Major fastpasses already gone at 7 am, 60 days out...

[pitpat]

So right now I am planning DHS at 60+5 to get SDD, but the way the week works out (with Christmas parties dictating when to go to MK), I am planning on AK at 60+2. I have debated switching those around since FOP still seems the hot ticket, but my AK day is a EMH day, so I was hoping to take advantage of that in case we don't get FOP FP. (Though I feel an EMH would make the FOP rush even worse as everyone is going to rush there in a park with limited "ride" attractions.

I would switch them as you won't have a problem getting FOP at +5 and SDD has shorter lines and is easier to ride anyway.

 

[twodogs]

We tend to do shorter, long weekend trips so my kids miss little to no school these days. We used to do 7-10 day trips when they were a little younger. For our upcoming October trip (which I agree is a crazy busy month now), we could not get SDD or FOP at all, even when I tried for a party of 1 (we are a party of 4), for any of the three days of our trip, at any time of day. That would be 60, 60+1, and 60+2. I guess Disney is trying to incentivize longer trips, so that you can just do water parks, MK or EPCOT on the first few days of the trip, and put the big hitters like SDD and FOP on later days when you can still get them. But what they don’t realize is that we take 5 short trips a year and probably spend more cumulatively than someone taking a longer 10 day trip, once a year. But they will get the headliners and we won’t.

Yes I use the heck out of Refresh and have had some really good and some so-so luck with it over the last 3 years. Yes I check back to try to modify my FPs after the 60 day window, including the night before and day-of. Despite all of that, I am still frustrated. And I think the DS hotels DO add to the difficulty, as that is advertised all over the place now as a perk for those guests. I think the CL folks probably don’t add much because it is not even all CL guests, just the ones who pay the upcharge. And compared to the number of rooms in the DS hotels, CL is minimal to me.

I DO agree that the DL system is infinitely more fair. Some of you may not know that it is not the old FP- system of running to the actual ride and pulling a paper FP (though you can still do that). With Max Pass (small upcharge), you can book from your phone once you’ve entered either park, for either park. You can even book from your hotel if you’ve entered a park that day, and gone back for a pool break or something. Yes, everyone is on more equal footing, and last minute trips or short trips are not penalized by getting subpar FP options. Onsite guests get a little advantage because you can start booking FPs as soon as EMH opens and you enter the park, so a full hour prior to off-site guests if you get yourself up and in the park for EMH (though the first FP return time isn’t until regular park opening time). I didn’t like FP- at all, but I LOVE MaxPass. I think it could absolutely work at WDW. Then you wouldn’t have to decide your park 60 days out. And no, not everyone is standing in the walkway on the phone as they walk through the gates, booking FP at DLR. Most people have the courtesy to step to the side, he he!!! And many people don’t use it and just do FP- or don’t even know about FP, which is crazy but true.

 

[DazzleT]

I loved max pass when I went but for a large group with many days, that could be extremely costly- for a ten day trip each person adds $100 so for a group of ten, that’s is an extra $1000 for that trip. I think at Disneyland, you tend to have a lot less days (like 5 would be a long trip) so there is less sticker shock. And I am betting at disneyworld at $10, everyone would do it, which would decrease its value. My impression is Disneyland maxipass was not yet overloaded.

 

[Robo]

(Though I feel an EMH would make the FOP rush even worse as
everyone is going to rush there in a park with limited "ride" attractions.

To that specific point- That is true every day at DAK.
At least AM EMH will find fewer guests DURING the EMH due to the early hour.

 

[SaintsManiac]

What's the FP strategy when trying to get those hard-to-find FPs?

Do you make your Fast Passes at 7:00 am starting with the early days in your trip and work up to the last days of your trip (where availability should be more).
OR
Do you start at the back end of your trip to make sure you secure those hard to find ones first at 60+X days. .and then move on to the beginning days of your trip?

This past time I went to Slinky first, since I knew I wanted night and day FPs. I didn't even attempt to get it before day 4. Then I went and grabbed FoP for night and day on 60+5 and 60+7. Then I filled in the rest.

I have no idea what I will do on our 4 day trip in March. FoP is really the only one I move things around for. We'll see how fun Slinky is next week

 

[chelseabun76]

I make my FP selections in less than 2 weeks. I am staying 9 nights, and I have AK and a HS afternoon late into our trip.... so I'm going to start at the last day of our trip and work my way backwards, main goal is SDD and FoP on the second and third last days. Then I will focus on my other days. As long as I can hopefully score those on those 2 days, the rest of my fp's I'm not as set on and can be moved around a bit and are more of a personal taste versus hard to get.

 

[tlmadden73]

To that specific point- That is true every day at DAK.
At least AM EMH will find fewer guests DURING the EMH due to the early hour.

True -- I was debating what my best strategy will be .. my hope is to get FOP FP and just hit Navi River Journey during EMH when everyone else will probably be hitting FOP.

