Have been here six days now, two at Epcot and two at HS, one each at MK and AK. Have been entering the park everyday with either
UT paper ticket (days 1-3) or plastic ticket received when trading in paper ticket at Guest Relations - have not been entering park with MB. Every day and every attempt for me I have been able to pull FP- with KTTW cards and UT paper/plastic. We are family of five, so I have five KTTW cards, but only 4 park tickets because one child is under three. When I walk up to FP- machines, I know I can always pull 9 FP- (if they are still available and have not all been distributed). Also doing FP+ every day.
At HS Wednesday, both me and my wife auditioned for American Idol. I made it through first cut but cut in second audition and did not get on stage. They still gave me 7 any ride/anytime paper FPs for my time. My wife is a better singer than me, she made it on stage - they gave her 14 any ride/anytime paper FPs for her time.
All I can say is - got to love this test period! If you are willing to open the parks and do some basic planning, you can ride the headliners every day multiple times with no wait. RNR, ToT, TSM, Soarin, TT, the three mountains at MK, etc. - we have been able to ride all of them three, four, or five times during our visit, as much as anyone would want to. Literally, I have not stood in a line and waited for anything this week. Have either walked right on in a stand-by line or used a FP. Also, several times we have had extra paper FPs we didn't have time to use, which we always give away to a couple or family approaching the stand-by line (this is as fun as riding the ride yourself sometimes).
To achieve this result, have had to use a little bit different strategy at each park. At Epcot and HS you schedule your FP+ and pull paper FPs for headliners only. At MK you schedule FP+ for rides with longest lines you can't pull FP- for (Enchanted Tales w Belle is perfect example - no FP- available and has longest lines of all).
Loved the FP+ for Fantasmic Wednesday night. Was a huge challenge burning through all of those FPs we got from Idol, kids riding TSM/RNR/TOT over and over with their cousins (we shared). Finally had to give up and head over for show. Slid in at 7:40 and still able to have seats for our group in front center section even though it was standing room only for stand-by.
