Refreshing for FOP FP, Any Tips?

[chiburple]

I'm refreshing to try and get an FOP FP I can use. I have 8:40-9:40pm right now (Nov 24), but we have a Chef Mickey's ADR at 8:10pm so that won't work. Any tips on best time of day to refresh? Best number of days before? (In case Disney adds FPs). Basically, anything I can do to improve my chances would be great. We only need 2.

 

[Lesley Wake]

Don't have any advice on refreshing unfortunately, but for your current schedule:
Can you try arriving earlier at Chef Mickey? That way they will seat you ASAP?
Can you take an Uber/lyft/Minnie van to AK after breakfast; that could cut down times considerably.
Remember you can still use your FP until 15 min after the window, that gives you until 9:55. And when you scan in CMs can see your actual time. If you arrive soon after the expiration and explain politely to the CM, I would expect they would be willing to still let you in. I had a 7DMT for 7:55 but the Happily Ever After dessert party at 7:45. The CMs didn't think twice about letting me in around 7.

 

[Klayfish]

I'm refreshing to try and get an FOP FP I can use. I have 8:40-9:40 right now (Nov 24), but we have a Chef Mickey's ADR at 8:10 so that won't work. Any tips on best time of day to refresh? Best number of days before? (In case Disney adds FPs). Basically, anything I can do to improve my chances would be great. We only need 2.

Best way to improve your chances is to do it over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over.

And if that doesn't work, do it over and over again.

Seriously, I don't know there's a "best time" of the day. It's impossible to predict when someone might be altering their plans. Back in July, I got a FP+ for FOP for the very next day. I think it was around 5pm when I got it, but that means absolutely nothing to anyone trying to get one now. And it took insane amounts of refreshing to get it.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

I have heard so many rumors about times to check FP availability and that there are better days of the week etc. I think it's all hogwash. I think as a FP time window opens up, it's released regardless of time of day/day of week. FOP is an extremely hard to get FP so the fact that you have it, that's great! If I were you, I would move my ADR at chef mickeys or change your meal plan all together if you can't get a different time.

 

[brownhaired_girl]

You might also ask your server at Chef Mickeys if they can help

 

[jaysmom4285]

Best way to improve your chances is to do it over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over.

And if that doesn't work, do it over and over again.

Seriously, I don't know there's a "best time" of the day. It's impossible to predict when someone might be altering their plans. Back in July, I got a FP+ for FOP for the very next day. I think it was around 5pm when I got it, but that means absolutely nothing to anyone trying to get one now. And it took insane amounts of refreshing to get it.

This. You have to be incredibly persistent about refreshing - like just taking a block of time and doing nothing but refresh the screen as long as you have time to do it. I admit to never having tried this for FoP, since I haven't been to WDW since it opened, but the incessant refreshing has never failed to get me any other FP+ for whatever time I wanted for any other attraction, often on the same day. Just keep at it and don't give up. Good luck. I'll be trying this for myself in December.

 

[chiburple]

Thanks for all the advise everyone!

Don't have any advice on refreshing unfortunately, but for your current schedule:
Can you try arriving earlier at Chef Mickey? That way they will seat you ASAP?
Can you take an Uber/lyft/Minnie van to AK after breakfast; that could cut down times considerably.
Remember you can still use your FP until 15 min after the window, that gives you until 9:55. And when you scan in CMs can see your actual time. If you arrive soon after the expiration and explain politely to the CM, I would expect they would be willing to still let you in. I had a 7DMT for 7:55 but the Happily Ever After dessert party at 7:45. The CMs didn't think twice about letting me in around 7.

We have Rivers of Light that ends at 7:30 I think so we'll head over right after. I heard that even if we arrive early, the wait can be as long as 45min! Is that true? Definitely, plan to take uber of lyft, but I'm worried even then we wouldn't make it. So it's a 15 min window grace period? I knew there was one, but wasn't sure how long? Do you know what the latest time they will let us into AK is?

Best way to improve your chances is to do it over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over.

