No more Stanby line for A&E?

[Aggiegrl]

I'm confused too. Here's what the poster originally said: The first day you can book for Sept 29th is July 31st. But then he later posted: Today is the first day you can book for September 25th.

I booked A&E for Oct 3 on Friday, July 25. We check in Sept 23 and are staying 11 nights with 10 day park hoppers. Once your 60 day window opens for your check in date, you can book for your entire trip.

Also, we have friends checking in on Sept 27 with 7 day PH. They do not have a MDE account, and their reservation is on mine. On July 25, when my window opened, I was able to book them 7 days of fast passes. So, they too got A&E on Oct 3. If they were not linked to me, they would of had to wait to book them like everyone else coming in on Sept 27.

 

[aaarcher86]

60 day window and no single FP+ for A&E for our 4 day trip

Bummer. I jumped straight to 10/2 and had all times available. I think that's the key unfortunately - people with longer stays are booking farther out.

 

[famy27]

I had a thought this afternoon after reading that Disney had gone back to the regular standby queue at PFH...

What if this test was never a test for MK? What if it were a test for this rumored return to Epcot that A&E could be making.

Think about it:

*There's no room for a large standby queue in Norway. The return ticket solves that A1 issue for the Epcot M&G.

*The numbers in the original blog post about the test sounded oddly small for the MK M&G, but if you change the setting to Epcot, those numbers look a lot less crazy for a M&G with less capacity than PFH.

*The walls around the old M&G in Norway are still up, they could very well be installing FP+ scanners and readying a monderate standby queue back there.

I am in no way saying I have any inside info, just hypothezizing how a few of the puzzle pieces could fit together.

Thoughts?

Okay. I think you might be on the right track here. I've noticed that A&E FP availability seems to have tanked for late Aug through Sept. We didn't have this experience at all in June. I literally could have booked A&E for any day of my 8-day stay, and I did book more than one reservation (but I did a timed release with a DISer for one I wasn't going to use). Since June should be a more crowded time than September, that makes me think that Disney is reducing FP availability for the fall. I also don't really recall a ton of threads of people saying they couldn't get A&E for July or August. So, if FP availability really has decreased, why would they do that? If A&E are moving back to EPCOT, with shorter park hours and only one set of A&E, that would explain the sudden dearth of FPs.

Looking at the recent post about FP numbers, that would indicate cutting FPs from 540 or so for the day to 200.

Perhaps we should start a new thread asking a few questions for those that have FPs. 1) When did you book and when was your trip? 2) What is the time of your FP and did you happen to notice if there was any availability later than 9:00; 3) Does anyone have an A&E FP for later than 9:00 pm (especially in September)?

If nobody has an A&E FP for later than 9:00 pm in September and if availability was (comparatively) plentiful for July guests, I'd think that these would be pretty good indicators that a move back to EPCOT may be possible.

 

[lovethattink]

Okay. I think you might be on the right track here. I've noticed that A&E FP availability seems to have tanked for late Aug through Sept. We didn't have this experience at all in June. I literally could have booked A&E for any day of my 8-day stay, and I did book more than one reservation (but I did a timed release with a DISer for one I wasn't going to use). Since June should be a more crowded time than September, that makes me think that Disney is reducing FP availability for the fall. I also don't really recall a ton of threads of people saying they couldn't get A&E for July or August. So, if FP availability really has decreased, why would they do that? If A&E are moving back to EPCOT, with shorter park hours and only one set of A&E, that would explain the sudden dearth of FPs.

Looking at the recent post about FP numbers, that would indicate cutting FPs from 540 or so for the day to 200.

Perhaps we should start a new thread asking a few questions for those that have FPs. 1) When did you book and when was your trip? 2) What is the time of your FP and did you happen to notice if there was any availability later than 9:00; 3) Does anyone have an A&E FP for later than 9:00 pm (especially in September)?

If nobody has an A&E FP for later than 9:00 pm in September and if availability was (comparatively) plentiful for July guests, I'd think that these would be pretty good indicators that a move back to EPCOT may be possible.

Oh? I read Missy's post as an "in addition to" not and "instead of" thought.

 

[Missyrose]

Okay. I think you might be on the right track here. I've noticed that A&E FP availability seems to have tanked for late Aug through Sept. We didn't have this experience at all in June. I literally could have booked A&E for any day of my 8-day stay, and I did book more than one reservation (but I did a timed release with a DISer for one I wasn't going to use). Since June should be a more crowded time than September, that makes me think that Disney is reducing FP availability for the fall. I also don't really recall a ton of threads of people saying they couldn't get A&E for July or August. So, if FP availability really has decreased, why would they do that? If A&E are moving back to EPCOT, with shorter park hours and only one set of A&E, that would explain the sudden dearth of FPs.

