Is FP+ mandatory?

[Jafar30]

After reading about the issues people seem to be having, is fp+ mandatory? Can you just visit the parks get a regular fastpass, or if you want to ride an attraction just get in line?

 

[stinkpickle]

Old fastpass is gone. You can always just get in line.

 

[minnie mum]

The standby lines are still there if you can't or choose not to use FP+.

 

[scotas]

Like the previous person mentioned, regular fast passes are gone. You do not have to use FP+. As someone who only used fast passes for TSMM and Soarin in the past, I don't really use FP+. Heading there next week so I will see first hand how the new system is affecting the lines. I'm trying to keep an open mind until I see for myself. But I have been numerous times and missing a ride or two won't change the overall trip for me. If heading to WDW was a rare treat I would try to make better use of the FP+ system.

 

[Planogirl]

I would still go ahead and use FP+. That at least gives you a way to ride three things without as much of a wait. If you have trouble, you can still just get in line.

 

[LilGMom]

FP+ is not mandatory but it is now the ONLY way to get Fastpasses for attractions. Keep in mind that if you don't use FP+ you will have no FPs at all during the day. And if you use FP+ you only get 3 (three... only three... just three) FPs for the entire day and currently you can only get FPs at one park per day. Kind of takes the desire to parkhop out of planning.

 

[yeahhhhh7]

FP+ is not NEARLY as bad as everyone makes it out to be. Just give it a try and see how it works for you when you visit.

 

[brajfamily]

So what if we are staying off site and buy tickets when we get down there? Will we not able to get any fast passes?

 

[I M Fearless]

Currently if you buy hard tickets before you arrive you can link them on the My Disney Experience Website but if you are staying offsite you are not yet able to make Fastpass+ selections online.

We are all aware this is coming quite soon. It is not yet clear how many days in advance offsite guests will be able to book their Fastpass+ selections or when this will be put into place.

Currently offsite guests use booths and staff in the parks to make their selections. You have to go to the park in which you wish to choose Fastpass+ to make the selections.

I have heard of off-site guests being given the opportunity to try making selections online by cast members once they are in the parks. Those selected guests say they can then make the selections for the rest of their stay online or using an app. This is still in testing and will hopefully be rolled out in the next few months depending.

When do you travel?

 

[Robo]

FP+ is not NEARLY as bad as everyone makes it out to be.

So, it's only, what, half as bad?
Three-quarters as bad?
Twenty-five percent as bad?
Medium bad?
Three shades darker bad?
8.4 oz. as bad?
3 dB less bad?
Doing 35 in a 25 zone as bad?
Tiers in 2 parks and no hopping bad?

 

[EMode]

So what if we are staying off site and buy tickets when we get down there? Will we not able to get any fast passes?

You will be able to get 3 but you will not be able to pre-book them, you will have to go to a kiosk when you enter the park that day and make your selections.

 

[I M Fearless]

However, if you are not going to be travelling in the next month, it is quite possible this situation will change before you travel.

It is worth keeping an eye on the forums.

Most of us agree that Disney are planning to introduce the ability for off-site guests to make fastpass+ selections in advance. It is just a question of exactly when this will happen.

My guess is before Easter, but as I say, a guess.

 

[mesaboy2]

So what if we are staying off site and buy tickets when we get down there? Will we not able to get any fast passes?

See the green link in my signature for answers to questions like these.

 

[Mrsjvb]

After reading about the issues people seem to be having, is fp+ mandatory? Can you just visit the parks get a regular fastpass, or if you want to ride an attraction just get in line?

no more legacy fastpass at all. the machines have been removed altogether or covered up. it is FP+, or standby.

 

[smbowtie]

So what if we are staying off site and buy tickets when we get down there? Will we not able to get any fast passes?

The only thing I can add is for off site. When you enter the park don't go to the first FP+ kiosk you see. That will be the most crowded. Walk farther in, there are more Kiosks through out the park. We just got back and saw some where there wasn't anyone with the cast members at all. So if you see a long line at first don't panic.




Feb 2014 POFQ

 

[prudence64]

If you are staying on site I don't see any point in not getting them ahead of time. If they turn out not to be convenient, cancel them. But, you have them if you want them.

 

[Delirium]

. Kind of takes the desire to parkhop out of planning.

We used FP+ in October and it made Park Hopping EASIER. Granted, we use it before the tier system. But, the tiers don't really impact park hopping either way.

Here are some examples of how we utilized it with Park Hop. The key is to make rope drop somewhere, and schedule FP+ at a second park for 5 o'clock or after.

Example: Rope drop at AK, Ride Everest twice through standby. Did a bunch of other stuff and left mid-afternoon. Hopped to Magic Kingdom and did ETWB, Journey of Little Mermaid, and Jungle Cruise using FP+. And, still saw Wishes and Electrical Parade.

Example: Rope drop at MK, wipe out Adventureland, Fronteirland, and Liberty Square. Park hop to Epcot and did Soarin, Test Track, and Mission Space using FP+ (again, this was before tiers).

Example: Rope drop at AK, rode the Safari, did a bunch of other stuff, left after the parade and park hopped to Hollywood Studios. Had FP+ for Toy Story, Tower of Terror, and RNR (before tiers) and watched the 2nd Fantasmic showing.

The tiering system will change things up a bit, but still is manageable if you hit rope drop and park hop. For Epcot and HS, you just take the two days you have dedicated there and split as follows:

Day 1: Hit Epcot at Rope Drop, do the Soarin side first thing (without FP+) and take the boat to hop to Hollywood Studios. Use FP+ for Toy Story, Star Wars, and whatever else (avoid Sunset BLVD).

Day 2: Hit HS at rope drop, do RNR & TOT (without FP+), hop to Epcot for Test Track, Mission Space, and whatever else using FP+.

 

[LilGMom]

We used FP+ in October and it made Park Hopping EASIER. Granted, we use it before the tier system. But, the tiers don't really impact park hopping either way. Here are some examples of how we utilized it with Park Hop. The key is to make rope drop somewhere, and schedule FP+ at a second park for 5 o'clock or after. Example: Rope drop at AK, Ride Everest twice through standby. Did a bunch of other stuff and left mid-afternoon. Hopped to Magic Kingdom and did ETWB, Journey of Little Mermaid, and Jungle Cruise using FP+. And, still saw Wishes and Electrical Parade. Example: Rope drop at MK, wipe out Adventureland, Fronteirland, and Liberty Square. Park hop to Epcot and did Soarin, Test Track, and Mission Space using FP+ (again, this was before tiers). Example: Rope drop at AK, rode the Safari, did a bunch of other stuff, left after the parade and park hopped to Hollywood Studios. Had FP+ for Toy Story, Tower of Terror, and RNR (before tiers) and watched the 2nd Fantasmic showing. The tiering system will change things up a bit, but still is manageable if you hit rope drop and park hop. For Epcot and HS, you just take the two days you have dedicated there and split as follows: Day 1: Hit Epcot at Rope Drop, do the Soarin side first thing (without FP+) and take the boat to hop to Hollywood Studios. Use FP+ for Toy Story, Star Wars, and whatever else (avoid Sunset BLVD). Day 2: Hit HS at rope drop, do RNR & TOT (without FP+), hop to Epcot for Test Track, Mission Space, and whatever else using FP+.

When we PH we usually don't have our entire day planned & often don't know which park we will hop to later in the day. Don't like the idea of during busy seasons being limited & restricted to only 3 FPs at one park.