Followed the plans on here and no Elsa FP

[disney world dreamer]

Yes I think you are right, but I wish it wasn't so. My days of Disney being magical are coming to an end.

well after you meet elsa once you can focus on other things instead of a single meet and greet so maybe the magic is not lost after all.
typically the only characters i meet every time i go are mickey and whoever is in the disney visa character meet n greet which is usually minnie and pluto for me.
other than that i only repeat characters at character meals.
i've met gaston 3 times but i have no intentions of meeting him again unless i happen to walk by at the right time.

 

[MrInfinity]

I don't know what to do. Our whole trip is about one thing...meeting Elsa. As crazy as that sounds. We have one full day at Magic Kingdom and a night at the Halloween Party. So standing in line for 6 hours will literally eat up our whole trip.

Staying at Animal Kingdom...stayed up till 12 am 60 days out...not one Elsa fastpass. I am so disgusted with Disney's ways...everything is so competitive. If I had known this would be like this I would have vacationed elsewhere...I can't get my money back at this point and I feel the vacation is going to be awful.

Do you have any suggestions? I also don't know how to switch my fastpass for just one or two people to check that way. Currently there is 3 of us. When I do...it deletes everything. At 12 at night there was no Mine train or Elsa...I find this so unfair- it's the only reason I paid top dollar at Animal Kingdom Lodge...to get this dang fastpass. TIA

Reminds me of our May trip... I planned and planned around the opening of the SDMT, pushed our dates back a week or two, then finally committed, got there, and... it opened the week after we left. Oh well, we still had a blast. Point is? Disney clearly disclaims that no one attraction is guaranteed. So if you are spending all this money for something that you must have but are not guaranteed, that is a problem right there. We went really wanting to go on the SDMT, but, we also knew we might not.

I am so disgusted with Disney's ways...everything is so competitive -- Why are you disgusted w Disney? I could see being disgusted at the millions of other people who want the same thing you do. Disney is doing what they can to make this attraction available... they moved it to FastPass, upped the capacity, plus you can still run at rope-drop like in the old days.

Suggestions... Yes! Just keep trying. Book them two at a time. We got our A&E Fast Passes after the initial 60-day release. If it's that important, check every 10 min between now and then. Worst case, just make that your rope-drop experience. You have a full day at the MK, so even if it takes 6 hours (which it won't) I'd wait it out. Even if that's the case, you'd still have 6 more hours plus a Halloween party (6 Fast Passes!) to see the rest of the stuff.

I think you'll have a great time, and get to see them if you make it happen!

 

[Kristine316]

I understand her feelings and think that she might need to get a grip - hence my post. That is empathy. What you really think that I am missing is sympathy - some sort of compassion for her in this situation. That is what I lack. Sorry, but some of the posts on the Dis are just insane.

This crosses the line. It doesn't just cross it, it takes a flying leap over it.

It's sad how some people feel so superior all of the time.

Is this a Disney planning forum or not?? Cause I'm pretty sure it is and if it is please allow people to seek advice. Who are you to judge what is a real problem or important or sane enough?? Unreal.

And yes as someone wrote above maybe others are thinking like you replied but, thankfully not everyone just writes what comes to their head.

 

[Angel Ariel]

We were at Disneyland and I noticed all the duplicate characters, Mickey and Minnie on both 'Main Streets', Chip and Dale at every character meal, in Toontown, plus on the Main Streets! Princesses at the Ariels Grotto Character Meal at DCA and Fantasy Faire at DL.

So there is ample opportunity to meet the main characters, but they don't have duplicates for the most popular new characters?!

Lame, and Disney surely must recognize the demand for more...

Disneyland likely has a much bigger pool of potential friends of characters, due to its proximity to Hollywood. DLR and WDW also just seem to handle everything very differently from each other these days in general.

I'm not saying this is an excuse for the lack of A&E's - it isn't. Disney's had plenty of time to find more friends of A&E if they wanted to.

 

[mickeyfanachey1999]

I don't know what to do. Our whole trip is about one thing...meeting Elsa. As crazy as that sounds. We have one full day at Magic Kingdom and a night at the Halloween Party. So standing in line for 6 hours will literally eat up our whole trip.

Staying at Animal Kingdom...stayed up till 12 am 60 days out...not one Elsa fastpass. I am so disgusted with Disney's ways...everything is so competitive. If I had known this would be like this I would have vacationed elsewhere...I can't get my money back at this point and I feel the vacation is going to be awful.