 

[TiggerBouncy]

Frankly, I wish they would just ditch the 60 day planning mess and do what Disneyland does .. just make it so you book them day of -- giving you the benefit of skipping the line, but the flexibility to go to whatever park you want without advanced planning.

Ugh... No. I remember those days. As DVC members, we like the ability we have now to sleep in and know that we will still get to see our top 3 rides. It is in fact a key point to us as DVC Members that we do not rope drop anymore.

In the old days or lore (what you are suggesting), we had to be up and rope drop to be certain to see our rides. That was not a vacation (and certainly is not to us now that we are older).

 

[georgina]

I will say the full stay booking advantage makes it almost impossible for us to get any popular FPs. We drive in for extended weekends vs long vacations - several multiple 3 day trips throughout the year. Although we always stay onsite, we rarely can get popular FPs like FOP. Availability is long gone before our 60 day window.

My advice is to keep an eye on the extended hours Disney often adds a few weeks before the date. Often the day after an hour extension, more FP become available for the hard to get rides.

 

[bfost87]

It's probably that darn "length of stay" bonus. I think a lot of people (newcomers) don't know about it and are often SHOCKED when they log in at the first available minute of their FP window and don't find things available, not realizing that people have been booking those Fast Passes days before them.

I wonder how many people try to "game" the system:
1) Book a long (10-day trip - get their fast passes for the end of the trip and then simply cut out the first few days of the trip to the lengthy they really wanted.

2) Book a long trip, get fast passes .. and then cancel that room reservation (and just stay offsite). I think your fast passes are still retained in this case.

Definitely feel that with all the Disney Springs hotels being able to book at 60 days as well, that the amount of people trying to get it at 60 days is obviously larger too.


Wish they could just implement a system where there is no "length of stay" bonus. 60 days = 60 days. While it would be a pain to schedule your FPs every day for X days, it would be fair for everyone.

Frankly, I wish they would just ditch the 60 day planning mess and do what Disneyland does .. just make it so you book them day of -- giving you the benefit of skipping the line, but the flexibility to go to whatever park you want without advanced planning (but WDW doesn't want that obviously, they want to know ahead of time how many people are coming to X park).

Certainly not the way to go, and not really "fair" to everyone, while booking at 7am isn't a big deal; you'd be asking those of us on the West Coast to get up and book our FP at 4am everyday for 1-14 consecutive days...

 

[Doug M]

Certainly not the way to go, and not really "fair" to everyone, while booking at 7am isn't a big deal; you'd be asking those of us on the West Coast to get up and book our FP at 4am everyday for 1-14 consecutive days...

I really wish they would change the time to 12 pm Eastern or something. I am Central and I find 6am is unreasonable, cant imagine Mountain or Pacific times.

 

[mesaboy2]

I really wish they would change the time to 12 pm Eastern or something. I am Central and I find 6am is unreasonable, cant imagine Mountain or Pacific times.

It’s five o’clock somewhere.

 

[Doug M]

It’s five o’clock somewhere.

True, but Disney HQ is in Anaheim so one would think they would base their time off it. Besides, in my scenario 5am is in the ocean.

 

[StacyStrong]

I really wish they would change the time to 12 pm Eastern or something. I am Central and I find 6am is unreasonable, cant imagine Mountain or Pacific times.

It's a no win situation. Lots of people can't make FP reservations during work.

 

[KrazeeK120]

I really wish they would change the time to 12 pm Eastern or something. I am Central and I find 6am is unreasonable, cant imagine Mountain or Pacific times.

Noon would be difficult for a lot of people as it’s right smack in the middle of the “normal” work day. I think they put it at the time they did so at least the general population can book FPs before they go to work.

 

[Cinderella94]

Noon would be difficult for a lot of people as it’s right smack in the middle of the “normal” work day. I think they put it at the time they did so at least the general population can book FPs before they go to work.

It's a no win situation. Lots of people can't make FP reservations during work.

Agreed. That would be a huge inconvenience to, I think, more people. On some days, I could make it work, but most days, not so much, and teachers, doctors, countless other professions would never have a chance.

 

[tlmadden73]

Certainly not the way to go, and not really "fair" to everyone, while booking at 7am isn't a big deal; you'd be asking those of us on the West Coast to get up and book our FP at 4am everyday for 1-14 consecutive days...

True enough -- there is unfairness any way you do it - Length of stay gives advantage to those with more disposable income, a time based system gives advantage to those who are more available at that time.

Think about how crazy the "grab your reservation at 7:00" thing is --- equivalent to the mad Black Friday rushes. The doors open at 7:00 AM and there is a mad rush to grab the FP you want except, unlike most of these sales .. there is no LINE .. everyone just sprints at the door at the same time!

