So, I Wasn't Doomed at Walt Disney World :)

[pjweaver]

I've also kiosk found hard rides, especially for 1 rider while there in the middle of the afternoon. It's always worth checking the kiosks if your passing by them. soon you can get more from your mobile app so I think this "trick" will be going away and you'll be watching all the teens constantly on the phone trying to get more.

Those dang kids.
If you see a group of 30 people wearing the same brightly colored shirts in the single rider line, skip it.

I might also suggest a super early (8am) add for crystal palace?
Eat and then head over as close as you can get to the mine train before rope drop.

Same thing for Tusker House at AK. Skip rope drop and get great pictures and by the time time you're done eating popular rides have a 10 minute wait. Spring break kids stay up late and sleep late.

 

[samsteele]

Winging it for something like 7DMT is really hard. I had an ADR for an 8:20 BOG breakfast last Fall & it worked out really well. I arrived at the gates by 7:15 am and got into the ADR line on the far left hand side of the gates. They let all us of in for ADRs well before 8am. I finished with my breakfast by 8:20 (way before my original ADR time) and was in line for 7DMT by 8:30 am. The CMs let us ride it 3x in a row through the FP+ line before the first park crowds came in. If you have any questions, PM me. I thought the breakfast was worth it for this huge 7DMT advantage. However, it is not an absolute guarantee that you will be able to ride. Also, it is possible for parties of 2 to share a BOG breakfast to reduce the fee. It is controversial but the reality is that it is an expensive breakfast for the quality of food that you receive. Good luck!

 

[Accident]

Winging it for something like 7DMT is really hard.

Depends when you wing it. Getting in line right before they close the standby line for more riders at the end of the night is usually how I ride it. Never waited over 20 minutes with this method. You need to be quick though, there is a fine line of everyone distracted in the back with the fireworks and them remember to rush into line when they end.

 

[*NikkiBell*]

Hey guys,

I am going to be in WDW in the middle of March and haven't made any Fastpass reservations. Am I doomed to have a miserable vacation?

Me too. When?

Btw, why not just make them now? I've gotten Mine Train FPs during peak season the day of. There are always passes available. Just check in the morning and afternoon.

ETA: You can just put in your ticket number or ressie number on MDE and make your FPs without issue.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

I was able to add a SDMT FP+ about a week out from our 2014 trip. We also rode SDMT stand-by once during that trip. We'd already seen Wishes once in that trip, so we decided to hit up things that normally have longer lines around Wishes. We got in line for SDMT before Wishes and waited maybe about 25 min to get on stand-by (posted wait was 45 min) and dashed over to Space Mountain as Wishes was going on.

 

[*NikkiBell*]

Just to further illustrate my points...you can still get a FP for Mine Train as of 2:05 PM EST for later on today. While it isn't "peak season" just yet, this is what I experience regularly when I visit during that time period. You'll be good to go.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Thanks, everyone

I was hesitant to try Fastpass plus, but simple words from you and I logged in to My Disney Experience & chose the attractions I was most interested in, and got a lunch for one at the Be Our Guest. It was a lot easier than I anticipated, so now I can look forward to a new adventure. (even if I don't get all the acronyms you all have been using ) lol

@*NikkiBell* - I'll be there the weekend of March 18-21. It'll be a birthday celebration for me.

 

[SorcererHeidi]

Oh, nice - and early happy birthday, Mary Jo!!

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

You will be fine. Keep checking for the fastpasses. Periscope often. I was crazy enough to do Christmas morning in 2010 before the latest fastpass system. DH and I did a half of day at MK (only left because we had to go to Tampa to meet up with MIL and DH's brothers/their families for Christmas dinner/pre-cruise).

I think that you are going to pretty flexible enough for most parks as a party of one. Spring break plus the week prior to Easter---big crowds so have fun. I'm not sure on my old tricks since its been 2.5 years for me. Animal Kingdom and Epcot for you to go for the trip.

Did I mention to Periscope often?

Oh, heck yeah I will. From a DLR vet perspective!

Thank you @SorcererHeidi

 

[disneysteve]

I logged in to My Disney Experience & chose the attractions I was most interested in, and got a lunch for one at the Be Our Guest.