Do you have any suggestions? I also don't know how to switch my fastpass for just one or two people to check that way. Currently there is 3 of us. When I do...it deletes everything. At 12 at night there was no Mine train or Elsa...I find this so unfair- it's the only reason I paid top dollar at Animal Kingdom Lodge...to get this dang fastpass. TIA

I know it still isn't great but according to undercover tourist the wait for Anna and Elsa right now is 60 minutes. It's been pretty consistent for the last couple of weeks (as far as the app on my phone says anyway).

 

[itchin2go]

Reminds me of our May trip... I planned and planned around the opening of the SDMT, pushed our dates back a week or two, then finally committed, got there, and... it opened the week after we left. Oh well, we still had a blast. Point is? Disney clearly disclaims that no one attraction is guaranteed. So if you are spending all this money for something that you must have but are not guaranteed, that is a problem right there. We went really wanting to go on the SDMT, but, we also knew we might not.

I am so disgusted with Disney's ways...everything is so competitive -- Why are you disgusted w Disney? I could see being disgusted at the millions of other people who want the same thing you do. Disney is doing what they can to make this attraction available... they moved it to FastPass, upped the capacity, plus you can still run at rope-drop like in the old days.

Suggestions... Yes! Just keep trying. Book them two at a time. We got our A&E Fast Passes after the initial 60-day release. If it's that important, check every 10 min between now and then. Worst case, just make that your rope-drop experience. You have a full day at the MK, so even if it takes 6 hours (which it won't) I'd wait it out. Even if that's the case, you'd still have 6 more hours plus a Halloween party (6 Fast Passes!) to see the rest of the stuff.

I think you'll have a great time, and get to see them if you make it happen!

Of course no ride is guaranteed. I didn't see where anyone said it was. But if you are looking forward to doing something and you can't do it, you're allowed to be disappointed.

As far as whether the OP should be mad at other people and not Disney ... who is in control of this situation? IMO - it's Disney, and they want there to be this unsatisfied frenzy over these characters for some reason. Otherwise, it seems simple enough to hire some extra college girls and park them in another spot, in another park, at a character meal at a resort. The entity that set up this game and made the rules is Disney.

 

[MrInfinity]

Of course no ride is guaranteed. I didn't see where anyone said it was. But if you are looking forward to doing something and you can't do it, you're allowed to be disappointed.

As far as whether the OP should be mad at other people and not Disney ... who is in control of this situation? IMO - it's Disney, and they want there to be this unsatisfied frenzy over these characters for some reason. Otherwise, it seems simple enough to hire some extra college girls and park them in another spot, in another park, at a character meal at a resort. The entity that set up this game and made the rules is Disney.

who is in control of this situation?

The OP is. Or, at least, I am, on my vacations. Things may happen around me that are out of my control, but I am in control as to how I deal w them.

they want there to be this unsatisfied frenzy over these characters for some reason

Huh? How dare them for creating a product that everyone wants. And how dare Nintendo make the Wii which was sold out for a year despite my kids wanting one. And how dare Subway experience a tomato shortage the day I wanted a Subway Club. And how dare Target run a Black Friday ad that I couldn't walk in and just pick up... People waited out since the night before and I lost out? Even most of the people who waited in line lost out cuz they came up short on the item which they disclaim might be in short supply? This is life, man. Millions of people want what the OP wants -- to go to Disney and see A&E. Kudos to them for making a blockbuster hit which is filling rooms, fueling investment, and funding new projects.

Lots of folks gave lots of great advice on how to get to see them, still. I am not one to wallow in why she can't see them, or concede that her trip will be a failure, or to say "yeah, that sucks that Disney wanted you to be unsatisfied". I and many other guests suggested good ways to actually make it happen and not have to be disappointed at all.

Or is your advice that the OP should just accept that it won't happen, and she should be disappointed and blame Disney? Come on. She should go after what she wants. If that is getting a FP+, check several times a day for the next 2 months, check BOG, check CP, check CRT, and if all that fails still just go at Rope Drop and it will be fine.

 

[itchin2go]

who is in control of this situation?

