Lack of FP+ options

[ryman471]

I think you can get Tier 1 DHS but it would be best to try for as late in your trip as possible, be flexible with times, and be ready EXACTLY at 7.

All 3 tier 1 HS Fast-passes will highly likely not be available for anything under 60+4.

 

[tlmadden73]

I assume you check-in to AoA on 6/16? Just making sure I understand the way your wrote the first two parts of your post.

That was confusing. Sorry.
Yes . .check-in at AoA is 6/16 -- Staying at Hilton Parc Soleil (a "sit through a timeshare spiel" deal) from 6/13 - 6/16. We are probably going to MK on 6/15, and I know I can't make those FPs until 30 days. So the plan is 5 parks days from 6/15 - 6/20, but only 4 of them I can make fast passes for.

I think you can get Tier 1 DHS but it would be best to try for as late in your trip as possible, be flexible with times, and be ready EXACTLY at 7.

Oh . .I will be ready, but I'm not optimistic, simply because there are people (on this thread) who have trips over my stretch (and beyond) saying they can't find DHS Tier 1 FPs. So .. if they are making FPs a day or two ago and can't find anything on 6/19 and 6/20 .. I have my doubts. But that is the point of this thread . .as it seems odd that things would be gone this quickly.

 

[jlb727]

Oh . .I will be ready, but I'm not optimistic, simply because there are people (on this thread) who have trips over my stretch (and beyond) saying they can't find DHS Tier 1 FPs. So .. if they are making FPs a day or two ago and can't find anything on 6/19 and 6/20 .. I have my doubts. But that is the point of this thread . .as it seems odd that things would be gone this quickly.

I thought Rockin Roller Coaster was Tier 1 and I could have gotten that on Tuesday, but I just looked and it's Tier 2. So...yeah. It will be difficult to get Tier 1. Good luck, though!

I will be interested to see if they release anymore FPs as we get closer or if this is all we are going to get.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I would be shocked if they DONT have 6 foot spaced markers for all Standbye lines, queue lines, and fastpass lines, show lines, restroom lines, ANY line for anything anywhere, IMO. Night time fireworks and parades arent coming back, at least through summer, imo

6 feet for a restroom line and you won’t even be able to see into the restroom...

 

[jimim]

I can't remember how many days you said your trip is, so it could be at the very end of the reschedule. But a few people called and were able to get it manually added, and CMs have mentioned (they don't know for sure) that the reason FP is not showing online could be due to the originally planned refurbishment.

Thanks for that! We can stand by it if we actually get to go one night. We usually ride it standby at night a few times.

 

[DisSurfer878]

6 feet for a restroom line and you won’t even be able to see into the restroom...

Maybe they'll have someone telling people when to go in? Grocery stores here have someone at the door waving people in as soon as others leave.

 

[coachyo]

Did our FP Wed morning and that alone wanted me to cancel our trip. Got 1 Tier 1 on our last day night 6 for HS Millennium Falcon at 7:10 PM. I know it's not going to be open, but I'm hoping by waiting and make them keep it closed I can get some of my $ back. Booked room by renting points for Beach Club Villas (got insurance but still losing over 1/2) , bought Tix through touringplans.com, bought an AP at Universal and 3 other tix for family though Universal and airline tix using credits & points set to expire in June just after our trip. Hoping I can recoup 50%, and then not sure I'll ever get a chance to return.

 

[Stigsmom]

Did our FP Wed morning and that alone wanted me to cancel our trip.

I feel this. Logged on this morning to attempt FP and it was laughable. None of my kids’ favorite rides or rides we hope to ride were available for FP except for Test Track at end of week. There’s no point for us if we can’t use the days efficiently to hit their favorite rides. They would surely enjoy being there, but I can’t justify the trip cost just to walk around and look at scenery or wait in standby lines for every ride we hope to ride and still get to do our money’s worth in a day.

I doubt they’ll be open but I wanted to see what it looked like for FP. Now I feel surer they won’t be open.

 

[Crystal824]

Yikes our FP day is Sunday. We are unsure about this trip at the end of June but were still going to book FPs just in case. After seeing this thread, at least now I will be prepared for booking.

 

[tlmadden73]

... And Done.

So .. I am not sure the number of Fast Passes are lower, just probably a lot of guests had trips Mid-June (and/or rebooked trips for Mid-June that were cancelled).

As suspected, no Tier 1 DHS fast passes Available until June 20 (60+4) . and only that was Slinky Dog Dash at 4:20 PM.
No Flight of Passage available any day, only Navi River Journey available on June 18, but we actually were planning on Skipping AK this trip) (We go between skipping Epcot and AK every other trip).

Here are my results.
6/16 - Wasn't planning on any parks this day - and just enjoy the resort, but looked at MK. No SDMT, but everything else available early morning except the mountains (which weren't available until the evening)
6/17 - DHS - Pretty awful .. only Tier 2 stuff available, no Toy Story Land stuff .. and even some of the shows weren't available until afternoon. I got Frozen, Star Tours and Tower of Terror (which only I will go on).
6/18 - Epcot - This was our flex day with breakfast at the Boardwalk, so was planning on doing Epcot in the morning here .. so got Figment, Living with the Land and Soaring with no issues in the morning/early afternoon. All times available really.
6/19 - Epcot - this was our main Epcot day with dinner at Askerhus in the evening. So I got Frozen , Mission Space and The Seas (simply because Epcot lacks any good Fast Pass options) .. but any time was available.
6/20 - DHS - was only able to get SDD in the late afternoon, but was able to get the other Toy story rides right before it too. But since this was to be our departure day (driving) . .this could prove interesting.

