FP+ and Last Minute Trips

[delux]

In the past few days I’ve seen a couple of posts on the boards asking for help on last minute surprise trips and what kind of experience the person could expect. In one example the woman was going to WDW starting on 12/28/14. Most of the responses were not very encouraging about her chances of obtaining FP+ for even the mid range attractions and many posters said she would be standing in a lot of long lines.
I realize that Christmas is an extremely busy time of year, but how can people say that you can be spontaneous with FP+ if you’re going at a busy time of year? With legacy FP, people could arrive at the parks at RD on Christmas day and be able to obtain Fast passes for the most popular rides: TSMM, Soarin’, EE, or SM. Now with FP+, maybe you could get Captain EO for Christmas day. Also, prior to FP+, guests could ride SB with little or no wait at RD. Now, the FP+ line starts at park opening so there is very little advantage for SB guests at RD at busy times of year.
Between ADR’s and FP+, spontaneous trips are a thing of the past during peak seasons, unless you want to spend your time standing in long lines and shopping.

I decided less than a month ago, to go for a 3 day trip next week. So I looked for fast passes about 26 days out. I got fast passes for 7 Dwarfs Buzz and Thunder on Dec 30th

 

[jade1]

In the past few days I’ve seen a couple of posts on the boards asking for help on last minute surprise trips and what kind of experience the person could expect. In one example the woman was going to WDW starting on 12/28/14. Most of the responses were not very encouraging about her chances of obtaining FP+ for even the mid range attractions and many posters said she would be standing in a lot of long lines.
I realize that Christmas is an extremely busy time of year, but how can people say that you can be spontaneous with FP+ if you’re going at a busy time of year? With legacy FP, people could arrive at the parks at RD on Christmas day and be able to obtain Fast passes for the most popular rides: TSMM, Soarin’, EE, or SM. Now with FP+, maybe you could get Captain EO for Christmas day. Also, prior to FP+, guests could ride SB with little or no wait at RD. Now, the FP+ line starts at park opening so there is very little advantage for SB guests at RD at busy times of year.
Between ADR’s and FP+, spontaneous trips are a thing of the past during peak seasons, unless you want to spend your time standing in long lines and shopping.

How can you not say it when on XMAS Eve we could select all the MK Mountains and P Pan, or TSM/TOT/ST or RNR/TOT/ST or all of AK for the next day, XMAS Day?

With legacy yes you could arrive at RD XMAS Day, but we not only arrived at RD virtually-we selected when we wanted them, not forced on what they were. Plus we hate RD especially XMAS Day.

It was by far our best XMAS Day at WDW and we have been to many of them.

Selected RNR/TOT/ST for last night-and the 10PM Fantasmic was 3/4 full.

Popped into MK for the XMAS Day Parade first.

 

[MrKnight]

I am making a fairly last-minute trip to WDW myself (Only one month notice) and while most of my preferred time slots of FP+ are not available, I was still able to obtain FP+ for most of my favorite attractions, just for LATER times, that was the compromise which I am perfectly ok with as I generally prefer the parks in the evening.. Just this week I was able to get TT on NYE at 5:45pm!! It is possible if you are FLEXIBLE!

 

[Disneylover99]

We just switched around our AK FP's today no problem. We moved EE and Dinosaur to a later time slot and swapped the Safari's for the Lion King show.

 

[CTDisneyfan816]

I was in Floriday Dec. 13-21. I bought my Disney passes on December 14 (my first date at Disney) and got all fast passes I wanted (note I do not even try for 7DTR or Toy Story).

 

[LetsTalkWDW]

That was the idea

I get it. I take it you are "our very own DIS'er" in the previous post.

Thanks for taking the time to create a most useful website.

 

[mjhannaf]

I get it. I take it you are "our very own DIS'er" in the previous post.

Thanks for taking the time to create a most useful website.

