OFFICIAL NOVEMBER 2017 THREAD

[Funfire240]

So after coming back on and posting, I just realized my Fastpass day is 1 week from today!! Everything I've done online the past few days has been trying to find information on Marathon, FL after Irma hitting that I lost all track of time. I think I better get a move on with finalizing everything. Of course it falls on the day where DH returns to working (he works at an automotive plant and has been on shut down since spring) and I have to be in charge of getting the kids up and ready and out the door. normally would leave by 7:15 am but I may have to be a little late getting them to their grandparents and me to work that day...

 

[FutureDisneyEventPlanner]

got Fastpasses for Flight of Passage for my party of 5! yay!

 

[dnllmz]

got Fastpasses for Flight of Passage for my party of 5! yay!

How far out in your trip was your FOP day?

 

[FutureDisneyEventPlanner]

How far out in your trip was your FOP day?

I arrive on the 11th, AK is on the 14th

 

[czmom]

I arrive on the 11th, AK is on the 14th

I got 5 for that day too!! Plus another round on the 17th. Made mine this morning as well.

 

[dnllmz]

That's great news that you both were able to get the FOP fp that you need. I feel hopeful!

 

[edsmiley]

Hello all. Well, Irma changed our plans and left us looking for another time to plan and our pin code we used is no longer available. :-( Now we are looking at staying offsite for the week of Oct 28-Nov 4. I have searched the threads and have heard that Magic Kingdom transforms overnight from Halloween to Christmas. However, I can't figure out if the castle has the Christmas lights on Nov 2. (I assume not on Nov 1 because there still appears to be a Halloween Party that day). Anyone know? From what I see from other parks, most things start Nov 9. Thanks!

 

[MIndy S]

Yesterday was my FP day. I got everything but Day 2 FOP (shocking right?). Instead of hopping over later in the week and wasting a whole days worth of FPs, we decided to keep trying for the FP and worst case, we will rope drop FOP. I'm hearing lots of people say they can pick up last minute FP for FOP so I'm pretty hopeful.

 

[Wood Nymph]

Hello all. Well, Irma changed our plans and left us looking for another time to plan and our pin code we used is no longer available. :-( Now we are looking at staying offsite for the week of Oct 28-Nov 4. I have searched the threads and have heard that Magic Kingdom transforms overnight from Halloween to Christmas. However, I can't figure out if the castle has the Christmas lights on Nov 2. (I assume not on Nov 1 because there still appears to be a Halloween Party that day). Anyone know? From what I see from other parks, most things start Nov 9. Thanks!

I don't know what date they start decorating the castle, but I think it takes several days to do it. They bring in cranes for the job.

 

[Gwoman8920]

Just discovered this thread! We'll be there 11-14-17 - 11-22-2017. We get to book Fast Passes in 2 days! Really hoping to get some good ones. Our group contains 2 littles so the only real major ride one we want is FOP which after reading this last page makes me hopeful we will get!

 

[JessHuis]

Starting to look at FP because our day is coming up in a week and a half and I'm so overwhelmed. How do you decide??? Anyone have good strategies?

 

[SaintsManiac]

Starting to look at FP because our day is coming up in a week and a half and I'm so overwhelmed. How do you decide??? Anyone have good strategies?

Let me start by saying I hate planning FP. It's driving me nuts and I can't wait to be done on Monday morning. I don't have a set strategy down, as we are hopping a bit and doing a combo of mornings and evenings. My main strategy is for AK (6th day of our trip)

Safari --5PM
FoP-- 6pm
EE--7pm

(hopefully)

As for the rest we just want 7DMT and BTMRR as much as possible for MK and Soarin for Epcot. Just going to book what I can I guess. I'm having fits figuring out what to book for Thanksgiving day.

 

[DisneyMom93]

Starting to look at FP because our day is coming up in a week and a half and I'm so overwhelmed. How do you decide??? Anyone have good strategies?

I lay out a spreadsheet in Excel, somewhat like a calendar. I fill in our dining reservations and try to work around them for FPs. We go in November so it's not as crowded, I think. I hope. We just do what has always worked for us. We don't follow a touring plan. But we do go by crowd calendars to pick which day to go to each park.

For Epcot, basically we run to Soarin or Test Track at park open, because we are doing FPs for Frozen on both days we will be there. Around 11am to give us time.

We also try to plan our Quick Meals where we are for FPs if possible, so we aren't running all over the park.

These are just examples of what would go in each calendar style box:

EP EXAMPLE:
Run to Soarin'
10:05 Mission Space
11:20 Frozen
4:00 Disney/Pixar
5:30 San Angel Inn

AK EXAMPLE:
9:10 Safari
10:30 Lion King Festival
Q Yak and Yeti?
3:00 Flight Passage
8:00 Rainforest Cafe

Our main goal is to not rush around running all over the park trying to do everything. We have 10 park days, but no park hoppers.

 

[ashnicole]

For Epcot, basically we run to Soarin or Test Track at park open, because we are doing FPs for Frozen on both days we will be there. Around 11am to give us time.

How are those usually at RD? I usually get FP for them but I used my FP's for Frozen this trip.

 

[ariane37]

How are those usually at RD? I usually get FP for them but I used my FP's for Frozen this trip.

