Please ease my fears!

[Cinderella822]

I just booked my first trip in over 10 years. Used to go almost annually. Things have certainly changed, especially this new booking fast passes 60 days out! Some of the things I'm reading make me wonder if I made a mistake booking this. Is it possible to get on rides and actually have a good time with minimal strategizing? I will book my FPs when my date comes around and take advantage of EMH, but how much do I really need to do beyond that? I want to enjoy my vacation not stress over it the whole time! I'm going in October.

 

[glocon]

You can have a good time with minimal strategizing, but you can have even a better time by strategizing! Depending on when you go, having a plan can really make your day go smoother and help you get more done. Most of us here on the dis love to plan and strategize!

 

[gap2368]

I have a great time all I really plan is my FP and that is it. I do not really eat at sit down place but some you do have to make in advance. Beside that there really is not much advance planning. Have you looked st the FP sticky to see what FP to do and also refreshing the app for more FP

But yes you can have a good time. No I lied you can have a great time at Disney

 

[Cinderella822]

You can have a good time with minimal strategizing, but you can have even a better time by strategizing! Depending on when you go, having a plan can really make your day go smoother and help you get more done. Most of us here on the dis love to plan and strategize!

I used to be a master planner when I went annually! My family thought I was nuts. I was on this board constantly reading over posts and planning. But it seems to be even more intense now. Bigger crowds to manage or something. I do love to plan but I read about having to constantly look for FPs on your phone all day long, etc., and that sounds stressful to me. Maybe I'm just out of practice! LOL I'm sure I'll find a lot to do even if the lines are too long.

 

[rwdavis2]

The only things we really plan are fast passes and which park each day. One of the best things to do that requires almost no planning is get to a park entrance 30 minutes prior to opening. That puts you way ahead of most people.

 

[yorkieteacher]

I would do some strategizing at least, like trying to get fast passes for the most popular rides for the time frame that begins about an hour after park opening or later, rope drop popular rides you didn't get fast passes for, and riding the less popular rides in the middle of the day. Knowing where you want to go next, and knowing if you are willing to jump around, and knowing the must do rides and the rides your group could cheerfully skip certainly helps as well. I have occasionally gotten the fourth or fifth fast passes on park days, but more often just go with the three original and work around those. It also helps to be familiar with show schedules and character greet schedules available on the Disney website if you are interested in those. You really do need a touring plan of some sort so you aren't standing around deciding what to do next too much taking up valuable touring time-

 

[SillySallySews]

What are your expectations? Lots of people still go with very minimal planning and have a great time. We took our first trip as a family almost 10 years ago and honestly I don’t feel like anything has changed for the worst, except maybe prices haha. I like using magic bands, especially as a room key. I also like knowing that I have FP booked in advance. We still decide what parks we’re going to on what days in advance, and show up about 30 minutes prior to rope drop, just like we did on our first trips. You can still get a lot done first thing in the morning. I think maybe the biggest difference you will notice are the crowds. It seems like over the last few years especially more people have started going in the fall.

 

[Alesia]

You can certainly have a good time without any planning, but spending a couple hours coming up with a touring plan, carefully choosing which days you're going to each park, and planning your fastpasses can really increase the amount you can accomplish and decrease your stress.

I know it seems intimidating, but planning a trip is much easier now than it used to be.

 

[Cinderella822]

What are your expectations? Lots of people still go with very minimal planning and have a great time. We took our first trip as a family almost 10 years ago and honestly I don’t feel like anything has changed for the worst, except maybe prices haha. I like using magic bands, especially as a room key. I also like knowing that I have FP booked in advance. We still decide what parks we’re going to on what days in advance, and show up about 30 minutes prior to rope drop, just like we did on our first trips. You can still get a lot done first thing in the morning. I think maybe the biggest difference you will notice are the crowds. It seems like over the last few years especially more people have started going in the fall.

I guess the large crowds are scaring me a bit. I have read some blogs about mapping it out and which routes to take to get to the rides the fastest, etc. I love to plan and will plan ahead, but also like to just take it all in as I'm going from ride to ride and not running all over the parks all day (getting too old for that!). I would love to just ride the newest things that I haven't been on yet and some of my old favorites. If all else fails, I'll go to the Epcot Food & Wine Festival! That looks more extensive than when I was there last.

