FP Selection & Refresh Strategy

[Jhp8]

We have a 9 day trip scheduled and I am working on selecting my Fast passes for MK. We will have 3 days in MK. I have it arranged so that we could probably get any FP on those days since we aren't going to MK on day 1 or 2. I am debating on two different strategies for selecting my FastPasses:

1) Book FP a combination of the headliners only (7DMT, Space Mountain, Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain) for each of the days. After doing those by early afternoon, use the refresh strategy to try and get FP for the mid-tier rides (Haunted Mansion, Buzz, Pirates, enhanced tales, etc.). I want to be relatively confident we can get some of those since we have a younger child with us as well. What is the likelihood of being able to get same day FastPasses for those mid-tier rides?

2) Take a more balanced approach and use the Fast Passes across 9 different rides (3 each day) to ensure coverage and than try and refresh to get more.

We are going the first week of April.

 

[mesaboy2]

We have a 9 day trip scheduled and I am working on selecting my Fast passes for MK. We will have 3 days in MK. I have it arranged so that we could probably get any FP on those days since we aren't going to MK on day 1 or 2. I am debating on two different strategies for selecting my FastPasses:

1) Book FP a combination of the headliners only (7DMT, Space Mountain, Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain) for each of the days. After doing those by early afternoon, use the refresh strategy to try and get FP for the mid-tier rides (Haunted Mansion, Buzz, Pirates, enhanced tales, etc.). I want to be relatively confident we can get some of those since we have a younger child with us as well. What is the likelihood of being able to get same day FastPasses for those mid-tier rides?

2) Take a more balanced approach and use the Fast Passes across 9 different rides (3 each day) to ensure coverage and than try and refresh to get more.

We are going the first week of April.

High, especially if you refresh fairly often.

 

[ClapYourHands]

I guess it comes down to what you want to ride. Do you want to ride 7DMT or Peter Pan more than once? Those might be a bit tricky to get the day of. If so, get them as FP on more than one day. I found I was able to get pretty much everything else, at least at some point using refresh.

Or do you like to minimize walking and explore land by land? If so, you might want to do your FP each day in a geographic area. So schedule Space Mountain and Buzz FP back to back, and do your refreshing when you move elsewhere.

Last trip I mostly booked the headliners, but I was the solo adult with two active kids (ages 8 and 10), so criss-crossing the park to catch the next available FP wasn't a big deal. I will definitely be going with option 2 when I take DD next fall when she's 4. For a 9 day trip, I would go with a more balanced approach so I didn't burn out.

 

[JETSDAD]

I'd do headliners each day, whichever ones you want to do, starting at 9AM, then refresh for the others as you go.

 

[Wubar]

Was at MK today. Had a pre booked FP for 7dmt, pooh, and btmrr. Through the power of refreshing, was able to get additional FPs for HM (twice), Pirates, an additional 7DMT, and Buzz (twice). That's not counting the other easy FPs that tend to be available at all times. Even Space Mt popped up a few times, but we had used a multi experience FP for that ride so we didn't use a "refresh FP" for that one. Just checked for a few minutes at a time, trying to move FPs up to maximize time and efficiency, and no, my eyes weren't constantly glued to my phone. Working with a group of 3.

 

[Jhp8]

Was at MK today. Had a pre booked FP for 7dmt, pooh, and btmrr. Through the power of refreshing, was able to get additional FPs for HM (twice), Pirates, an additional 7DMT, and Buzz (twice). That's not counting the other easy FPs that tend to be available at all times. Even Space Mt popped up a few times, but we had used a multi experience FP for that ride so we didn't use a "refresh FP" for that one. Just checked for a few minutes at a time, trying to move FPs up to maximize time and efficiency, and no, my eyes weren't constantly glued to my phone. Working with a group of 3.

Thanks, this seems to be a good comparison since my group is for 3 people (plus 2 year old) for many of the same rides.

 

[Jhp8]

I guess it comes down to what you want to ride. Do you want to ride 7DMT or Peter Pan more than once? Those might be a bit tricky to get the day of. If so, get them as FP on more than one day. I found I was able to get pretty much everything else, at least at some point using refresh.

Or do you like to minimize walking and explore land by land? If so, you might want to do your FP each day in a geographic area. So schedule Space Mountain and Buzz FP back to back, and do your refreshing when you move elsewhere.

Last trip I mostly booked the headliners, but I was the solo adult with two active kids (ages 8 and 10), so criss-crossing the park to catch the next available FP wasn't a big deal. I will definitely be going with option 2 when I take DD next fall when she's 4. For a 9 day trip, I would go with a more balanced approach so I didn't burn out.

Thats a good point, I probably need to do some optimization in my plans as I have two lazy kids with me who hate walking.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

If you want to do the headliners, definitely grab those since they are the highest risk of not being able to get same day. If you want to do M&Gs, I would recommend pre-booking those above mid-tier rides like JC and BTMR. They can take more time to refresh than you think. My luck is not as good as some of the other people here with same day, but I'm confident that I can get HM, JC, Buzz, Pirates, etc for a reasonable time (ie with a window starting in 15-30 mins) within 10 mins of constant refreshing.

