Work backwards in booking FP's?

[Mickey&Mouse]

While reading Mesaboy’s recommendations for scheduling FP’s, it’s mentioned that when your booking window opens up to try to work backwards from the last park day to the first park day- in order to have more availability for harder- to-get FP’s.

I was wondering if anyone who has scheduled FP’s recently could give any feedback on using this strategy, or not using it, and any success they had. Has anyone started with their first day and had availability for 7DMT or TSMM towards the beginning of their trip?

Our trip will be in mid-May, so our booking window opens in March. Thanks in advance for any replies!

 

[Rwsm2011]

I started with my last MK day, then went to the next MK day. Once all of the MK days were done I just went in order of the rest of the days. I was able to get A&E and 7DMT on all three MK days at good times. I then tweaked what I wanted at MK so I didn't use all of my Fps on those two things. We are going at a very low crowd time so I'm sure that had some effect. I definitely recommend working backwards with MK days.

 

[Madame]

I just used this strategy two nights ago. DHS is the first day of our trip (March 14). I did all our MK days first to get 7DMT - no problems for all 3 days at MK.

Then I went back to do our DHS day & had several choices for TSMM (AM & PM).

Just an FYI, A&E was also available for all our MK days for a group of 5 at good AM & PM times. Our MK days are the 3rd, 4th & 6th days of our trip.

This was hugely different from our end of Aug trip when I couldn't get any A&E or 7DMT that weren't late in the PM until the last day of our 6 day trip.

 

[Mickey&Mouse]

I started with my last MK day, then went to the next MK day. Once all of the MK days were done I just went in order of the rest of the days. I was able to get A&E and 7DMT on all three MK days at good times. I then tweaked what I wanted at MK so I didn't use all of my Fps on those two things. We are going at a very low crowd time so I'm sure that had some effect. I definitely recommend working backwards with MK days.

This is good to hear- thanks!

I just used this strategy two nights ago. DHS is the first day of our trip (March 14). I did all our MK days first to get 7DMT - no problems for all 3 days at MK.

Then I went back to do our DHS day & had several choices for TSMM (AM & PM).

Just an FYI, A&E was also available for all our MK days for a group of 5 at good AM & PM times. Our MK days are the 3rd, 4th & 6th days of our trip.

This was hugely different from our end of Aug trip when I couldn't get any A&E or 7DMT that weren't late in the PM until the last day of our 6 day trip.

Also good to hear, particularly the TSMM availability after making the MK FP's first. Thanks!

 

[BMonhaut]

I used this strategy, but it just kind of worked out. We had MK as our last two days anyways, so that helped and I got good times for both A&E (4 people) and 7DMT (10 people). After our last day at MK, I went to our first day (HS) to get TSMM FP, then moved to 2nd day (Epcot) for Soarin, then the third day (MK) because the fastpasses we wanted for that day were less in demand. All in all, it went about as well as I could've hoped for a very crowded President's Day week.

 

[kay1864]

I did mine just after midnight on day 60, and I did 7DMT and TSM first, then filled in the other days (as it happened A&E was available also).

The actual days of the parks (e.g. MK on Day 2, MK Day 4, DHS on Day 6) was based on the crowd calendars--but I had decided which days/which parks several days before I logged on for FPs.

In other words, I think snagging 7DMT/TSM/A&E is more important than doing last day first.

 

[nooneshome]

I started with my last MK day, then went to the next MK day. Once all of the MK days were done I just went in order of the rest of the days. I was able to get A&E and 7DMT on all three MK days at good times. I then tweaked what I wanted at MK so I didn't use all of my Fps on those two things. We are going at a very low crowd time so I'm sure that had some effect. I definitely recommend working backwards with MK days.

bingo. This what I did.

 

[mggeary]

This strategy will works well. You should be able to get A&E for days 5 on without trouble, tricky for mid size groups days 3-4, likely gone days 1-2. If you only want to meet them once, pick a MK day later in your trip and immediately adjust/optimize the time.

7DMT I had no trouble getting on all days, but thats your next priority. May be some time restrictions on day 1.

If you have any interest in MSEP/Wishes/FoF and they are released by 60 days, grab them now.

Rest is gravy.

 

[minniemous]

Definitely works well. Also works well for booking Dining reservations. If you have rides or dining that are a must then definitely secure those rides late in your stay and then work back towards the beginning of your stay.

 

[ekatiel]

This site updates itself every 30 minutes and lists FP+ availability for a group of 4: http://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=835236
As, you can see, there is Anna and Elsa availability for every single date at 60 days onward. The other FPs have even more availability. 7DMT seems to be running about 30 days out. Now, the site above does not show times. Some of the times available (especially for Anna and Elsa) might be less than desirable. If you do not want A&E, I think you can start with your MK days (first MK day first, then second day and so on), then move to your DHS days to get TSMM. I booked two nights ago and was able to get everything I wanted at the times I wanted (including 7DMT on 4 different MK days). I started with my first MK day, then did the next and so on. After that, I did DHS and the other parks. Next I went into my MK days and "tweaked" the times to what I wanted, then I tweaked my DHS day and finally the other days. I had very specific times that I wanted because I had already made personalized touring plans, and I was able to get all those times . You won't have a problem, as long as you don't need A&E.

 

[Dreamport]

I didn't go last day to first, but did jump around based on which days we wanted the most exclusive attractions. Our MK day where we wanted A&E was done first, then our HS day for TSMM. After that I tried for our arrival night at MK and departure day also at MK, followed by the rest. The only day A&E wasn't available was our arrival night (by the time I looked, anyway) but even then there were still plenty of times available for 7DMT. We managed to get at least one FP for every ride we wanted with this plan. Oh, our window opened on Christmas Eve for a February trip. Not sure how well this plan will work heading into more crowded dates.

 

[Mickey&Mouse]

This site updates itself every 30 minutes and lists FP+ availability for a group of 4: http://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=835236
As, you can see, there is Anna and Elsa availability for every single date at 60 days onward. The other FPs have even more availability. 7DMT seems to be running about 30 days out. Now, the site above does not show times. Some of the times available (especially for Anna and Elsa) might be less than desirable. If you do not want A&E, I think you can start with your MK days (first MK day first, then second day and so on), then move to your DHS days to get TSMM. I booked two nights ago and was able to get everything I wanted at the times I wanted (including 7DMT on 4 different MK days). I started with my first MK day, then did the next and so on. After that, I did DHS and the other parks. Next I went into my MK days and "tweaked" the times to what I wanted, then I tweaked my DHS day and finally the other days. I had very specific times that I wanted because I had already made personalized touring plans, and I was able to get all those times . You won't have a problem, as long as you don't need A&E.

Thanks for the info on the website- it does show a lot of availability for 7DMT & TSMM. We aren't interested in A&E so that won't be an issue. Great to read so many success stories!

 

[nessz79]

That website is so helpful! Looks like if I don't need A&E (which we don't), I don't need to be staying up until midnight, especially since I'm not too picky about times.

 

[Jfsag123]

Just thought I'd share as well. Booked our FP+ for a busy spring break week 2 days ago with no problem at all. I did start with my MK days and did the last one first, but I would have been fine the other way around as well. Had our pick of times for A&E, SDMT, and TSMM. Just checked our dates again to see what it was looking like and there were still times available all day from open to close for TSMM on the 3rd day of our trip and SDMT on the 4th day of our trip (which is our first MK day). Still lots of A&E too. We are a group of 4.