Is there only one strategy these days?

[momof2n2]

Ok. So I know that's hyperbolic, of course.

But I've been using the DIS to plan trips since 2007 & the boards seem so quiet these days JUST as I'm approaching my time to make FP+ reservations!!!

I've been reading regularly since early 2013 and it almost seems like the only strategy these days is to arrive at RD & ride as much as possible til 11:30/12, have three consecutive FP+, and then go back to the resort and people watch, swim, or drink.

AND take longer trips to get to do as much as you used to do in shorter ones.

As someone who only has 5 park days over one week, please tell me there's more hope than this.

 

[momof2n2]

I do have pre-opening ADRs. There. That's another strategy!

 

[dja14]

I think we are doing Universal this time and only one day at MK. We will be offsite too, so there's only 30 days.
My strategy is to get there before rope drop, ride as many as we can in the morning, following our touring plan, trying to get crowded stuff first. Then do inside as much as we can in the mid day, maybe afternoon parade. Fastpasses as they fit in by 1 or 2 with the hope that we can get another.

We are going the end of August and my kids are older teens so I am hoping we can go all day this time, if we can get out of the heat some. I am not set on seeing everything and won't cry w/o a 4th fastpass but I am really hoping it might be a little slower and we can.

I guess my strategy is taking what I can get

 

[maryandtyson]

The plan you describe is the simplest and the one we generally follow. But, we go often, so we aren't as invested in experiencing everything. You can actually do a lot with that strategy because so many visitors have no plan at all.

That being said, remember that you don't need FP for every ride. Also, you can get more FPs at the kiosks. Ride during parades too. Lines are generally shorter. Depending on when you visit, crowds may be lower and you can experience a lot without FP. Good luck!

 

[siskaren]

You make it sound like once you've ridden your 3 pre-booked FPs, there's no point in staying. Like mayandtyson said, you can get additional FPs after you've used your first three, and riding without FP doesn't automatically mean long lines.

 

[momof2n2]

It's not so much I don't think anyone should stay... I just don't see many strategies being discussed the way they used to be.

Ride during parades too. Lines are generally shorter

That is a good tip. I will use that on our second MK day. But the other parks have done away with their parades...

you can get additional FPs after you've used your first three,

Do you know where I can find out which ones are typically still available after 2 PM in each park?

 

[jrt1176]

Don't forget to stop and smell the roses!

I feel like everyone is all about rope drop and riding as much as they can...

I've been to WDW many times and never been to rope drop! I may try it this trip with my niece! I know you get more things in, but I don't like to rush...it's vacation! Of course, different strokes and all...

I'll admit, taking my niece for her first trip, I tried to get as much done as possible, but I still didn't go gung ho. This will be her 2nd trip and I'm planning on it being more laid-back, but I will get an early start and play it by ear!

 

[hiroMYhero]

Do you know where I can find out which ones are typically still available after 2 PM in each park?

There isn't a listing of available FPs.

If you have separately linked tickets in your MDE, you can check each afternoon to see what is available in the parks to give you an idea of availability.

The best strategy for your family is to utilize Rider Swap/Switch. Book FPs for height restricted rides for two or three people and after they ride, three will get to ride on the Swap by going through the FP line. This will maximize the # of rides your family can accomplish.

By mid-afternoon, looking for FPs at the kiosks for a group of 7 will be very limiting.

 

[DavidNYC]

There are still lots of options. But I do agree that trying to hit a few of the more popular rides at rope drop or late at night is a core strategy as is using FP for the longer line rides at the peak times. There are tons of things to do at the parks that even during peak afternoon hours won't require as much wait (shows, attractions such as Philharmagic, etc). Been several times last few years (usually during Food & Wine) and rarely waited longer than 20 minutes for any attraction. It does take some reasoned schedule planning but not anything like having to plan exact order or down to the minute.

 

[siskaren]

Do you know where I can find out which ones are typically still available after 2 PM in each park?

This site might be helpful:

http://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/fastpass_plus_availability.php

 

[denecarter]

We're doing the rope drop, go until lunch, room/swim/nap/keep cool, go to different park with FP+, dinner, and enjoy the evening hours til late plan in July.

 

[DannyDisneyFreak]

I guess it depends on what your goal is. If your goal is to do as much as you can then your strategy is going to be different than mine. I feel trying to do as much as possible in the shortest amount of times makes for the most unsatisfying trip. I go for quality over quantity. My strategy is to enjoy yourself, the magic, and your family. You didn't get that Fastpass for 7 Dwarves? Oh well do it next time, or hey maybe waiting in line for an hour with your family with be a highlight of your trip. Your trip is what you make it. Whatever you do just have fun and soak up the Disney Magic.

 

[RJstanis]

To OP, with the crowds, even during "slow" times, this is truly the most reasonable plan or the reverse by staying late. Pre park ADRs can help and hurt you depending on what time they are obviously. I haven't checked the boards thoroughly, but BoG breakfast was a prime example of an ADR that helped, and one we enjoyed at same time as a family.

There's various cheatsheets sites offer that help with planning too. We typically use a modified one of KtP and EasyWdw plus our own experiences for our plan. Basically we RD, ride rides that will have a long wait later on, FP the ones we don't plan on riding of those with long lines later, and enjoy whatever attractions we feel like that typically have shorter lines throughout the day. That way we have a good blend of planning but enjoying our time as well.

We have gone the past 4 years and have loved it every year. It's not at all like how I remember when I was a kid in 80s but it still has a different type of magic today IMO.

