Fastpass + SUCCESS during Christmas time

[Angel Ariel]

I'm not sure if I got lucky or if the FP+ horror is blown out of proportion, but either way, my experience was good.

I'd say you got lucky. I was online at my 60 day mark doing exactly what you did, and no A&E to be found for my trip over the wine and dine 1/2 marathon week. Nor could I get a&e for my friends trip the week after (have gotten some for them through the cancellation thread here...still nothing for my trip). Did manage to get 7DMT, but it was gone moments after I got it (couldn't rearrange times at all).

I.also think the.longer hours play a big part. I think the quick to go FP+ will be easier to get at 60 days for trips during peak times because the parks are open.longer, so there is more fp+ availability. MK closes at 7p for 2 days out of 4 for my trip, as well as 2/4 days for my friends. Much less availability there.

 

[5Hfan]

No, because October has 31 days. Check-ins for 12/19 were open today, 12/20 will open tonight.

Right so the person who said dates 20-28 must actually be checking in the 19th...

And the reason they had avail is the early 19 check in date...I imagine by the end of the week, those checking in 23rd/24th/25th will have a different experience, and not because fast pass plus is overblown. Rope drop is simply 60 days out now, and those with 10 day additional booking have an advantage you simply could never get by showing at RD morning of. The playing field isn't leveled, it's just shifted, and slanted.

 

[M2DD's]

I do not think they are dumping more fastpasses into the system because of Christmas time(but I could be wrong) I think that park hours is what is making it easier to get the "hard to get FP+ attractions" MK is open to midnight which would give roughly 3-5 more hours of Fastpasses to try for and spread the crowds out throughout the day since people have till midnight to get to the park.

Even though we have FP we have been over Christmas time 4 years and even when they had the old FP systems the wait times were still long( over 30 min or more) so it might be hard to tell if they put more into the system because of Christmas time.

Also my ticker is a day off so I wasn't able to book a day early. We took the last flight out the night before so we can attend MVMCP and check in at 3 am the 19th but the room is booked on the 18th

 

[Brook1099]

I can book tonight as well.. my ? is we are staying BC 20-27th... checking out..going to Anna Maria Island and Dec 29th- Jan 3 at GF Villas.. will I have to book FP's for my first stay and then 60 days from the 29th for our second week. Im thinking this is how it be just not positive.

 

[DVCkidsMOM]

I can book tonight as well.. my ? is we are staying BC 20-27th... checking out..going to Anna Maria Island and Dec 29th- Jan 3 at GF Villas.. will I have to book FP's for my first stay and then 60 days from the 29th for our second week. Im thinking this is how it be just not positive.

Pretty sure the two rezzies have two different 60 day dates - especially since you are staying off-site in between them.

 

[Disneylover99]

If you're just going by the calendar, i.e., Oct. 20th, Nov. 20th, Dec. 20th, yes. But it's technically not until tomorrow if your counting back 60 days. MDE is showing 61 days for me.

Tried doing FP+ (in a panic after reading that message), and don't have access yet.

Yes, Dec. 20th opens at midnight. I will be booking fp's for Dec. 20-30. . Hope I can stay awake! I'm still trying to figure out my parks and times I want.

 

[disneybirds]

We are checking in Dec 19th and checking out the 22nd, so a very short trip to squeeze in a few more days before our AP expires on the 21st. I was able to get the FP+ that we wanted. We were not booking A&E since we just saw them this weekend. I just checked and there are still 7DMT on the 21st at MK.

Contrast this to our 60 day mark for our October trip. I was on at 12:01 and was not able to get 4 overlapping times for A&E and I had to really work to get 7DMT. Those short days in October for the party sure make it tough!

 

[MichiganDVC]

Also, it depends on time of day. I have a feeling that most people book their fast passes for earlier in the day, 10 AM 11 AM 12 PM, so that they can make additional fast passes. I am only really interested in three fast passes per day, so I make them for afternoon when it is convenient for me.

 

[Tam1067]

We arrive 12/19 and I was able to get multiple 7DMT plus Anna and Elsa with many days and times to choose from. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it all was.

 

[lugnut33]

I do not think they are dumping more fastpasses into the system because of Christmas time(but I could be wrong) I think that park hours is what is making it easier to get the "hard to get FP+ attractions" MK is open to midnight which would give roughly 3-5 more hours of Fastpasses to try for and spread the crowds out throughout the day since people have till midnight to get to the park.