Looking at the recent post about FP numbers, that would indicate cutting FPs from 540 or so for the day to 200.

Perhaps we should start a new thread asking a few questions for those that have FPs. 1) When did you book and when was your trip? 2) What is the time of your FP and did you happen to notice if there was any availability later than 9:00; 3) Does anyone have an A&E FP for later than 9:00 pm (especially in September)?

If nobody has an A&E FP for later than 9:00 pm in September and if availability was (comparatively) plentiful for July guests, I'd think that these would be pretty good indicators that a move back to EPCOT may be possible.

No, no. I was thinking Disney was testing the return-ticket system to bring A&E back to Epcot IN ADDITION to being a PFH.

The lack of FP+ reservations in late August and through September has a few concrete reasons:

*Shorter hours
*MNSSHP start Sept. 1, so there are three days a week when FP+ reservations end at 7.

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

Will Anna and Elsa M&G go on through MNSSHP? Anyone know this?

 

[Missyrose]

Will Anna and Elsa M&G go on through MNSSHP? Anyone know this?

We likely won't know until Sept. 1.

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

We likely won't know until Sept. 1.

I guess I'll be checking back on this one. We did end up getting MNSSHP tickets for the 28th of September. It will be nice if they are there, although I'm sure the line will still be too long. It would help with the other princess meet and greet lines for sure.

 

[Missyrose]

I guess I'll be checking back on this one. We did end up getting MNSSHP tickets for the 28th of September. It will be nice if they are there, although I'm sure the line will still be too long. It would help with the other princess meet and greet lines for sure.

They started the line for the princesses/princes at MNSSHP last year at 6:30. So if you plan to get there just before that. You shouldn't have too long a wait to see them. I was third in line and was through the line by 7:15.

 

[famy27]

No, no. I was thinking Disney was testing the return-ticket system to bring A&E back to Epcot IN ADDITION to being a PFH.

The lack of FP+ reservations in late August and through September has a few concrete reasons:

*Shorter hours
*MNSSHP start Sept. 1, so there are three days a week when FP+ reservations end at 7.

I should stop drinking in the morning. Clearly they couldn't move FPs from MK to EP. I hope you are right that they add capacity by bringing them to EP too!

 

[magicbob]

Is there a tutorial for the copying anywhere? Or can I play around with FP+ now bc I have tickets loaded and just choose earlier dates. And then be ok booking at my regular window still with the same tickets. I'm so freaked out about messing up my tickets and not being able to use them exactly at our 60 day window

can you please help a newbie out, what exactly does that mean for us as a family of 5? trying to get myself ready for our NOV trip so our 60 day's isn't here just yet. Thanks so much!!! how do I go about booking fp+ for the hot things like the elsa M&G?

There are others here who have done more "hands on" experimentation on the website who can likely give you a much better step by step tutorial on the mechanics of copying a FP+ reservation than I can at this point.

 

[mistysue]

No, no. I was thinking Disney was testing the return-ticket system to bring A&E back to Epcot IN ADDITION to being a PFH.

The lack of FP+ reservations in late August and through September has a few concrete reasons:

*Shorter hours
*MNSSHP start Sept. 1, so there are three days a week when FP+ reservations end at 7.

I've seen people saying that, but they started getting impossible for mid-August, when MK is open until 11 every night. No MNsshp or reduced hours so the explanation doesn't fit. It is also a slower time. They must have reduced capacity. It was hard to even get individual times at 45-50 days out for late August on any day of the week. I spent most of two weeks at work leaving the site open at work and trying every 15-30 minutes. (Slow season at computer based job)

 

[Love Tink]

I've seen people saying that, but they started getting impossible for mid-August, when MK is open until 11 every night. No MNsshp or reduced hours so the explanation doesn't fit. It is also a slower time. They must have reduced capacity. It was hard to even get individual times at 45-50 days out for late August on any day of the week. I spent most of two weeks at work leaving the site open at work and trying every 15-30 minutes. (Slow season at computer based job)

I agree. We're going the last week of August, when MK is still open late. At 1:00am (grrr) at 60 days, there were zero A&E for our first MK day, and a few evening slots available later in our week.

I spent about two weeks trying to get overlapping slots - going in multiple times a day. After those first two weeks, a point arrived where there have just been no single A&E slots available, any time of day, for either of our days. None.

Also, copying never worked. If there simply aren't any slots, then there nothing to copy. Whenever I tried to copy, I got "alternate attractions" suggested. After once messing up and accepting them and then having to scramble I stopped even trying the copying route.

