Fastpass Question - 60 vs 30 day

[Ashleybs]

How crucial is it to be able to get Fast Passes 60 days in advance by staying either on property or in a Disney Springs hotel verses saving a good bit of money and staying off property and only getting them 30 days in advance? We are going the week prior to Easter if that matters and haven't been in 10 years!

 

[JETSDAD]

How crucial is it to be able to get Fast Passes 60 days in advance by staying either on property or in a Disney Springs hotel verses saving a good bit of money and staying off property and only getting them 30 days in advance? We are going the week prior to Easter if that matters.

At 30 days some rides will not have FP's available (FOP, SDD, 7DMT). It depends how badly you want to ensure that you have those booked in advance. They can be found later on, especially night before and day of, but there's not guarantee.

 

[HerRoyalHighness]

That's a big spring break week for schools in my area.

 

[Duffy Lover]

I concur with the replies so far - it really depends on your expectations. We're actually staying off-property in just a few weeks and were unable to score 7DMT, SDD, FoP, and some of the other popular rides we had to schedule much later in the day. For example, we couldn't get the Safari until almost 6 pm! Poor us. Anyways, we've been a bunch of times so we're good with that outcome.

It also sounds like you are traveling at a busy time, and soon assuming you're going this year, so pitter-patter, make that decision soon!

 

[Alesia]

I have pretty much vowed to never stay onsite again. The only exception I would make is Christmas though New Year's Day and the two weeks surrounding Easter. You are going during the second busiest time of the year and you will need every advantage you can get

 

[Twitterpaited]

Have you looked into Good Neighbor hotels that also get the 60-Day FP privileges?

 

[wilkydelts]

I keep seeing conflicting information between "Good Neighbor Hotels" and "Disney Springs Hotels". It looks like "Disney Springs Hotels" are the only ones who get you the 60 day FP+ window. Is there an advantage to "Good Neighbor Hotels" as well?

 

[Krystal659]

Sometimes you can get day of fast passes. However, this also depends on the number of people in your party. For example, it is much easier to get 2 FPs than 6 FPs.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

While booking FPs at 60 days can be very convenient and useful, forums like the DIS tend to have a lot of content / chatter that - in my opinion - puts an unneeded over-emphasis on the 60 day topic. One can put together a perfectly fine WDW vacation via booking FPs at 30 days or less. A good plan, refreshing, rope drop touring, end of night touring, maybe an add on like Disney After Hours (if inclined and in the budget), etc - lots of ways to craft a vacation to minimize waiting in standby lines, even with the headliners. Plus there’s always good old fashion waiting in line.

I will caveat, though, that the weeks before and after Easter are traditionally high crowd times, so you do have that as a consideration. But tons of those crowds will be staying off site too and many will likely have very good trips. One good thing is that park hours that week ‘should’ get expanded, in some cases substantially (eg, MK). When that happens that can be a great time to search for new FPs / tweak your plan.

 

[SMRT-1]

Another advantage to staying onsite is that on-property guests can book their FP+ all at once for their entire trip (up to 10 days) starting at 60 days before their hotel check-in date, as opposed to off-site guests who have to book them one day at a time 30 days before each individual park day.

 

[ClapYourHands]

You can have a great trip on-site or off. If your savings are substantial, stay offsite and use smart strategies to experience the attractions you want.

In every park, there’s probably only 1 or maybe 2 rides you won’t be able to get at 30 days. So plan to rope drop them, hop in line just before closing, or grab a snack and a charged phone with a movie or game and have some downtime while you wait for that one attraction.

Also, think about your must-do attractions. Are you really excited for SDD or do you just want a FP for it because you know those are hard to get and you don’t want to miss out?

When I think about choices, I ask myself, “is experienceX worth $Y?” So if staying offsite will save you, for example, $300, and you’re tempted by on-site so you can ride SDD and FoP the question becomes, “is a short line to ride SDD and FoP worth $300?” For some people the answer is a hell no, and for others it’s a resounding yes.

 

[CastAStone]

I keep seeing conflicting information between "Good Neighbor Hotels" and "Disney Springs Hotels". It looks like "Disney Springs Hotels" are the only ones who get you the 60 day FP+ window. Is there an advantage to "Good Neighbor Hotels" as well?

Good Neighbor Hotel is meaningless. It means they sell tickets to the parks in the lobby.

There are several hotels with 60 day FP privileges. 7 are in Disney Springs but not all Disney Springs hotels have 60 day FP privileges. There are a few others too. See https://www.wdwinfo.com/news-storie...alt-disney-world-resort-benefits-in-2020/amp/

 

[wilkydelts]

So I am pretty sure I have been planning all wrong and now need some clarity after a different understanding of what I read.

I check into my Disney Springs Hotel on 3/29. I have HS tickets for 3/30. All along I thought my 60 day window opened this Thursday 1/30. I am now reading and thinking I can actually book tomorrow Wednesday 1/29 at 60+1.

Can I book tomorrow at 60+1 because of my resort check-in date or do I have until Thursday which is 60 days out?

 

[Alesia]

It is 60 days before check in

 

[wilkydelts]

That's what I keep reading, but I am having a hard time understanding what that means.

Which bring me back to my original question: Can I book tomorrow at 60+1 because of my resort check-in date or do I have until Thursday which is 60 days out?

 

[CastAStone]

Type your hotel check in date in here and it will tell you exactly what day to book FPs on (spoiler alert: tomorrow). Your first park day is irrelevant.

https://www.wdwmagic.com/reservation-calculator.htm
(edited for clarity)

 

[yorkieteacher]

That's what I keep reading, but I am having a hard time understanding what that means.

Which bring me back to my original question: Can I book tomorrow at 60+1 because of my resort check-in date or do I have until Thursday which is 60 days out?

You can book TOMORROW! 60 days before your check in date.

 

[yorkieteacher]

Type your date in here and it will tell you exactly what day to book FPs on (spoiler alert: tomorrow)

https://www.wdwmagic.com/reservation-calculator.htm

I just book marked this site-THANK YOU! Now I will no longer have to ask Siri

 

[wilkydelts]

Type your hotel check in date in here and it will tell you exactly what day to book FPs on (spoiler alert: tomorrow). Your first park day is irrelevant.

https://www.wdwmagic.com/reservation-calculator.htm
(edited for clarity)

Thank you for the website. I had actually been using that but I kept putting my park date. I would of missed out on the ever slim chance of Slinky Dog and Millennium Falcon if I did not ask you all after realizing I was reading it wrong.

 

[sheilafri]

I have pretty much vowed to never stay onsite again. The only exception I would make is Christmas though New Year's Day and the two weeks surrounding Easter. You are going during the second busiest time of the year and you will need every advantage you can get

I’m not a fan of staying on-site, either. Fortunately, I don’t care to or have to go when it’s super-busy. I check MDE frequently in the parks and have gotten some pretty good FPs that way for a party of 2.