FP+ -- Worth doing if offsite on non-busy day

[kathy884]

Hi,
DS is graduating from HS in May, and I just found out his college final timing next year means we can hit Orlando the week before that busy Christmas week and be home before all those crazy crowds. Yeah! That schedule convinced me to add this extra trip. We did a mini trip last October, and it was just so much fun. And to my surprise I'm coming back again. I always think it's going to be my last trip, and what do you know, here I am again.

Anyway, we're now planning the trip and even though we love so many other things in Orlando, of course, we need to do one day at the Magic Kingdom. We are Disney kids at heart. And I'm shocked to see crowd level predictions so low (like a 4). I'm used to 7s, 8s, and 9s. Actually October was my first 5 day (day when the MK had the evening Halloween party and we just hit that park during the day. For the first time since it's been in existence, we didn't even use fastpass.).

Anyway, our MK day will be a Wednesday and I'm using a variation of the Unofficial Guide Adult highlights touring plan (started with that and just subtracted the attractions we didn't want to do), giving us a very manageable nine ride day plus the evening parade and fireworks. We love these touring plans and have been using them for decades. And we'll be there an hour before rope drop too (love being some of the first people in). Anyway we only show two attractions with predictions for more than a 10 minute wait based on our timing and plan. A 22 minute wait prediction for Space Mountain, and a 27 minute wait for Peter Plan's flight.

I read this, so it looks like if I want I can even do FP+ selections 30 days in advance even though I'm offsite.
http://www.easywdw.com/news/off-sit...reservations-in-advance-beginning-march-31st/

So FP+ experts, should I try to fast pass those two rides that have waits over 20 minutes at the predicted time that we would ride these in our plan? Sounds like each guest gets three FP+ options. Or are those waits so insignificant that it would be more bother than it's worth?

Are there FP options now for the parade or fireworks?? (That would be cool.) I've never in 30+ visits starting back in 71 really had a good view for the parade, as I've never had the patience to scope out a seat way in advance.

Do I need to buy my one day MK ticket in advance then too to do this? I usually just buy at the gate due to no discounts on one day tickets. I'm going to do one Disney dining reservation another day too, so maybe my FP selections could just be linked to that?

Sounds like I'll just need to check back later when this is all in place too, given that April 1 hasn't arrived yet.

Appreciate any thoughts or insight anyone has.

 

[FLSarah]

I'm not very patient when it comes to waiting in line, so I'd definitely use FP for the 3 rides with the longest wait times. I don't find it a hassle at all if you can prebook them online.

There are FP options for the new Festival of Fantasy parade and Wishes. I haven't used either of them, so I'm not sure how they work.

I'm pretty sure you have to link your park ticket to your account in order to book FP, so you'd need to buy it in advance to get prebook FP.

 

[kathy884]

Thanks. Sounds like good advice. Plus I'd like to see the app for curiosity sake (OK - I work in IT). I'll at 30 days book a fastpass for Peter Pan and Space Mountain, maybe like 15 minutes before we expect to do those, given that there is a one hour window, and I'll see if I can do a fast pass for the parade too. // Will need to read up more on that -- have heard some say this is available 30 days out and some say just a few days out. Don't know that actual scoop on that one.

 

[FLSarah]

We have APs. I just used the website and looked for the latest date that I can make FP selections (April 28) and no parades or fireworks are showing up. I also checked April 1 & April 7 and none are showing. I know for sure that I've seen them available though.

We saw the Festival of Fantasy parade last weekend. Even people who were walking up 10 minutes before the start were getting decent spots. We also went last December around the same time you're going and crowds were very manageable.

 

[kathy884]

We have APs. I just used the website and looked for the latest date that I can make FP selections (April 28) and no parades or fireworks are showing up. I also checked April 1 & April 7 and none are showing. I know for sure that I've seen them available though.

We saw the Festival of Fantasy parade last weekend. Even people who were walking up 10 minutes before the start were getting decent spots. We also went last December around the same time you're going and crowds were very manageable.

Sarah, Thanks for posting. Really great to hear your experience of manageable crowds this time of year! I'm so excited about that as someone who almost always travels during crowded times and would love a little calmer time. I'd love to experience a crowd level four day for once. I'll check last minute, but I won't count on a parade or fireworks FP selection. Wonderful to hear that in all likelihood we'll be able to see these decently even without that. (With that third FP, maybe just day of park, I'll have DS select something to do later on in the evening, based on his preference and FP availability at a late time that would work. And just not use that if it doesn't fit in If we could have two FPs a day for something I know he'd pick Space Mountain, but I highly doubt Disney will change that policy.)