That all said, if there is a ride, even a mid-tier one, that is an absolute must do for you, I would pre-book it even if its famously easy to get just because you never know when the system might be down or something might change at Disney.

Good luck.​

 

[WaterLinds]

Thanks, this seems to be a good comparison since my group is for 3 people (plus 2 year old) for many of the same rides.

Just bear in mind that I think this week is relatively low crowds (until marathon folks hit for the weekend), as pretty much everyone is now back to school/work, so it could be a bit harder to get all those FPs at different times of year. (I just checked and actually TP is reporting yesterday as a 6, so not as low as I would have guessed!)

We had reasonable luck with refresh in MK on a high crowd day last year, but weren’t looking for headliners. I occasionally saw headliners come up when searching for one at a time, so possibly they could have been booked/modified to overlap for a group but I didn’t try. I had to book even smaller rides (barnstormer, under the sea, etc.) as singles and modify to overlap several times. Buzz we did get as a 4th, and I know I saw Pirates. I don’t recall seeing HM come up but we weren’t looking for it.

So yes, if you want to ride the headliners every day,book them, for sure, and you will get at least some other things as FPs. You might or might not easily get everything else, so if there another middle tier ride you definitely want to do, I would book it at least once.

 

[SuzyQue]

We'll be in the parks March 6-8 with DD, DSI, and 3 year old granddaughter. We're park hopping between EP and AK one day, probably won't get to park until 10:00. Our wants at EP are Spaceship Earth, Turtle Talk, TT for DD and DSI and we'll take granddaughter on Seas with Nemo, and Free Visa Character meet 1:00-7:00. Our wants in AK are FOTL and K. Safari. Which scenario will give us the best chances to see all we want.

1. Book AK FP's and try for EP FP's after second one is scanned.
2. Book all FP's at EP and hope to cancel those not needed and then try for FP at AK.

 

[runwad]

I'd do the headliners and refresh for the others. I'm not sure when Easter is, is it that first week?

 

[SuzyQue]

I'd do the headliners and refresh for the others. I'm not sure when Easter is, is it that first week?

Nope, Easter is April 21st.

 

[ClapYourHands]

We'll be in the parks March 6-8 with DD, DSI, and 3 year old granddaughter. We're park hopping between EP and AK one day, probably won't get to park until 10:00. Our wants at EP are Spaceship Earth, Turtle Talk, TT for DD and DSI and we'll take granddaughter on Seas with Nemo, and Free Visa Character meet 1:00-7:00. Our wants in AK are FOTL and K. Safari. Which scenario will give us the best chances to see all we want.

1. Book AK FP's and try for EP FP's after second one is scanned.
2. Book all FP's at EP and hope to cancel those not needed and then try for FP at AK.

Of the ones you listed, TT is the only one that might be difficult to get same day.

But I'm a little confused. Is scenario 1 going to AK first and then EP, and scenario 2 going to EP and then AK? For scenario 1, if you really don't want anything else at AK, you can start looking for TT after you scan into your first AK FP. You are entitled to 3 initial FP, and once the first is scanned, you can have the second and third at different parks. This will maximize the chances of getting TT.

For scenario 2, if you are starting at EP, why would you cancel fast passes rather than use them? You're there, you might as well use them. Safari FP should be available for same day fast passes later on, and you don't need FP for FOTLK.

My advice would be to start at EP with your FP booked there so you are sure to get on TT. After you use your 3, grab any additional EP rides you want. Even though you have listed your priorities above, there's nothing wrong with hopping on something else that pops up in MDE as an additional FP. When you scan into the last ride you want at EP, start looking for Safari at AK. You can probably book it while driving/riding over.

 

[SuzyQue]

Of the ones you listed, TT is the only one that might be difficult to get same day.

But I'm a little confused. Is scenario 1 going to AK first and then EP, and scenario 2 going to EP and then AK? For scenario 1, if you really don't want anything else at AK, you can start looking for TT after you scan into your first AK FP. You are entitled to 3 initial FP, and once the first is scanned, you can have the second and third at different parks. This will maximize the chances of getting TT.

For scenario 2, if you are starting at EP, why would you cancel fast passes rather than use them? You're there, you might as well use them. Safari FP should be available for same day fast passes later on, and you don't need FP for FOTLK.

My advice would be to start at EP with your FP booked there so you are sure to get on TT. After you use your 3, grab any additional EP rides you want. Even though you have listed your priorities above, there's nothing wrong with hopping on something else that pops up in MDE as an additional FP. When you scan into the last ride you want at EP, start looking for Safari at AK. You can probably book it while driving/riding over.

 

[SuzyQue]

Thank you @ClapYourHands. Yes, you understood my scenarios correctly and I have FPs set up at Epcot for morning right now.

We're not real concerned about getting TT, just thought I'd let the 3 year old's mom & dad hit that while we take the little to The seas with nemo after we all do the first 2 fast passes together . But they really want to take her on the Safari and I'd like her to see FOTLK, so didn't want to take the chance of having to wait in long afternoon crowd lines if we did Epcot first.

The only reason I mentioned cancelling any of them at Epcot was if the lines were really minimal, I could cancel and check for FP availability in AK that much sooner.

 

[runwad]

Good luck SuzeQue!