Even though we have FP we have been over Christmas time 4 years and even when they had the old FP systems the wait times were still long( over 30 min or more) so it might be hard to tell if they put more into the system because of Christmas time.

Also my ticker is a day off so I wasn't able to book a day early. We took the last flight out the night before so we can attend MVMCP and check in at 3 am the 19th but the room is booked on the 18th

You might be right. That's why I'm interested to know what the FP+ lines are like at the holiday time. If they are ridiculously long then they dumped a ton of FP+ into the system. If FP lines are the same then they are only using their hourly allotment based on ride capacity.

 

[MOM POPPINS]

I am worried since we don't check in until the 28th of December. I will look at park hours and hope the longer hours will help with more availability.

 

[DVCkidsMOM]

Just made our FP+ rezzies. Got almost everything we wanted. Was shocked that we couldn't get Haunted Mansion on 12/20, so we got PotC instead and changed a Dec 23 PotC to HM. Also noted that many 9 a.m. FP+ were gone but 9:15 were available.
To answer my earlier question about Christmas Parade, we got both 11:40 FP+ for noon parade one day and 3:10 FP+ for the 3:30 parade another day. This was our big thing since we arrive one day late for MVMCP. Won't get to see it at night but will get two other chances - whoot!
So, overall, we are thrilled. Pixie dust to others reserving now and later this week. "...Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight..."

 

[valpal]

We are only going for 4 days 12/20-12/23 and I was able to book Anna and Elsa and 7 Dwarfs for the fourth day. I had several times available to choose from for 7 Dwarfs when I went in to modify but there were no other times available for Anna and Elsa.

 

[Eeep]

I was able to book our fp+ tonight and got A&E late on 12/23. I figured we have CRT in the am, BBB around 5 and BOG at 7. Booked Barnstormer and Little Mermaid in the am.

On 12/22 I got 7DMT, PPF and ETwB. All early so hope to get other fp+ after those are used. Or we can go find some characters. Excited!

 

[courtneybeth]

Our FP+ opens tomorrow and I'm so nervous because it feels like all of the "good stuff" will be taken by the time we get our opportunity.

Looks like I'll follow everyone's lead and get A&E and 7DMT right away.

 

[laura428]

And success!

Honestly, it was much easier than I'd expected. I literally got everything I wanted, at the times I wanted.

E&A M&G on the 12/26
7DMT on both 12/23 and 12/26
Soarin on 12/20 and 12/27
Test Track on 12/24
Toy Story Mania, ToT and Frozen Sing-Along on 12/22

And many other B rides, too. But I couldn't believe the availability of top tier rides, all at the times I wanted. I initially, and very quickly, took the option that best suited our plans, but then went back into everyday and tailored our FP+ selections to fit exactly how I wanted. Really... my schedule could not possibly look better (unless I magically had more than FP+ to spend per day).

Except for two things I need to check out in the AM, once CMs are available...
- I exceeded my FP+ allotment after booking eight days worth, even though we'll be there for 9. Can't remember... is your FP+ allotment tied to number of nights you stay, or number of days in the parks?
- In my rush to make sure I had E&A booked, I grabbed FP+ for my DH and DS11, neither of which has ANY desire to meet Elsa or Anna. When I went back in to change their selections, it would only let me change for all of us - NOT an option. So then I tried to cancel out their FP+, which worked, but then when I went back in to book them for a different FP+ selection, it was going to change ALL of their selections for the day - also not an option. So I just left it for now - it's almost perfect, I didn't want to mess it up!!

So for those who will be booking in the next few days, take comfort in the fact that the FP+ availability for even premium attractions was not only available, it was WIDELY available on multiple days. Good luck!!

 

[Disneylover99]

I decided not to stay up until midnight. I just made my FP selections now for Dec. 20-30. Lots of availability!

 

[tajz90]

3 FP+ a day starting out, correct?

 

[OHDisneyMom]

My stomach was in knots over worrying about making FP+ selections this morning, but it went really smoothly and plenty of availability (3 of us). Our stay is 12/20-12/27. I made some adjustments when I got to work at 6AM for better flow between attractions to keep from backtracking. Other than having to get up just before midnight and having a tired work day today it went really great, I almost can't believe it. I guess I should add that I don't have any DDs so I didn't have to worry about A&E.

 

[Disneylover99]

3 FP+ a day starting out, correct?

Yes