Goodbye Late April

[Hezzy04]

We were there on Saturday and Monday as well. We rode basically any ride we wanted and had little trouble getting more FP+. But I had things planned...not crazy lady on a mission plan, but I wasn't going to spend all day hiking back and forth across the park. We went methodically through the park and had no trouble!

We also had a plan, which I'm sure is why things ran so smoothly! My mom often says she feels bad for my husband bc I am such a planner, but he loves it! It feels like we are getting the best Disney experience ever!!

 

[pmaurer74]

Also with EPCOT having less to do, ROL not going on at AK and HS being half torn down, MK is the place people are going to.

 

[jo-jo]

My sister and her family were there last Tuesday and used 16 Fastpasses. Tuesdays are better.

What kind of rides did they get so many FPs? I'm surprised they could get that many. With being able to use the phone, I thought people would be snapping up FP even if they really don't plan on using them. I, alas, will be using the kiosk. No smart phone here.

I do remember a TR of a parent and child got lots of FP but it was mostly for "kiddie" rides and he took whatever was shortest time. And that was back when having to use a kiosk.

 

[AngiTN]

What kind of rides did they get so many FPs? I'm surprised they could get that many. With being able to use the phone, I thought people would be snapping up FP even if they really don't plan on using them. I, alas, will be using the kiosk. No smart phone here.

I do remember a TR of a parent and child got lots of FP but it was mostly for "kiddie" rides and he took whatever was shortest time. And that was back when having to use a kiosk.

The good news is there is now no one at the kiosks.

As for getting a lot of FP, it's not hard if you start yours at opening rather than using the first couple of hours standby.
If you opt for the next available, no matter what it is or what the line would be you could do them back to back to back. You can book the next while in line for the first.
Now you can book one, ride, book next offered FP, ride, book next, ride, so forth and so on. But that's only if you have a phone. That won't work having to get to a kiosk.

Also, in case you have one, you can use an iPod Touch or iPad. It's not only a smart phone that works. Though the wifi on site if quite iffy it does work

 

[2prince'smom]

The good news is there is now no one at the kiosks.

As for getting a lot of FP, it's not hard if you start yours at opening rather than using the first couple of hours standby.
If you opt for the next available, no matter what it is or what the line would be you could do them back to back to back. You can book the next while in line for the first.
Now you can book one, ride, book next offered FP, ride, book next, ride, so forth and so on. But that's only if you have a phone. That won't work having to get to a kiosk.

Also, in case you have one, you can use an iPod Touch or iPad. It's not only a smart phone that works. Though the wifi on site if quite iffy it does work

So you only have to ride one of your FP rides before you can make another reservation? I thought you had to use all three up and then you could.

 

[Love Tink]

What kind of rides did they get so many FPs? I'm surprised they could get that many. With being able to use the phone, I thought people would be snapping up FP even if they really don't plan on using them. I, alas, will be using the kiosk. No smart phone here.

Their three pre-selected FP were for the Mine Train, Peter Pan, and Big Thunder. After that they had FP for: Magic Carpets, Buzz, Speedway, Mermaid, Buzz, Space Mountain, Barnstormer, Dumbo, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder, Small World, Buzz, Space Mountain.

Some of the FP in the evening only saved 15 or 20 minutes in line (Buzz, Barnstormer). But all were worth using.

I should actually admit that they really used 19 FP because they had our Magic Bands and were able to get FP at the kiosk in the morning for Big Thunder, Jungle Cruise, and the Mine Train (lucked into one for 9:55pm). They rode 34 rides (our family is weird, we count these things).

 

[AngiTN]

So you only have to ride one of your FP rides before you can make another reservation? I thought you had to use all three up and then you could.

You did prior to the update that included booking additional FP on your phone. Now it lets you pick just 1

 

[Love Tink]

As for getting a lot of FP, it's not hard if you start yours at opening rather than using the first couple of hours standby.

In my opinion, the best strategy is to use them early in the morning while also riding standby. My sister had her first three reserved for 9:30, 10:35, and 11:40. So she rode standby until 10:25, rode two FP rides back to back, then a couple more standby before lunch.

So you only have to ride one of your FP rides before you can make another reservation? I thought you had to use all three up and then you could.

You do have to use all three first unless you don't want three. I still think it is worth having three, as long as they start early in the day. Many things don't need FP until late morning, and it is nice to have three things locked in.

 

[tlmadden73]

we come to wdw every year for our anniversary.

Never ever have I seen such insane crowds at MK. Most all fastpasses worth having were all gone by afternoon due to the new ability to multiple fp+.

And...the fast pass lines were much, much longer. Peter pan fp line was unbelievable today.

We observed and heard a LOT of first timers, and tons of single moms with young children. Wondering if value pricing has pulled in one day first timers and MK was the choice?

Epcot was low low crowds yesterday but MK Saturday and Monday, man oh man.

Plan plan plan and get there early!

That stinks .. but not surprising:

1) MK will continue to be the most crowded park. It has as many attractions as the other three combined. Until Frozen, Soarin and the new "lands" open up .. I think we'll continue to see the crowds crazy at MK. Even Frozen at Epcot won't pull the crowds from MK very long considering DHS will be a ghost town for a while. The new AK offerings may help alleviate crowds though.

2) I'd never choose to go to MK on a Saturday .. the locals alone would probably make it pretty crazy.

