Overwhelmed, especially with FP+!!

[jsgrand0]

I have not been to Disney since Jan 2013, before fastpass + was a thing. I could deal with making dining reservations 180 days out (though it still seems too much), and I thought I'd be able to handle doing ride reservation, when I thought I'd be able to get whatever as long as I got on ASAP to book them, but that is clearly not the case!
I don't know the parks well enough to know what is near what, in order to be efficient with fp+ bookings. Also, what is this I see about people moving up their fastpasses after using the first one...like making them earlier?? If they're so hard to get, how could you do that on the day of?!

Going crazy here, thanks for any help, we'll be there July 14-19!

 

[FCDub]

Start by looking at a map of the parks to see what is near what. Then go here: https://www.disboards.com/threads/fastpass-frequently-asked-questions.3491680/

 

[Robo]

I don't know the parks well enough to know what is near what, in order to be efficient with fp+ bookings. Also, what is this I see about people moving up their fastpasses...

Don’t sweat either of those.
Book FPs for the attractions you most want.
Being “location efficient” falls very far down the list.

Moving booked FPs is not a prioity in most cases, but you can
do some more research AFTER you’ve got the original important FPs booked.

 

[sageandbelle]

I agree with the previous poster, location is not such a big deal. Choose whatever is a must have for you! And if it’s not available 60 days out then still get a FP for another ride you like. Once you’ve used your first FP that park day, continue checking throughout the day to see if that FP you really wanted will come up. You can book another FP on the My Disney Experience app or at one of the kiosks around the parks. Don’t stress it, you’ll be fine!

 

[bigeyedfish]

The FastPass thread was incredibly helpful to me! I also looked at park maps on a particular Disney website that I like. I think it is ok to mention easyWDW here. Another thing to remember is that after you make your initial FPs you do have 2-3 weeks to mull it over and change your plans before the 30 days folks have a go. I realized about 10 days after making my FPs that I needed to change my AK day plans because they weren't well thought out. I had no issues changing them to what I wanted (except FOP, of course - there was no more availability). The only rides that had limited, or no, availability at that time were FoP, SDD, 7DMT, and FEA. GL!

 

[Tiggerlover91]

I have not been to Disney since Jan 2013, before fastpass + was a thing. I could deal with making dining reservations 180 days out (though it still seems too much), and I thought I'd be able to handle doing ride reservation, when I thought I'd be able to get whatever as long as I got on ASAP to book them, but that is clearly not the case!
I don't know the parks well enough to know what is near what, in order to be efficient with fp+ bookings. Also, what is this I see about people moving up their fastpasses after using the first one...like making them earlier?? If they're so hard to get, how could you do that on the day of?!

Going crazy here, thanks for any help, we'll be there July 14-19!

Calm down and take a deep breath. You've got till May to figure this out as that will be the month your 60 day window opens. I know that @Robo said not to sweat the location of things in the park, but I find if you plan your FP in MK by the lands you'll be able to utilize them better and get more throughout the day without a whole lot of from one side of the park to another thing. Some don't mind doing that. Can I? Sure. I just prefer not too. I'd rather not have a FP for 7DMT and then have to go clear across the park for PoTC in Adventureland. I'll be doing Fantasyland and Tomorrowland on one visit and then Liberty Square, Adventureland, and Frontierland on our next. Depending on when and if I get 7DMT will determine what day those visits will be.

The hard to get ones can be picked up day of, because once at Disney, people are constantly changing their minds or plans.

It'll come together for you just relax and continue to come here and ask questions if you need anymore assistance. GOOD LUCK!

 

[jsgrand0]

Thanks for the help everyone! I'm still confused on what people mean when they say after you use your first FP of the day, you can move the others up?!

 

[Mome Rath]

Thanks for the help everyone! I'm still confused on what people mean when they say after you use your first FP of the day, you can move the others up?!

Take a deep breath, I know it can be overwhelming. Here's what you do; when you tap into your first FP at the first tapstile, you can go into your other FP's and try to modify them (you use the modify function which you'll see on your app). So, if you have let's say Spaceship Earth at 9, and Soarin at 10 and Figment at 11, you can try to modify one or both of the others to an earlier time. You tap into SE, then you can attempt to move the others up if you want to, as it opens the hour held in reserve for SE after you tap in.

 

[Fangorn]

Thanks for the help everyone! I'm still confused on what people mean when they say after you use your first FP of the day, you can move the others up?!

Here's how the FP+ system works:

1. For each FP, you have a 1 hour window in which to use that FP. If you make a FP for 9:05am, you have until 10:05 to use it.
2. The system does not allow you to have overlapping FPs or ADRs. So initially, you cannot make another FP for another ride at, say, 9:30. The earliest you could make another FP would be 10:05.
3. The FP window closes as soon as you scan in for attraction - thus freeing up any remaining portion of that window. The system will now allow you to book something in that time.
   
4. So, if you use that first FP right at 9:05, and you don't want to wait around until your second FP (that you scheduled for 10:10), you can go to the MDE app and try to "Modify" the time on the second FP to something sooner. Say 9:15.
5. Of course, if there are no FPs available for the attraction and time period you want, you can't actually make a change.
6. If nothing shows up for the ride/ time you want, you can "refresh" the request by tapping on the requested time again (you'll see that at the top of the modify screen), and the request will be made again.
7. FP availability changes constantly as people change their plans and move things around. KEEP TRYING.
8. Some FP are very difficult to modify - Flights of Passage and Slinky Dog Dash being the most difficult ones at the moment. But I've had luck even with them, so don't give up.
9. After using all 3 of your initial FPs for the day, the system will allow you to make an additional FP assuming anything is available (and there generally will be something). Grab what you can and if the time is a ways out, try to modify that one as well.
10. Once you've used that 4th FP, you can get a 5th. And so on.