Our last few trips, Soarin' has been great at RD! Now that the 3rd theater is open it can handle lots more guests and with FEA open, you have a big portion of the crowd heading there. Even when we aren't at the front of the pack, we've gotten to Soarin' at RD and had a 15 minute wait at the most. We've only done TT once at RD in the last year or so, that seems to get a line quicker but not bad if you fast-walk faster than if you're going to Soarin' lol

 

[ariane37]

I don't remember the last time I posted about our Nov. resorts, but I changed again today Our last 3 nights are still at CSR with a great discount, but our first night is now at the Poly rather than POR. We've stayed at the Poly once and even though this is only for one night, I'm looking forward to it!

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

Starting to look at FP because our day is coming up in a week and a half and I'm so overwhelmed. How do you decide??? Anyone have good strategies?

There are a few different strategies out there. Some people like to make all their FP first thing in the morning so that they can get more right away. My personal strategy is to make all of mine starting around lunchtime. You can get a lot done without FP first thing in the morning, so I prefer to have the FP during the mid-day when lines get crazy. And usually there is still a lot to choose from after that. As far as which rides, my choices are almost always the same:

MK - SM, BTMRR, SDMT. We like to do Fantasyland first thing in the morning (PP at RD) because it goes so crowded during mid-day
AK - FOP, EE, KS. Admittedly I have not been since Pandora opened, but this is my plan for Nov trip. If I can't get the FOP FP we will do it at RD.
EP - TT, Turtle Talk, Spaceship Earth. We do Soarin at RD with little wait, then GG for breakfast around 10am. Works out perfect FEA was a one and done for us, so I don't have to waste a FP on that.
HS - RnR, Star Tours, ToT

 

[brewhome]

Starting to look at FP because our day is coming up in a week and a half and I'm so overwhelmed. How do you decide??? Anyone have good strategies?

I look at the park calendars for each day and determine which one(s) I want to hit on each day based on shows or parades first. Then I pick one hard to get FP for each day and prioritize them in order of most wanted to least, ex. FoP on day 5, RnR on day 3, 7DMT on day 1, etc. I usually have a general time in mind when I want to try and get them (working around dining reservations, shows and parades). Then when I schedule them, I adjust that based on availability. I book my most wanted for each day and then start on day 1 and work my way forward to get whatever remaining ones I want. I always end up modifying times slightly as I go... Keep checking back on that first day because I've found that the open times change for a while because lots of people are making adjustments.

It's like putting a puzzle together!

 

[JessHuis]

Let me start by saying I hate planning FP. It's driving me nuts and I can't wait to be done on Monday morning. I don't have a set strategy down, as we are hopping a bit and doing a combo of mornings and evenings. My main strategy is for AK (6th day of our trip)

Safari --5PM
FoP-- 6pm
EE--7pm

(hopefully)

As for the rest we just want 7DMT and BTMRR as much as possible for MK and Soarin for Epcot. Just going to book what I can I guess. I'm having fits figuring out what to book for Thanksgiving day.

I lay out a spreadsheet in Excel, somewhat like a calendar. I fill in our dining reservations and try to work around them for FPs. We go in November so it's not as crowded, I think. I hope. We just do what has always worked for us. We don't follow a touring plan. But we do go by crowd calendars to pick which day to go to each park.

For Epcot, basically we run to Soarin or Test Track at park open, because we are doing FPs for Frozen on both days we will be there. Around 11am to give us time.

We also try to plan our Quick Meals where we are for FPs if possible, so we aren't running all over the park.

These are just examples of what would go in each calendar style box:

EP EXAMPLE:
Run to Soarin'
10:05 Mission Space
11:20 Frozen
4:00 Disney/Pixar
5:30 San Angel Inn

AK EXAMPLE:
9:10 Safari
10:30 Lion King Festival
Q Yak and Yeti?
3:00 Flight Passage
8:00 Rainforest Cafe

Our main goal is to not rush around running all over the park trying to do everything. We have 10 park days, but no park hoppers.

There are a few different strategies out there. Some people like to make all their FP first thing in the morning so that they can get more right away. My personal strategy is to make all of mine starting around lunchtime. You can get a lot done without FP first thing in the morning, so I prefer to have the FP during the mid-day when lines get crazy. And usually there is still a lot to choose from after that. As far as which rides, my choices are almost always the same:

MK - SM, BTMRR, SDMT. We like to do Fantasyland first thing in the morning (PP at RD) because it goes so crowded during mid-day
AK - FOP, EE, KS. Admittedly I have not been since Pandora opened, but this is my plan for Nov trip. If I can't get the FOP FP we will do it at RD.
EP - TT, Turtle Talk, Spaceship Earth. We do Soarin at RD with little wait, then GG for breakfast around 10am. Works out perfect FEA was a one and done for us, so I don't have to waste a FP on that.
HS - RnR, Star Tours, ToT

I look at the park calendars for each day and determine which one(s) I want to hit on each day based on shows or parades first. Then I pick one hard to get FP for each day and prioritize them in order of most wanted to least, ex. FoP on day 5, RnR on day 3, 7DMT on day 1, etc. I usually have a general time in mind when I want to try and get them (working around dining reservations, shows and parades). Then when I schedule them, I adjust that based on availability. I book my most wanted for each day and then start on day 1 and work my way forward to get whatever remaining ones I want. I always end up modifying times slightly as I go... Keep checking back on that first day because I've found that the open times change for a while because lots of people are making adjustments.

It's like putting a puzzle together!

Thank you all! This helps a bunch. I'm still feeling overwhelmed but feel a little more confident about getting it all to fall into place. I forget that it can still be tweaked between now and the trip. I guess it feels so final. Lol

 

[monica9]

for all of you who just booked your fp+ 60 days out, have you been successful with getting FoP and if so, what day of your vacation did you schedule it for?