 

[Mom2Stitch]

I used to be a master planner when I went annually! My family thought I was nuts. I was on this board constantly reading over posts and planning. But it seems to be even more intense now. Bigger crowds to manage or something. I do love to plan but I read about having to constantly look for FPs on your phone all day long, etc., and that sounds stressful to me. Maybe I'm just out of practice! LOL I'm sure I'll find a lot to do even if the lines are too long.

I think you are in the right starting place. As funny as it sounds, lots has changed, but it's still kind of the same. To someone new it's a lot to unpack, but hey you're a long time vet-you've got this!

Now instead of having a runner to go and grab the FP's- you will be grabbing 3 from the comfort of your own home 60 days in advance-no more running!. Start with putting together your park days and ADRs if you make any-try to plan your FP's around that. You know in advance that the hardest FP's are for Slinky Dog-Flight of Passage-Seven Dwarfs mine train-so on your FP day start with those first, planning them further into your trip usually makes them easier to get.

Once you use those FP's at the parks you have the option of getting more, just one at a time. In MK, this can be fairly easy since the park has so much and nothing is tiered. Personally, I don't keep my nose in my phone all day trying to get more, but there are plenty of folks who use the strategy and are very successful with it. The FP threads stuck at the top should help you with that.

The "constantly reading over posts" here is still the best way to absorb the tips and tricks and it won't be long you'll be good to go. Just being here puts you way ahead of most of the people at the parks.

I would also suggest Youtube- be careful if you don't want spoilers, but I have found videos that are very good to get you up to speed.

 

[_19disnA]

The only things we really plan are fast passes and which park each day.

Same here. Also helps to know where the rides are and plan FastPasses accordingly so you aren't zig-zagging all over the park. For us it's a vacation, not a job and excessive planning ruins the fun of being on vacation, but everyone has their own idea of how to enjoy their vacation. We went recently and also hadn't been there in over 10 years. Parks all seemed a LOT more crowded then in the past so it takes longer to get from one place to another and the ride lines were a lot longer. Bottom line is you won't be able to do as many rides in a day as in the past, even with FastPasses due to the crowds. No amount of pre-planning will change the number of other people who are there.

 

[JH50]

The best thing you can do is understand how FP works, and book early enough so that your initial (3) are for the top rides that you want to do. From there, you can book an additional FP once you use your third pass of the day, and can continue to do so throughout the day until they are unavailable. Understanding FP will alleviate the time spent waiting in line. Outside of that, getting to the park early at opening, or staying until closing, are also good ways to minimize crowds. It's always busy, and the wait times will never go away, but enjoy the little things such as the views from the monorail or Peoplemover, the walk down Main St., the parades/fireworks/sideshows, the music in the background no matter where you are, and the overall atmosphere in general.

 

[Gehrig1B]

A little knowledge can go a long way. I can't tell you how many people will stand in a long quick service line oblivious to the fact they could have ordered from their phone and already be eating. You can often move up a fast pass time with a couple of taps on the phone as well. Gonna miss a dining reservation? Just modify to another day and cancel later.

We can easily get 8+ fast passes in a day just spending a few minutes on the app while going through a fast pass queue. We haven't gotten in a standby line of over 20 minutes in years.

To avoid crowds arrive before rope drop, enjoy short standby lines, then take advantage of fast passes. We book our first FP around 10:00 am. We will leave during the most crowded parts of the day and enjoy a sit-down lunch at a resort or even nap at our resort... returning in the evening for lighter crowds, dinner, and fireworks!

 

[Cinderella822]

A little knowledge can go a long way. I can't tell you how many people will stand in a long quick service line oblivious to the fact they could have ordered from their phone and already be eating.

I'm one of those people who doesn't know about this! You can order ahead on your phone? I have to look into this now. Not planning any real sit down meals as we want to maximize the time spent on rides, so just doing quick service for the most part.

