No-Fastpass, No-ADR WDW Trip - Has Anyone Done This?

[Katherine2123]

So coming up for my WDW Disapalooza 2015 trip I wanted to avoid making any Fastpass+ reservations and any dining reservations.

Basically I want to try and do things that don't require FP+, or just do those in standby. And to eat only at food carts, counters, and quick service.

During the past few trips I felt like, between the ADRs and FP+, every minute of everyday was plotted out. While I have no problem with planning things ahead of time, the actual day-to-day experience was exhausting and made me feel like I was a 90-year-old.

And I just remember having to pass by live music, street performers, parades, etc. etc. that I would have loved to have watched but I needed to be at an ADR or FP+.

There was no spontaneity. No slow-down moments, except when we were hiding from the rain like drowned rats under some roofline, haha. And I felt like I hadn't even planned to do that much each day - just one ADR and the 3 fastpasses per day.

I am okay with doing less because I have not planned. I've been to WDW enough times that I don't have to do everything, and I'm still just happy to be there.

Has anyone else tried to do a trip like this? Without any pre-planning besides which park you were going to each day?

If so, any thoughts on your experience? Was it positive? Negative? Would you do it again? Was it stress-free or stressful?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

 

[kelmcg]

I haven't done an entire trip.....but we did an afternoon at MK like that. The kids wanted to play Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom so we spent time letting them play. If we passed by a ride, with a short line, then we'd stop to ride it but other than that we just had a relaxing time. My DH and I got Dole Whips and found some rocking chairs in Frontierland........we enjoyed people watching while the boys ran around playing their game. It was nice not to feel rushed!

 

[jesse8931]

Yes I did it in 2013. I rode all the rides I wanted and ate everywhere except 50's prime time cafe. Now I will say when I went fastpass+ had just really just started so I walked up to a cm with an ipad and picked my fastpasses.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

If you don't care about doing anything you'll be fine. If you want to do things you may end up frustrated at the lines. There will be FP+ options available as you walk around and you can book 3 and modify them as needed.

We've done it before and while we've been a lot we still like riding things and the desire to be spontaneous goes against the current system.

 

[bc7ate9]

I'd set up FPs, even if I wasn't sure I'd use them. You can often just change the time till later, or not use them at all. We like to park hop and change plans on a whim and that's how we handle most of our FPs.

 

[Katherine2123]

Yeah, if I make the FP+ reservations I need to be better about adjusting them. I am used to the paper ones where you couldn't really "adjust" their times. Despite using FP+ for years I still don't think about re-scheduling them as the day progresses!

Right now it's the existential question of: should I just ignore the current FP+ system altogether -- how would that sort of trip feel?

 

[nilla]

We've ignored FPs and dumped ADRs on the fly, but always make sure we have them booked, just in case. There's no harm in missing a scheduled FP.

 

[nkereina]

Personally, I would make FP+ reservations and then if they aren't working with your schedule that day, just skip them. You could do the same with ADRs too, but you'd have to cancel by midnight the day before. I know when I'm at the burn out stage of a trip so I'd be able to decide if I wanted to cancel ADRs by midnight. I think it's better to be planned/prepared and then stray from the plan than to not have anything and wish you did.

 

[kscollin]

OK...so I haven't been to Disney World since Feb 2009...I've been hearing things about Fast Pass....is it true you can only use 3 per day, and that you can't walk up to the ride and get one like before, it all has to be done online?

 

[nkereina]

OK...so I haven't been to Disney World since Feb 2009...I've been hearing things about Fast Pass....is it true you can only use 3 per day, and that you can't walk up to the ride and get one like before, it all has to be done online?

You can pre-book up to 3 per day in one park. After those initial three are used, you can visit an in-park kiosk day-of and book more - but availability is usually limited.

To pre-book your first three, you do it all online through MDE. You can also just book them day-of through one of the kiosks in the park but they are not at each ride, they are in central locations. There are no more paper fast passes, so nothing to distribute at each ride. The kiosks are operated electronically and the FP is added to your MB.