 

[spewey]

I agree. We're going the last week of August, when MK is still open late. At 1:00am (grrr) at 60 days, there were zero A&E for our first MK day, and a few evening slots available later in our week.

I spent about two weeks trying to get overlapping slots - going in multiple times a day. After those first two weeks, a point arrived where there have just been no single A&E slots available, any time of day, for either of our days. None.

Also, copying never worked. If there simply aren't any slots, then there nothing to copy. Whenever I tried to copy, I got "alternate attractions" suggested. After once messing up and accepting them and then having to scramble I stopped even trying the copying route.

And I didn't have this experience. Our arrival day is Saturday August 23. Our first MK day is August 24. My window opened at 1AM as well; I could not book us as a group (of three) for A&E for the 24th. I broke us up and found overlapping times for (around) 4PM. Checking back pretty regularly I moved us up (one at a time, always keeping either my wife's or my time overlapping w/ my daughter's) to about 1PM. I found individual spots open until about 45 days out.

Our last day at MK is Friday August 29th. Before I went back and booked for the 24th, I was able to get FP+s as a group for A&E that day for 1:20PM, with lots of choices. And that was as a group of three, not even booking individually.

And I was also able to book 7DMT as a group either day with, again, lots of times to choose from. That's why I'm surprised at the lack of availability in late September. I would have no idea why Disney would reduce the number of slots, either, as capacity is capacity, unless for some reason they want more people using the Standby. Another M&G (i.e. Epcot) should play no role in this.

 

[FlipHipster]

Reading about what it takes to score a FP get up at midnight and pray, move it around, know the magic formula for copying and booking, overlapping times for 7 people ugggg, I really hope they bring sexy back(legacyish FP). I would much rather just show up and have someone give me a a handful of tickets with a return time on them than spend all that time farting around in the app/website stressing over FP for a 2min experience. If we can just show up at 10 and get a return time between 12-1 or potentially even earlier like the old days, I'm good bring it on.

 

[cel_disney]

I think they could be pulling a pair of the sisters to Epcot from MK?

If they take the pair from DHS plus a pair from MK (leaving 3 sets so one room has a break?) they could get an 8 hour shift in EPCOT which would be good for food and wine season?

We are going to be there Sept 30 - October 5...our MK park days are the 30th and October 2....it feels kind of hopeless at this point...sigh...

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

Reading about what it takes to score a FP get up at midnight and pray, move it around, know the magic formula for copying and booking, overlapping times for 7 people ugggg, I really hope they bring sexy back(legacyish FP). I would much rather just show up and have someone give me a a handful of tickets with a return time on them than spend all that time farting around in the app/website stressing over FP for a 2min experience. If we can just show up at 10 and get a return time between 12-1 or potentially even earlier like the old days, I'm good bring it on.

Yup. Reading some of this stuff has me shaking my head in wonder. It's so easy! Just book for one person, copy this, then check every day for the next 45 days and gradually move your party around, easy peasy!

It is absolutely ridiculous.

 

[Aurora0427]

Reading about what it takes to score a FP get up at midnight and pray, move it around, know the magic formula for copying and booking, overlapping times for 7 people ugggg, I really hope they bring sexy back(legacyish FP). I would much rather just show up and have someone give me a a handful of tickets with a return time on them than spend all that time farting around in the app/website stressing over FP for a 2min experience. If we can just show up at 10 and get a return time between 12-1 or potentially even earlier like the old days, I'm good bring it on.

This. Exactly. If they implement the system they tested Thursday - Friday, I'll be thrilled. Then if I get a FP+, great, if not, we'll do RD as usual and wait and get a return ticket on a day that works with our schedule.

 

[mom2rtk]

Yup. Reading some of this stuff has me shaking my head in wonder. It's so easy! Just book for one person, copy this, then check every day for the next 45 days and gradually move your party around, easy peasy!

It is absolutely ridiculous.

You missed the step where you get everything you want finally all lined up and it all disappears. You don't have to look long on the first page of TPAS threads to find reports of this happening.

 

[MAD on Disney]

You missed the step where you get everything you want finally all lined up and it all disappears.

Exactly! I am so concerned about losing my FP+ selections that I am reluctant to do anything. Our family has FP for a ride that DW doesn't want to ride, but we have elected to not try to change hers to something different out of fear of losing the ones we want to keep. When I added out flight information for Magical Express, I did it over the phone so I could first confirm with that they could add it without losing my FP selections (to which he laughed and mentioned that it is now quite common for callers to IT to first confirm that FP won't be lost before anything is done, even for simple things like adding Magical Express or resetting passwords). I know that I am being paranoid, but I've often joked that "just because I am paranoid doesn't mean that I am wrong"!