trip was this time of year pre-FP+. This was very doable. I'm slowly coming to realize that I wlll need very different plans than what worked in the past. I was hoping that I was reading a lot of exaggerated posts and that the downside of FP+ wasn't really a factor during lower crowd times.

 

[mesaboy2]

Thanks for your response. It's frustrating. My last trip was this time of year pre-FP+. This was very doable. I'm slowly coming to realize that I wlll need very different plans than what worked in the past. I was hoping that I was reading a lot of exaggerated posts and that the downside of FP+ wasn't really a factor during lower crowd times.

What you're planning may work, and it may not. It's really hard to predict same-day FP availability for headliners with this system on any day, low crowds or high.

In your place, my suggestion would be to replace the TT FP with Soarin', and start your FP windows no earlier than 9:30a. Do your 2 standby rounds on TT very first thing, then your FPs (including Soarin'), then try to get additional FPs for TT. Though unlikely, especially for a party of 5, you may get lucky or be able to get 2 for late in the day--you just never know. Or you could consider single-rider for everyone except the youngest (and an adult) for TT. DD11 and I waited about 30 minutes in SR late in the afternoon yesterday.

 

[cmjohannes]

My family and I will be traveling to the World in August. Staying offsite August 9-16, then staying onsite at the Poly August 16-21. I know my FP+ booking window will open at 60 days from August 16th, but I have read elsewhere in the forums that once my 60 day window opens, all days prior to 60 days will open as well, effectively making it possible to book my FP+ for the off-site portion well in advance of the 30 day mark. Is this accurate? Can anyone provide any insight/knowledge into this?
Thanks in advance!

 

[123SA]

What you're planning may work, and it may not. It's really hard to predict same-day FP availability for headliners with this system on any day, low crowds or high.

In your place, my suggestion would be to replace the TT FP with Soarin', and start your FP windows no earlier than 9:30a. Do your 2 standby rounds on TT very first thing, then your FPs (including Soarin'), then try to get additional FPs for TT. Though unlikely, especially for a party of 5, you may get lucky or be able to get 2 for late in the day--you just never know. Or you could consider single-rider for everyone except the youngest (and an adult) for TT. DD11 and I waited about 30 minutes in SR late in the afternoon yesterday.

Yes, this sounds safer. I also forgot, it's a party of 4, not 5. I'll only ride once to get a nice family photo; it gives me a headache. I guess searching for 2 sets of 2 might be easier. The bottom line is, I should count it as lucky if we get another, not a sure thing.

 

[PurpleKomodo]

Has anyone been in the parks recently to give an update on kiosk lines. Trying to figure out if I can think about being able get a 4th FP on some days at the kiosk, but not really sure I am willing to wait 30+ minutes in line at a kiosk when I could just wait for the ride.

 

[mesaboy2]

Has anyone been in the parks recently to give an update on kiosk lines. Trying to figure out if I can think about being able get a 4th FP on some days at the kiosk, but not really sure I am willing to wait 30+ minutes in line at a kiosk when I could just wait for the ride.

In parks the last 3 days, haven't seen any kiosk lines that I would judge to be 30 minutes long.

 

[barbliny]

A cry for help ...

I'd consider myself an old-pro at WDW and DL - up until now - our last trip was 2 years ago, before things got complicated ... and we're also traveling with other family this time to add to confusion

I have 2 rooms booked - one for myself and my husband, one for my 2 daughters and 2 nieces - all 21 and over - my oldest daughter is the lead on that room

My sister has a room booked for herself and her husband

We are 70 days out now

I will be paying for tickets for my 4 and my sister will be paying for tickets for her 4

I have an MDE account, as does my sister, at the very least my oldest daughter will need to set up an mde account, since disney is not allowing me to order the magicbands for them even though I'm the one currently marked as paying for the room. Even though the reservation shows up under my plans, I cannot link it to my MDE since it is under my daughter's name.

My assumption is that my sister and I will have MDE accounts, as will the 4 girls - I do not necessarily know if my husband and BIL plan on making their own accounts (or tell me if they should?)

How do we go about linking up all of us correctly? Our aim is that I can make the ADRs and FP+ to start. Then everyone should be able to change them or add to them going forward.

We will be touring together, but not always be together - the groups will fluctuate, all 8 at the same time, older adults only, younger adults only, single families, etc.

Also, if my sister is buying the tickets for her daughters, what is the best way to do so to link them to the room reservation? Should she buy 2 sets of 2 tickets to make things easier? One set for her and her husband and one set for her daughters?

Give me the days of ripping off an e-ticket and getting on space mountain!! or at the very least, having one person run with a handful of tickets to get fastpasses for it!!

 

[ghtx]

My family and I will be traveling to the World in August. Staying offsite August 9-16, then staying onsite at the Poly August 16-21. I know my FP+ booking window will open at 60 days from August 16th, but I have read elsewhere in the forums that once my 60 day window opens, all days prior to 60 days will open as well, effectively making it possible to book my FP+ for the off-site portion well in advance of the 30 day mark. Is this accurate? Can anyone provide any insight/knowledge into this?
Thanks in advance!

