FP+ - what a pain!

[sersee05]

I'm new to it...been to disney many times but we aren't planners so we never bothered with fp. A whole new world opened up for me. Picking fps the opposite of what I want.... my brain can't process this.lol..maybe it's a duh thing and I'm a bonehead.

I've noticed when I picked my fps that sometimes earlier times aren't available.

I have done it for two days of my trip and got what I wanted. I'm annoyed I have to choose between rnr and toy story. It forces me to get there early to get on rnr. And for epcot. .. I kind of feel like it's a waste. My family thought soarin was dumb. So all they care about is test track. So I feel like the other two are throw away.

I do agree it's hard to plan so far in advance. I also find myself planning around my fps and stressing how to fit everything in. Plus it's vacation. I want to relax a bit and maybe sleep in! The horror! Relaxing on vacation...

I think fp is a planners dream. For non planners... it makes things a little stressful. But it's fun at the same time. I personally feel like a kid staying up until midnight so I can get my fps! I got toy story and was so excited last night. Line is always way too long to wait and we never can go on it.

I just hope I don't miss things trying to get to my fp. I think it's hard when it's summer and you want a break . I think I will fp morning and the relax afternoon and evening.

So I kind of like fp and I kind of dont..lol. on to stress about dinner ressies!

 

[itchin2go]

I'm new to it...been to disney many times but we aren't planners so we never bothered with fp. A whole new world opened up for me. Picking fps the opposite of what I want.... my brain can't process this.lol..maybe it's a duh thing and I'm a bonehead.

I've noticed when I picked my fps that sometimes earlier times aren't available.

I have done it for two days of my trip and got what I wanted. I'm annoyed I have to choose between rnr and toy story. It forces me to get there early to get on rnr. And for epcot. .. I ki d of feel like it's a waste. My family thought soarin was dumb. So all they care about is test track. So I feel like the other two are throw away.

I do agree it's hard to plan so far in advabce. I also find myself planning around my fps and stressing how to fit everything in.

I think fp is a planners dream. For non planners... it makes things a little stressful. But it's fun at the same time. I personally feel like a kid staying up until midnight so I can get my fps! I got toy story and was do excited last night. Line is always way to long to wait and we never can go on it.

I just hope I don't miss things trying to get to my fp. I think it's hard when it's summer and you want a break . I think I will fp morning and the relax afternoon and evening.

So I kind of like fp and I kind of dont..lol. on to stress about dinner ressies!

Thank you! Kind of my assessment on FP+ too. It's a mixed bag!

Have fun with the dinner ADRs. Anything involving food is more fun IMO.

 

[sersee05]

Lol I think dinner is stressing me out more! No dining plan and it's expensive! Plus trying to figure out where to eat so I can be back in time for the shows I want to see.. oh the problems I face!!! Lol.

 

[itchin2go]

Lol I think dinner is stressing me out more! No dining plan and it's expensive! Plus trying to figure out where to eat so I can be back in time for the shows I want to see.. oh the problems I face!!! Lol.

If it helps, we just book ADRs for dinner and eat counter service for lunch. Leaves plenty of room for whatever we want to do during the day. We will book a TS breakfast here or there. Regardless, there's lots of good counter service in the parks.

 

[larryz]

Lol I think dinner is stressing me out more! No dining plan and it's expensive! Plus trying to figure out where to eat so I can be back in time for the shows I want to see.. oh the problems I face!!! Lol.

 

[sersee05]

Lol! It's a struggle larryz...it's a hard hard struggle.

 

[DonnainIllinois]

I am new to the Fastpass+, mydisneyexperience, mymagic+ systems but not new to Disney. I am currently planning my 19th trip to the World. I plan waaay in advance. Gives me time to save money, buy books and read them, and generally plan out the details. However, I usually DO NOT plan out what rides and times. The most detailed I go is planning what park what day and if we are going to hop, about how long I expect to be in the park, and dining reservations. I know what rides and attractions I want to do but it is a wing-it-when-we-get-there kind of thing. So I have been reading about these systems and am kinda confused. Its been a few years since I was last there and last they had was the regular fastpass system (which I liked). I have heard about all these glitches and complaints and I am not sure what to do. I am also wondering what the crowds will be like in the standby line. Apparently, with these "tiers", you can't pick all the headliners to do the fastpass with. So you are going to be stuck in a standby line for some of them if you don't want to spend all day in the park. Any advice?

