MK strategy & FP+ times with RD

[MinnieEsq]

Just 4 weeks until we're in the World!!! As I continue the never-ending work of perfecting our FP+ selections and general plan, I'm wondering what the wisdom is about the best time to start using FP+ after arriving for RD at MK. Of course, our priority is to ride Stitch's Great Escape as many times as humanly possible, so we'd really like help with that.

Just kidding folks! So, we'll be at MK on a Recommended day, with TouringPlans predicting a crowd level of 5. It's just my husband and I, so no concerns about wrangling children and the like. As of right now, the plan is to arrive for RD and head straight for Adventureland to do POTC and Jungle Cruise. Our FP+ window for BTMRR opens at 10am. Is that too early? Is it possible we could get onto the ride with a minimal wait by just heading straight there at RD instead? If so, it'd be great to avoid burning a FP+ on it. Still, we'd rather not have long waits at POTC and Jungle Cruise either, and I've read those wait times can get pretty bad.

So I guess my main question is, at what point do lines get long enough that it's worth starting to use FP+? Is it 10am or closer to 11am? It's be great to maximize touring with short stand-by waits for as long as possible before starting to use FP+, especially since I'm concerned by the time we reach Fantasyland (which has a few things I'd like to ride for nostalgia's sake, at least) lines there will be too out of control for us to get anything done.

FYI, we plan on touring generally in a clockwise direction, so we're not looking to do any commando-style park criss-crossing.

What do you all think?

 

[BridgetBordeaux]

I would not use my first FP until 11am at the earliest. Standby lines for the first 2 hours should be no big deal. I would shoot for a fp at noon, 1, and 2 so your FP saves you the most time from standing in line. This is with an assumption that you guys may want a break from the parks by mid afternoon.

If you guys are going to stay continuously until about 5...........then I suggest 2, 3, and 4pm.

 

[morethananyonex]

Just 4 weeks until we're in the World!!! As I continue the never-ending work of perfecting our FP+ selections and general plan, I'm wondering what the wisdom is about the best time to start using FP+ after arriving for RD at MK. Of course, our priority is to ride Stitch's Great Escape as many times as humanly possible, so we'd really like help with that.

Just kidding folks! So, we'll be at MK on a Recommended day, with TouringPlans predicting a crowd level of 5. It's just my husband and I, so no concerns about wrangling children and the like. As of right now, the plan is to arrive for RD and head straight for Adventureland to do POTC and Jungle Cruise. Our FP+ window for BTMRR opens at 10am. Is that too early? Is it possible we could get onto the ride with a minimal wait by just heading straight there at RD instead? If so, it'd be great to avoid burning a FP+ on it. Still, we'd rather not have long waits at POTC and Jungle Cruise either, and I've read those wait times can get pretty bad.

So I guess my main question is, at what point do lines get long enough that it's worth starting to use FP+? Is it 10am or closer to 11am? It's be great to maximize touring with short stand-by waits for as long as possible before starting to use FP+, especially since I'm concerned by the time we reach Fantasyland (which has a few things I'd like to ride for nostalgia's sake, at least) lines there will be too out of control for us to get anything done.

FYI, we plan on touring generally in a clockwise direction, so we're not looking to do any commando-style park criss-crossing.

What do you all think?

On a day like the one you're describing (if crowds actually match what's being predicted), I'd say using a FP at 10 AM may still be kind of early.

What about bypassing Jungle Cruise and POTC right at RD, instead walking back to BTMRR and Splash (if you want to ride Splash) and riding those with little wait, and heading to JC and POTC after that? It's a little bit of back and forth, but I know I personally wouldn't consider that criss crossing. After JC and POTC, you could head through Frontierland and onto HM if that was your next stop, saving your FP+ for Fantasyland and Tomorrowland later in the day.

 

[MinnieEsq]

On a day like the one you're describing (if crowds actually match what's being predicted), I'd say using a FP at 10 AM may still be kind of early.

What about bypassing Jungle Cruise and POTC right at RD, instead walking back to BTMRR and Splash (if you want to ride Splash) and riding those with little wait, and heading to JC and POTC after that? It's a little bit of back and forth, but I know I personally wouldn't consider that criss crossing. After JC and POTC, you could head through Frontierland and onto HM if that was your next stop, saving your FP+ for Fantasyland and Tomorrowland later in the day.

Oh definitely, I don't consider bypassing POTC and Jungle Cruise to head for BTMRR criss-crossing. No problem with that at all, I was just trying to avoid spending the day going from Tomorrowland to Adventureland, crossing the hub repeatedly, etc. It seems like saving FP+ for Fantasyland and Tomorrowland might work, good suggestion. I'm fiddling around with the Touring Plans "Personalized Touring Plan" maker on the website and it seems to suggest the same thing. Has anyone used it before? Could anyone attest to its accuracy re: predicted wait times?

I'm pretty excited for this trip, I've never done RD before! Also, I think I'm one of those stereotypical folks you always hear about that instinctively veers right upon entering the parks, since all my memories from prior trips have me starting in Tomorrowland and not making it to Adventure/Frontierland until late afternoon. This whole plan is quite a change to the usual protocol!

 

[MickeyOCD]

I went to MK on a recommended day the last week in March (Spring Break) & crowd levels were 9. We did RD & hit POTC first, then Jungle cruise, then BTMRR. All STBY, & by 9:45 am (open at 9 am). I would not recommend using a FP on a level 5 day before noon. Lines on our day, really didn't build until around 11:30. Good Luck!

 

[heybravo626]

I also wouldn't use a fp+ until into the afternoon on a level 5 day.

 

[Mrs Green]

I went to MK on a recommended day the last week in March (Spring Break) & crowd levels were 9. We did RD & hit POTC first, then Jungle cruise, then BTMRR. All STBY, & by 9:45 am (open at 9 am). I would not recommend using a FP on a level 5 day before noon. Lines on our day, really didn't build until around 11:30. Good Luck!

I like to hear this!

 

[Bruce in PA]

Just two things to keep in mind that might impact your plan as your trip approaches:

- from what I've read here and elsewhere, there's a 50-50 chance that the more-than-3-FastPasses change could take effect by then. Not sure if that would impact your strategy, but it might. Keep watching the boards for updates.

- the new 7DMT will almost definitely be open by the time you go to MK. I don't see it mentioned in your plans, but if you want to experience it you should probably plan to devote a FastPass to it once it's available.

Enjoy your trip and don't fret too much about this advance-planning stuff. It's a fun way to spend the days leading up to a WDW vacation, but I've found the things I obsess about while planning don't usually end up being nearly as important as they seemed to be once we start our trip.