Just back 5/31 - 6/6 thoughts

[DrummerBoy523]

Just some random thoughts...

• This was the hottest it has ever been for us at WDW. Both boys got heat exhaustion at different times and we were drinking water like crazy.
• The rains were daily - which hadn't happened to us in several years. It rained every day except our last day (Monday) and on two days the storms were brutal - 2+hrs of gully washers. We got soaked at EPCOT and also one night at Disney Springs. Had rain gear - but two jackets failed us and we were miserable. Lesson learned.
  
• Stayed at POR. Best bus service we've ever had. Caught buses at North depot. The new screens showing arrival times are a welcome addition. We never waited longer than 5 mins for a bus
• Bus service from parks was great. Longest we waited for a bus was our last night when we stayed at MK "sort of" late - 9:45PM. We waited for about 20 mins due to crowds but they sent a double long bus and another bus immediately after. Kudos to Disney because we've not always had this kind of bus service at park closing.
• AK wasn't as bad as expected. We went Sunday 6/4. Got there at 7:20, they let us in the park all the way to the Bridge going into Pandora. They actually opened the park at 745 (was supposed to be 8am) and we walked right on the Navi River. Had fastpass for FOP later in the day. We basically walked on Everest twice, then walked on the safari and then rode Kali 3 times. Walked on Primeval and used FP for Dino and again for Everest and FOP. Highly recommend you get there by 7:20 at the latest for 8am park opening since they appear to be opening up 15 mins early.
• We scored 2 extra FP+ for TSMM on our park entry bands - just kept refreshing the app and stuff would pop up - didn't expect that at all. Who gives up a TSMM FP at 2PM??? I'm thinking the Disney gods opened up some, but who knows.. We ended up riding it 3 times that day. Walked on TOT and RRC at rope drop.
• MK crowds were light in the mornings but got pretty heavy as the day wore on - which obviously is typical. We ended up riding Splash 3x and BTMRR 4x by Noon.
• We used SDFP under the wire apparently. Sad to see SDFP go away - it really allowed us to sneak in 3 more lower tiered rides and get everything done we needed to get done.

 

[AndiSlamberg]

Sounds like a great trip!

 

[TravelandLeisure]

Just some random thoughts...

• We used SDFP under the wire apparently. Sad to see SDFP go away - it really allowed us to sneak in 3 more lower tiered rides and get everything done we needed to get done.

What is SDFP?

 

[Accident]

What is SDFP?

I think it's same day fast pass...

some people get a little too crazy with the acronyms..

 

[TravelandLeisure]

I think it's same day fast pass...

some people get a little too crazy with the acronyms..

Are there changes happening to getting a fast pass the day of? OP mentioned they were sad to see it "going away."

 

[AngiTN]

We scored 2 extra FP+ for TSMM on our park entry bands - just kept refreshing the app and stuff would pop up - didn't expect that at all. Who gives up a TSMM FP at 2PM??? I'm thinking the Disney gods opened up some, but who knows..

This happens all the time
People change the park they plan to go to and when they do it drops the FP they had when they book their new FP
Always refresh the app over and over and over. Other than the 2 Pandora rides we have always gotten FP
Last week we found day of FP for 3 for
7DMT
FEA
TSMM
RnR
Soarin
TT
ToT
Basically every ride, for the times I wanted.
Just takes refreshing.
People change plans all.the.time

 

[sbrost13]

Really dumb question - how do you refresh the app?

Close it out and log back in? Or something else?

 

[AngiTN]

Really dumb question - how do you refresh the app?

Close it out and log back in? Or something else?

switch times. example
You want a FP for 1:00
search for 12:30 and 1:00, switching back and forth between them, even adding in 1:30 too, if you want. Each time you select a time it will "refresh" the times available.

 

[sbrost13]

switch times. example
You want a FP for 1:00
search for 12:30 and 1:00, switching back and forth between them, even adding in 1:30 too, if you want. Each time you select a time it will "refresh" the times available.

Thanks!

 

[HydroGuy]

Are there changes happening to getting a fast pass the day of? OP mentioned they were sad to see it "going away."

No, it applies to a loophole at WDW of using extra MagicBands for extra FPs. The loophole is being closed.

 

[PopGirl26]

Our dates were nearly identical, and so were our experiences! This is our third year in a row with these dates, and the roughest weather ever--extreme heat and gullywashers, as you said.

On Saturday, 6/3, using our entry bands only, we rode TSMM 5 times with FP, just by refreshing! Then got FEA at Epcot later that night!

We still had a good trip, but I am hoping for better weather next year. Oh well.

 

[Accident]

Are there changes happening to getting a fast pass the day of? OP mentioned they were sad to see it "going away."

there is a loophole that was closed for people getting lots of extra fastpasses for old tickets at the kiosks.. same day fastpass isn't going away, it's the abuse of the system some were doing that is going away.

 

[jcdeberry]

We were there the week before and it was indeed the hottest I have ever been there, especially for the end of May. It also seemed more crowded but manageable. I too am sad about SDFP. We used it for the first (and apparently last) time on this trip. It was very helpful in getting the "B" list rides. Sorry about the rain.

 

[100AcreWood]

Any tips with dealing with gullywashers? I was definitely expecting pop up thunderstorms but we'll be there Saturday and the rain seems epically bad this week.

 

[PopGirl26]

Any tips with dealing with gullywashers? I was definitely expecting pop up thunderstorms but we'll be there Saturday and the rain seems epically bad this week.

We wished we had large, golf umbrellas.

My other tip is to stick it out if you can. After the rain, waits were way down and no one was around for Illuminations.

 

[100AcreWood]

We wished we had large, golf umbrellas.

My other tip is to stick it out if you can. After the rain, waits were way down and no one was around for Illuminations.

Good to know. I need to pack umbrellas. Thanks!

 

[kandb]

Our dates were nearly identical, and so were our experiences! This is our third year in a row with these dates, and the roughest weather ever--extreme heat and gullywashers, as you said.

On Saturday, 6/3, using our entry bands only, we rode TSMM 5 times with FP, just by refreshing! Then got FEA at Epcot later that night!

We still had a good trip, but I am hoping for better weather next year. Oh well.

Confused, how can you ride TSMM 5 times with FP? I must of missed the glitch that people are using to get a lot of free fp's.

 

[kandb]

No, it applies to a loophole at WDW of using extra MagicBands for extra FPs. The loophole is being closed.

People were using magicbands that were from previous trips and had expired tickets on them? Wow, surprised Disney let this happen.

 

[ChristineOH]

Confused, how can you ride TSMM 5 times with FP? I must of missed the glitch that people are using to get a lot of free fp's.

No, if you obsessively check for 4th FP on MDE, you can luck into some good FP from cancellations. It just depends on luck and how much time you're able/willing to spend tapping on your phone.

There was a cheat that has been fixed by Disney, but she clearly said she only used her valid ticket entry.

 

[ChristineOH]

People were using magicbands that were from previous trips and had expired tickets on them? Wow, surprised Disney let this happen.

They weren't using old bands from previous trips. Your old bands from previous trips are interchangeable with your new bands. If you try to use them, they just link to your current MDE.
What was happening was different, but I won't get into it.