 

[Chickinvic]

I just booked my first trip in over 10 years. Used to go almost annually. Things have certainly changed, especially this new booking fast passes 60 days out! Some of the things I'm reading make me wonder if I made a mistake booking this. Is it possible to get on rides and actually have a good time with minimal strategizing? I will book my FPs when my date comes around and take advantage of EMH, but how much do I really need to do beyond that? I want to enjoy my vacation not stress over it the whole time! I'm going in October.

I will go against most and say - things are not as enjoyable for me with Disneyworld's fastpass system. I FAR prefer Disneyland's (paper tickets, get them when you are there). I don't want to have to plan everything that much in advance. I also don't like the fact that all the good fastpasses are gone by the time my 30 day window opens up (and before people pipe up about hitting refresh on the app all day long - honestly, that would become like a job to me and I'm there for vacation). I am paying for my admission to the parks, and even though I don't stay on property - I feel that I should be treated as a valued guest also. On site guests already get other perks, so why this too?

Anyways, that's my probably unpopular view. I like to be a lot more spontaneous, and I think a good amount of that has been taken away. I far prefer Disneyland, but I don't live on the west coast anymore so it is easier for me to get to Orlando.

 

[Gehrig1B]

I'm one of those people who doesn't know about this! You can order ahead on your phone? I have to look into this now. Not planning any real sit down meals as we want to maximize the time spent on rides, so just doing quick service for the most part.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/mobile-food-orders/

 

[Gehrig1B]

(and before people pipe up about hitting refresh on the app all day long - honestly, that would become like a job to me and I'm there for vacation).

Piping up: With our family of 4 we usually take turns and it generally means no more than 5 minutes for one of us while going through the Fast Pass queue... makes a lot more sense than searching for a short standby line which may be on the other side of the park or getting in a line and waiting 45+ minutes to ride. Refreshing "all day long" is hyperbole, it only takes a few minutes and can save hours standing in lines. And Disneyland now has their version of the electronic FastPass as well, MaxPass.

 

[Chickinvic]

Piping up: With our family of 4 we usually take turns and it generally means no more than 5 minutes for one of us while going through the Fast Pass queue... makes a lot more sense than searching for a short standby line which may be on the other side of the park or getting in a line and waiting 45+ minutes to ride. Refreshing "all day long" is hyperbole, it only takes a few minutes and can save hours standing in lines. And Disneyland now has their version of the electronic FastPass as well, MaxPass.

I don't find it enjoyable. I just really don't like their whole system. I would gladly go back to before it existed and everyone had an equal shot at things. I cannot even imagine someone like my mom (not tech savvy) trying to navigate this stuff.

Also, Maxpass is totally different. Firstly, anyone willing to pay a bit for it can get equal access to it, and it is only to book fastpasses while you are actually in the park that day. I don't have a problem using my phone for that since I would have to walk to the machines to get the paper passes anyways. It is the whole having to try to pick from whatever is leftover from the resort guests who have had 30 (or more depending on length of their stay) extra days to choose theirs than I get, and having to plan everything so far out that I don't like. I know I don't "have" to do that, but if I want to accomplish the most it is recommended. I just don't like it. If you like Disneyworld's system, then good for you. Many do not.

 

[nancipants]

I'm one of those people who doesn't know about this! You can order ahead on your phone? I have to look into this now. Not planning any real sit down meals as we want to maximize the time spent on rides, so just doing quick service for the most part.

In the app, there's an option to order food, same place where you'd go to make a fast pass or dining reservation. It will have a list of restaurants where mobile order is available. You make your order, and then when you're ready to pick it up there's an option for them to prepare your food. There will be a specific place in the restaurant to pick it up. Super fast and easy.

 

[JimmyBean42]

You can have a GREAT time with minimal planning. Even if you don't get your FP 60 days out, check your phone here and there and see what opens up. If you wanted dining reservations, check the day before and day of as people cancel a lot. But most importantly, keep a positive attitude. We faced crazy spring break crowds last time we went and still had an awesome time b/c we told ourselves we weren't going to get stressed about not getting on any particular ride or not getting into a certain restaurant to eat. We were very casual and it helped. Ease back your expectations, take a minute to stop and look at the details and just relax and you'll have a great trip. Hope you enjoy it!