Park Hours at Holidays

[kes601]

So how do you deal with your planning for fastpasses and dining reservations when it comes to the holidays? We all know the hours posted are not going to be the final hours (example -- last year MK opened @ 7a with XMH at 6a...this year posted opening is 9a). Do you just plan based upon the posted hours or do you take into consideration things you think may happen (like XMH every morning at HS). We are flying in Dec 25 with a 9:00a arrival at MCO and are leaving on Dec 31 in the evening so we will be there at the busiest time of year. FP day for us is Saturday. Just trying to figure out the best way to go about it (it's our 11th trip in the last year so I know how it all works, just strategizing is getting to me this time).

 

[Robo]

Do you just plan based upon the posted hours or do you take into consideration things you think may happen (like XMH every morning at HS).

That's as good anybody can guess.
They'll likey update the hours more than once (as late as a week, or so, out.)

 

[teagues]

We are flying in Dec 25 with a 9:00a arrival at MCO and are leaving on Dec 31 in the evening so we will be there at the busiest time of year. FP day for us is Saturday. Just trying to figure out the best way to go about it (it's our 11th trip in the last year so I know how it all works, just strategizing is getting to me this time).

We are booked for the exact same dates (later arrival and earlier departure times), and we have been trying to figure it out too. We are rope drop people, and would love to be on our way out of the park-of-the day before most guests get to the parking lot. But this year seems harder to plan than ever before. My general approach has been to try to build plans that I will be happy with if we do not see extra hours, but are still good if those hours are not added, but that's very tricky. I am not sure that I have it figured out.

 

[kes601]

We are booked for the exact same dates (later arrival and earlier departure times), and we have been trying to figure it out too. We are rope drop people, and would love to be on our way out of the park-of-the day before most guests get to the parking lot. But this year seems harder to plan than ever before. My general approach has been to try to build plans that I will be happy with if we do not see extra hours, but are still good if those hours are not added, but that's very tricky. I am not sure that I have it figured out.

Thanks for the reply. We are the same -- rope drop and extra magic hours all the way. Like to be out of the park by noon at the latest. Then head back at night to whatever park we can grab a good 4th FP at.

 

[sharonabe]

About the only thing you can do is make two plans. Make one with the hours that are currently posted and one with the hours you think may happen based on data from years' past. This second plan may even need a Plan A and Plan B based on whether you can modify FP to the earlier schedule. Make your FP based on current hours (it's all you can do anyway), start them as early as you can, and keep an eye out for those new hours. If changes are to regular hours, they will load FP into those hours and you should be able to modify. But even if you can't modify, you've still got them in the hours you'll need them.

 

[Disneylover99]

If park hours begin at 9am at the moment, and you like rope drop, but want to be out by noon, make your fp’s between 9-12pm.

 

[kes601]

About the only thing you can do is make two plans. Make one with the hours that are currently posted and one with the hours you think may happen based on data from years' past. This second plan may even need a Plan A and Plan B based on whether you can modify FP to the earlier schedule. Make your FP based on current hours (it's all you can do anyway), start them as early as you can, and keep an eye out for those new hours. If changes are to regular hours, they will load FP into those hours and you should be able to modify. But even if you can't modify, you've still got them in the hours you'll need them.

Yep, what I normally do when I think the park might end up opening an hour earlier is make our first FP for like 9:45, then get a 10:45, and an 11:45. Then if they post that 8:00 opening I'll move 11:45 to the 8:00 hour. Has worked well for FOP in the past and SDD for Thanksgiving this year.