FP+ Experience for a One Day Walk-Up Visitor

[LBIJim]

DW and I have been in Orlando since May 1. We hadn't planned on visiting Disney at all, but since the reports of additional FPs being available arose, we decided to test it for ourselves. Our goal wasn't necessarily to maximize the number of FPs we could obtain, but rather to determine what a typical casual one day visitor might experience.

Arrived at Animal Kingdom about 9:15am and bought one day park hoppers at the gate. Yeah, expensive, but we were there for scientific research. I planned to ask the ticketing CM "What's this I heard about reserving rides," but before I could, she volunteered the information: Go to a FP+ kiosk and you can reserve times for three attractions.

I already had a MDE account set up from our March 2013 visit, but I didn't bother linking the tickets to it. I'm not even sure if it's possible to do so with one-day tickets purchased at the gate.

We headed right to Everest and rode twice, once standby and once single rider. Then we went to a FP+ kiosk about 10:15am. No wait; a CM assisted us immediately. We requested our three rides "as early as possible" and were willing to take whatever times she gave us. Got Dinosaur for 11:30-12:30; Safari for 12:50-1:50 and Everest for 2:25-3:25. Neither the FP+ CM nor the ticketing CM mentioned anything about obtaining additional FPs after the third.

After using our Everest FP, we went back to the kiosk, said we were hopping to Magic Kingdom, and asked the CM if she could reserve a MK ride for us. "Sorry, sir, I can only reserve a ride for you at this park. If you'd like, I can reserve another ride here before you go to MK." So we got Primeval Whirl for 3:30-4:30. After riding that, we went to a different kiosk and again asked about obtaining a FP for MK. Again, sorry, no can do. Oh well.

Left MK about 4:15 and had an early dinner offsite. After springing for 2 one-day park hoppers, we were reduced to dumpster diving behind the local Wawa.

Inside the MK gates about 6:45. It looked like people were already staking out their spaces for MSEP and Wishes. For FP+, Space, Splash, and BTMRR were available, but not until 9pm or later. Didn't ask about FPs for MSEP or Wishes, so I don't know if they were available. Got a FP for Haunted Mansion at 7:45, then one for Pirates at 8:55, then one for BTMRR at 10:55. The last two really weren't necessary, since the bulk of the crowd were apparently watching the parades.

AK crowd was on the low side of moderate; MK was more crowded but reasonable. After 10pm at MK most rides had short waits; after 11pm they were practically walk-ons. No activity noticed at SDMT.

So, we got 7 FP+s overall. About our average with FP-. I'm sure we could have obtained more if we were more commando or had linked the tickets to MDE and were able to adjust times. Granted, it wasn't a particularly crowded day.

Rides Experienced:
AK
Safari FP+
Dinosaur FP+
Everest 7 times; once FP+, once standby, 5 times single rider line
Primeval Whirl 2x, once with FP+
Tri-whatever Top Spin (Dinosaur Dumbo)
Bird Show
Various Animal Trails
Train Ride to those Back Exhibits

MK
Train 1.33 circuit Main Street round trip and then to Frontierland
Haunted Mansion 2x, once FP+
Pirates 2x, once FP+
BTRMM 3x, once FP+
Tiki Birds
Magic Carpets
C of Progress
People Mover 2x
Buzz
Jungle Cruise (during Wishes, walk on)

Jim