“Refresh” is my new favorite strategy

[Mome Rath]

I know how it works. I've done it. You do not have to prebook 3 FPs. I'm not sure you're understanding my post to the person I quoted.

Right, you never have to pre-book 3 FP's as the system is set up now, not even if you are staying in one park.

 

[SaintsManiac]

So if you have PH, you can book a 4th FP in another park without using your first 3?

Yes

Example: In January I booked FoP and Safaris at AK (ahead of time) in the morning. As soon as we scanned into the 2nd FP we booked TSMM at HS for that evening.

 

[Mome Rath]

So if you have PH, you can book a 4th FP in another park without using your first 3?

Here's the info from the FAQ thread

PARK HOPPING

Booking a FP+ for another park while in the first park:
(test credit to @marciemi)

When 3 FP+ are booked for Park #1:
With the new updates to the FP+ system as of April 2016, in addition to booking your 4th FP+ of the day on your phone (instead of a kiosk), you can now book FP+ for a different park than the one you’re in. If you have booked 3 FP+ for the first park, as soon as you scan at the first touchpoint to get in the FP+ line for your third FP+, you can then make a 4th FP+, either for the same park, or for another park. Be sure to allow yourself enough travel time for travel between parks when selecting your time.

When_2 or less FP+ are booked for Park #1:
Additionally, the new changes allow you to book fewer than three FP+ and once you scan the first FP+ (from within the first park), you can at that point make FP+ selections for a different park, even if you still have a FP+ remaining in the first park.

This can be especially helpful for Tiered parks – if for example you wish to hit Epcot at rope drop, use only a Tier 1 FP+ and then still have 2 more FP+ for another park later in the day.

Additionally, there is no restriction on Tier requirements BETWEEN PARKS during one day. So if you use a Tier 1 at Epcot you can then book a second Tier 1 at HS immediately upon scanning – Also, you can even book your remaining two FP+ at two different parks if you would like!

NOTE: Splitting FP+ between parks or booking for another park can NOT be done until the same day, AFTER you have already scanned your card/MB at the first FP+ Mickey head to “prove” to the system that you’re in a park.

You cannot book for 2 different parks in advance or even on the same day until you have scanned your first FP+ (not just gotten into the park).

 

[disneygirlsng]

So if you have PH, you can book a 4th FP in another park without using your first 3?

It wouldn't be your 4th. You can prebook 1 or 2 for your first park. Then once you use your 1st FP you can then make 1 (or 2 if you only made 1) for a 2nd park. You then have to use those before you can make a 4th.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

We’ve (hubby and I) been here since Tuesday. Have tried multiple times on multiple days to use the refresh system to move fast passes earlier or get what we want for our additional fast passes.

We haven’t be able to get ANYTHING that we were trying for. Not even once. Not in any park. Haven’t been able to move any of our ‘next’ fast passes earlier while in the line having scanned the ones for what we are currently on. Haven’t been able to get any of the ones that we really wanted for our 4th or 5th passes.

We tried using the app and the website.

We spent many minutes in lines, on buses, while eating, trying to get passes or move them forward. Nada. Zilch. Nothing...

Definitely not feeling we had the magic... only extra I’ve gotten is RSI from hitting my phone screen fast...haha

We’ve still had heaps of fun though, and are going to be at the DAH tonight.

Can I ask which were the ones you wanted? Were they headliners or middle of the road rides. For example, could you get PotC or HM? I assume you could have gotten things like IASW and Little Mermaid and just didn't want them, correct? Otherwise that sounds more like a change or problem than just a lot of people doing it.

Edited to add that there is another thread with people saying the app is still glitcher than normal this week so maybe there's an MDE issue. Hopefully.

 

[armerida]

Had great luck with this strategy today for Slinky Dog - waiting in line at guest relations for 15 minutes, was able to get a 2:50, then move it to 2:00, then 1:00, and finally 12:30 FP!

 

[disney food]

I Figured i'd try booking a pass for tomorrow and trying in the morning to change it and the app told me all 4 parks had no fast passes remaining. i have to believe thats some sort of glitch. i can pick for today and thursday.

