Last minute day trip- is it worth it?

[seb65]

I am unexpectedly going to be near Disney next week. I am thinking of taking advantage and going to Disney for the day (4 people). Is it worth it with the new fast pass system (I haven't used it before)? Would I be able to get any passes that day? I am going to assume the popular ones I might not be able to get (the Mine train). Would it be a waste of a day?

 

[lillygator]

we have done several day trips lately and I was able to get fast passes the night before or same day...you may not get everything you want - but I was able to get TSM and lunch at Brown Derby.

 

[robndani]

I think the fun of a last minute trip is winging it. Of course you can try to some FPs, but if not, just enjoy what you can do!

 

[Alfalfa]

Do you already have tickets/Annual Pass or would you be buying them when you get there? If you don't have tickets then only you can decide if upwards of $500 is going to be worth it.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I have to say if you don't have tickets and are paying over $100 a day no it's no longer worth it. You won't get FP+ for the popular stuff leaving you spending a large portion of the day in line or doing things you didn't want to do.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Agree with the others - I have done this before when I had APs and it was worth it, but it would not be worth it if you have to buy park passes.

 

[starsweeper]

Get FP+ the night before and get there early. I just came back from a trip last week. We arrived for EMH about 7:15am two mornings and completed Fantasyland, Circus area and Tomorrowland before lunch, hit HM and had FP+ for Splash, BTMRR, Jungle Cruise and Pirates (walked up to front row seat in Frontierland for 3:00pm parade 5 minutes before it started). By 5:00pm, we were done with all the rides.

 

[Kellykins1218]

I have to say if you don't have tickets and are paying over $100 a day no it's no longer worth it. You won't get FP+ for the popular stuff leaving you spending a large portion of the day in line or doing things you didn't want to do.

Not true. We went spur of the moment & had no problem getting FP+ the night before for everything but 7DMT which had just opened and A & E which we didn't need. We were able to tweak our FP+ during the day, too. We decided it was one of the best trips we'd ever taken because we didn't obsess over planning. We also walked up & got lunch at CP. We've always had great luck with walk-ups. This was the week before 4th of July and the parks were all packed. It's totally doable. We're going again this Sunday (we just decided a few days ago) and will get our tickets Wed. I'm not the least bit worried about making our FP+ reservations because I have no doubt it will be just as easy and successful.

 

[lovndisney12]

It all depends on what you want to get out of it. Sometimes not having fast passes for what you think you want makes you discover some new hidden gems. The cost of the tickets depends on the value you put on the day in the park and how much money you have to spend. I did a one day trip after a conference this past November with my son and used my Disney Visa rewards to pay for the tickets. It was a blast and different than any of our other trips because it wasn't the full out week at Disney. We did end up waiting in lines more but enjoyed the time together and smartphones help pass the time! If you have the cash (or tickets / APH) and the right mindset - whether you get the fast passes you want or not - won't matter.

 

[JanaDee]

I am unexpectedly going to be near Disney next week. I am thinking of taking advantage and going to Disney for the day (4 people). Is it worth it with the new fast pass system (I haven't used it before)? Would I be able to get any passes that day? I am going to assume the popular ones I might not be able to get (the Mine train). Would it be a waste of a day?

One day? Not worth the $500+ it will cost you.

 

[dreamscometrue47]

I also don't think it is worth over $500 for one day, regardless of what FP's you get. If you had AP's, sure..If you had enough points on your Disney Visa, sure. And EMH is only if you are on site, which it sounds like you are not. Guess it depends on how much you need that Disney fix... Crowds are high next week..

 

[seb65]

Actually, I didn't think of the cost factor. I was just excited about the closeness and the possibility. I definitely can see the pros and cons. Will think it through. Thanks for the advice! (I do have visa points, but not an annual pass)