FP+ with school group

[staceymay00]

I posted the following on the Theme Park Attractions and Strategies board, but figured I would post here as well since some of you Disney experts may not venture out of the DVC boards. Does anyone have any advice for using FP+ on a school trip later this month?

I am looking for some helpful hints and advice for using FP+ with a school group later this month. I am a chaperone and will have a group of 10 middle schoolers with me when touring the parks. My family recently used FP+ on our last trip and liked it (stayed on site, we had APs that I linked to my MDE account in advance), but I know many of you don't like it. I am not looking to rehash that debate in this thread, just figure out how to make make the most of whatever system will be available to us on this school trip.

It sounds like all FP- machines have been removed from each park. Is this true? Can we take our tickets to a kiosk when we get to each park and book FP+, or is this just available for certain guests at this point? We are staying off site if that matters. I do not have a copy of the kids' tickets at this time, but once I have ticket numbers, can I possibly add the students to my MDE account in order to book FP+ in advance?

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[tjkraz]

It sounds like all FP- machines have been removed from each park. Is this true?

Yes.

Can we take our tickets to a kiosk when we get to each park and book FP+, or is this just available for certain guests at this point? We are staying off site if that matters.

Yes, that's exactly what you will have to do. It's not much different than the old FP system of running to get the paper tickets. Instead you'll just have to stand in line once at the computer terminals and will be able to pick the attractions and return times for your entire day.

I do not have a copy of the kids' tickets at this time, but once I have ticket numbers, can I possibly add the students to my MDE account in order to book FP+ in advance?

Unless disney expands use of MDE before your trip occurs, this will not be possible. Right now MDE access is only available to guests with a current (or previous) Disney hotel reservation. They've tested access with a limited number of off-site guests and pass holders but no word on when it will be fully rolled-out to off-site guests.

 

[staceymay00]

Yes, that's exactly what you will have to do. It's not much different than the old FP system of running to get the paper tickets. Instead you'll just have to stand in line once at the computer terminals and will be able to pick the attractions and return times for your entire day.

Thanks, very helpful. I have no experience with the kiosks. Do you happen to know if we'll have to book FPs with each ticket individually, or can we link all tickets and then pick FPs once for that group of tickets? Now that I know for sure that the FP- machines are gone and we can use the kiosks, I will do some research on how the kiosks work. Thanks!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[thepops]

The one thing you might want to do, is make sure you find the FP+ machines at the back of the parks. I've read that there is one back by the new fantasyland and that one gets a lot less traffic, so it might be worth it to head back there rather than wait in a long line at the front. I'm sure the other parks have ones that are scattered near the other end of the park as well.

 

[erionm]

Thanks, very helpful. I have no experience with the kiosks. Do you happen to know if we'll have to book FPs with each ticket individually, or can we link all tickets and then pick FPs once for that group of tickets? Now that I know for sure that the FP- machines are gone and we can use the kiosks, I will do some research on how the kiosks work. Thanks!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

The FP+ kiosks will allow you to make a 'family' group by scanning multiple tickets. This will allow one person to make FP+ selections for a group.

 

[staceymay00]

The FP+ kiosks will allow you to make a 'family' group by scanning multiple tickets. This will allow one person to make FP+ selections for a group.

Thanks, I was hoping that would be the case.

 

[staceymay00]

The one thing you might want to do, is make sure you find the FP+ machines at the back of the parks. I've read that there is one back by the new fantasyland and that one gets a lot less traffic, so it might be worth it to head back there rather than wait in a long line at the front. I'm sure the other parks have ones that are scattered near the other end of the park as well.

Good idea, I'm sure the kiosks near the park entrances get a lot of traffic.