3) I have been wondering what this new "make your 4th Fast Pass from your phone" would do for FP+ availability. Doesn't sound good. As time goes on and more people catch on .. I could see even the "bad" options being gone by mid-afternoon. The kiosks (while annoying) was a nice way to ration out the same-day Fast Passes. Now .. you can be making your 4th Fast Pass reservation before you get out of the line of your 3rd. Great for the people who make their first 3 Fast Passes in the morning .. bad for anyone who wants (or HAS) to schedule a fast pass in the afternoon.

4) It would be quite annoying if Fast Pass lines were long. How long did you have to wait in them (Like Peter Pan)?

 

[AngiTN]

In my opinion, the best strategy is to use them early in the morning while also riding standby. My sister had her first three reserved for 9:30, 10:35, and 11:40. So she rode standby until 10:25, rode two FP rides back to back, then a couple more standby before lunch.



You do have to use all three first unless you don't want three. I still think it is worth having three, as long as they start early in the day. Many things don't need FP until late morning, and it is nice to have three things locked in.

I agree with you on both counts.
I was just giving PP an example of a way that someone could get 19+ FP in a single day.
I always do exactly like your sister does, use the 1st FP late in the window as possible and move on to the 2nd right away. Depending on where you are and the ride you have you may be able to move the 3rd up as soon as you enter the queue.

 

[jo-jo]

Their three pre-selected FP were for the Mine Train, Peter Pan, and Big Thunder. After that they had FP for: Magic Carpets, Buzz, Speedway, Mermaid, Buzz, Space Mountain, Barnstormer, Dumbo, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder, Small World, Buzz, Space Mountain.

Some of the FP in the evening only saved 15 or 20 minutes in line (Buzz, Barnstormer). But all were worth using.

I should actually admit that they really used 19 FP because they had our Magic Bands and were able to get FP at the kiosk in the morning for Big Thunder, Jungle Cruise, and the Mine Train (lucked into one for 9:55pm). They rode 34 rides (our family is weird, we count these things).

Sounds like a super day to me.

 

[Love Tink]

Sounds like a super day to me.

I know. I am really irritated I wasn't there!

 

[Sevey13]

How did you use 16 FPs? Can you help me to understand better?

After your initial three, you can keep making FP+ reservations in perpetuity until they run out for the day one at a time from a kiosk or from the website/app.

 

[BarbieGal457]

I have to agree with everyone recommending EasyWDW's crowd calendars. We used them for 8 days last June and Josh was SPOT ON every single day. It was amazing, and it made our trip even better. He was also completely on the money for our December trip too.

 

[Minnesota!]

I heart Josh.

 

[JimmyV]

Thing is, in my experience they do not align 80% of the time. Maybe 20% of the days I've looked at for my trips.

Even if it was 98% accurate (which I absolutely don't find to be the case) why would I recommend it over something that has proven to me to be 100% accurate?

In some selfish way, the only thing that matters to each of us is our own personal experiences. We were there for 8 days. The two services aligned 100% for those 8 days. Not a single variance. None. It wouldn't have mattered which site you chose to follow, you would have ended up in the same place.

And, for what it's worth, my original point was that for the specific days the OP was talking about, she would have been better off using easywdw because it was Touring Plans that steered her wrong in the first place.

??? The OP was there at the same time I was, and as I have stated now a couple of times, both sites were recommending the same parks on the same day. Following easywdw would have netted no positive result, and Touring Plans did not "steer her wrong in the first place." What TP got wrong was the numerical prediction. But that doesn't alter the most recommended park selection.

Edit To Add: I'm not going to give away paid-for content, but for what it's worth, TP and easywdw align 100% for the remainder of this month. Not a single variance. If TP is steering people to the wrong park(s) from now until the 30th, so is easywdw. And if easywdw is providing accurate recommendations, then so is TP.

 

[AngiTN]

After your initial three, you can keep making FP+ reservations in perpetuity until they run out for the day one at a time from a kiosk or from the website/app.

And as mentioned, with the new FP changes last week you no longer have to book 3 if you don't want to It's a good idea to but only if there are 3 rides you want to do. It could be more adventagous to book 1, ride and book another. Especially if you want additional FP for the same rides or you want more than 1 tier 1

 

[JimmyV]

And as mentioned, with the new FP changes last week you no longer have to book 3 if you don't want to It's a good idea to but only if there are 3 rides you want to do. It could be more adventagous to book 1, ride and book another. Especially if you want additional FP for the same rides or you want more than 1 tier 1

We were not allowed to book a second Tier 1 FP until we had used three for the day. For example, we didn't book all three at DHS and instead went into the park with only two: (TSMM and Star Tours). After using those two, we tried to book Great Movie Ride (a Tier 1) and we got an error message telling us that we could not book that attraction. After using a third FP for the day, TGMR became available.

 

[Sevey13]

And as mentioned, with the new FP changes last week you no longer have to book 3 if you don't want to It's a good idea to but only if there are 3 rides you want to do. It could be more adventagous to book 1, ride and book another. Especially if you want additional FP for the same rides or you want more than 1 tier 1

One part of this I don't understand...if I book one and use one, does that unlock you for the rest of the parks, too? Like I use one at Epcot for Soarin, and then as soon as that one's done I can book for ToT? Or do I still need to do all three in one park?

 

[Shannon12]

Its also still spring break. NYC and Long Island schools are out this week. I know a dozen families down there right now.