 

[itchin2go]

I am new to the Fastpass+, mydisneyexperience, mymagic+ systems but not new to Disney. I am currently planning my 19th trip to the World. I plan waaay in advance. Gives me time to save money, buy books and read them, and generally plan out the details. However, I usually DO NOT plan out what rides and times. The most detailed I go is planning what park what day and if we are going to hop, about how long I expect to be in the park, and dining reservations. I know what rides and attractions I want to do but it is a wing-it-when-we-get-there kind of thing. So I have been reading about these systems and am kinda confused. Its been a few years since I was last there and last they had was the regular fastpass system (which I liked). I have heard about all these glitches and complaints and I am not sure what to do. I am also wondering what the crowds will be like in the standby line. Apparently, with these "tiers", you can't pick all the headliners to do the fastpass with. So you are going to be stuck in a standby line for some of them if you don't want to spend all day in the park. Any advice?

First, I heard more about glitches when it was first rolled out. I still hear about things, but it seems it's not as widespread. Disney seems to have worked some of the bugs out of the system. We had no trouble with Magic Bands not working or FPs disappearing on our November trip. The technology worked fine (once we were in the parks).

Second, this thread has the answers to all your questions about tiering:
http://www.disboards.com/threads/fa...ed-priorities-and-strategies-part-ii.3326057/

Third, yes, we found that rope drop was more important than ever, and we rode many things standby. We did not spend all day in the parks. There's another thread going right now, where another poster found great success touring late in the evening, so that's another strategy.

 

[DonnainIllinois]

Thank you itchin2go. That helps ease my mind about the technical issues. I know rope drop is very important and plan to do that. Always have, always will. So what were the standby lines like when you were there? I plan on going in December of 2016, so I am going to be in offseason just as much as you were. Maybe more so. I remember lines usually were not that bad. Most of my trips when I go have been in October or December with some Septembers in there. I have only been a couple of times during busy season. I have heard crowds have gotten worse. Have they?

 

[itchin2go]

Thank you itchin2go. That helps ease my mind about the technical issues. I know rope drop is very important and plan to do that. Always have, always will. So what were the standby lines like when you were there? I plan on going in December of 2016, so I am going to be in offseason just as much as you were. Maybe more so. I remember lines usually were not that bad. Most of my trips when I go have been in October or December with some Septembers in there. I have only been a couple of times during busy season. I have heard crowds have gotten worse. Have they?

If you're not going around Christmas, your crowds are going to be much better than mine. I went Thanksgiving week.

I like to look at the wait times at the back of these cheat sheets. I think they paint a pretty accurate picture. (See each individual cheat sheet and scroll to the back.)

http://www.easywdw.com/category/cheat-sheets/

I was very worried about reports that the standby lines were longer for most things. I believe they are, didn't find it to be noticeably so in most cases. But keep in mind, we tour in the mornings and get out of dodge before the crowds get unmanageable. I think the lines probably are worse, but I think we aren't there for the worst of it, if that makes sense. We had a successful trip, but (1) we rope drop and (2) we really only ride things we like once (at least per day). I know that's not enough for lots of people and their trips have suffered more post FP+.

It kind of depends on how you toured before and what you're trying to accomplish. I think crowds have increased overall. Whether that will impact your day appreciably is another story.

 

[DonnainIllinois]

Thank you itchin2go. No, not Christmas week. First week of December. I have done Christmas week once. Never again! It sounds like you do the same thing we do. We do rope drop and we only do our favorites once, maybe twice. So it sounds like I should be ok. I read the link about the strategies and that sounds helpful. Since we hop a lot, I am thinking morning FP+ and then wing in at the second park. This way I can get that 4th FP+ early and do it for the night show. Or maybe do it after we get to the second park at the kiosk. I do appreciate all the help you have been. It has taken a load off my mind.

 

[itchin2go]

Thank you itchin2go. No, not Christmas week. First week of December. I have done Christmas week once. Never again! It sounds like you do the same thing we do. We do rope drop and we only do our favorites once, maybe twice. So it sounds like I should be ok. I read the link about the strategies and that sounds helpful. Since we hop a lot, I am thinking morning FP+ and then wing in at the second park. This way I can get that 4th FP+ early and do it for the night show. Or maybe do it after we get to the second park at the kiosk. I do appreciate all the help you have been. It has taken a load off my mind.

Or you could do the reverse - rope drop the first park, ride standby and have your FPs booked at the second park. Of course, that would have to be planned out in advance.

I am no expert on 4th FP, but the reports I have seen are that there's better availability in MK than in DHS and EP. Not sure about AK.

Have a great trip!