FP+ in AM or late afternoon?

[cheshiregoofy22]

Last minute one day trip with my DH to the MK on 9.12.18. (PM EMH - staying on site) Since we're under two weeks out, do you think we're better off picking morning slots for FPs and trying for additional FPs after we use the first three; or should we book rides that might be hard to come by on the day of, even if the times are late in the afternoon? For example, the only FP I can get currently for PP would be in the 5:30 PM range. The park is open 9:00 AM to 11:00 PM and we plan on being early for rope drop. Also, not sure if this figures into it, but we carry old school tracphones - which may or may not possess the ability to navigate the inner workings of MDE. (Although I could lug my ipad around with me maybe?) Thanks for your help!!

 

[pitpat]

With a regular smartphone, I would start FPs early and get additional ones throughout the day (especially at MK). i really have no idea about your phones, but still wouldn't wait until 5:30.

 

[cheshiregoofy22]

With a regular smartphone, I would start FPs early and get additional ones throughout the day (especially at MK). i really have no idea about your phones, but still wouldn't wait until 5:30.

Thanks! I think I'll pick three early ones then and see how it goes from there!

 

[rchampagne]

I think it depends if there are any rides that you feel you must do. If Peter Pan is a favorite ride, then I'd grab the fastpass that's available. If you grab 3 AM FPs, there'll be plenty of 4th FPs available after you've used them, but perhaps not for the more popular rides. Last week, we used our 3 FPs by 1 pm. However, then there were none available for Big Thunder, Peter Pan, etc. Splash Mountain only had availability around 9 pm. But if we wanted to ride Aladdin or rides like that, there were plenty of options.

 

[NJ Goofy]

I think 2 -3 weeks out you need to play it by ear and see if attractions you like are available, then try your best to bunch them together so you can grab additional FP's after you use the 1st three.

 

[gatorlisa]

If you are staying in the same park from RD until whatever the end of your day is, I would do your 3 FP starting around lunchtime. RD through the morning the lines are usually pretty short. Business picks up around lunch, so I would start the FPs then, and then go for 4th+ one by one after the first 3 have been used.

 

[pitpat]

I think it depends if there are any rides that you feel you must do. If Peter Pan is a favorite ride, then I'd grab the fastpass that's available. If you grab 3 AM FPs, there'll be plenty of 4th FPs available after you've used them, but perhaps not for the more popular rides. Last week, we used our 3 FPs by 1 pm. However, then there were none available for Big Thunder, Peter Pan, etc. Splash Mountain only had availability around 9 pm. But if we wanted to ride Aladdin or rides like that, there were plenty of options.

That is where you need to use the "Refresh" strategy. You take the 9pm FP and Modify it earlier. 7DMT might be tougher, but Space, BTM, Splash, even Peter Pan are all obtainable same day. I don't settle for just Magic Carpets and Under the Sea type rides as extra FPs (I do take them when convenient though).

 

[gharter]

As others have said, if there is a ride that you really want to do, I would get the FP for that at whatever time you can. You can always try and modify it. In MK where they don't have tiers, it isn't as important to get and use the first 3 as it is in HS, AK and EPCOT.
If there isn't a ride that is really important, then I would get morning FPs for the best of whats available.

 

[kwdw]

If you are staying in the same park from RD until whatever the end of your day is, I would do your 3 FP starting around lunchtime. RD through the morning the lines are usually pretty short. Business picks up around lunch, so I would start the FPs then, and then go for 4th+ one by one after the first 3 have been used.

This is my favorite strategy when planning on being at RD. I usually start the FP's around 1.

 

[goodeats]

I know people love the "refresh" strategy and getting extra FPs. We were able to get extra FPs, but I was unwilling to sit there refreshing for very long to get the headliners. I prefer to be in the moment on my vacation. I guess if you're just sitting there at lunch or whatever and have time to refresh, but I found myself walking and refreshing and missing out on things refreshing (especially in queues after I tapped in). I nearly walked into a wall a few times

We were ropedroppers with FPs between 9 - 12 most days. The hour window gives you flexibility. We got extra FPs at most parks, but it's difficult to get things like Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Test Track, FOP, etc day of. Based on what I saw I think next trip I will plan to get PH tickets, use EMH at one park (with no FPs), and then go back in the late afternoon/early evening to the next park with FPs. The only day we did EMH was at HS and I was amazed at what we got accomplished in the first 2 - 21/2 hours there! We also noticed lines were super short in the later evening. Walking on BTMR and Splash during the fireworks for example.