With a little time and diligence (and a whole lot of battery usage) it's possible to make and use many, many FPs in a single day.

Steve

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

Here's how the FP+ system works:

1. For each FP, you have a 1 hour window in which to use that FP. If you make a FP for 9:05am, you have until 10:05 to use it.
2. The system does not allow you to have overlapping FPs or ADRs. So initially, you cannot make another FP for another ride at, say, 9:30. The earliest you could make another FP would be 10:05.
3. The FP window closes as soon as you scan in for attraction - thus freeing up any remaining portion of that window. The system will now allow you to book something in that time.
   
4. So, if you use that first FP right at 9:05, and you don't want to wait around until your second FP (that you scheduled for 10:10), you can go to the MDE app and try to "Modify" the time on the second FP to something sooner. Say 9:15.
5. Of course, if there are no FPs available for the attraction and time period you want, you can't actually make a change.
6. If nothing shows up for the ride/ time you want, you can "refresh" the request by tapping on the requested time again (you'll see that at the top of the modify screen), and the request will be made again.
7. FP availability changes constantly as people change their plans and move things around. KEEP TRYING.
8. Some FP are very difficult to modify - Flights of Passage and Slinky Dog Dash being the most difficult ones at the moment. But I've had luck even with them, so don't give up.
9. After using all 3 of your initial FPs for the day, the system will allow you to make an additional FP assuming anything is available (and there generally will be something). Grab what you can and if the time is a ways out, try to modify that one as well.
10. Once you've used that 4th FP, you can get a 5th. And so on.

With a little time and diligence (and a whole lot of battery usage) it's possible to make and use many, many FPs in a single day.

Steve

Don’t forget that there is a 5 minute grace period before and a 15 minute grace period after the FP window.

That 9:05 - 10:05 window is actually 9:00 - 10:20.

This can come in handy when maximizing refresh times.

We like to set up our FPs at 9:30, 10:30 & 11:30.

This means we have to be at the first attraction by 10:45. Then we can go directly to the 2nd attraction. After that it will be very close to the 11:25 check in time for #3. That’s 3 rides in 40 minutes.

Then it’s refresh time, over and over again.

 

[GeneralTso]

Yes, it is overwhelming at first! You are right.
Also know this--you'll get it. You'll become quite expert at it. Read some FAQ threads and some threads on here.
In no time (I promise) you'll have this nailed.

 

[Disneypro1]

FP= is great. Just choose what you want and do it. We always made our first one at 1000 hrs. Then the last about 3. Always gotten more once we are there. Note....We always goto WDW in May, so its about as least crowded as you can get. FP once we used the three weren't really needed. No lines were more than 20min long. Once Star wars land opens. That will free ups many FP in other lands for sure.
Always use your FP as soon as you can in the hour window...especially the last one. Then you'll know when you can get the rest that much sooner.

 

[Disneypro1]

Don’t forget that there is a 5 minute grace period before and a 15 minute grace period after the FP window.

That 9:05 - 10:05 window is actually 9:00 - 10:20.

This can come in handy when maximizing refresh times.

We like to set up our FPs at 9:30, 10:30 & 11:30.

This means we have to be at the first attraction by 10:45. Then we can go directly to the 2nd attraction. After that it will be very close to the 11:25 check in time for #3. That’s 3 rides in 40 minutes.

Then it’s refresh time, over and over again.

Exactly how we do it.
Now ,In Disneyland....Im a Fast Pass maniac...I can end up with a whole lot there!!! lol

 

[anne60]

I understand how to navigate the 'new' FP system. I also think it is absolutely ridiculous that one has to go through all of this plus pay over $100 in order to ride more than 3 rides without standing in line for hours. It's not terrible if you are a party of 2, but on our last trip there were 7 adults and one child and it was very stressful for me. I have to say it made me think about just renting a beach house the next time.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

I'm going to go against the majority here and say you should take location into account. You would not want BTMR at 10, Space Mtn at 11, and Splash at 12:00. I found touring plans.com really helpful for that the first year we went. It will put all your rides on a map in order do you can see where you've accidentally criss-crossed the park and show you which of the rides you want to do are best to FP. But tp requires a paid subscription for that ($15). Another option is easyWDW which has free touring plans that are designed to minimize your wait time and help you with a convenient walking itinerary.

It is definitely overwhelming the first time. My DH joked that it was like planning a wedding but once you get the hang of it, it's not so bad.

Good luck.

 

[summermac]

I wish FP and ADRs were same window, 90 days before arrival for both. It’s crazy to make one without the other IMO.

 

[Tiggerlover91]

I understand how to navigate the 'new' FP system. I also think it is absolutely ridiculous that one has to go through all of this plus pay over $100 in order to ride more than 3 rides without standing in line for hours. It's not terrible if you are a party of 2, but on our last trip there were 7 adults and one child and it was very stressful for me. I have to say it made me think about just renting a beach house the next time.

pay over a $100 for what?

 

[summermac]

I was wondering that too

 

[anne60]

pay over a $100 for what?

Park admission.

 

[The Pho]

If they're so hard to get, how could you do that on the day of?!

The difficulty is greatly exaggerated. I pretty much never book a fastpass earlier than the night before and have no real issues and go multiple times throughout the year. The only ones where the 60+ days is necessary are the newest rides. So Flight of Passage and Slinky Dog will go quickly. So don’t panic about making them, if you book at 60 days, you’ll be able to change them up until you use them if you change your mind.