FP strategy for afternoon/eve return times during busy spring break? Ideas for fun on crowded days

[imjen]

I'm not sure what the best strategy is since the fast pass return times are being enforced. I know the parks are going to be packed so I was thinking we'd make our ride time the most efficient that we could in the morning and then take a break with lunch and shows in the early afternoon. I'm used to having a few fast passes saved up though to use during busy late afternoon and evening crowds so I'm not sure what to do now. Maybe if we get a fast pass at 11 or noon it will be good a few hours later when it's busy or will all the fast passes be gone by then? What's the best way to time it and how do you have fun on crowded days in the afternoon and evening? We haven't been during heavy crowds much.

If you have suggestions on what to do and when I'd appreciate it. I will have an almost 3 yr old, 10, 13, and 16 year olds plus me and my hubby. We want to hit all the big rides at least once and we'll take the train for my toddler. Sad that Soarin' will be down though. We have been fairly often over the years so don't feel that we need to "see it all" since we just have one day per park this trip, but we want to see the E ticket favorites for sure and take in a show in the afternoon and possibly do the fireworks without feeling stressed in the crowds.

We are getting 2 day, 1 park tickets the Monday and Tues after Easter while we are in town for a family thing. I'm wondering if we should do the opposite of the early entry schedule and go to Disneyland on Monday and CA Tuesday or since Mondays are usually busier than Tuesdays, wait and do Disneyland on Tuesday.

 

[SMD]

It's best to just ride something when it's available. If, for example, the standby time for ToT is 20 minutes at 10am, it makes zero sense to go back at noon to get a later FP time when you could have just ridden it with a short wait at 10am or 11am and just gotten it over with. Plus, there's always a chance that a ride will go down midday and not come back up or something will happen and you won't go back to use the FP. Set your ride priorities and just go in that order.

You can also call Otto to get an idea of return times. The phone number is on the daily times guide when you enter the park.

 

[imjen]

Thanks, SMD! Good advice. I have never heard of Otto. Is that new?

 

[SMD]

It launched after the DCA redesign, but it took them over a year to really promote it. I don't know if the features have changed, I only used it for the first time last week.