Taking the fun out of Spontaneous visits

[kaybird]

The one bright spot is the fact that I have a great friend who performs in "Frozen - the Singalong"! Since he is actually working that day we have VIP seating for one of his shows! I think that my boys will be soo thrilled not to have to wait in line for something that they won't even complain that it is "Frozen"!! (they typically hate all things associated with the movie!! LOL)

This is a GREAT show!!! How neat that your friend is in it! It is cleverly written and performed so that both Frozen Fans and non-fans alike have a great time.

As far as FP+, try not to heed the gloom and doom. We have made at least 3 spontaneous trips to WDW since FP+. Actually made the FP+ on the bus headed to the park on the 2nd day. All is not lost! Have a SUPER trip!!!

 

[Ohiovolfan]

Kaybird - Thanks for the encouragement. After my initial dismay and frustration I am fine. Just decided to make the best of it and I'm sure the day will turn out fine - it IS Disney after all......

I am excited to see Frozen. My friend played Gaston in B&B for 5 + years and did an absolutely amazing job! I'm really looking forward to seeing what he brings to the Frozen Production!

 

[rcraw45425]

As in today? Because I was on the GMR in October, and waited no where near 45 minutes. I think just as before, a lot of how long the lines are depends on your timing.

No, this was like November 1 or 2. It had longer wait than Tower of Terror!

 

[maccagerl]

If you are getting your tickets the evening before , you can go online that night and reserve your FP+ for the next day. On my trip last month, I did this a few times ( decided at the last minute that I would be going to a different park the next day, and booked my FP that night for the next day), and was able to get the FP I wanted at the times I wanted (during the late morning and early afternoon).
I booked TSM and TOT this way, so don't give up hope!

 

[BelleBriarRose]

Don't give up hope! I had a spontaneous trip to Disney two weekends ago, when 2 of my friends and I took a road trip to Epcot. We weren't even there for rope drop, and we still had an amazing time! Fastpasses for Soarin, Test Track, and Mission Space were all gone but we got one for Spaceship Earth and did a few big rides around dinnertime when everyone else was eating. I would imagine that at HS you'd still be able to have a wonderful day with no pre-booked fastpasses, especially if you arrive at rope drop. Have fun!!

 

[CampbellzSoup]

I never understood how this spontaneous visit is fun or desirable? I like the make the most of my time and walking around aimlessly doesn't sound fun to me in a park built for planning.

Enjoy your stay and hopefully the magic will come alive somehow

 

[rcraw45425]

If you are not a first time visitor a spontaneous trip is great. The way we look at each trip is we come often enough if we don't do something once there's always the next visit. We have visits where we only do a few things, but that's fine with us. The enjoyment that we get doing what we want to at our own pace is much more pleasant than having every moment planned out. But that's just us, others may enjoy knowing two months out what park they are locked in to visiting on a certain day and what rides they have to ride. I was not particularly happy this morning trying to decide what park we are going to visit on Sunday Monday Tuesday and Wednesday in late May when I don't know what I want to ea right now for lunch.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

according to the app the current wait for the Great Movie Ride is 5 minutes. TSM is 105 though.

Been there so often I do not really plan anymore. I have some FPs sometimes and then just do whatever else I feel like doing.

OP when you have purchased and linked your tickets the night before, get right on and make FP reservations for the next day. If you have a computer or smartphone to do so that is.

 

[rcraw45425]

^^^ this is what I did in November, checked in called and ordered the tickets (too lazy to walk to the International Gateway!) and then mad the FP+ choices based on what was available.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I never understood how this spontaneous visit is fun or desirable? I like the make the most of my time and walking around aimlessly doesn't sound fun to me in a park built for planning.

Enjoy your stay and hopefully the magic will come alive somehow

Being spontaneous is not necessarily equivalent to walking around aimlessly, IME.

 

[rcraw45425]

Being spontaneous is not necessarily equivalent to walking around aimlessly, IME.

Exactly~

 

[elizabethcasper]

Just planned a spontaneous visit to WDW and specifically Hollywood Studios in the middle of our spring break next week. Staying in Sarasota are with the Grandparents and decided to take a quick jaunt up to Orlando to visit friends. Discovered that my son's former High School's Band (we moved from Ohio to SC a year ago) will be at Disney during that time and agreed to go to HS on the day that the band would be there so that he could see some friends he hasn't seen in almost a year.

We have left over unexpired tickets from a previous trip in 2003 that I have held onto faithfully for years. They are still good - but we have to go to customer service to upgrade them for current tickets once we are on property. Well I figured we could get to the park at rope drop and go straight to the FP kiosk and get some pretty decent Fast Pass times. Well - I just researched FP+ and realized that while we can get FP reservations - they will likely have a return time of 4pm - even if we are the first in line at the kiosk!! Oh well - guess it will be a mad dash to ride our first choice ride - then we will stand in endless lines the rest of the day.......At least I discovered this in advance and am prepared........Thankfully my son will happy just to see his friends again......

Not looking for solutions (though if you have any solutions or suggestions they are welcomed) - just wanted to vent for a few minutes.......Apparently the Pixie dust doesn't work for those who don't plan 60 to 90 days in advance...... :-(

Even if you can't link FP+ there are still plenty of enjoyable rides, although not thrill rides, at WDW to try out for your spontaneous trip! In Hollywood Studios there's Muppet Vision 3D, The Great Movie Ride, One Man's Dream and shows like Indiana Jones and Beauty and the Beast. You may have to wait in line for them, but it's nothing compared to Rock'n'Rollercoaster or Tower of Terror. Also, don't even try to do Fantasmic without a FP. Unfortunately HS has the least to offer in terms of short wait times :/