How I Hate FastPass+

[itchin2go]

I never claimed fp+ was responsible for not being able to book ADRs, nor was I comparing fp+ availability to legacy.

The person to whom I was responding was essentially saying (paraphrasing here) that she didn't believe that lack of availability was really an issue for booking ADRs and FP+ unless you were talking about the busiest weeks of the year.

All I did was share my experience with availability issues during a week that is not one of the busiest of the year - sharing the same benchmarks that she did adrs and fp+).

I'm glad there was more availability for her trip and for yours. That doesn't change the issues we had with it on ours.

Oh, well then, to your point of lack of availability being an issue - it absolutely is - for some things - at all times. You're 100% right about that.

The thing that I'll say, though, is that with the exception of a BOG dinner on our October 2013 trip, I have always ULTIMATELY been able to book what I wanted to book. Maybe not at 180 days out. Maybe I had to stalk the reservations and really put some time and effort into it, but I have been able to get what I wanted. With regard to that BOG dinner (whose time frame was "nothing special going on in October" - not one of the busiest times of the year), I think I just kind of gave up because I knew we could wait on the bridge for lunch (which we did, and we regretted because it was nothing special).

That's a separate issue from whether availability is tight for some things. Of course it is! Otherwise, I wouldn't have to "stalk" anything, or put any time and effort into anything.

Apologies if I muddled arguments. Anyone who says that availability isn't tight for some things is wrong. My counterpoint to that is - don't give up because very often (not always) things can be booked by checking back later, watching the availability threads here, etc.

 

[Ambear]

wish I could have got a picture of people standing in line for fp at RS racers in dl
People people where waiting longer to get a fp then just walking to the ride and going on it, all at rope drop

Not rs racers but still a line just to get a fastpass.

 

[Angel Ariel]

The thing that I'll say, though, is that with the exception of a BOG dinner on our October 2013 trip, I have always ULTIMATELY been able to book what I wanted to book. Maybe not at 180 days out. Maybe I had to stalk the reservations and really put some time and effort into it, but I have been able to get what I wanted. With regard to that BOG dinner (whose time frame was "nothing special going on in October" - not one of the busiest times of the year), I think I just kind of gave up because I knew we could wait on the bridge for lunch (which we did, and we regretted because it was nothing special).

Oh we did definitely stalk for BOG and A&E. The only way we got them at all was from cancellation threads here on the DIS. There was a lot of time and effort put into it.

Apologies if I muddled arguments. Anyone who says that availability isn't tight for some things is wrong. My counterpoint to that is - don't give up because very often (not always) things can be booked by checking back later, watching the availability threads here, etc.

It's all good

 

[mom2rtk]

Not rs racers but still a line just to get a fastpass.

Most people knew that if you wanted to avoid that line, you just waited until about 30 minutes after park open.

 

[mom2rtk]

Oh we did definitely stalk for BOG and A&E. The only way we got them at all was from cancellation threads here on the DIS. There was a lot of time and effort put into it.


It's all good

I agree that takes a lot of time and effort. We booked about 10 weeks out from our upcoming trip and I wanted to eat at CRT. I finally just got one, but it definitely took a lot of time and effort.

 

[WillAustin]

Most people knew that if you wanted to avoid that line, you just waited until about 30 minutes after park open.

Or be at the front of that FP line. I'd do that, then follow with 2 standby rides. We'd always have 3 rides on TSMM done before 10am.

 

[Ambear]

Most people knew that if you wanted to avoid that line, you just waited until about 30 minutes after park open.

Except popular attractions eventually end up running out of fps. So you can't always wait too long. And there are probably strategies to avoid kiosk lines now.

However now I can "wait in line" at my house for my fp, so I'm happy lol.

 

[mesaboy2]

Most people knew that if you wanted to avoid that line, you just waited until about 30 minutes after park open.

Reminds me of TSM back in the day. Let the first throngs pass, then waltz up anytime over the next hour or two with almost no wait.

 

[mom2rtk]

Or be at the front of that FP line. I'd do that, then follow with 2 standby rides. We'd always have 3 rides on TSMM done before 10am.

That too! Regardless, it was a very limited issue and easily avoidable. I don't think I ever waited behind more than 4 or 5 people in that FP line.

Except popular attractions eventually end up running out of fps. So you can't always wait too long. And there are probably strategies to avoid kiosk lines now.

However now I can "wait in line" at my house for my fp, so I'm happy lol.

It sure did run out early. But not within 30 minutes.

Hopefully someone will share the kiosk line avoidance techniques. I'd love to know before our trip. I've heard the Stitch kiosk can be less busy. But I don't see how running over to TL to avoid the line in FL is any better than the FP runner of Legacy FP.

