feedback on FP+ strategy

[disneydad1]

We will be a party of 7 going to WDW the week before Easter over spring break.

Here is what i'm thinking about doing tonight when our 60 day window opens - please offer feedback - thanks in advance!

1. use AM XMH's since we are morning people even thought this will not line up with easywdw's most recommended parks

2. schedule 3 FP+'s for as early as possible in the day - we used to be "super-users" of FP-, so we hope this will allow us to get in at least 3 more FP's later in the day - especially in MK (peter pan, pooh, the mountains, HM, POTC, JC

3. start booking our last day first - i am also under the impression that it is best to try booking for a small party for very difficult ones and copying the reservation to others in the party - especially for A and E and 7DMT - is this necessary for TSMM or Soarin'?

I'm really looking to hear if, given the spring break crowd levels, we should...
1. skip the AM XMH's and hit most recommended park and....
2. if we should schedule FP+'s for mid to late morning or early afternoon to minimize waits, even if this means we may not get as many as we have been accustomed to in the past.

We will be park hopping, if it makes a difference in your assessment.

Thanks again for thoughts!

 

[devinfl]

We will be a party of 7 going to WDW the week before Easter over spring break.

Here is what i'm thinking about doing tonight when our 60 day window opens - please offer feedback - thanks in advance!

1. use AM XMH's since we are morning people even thought this will not line up with easywdw's most recommended parks

2. schedule 3 FP+'s for as early as possible in the day - we used to be "super-users" of FP-, so we hope this will allow us to get in at least 3 more FP's later in the day - especially in MK (peter pan, pooh, the mountains, HM, POTC, JC

3. start booking our last day first - i am also under the impression that it is best to try booking for a small party for very difficult ones and copying the reservation to others in the party - especially for A and E and 7DMT - is this necessary for TSMM or Soarin'?

I'm really looking to hear if, given the spring break crowd levels, we should...
1. skip the AM XMH's and hit most recommended park and....
2. if we should schedule FP+'s for mid to late morning or early afternoon to minimize waits, even if this means we may not get as many as we have been accustomed to in the past.

We will be park hopping, if it makes a difference in your assessment.

Thanks again for thoughts!

If you are morning people definitely take advantage of EMH's. I find the morning EMH's to be pretty empty.

I always do my first FP about an hour after park opening then as close together as I can, I have been able to get 6 FP in one day.

Definitely start last day first when making FP's

TSMM and Soarin are a bit easier to get than A and E and Minetrain..

 

[ArwenMarie]

For that week, especially because it will be so busy, I would schedule your prebooked FPs for the late morning and on and try to get as much done in the mornings without FP. Sounds like you are morning people and shouldn't have problems getting there early.

 

[edk35]

We will be there starting on the 26th thru the 3rd of April. We depart on the 4th. Here is what we are doing: Get to MK at rope drop, FP the mountains starting after the first hour. We will try and get on as many rides as possible at rope drop. Then yes try and get a couple more FP for later that day. We hit FL first, do Peter Pan, Mermaid then head to HM.

At EC we get there at least ONE day at rope drop and FP soarin.. We can easily get on the other rides without worry. I feel like EC is a waste for FP unless you use them in the afternoon/night.

AK Last Aug. We didn't even use FP here. We saved them for another park in the afternoon/evening. We went straight to EE then Dino and Safari.

HS We used FP for TSM and TOT. We went straight to RR and we used our other one for SW.

Since we will have 9 park days... we can get in pretty much everything between the FP's and getting to the park at opening.

 

[Mikie]

1) as long as you're taking full advantage of EMH (don't miss a minute!) it's fine to go to EMH park even if it's not "recommended". If you have the hopper option, consider moving to the recommended park later.

2) I would do as PPs said and don't start FPs until a good hour after regular park hours, or else you're using FP when lines are not yet long in *hopes* of getting good FPs later. Use the slower EMH hour plus first park hour, then start your FPs. That's still earlier than I'd recommend for someone who doesn't care about extra FPs at all, but maximizes your use of morning hours without FPs. MK has the most chance of you getting extra FPs, but they'll likely be 2nd tier rides. People seem to have good luck with 4th+ at AK too, but less useful/available at Epcot or DHS.

3) last day first may only be necessary for MK and maybe DHS. Do that to get your 7dwarfs and toy story but outside of those rides, the difference is not significant for day 60 vs day 65.

 

[LSUfan4444]

if we should schedule FP+'s for mid to late morning or early afternoon to minimize waits, even if this means we may not get as many as we have been accustomed to in the past.

Other than Magic Kingdom, I believe this is tbe best strategy for most people. Success with FP+ is not about accumulating the most FP+ you can, it;s about scheduling the right FP+ at the best times.

So, in your example if you're hopping this is what we do and I recommend.

Take a Hollywood Studios EMH day.....I may start my day at Animal Kingdom (non a.m. EMH) at rope drop. Hit the Safari, Rafiki's Planet Watch, Everest, Dinosaur, Primeval Whirl, Little Nemo, Festival of the Lion King then lunch at Tusker House.

After lunch, we hop over to Hollywood Studios who has nighttime EMH and our three FP+ are waiting for us when we arrive.

If we are hopping to a park that we do not have FP+ waiting for us, we usually skip rides and just do shows and/or night time entertainment. What you will find most of the time is that any other park other than Magic Kingdom anything you can get a 5th or 6th FP+ for is something you won't even need because standby is small anyway.

 

[LSUfan4444]

You can have alot of success by hitting morning EMH, but by 11 am the park will be much more crowded. If at that time you hop to another park you will want your FP+ for lunch time or later.

 

[danoconnl]

We are planninf on rope dropping most parks, making fast passes for the park we hop to in the afternoon so that we have rides waiting for us.

In the past we've done a lot of FPs and worked the system as best we can, this will be our first FP+ trip so we'll see how things go.

Only ride I see a problem with this is the Kali River Rapids at AK. We like this ride, but it's always been the last ride of the day for us before moving on/drying off before we go to another park. With FP- it was easy to plan to get a FP- for around when we were leaving, now either we will stand in line or use FP+ for that park on that day and not get FP for other parks.

Dan