“Refresh” - am I understanding this correctly?

cmfitz14

Mouseketeer
Joined
Jun 13, 2014
Sorry for the long post!! We haven’t been to Disney in 3 years. The last time we went we had to use the kiosks to get an additional fast pass after using the 3 we booked. I keep reading about the “refresh” strategy, and I want to make sure I understand it correctly! Haha

So, let’s take our first park day next month as an example. We have FP for 12, 230, and 330. Later times bc we probably won’t get to the park until about 11:30ish due to our flight. Also, we have an ADR at 1:30 at BOG. After we use our 3 pre-booked fast passes, I can use the app to book another one, correct? Let’s say I want Jungle Cruise (totally hypothetical - but just using that as I know my kids like it). So I’ll search specifically for Jungle Cruise and keep refreshing until the time I want pops up? Do I enter a time I want? I’m not sure what to expect for that?
I’m shocked this works, bc the TP app Lines usually shows no or very limited availability for most rides for FP when I check each day around 6pm just to get a feel of what would be available when we go.
I worry that our large party of 7 will reduce our chances - but I can always search for my family of 4 and my sister in law can do her family of 3. I guess I’m just having trouble wrapping my brain around the idea that even though it may show no availability, but repeatedly hitting refresh, it may show up. Is that accurate?
 
Sorry for the long post!! We haven’t been to Disney in 3 years. The last time we went we had to use the kiosks to get an additional fast pass after using the 3 we booked. I keep reading about the “refresh” strategy, and I want to make sure I understand it correctly! Haha

So, let’s take our first park day next month as an example. We have FP for 12, 230, and 330. Later times bc we probably won’t get to the park until about 11:30ish due to our flight. Also, we have an ADR at 1:30 at BOG. After we use our 3 pre-booked fast passes, I can use the app to book another one, correct? Let’s say I want Jungle Cruise (totally hypothetical - but just using that as I know my kids like it). So I’ll search specifically for Jungle Cruise and keep refreshing until the time I want pops up? Do I enter a time I want? I’m not sure what to expect for that?
I’m shocked this works, bc the TP app Lines usually shows no or very limited availability for most rides for FP when I check each day around 6pm just to get a feel of what would be available when we go.
I worry that our large party of 7 will reduce our chances - but I can always search for my family of 4 and my sister in law can do her family of 3. I guess I’m just having trouble wrapping my brain around the idea that even though it may show no availability, but repeatedly hitting refresh, it may show up. Is that accurate?

Yes to both. Thousands of guests are changing plans constantly, which is why refreshing works.

One recommended strategy is to take any time for the attraction you want, then repeatedly refresh it to move it closer to your ultimately desired time.
 
Yes, you have the concept pretty much spot on. In your example, yes, you'd search for JC as soon as you tap into FP+ #3. The most efficient way to do it is to grab whatever JC time shows up, even if it isn't what you want. For example, if you want JC for 3:45pm and in your first try it shows up for 6pm, grab it. Then just modify your 6pm reservation and refresh until you get what you want.

TP Lines app for FP+ availability is about as useful as a screen door on a submarine...don't waste your time. I like the app for the real time crowd sourced wait times, but they'd have no clue as to what FP+ are available moment to moment.
 
Awesome! I also feel much better hearing that TP Lines app isn’t super accurate. I’ve been feeling discouraged when I’ve noticed there aren’t many FP listed as available on the app when I check late day most days.
 


In regards to the party of 7...you should most definitely look 4 + 3, and sometimes even 2 + 2 +3. You don't necessarily need the exact same time...just overlap. So JC at 4:15 for 2 of you, 4:30 for 2 more, and 4:45 for the next 3 is still a FP for all 7 at 4:45...also, multiple cm's have told me that majority rules. For example, last year I had fp for FOP for my family of 3 at 5:15. 2 weeks before we arrived we invited my DD's friend. Only fp I could find was for 9:30pm. They let her ride with us. They only cared that the majority had a fp earlier and that she had a fp. So if 5 of you have a fp and 2 have it at a later time, they will allow you all to ride together. I would confirm this when you first arrive, but it was done for us multiple times last year during Thanksgiving week.
 
I have a party of 7 and had no problems getting FPs. As said above, sometimes had to split up group but almost always got what we wanted. Gonna be a group of 9 again on upcoming trip, hopefully FP works out ok for us.
 


Just returned from a 10-day trip and wanted to report that "refresh" works! I was a bit lazy at the beginning of our trip, but got the hang of it mid-way through. As soon as we tapped into FP#1, I would search for a earlier time for FP#2 (unless there was something we wanted to do in between), and then got an earlier time for FP#3 after tapping into FP#2. You do need patience, however! It usually took about 15-30 attempts to get what I wanted, but that only amounted to a few minutes and it became a fun challenge! It worked great for getting that 4th FP, allowing us to ride all three Tier 1 rides at Epcot in one day, for example.

I did not have luck with FOP (but also didn't try more than 5 minutes) and had a harder time with Toy Story Mania, but got what I wanted when I split our party of 6 into smaller groups and got overlapping times.

Refreshing rocks!!!
 