 

[crazylady]

We are going over Thanksgiving. Im wondering how this works on a busy days like I expect we'll have over Thanksgiving. I was playing around tonight for MK, at 630 est, the only good fast pass available was POC. The rest were for rides we don't even typically ride.

So, what has been your experience with refresh on a busy day?

 

[rentayenta]

Refreshing has been awesome for us. We are here now. Got Na’vi as a 4th FP by refreshing. We’ve had good luck moving times up as well once we scanned our band to use the first FP.

I will say though, it does require having your face in your phone; DH didn’t love that and neither did I. I tired to keep it at a minimum.

 

[emmabelle]

So, what has been your experience with refresh on a busy day?

we were in Disney for the 4th of July week and I wasn't really able to get the high demand rides, but did get the other ones. We were okay with that. There was 5 of us so that probably makes a big difference.

 

[JETSDAD]

We are going over Thanksgiving. Im wondering how this works on a busy days like I expect we'll have over Thanksgiving. I was playing around tonight for MK, at 630 est, the only good fast pass available was POC. The rest were for rides we don't even typically ride.

So, what has been your experience with refresh on a busy day?

I was curious what it would be like for July 4th as people had told me it would be impossible to get good FP's as additional FP's on such a busy day. I checked mid-afternoon for 3 people and was able to find FP for all of the top rides across the 4 parks. The larger the group the tougher it will be.

 

[crazylady]

we were in Disney for the 4th of July week and I wasn't really able to get the high demand rides, but did get the other ones. We were okay with that. There was 5 of us so that probably makes a big difference.

I was curious what it would be like for July 4th as people had told me it would be impossible to get good FP's as additional FP's on such a busy day. I checked mid-afternoon for 3 people and was able to find FP for all of the top rides across the 4 parks. The larger the group the tougher it will be.

Thanks. I think I will adjust our plans to be out of the parks early for a nice dinner. I don't want to be smooshed in crowds getting annoyed.

 

[disney food]

I did a test run last night for this morning. I was able to get soaring for 11am before not trying any longer. Got test track from 6pm all the way down to 1030 and then did frozen from 6 pm to 1pm before giving up. I was surprised how easy it really is. I've always refreshed to check but never more than a few times when im in the park. this thread and the test i did last night has me very confident that this will work well when we go next week. The only thing for us is we are a party of 10 so we will have to split it up into 2 of us trying for 5 each.
Also i didnt spend more than 10 to 15 min total doing all 3.

 

[Bowen Family]

I wonder if time of day has anything to do with the success rate of using this 'strategy'?

I suspect that when a greater percentage of guests are tapping into their FP booking at the START of their one-hour time slot, more slots are likely to be freed up and put back in the FP pool. As opposed to more guests tapping in towards the END of their slots, so their spots in the FP system remain spoken for until used, and therefore don't get re-assigned.

If this theory holds any water, would it also stand to reason that additional FP options are easier to get in the morning, when everyone is trying to knock off as many rides as quick and early as possible? Versus later in the day when you're waiting in longer lines for everything (stand-by, meals, shows, etc.), and probably aren't touring strictly according to your FP plans.

Am I making any sense here??

 

[Klayfish]

I wonder if time of day has anything to do with the success rate of using this 'strategy'?

I suspect that when a greater percentage of guests are tapping into their FP booking at the START of their one-hour time slot, more slots are likely to be freed up and put back in the FP pool. As opposed to more guests tapping in towards the END of their slots, so their spots in the FP system remain spoken for until used, and therefore don't get re-assigned.

If this theory holds any water, would it also stand to reason that additional FP options are easier to get in the morning, when everyone is trying to knock off as many rides as quick and early as possible? Versus later in the day when you're waiting in longer lines for everything (stand-by, meals, shows, etc.), and probably aren't touring strictly according to your FP plans.

Am I making any sense here??

I don't really think it makes much of a difference. The time slots go in 5 minute increments, so it's always the start of someone's FP+ window while at the same time the end of someone elses.

