Fast Passes gone - now what?

[Blondie58]

I hear ya!

If your screen name is the year you were born, I am right behind you with 1974. We have done our time waiting in line. Been there, done that, and over it. Bring on the FP's!

AGREE! (Try 1956.)

 

[ScarletFire]

I rope drop a couple of attractions, FP three attractions and spend the remaining time eating, shopping, swimming or whatever. I will not spend my day waiting in line!

I want to return to the parks. I can wait until FP+ is operating.


Bring back FP+! Please!!

 

[Blondie58]

I rope drop a couple of attractions, FP three attractions and spend the remaining time eating, shopping, swimming or whatever. I will not spend my day waiting in line!

I want to return to the parks. I can wait until FP+ is operating.


Bring back FP+! Please!!

AGREE. Please bring back.

 

[sssteele]

Bring back FP. My wife and I are 71, and currently visiting WDW currently for 2 weeks DVC. Probably will not do many attractions. 15 minutes is our limit for standing in line.

 

[Roxas_XIII]

I am in my 30s and still don't have a tolerance for waiting in line more than 15 mins max. I miss FP+.

 

[fly girl]

I don't see how anyone has more spontaneity or flexibility at WDW right now when you have to make a reservation just to get into a park now? At least they have park hopping back, but we used to book our FPs for the most popular rides, and then go where we wanted around that. With the double reservations needed to access Galaxy's Edge stuff, we're not looking forward to having to get a reservation for HS before we get boarding groups day of and other reservations as well.

I don't find the spontaneity either. I just don't. I have visited twice since COVID and it was much more spontaneous with FP's. After our initial 3, we would park hop on a whim if I scored FOP or SDD when at a different park.

What is spontaneous about waiting in line? Please someone tell me!

I booked HS twice on this trip just in case we couldn't score ROR on our first day. Thankfully, we did get it on our first HS park day, but sadly couldn't change our reservation for the second one because all the parks reservations were full. We enjoyed ROR again, but I would've preferred to switch it to MK.

Also on our day 2 in HS, we hit what we wanted (ToT, RNR, ROR and TSMM) by 11:30am. I innocently said to my family, ok, let's hop to Epcot for lunch. My Dd looked at me and said, "Uh, Mom ... you have to wait a few more hours." RATS!! Although I love having Park Hopping back (we missed it big time last August) it isn't like it was before.

Granted, I spent less time on my phone looking for FP's in line, but yeah I spent more time in line!! A lot more time. So I would've gladly made that trade.

I could be way off base, but I think those that like it without FP's are those that didn't take full advantage of the benefit. They only used the 3, maybe got a 4th FP. They didn't use the refresh key to snag another FP right away, nor did they get their next FP right after tapping their magic band in the FP line. And then saying people miss out on a lot by using FP??? And again I ask, what am I missing out on, waiting in line?

There is clearly a different touring styles that people use and love, and we love the FPs!!!

 

[Blanco]

I don’t care for FP.

 

[scrappinginontario]

I have always been a huge fan of FP+ but given current SD lines and limited seating on some attractions I’d prefer FP+ not come back right now.

In the future yes but not now.

 

[Mano22]

I am glad this thread landed where it did, because the way it started I thought I was taking crazy pills...

I get people trying to make the best of this new fastpasss-less world, but there is no question it is a MUCH worse world (at least for people who are on these boards and theoretically plan their trips ahead of time like responsible adults.)

 

[kniquy]

Feeling very much at a loss for a park plan - we always toured the parks based on our fast past times and favorite rides. Now, I'm feeling very overwhelmed and not even sure how to approach any of the 4 parks. All suggestions welcome.

Not having FP has made our park touring so much more relaxed. I loved not having to worry about where our FP were and fitting those in with ADR's. I would be thrilled if they never brought FP back. But we all know they will bring it back but it will be an added charge like maxpass.

I am usually the spreadsheet, have every minute of our day planned out type of person. It was such a breath of fresh air to just chill in the morning, get to the parks an hour or so after opening and just go about our day with little to worry about.
We just used the MDE app to watch and see what rides had waits 40 min or less. The E-tix ride just either ride first thing or last thing at night.

 

[Blondie58]

Bring back FP. My wife and I are 71, and currently visiting WDW currently for 2 weeks DVC. Probably will not do many attractions. 15 minutes is our limit for standing in line.

We are 60s. No fastpasses will change the number of trips and what we do. I agree with you.

 

[luv2cheer92]

I don't see how anyone has more spontaneity or flexibility at WDW right now when you have to make a reservation just to get into a park now? At least they have park hopping back, but we used to book our FPs for the most popular rides, and then go where we wanted around that. With the double reservations needed to access Galaxy's Edge stuff, we're not looking forward to having to get a reservation for HS before we get boarding groups day of and other reservations as well.

I don't see how reserving a park is any different than reserving FPs, in that you must pick which park you're doing that day.

 

[disneyworldsk]

i think it's not just the practical side of it but mentally too. as an example, my dh doesn't know any of the new covid changes and we are going in june. his reaction to no fp's (and no fireworks) was the feeling that something was being taken away that he paid for . it was a perk by choice that is now gone

 

[disneyworldsk]

regarding planning, i am finding that without fp's i am doing more planning for the trip even without planning for fp's. a large part is the planning with regard to park reservation system / adr's/ and learning and researching about new covid changes since i was there last.

