First time not staying on site...am I doomed for FPs?

[mom2rtk]

I just love when the biggest lovers of FP+ use hacks while neglecting those details when singing the praises of the system.

 

[Klayfish]

Sorry for the ignorant question, but what do you mean by hacks?

 

[randumb0]

Correct me if I'm wrong but don't you get 60 days if you book at one of the partner hotels?

 

[cakebaker]

Sorry for the ignorant question, but what do you mean by hacks?

I’m not sure either. All I’ve seen suggested here are smart strategies. You’re not hacking anything. We’ve never tried the refresh method in the parks, or the strategy I posted and asked about and do just fine, but if there’s a better, above board way to do it, I call that smart, not hacking. Hacking means gaining unauthorized access. Certainly no one is coming close to that. Sounds like a little pot stirring and I’m going to ignore that kind of garbage. I may even give up my tried and true morning standby, afternoon FP strategy we’ve used for years!

 

[tex1989]

Through the 30 years we have been going to WDW there are certain strategies that have worked and in spite of new FP, FP+ and whatever else they come up with still hold true. Rope Drop, Late Night, and riding lesser rides during parades. These seem to be constants over the years. As the FP system evolved there were strategies, some called them hacks that worked. Gathering as many FP's as early as possible while riding rides standby at Rope Drop and accumulating your stack for late afternoon/ evening rides when they were good all day. Then we evolved to hitting you window per Disney and then we got to FP+ and having to book the three in advance. No we have refresh and 30 and 60 day windows. In my estimation the things talked about here are all just strategies to be employed, not hacks. Hacks in my mind are booking a reservation and making FP+ at 60 days then cancelling your resort reservation to stay offsite which was your plan all along. This is harmful in that it fills room reservations that others were honestly seeking. Disney has fixed this. Hacks also include multiple Dinning Reservations and Disney tried to fix that with the CC hold but since the window for cancellation is 24 hours it can still happen.

I guess as I write this it becomes clear to me that the major difference between a strategy and a hack would be does your action potentially cause another guest to not get a FP+ or reservation. In other words does your action potentially cause others harm? If yes HACK, if not strategy.

 

[Klayfish]

I have a lot of respect for mom2rtk, so from my perspective, it's all good. I was honestly asking what she meant by hack.

I agree that to me the definition of hacking is gaining unauthorized access or intentionally making a reservation to cancel it for the purpose of getting a FP+. By that definition, I don't consider refreshing a hack at all. However, I will plead guilty to one count of hacking. As I posted earlier in the thread, we just happened to have our last day of vacation AND our last day of our AP be the grand opening day of TSL. I really wanted to see it and try SDD, so we booked a campsite. So should my sentence be to ride IaSM with the volume cranked from open to close?

 

[agame2323]

What is the "refresh" method?

 

[Klayfish]

What is the "refresh" method?

In short, it's literally what it sounds like. Going onto MDE to look for a FP+ for a particular attraction. If it's not there (or the time you want), you refresh the screen to see if it shows up. Rinse and repeat. It works best the "day of", i.e. you're in the park and looking for a FP+ for later that day, or even right that moment.

There are a ton of threads about the specifics, and I think it may even in be the FP+ FAQ sticky.

 

[dreiwhit]

I can't comment on Slinky Dog, since it wasn't open when we last went to WDW. But, we have never stayed on site, and have never had a problem getting FPs for any attraction, including FEA.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

Sorry for the ignorant question, but what do you mean by hacks?

Maybe she’s referring to the throwaway room. Not everyone is onboard with that strategy.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Not sure what direction we’re headed here, but OPs question has been well discussed and we’ve established they will not be ‘doomed’. Closing.