I haven't really noticed a huge difference in having it be easier in the morning vs afternoon/evening. Anecdotally, I'd almost say it's easier late afternoon/early evening, but I couldn't prove it.

 

[Bowen Family]

I don't really think it makes much of a difference. The time slots go in 5 minute increments, so it's always the start of someone's FP+ window while at the same time the end of someone elses.

I haven't really noticed a huge difference in having it be easier in the morning vs afternoon/evening. Anecdotally, I'd almost say it's easier late afternoon/early evening, but I couldn't prove it.

Good points! Cheers.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

If this theory holds any water, would it also stand to reason that additional FP options are easier to get in the morning, when everyone is trying to knock off as many rides as quick and early as possible? Versus later in the day when you're waiting in longer lines for everything (stand-by, meals, shows, etc.), and probably aren't touring strictly according to your FP plans.

We've found it easier to get additional FPs in the evening. Of course, there comes a point in time at night when almost all of the lines are so short that you don't really need to get FPs any longer.

 

[jaysmom4285]

I wonder if time of day has anything to do with the success rate of using this 'strategy'?

I suspect that when a greater percentage of guests are tapping into their FP booking at the START of their one-hour time slot, more slots are likely to be freed up and put back in the FP pool. As opposed to more guests tapping in towards the END of their slots, so their spots in the FP system remain spoken for until used, and therefore don't get re-assigned.

If this theory holds any water, would it also stand to reason that additional FP options are easier to get in the morning, when everyone is trying to knock off as many rides as quick and early as possible? Versus later in the day when you're waiting in longer lines for everything (stand-by, meals, shows, etc.), and probably aren't touring strictly according to your FP plans.

Am I making any sense here??

I'm not sure there's any science to it. I can look for a FP+ for an attraction and be given three choices - let's say 4:15, 4:30 and 4:45. If I don't want any of those, I refresh again, and, in the space of the two seconds it took me to refresh, all three will be gone. Refresh again, and those three show up again. Refresh again, and only two times are there. One more time, and it could be three different times or none at all. And so on, ad infinitum. Doesn't seem to matter what time of day it is (with the possible exception of just before closing). The times available change drastically and quickly with each refresh, and times that disappeared come back with regularity, so I have a hard time believing it's just due to people changing their FP+ times. I have no idea what it is.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

I'm not sure there's any science to it. I can look for a FP+ for an attraction and be given three choices - let's say 4:15, 4:30 and 4:45. If I don't want any of those, I refresh again, and, in the space of the two seconds it took me to refresh, all three will be gone. Refresh again, and those three show up again. Refresh again, and only two times are there. One more time, and it could be three different times or none at all. And so on, ad infinitum. Doesn't seem to matter what time of day it is (with the possible exception of just before closing). The times available change drastically and quickly with each refresh, and times that disappeared come back with regularity, so I have a hard time believing it's just due to people changing their FP+ times. I have no idea what it is.

I think when you see the times disappear and reappear what's happening is that the times are shown to you but you but refresh so they get shown to the next person who hit refresh at just the right time. They are held until that person makes a decision so they don't show up on your refresh. They decide not to take them and refresh so they go back into the pool and you are shown them again. Wash rinse repeat. It's probably just the timing of your refreshes. But when a bunch of then show up for a popular ride all at once, I do wonder if sometimes that is Disney adding them to the pool.

I also find refreshing more successful in the afternoon and early evening. Not so much in the morning for me.

 

[emmabelle]

I was curious what it would be like for July 4th as people had told me it would be impossible to get good FP's as additional FP's on such a busy day. I checked mid-afternoon for 3 people and was able to find FP for all of the top rides across the 4 parks. The larger the group the tougher it will be.

Idk, I never seem to get additional FP's when they are gone for the day for a headliner ride. I refresh like crazy too. On the 4th we just tried to get extra fp's for Epcot, couldn't get TT, Soarin or FEA. I did get Mission Space and was glad because I wanted my son to see the refresh and his gf had never been on it.