You're welcome

 

[rideswithchrist]

We will be one of those last-minute people. I have been planning the Disney trip for a few months, but we are not able to pay for the trip until about 2 weeks before arrival, so we are going to just take what we can.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

In the past few days I’ve seen a couple of posts on the boards asking for help on last minute surprise trips and what kind of experience the person could expect. In one example the woman was going to WDW starting on 12/28/14. Most of the responses were not very encouraging about her chances of obtaining FP+ for even the mid range attractions and many posters said she would be standing in a lot of long lines.
I realize that Christmas is an extremely busy time of year, but how can people say that you can be spontaneous with FP+ if you’re going at a busy time of year? With legacy FP, people could arrive at the parks at RD on Christmas day and be able to obtain Fast passes for the most popular rides: TSMM, Soarin’, EE, or SM. Now with FP+, maybe you could get Captain EO for Christmas day. Also, prior to FP+, guests could ride SB with little or no wait at RD. Now, the FP+ line starts at park opening so there is very little advantage for SB guests at RD at busy times of year.
Between ADR’s and FP+, spontaneous trips are a thing of the past during peak seasons, unless you want to spend your time standing in long lines and shopping.

I can only check for a party of 2 as my husband and I have full AP's while my 4 children just have seasonal ones...

But looking for the date you have specified that is tomorrow:

I was able to easily get Soarin (test track was also available), Mission Space, and Spaceship Earth.

Your generic statement is this rendered untrue, at least for my party. Maybe someone else with tickets that are valid can check with larger parties for 12/28.

Just checked MK and everything (for 2 people) is available except mine train and parades/wishes. So again, last minute trips are not a thing of the past.

As of 2 or 3 weeks ago when it was being debated, I almost has similar
Full range for Christmas Day. So even a last minute Christmas trip was possible.

Again--I have now a to check for all 6 in our family because I am not interested in upgrading their tickets just for this exercise.

The arguments for legacy as being the "only" way to be spontaneous are falling fast. Several folks have posted what they rode without FP and in what time frame. (Most finding excellent rope drop success and bailing early to mid afternoon.)

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

On the highest peak days, you could still get legacy FP's at RD and you could do SB with shorter waits. So, if you decided to go to WDW spur of the moment you still had the ability to get Fast Passes. Nowadays, don't surprise anyone with a spontaneuous trip during a busy time of year unless they don't care about any headliners.

Mom2rtk was talking about visiting during MLK. But changed her mind because there weren't any 7DMT FP's available. I think it's still true that for 7DMT, E & A, FP+ reservations are booked out at 60 days.

I realize FP+ is only for 3 rides, but if you go to the parks during really busy times, you are shut out of all FP+ 's for popular rides. With Legacy FP every day was a clean slate you always had a chance at getting at least 1 FP for a popular attraction.

I kind of wish you would stop scaring people out of visiting when they want because the touring is not to your liking. Kind of reaching a new level of hysteria.

 

[Laketravis]

We were thinking of maybe popping into Epcot this coming Wednesday but just checked FP's and neither Test Track nor Soarin are available.

 

[mom2rtk]

I kind of wish you would stop scaring people out of visiting when they want because the touring is not to your liking. Kind of reaching a new level of hysteria.

I must have missed the hysteria in the PP's post.

It's absolutely true that previously each day started with a clean slate. Each day started with 100% of the ride's FP capacity still available. And under FP+ it's entirely possible that a given headliner might be fully booked before you even decide to visit (witness LakeTravis' post above).

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I must have missed the hysteria in the PP's post.

It's absolutely true that previously each day started with a clean slate. Each day started with 100% of the ride's FP capacity still available. And under FP+ it's entirely possible that a given headliner might be fully booked before you even decide to visit (witness LakeTravis' post above).

But yet I got his same attractions tomorrow with free choice of times. And he wants NYE last minute. While full capacity under the old way would be available at park open, it would quickly diminish. I would expect that reservations for top choices on top days would not be available. It isn't in a vacuum. Legacy fast pass only allowed one at a time until it was used or a 2 hour window elapsed. On New Year's Eve, the chances of getting 3 FPs would be minimized due to crowds.

And the two posters have posted on other threads regarding the end of spontenity and how it is gone forever. Yet the defintion remains fluid and they always find an excuse of why someone's success is invalid. It could be that the date was too far in advance that it doesn't qualify as spontaneous or that a specific ride is not available so they means it does not count.