So .. based on the availability I was seeing at the non-DHS parks, it just appears that it will just be "busy" then -- and the non-popular parks (Epcot) has plenty of availability. There just are only so many rides in all of WDW that are "worth" skipping the line for and most people just gravitate towards those it seems and everyone who has a longer trip than me .. just grabs those up (because either they (or their travel agent) KNOW those are the hot items.

My original plan was two days at Epcot and two at DHS in to maximize use of the Skyliner AND in hopes Ratatouille would be open and to maximize chances at getting Rise boarding group .. but again .. this was all just an exercise. I fully anticipate on NOT going in Mid-June either with the parks not being open, or us just not wanting to go until the parks are back in full force (if they open under severe restrictions) ... unless Disney throws me a huge (and I mean HUGE) discount to go with those restrictions in place. Just feel it won't be worth going if certain attractions are closed, no Meet and Greets ... will just have a different feel and may not be the "escape" we will need but more of a constant reminder of this virus that we WANT to escape.

 

[tlmadden73]

In general, it just wasn't as exciting booking the FPs as normal (as can be expected). It is pretty hard to look forward to a Disney trip only 60 days away not knowing IF you can go and if you can what it will LOOK like.

 

[CogsworthTN]

I am really dreading what my FP booking day will be like. Only thing I have going for me is that my booking day is May the 4th.

So...maybe the force will be with me.

 

[tlmadden73]

I am really dreading what my FP booking day will be like. Only thing I have going for me is that my booking day is May the 4th.

So...maybe the force will be with me.

Don't dread it .. think about it this way -- maybe you will have a lot more clarity on when/how the parks will be open by May the 4th.

 

[AmishGuy91]

So .. based on the availability I was seeing at the non-DHS parks, it just appears that it will just be "busy" then -- and the non-popular parks (Epcot) has plenty of availability. There just are only so many rides in all of WDW that are "worth" skipping the line for and most people just gravitate towards those it seems and everyone who has a longer trip than me .. just grabs those up (because either they (or their travel agent) KNOW those are the hot items.

This has been covered ad nauseam, but it makes no sense that Fastpasses are gone due to bookings when resorts and generally restaurants are readily available.

 

[chad_1138]

I am really dreading what my FP booking day will be like. Only thing I have going for me is that my booking day is May the 4th.

So...maybe the force will be with me.

Our day is May 6. I'm hoping that July might see some different results in numbers. May the force be with us!!

 

[HuskieJohn]

This makes complete sense- although I hate it for guests. That is one reason why there is no "light crowd" season any longer. When Disney knows they have lighter crowds, they reduce capacity, which costs them less money. Therefore, even in times when fewer people are in the parks, the lines are just as long.

That may be why, in the last few years, July has been the time when lines seem the shortest and the restaurants seem less crowded. They are running the rides and restaurants and buses at full capacity.

From a business standpoint, it makes no logical sense to always offer the same number of fastpasses regardless of crowds or staffing. When they reduce ride capacity and staffing, they have to reduce the number of fastpasses. Otherwise, fastpass lines would be horrible (even worse than we have seen them already).

With what we have seen so far, it would appear that- if the parks actually open in June- they will be operating at severely reduced staffing and capacity. We have seen reports that the summer college program has been cancelled- so that is a reduction in staff. With travel restrictions, we can assume that foreign workers who are typically there on J-1 visas will not be there this summer. They probably have many employees who would be afraid to work this summer even if it opens due to age or underlying health conditions that put them at risk. And with all of the reports of severely limited fastpasses, we have lots of anecdotal evidence that fastpasses have been reduced.

I would imagine that the current reduction in fastpasses we are seeing is due more to low staffing and capacity than to social-distancing concerns.

My guess- and that is all any of have right now- would be that, if the parks open, they will be operating at severely reduced capacity, and that those of us who plan to go will see far fewer people, but it will feel crowded because of reduced capacity.

Very good point here.

 

[Duck143]

I am really dreading what my FP booking day will be like. Only thing I have going for me is that my booking day is May the 4th.

So...maybe the force will be with me.

We were supposed to be at HS GE on May the 4th
Our new trip starts 6/4. Holding out hope.

 

[jlb727]

A couple of days ago, the mountains had no more FP available. Are they releasing more or did that many people cancel?

This has been covered ad nauseam, but it makes no sense that Fastpasses are gone due to bookings when resorts and generally restaurants are readily available.

Yep. I just switched our BOG lunch reservation time and made a different AK dinner reservation, no problem. But there’s still not a lot of flexibility in FPs, especially at DHS and I’ve been stalking. And again, I’m comparing this to my March trip where there seemed to be more FP choices from the start and then more wiggle room to modify times.

 

[tlmadden73]

This has been covered ad nauseam, but it makes no sense that Fastpasses are gone due to bookings when resorts and generally restaurants are readily available.

Oh for sure .. until we magically have some way of seeing actually how many FPs are "released" for every attraction on every day .. we'll never know for sure.

The main problem is that each park really only has about 3-4 attractions where a FP is really NEEDED .. and everyone knows that, travel agents know it, sites like this tell people which ones to grab, so they are just the first ones to go.

I am sure there are a lot of fanatics (like us) that have "tenative" trips plannedand since there is no downside in grabbing FPs, they just do.

In a month, we should know more about Disney's operating procedure and either we can't go .. or these FPs will open up as people cancel .. OR .. capacity will be limited (maybe to resort guests only) and maybe FPs won't be needed with the parks not as crowded?

 

[HuskieJohn]

Dining reservations have nothing to do with what FP+ you are offered correct?

With dining reservations seemingly being plentiful if I have a better chance at FP+ by canceling all my dining reservations I would think about that.