 

[nco91590]

I could see doing this during a really low crowd time of year. We're going first week in Feb with just my DH and we could totally tour like this. We're flexible with eating and don't care too much about going on rides. But with kids and even a moderately busy time of year, I don't see it being beneficial to just wing it.

 

[msmama]

For my last trip (last May), there were days that I hade my 3 FP+'s ready, but didn't use them.

I kind of feel like you and I don't like to necessarily plan too much. That said, I think it's silly NOT to take advangage of 3 possible no line waits. Still, I don't always use them - or I'd reschudle them for something else.

I also rarely do ADR's for every day. A couple per trip is fine by me (trying out Garden Grill for breakfast next trip).

Be aware that you may have to wait in longer lines, and if you're not up for that then know you may not ride everything. If you're ok with that, then go plan free.

 

[linzbear]

We usually plan 2-3 ADRs to relax and not fight for a table, and I book 3 FP a day for around 9, 10, and 11am. We never go to all of the FPs, they're just booked so we have a general idea where to go. If I miss one to watch some entertainment then oh well. I've also skipped entire days and done something different. Booking everything in advance doesn't mean you have to keep all of the appointments if it's going to make you miserable!

 

[rwdavis2]

I would never not use FP+ as we won't stand in lines longer than 20-30 minutes. Even if you make reservations the day you visit the park it saves time. You just won't get to do everything you may want to.

 

[Accident]

I did an 11 day trip last year and we booked 48 hours before we arrived. We did fine and got some fastpasses while there. Table Service is where it was a little dicey. We got a lot of walk ins that we didn't expect, and we noticed near midnight, adrs for the next day would open up. Once we got into the habit of picking what we think we want to do the next day and booking what we could in the evening, food became more than quick service. Another trick was to stop off at where we wanted dinner early in the day, ask for a walkin time for dinner and we also got a few that way.

 

[ktlm]

We feel the same way you do about FP+. It adds so much stress to a trip both before and during a trip, and completely takes away flexibility. Our solution for this is to go to Disneyland. It is so wonderful to be there and not have to deal with FP+. It is also easier to get dining reservations there and they have great counter service too (much better food than WDW counter service in our opinion). To us Disneyland means big flexibility and a lot less stress. We liked it there before, but love it even more that WDW has become so scheduled, limiting, inflexible and stressful.

However, for a WDW trip, as much as I hate FP+, I would never go without booking them. You can always decide not to use them, or to try to move or change them while you are there. It is so limiting not to have the old fast pass system where you could figure out what you did and did not need that day, and pull FPs based on whether the return time worked with the particular day you were actually having (as opposed to your predicted day 60 days ahead of time). BUT--- we have always walked onto Figment, Nemo, and POTC on our trips at the time of year we ago, and with FP+, we find 20 to 30 minute waits at each of those now. It is rare to be able to get TT, Soarin, TSM, 7DMT on your park day. I would take advantage of the 3 you are allotted. If you miss them, you miss them, but at least you will have some for the most popular rides.

As far as ADRs, we like to make 1 per day, but I think you would be fine there if you are fine with only CS, or not picky about what TS you get. In our experience, you can usually pick up some type of ADR for EPCOT on the same day, at least if you check in the morning for one for lunch or dinner. MK, there may be nothing. Sometimes you can get walk ups and it doesn't hurt to try. How many people are in your group? That makes a difference on how easy walk ups might or might not be.

I would say, forego the ADRs and you will be fine, but go ahead and book FP+.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I do no ADR trips but have never done a no FP+ trip since it started.

I'd book FP+ and you can always change them up in the parks if you change your mind later as long as you are changing it before the time starts on the FP+.

 

[tlmadden73]

Will be a fun experiment .. and probably will be a fun trip.

 

[crostorfer]

I'm doing this.

We arrive Wednesday. I haven't made one FP+ reservation. Zip. Zilch. Nada. I kind of, sort of have ADR's though, we're booked at the Hallowishes Dessert Party, and I booked a F&W festival event. Other than that, we're flying by the seat of our pants.

 

[sunshine1]

Just came back from WDW.

Had no ADRs booked or fast pass until on the day.

I freestyled