First trip with Fastpass+...please help!

[lablady]

I'll make this quick. We haven't been to WDW in several years and haven't used FP+. We are staying onsite and my FP+ booking date is tomorrow (3am here).

With the parks being so busy, what do you use to determine which days you go to which parks? I've always made a schedule, but never felt like I had to stick to it. We honestly aren't rope-drop people, but we can be if necessary. We like the evening activities more, so have a hard time sticking to that schedule of staying out late and then getting up early. It'll be me and my daughters (24 and 16).

Any suggestions from folks that have done the FP+ and the crazy-busy parks lately? Thanks a bunch!

 

[pitpat]

Are you in Alaska? Trying to figure out what's 4 hours behind EST.

I use Kenny the Pirates Crowd Calendars and have been very happy with how our days have turned out. Others just go to whatever parks they want and that's fine too.

If you want to do Flight of Passage and Slinky Dog, those days should go near the end of your trip and you book those FPs first. Then 7DMT and Frozen ever after, then fill in other FPs you want.

The Fastpass thread on this forum is helpful.

It doesn't mean having to completely schedule your days, it's more a matter of knowing you'll get to ride your top priorities with little wait.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I'll make this quick. We haven't been to WDW in several years and haven't used FP+. We are staying onsite and my FP+ booking date is tomorrow (3am here).

With the parks being so busy, what do you use to determine which days you go to which parks? I've always made a schedule, but never felt like I had to stick to it. We honestly aren't rope-drop people, but we can be if necessary. We like the evening activities more, so have a hard time sticking to that schedule of staying out late and then getting up early. It'll be me and my daughters (24 and 16).

Any suggestions from folks that have done the FP+ and the crazy-busy parks lately? Thanks a bunch!

I honestly finalize my park days as I am booking FP. I'll have a general idea and then I go based on when I get the popular rides.

 

[lablady]

Are you in Alaska? Trying to figure out what's 4 hours behind EST.

Yep, we're in Alaska!

I honestly finalize my park days as I am booking FP. I'll have a general idea and then I go based on when I get the popular rides.

That probably makes it simpler. I just don't know how to work in the extra magic hours. We're not getting park hoppers this time, as we never seem to use them. Not sure whather going to EMH parks or avoiding them is the way to go. Too confusing.

This is why we've been going to Aulani the last few years. Show up and enjoy!

 

[Gehrig1B]

You don't say how many days you will be visiting but the most popular rides (7 Dwarfs, Slinky Dog, Flight of Passage) are difficult to get at 60 days. You might think about visiting Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios later in your trip (days 3,4,5) if you want these rides. Start with your final days and book FOP and SDD and then adjust the rest of the days.

As a general plan we book fast passes back to back starting at about 10:00am. If we rope drop we can get other attractions in before 11:00 then start the 3 fast pass attractions. After that go for more fast passes using My Disney Experience. (google fast pass refresh strategy or search these forums)

 

[StacyStrong]

Are you doing any extras or do you have any dining reservations ready? How long are you staying? If it's a short trip, I would put Aninal Kingdom as one of your later days if that's a priority.

 

[0FF TO NEVERLAND]

Get the following starting from 10am in my opinion, within an hour of each other, 10, 11, 12 or anything along those lines. Then try and fast pass the rest of the park. None of these have to be in any particular order, but Mine Train, Slinky Dog and flight of passage will be the keys to each day. Make everything around them. If they are at 2pm, always make the others before 2pm. The goal is to be done with your third earlier, so you have more time to get more. This is just my way

Magic Kingdom
Mine Train
Big thunder Mountain
And whatever else you would enjoy

Hollywood Studios
Slinky Dog
Tower of Terror
and whatever you want 3rd

Animal Kingdom
Flight of passage ( get this as early as you can, and work the rest around it. Even if this is at 3pm, work the rest before that time, unless you get it early of course )
Everest
Safari

Epcot
You really can get anything you want for epcot.

Try and keep animal kingdom later in the trip so you can get a good flight of passage time.

I fast passed every ride in the park for the week. If you can get the hardest fast passes, and keep it early afternoon ( 10-1pm ) you should have very little trouble getting good fast passes throughout. ( takes work though and constant phone looking )

The minute you scan your third fast pass of the day, start working on the next. That can be 15 mins from that minute if you wanted. Just keep it going and you'll be fine

There is alot of help on this site

Good Luck!

 

[SaintsManiac]

Yep, we're in Alaska!

That probably makes it simpler. I just don't know how to work in the extra magic hours. We're not getting park hoppers this time, as we never seem to use them. Not sure whather going to EMH parks or avoiding them is the way to go. Too confusing.

This is why we've been going to Aulani the last few years. Show up and enjoy!

We usually don't do EMH at all. We have in the past on a short trip, but we don't feel the need to most of the time.

 

[lablady]

We are staying at Disney for 5 days, before moving over to try Universal. We have a 5 day ticket. Haven't booked any meals or parties at this point. I was waiting on decent airfare to commit to this trip. Now that we've got tickets....got to get our ducks in a row!

 

[Spunky946]

We went this summer from end of July to beginning of August. We did the park hopper, but we did do the late emh hours. I much prefer the parks late at night, especially during the summer. We’d sleep in and enter the parks between 11-12. We’d then do fast passes leave around 3-4 and then go back until midnight or later. We did the after hours party one night and it was awesome.

 

[danceintherain]

I don't know either! But, it seems we are going to be there at the same time, since my FP+ window opens tomorrow too.
My biggest issue is our 5th day, which is Wednesday, which is also the day we're changing hotels, which is also Halloween. Typically, I leave the mostly "unplanned" day towards the end of the trip, so we can revisit favorites, but since we're switching hotels, I didn't want to put too much pressure on us. I'll probably just plan that day last, and do some afternoon FPs, unless I have trouble with any particular park. But, we do have hoppers. We don't typically use them much either, but they're military tickets, so no hopper wasn't an option.

Honestly, it sounds as if FP+ might be a really awesome tool for you, and allow you to use FP more than you did before. Keep in mind that a FP doesn't mean it's set in stone, unless you want it to be.
Considering jet lag...you may want to plan on afternoon FPs rather that the typical recommended morning touring plans.
I would avoid EMH. There's only one night that week that any park even has them in the evening, and I can't imagine you'll be up to the morning ones. My kids naturally wake up at 6am, which is 7am at Disney, and I've never felt compelled to try to make it to the parks for morning EMH. It's just too much pressure. If we were coming from further west, I doubt I'd even try to make rope drop, regardless of how slow the crowds are that early.

 

[gharter]

I would read the FP sticky if you haven't already. Understanding FPs can really help you in the parks.
The list of rides and times that a pp had is a great start.
We usually will RD a park and ride several popular rides in the first 60-100 minutes and then start using our FPs as the park gets busier.
EPCOT - there is a difference of opinion of FP TT and RD Soarin or RD TT and FP Soarin. Generally most people do one of these options. WIth the FP Tiers in EPCOT you can only get 1 of the Tier 1 FPs until you have used all 3.