The main issue is the 'need' to do a Fast Pass at the exact first second or get stuck with poor times (or no fast passes for some attractions) - same as anything nowadays with high demand - buying concert tickets, getting your zone on Southwest Airlines, getting that Black Friday sale item, securing that ADR, etc. Year over year, as people learn how the system works, they will try and get there earlier and earlier ..

Not sure how they can handle it .. demand is just too high. They've created a highly sought after commodity in Fast Passes (which is why they are trying to monetize it with EMM and such) Someone will always try to be first in line and when demand that high, the rush to be "first" in line will be high.


The only equitable thing I can think of (and probably less strain on the computer system) is an old-fashioned lottery system - (similar to how I remember getting concert tickets at the record store back in the day (dating myself a bit, I know).

A convention I used to go to has gone to that system for reserving hotel rooms. Demand was so high to be "first" in line to get the "best" hotels close to convention center that the system just crashed and overloaded, causing a mess and frustrated customers.

So now they just give you a random number that determines WHEN you can go online to do your reservations. Thus spreading out the users in a more orderly fashion (a queue) and not based on "who is first" or whose internet connection is fastest, but simply randomness.

For example, I could see it working this way for Fast Passes.
A week before your 60 day window opens every MDE account that check-in date gets assigned a random number. You are then given a time to do your FP selection based on your random number. (The first 100 people can make their selections from 7-8, then next 100 from 8-9, etc. etc.). You know where you are in line and can plan accordingly to be available at that time and have a good idea what your chances are of getting certain fast passes.

Yes, there would be just as many people that would find that equally unfair - especially when they find themselves at the back of the line or getting a time that is inconvenient to them.

 

[amiskell28]

I will say the full stay booking advantage makes it almost impossible for us to get any popular FPs. We drive in for extended weekends vs long vacations - several multiple 3 day trips throughout the year. Although we always stay onsite, we rarely can get popular FPs like FOP. Availability is long gone before our 60 day window.

Precisely this. I'm resigned to not getting FOP, as I only have a 60+1, 2, and 3.

 

[Cinderella94]

True enough -- there is unfairness any way you do it - Length of stay gives advantage to those with more disposable income, a time based system gives advantage to those who are more available at that time.

Think about how crazy the "grab your reservation at 7:00" thing is --- equivalent to the mad Black Friday rushes. The doors open at 7:00 AM and there is a mad rush to grab the FP you want except, unlike most of these sales .. there is no LINE .. everyone just sprints at the door at the same time!

The main issue is the 'need' to do a Fast Pass at the exact first second or get stuck with poor times (or no fast passes for some attractions) - same as anything nowadays with high demand - buying concert tickets, getting your zone on Southwest Airlines, getting that Black Friday sale item, securing that ADR, etc. Year over year, as people learn how the system works, they will try and get there earlier and earlier ..

Not sure how they can handle it .. demand is just too high. They've created a highly sought after commodity in Fast Passes (which is why they are trying to monetize it with EMM and such) Someone will always try to be first in line and when demand that high, the rush to be "first" in line will be high.


The only equitable thing I can think of (and probably less strain on the computer system) is an old-fashioned lottery system - (similar to how I remember getting concert tickets at the record store back in the day (dating myself a bit, I know).

A convention I used to go to has gone to that system for reserving hotel rooms. Demand was so high to be "first" in line to get the "best" hotels close to convention center that the system just crashed and overloaded, causing a mess and frustrated customers.

So now they just give you a random number that determines WHEN you can go online to do your reservations. Thus spreading out the users in a more orderly fashion (a queue) and not based on "who is first" or whose internet connection is fastest, but simply randomness.

For example, I could see it working this way for Fast Passes.
A week before your 60 day window opens every MDE account that check-in date gets assigned a random number. You are then given a time to do your FP selection based on your random number. (The first 100 people can make their selections from 7-8, then next 100 from 8-9, etc. etc.). You know where you are in line and can plan accordingly to be available at that time and have a good idea what your chances are of getting certain fast passes.

Yes, there would be just as many people that would find that equally unfair - especially when they find themselves at the back of the line or getting a time that is inconvenient to them.

I have to say, I would hate this. It's easier for me to reconcile "I was a minute late and didn't get what I wanted" or "my internet was down" or "Disney's app is glitching again". Basically I need something to be able to blame, even if it's myself, other than just dumb luck. Drawing a poor number in the lottery would just tick me off.

 

[amiskell28]

I have to say, I would hate this. It's easier for me to reconcile "I was a minute late and didn't get what I wanted" or "my internet was down" or "Disney's app is glitching again". Basically I need something to be able to blame, even if it's myself, other than just dumb luck. Drawing a poor number in the lottery would just tick me off.

I do see your point. I think what gets me, though, is the fact that I can try at exactly the right time, with the fastest internet in the world, on a website/app that is miraculously working perfectly..... and not have a shot.

All because I can't stay as long as other folks can.