How early to start FP's?

[Mickey&Mouse]

I'm trying to figure out what time to start FP's in order to maximize the entire day and hopefully obtain additional FP's for later. We're going in mid-May- so 5-7 crowd levels according to easywdw. We won't have park hoppers, but will utilize RD most days. We're also a party of 6 so I don't know how easy it will be for us to shift FP's forward as we start using them.

For those that schedule your FP's in the AM, what time do you typically start them?

Is just the first hour great for standby, or have you found that the first two hours are great for standby and FP's aren't needed?

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

 

[kmb584]

The first few hours are great for stand-by, but I seem to always start ours in the 10-10:30 range. By doing so we're done with all of our prescheduled ones early enough that we're able to get decent picks (no headliners, mind you) for our 4th FP+ and so on. We use the first 60-90 minutes to ride headliners that we like to ride more than once.

 

[kaymil]

For us this totally depends on what park we're going to. If it's HS or Epcot, I book our first FP for as early as possible, because I don't want to rush to a ride like TSMM or Soarin, even if we are there at rope drop. I like to ride what I consider the moderate-wait rides right away while everyone else is rushing to the headliners at rope drop. I feel like we get more use out of RD and FP+ that way.For example, this Friday we have FP for:

9:05-10:05 TSMM
10:15-11:15 Tower of Terror
11:35-12:35 Star Tours

I like doing it this way because even though our first FP is at 9:05, if we arrive early enough we can make it to RNR, maybe even for a few rides, potentially hit TOT, then head to TSMM and ride it before the 10:05 time comes around, then head straight to TOT to use that one.

We also plan on hopping to MK that day, so I want to be able to get a 4th FP as early as possible there.

At MK, our strategy is usually different if we do rope drop there, though, because I feel like there is more time in the morning hours where rides don't get long waits as quickly. So I usually schedule our first for around 11 for that park.

 

[PSUGuy]

We start as early as are available, 9 something usually, we don't do EMH. We get there at ropedrop and hit an E Ticket ride without FP+ then we start working through the FPs we have. More often than not we squeeze in lesser attractions between those we have FPs for. This way we have our fill well before 1 pm then we hop to WS.

Bill From PA

 

[mm1971]

I'm trying to figure out what time to start FP's in order to maximize the entire day and hopefully obtain additional FP's for later. We're going in mid-May- so 5-7 crowd levels according to easywdw. We won't have park hoppers, but will utilize RD most days. We're also a party of 6 so I don't know how easy it will be for us to shift FP's forward as we start using them.

For those that schedule your FP's in the AM, what time do you typically start them?

Is just the first hour great for standby, or have you found that the first two hours are great for standby and FP's aren't needed?

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

The first hour or two, the standby lines are pretty manageable to non existent. We typically start FP around 10-10:30. We will also get an extra one or two if time allows when we use up the first ones. Depending on the park, we will hit certain rides int he first hour and then go back in the afternoon/evening if lines are OK or we are able to get additional FP. Here is typically where we go:

MK - Start at BTMRR, Splash and HM. Usually get a couple rides on each of the first 2 and then about a 10 min. wait at HM. Thats at least 5 rides in the first hour, sometimes more as we work our way around.

AK - Safari and trails. We will FP Everest, Dinosaur and FotLK. We enjoy doing the trails early with the cool weather and few people around. Usually see a lot more in the morning as well.

Epcot - Soarin', Land, and Nemo (Ellen if we do it). We typically FP TT as you never know when it will be down or rain will come.

HS - TSMM, RnRC. We do not do a whole lot of other things in HS. We will ride early in SB and then go back with FP a little later.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[Mickey&Mouse]

Thanks everyone for the replies! It sounds like starting the FP's around 10-10:30 should work out well, with the first hour or so for only standby.

The first hour or two, the standby lines are pretty manageable to non existent. We typically start FP around 10-10:30. We will also get an extra one or two if time allows when we use up the first ones. Depending on the park, we will hit certain rides int he first hour and then go back in the afternoon/evening if lines are OK or we are able to get additional FP. Here is typically where we go:

MK - Start at BTMRR, Splash and HM. Usually get a couple rides on each of the first 2 and then about a 10 min. wait at HM. Thats at least 5 rides in the first hour, sometimes more as we work our way around.

AK - Safari and trails. We will FP Everest, Dinosaur and FotLK. We enjoy doing the trails early with the cool weather and few people around. Usually see a lot more in the morning as well.

Epcot - Soarin', Land, and Nemo (Ellen if we do it). We typically FP TT as you never know when it will be down or rain will come.

HS - TSMM, RnRC. We do not do a whole lot of other things in HS. We will ride early in SB and then go back with FP a little later.

Good luck and have fun!

How was the wait for Safari at RD? In the past we'd do this at RD as well with a short wait. Just wondering if early FP returns affect the RD standby line now??

 

[cleophus12]

Last Friday at MK, we had SM at 9:45 and arrived at 9:15. We were able to get in Buzz before SM easily. After SM we walked right into HM and Philharmagic. Park became more crowded around 11. Of course, many of the park guests last weekend were racers who ran in the early am, went back to their rooms to shower, and then came into the parks at their leisure, so that may not be an accurate representation of every day at MK. However, if you are planning to get to the park early, I don't think I'd waste a FP in the first hour.