How Would You do MK w/o FP+ ?

[ProudMommyof2]

We are going to WDW next month with 140 H.S. Chorus and Band kids-

We will not get our tickets until we get to WDW, so no advanced FP+ for us.

How would you attack a full day at MK if you were not able to get any FP until you get to the park? Would you immediately find a FP kiosk and then ride rides or take advantage of rope drop for a while and then book FP?

Thanks!

 

[tobikaye]

If you get your tickets before you get to MK, then I would attach the tickets to your MDE account before going to the park to see if you can pre-schedule anything for your MK day. If you will not have your ticket until you are actually entering MK, and you will be there at RD, then I would start in on attractions first and make sure to get a headliner or two out of the way. Then, you can try and get FPs set up at a kiosk

 

[ProudMommyof2]

Any more thoughts? Thinking of heading to Thunder mountain and Splash at RD and then get FPs.

 

[cakebaker]

It would depend on how many you're going to be with inside the park. I assume all 140 will not be together. It also depends on whether you want to ride SDMT or not. If you do, that's the first thing I'd head for. If not, then I'd grab fp+ first- head to the lesser rides after that. If you're in a big group, I'd ride first then fp+. Good luck!

 

[subtchr]

Are you sure you can't get your ticket numbers before the trip? I am a group tour director, and I have 5 trips to WDW scheduled with groups from 60 - 180 kids over the next 3 months. Our company provides the group with their ticket numbers in advance, just so they can book FP+. We still don't distribute the actual passes until the first day in the park, but they have the numbers. We mark each pass with a name (yes, this is a time-consuming process for our bigger groups!), and I have a spreadsheet with me in case anyone loses a pass.

Ask your tour company, this is definitely possible, because we have been doing it for over a year.

 

[staceyeileen]

I'd head to Fantasyland at rope drop and do as much I could there while the crowds are lowest. I'd have one person go to an FP kiosk to get FP for the smaller group you are touring with, probably the one near Storybook Circus because the one in Fantasyland tends to be the busiest. Book FP for the headliners in the other areas of the park for later in the afternoon: Space, BTMRR, Splash. Honestly, I personally would totally skip 7DMT because even heading there at rope drop I think you'd spend all your good low-crowd time in line that could be better used elsewhere. But that's just me. I haven't been to MK rope drop in a while, so maybe the lines for 7DMT aren't as bad as they used to be.

 

[AustinTink]

Are you sure you can't get your ticket numbers before the trip? I am a group tour director, and I have 5 trips to WDW scheduled with groups from 60 - 180 kids over the next 3 months. Our company provides the group with their ticket numbers in advance, just so they can book FP+. We still don't pass out the actual passes until the first day in the park, but they have the numbers. We mark each pass with a name (yes, this is a time-consuming process for our bigger groups!), and I have a spreadsheet with me in case anyone loses a pass.

Ask your tour company, this is definitely possible, because we have been doing it for over a year.

This is most likely the case for your group as well, OP. Your band director, or whoever if coordinating this trip, probably already has students broken into groups and assigned to a chaperone. This is how we do it, 10 kids per adult chaperone. That chaperone could get the ticket numbers in advance and book FP+ for their group, just so they don't start the day with nothing in hand.

 

[g8torphan]

I'd have one person go to an FP kiosk to get FP for the smaller group you are touring with, probably the one near Storybook Circus because the one in Fantasyland tends to be the busiest.

I believe they removed the one back by Storybook Circus.

 

[subtchr]

This is most likely the case for your group as well, OP. Your band director, or whoever if coordinating this trip, probably already has students broken into groups and assigned to a chaperone. This is how we do it, 10 kids per adult chaperone. That chaperone could get the ticket numbers in advance and book FP+ for their group, just so they don't start the day with nothing in hand.

You could do it this way, or for most of our groups, the kids are assigned a chaperone for attendance purposes but are not required to tour the parks with their chaperone group. They need to stay in groups of at least 3 or 4, and check in with the chaperone occasionally. So they make their own friend groups on MDX, and handle FP+ individually. I think it would be tough to get 10 kids to agree!

 

[AustinTink]

You could do it this way, or for most of our groups, the kids are assigned a chaperone for attendance purposes but are not required to tour the parks with their chaperone group. They need to stay in groups of at least 3 or 4, and check in with the chaperone occasionally. So they make their own friend groups on MDX, and handle FP+ individually. I think it would be tough to get 10 kids to agree!

This is true. But I was just assuming she could make FP+ reservations for her group of 10 for the most popular/ obvious rides and then the kids could break into groups when they got there. They could also alter their plans at the kiosks.

 

[ProudMommyof2]

Thanks for the input guys. I have specifically asked about the tickets several times and have been told we will not have access until we get there. In fact, the band director doesn't even plan on letting the kids keep their tickets so they will have no accesss to FP. I will keep mine and my family ( DH is also a chaperone,DD is coming and DS is the high schooler I have in the chorus).
We will not tour in groups. Each kid must have at least 1 buddy and everyone will have periodic check ins with their designated chaperone.

 

[subtchr]

Thanks for the input guys. I have specifically asked about the tickets several times and have been told we will not have access until we get there. In fact, the band director doesn't even plan on letting the kids keep their tickets so they will have no accesss to FP. I will keep mine and my family ( DH is also a chaperone,DD is coming and DS is the high schooler I have in the chorus).
We will not tour in groups. Each kid must have at least 1 buddy and everyone will have periodic check ins with their designated chaperone.

Thanks for coming back with the explanation. I am sure the director is doing what he or she thinks is best for the group, but it's a shame the group cannot use FP+.

Passes are easy to replace, as long as you have the number. I have to do it for at least a couple kids most days of a trip. Of course, the director may have other concerns than loss. Some want to limit the ability of the students to leave the park they are in and hop to another.

Maybe you can present information to the director to change his or her mind, but even if that is not possible, I'm sure the group will have fun. Where is the group performing? I'll be there a lot this spring, maybe I'll see them!