 

[Ambear]

It sure did run out early. But not within 30 minutes.

Hopefully someone will share the kiosk line avoidance techniques. I'd love to know before our trip. I've heard the Stitch kiosk can be less busy. But I don't see how running over to TL to avoid the line in FL is any better than the FP runner of Legacy FP.

Quite honestly I didn't even know you could get a 4th or more fastpass until these boards. So I'd love to know the strategies too if they're as bad as people have said.

 

[mom2rtk]

Quite honestly I didn't even know you could get a 4th or more fastpass until these boards. So I'd love to know the strategies too if they're as bad as people have said.

The problem is that currently ever 4th and subsequent FP issued in the parks must come from a kiosk. (Apparently some have had luck with the Concierge desk at their resort but we don't leave the park mid-day). Short of trying a different kiosk, I'm not sure there's much you can do except be very lucky.

 

[prudence64]

Quite honestly I didn't even know you could get a 4th or more fastpass until these boards. So I'd love to know the strategies too if they're as bad as people have said.

If you don't see what you want at the kiosk, still take what's available. Once it's yours, you can change it from your app to a new time or even a new experience. If it still doesn't work then you can cancel for someone else to pick up.

 

[Alfalfa]

If you don't see what you want at the kiosk, still take what's available. Once it's yours, you can change it from your app to a new time or even a new experience. If it still doesn't work then you can cancel for someone else to pick up.

I wonder how often that is the case. I mean if something wasn't available when you checked at the kiosk, what makes it available later? Somebody changing their Soarin to a Figment? If so, I don't think the chances of that happening frequently enough to be useful would be very high.

 

[Ambear]

The concierge idea is interesting, and I'll definitely try the idea of changing a fp received from the kiosk. I guess I'll try anything if it has even a small chance of working. I'm someone who wouldn't mind a Figment FP though. <3

 

[itchin2go]

I wonder how often that is the case. I mean if something wasn't available when you checked at the kiosk, what makes it available later? Somebody changing their Soarin to a Figment? If so, I don't think the chances of that happening frequently enough to be useful would be very high.

There have been reports on these boards that what was available AT the kiosk was wildly different than what was available when they went to change that FP on their phone moments later (the better availability being on the phone after booking any old FP at the kiosk).

I will say that while my husband and daughter were riding BTMR in the morning at MK, I monkeyed around with our FPs for the day. Every time I tried the change them, the availability was different - different things would pop up. People are changing their FPs all the time, so every time you check, there's the possibility that you could get extremely lucky.

 

[prudence64]

I wonder how often that is the case. I mean if something wasn't available when you checked at the kiosk, what makes it available later? Somebody changing their Soarin to a Figment? If so, I don't think the chances of that happening frequently enough to be useful would be very high.

Worked for us at MK and AK. Didn't try for a 4th in Epcot! but wouldn't imagine it would not work well there until more 1st tiers are added.

 

[smitch425]

There have been reports on these boards that what was available AT the kiosk was wildly different than what was available when they went to change that FP on their phone moments later.

Yep... out of the 30-35 FPs we booked on kiosks last year, we immediately changed them about 75% of the time.

 

[Alfalfa]

There have been reports on these boards that what was available AT the kiosk was wildly different than what was available when they went to change that FP on their phone moments later.

Yep... out of the 30-35 FPs we booked on kiosks last year, we immediately changed them about 75% of the time.

That's interesting. It would imply there are two or more different pools of FP's at any one time and the kiosks are not presenting all options.

I wonder why they would limit the selection available at the kiosk if there was "wildly different" actual availability.

 

[itchin2go]

That's interesting. It would imply there are two or more different pools of FP's at any one time. I wonder why they would limit the selection available at the kiosk if there was "wildly different" actual availability.

Pure speculation, and no way to know if it's true ... but knowing that it has happened, it certainly makes sense to roll the dice and TRY booking an unwanted FP at the kiosk, then try to turn it into a WANTED fastpass on your phone.

 

[smitch425]

We had to book a split stay last year in order to get free dining, and we could not make FP selections for arrival day until we picked up our tickets. We were heading to EPCOT around 4:00, and made our selections during lunch at Pop. We chose LwtL as our tier 1 because it was the best thing available. When we arrived at the ride, it had a 10 minute wait, so I checked the app, and Test Track was there. It was a great surprise! Availability is constantly changing. While the system seems rigid in a sense that you have to do planning upfront, in practice, it is extremely flexible.

ETA: this was on a Friday night during Food and Wine.