 

[cheshiregoofy22]

Thank you for your help! I think I'll keep the ones for the rides we'd hate to miss and see if refreshing works to move them to earlier times. If it doesn't work, at least I'll know I've got them at some point. If we end up getting on the rides we love easily at rope drop, then I can modify those early evening FPs on MDE for different available rides - or is that not allowed?

 

[_19disnA]

Last time we were at Disney they didn't have FastPass. I have read through several threads and don't quite understand the advantage of being there for 'rope drop' if you already have some FastPass reservations. I guess I picture rope drop as some mass of humanity running to their favorite rides, but maybe it doesn't work that way. Maybe others can clarify.

 

[danceintherain]

Thank you for your help! I think I'll keep the ones for the rides we'd hate to miss and see if refreshing works to move them to earlier times. If it doesn't work, at least I'll know I've got them at some point. If we end up getting on the rides we love easily at rope drop, then I can modify those early evening FPs on MDE for different available rides - or is that not allowed?

You can definitely modify/cancel FPs the day of, if your plans change. That way someone else can snag them.

 

[pitpat]

Last time we were at Disney they didn't have FastPass. I have read through several threads and don't quite understand the advantage of being there for 'rope drop' if you already have some FastPass reservations. I guess I picture rope drop as some mass of humanity running to their favorite rides, but maybe it doesn't work that way. Maybe others can clarify.

RD can be like that if you're trying to ride Flight of Passage or 7DMT first thing, but if you have FPs for the heavy hitters (7DMT, Peter Pan, Space Mtn.), you can easily start in Frontierland/Adventureland for example and knock out 4-5 rides there with no wait and no hordes of people. So using RD in combination with your FPs is the most efficient way to get more rides in.

 

[_19disnA]

Yes, that is helpful. What is '7DMT' never heard that acronym before, maybe the name of a ride?

 

[danceintherain]

Last time we were at Disney they didn't have FastPass. I have read through several threads and don't quite understand the advantage of being there for 'rope drop' if you already have some FastPass reservations. I guess I picture rope drop as some mass of humanity running to their favorite rides, but maybe it doesn't work that way. Maybe others can clarify.

The vast majority of people won't/don't wake up in time to enter the parks as soon as the rope drops. This means that there are much shorter lines at MOST attractions for the first hour or so after the park opens, before the hoards have trickled in enough and started building up in the queues. If you do a little looking, you'll be able to find websites that list wait times by time of day based on crowd levels, and except on the most crowded days, all but a few attractions will maintain wait times under 10-20 throughout the first hour. Even during the crowded times, there are still relatively shorter waits at 9:30 am than you'll see at 11:30am etc.
For us, I got FPs for the highest priority attractions, then at rope drop, we'll likely head towards some lower priority attractions. It's likely that we'll see more attractions in the first 2 hours of park opening than we will for the rest of the day.
Others choose to brave the hoard toward the high priority attractions at Rope Drop so they can ride a second time with a FP later on.

 

[cheshiregoofy22]

Last time we were at Disney they didn't have FastPass. I have read through several threads and don't quite understand the advantage of being there for 'rope drop' if you already have some FastPass reservations. I guess I picture rope drop as some mass of humanity running to their favorite rides, but maybe it doesn't work that way. Maybe others can clarify.

I think there's certainly a bit of that but since there's soooooo many rides we want to do, we get to ride a bunch without FPs when we get there early.

Yes, that is helpful. What is '7DMT' never heard that acronym before, maybe the name of a ride?

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

 

[pitpat]

Yes, that is helpful. What is '7DMT' never heard that acronym before, maybe the name of a ride?

7 Dwarfs Mine Train

 

[rchampagne]

That is where you need to use the "Refresh" strategy. You take the 9pm FP and Modify it earlier. 7DMT might be tougher, but Space, BTM, Splash, even Peter Pan are all obtainable same day. I don't settle for just Magic Carpets and Under the Sea type rides as extra FPs (I do take them when convenient though).

I used the refresh strategy all week, but, unless I'm wrong, I don't think it works when there are NO times available for a ride. Like I said, rides like BTM and PP were not available at all by the early afternoon, so I can't select it, and then try to adjust the time.

 

[_19disnA]

7 Dwarfs Mine Train

Ok thanks, thought it was a timezone reference.....LOL.