FP+

[kamabet]

We will be heading back to Disney Dec 19th -27th. This is first time at X-mas and with FP+ and I am wondering what time I should make them for.?We are a family of 5 with a 20 18 and 16 year old. We are rope droppers and late nighters. My plan is to RD till around lunch and go back to hotel for afternoon for rest/ naps and then head back out for dinner and late nights. Does this sound like a good plan?

 

[CAS239]

Sounds just like what we do. You have two options A)schedule the fast passes in the morning, then try to get more when you go back in the afternoon..or B) rope drop what you can, then have fast passes set up for the evening.

I say option B is the best bet. Basically every park you really don't need FP's before 10am. So since we as well take midday breaks and come back in the evening, we like to have the FP's already set up. I generally make them from around 6pm and on. Or a little later if we have Wishes or Fantasmic mixed in there for FP's. Some days our FP's start with Wishes at 9 or 10pm, then the other two after that. Only downside is not being able to select a 4th and more FP's, but by the afternoon when you get back from the hotel, most of it not all the headliners will likely be gone

 

[WillAustin]

When it's crowded I think the evening FPs are the best way to go. There will be less chance of you getting a 4th FP after your first 3 anyway.

 

[kamabet]

Ok. Thank you both. I was leaning that way myself but this is all new territory for me I needed aliitle confirmation that I had a good plan in place. I know it will be busier then our typical time but super excited to wake up in Disney on X-mas morning.

 

[itchin2go]

Ok. Thank you both. I was leaning that way myself but this is all new territory for me I needed aliitle confirmation that I had a good plan in place. I know it will be busier then our typical time but super excited to wake up in Disney on X-mas morning.

Just for a devil's advocate kind of thing, I will point out that if you decide for whatever reason to NOT go back the parks that night, you have wasted your FPs.

Theoretically, too, those wait times start lessening later at night too, so FPs might save more time earlier. Just something to think about it.

 

[kamabet]

That is also a good point itchin2go. I know there will be some days where we will be in the park all day. AK being one of them seeing I am only planning 1 day. The others I foresee us going to one park in the morning and a different one in the evening. I will have to plan accordingly. Good thing I have some time to mull it over.

 

[wisblue]

That is also a good point itchin2go. I know there will be some days where we will be in the park all day. AK being one of them seeing I am only planning 1 day. The others I foresee us going to one park in the morning and a different one in the evening. I will have to plan accordingly. Good thing I have some time to mull it over.

If you are planning on hopping, then I think getting the FPs for the late afternoon/early evening makes even more sense. That way you can decide where to start the day the night before or morning of if you want. Especially later in the trip we sometimes make that decision based on what we have done earlier in the trip. If there is something we want to do that we didn't get to early in the trip we can do it by going to that park at opening.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I agree with evening. If this is your standard traveling method of rope drop, break, return or park hop, it is worth it to book evening. I would think that during the holiday season, crowds would be peaking later and folks would be more likely to stay late than other times of year.

Recalling playing around with MDE last year and seeing what if any fast passes could be booked so close to the park day at Christmas, I was able to find things for 2 people--even mountains day of! If you anticipate the day before or same morning that you won't be at a park on the evening, you can always try and change those fast passes to something else for when you would be in the park earlier in the day. It isn't perfect, but it will help those passes to not go to waste.

 

[bookbabe626]

Since it's the busiest time of year, try to check the crowd levels before leaving the parks for a break. You might not get back in later if it's at capacity.

 

[kamabet]

Thanks everyone. I have been to Disney multiple times but this is my first go at X-mas time and with FP+. I have two college students and a cheerleader with a strict schedule. So this was the only time we could go this year and I will take crowds at Disney over sitting in cold weather at home anyday. Plus it has been on my bucket list to be able to wake up in Disney
on X-mas morning.
I suppose if we get unlucky from a park closure there are tons of other things to do. This trip is about spending quality time with the family and not so much of needing or wanting to ride everything.