The OP is. Or, at least, I am, on my vacations. Things may happen around me that are out of my control, but I am in control as to how I deal w them.

they want there to be this unsatisfied frenzy over these characters for some reason

Huh? How dare them for creating a product that everyone wants. And how dare Nintendo make the Wii which was sold out for a year despite my kids wanting one. And how dare Subway experience a tomato shortage the day I wanted a Subway Club. And how dare Target run a Black Friday ad that I couldn't walk in and just pick up... People waited out since the night before and I lost out? Even most of the people who waited in line lost out cuz they came up short on the item which they disclaim might be in short supply? This is life, man. Millions of people want what the OP wants -- to go to Disney and see A&E. Kudos to them for making a blockbuster hit which is filling rooms, fueling investment, and funding new projects.

Lots of folks gave lots of great advice on how to get to see them, still. I am not one to wallow in why she can't see them, or concede that her trip will be a failure, or to say "yeah, that sucks that Disney wanted you to be unsatisfied". I and many other guests suggested good ways to actually make it happen and not have to be disappointed at all.

Or is your advice that the OP should just accept that it won't happen, and she should be disappointed and blame Disney? Come on. She should go after what she wants. If that is getting a FP+, check several times a day for the next 2 months, check BOG, check CP, check CRT, and if all that fails still just go at Rope Drop and it will be fine.

Just wrong on every front.

Of course we're in control with how we deal with things. But Disney is in control of the supply for these characters. 100% control. You say the OP is in control? If she were, she'd have a FP.

You consistently focus on the demand for the characters. What about the supply?

As for the rest of your post, I never said anyone should wallow or give up or that her trip will be a failure. I'm a big fan of attacking things on all fronts. If it were me, I'd make it my mission to get the FP, by hook or by crook. But deciding to go with that plan doesn't mean you can't also be disappointed that things didn't work out the way you expected them to. Acknowledging that something didn't go the way you wanted doesn't mean wallowing.

And even if she ultimately gets what she wants (and I have my fingers crossed for her), that doesn't mean that she (or I) can't be critical of this system, or of the limited access to 2 very popular characters. Some things are hard. Adding more capacity to certain rides is really an undertaking. Hiring teenagers and supplying them with costumes and a place to meet guests just doesn't come under the umbrella of "hard" to me.

 

[MrInfinity]

Just wrong on every front.

Well that's a pretty useless, wrong and generalizing comment cuz you already agreed with me on several of the points, but hey-- whatever.

Of course we're in control with how we deal with things. But Disney is in control of the supply for these characters. 100% control. You say the OP is in control? If she were, she'd have a FP.

You're essentially saying "the grocery store is in charge of what we eat". When it's not. Even if they advertise something, and then turn out to be out of it. This person is in charge of her future. Disney offers A&E. They are hard to get, but the OP can see them in any number of ways. Lots have been suggested, and one of them should work out for her.

Or do you think everyone should be able to get anything that is rare? Isn't that the definition of.... -not rare- ? And even as it is, as everyone has said, it's not exactly hard to see A&E now. An hour wait. Big deal. That's no different from most other attractions.

You consistently focus on the demand for the characters. What about the supply?

The supply is not unlike any other rare / desirable thing like I posted above. You are not entitled to these things unless you're going to study, try several routes, and make it happen. Can't get a FP+ for it on the first day so blame the system? I guess, but that's not me.

As for the rest of your post, I never said anyone should wallow or give up or that her trip will be a failure. I'm a big fan of attacking things on all fronts.

Then clearly I'm not "just wrong on every front".

If it were me, I'd make it my mission to get the FP, by hook or by crook. But deciding to go with that plan doesn't mean you can't also be disappointed that things didn't work out the way you expected them to. Acknowledging that something didn't go the way you wanted doesn't mean wallowing.

No one (not even me) said she couldn't be disappointed. But the original post was one asking for tips, not someone to be disappointed with. I don't really see why you're going down this path of how it's okay to be disappointed when there is no reason to be. Everyone pretty much agreed that it was totally feasible to actually see A&E and that doing so would not compromise the rest of her trip.

And even if she ultimately gets what she wants (and I have my fingers crossed for her), that doesn't mean that she (or I) can't be critical of this system, or of the limited access to 2 very popular characters. Some things are hard. Adding more capacity to certain rides is really an undertaking. Hiring teenagers and supplying them with costumes and a place to meet guests just doesn't come under the umbrella of "hard" to me.

You're more than welcome to be critical of anything in life that is hard to get or limited supply. But that's life.

 

[Angel Ariel]

You're essentially saying "the grocery store is in charge of what we eat".

That's not how I read her post. My impression, using the grocery store analogy, is that she was saying "the grocery store is in charge of what they stock."