You may also want to try moving up your FPs if you arrive when you expect to. You've got two hours before your ADR and by 11:30 the lines are pretty long most days. Try to move your first FP up when you arrive. If that's successful move up the 2nd, etc. Then you can start grabbing 4th+ FPs all afternoon.

Also, just to be clear, most people seem to agree that the lines app is pretty accurate for showing ride wait times. It's probably accurate for showing at the split second they look, which FPs are available but as others have said that information is useless. It was useful when you had to go to a kiosk. But not anymore. TP should just get rid of it.
 
In regards to the party of 7...you should most definitely look 4 + 3, and sometimes even 2 + 2 +3. You don't necessarily need the exact same time...just overlap. So JC at 4:15 for 2 of you, 4:30 for 2 more, and 4:45 for the next 3 is still a FP for all 7 at 4:45...also, multiple cm's have told me that majority rules. For example, last year I had fp for FOP for my family of 3 at 5:15. 2 weeks before we arrived we invited my DD's friend. Only fp I could find was for 9:30pm. They let her ride with us. They only cared that the majority had a fp earlier and that she had a fp. So if 5 of you have a fp and 2 have it at a later time, they will allow you all to ride together. I would confirm this when you first arrive, but it was done for us multiple times last year during Thanksgiving week.


WOW WOW WOW
Thanks for the info. We are traveling with a large party and I was concerned about trying to get 4th fastpass for everybody at the same time or even overlapping.
This is an awesome tip!

Fine print ( I understand that this would be at the discretion of the cm, yadda, yadda, yadda, and that it may not be happening at the time I go to the park, yadda yadda, yadda) But this is an excellent tool to have in my back pocket in case the situation arises.....

So THANK YOU
 
Haven't been to the parks in almost 8 years so I am not up on the changes. I know about the bands and the fastpass but what "app" are you referring too. Is there a specific app I should download of just the Disney app? Thanks!
 
You can start trying for the 4th FP as soon as you check in for the third. So while you are waiting to board, you can get your next one set up.
 
WOW WOW WOW
Thanks for the info. We are traveling with a large party and I was concerned about trying to get 4th fastpass for everybody at the same time or even overlapping.
This is an awesome tip!

Fine print ( I understand that this would be at the discretion of the cm, yadda, yadda, yadda, and that it may not be happening at the time I go to the park, yadda yadda, yadda) But this is an excellent tool to have in my back pocket in case the situation arises.....

So THANK YOU
No problem at all. Keep this in mind through out your trip...sometimes everything will work out, sometimes it won't. Just keep smiling and rolling with. I found that if I kept a positive attitude and asked cm's nicely more often than not they would do whatever they could to accommodate me.

You can't imagine how many rude and unruly guests they encounter all day long. They really tend to appreciate a smiling pleasant guest so long as your not trying to "game" the system.

Had fun!
 
Sorry for the dumb question chiming in, you can get more FP for tier 1 rides? I knew about refresh, but I didn't know this part. So when all 3 FP are used I can go back in and get another Soarin, and then a Test Track if they're available?

On my trip last year I didn't know about refresh but I remember the app saying I had already used a tier 1 when I was getting a 4th.
 
Awesome! I also feel much better hearing that TP Lines app isn’t super accurate. I’ve been feeling discouraged when I’ve noticed there aren’t many FP listed as available on the app when I check late day most days.

I wouldn't necessarily call TP inaccurate. It's just that when they list something like there are no FPs available for Jungle Cruise at 4 pm on Saturday, they only checked that specific FP one time in the last 24 hours.

With Refreshing, you are checking every 20 seconds for 10 minutes. TP cannot do that. And even if they did, it would make more sense for you to check MDE anyway. There's no point in checking TP for the Refresh times and then jump over to MDE.

There are literally 100s or 1000s of people changing their plans every single day. Someone may have Jungle Cruise at 4:00 and then drop it because they found something else they'd rather do or maybe they decided that they're tired and want to go back to their hotel or maybe they got stuck somewhere and can't use the FP. So, they drop it at the same time that you check MDE, and voila... new FP!

Since that FP was literally available for only 30 seconds, TP isn't going to list it.
 
No problem at all. Keep this in mind through out your trip...sometimes everything will work out, sometimes it won't. Just keep smiling and rolling with. I found that if I kept a positive attitude and asked cm's nicely more often than not they would do whatever they could to accommodate me.

You can't imagine how many rude and unruly guests they encounter all day long. They really tend to appreciate a smiling pleasant guest so long as your not trying to "game" the system.

Had fun!

I'm with you. I have always found that. I prefer to use honey rather than vinegar. But I also a big believer in the 'tool belt'. That is, understanding all potential possible options without regarding them as 'rights'. And finally, the 'rolling with it' attitude is so important, especially when traveling with a large group.

But you, my friend, have given me a hammer for the tool belt. Instead of spending way too much time on trying to score the perfect parameter on extra fast passes, maybe we will instead try and get two sets close enough, and if it works, fine, if not, then we go separately or change course.

Thank you. It's a powerful tip, and I know that you have just helped many disboarders with sharing it.
 
I love the refresh thing. It's very similar to what Disneyland is doing with MagicPass (which you have to pay to use). The bad part about it, is when a really tough FP+ comes up, you take it and then you find yourself running back and forth to all the good rides! Good problem to have, but you just go with it.
 

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