Now--same day, MK--I can get ALL headliners in New Year's Eve per Travis' calendar parameter. Granted, mine train is at 11pm and it is my only choice for time that is coming up. But, it IS available. Right now today at 4pm Eastern via MDE.

 

[Laketravis]

But yet I got his same attractions tomorrow with free choice of times. And he wants NYE last minute.

But we aren't going tomorrow. We won't even be there until Tuesday. And we weren't thinking of going for NY"Eve", and we weren't thinking "last minute", we were thinking about going to Epcot Wednesday morning - 4 days from now.

Now--same day, MK--I can get ALL headliners in New Year's Eve per Travis' calendar parameter. Granted, mine train is at 11pm and it is my only choice for time that is coming up. But, it IS available. Right now today at 4pm Eastern via MDE.

You must have only checked for 1 person, because beyond that it has no availability.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

But we aren't going tomorrow. We won't even be there until Tuesday. And we weren't thinking of going for NY"Eve", and we weren't thinking "last minute", we were thinking about going to Epcot Wednesday morning - 4 days from now.

Wednesday is 12/31 also known as New Year's Eve. It is an all day calendar thing that will lend itself to crowds , right?

But thank you for proving my point on the fluidity of the definition of spontenity.

 

[mom2rtk]

But yet I got his same attractions tomorrow with free choice of times. And he wants NYE last minute. While full capacity under the old way would be available at park open, it would quickly diminish. I would expect that reservations for top choices on top days would not be available. It isn't in a vacuum. Legacy fast pass only allowed one at a time until it was used or a 2 hour window elapsed. On New Year's Eve, the chances of getting 3 FPs would be minimized due to crowds.

And the two posters have posted on other threads regarding the end of spontenity and how it is gone forever. Yet the defintion remains fluid and they always find an excuse of why someone's success is invalid. It could be that the date was too far in advance that it doesn't qualify as spontaneous or that a specific ride is not available so they means it does not count.

Now--same day, MK--I can get ALL headliners in New Year's Eve per Travis' calendar parameter. Granted, mine train is at 11pm and it is my only choice for time that is coming up. But, it IS available. Right now today at 4pm Eastern via MDE.

But I used to be able to book a last minute trip and know with 100% certainty that the FP I want would be available when I walked through the gate. I am just not comfortable plunking my money down under the assumption that the FP I want "might" be available.

And why is it that we blew up legacy FP to try and make it so some people could sleep in and get the optimal times they wanted. Yet when I want a FP for something specific, I now would need to be happy with a non-optimal time?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

But we aren't going tomorrow. We won't even be there until Tuesday. And we weren't thinking of going for NY"Eve", and we weren't thinking "last minute", we were thinking about going to Epcot Wednesday morning - 4 days from now.



You must have only checked for 1 person, because beyond that it has no availability.

2 people.

And sure, it is likely taken by now. But you are quite motivated to be "right". Such a need to invalidate. I don't get it.

(Yep, just checked--all taken for mine train. Though other headliners remain available. Which again calls into the question the claim of nothing being available.)

This would make for an interesting experiment that the flexibility of an AP provides--running a daily check of next day and last minute FP availability. As well as late planning for known busy holiday periods.

 

[Laketravis]

Your point was not proven, it was actually dis-proven. What is bizarre at this point is how you fail to see that.

I've illustrated how the title concept of this thread fails in reality; we thought about going to a particular park four days in advance in the early morning and there are no FP's available for the headliners.

And you continue to "yeah, but......". You countered that MK had availability for 7DMT but you didn't disclose that you only checked for 1 person because beyond that there is no availability. You are contorting facts to agree with your argument.

This thread isn't about "I could have gotten an FP with the old system" - it's about "FP+ and Last Minute Trips". I think my current scenario fits into that theme perfectly, we are taking a Last Minute Trip and finding that FP availability sucks.

 

[Laketravis]

But you are quite motivated to be "right". Such a need to invalidate. I don't get it.

Mirror.

Be right? Invalidate what? We wanted to go to Epcot on Wednesday and at least get an FP for Test Track or Soarin. But we can't.

It honestly appears that you are the one who can't stand to be wrong.

 

[mom2rtk]

Mirror.