And if that doesn't work, do it over and over again.

Seriously, I don't know there's a "best time" of the day. It's impossible to predict when someone might be altering their plans. Back in July, I got a FP+ for FOP for the very next day. I think it was around 5pm when I got it, but that means absolutely nothing to anyone trying to get one now. And it took insane amounts of refreshing to get it.

Sigh, I've been refreshing like crazy! I just really really hope it works! Lol. For how long at a time do you refresh?

I have heard so many rumors about times to check FP availability and that there are better days of the week etc. I think it's all hogwash. I think as a FP time window opens up, it's released regardless of time of day/day of week. FOP is an extremely hard to get FP so the fact that you have it, that's great! If I were you, I would move my ADR at chef mickeys or change your meal plan all together if you can't get a different time.

I've refreshed a few times for a different ADR time for Chef Mickey's with no luck. I wasn't sure which thing I should focus on with refreshing? I thought FP might be easier...

 

[jaysmom4285]

Sigh, I've been refreshing like crazy! I just really really hope it works! Lol. For how long at a time do you refresh?



I've refreshed a few times for a different ADR time for Chef Mickey's with no luck. I wasn't sure which thing I should focus on with refreshing? I thought FP might be easier...[/QUOTE]

Constant refreshing is more apt to get you a FP+ than an ADR. If you want a different time for your ADR, try the touring plans reservation finder (google it). You tell them the date and time parameter that you're looking for, and they do the constant searching and notify you when something is available via email and/or text message. You have to be very quick to jump on the notification and make the ADR yourself, as others probably are looking for the same time, but it has always worked for me.

As far as as how often or long to refresh - one day we went to AK with no FP+ in hand, but DH decided that he wanted to do the Safari as soon as we got there, which would be a little after rope drop and a line would probably have formed. MDE showed that there were no FP+ for the safari in the morning. I spent the bus ride - about 15-20 minutes - just constantly refreshing the Safari FP+ page to get a morning time. I probably hit refresh every 4-5 seconds for the duration of the bus ride, so you can do the math. Just before we arrived, a time popped up that was perfect, just a few minutes after our scheduled arrival. I have also spent time while we were taking a break and having a drink or snack just hitting refresh to get a new FP+ or to revise a time, again every 4-5 seconds for however long we sat there. It works a ton of the time.

 

[Klayfish]

Sigh, I've been refreshing like crazy! I just really really hope it works! Lol. For how long at a time do you refresh?

Well....depends on the ride. For anything but the two rides in Pandora, usually not all that long before I find something. But for FoP, it was to the point of It was July when we were there, so it had only been open a few months. My kids REALLY wanted to go on it. We heard stories of people showing up at the gates at 7am, which we had no interest in doing, and standby lines were 240 minutes at times, which we'd also never do. So every day, I'd try refreshing like crazy. 10 minutes here, 20 minutes there...usually while we were standing in a queue for a ride. I actually wound up getting it one night when we were at the rental house (we stay offsite). We were just chilling and watching TV, so I was mindlessly refreshing...probably at least 30 minutes non-stop. It popped up and I grabbed it immediately. It wasn't the time we wanted, and we had to alter other FP+ plans, but who cares...it was worth it.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

refreshing works, well it did for me. I got rol tusker house meal, and Fantasmic meal after trying for about a week. I am worried about fp+ my self as mine open soon but I am confident ill get the main ones I need, hopefully with little trouble.
Good luck just keep trying.

 

[Lesley Wake]

We have Rivers of Light that ends at 7:30 I think so we'll head over right after. I heard that even if we arrive early, the wait can be as long as 45min! Is that true? Definitely, plan to take uber of lyft, but I'm worried even then we wouldn't make it. So it's a 15 min window grace period? I knew there was one, but wasn't sure how long? Do you know what the latest time they will let us into AK is?