 

[Lewisc]

If fastpasses are reinstated you do not have to use them and can enjoy the flexibility you desire by not using. If FPs are reins step as waits were minimal.

FPs result in long, slow moving stand by lines.
I understand both sides BUT your point isn't valid. FP does have a significant impact on guests who want flexibility of no FP. You can make the case for FP, you shouldn't make the false claim on the effect on guests who don't use it.

I don't see how reserving a park is any different than reserving FPs, in that you must pick which park you're doing that day.

You don't see a difference between picking a park and picking what attractions you want reserve and at what time?

You want a win win. Limit fp to maybe 25% of ride capacity. Charge enough $$$ for the FP so guests who want them can get them without having to reserve them months in advance.

 

[auntlynne]

Some people are fine without FP (either continuing their previous touring style or adapting to the current system).

Others link using FP as the way to experience WDW, maximizing rides, minimizing waits, getting more for those expensive park tickets and now, its a big challenge to accomplish that. You sort of need to figure out which you are. If you are in second group, consider Option 1.

Option 1: Can you push off your visit until the return of FP or its replacement system?

Option 2: Watch All Ears Net videos with Molly for some strategies. This week the video compared two people at MK, one went left, one went right after entering the park. Same rides to show the difference.

Option 3: look into Touring Plans. Others mention this. I think it’s $18 for a year’s subscription.

Option 4: Read lots of posts from this forum. I’ve been doing that. My takeaway so far (combined with my own trips in Sep & Nov):

First, flexibility really helps.

a, If Rise is a priority, book 2 days at HS. There have been times when it is the only park that fills up, this has not been true since Spring Break. And it is not true through June, either, That strategy might not hold.

b. Consider park Hopping.

c. Get to parks in the 45-60 minutes of unofficial open before the posted opening time. videos and reports tell where people have been successful in beating long lone lines.

Take a break midday when lines are consistently long.

Return to parks to close them out. It’s cooler and some lines are shorter.

...

I don’t like to chase wait estimates. I try to pick a direction or a Land and ride in that area. If a line is too long, I skip it and go to the next. I‘ve skipper long lines, only to come back 15-20 minutes later to find them way shorter.

Gone are my days of rushing. very little of my park visit is new stuff. I’m just enjoying myself, having fun. I’ve made of list of my priorities for the next trip. I have no doubt I will cover it all in two days. It does involve every ride.

I also have been able to go on rides notorious for long lines or no FPs: Pooh, PPF...

 

[_19disnA]

Frankly, since you could only reserve 3 FastPasses ahead of time, I never saw it as that much of a big deal. Used them for the most popular rides since they typically have the longest lines. However, if you made FastPasses and ended up zigzagging all over the place to get to your next reservation, that wasted a lot of time. We just never found FastPass that big of deal compared to some of the comments on this site.

No amount of advance planning is going to make the parks any less busy, so it is better to be realistic and realize a LOT of other people will probably be there when you are.

 

[Leigh L]

I have always been a huge fan of FP+ but given current SD lines and limited seating on some attractions I’d prefer FP+ not come back right now.

In the future yes but not now.

Ditto!

We are FP commandos and don't mind the zig-zagging to avoid lines. But after a number of trips since August, we don't miss it right now. Those long lines currently would be even worse with FP+ plus there is the social distancing aspect to consider if lines aren't consistently moving.

My question is wouldn't getting FP's probably be super competitive? Disney would likely drop far fewer FPs due to capacity restrictions. (Shoot, I've not been able to get ADRs I want lol.)

What Disney needs is to open more stuff! Even a few more food carts would do wonders lol

 

[Delirium]

Yo are correct to worry about criss-crossing the park and should make sure you don't do that. It makes no sense to walk from one side of the park to the other to save 15 minutes of line time because it's going to take you 15 minutes to walk it.

Without FPs, I would actually work opposite and plan for end of day.

At MK, I would do Space Mountain as my last attraction, getting in line at the last minute, so I would be rope dropping Frontierland/Adventureland and knocking out those first. This would include not only the 5 rides in those two lands, but the anytime attractions like Country Bears and Tiki Room as well. I'm not going to walk back over there just for those later in the day. Does this mean I'll have to wait in a long line for Mine Train? Yes. but without FPs, I'm going to have to do that anyway.

At HS, a lot depends on my ROTR boarding time, but assuming it's middle of the day, I'm hitting Slinky last and would rope drop RNR and TOT, move my way to the Star Wars stuff, and finish in Toy Story Land.

At AK, I'm doing FOP last, so would likely Rope drop Everest (The length of the Safari does not make it an ideal rope drop candidate).

At Epcot, I'm doing Test Track last, so would rope drop Soarin and work my way around the World Showcase starting in Canada all the way to Mexico, allowing just enough time at night to do both Mission Space and Test Track.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

Do a touring plan and pick “less walking” and it will give you a plan without crisscrossing the park. We’re also huge FP lovers, and I really did miss them on our last trip, but between rope dropping some days, staying late others, and using touring plans we still did a lot. Luckily we had at least 2 days at each park which definitely helped, but I still feel like we didn’t do as much as we usually do with FP.