FP+ strategy for Easter trip--- schedule early or late?

[boakl68]

My family of five will be in the area, and staying off site, over our Spring Break (March 31-April 6). We are planning to visit the Disney parks on Monday, 4/2 (open Epcot, transfer over to DHS for a 3:15 ADR at the Sci Fi, and will stay to close) and Thursday, 4/5 (MK, with a 2:15 ADR at The Plaza).

We know that this will be an insanely busy week, but in that we have been to Disney 20+ times, and know that we will be back, we don't feel as if we must do everything. We simply want to go and enjoy the parks as a family before our oldest son graduates from HS in May.

In the past (our last trip was in early November 2015), post-FP+ adoption, we scheduled our FP for after lunch/late afternoon, as we would arrive at a park before RD, and would knock out a lot of attractions in the first few hours, and then ride our FP selections in the busier afternoon. This strategy served us well.

However, after reading trip reports from the recent holiday season, I have become aware that there are those who feel that it is wiser to schedule the initial 3 FPs earlier in the day, so that they have the option to schedule more FPs as the day goes on.

My question is this: what is the better strategy in your opinion: our past strategy of later FP scheduling, or the earlier FPs, leaving the option for more?

I would appreciate advice, sharing of experiences, and suggested scheduling strategies!

 

[ktate82]

We usually schedule our first FP for the second hour the park is opened. This gives us an hour to hour and a half to rope drop and ride the rides we don't have FP for. Then as the lines start increasing, we have our three FP in a row. We are done about the time we are ready for an afternoon break and can make a 4th FP for evening.

 

[Shanti]

My family of five will be in the area...over our Spring Break (March 31-April 6)...In the past...we scheduled our FP for after lunch/late afternoon, as we would arrive at a park before RD, and would knock out a lot of attractions in the first few hours, and then ride our FP selections in the busier afternoon...However, after reading trip reports from the recent holiday season, I have become aware that there are those who feel that it is wiser to schedule the initial 3 FPs earlier in the day...

I would stick to your usual strategy for a family of 5 during Easter week. You'll want to maximize good standby opportunities for those first 2 hours after rope drop, and there won't be great pickings for 4th+ FP during such a crowded time.

Take others' reports of all the great 4th+ FPs they were able to get with a grain of salt. They likely were there during a lower crowd time than Easter week, had a party of 1 or other small party to find FPs for, and/or had to keep their nose in their phone during a lot of their time at the parks, constantly refreshing the app, to try to get those FPs.

 

[PSUGuy]

Depending on the park, we get there at RD and walk on as many rides as possible before wait times get longer than 10 - 15 mins, scheduling FP+ choices starting at 9:00 which gives us until 10:00 to get there. All the rest we schedule as tight as possible, with no gap between them if possible and we make a 4th as soon as we tap for the 3rd. Usually we hop to Epcot every afternoon as we go for Food&Wine. So.. for MK we walk on Space Mountain, Buzz and People Mover, finishing by 9:45 most times, then on to 7DMR for our first FP+.

Bill From PA

 

[Klayfish]

There's no right answer here. It's all about what you prefer. We never rope drop a park, we don't feel it's of much benefit, so we use all FP+. We'll schedule them immediately and blow through them immediately, then start getting more. For instance, we'll often schedule a FP+ from 8:50am to 9:50am, then next one at 9:50am to 10:50am. We won't even show up at the park until 9:30am. So we'll go to our first ride, and by time we're done, it's time for our second FP+, and from there we're off to the races using FP+.

But that's just what works for us. Do what fits your personal schedule best.

 

[shanew21]

We usually schedule our first FP for the second hour the park is opened. This gives us an hour to hour and a half to rope drop and ride the rides we don't have FP for. Then as the lines start increasing, we have our three FP in a row. We are done about the time we are ready for an afternoon break and can make a 4th FP for evening.

I will counter this by saying book it the first hour the park is open then just don't use it until the hour is almost over.