Annnual Passholders, what's your strategy?

[Tulip2796]

We just got annual passes!! I'm so excited! We haven't been to Disney in years. We are taking our first trip in about 2 weeks, just a long weekend (3d/2n) and I don't know where to start. Do we try for fast passes or just wing it? I think we'll go to MK one day and maybe AK another. I want to make the most of our trip but not jam pack our days. It's a first time experience for my 2 young sons. We are FL residents (but not close enough for a day trip) so we plan on making the drive again before year end. Should I study some maps, make a plan? TIA!

 

[JETSDAD]

We just got annual passes!! I'm so excited! We haven't been to Disney in years. We are taking our first trip in about 2 weeks, just a long weekend (3d/2n) and I don't know where to start. Do we try for fast passes or just wing it? I think we'll go to MK one day and maybe AK another. I want to make the most of our trip but not jam pack our days. It's a first time experience for my 2 young sons. We are FL residents (but not close enough for a day trip) so we plan on making the drive again before year end. Should I study some maps, make a plan? TIA!

I would definitely make FP's as there is nothing gained in not making them. Just because you have them doesn't mean you have to use them.

 

[Tulip2796]

I would definitely make FP's as there is nothing gained in not making them. Just because you have them doesn't mean you have to use them.

Makes sense. I just assumed I wouldn't be able to get any good ones since our trip is in less than 30 days.

 

[patty57]

Only way to know is by looking to see what is available. No downside to making them.

 

[Upatnoon]

You can get plenty of fastpasses within 30 days. There are only a few attractions that are difficult. Flight of Passage, Mine Train and Slinky Dog.

When you plan your trips, grab your fastpasses

 

[Aimeedyan]

OP - I've never found it hard to get great FP's on short notice.

For example, on Sunday night around midnight I decided to visit MK the next morning (Columbus Day) while my husband golfed. Made 3 fastpasses for 9am-10am (Buzz), 10am-11am (Pooh), 11am-Noon (Ariel). I was there early so I rode HM, Small World, People Mover, and saw Philharmagic from 9-10am. Rode Buzz, rode Pooh, moved up my Ariel FP and rode that, then pulled a FP to ride Dumbo immediately. While in line, got FP for Pirates that started in 10 minutes. While in line for that, got FP for Mine Train that started in 20 minutes (yes, mine train often pops up!).

I did 10 attractions in less than 3 hours - almost all just FPing as I went. Higher crowds will mean more work getting them but you can.

The night before, we decided to visit HS and I got fastpasses for Tower of Terror, RnR, and Slinky Dog on the way to the park.

Definitely make the FP's - even if they aren't your first choices - and check again the closer your trip gets. I find the best options pop up night before and day-of.

 

[DoryGirl1963]

We're lucky to live close enough for day trips & I make fastpasses at 30 days out for any time we even think we might go! If it looks like we can't make it I just cancel 'em. You'll be able to get most except SDD, FOP & 7DMT. Welcome to the world of being an Florida Resident Anual Passholder!

 

[gharter]

You would be surprised what is still available. I made a few extra FPs this week for our trip next week and was still able to get Soarin with plenty of options.
Other than the high demand: FoP, Navi, SDD, TT, most of the others are available at some time.

 

[Tulip2796]

Thanks everyone. I booked Navi, Soarin and a few others.

 

[only hope]

The strategy Aimeedyan mentioned is best. Make fp 30 days out or as soon as you know you’re going, if it’s a last minute trip. Make your fp back to back, with the first one starting by 10. Don’t use your first fp till towards the end of the window, unless everything nearby has a wait time of more than 15 minutes. The first hour the park is open, you can easily get 2-4 attractions done. After you use each fp, if the window for the next one hasn’t opened, refresh on the app under the modify option until something comes up. As soon as you use your third fp, book a fourth. When you use that, book another, etc.

(The refresh strategy means you go in to either modify an existing fp or look for a new one and keep selecting a different time, like changing back and forth from 10 to 10:30, to get the available fp to refresh. People are constantly cancelling fp the day of; you just need to check for fp at the right moment to snag that perfect time or the hard to get attraction.)

Don’t wait for anything more than 15 minutes, except maybe Peter Pan as the queue is fun. It’s a waste of time. Just refresh until you get a fp. MK is the one park where nearly everything you do, you’ll need a fp after early morning. You don’t need a fp for any of the shows; just arrive 10-15 minutes before it starts and you’ll get a seat, unless it’s a crazy busy day. Unless you’re going on an extremely high crowd day, don’t bother with fp for Philharmagic and Muppets. It saves you no time; everyone is just waiting for the next show to start.

Even if you would like to take things slow and take in the detail. I still recommend going at a fast pacd the first hour or so after park open, especially at MK. Wait times are generally short for most things the first hour.

If you’re not familiar with the maps, attractions, entertainment, and character meet and greets, it’s a good idea to look at all that before you go. Since you’re not local and won’t be there frequently, you don’t want to waste time getting lost or doing things no one has interest in.

Get first time visitor buttons for your children on your first visit! They’re available at ticket counters, guest services, and sometimes a cart on Main Street outside guest services at MK.

If at least one of you has a gold pass or higher and so gets the free pics, be sure someone in the group is wearing a newer Magicband. Ride photos and videos will automagically download to your account.

 

[Tomh]

We just got annual passes!! I'm so excited! We haven't been to Disney in years. We are taking our first trip in about 2 weeks, just a long weekend (3d/2n) and I don't know where to start. Do we try for fast passes or just wing it? I think we'll go to MK one day and maybe AK another. I want to make the most of our trip but not jam pack our days. It's a first time experience for my 2 young sons. We are FL residents (but not close enough for a day trip) so we plan on making the drive again before year end. Should I study some maps, make a plan? TIA!

There are many rides which develop such long lines that going without any FP could well lead to a disappointing experience. Generally what we do is plan our mornings out to take advantage of the short lines at rope drop for the first hour, and then use our FP+. Then, in the afternoon, we just kind of wing it, and do what ever we feel like doing. We have found that this works well for us.

 

[LSUfan4444]

Do we try for fast passes or just wing it?

What advantage does not making FP's give you?

Yes, make them and if you don't get exactly what you want use, what you can get to your advantage and have a plan (rope drop, EMH, park closing) for the things you don't get.

Should I study some maps, make a plan?

Yes.

 

[raytheyounger]

Like others have said. You can make FPs AND wing it. Make a plan, but be willing to deviate from it. Having APs allowed me to be much more relaxed in my touring approach. When I knew I'd be back in a few weeks/months, I was fine not going on a ride with a long wait and for which I did not have a FP. (That may not work with your 2 young sons.) Use your first 1-2 trips to see what works for your family. Enjoy!

 

[Tulip2796]

Thanks everyone for the great advice! Only hope, thanks so much for your very detailed reply, it's quite helpful! Have some FPs booked for the mornings and will then just see how the days unfold. We plan on heading to the parks every month so we'll figure some things out as we go along I'm sure.

 

[bladiator]

I rarely get FPs anymore .. and I understand what everyone is saying. But I have no interest in checking every day for the ones that really matter when I can find them and pretty much everything else when I get there. And knowing that I will be there again makes me relaxed.

I can't in any way say that this is a good decision, but with the MDE app and refresh ... starting with a clean slate always makes my life easier (unless I CAN get FoP or 7DMT by some miracle)