Very nice. Although I have some issues with the system, overall it does work as it should (most of the time). One tip - take a screen shot on your phone of the FPs and ADRs you have booked each day. It is much easier to pull up photos, especially if the park Wifi is wonky or the system is down when you need to access them.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Very nice. Although I have some issues with the system, overall it does work as it should (most of the time). One tip - take a screen shot on your phone of the FPs and ADRs you have booked each day. It is much easier to pull up photos, especially if the park Wifi is wonky or the system is down when you need to access them.

Thank you! I will

 

[*NikkiBell*]

@Mary Jo, I'll be there! Let's meet up!

 

[kbelle8995]

Thanks, guys, for the helpful and fun responses! Maybe I was a little dramatic with my title.

I am really going to WDW, and have never used Magic Bands or Fastpass Plus, and really just want to wing it in the parks, so I'm thinking I'll have to stand hours in line. I forgot all about Spring Break crowds! To tell you the truth, though, going on Carousel of Progress, Peoplemover, and Country Bear sounds wonderful! ha ha

It's not so much that I'm overwhelmed, but I know Disneyland like the back of my hand, and have been to Walt Disney World probably a handful of times, and only once as a full family vacation. It's usually a "stopover" for one of the Podcast cruises or Disapalooza, so I'm really unprepared for the work that goes into planning for fastpasses, etc., for a trip there. I have a 4-day hopper pass through my work, and it's an E-ticket - no Magic Band (I don't even know how to convert it to Magic Band). I think my last visit to the park was 2012, and that was only World Showcase at Epcot. I'll be there for partial day on Friday (the day I fly in on a redeye), all day Saturday, most of Sunday, and Monday morning to early afternoon. Animal Kingdom is a must for me, as is Epcot, & Magic Kingdom (in that order). Not even going to Hollywood Studios, I think. I would like to try the Dwarves Mine Train ride, but at this late date I think I'm out of luck for fastpasses. I've never been on the Florida Peter Pan, and a couple of the minor attractions there that are similar in Disneyland.

You'll have a great time Mary Jo. I will be there next week. And COP, the Peoplemover are my favorites. Don't forget to ride Spaceship Earth and the land boat ride. Don't forget Flower & Garden Festival, It is Epcot at it's prettiest.

 

[OKW Lover]

Mary Jo, Val & I hope we can spend some time in the parks with you while you are here. We can be doomed together.

 

[k5jm]

Hey guys,

I am going to be in WDW in the middle of March and haven't made any Fastpass reservations. Am I doomed to have a miserable vacation?

No way! Come and hang with me at Rope Drop and the Welcome show!!

 

[*NikkiBell*]

No way! Come and hang with me at Rope Drop and the Welcome show!!

Rope drop? What is this evil thing you speak of?!!!

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Thank you, everyone, for your advice. That was a fast weekend! I made my fastpass plus reservations for each day, so I felt readily prepared. However, I didn't realize that my schedule would change so much due to meetings and rain (ha ha), so I didn't use any of them, and winged the entire weekend. It was great. I didn't get a magic band, but had a nice plastic hopper that I was able to use. I did the things I most wanted to do, except Peter Pan, but will do that next time. Special thanks to @WebmasterMike, or I wouldn't have been able to see my very first Welcome Show at the Magic Kingdom. I was totally charmed.

 

[SorcererHeidi]

Thank you, everyone, for your advice. That was a fast weekend! I made my fastpass plus reservations for each day, so I felt readily prepared. However, I didn't realize that my schedule would change so much due to meetings and rain (ha ha), so I didn't use any of them, and winged the entire weekend. It was great. I didn't get a magic band, but had a nice plastic hopper that I was able to use. I did the things I most wanted to do, except Peter Pan, but will do that next time. Special thanks to @WebmasterMike, or I wouldn't have been able to see my very first Welcome Show at the Magic Kingdom. I was totally charmed.

Glad you had a magical visit, and I hope you also had a happy birthday!!

 

[kbelle8995]

Thank you, everyone, for your advice. That was a fast weekend! I made my fastpass plus reservations for each day, so I felt readily prepared. However, I didn't realize that my schedule would change so much due to meetings and rain (ha ha), so I didn't use any of them, and winged the entire weekend. It was great. I didn't get a magic band, but had a nice plastic hopper that I was able to use. I did the things I most wanted to do, except Peter Pan, but will do that next time. Special thanks to @WebmasterMike, or I wouldn't have been able to see my very first Welcome Show at the Magic Kingdom. I was totally charmed.

Glad you had a great time, Mary Jo.

 

[OKW Lover]

We so enjoyed seeing you this weekend Mary Jo!