I could be wrong, but I don't think that's true. I think at 60 days out you can only book for the days of your on-site trip, and that you'll have to wait until 30 days before the off-site days to book those. If I'm right, then you will want to make sure to plan for the high-demand FP attractions (e.g. A&E, Mine Train) during your on-site stay, since they might be unavailable at the 30-day mark.

 

[hiroMYhero]

My family and I will be traveling to the World in August. Staying offsite August 9-16, then staying onsite at the Poly August 16-21. I know my FP+ booking window will open at 60 days from August 16th, but I have read elsewhere in the forums that once my 60 day window opens, all days prior to 60 days will open as well, effectively making it possible to book my FP+ for the off-site portion well in advance of the 30 day mark. Is this accurate? Can anyone provide any insight/knowledge into this?
Thanks in advance!

As long as you don't have tickets as part of a "package," you'll have a fully open 60-day window + the length of your onsite stay.

Active tickets show a 30-day booking window. When you are exactly 60 days from your onsite stay, the window expands to include all 60 days + onsite days.

My linked comp tickets gave me a 7-day window and after we linked an onsite stay we had a full 60 day+ window available.

 

[nvrenoughdisney]

Thanks for all of the great info! I apologize as I'm sure this is answered somewhere, but I can't find it. I have a party of 5, going the first week of August. Is it better to pick the attractions I want for all of the days and then go back and change the times (assuming it doesn't give me the times I want initially) or should I change the times first and then book subsequent days? I'm thinking maybe I should change the times for the hard to get attractions, like A&E and 7DMT first and then book the rest of the days? Thanks!

 

[mesaboy2]

Thanks for all of the great info! I apologize as I'm sure this is answered somewhere, but I can't find it. I have a party of 5, going the first week of August. Is it better to pick the attractions I want for all of the days and then go back and change the times (assuming it doesn't give me the times I want initially) or should I change the times first and then book subsequent days? I'm thinking maybe I should change the times for the hard to get attractions, like A&E and 7DMT first and then book the rest of the days? Thanks!

Probably not a big difference. If it's important for you to have attractions such as A&E and 7DMT at specific times then I would concentrate on getting those squared away first.

 

[nvrenoughdisney]

Probably not a big difference. If it's important for you to have attractions such as A&E and 7DMT at specific times then I would concentrate on getting those squared away first.

Wow you're fast! Thanks!

 

[raidermatt]

Question about Turtle Talk.... Pre FP+ we never had a problem getting into the next show (we visit in the summer, late June through early August). I suppose it was possible to get shutout if you showed up right before showtime, but it never happened to us.

So with FP+, has that changed? If you show up 5-10 minutes before a show with no FP, is it more likely now that you could have to wait for the next show?

I'm just trying to determine if there is any value to that FP+. I had assumed not, but I see it is ranked in the "B" category, which makes me think things may have changed.

Thanks!

 

[mesaboy2]

Question about Turtle Talk.... Pre FP+ we never had a problem getting into the next show (we visit in the summer, late June through early August). I suppose it was possible to get shutout if you showed up right before showtime, but it never happened to us.

So with FP+, has that changed? If you show up 5-10 minutes before a show with no FP, is it more likely now that you could have to wait for the next show?

I'm just trying to determine if there is any value to that FP+. I had assumed not, but I see it is ranked in the "B" category, which makes me think things may have changed.

Thanks!

Meh, some. There are worse choices.

 

[raidermatt]

Meh, some. There are worse choices.

Ok, thanks. Just a vent here.... tiering stinks.

 

[disneyjr77]

We'll be in Epcot on 2 days, one day starting around 1 and the other in the morning. How should I plan my fp+?

 

[ckelly14]

We'll be in Epcot on 2 days, one day starting around 1 and the other in the morning. How should I plan my fp+?

Knowing that the busiest times are from 1PM-4PM, I would schedule during those times. How long do you plan to stay each day?

 

[disneyjr77]

Knowing that the busiest times are from 1PM-4PM, I would schedule during those times. How long do you plan to stay each day?

The first day until close, that's why we're going later. I originally wanted an Illuminations fp+, but heard we won't need one...our trip is at the end of September and it's a level 3 crowd. The other day will be in the morning after breakfast at Akershus, and then a little while that night because we're going back for the eat to the beat concert.

 

[ckelly14]

Honestly, in September the only rides you'll really need FP+ for at Epcot is Soarin' and TT. Pick one of those for each day; I would recommend afternoon on day 1 and late morning/early afternoon day 2.

 

[jcarwash]

Question about Turtle Talk.... Pre FP+ we never had a problem getting into the next show (we visit in the summer, late June through early August). I suppose it was possible to get shutout if you showed up right before showtime, but it never happened to us.

So with FP+, has that changed? If you show up 5-10 minutes before a show with no FP, is it more likely now that you could have to wait for the next show?

I'm just trying to determine if there is any value to that FP+. I had assumed not, but I see it is ranked in the "B" category, which makes me think things may have changed.

Thanks!

Is it more likely now with FP+ that you could get shut out of Turtle Talk and have to wait? Yes, because the FP+ setup includes a standby queue that may be used. Those with FP+ will enter the theater first, then if there is a standby queue guests will enter until capacity is reached. Josh has a few paragraphs and pictures on the Turtle Talk FP+ experience in this updated Epcot cheat sheet post.