Oh, I didn't realize it was a Chef Mickey dinner-I thought breakfast! Honestly, I would probably drop it and try for a different day or lunchtime. Going from AK to Contemporary back to AK is going to take a long time! For Rivers of Light, are you going to have a Fastpass, standby, or dining? If you want a good view that will put you on the opposite end of the park from the entrance. You will need to "battle" all the crowds to get back out of the park and considering its day after Thanksgiving there will be plenty of crowds. Then you have to call an uber and wait for it to arrive. Then you are still looking at at least a 20 minute drive over. With dinnertime crowds, you could have a delay (I was thinking early morning may not have as much a delay). Eating and check could take some time, then another uber needs to be called, and get back to AK. Park closes at 10pm, so you have to be in line by that time. They will still let you in until park close, but you can't get in line afterwards.

Are you set on Chef Mickey for dinner? Remember there is Tusker House in AK, as well as Boma at AKL. As well as other excellent table service restaurants at both.

 

[chiburple]

Oh, I didn't realize it was a Chef Mickey dinner-I thought breakfast! Honestly, I would probably drop it and try for a different day or lunchtime. Going from AK to Contemporary back to AK is going to take a long time! For Rivers of Light, are you going to have a Fastpass, standby, or dining? If you want a good view that will put you on the opposite end of the park from the entrance. You will need to "battle" all the crowds to get back out of the park and considering its day after Thanksgiving there will be plenty of crowds. Then you have to call an uber and wait for it to arrive. Then you are still looking at at least a 20 minute drive over. With dinnertime crowds, you could have a delay (I was thinking early morning may not have as much a delay). Eating and check could take some time, then another uber needs to be called, and get back to AK. Park closes at 10pm, so you have to be in line by that time. They will still let you in until park close, but you can't get in line afterwards.

Are you set on Chef Mickey for dinner? Remember there is Tusker House in AK, as well as Boma at AKL. As well as other excellent table service restaurants at both.

Thanks! This feedback is helpful. I'm debating if we try to rope drop if I can't find a different time or try to pull off this stunt and it sounds like we should just forget our FP and rope-drop. We've never been to Chef Mickey's and I'll admit, I really want to. But I really want to do FOP too! Lol

 

[JETSDAD]

I find that there is a lot more movement with FP's the night before than there is further out as people are rearranging plans. 30-60 days out people aren't moving things around nearly as much.

 

[chiburple]

I find that there is a lot more movement with FP's the night before than there is further out as people are rearranging plans. 30-60 days out people aren't moving things around nearly as much.

I'm hoping they release the celebrity narrators for CP on the 24th soon and the person is so good it causes Someone to change plans and change their AK day. Wishful thinking!

 

[JETSDAD]

Just now I went to see how long it would take to find a FOP FP for this afternoon/evening. It took about 2 minutes before 2 time slots showed up with the one being for 5:30.

 

[chiburple]

OMG I JUST GOT IT!!! I'm still convincing myself it's not a glitch. Lol

Refreshing almost non-stop since yesterday worked!!!

 

[chiburple]

Thank you everyone!!!! I really appreciate all the advice!!!

 

[Lesley Wake]

OMG I JUST GOT IT!!! I'm still convincing myself it's not a glitch. Lol

Refreshing almost non-stop since yesterday worked!!!

Yay! So happy for you!

I would also consider dealing with the rope drop craziness as you will want to ride it more than once! I did it 4 times on my trip a few weeks ago and each one was a new experience (despite having the same actual film). Make sure to ask for different rows, as the screen is so big you can pay attention to different areas. It's not like Soarin, where you get distortion being on the edges or corners!

 

[chiburple]

Yay! So happy for you!

I would also consider dealing with the rope drop craziness as you will want to ride it more than once! I did it 4 times on my trip a few weeks ago and each one was a new experience (despite having the same actual film). Make sure to ask for different rows, as the screen is so big you can pay attention to different areas. It's not like Soarin, where you get distortion being on the edges or corners!

Thanks for the Tip . We're thinking we will do Navi at rope drop now that we have an FP for FOP. Hopefully, that will be a little less madness (and more sleep!)