 

[SaintsManiac]

Yes I think you are right, but I wish it wasn't so. My days of Disney being magical are coming to an end.

Why do you feel this way? Because of one FP? There's so much there to enjoy. If you can't see that then maybe it is time to move on?

FP is a perk, not a guarantee. I think people are overlooking that simple fact. I have a 5 year old who wants to meet A & E. It won't make or break the vacation, but I am willing to wait for it if we have to.

It just seems such an extreme reaction. To each his own, though. Good luck and I hope you have a good time regardless of that FP.

 

[Rgonzalez79]

I think the Rope Drop plan is ideal for you OP. The days of the "Daddy Dash" to meet Anna and Elsa are all but done so you should have at most a 30 minute wait if you go straight there when they drop that magical rope.

Don't despair and let this ruin your trip; get everyone excited, go straight to the Princess Hall and make up some games to make waiting in line less annoying....then relax and soak in the rest of the magic Mine train is another story, just save that one for your next trip so you have something to look forward to.

 

[itchin2go]

That's not how I read her post. My impression, using the grocery store analogy, is that she was saying "the grocery store is in charge of what they stock."

And stocking it well, and keeping a steady supply of product.

 

[itchin2go]

You're more than welcome to be critical of anything in life that is hard to get or limited supply. But that's life.

Yes, that's life .... when we're talking about truly rare things. But the only reason this particular commodity is in such short supply is because Disney won't hire some more teenagers to help make the supply even somewhat in line with the demand.

So, in this case, it's not "that's life", it's "that's how Disney wants it".

 

[Angel Ariel]

I think the Rope Drop plan is ideal for you OP. The days of the "Daddy Dash" to meet Anna and Elsa are all but done so you should have at most a 30 minute wait if you go straight there when they drop that magical rope.

Just to clarify for the OP's sake - the bolded means being there at least 30 mins prior to RD. We were there as the welcome show started, and we were at the back of the RD crowd. When the rope dropped, we headed straight to A&E. The wait for A&E was showing 45 mins when we got in line. About 10 mins later we'd only moved about 5 feet, and the wait time was now showing 90 mins. For a short wait at RD, you need to be at the front of the RD pack, which does mean getting there well before park opening time.

 

[KJMAX1]

My friend had her husband run from rope drop to the line, literally. He did it so he could stop hearing about meeting Elsa. It worked. His daughters and wife caught up, and they saw Elsa within 5 mins.

 

[DekrRini]

OP, I've stayed at Kidani Village and I absolutely loved it! I know that meals are an issue for you because of expense, but you've already paid for the room so you might want to check into finding some inexpensive ways to eat. The studios have a refrigerator and a microwave. If you are driving, you could stop for a few groceries like bread, lunch meat, some microwavable meals, and things like that. If you're flying the options aren't as great. But you could pack some snacks and breakfast bars in your luggage which could help cut down on the cost. The gift shop does have some food items which tend to be expensive, but are still cheaper than eating every meal in the park or at a restaurant. A couple of nights, I just got a single microwavable pizza to heat in the microwave.

You've already gotten plenty of good advice about options for seeing A&E so I hope one of the strategies works out for you.

 

[nicdu]

I definitely wouldn't give up hope. We were at the MK this past weekend, and I was able to get a FP the day of by checking when we were in the park, and before we had used our other FPs. And we are staying there for a stint in September that we just booked, and I was able to find a few FPs for A&E.

 

[magicmomms]

Why do you feel this way? Because of one FP? There's so much there to enjoy. If you can't see that then maybe it is time to move on?

FP is a perk, not a guarantee. I think people are overlooking that simple fact. I have a 5 year old who wants to meet A & E. It won't make or break the vacation, but I am willing to wait for it if we have to.

It just seems such an extreme reaction. To each his own, though. Good luck and I hope you have a good time regardless of that FP.

Yes I can see how you would feel that way. My disappointment is coming from a lot of angles. I think fastpass is great. I am all for not waiting in line. My disappointment is in the crazy (to me at least) beforehand planning. The planning of what I want to eat 6 months in advance. The high cost of everything. Getting a ressie and then finding out I can't use it. For me...and this is just me...so don't take it personal please, but my vacation is stressing me out.

 

[NjMamaMouse]

We had to do all individual FP reservations for the meet and greet. They were all back to back so toward the end of the first person's return time the last person was opening. That's when we all went in together