 

[DisMommyTX]

We usually go during peak times which means high crowd levels but also extended hours! We have never made a rope drop, and don't plan to on any of the next three trips we already have booked (AP's expire in July ). We sleep in, get a good breakfast then hit the parks about noon. We schedule most of our FP+ for mid day, interspersed with attractions that always have short lines. We rarely miss a parade or fireworks and shut down the park almost every night. As it gets later, lines tend to get shorter, so we can usually ride our favorites (BTMRR, Pirates, Splash, Expedition Everest, Aerosmith, Tower, etc.) a couple more times with 10-30 minute waits. For the lines that stay ridiculously long, like 7dmt, we get in line last thing before the park closes and usually it is much shorter than posted. We go to bed late, sleep late the next morning, then repeat again at our next park!

We have tried the strategy others recommend, but our family never really liked leaving the parks and trying to come back later; it is such a hassle, wastes a lot of time, and my kids stopped taking naps years ago . Arriving later and shutting down the parks has been our strategy for many trips and it has always worked for us. Of course, we are also okay with not seeing and doing everything, rather focus on enjoying the experience. One recommendation I do have if you are ready to forego the 'must ride everything' approach is to have each person in your party choose one must see/do attraction. Before you go in, know which one ride or show or meal is most important to each person (parents too!) and make sure those happen. Also decide in advance if there is any of the big time-consuming stuff that everyone is okay with skipping. When it is just the 4 of us, we will each choose one big and one small thing as we are heading to the park, like fireworks and Philharmagic, or Splash mountain and a Polish dog from Casey's. We will usually hit all of those plus a lot of 'bonus' stuff based on convenience, lines, location, etc., and we all leave happy .

So, there you go. Another strategy!

 

[twinprincesses09]

We are planning a trip at the beginning of June. This will be our 2nd trip and I am torn about what strategy to use. On our first trip last summer (beginning of May) we did RD most days, sometimes took a midday break, sometimes just stayed at the park until late afternoon and called it a day. However, my kids DDs6 (you would think they are teenagers already!) are not early morning risers. I can get them up and make them get ready, but by the time we left the room, I was already feeling stressed due to the prodding and threatening that it took to get them ready. And yes, they are like this every day trying to get them ready for school, even though they have gotten to bed early. So I was thinking of having our days start later and staying until close (they love getting to stay up late). But I am worried about the midday heat. I know how hot and humid Florida is in the summer (my in-laws live there). I'm afraid that by arriving later in the day, the heat would just be so exhausting that we would just give up and head back to the pool. I think this year we are going to try a variety of strategies. We will probably RD-close HS and AK since we are only spending 1 day each there (no hoppers) taking a table service lunch and trying to catch some inside shows midday. We are planning 3 days at MK (probably RD-break-close 1 day, RD-midafternoon 1 day, and late arrival-close 1 day) and 2 days at Epcot (late morning-? both days). And be flexible day to day as to what is working for us. As long as they get to meet the princesses and ride the tea cups and IASW, they will be happy. Actually I think they could ride those 2 rides all day and be happy! We have season passes to a local amusement park that has similar/better roller coasters, so it's not really about the "thrill rides" for us, more about the whole Disney experience.

 

[Charles Bellis]

I am really hoping it might be a little slower and we can.

 

[dr&momto2boys]

With FP+, I think there are more possibilities than there used to be. In the past, we were RD people with FP runners. but now there are some days we sleep in because we can get FP+ for the major attractions (like Epcot or AK.) We still rope drop MK and DHS.

I think to maximize experiences and minimize wait times during a short trip, it makes sense to do rope drop and one park, relaxing lunch break, then hop to another park to use the FP+ for the day and see a nightime show.

 

[momof2n2]

I guess my strategy is taking what I can get

Yes. This and "lowered expectations" are also often mentioned.

 

[momof2n2]

We usually go during peak times which means high crowd levels but also extended hours! We have never made a rope drop, and don't plan to on any of the next three trips we already have booked (AP's expire in July ). We sleep in, get a good breakfast then hit the parks about noon. We schedule most of our FP+ for mid day, interspersed with attractions that always have short lines. We rarely miss a parade or fireworks and shut down the park almost every night. As it gets later, lines tend to get shorter, so we can usually ride our favorites (BTMRR, Pirates, Splash, Expedition Everest, Aerosmith, Tower, etc.) a couple more times with 10-30 minute waits. For the lines that stay ridiculously long, like 7dmt, we get in line last thing before the park closes and usually it is much shorter than posted. We go to bed late, sleep late the next morning, then repeat again at our next park!

We have tried the strategy others recommend, but our family never really liked leaving the parks and trying to come back later; it is such a hassle, wastes a lot of time, and my kids stopped taking naps years ago . Arriving later and shutting down the parks has been our strategy for many trips and it has always worked for us. Of course, we are also okay with not seeing and doing everything, rather focus on enjoying the experience. One recommendation I do have if you are ready to forego the 'must ride everything' approach is to have each person in your party choose one must see/do attraction. Before you go in, know which one ride or show or meal is most important to each person (parents too!) and make sure those happen. Also decide in advance if there is any of the big time-consuming stuff that everyone is okay with skipping. When it is just the 4 of us, we will each choose one big and one small thing as we are heading to the park, like fireworks and Philharmagic, or Splash mountain and a Polish dog from Casey's!

As a party of 10 this would get us pretty close to every major and most minor attractions. Which we were able to do "back in the day."

We also never leave a park for a break. Any time we aren't doing something is thrown-away cash to us.

 

[btk2333]

Yes. This and "lowered expectations" are also often mentioned.

The second I lower my expectations for a Disney trip is the year I take off from going to Disney - don't be so pessimistic