FastPass with Hoppers

[SarahC97]

I'm choosing FastPasses this week for my first visit with park hoppers and I'm a little stumped. We generally do just one park a day, but this year for a short, adult-only trip, we'll be doing this:

Day 1: AK/EP
Day 2: AK/MK
Day 3: MK/HS

So, how do I best plan my FastPasses? I have read on here that FastPasses for the second park of the day is the best strategy, but I think I'll want to try to get FastPasses for FoP or Na'vi River Journey in AK since they're brand new.

So what is the best strategy here? The people I'm going with don't care at all, so they're no help!

 

[mousehockey37]

Well, prioritize what you want to do. Obviously the FoP and FP's are a hot, sought after item right now... so if you want those, it's best to get them first.

Other than that, you just have to kinda see where you're headed, which rides are most popular and go from there.

So for your day 1 & 2, I would leave things open for those Pandora FP's... if you can get them, then I would concentrate on MK for 2nd day. Then HS for the last. All this would be contingent on the day before. Epcot you may just have to do standby, unless you get your Pandora FP's for day 2.

Also, keep an open schedule for when things do drop in line. If you can get AK FP's for the afternoon of the last day, be flexible to move park times around if you can. It'll also help things fall into place.

 

[Delirium]

Part of the equation is the time of the year and the days of the week, but without that info, I'll give it a shot.

Assuming these were random days, I would do the following:

Day 1. I would FP Epcot if you are planning on riding either/both of Frozen or Test Track. You can only FP one of them, but do not want to experience standby with both. If doing both, I would FP Frozen. Weather can wipe out TT. Soarin can now usually be manageable without one.

Day 2. This is the biggee where the day matters. Are you in party season where MK is only open late on certain nights? Is it an EMH at MK? That said, I would still lean towards Fastpassing AK regardless just to ensure getting to ride for Flights of Passage. The other good thing right now about AK is that Everest and Safari are both tier 2. It's a great tier system at AK (compared to Epcot which has no desirable tier 2 attractions). However, FPing AK means that if you want to ride Mine Train, you'll need to get in line at the very end of the MK night. Otherwise, choose a side of the park at MK and do the other side the next morning.

Day 3 - Hollywood Studios. And, don't mess with Mine Train at rope drop at MK either. You do want to make rope drop, but head to Tomorrowland or Frontierland in the morning. You can get a lot done.

 

[SarahC97]

Part of the equation is the time of the year and the days of the week, but without that info, I'll give it a shot.

Assuming these were random days, I would do the following:

Day 1. I would FP Epcot if you are planning on riding either/both of Frozen or Test Track. You can only FP one of them, but do not want to experience standby with both. If doing both, I would FP Frozen. Weather can wipe out TT. Soarin can now usually be manageable without one.

Day 2. This is the biggee where the day matters. Are you in party season where MK is only open late on certain nights? Is it an EMH at MK? That said, I would still lean towards Fastpassing AK regardless just to ensure getting to ride for Flights of Passage. The other good thing right now about AK is that Everest and Safari are both tier 2. It's a great tier system at AK (compared to Epcot which has no desirable tier 2 attractions). However, FPing AK means that if you want to ride Mine Train, you'll need to get in line at the very end of the MK night. Otherwise, choose a side of the park at MK and do the other side the next morning.

Day 3 - Hollywood Studios. And, don't mess with Mine Train at rope drop at MK either. You do want to make rope drop, but head to Tomorrowland or Frontierland in the morning. You can get a lot done.

That's a good strategy. I'm not sure we have much interest in Mine Train. We'll be in the parks 9/5-9/7, so Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of Labor Day week. There's only one party that week, and it's on 9/7, the day I'm doing MK/HS. It's not predicted to be busy on crowd calendars, but you know how that goes. Thank you so much for the input!

 

[Jojo h]

We will be there the same week, but arrive 9/2, so my fp window opened today. Tuesday 9/5 is our AK day as well and I was able to get a FOP fp for 1:45 (earliest I saw at 0700). I just now looked and 4:40 is the earliest available. Hopefully there will still be something for you when your fp window opens, but if there is, it will likely be in the afternoon/evening. You will probably have to rope drop AK both of those days to get the new pandora rides done in the morning. You should probably do fp for your second parks of the day.

 

[CAS239]

I'm choosing FastPasses this week for my first visit with park hoppers and I'm a little stumped. We generally do just one park a day, but this year for a short, adult-only trip, we'll be doing this:

Day 1: AK/EP
Day 2: AK/MK
Day 3: MK/HS

So, how do I best plan my FastPasses? I have read on here that FastPasses for the second park of the day is the best strategy, but I think I'll want to try to get FastPasses for FoP or Na'vi River Journey in AK since they're brand new.

So what is the best strategy here? The people I'm going with don't care at all, so they're no help!

I usually plan FP's in the second park as we park hop every day we're there. This is what I'd do for your days

Day 1: FoP FP and ride River Journey standby, whatever other FP's you want at AK, then go on your phone and select a 4th FP for epcot. Very good chance you can get Soarin or maybe even test track

Day 2: if 7dmt or Peter pan is on your must do, then FP for mk. If not, then I'd recommend trying to get another FoP FP as you'll likely love the ride and want to experience it again. So in that case I'd do same as day 1. FoP FP, whatever other two, then extra FP's later for MK

Day 3: rope drop MK and ride whatever you want. Have FP's set up later for HS. Toy Story or RnR would be beneficial for when crowds are big.

 

[Disnee grl]

I am glad to get this info on FP. This is our 1st trip since the new FP system.I have a better idea for planning now since we use hoppers.

 

[DavidNYC]

Day 1: AK/EP (Generally I hate using FP for Epcot now because the only thing in the afternoon that's usually much of a wait are the three Tier 1 rides that you can only get 1 of anyway). But, if this is your only half day at Epcot, I'd probably do that for whichever Tier 1 you want and then Spaceship Earth and Mission Space. Likely not huge lines on either later in the day but no better uses . . . That being said, get FP for AK if you need to get the Pandora rides. Otherwise, get those at Rope Drop (unless you got them on Day 2).
Day 2: AK/MK - AK definitely if you didn't FP AK on Day 1 or need the Pandora rides. Otherwise, MK. At MK you're likely to be able to have a decent selection of 4th FP if you're flexible.
Day 3: MK/HS - Would probably do HS for either RnR or TS and then ToT and Star Tours. Take advantage or Rope Drop to get on your favorite MK rides early.

In general - my issue with your schedule is that you don't have AK at night. I haven't been yet but have heard that Pandora is great to see at night. You may want to see about switching up an evening and see that instead of one of the other three evening shows especially if you've seen those numerous times.