FP window has now opened and I HATE it!

[Halloweenqueen]

I think there is a growing group of people who intentionally book more nights than planned so their dining/FP window opens earlier. Then they modify to their intended dates after they have made their plans. For example, they book Febrauary 1 -11, even though their plans are for 7-11. Much better odds to get your dining and FP with no penalties to modifying before 45 days.

 

[SarahSummer]

The parade was not available for me at the 60 day window either but keep checking. It just showed up today at 10 days out and I got it. I'm sorry you are having a bad experience. I love FP+. For us it's been nothing but awesome every time compared to the old way.

 

[agavegirl1]

This was my rant when my FP+ window opened. Since I have a 9 day stay, I was able to book some hard to get FP+ on days 8 and 9. However, they were not convenient. I found the system itself to be slow, awkward and not in the least user friendly. It took far more time than I anticipated and I am still tweaking. I saw exactly one FP+ for Wishes on an evening I will be at Epcot. The Halloween party dates really limited these as it was. I feel your pain.

There still might be hope. Stalk the threads for FP+ cancellations and check back closer to your dates.

 

[horse11]

This secret doesn't work for many.

Really I gues I should consider myself lucky then. I have used that method twice and have not had any issues. So even at Midnight trying for a later day in your trip there are still things unavailable???? WOW that STINKS

 

[mesaboy2]

Maybe not for A&E for shorter trips. But 7DMT? I had multiple time slots available beginning Day 2 of my trip in Oct. But I was on right at midnight. I've read the same from man other posters as well.

Have we heard of many people on right at midnight who could hardly get a 7DMT slot in Oct? You're on way more than I am, so perhaps I've missed it.

The poster's "secret" implied that getting what you want depends on getting on at midnight instead of later that day (as the OP apparently tried to do). This only matters for A&E and, from what I see, often seems to be important for 7DMT as well. No other attractions matter that far out.

The real secret for A&E seems to be booking a 10-day or longer vacation, getting on at midnight, and booking the last day of your trip first. That is about the only consistent way (if it can be called that) to get an A&E FP. I don't like anyone's chances of getting A&E unless they do all three above. Sorry, you short-term, 9-day WDW visitors!

Really I gues I should consider myself lucky then. I have used that method twice and have not had any issues. So even at Midnight trying for a later day in your trip there are still things unavailable???? WOW that STINKS

For A&E certainly. See above.

 

[Robo]

Really I gues I should consider myself lucky then. I have used that method twice and have not had any issues. So even at Midnight trying for a later day in your trip there are still things unaavailable???? WOW that STINKS

It's because of the "60 days PLUS" situation.

Guests with longer stays can book the prime attractions before some guests can start booking.

 

[Marthasor]

I'm sorry you had so much trouble. If it's any consolation, we are here now and I've been able to get things on the fly. I was able to get Wishes day-of on Tuesday night and today, if I had wanted it, I could have snagged day-of Anna and Elsa FP+ (they came up as an option when I was switching out another FP+). Don't lose hope.

 

[mesaboy2]

I'm sorry you had so much trouble. If it's any consolation, we are here now and I've been able to get things on the fly. I was able to get Wishes day-of on Tuesday night and today, if I had wanted it, I could have snagged day-of Anna and Elsa FP+ (they came up as an option when I was switching out another FP+). Don't lose hope.

Holy cow. I need you to PM me some lottery numbers.

 

[grizzy77]

Now think if you're offsite or local and can only book at the 30 day point...and think how little selection is left for any "newish" experiences...

That's us.

 

[practicallyperfect77]

I'm sorry you had so much trouble. If it's any consolation, we are here now and I've been able to get things on the fly. I was able to get Wishes day-of on Tuesday night and today, if I had wanted it, I could have snagged day-of Anna and Elsa FP+ (they came up as an option when I was switching out another FP+). Don't lose hope.

How many are in your group? I could see this happening for 1 or 2 but like mesaboy, I want lotto numbers if there are more than 2. =) It is awesome that it is working that way for you.

 

[scoutie]

I just returned from a seven day trip and, thanks to FP+, I stood in fewer than five lines of any appreciable length during the entirety of the trip (and the crowds were significant). We also took advantage of the FP stations to schedule additional FP's when our pre-arranged passes had been used. The end result was we toured far more efficiently than in any of our 15+ previous visits, and our enjoyment increased significantly.

This was my experience as well. We did everything that we wanted to, and more. It was definitely because of Fast Pass Plus.

