Offsite and fast passes

[conniehar90]

We will be staying at WH this coming Dec (week of Xmas). We have been here MANY times but the last time we visited was right when FP+ came out. It actually opened for on-line booking in the middle of our trip so we had no trouble getting the FP's that we needed. We won't consider staying onsite because of the space and cost.

So, in reviewing the current situation, it looks like we can book our FP's 30 days out? Will everything be gone by then since on-site folks books theirs at 60 days? Just looking for recent experiences -not that it will change our plans. Would love to get on 7DMT but am worried that I have no shot now.

Thanks!

 

[Dean1953]

This will give you an idea of what's available at the 60 day mark to the day that you go to the park. http://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=835236

 

[conniehar90]

Thank you! Very helpful!!

 

[baler31]

At 30 days out the only things that will not be available are 7DMT, A&E and maybe both the parades and Wishes. TSMM is usually has very limited availability. The good news is that it is often easy to book closer to your stay or the day of. We booked multiple 7dmt and A&E day of during June.

 

[itchin2go]

We will be staying at WH this coming Dec (week of Xmas). We have been here MANY times but the last time we visited was right when FP+ came out. It actually opened for on-line booking in the middle of our trip so we had no trouble getting the FP's that we needed. We won't consider staying onsite because of the space and cost.

So, in reviewing the current situation, it looks like we can book our FP's 30 days out? Will everything be gone by then since on-site folks books theirs at 60 days? Just looking for recent experiences -not that it will change our plans. Would love to get on 7DMT but am worried that I have no shot now.

Thanks!

You can also book a throwaway room or campsite on Disney property for your first night. We found the cost of the room was justified by the cost of magicbands and parking for 2 days. And that way, we booked FPs at 60 days out. It really depends on how many in your party and whether you wanted magicbands. You can also use EMH for check in and check out night if that interests you.

 

[katallo]

Agree with baler31. We stay offsite for cost and space as well. We purchased an AP this year hoping to try onsite again. We can't come close in price even with a value resort. Last March, we booked 30 days out. Got everything except A & E. When we arrived scheduled changed and the day prior we had no problem getting Soarin, Test Track and SDMT. Also, got A & E at 9:30 one night.

 

[SweetMimi]

I to was concerned about fast pass access since we stay offsite and generally get our tix once we get to Orlando. We had a party of 8 and it really wasn't bad getting fastpasses. Some things never came up - like Toy Story Mania - but we were able to get main attractions we wanted to see each day (RRR,TT,SM,EE). The options are better the day before at least but even on the day of you can get passes. They will generally be at later times - I never saw morning passes - but still available.

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

We are also staying offsite for our next trip (our first trip since FP+ started) and I'm not worried about not having the 60 day FP+ advantage. If there are certain rides/attractions we want but aren't able to secure fast passes for we'll just try to ride them standby first thing at rope drop. My kids have told me that they are "over" Frozen and don't care whether or not they meet A&E . The Mine train coaster looks fun; but again if we get it great, if we don't then we're not going to allow that to let us lose sight of the fact that we get to go back to Disney World .

 

[Bete]

You will definitely miss some attractions at the 30 day mark vs. the 60 day mark. I think going at rope drop for any attractions you can't get is probably the best plan.

I know some people who are going in October and they are not planning any fastpasses. I can't convince them to do so. Infact, they will be onsite guests. They haven't been there since the new fastpass system was started and are convinced they don't need to do any advance fastpasses. They never did any planning before and she is convinced winging it will be just fine. I've told her the stand by lines have huge waits now and it's not convincing her at all. Anyway, you will have an edge on this diehard.

There's a trade off with being offsite with more space and less cost and not getting some rides is that price to pay.

In time the hot attractions of today will cool down in the future and then you will be able to get on those rides, as well. It's a waiting game.

We stay offsite and will continue to do so. Missing a few rides will not get us to stay onsite.

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

You will definitely miss some attractions at the 30 day mark vs. the 60 day mark. I think going at rope drop for any attractions you can't get is probably the best plan.

I know some people who are going in October and they are not planning any fastpasses. I can't convince them to do so. Infact, they will be onsite guests. They haven't been there since the new fastpass system was started and are convinced they don't need to do any advance fastpasses. They never did any planning before and she is convinced winging it will be just fine. I've told her the stand by lines have huge waits now and it's not convincing her at all. Anyway, you will have an edge on this diehard.

There's a trade off with being offsite with more space and less cost and not getting some rides is that price to pay.

In time the hot attractions of today will cool down in the future and then you will be able to get on those rides, as well. It's a waiting game.

We stay offsite and will continue to do so. Missing a few rides will not get us to stay onsite.

This is the quandary for our family. We stayed onsite for our first Disney trip and offsite for our second trip. The space, amenities, and attractive price of our 3 bedroom Windsor Hills condo, along with the fact that it's an easy drive to the Disney parks, spoiled us. We certainly enjoy the theming and festive vibe of the Disney resorts as well as the option of using the bus transportation if we decide to split up for midday breaks; but even staying at a value resort comes at a premium price for our family of seven since we need two rooms.

 

[kj2mom]

We stayed off site the week of 4th of July (July 3-10). We were traveling with a family who stayed on site which kind of added to my stress. In the end, I was able to get all of the FP we wanted at all of the times we wanted including Wishes for our last night and 7DMT the first day we were there (we did not need A&E so did not try for that). I got all of these at midnight exactly of our 30 days. It was a long week of staying up late but it was well worth it when we were walking by literally hundreds of people waiting in 95 degree heat for an hour or more heading to the front of the line.

 

[Praying Colonel]

FWIW, my niece recently asked for my help in planning a mid-July trip about 14 days before they were leaving. I was able to get them FP+ for every attraction they wanted. They didn't want A&E, but I was able to get them 7DMT. That one wasn't immediately available, but I kept checking back and was able to get them for their MK day at about the 10-day mark.

We often stay offsite, and I don't like being put at a disadvantage on FP+ over onsite guests, but we've usually been able to get what we wanted with some extra effort.

 

[DisLuv'nMama]

Following. We are in the same situation for next year. We are staying offsite because of cost and space, but still concerned about the FP+.