 

[chelseabun76]

I just returned from a seven day trip and, thanks to FP+, I stood in fewer than five lines of any appreciable length during the entirety of the trip (and the crowds were significant). We also took advantage of the FP stations to schedule additional FP's when our pre-arranged passes had been used. The end result was we toured far more efficiently than in any of our 15+ previous visits, and our enjoyment increased significantly.

In short, I was a bit of a skeptic who now can be called a true believer.

That gives me hope!

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

The poster's "secret" implied that getting what you want depends on getting on at midnight instead of later that day (as the OP apparently tried to do). This only matters for A&E and, from what I see, often seems to be important for 7DMT as well. No other attractions matter that far out. The real secret for A&E seems to be booking a 10-day or longer vacation, getting on at midnight, and booking the last day of your trip first. That is about the only consistent way (if it can be called that) to get an A&E FP. I don't like anyone's chances of getting A&E unless they do all three above. Sorry, you short-term, 9-day WDW visitors! For A&E certainly. See above.

Gotcha. For my Oct trip A&E was available days 5-12 of our trip. So maybe they're only dissing those staying <5 days... If staying onsite... In Oct...

 

[emij]

Really I gues I should consider myself lucky then. I have used that method twice and have not had any issues. So even at Midnight trying for a later day in your trip there are still things unavailable???? WOW that STINKS

Yeah, I got on at midnight and started 66 days out (our last day, and the A&E passes were all unavailable.

Thank goodness for the lovely people on here who help coordinate to pass on cancelled FP+ though!

 

[Nancyg56]

For me, I am still on the fence. I booked all that I wanted, but since I did not look for A&E, my needs were different than a lot of people. I also could not book parades or fireworks, but had read that window is different. I am not worried, though, because Ill just do like I have always done and get there early.

I'm not going to lie, I was a frazzled mess though, right up until I figured out how to book my passes, but now it is done, and I am not monkeying around with them. Ill decide if this system works for my family after my trip. I do understand why folks are frustraed though.

With a comment about A&E- I don't see any way to make that one smoother with the frenzy for spots that there is.

 

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

No more waking up for rope drop and racing to FP machines. Now we stay up until midnight 60 days before our trip, gulping coffee trying to score them!

 

[ParrotBill]

October's going to be a bit easier than all the reports we've heard from the summer crowds.

I just returned from a 9 day August trip.

I could not hunt FP+ at 60 days because the the other family did not have their tickets yet. So it was closer to 45 days. Many attractions had no FP+, and many others had only undesirable times left. And, I don't WANT to have to troll for FP+ every day looking for openings. that's nonsense.

It make park visits rigid and difficult. Hurry, we have to get there for our first Fastpass. Hurry, we have to squeeze lunch in between these two times. Forget reschedules: Last week after 10am you had a choice of 4-6 least desirable rides or those that you normally have little wait on anyway.

I also ran into this situation often: Arrived at a ride and found the wait is very short.. wasting a FP. (Don't say reschedule it.. see above).

The best thing that happened was this: I tried to reschedule one Fastpass for 3 of us out of the 7. The user interface on the phone is so bad I chose the wrong thing and blew away all my FP for that day. waited in line for customer service for 30 minutes. They restored my FPs and gave us a free extra one to Splash Mtn to use any time. reminder: that was the best thing that happened.

So after 2 visits during testing of FP+ (August and December 2013), and 2 visits of real FP+ (April and August 2014), I have to say my rating is:

FP+ Stinks. Sorry, Pumba.

 

[crazymomof4]

Sorry that's the case. So 60 days from today is 10/27... I didn't think it would be so busy then. We're going 10/9-10/20, and I was able to get 7DMT for four people for every day of our trip at multiple times except on our first day. Were you on right at midnight? Maybe very large party?

I had a similar experience. Can't complain at all.... so far. I was on right at 1am (didn't open at midnite) and had my "wish list" of fp+s. I was able to get exactly everything we wanted within 15-30mins of the wish list times. No switching our park days at all. 5 people in our party. Got several SDMT. Our trip is in the very slow season though. 2nd week of Sept.

 

[sanapp]

My trip starts 10/26, so my 60 days opened yesterday. I got right on at midnight. I was able to get everything I wanted for the exact times I wanted (1 day my times were 10 minutes off). It did take a lot of manipulating. Had to take what they offered and then go in to each fast pass to adjust to the time I really wanted . I wasn't looking for a A&E though, but I did get 3 7DMT at the exact times I wanted.
It is stressful to have to plan to this degree though! It has always seemed crazy to have to book dining at ) months out and now this.

 

[dizzyinwdw]

Holy cow. I need you to PM me some lottery numbers.

ROTFL!!