The New Elite Commandos

[Polyonmymind]

Not so sure. Again a lot of folks have now mastered Mobile Ordering. According to a recent review by Josh at EasyWDW, he couldn't just go up and get his dole whip. He had to wait in a line about 10 deep. Sigh.

blame the dinning plan. when it was CC only you could get in-out in a flash, now not so much.

 

[lisa cameron]

My fear is that the new commandos are going to need a new income to keep up with the changing times.

I find myself purchasing the expensive upsells to make sure I get a good seat for shows. I have two kids in school and I teach, so we have to go during the most crowded times. The last several times we’ve been, rope drop gets us one, maybe two rides without much of a wait. After that, lines get long- even for the less popular rides.

For us, late night hours have been our best bet for shorter lines, but still it is hard to find walk on anymore.

I love the current fastpass system. It has been a complete saving grace when it comes to crowds. We regularly get 7+ fastpasses a day and don’t even bother getting in line for anything without one (unless it’s rope drop, EMH, or the ride doesn’t use FP). But that won’t last, I’m afraid. They are going to start charging everyone for extra fastpasses, or as more and more people become aware of the system, we won’t be able to get more than four or so before they all run out.

I hope it doesn’t become so that I have to do only one trip every few years so that I can afford to enjoy my vacation. I have lots of access to information, and I have the motivation and time to get to the top of the in-the-know Disney guest ladder. My access to financial resources, however, is significantly more limited.

I really hope they don’t start charging for extra fast passes, gives some of us who only have a 30 day window a chance to try for better fast passes or make up for the fact we didn’t get the better fast passes like those with the 60 day window. Charging for more would only cater to the elite

 

[LSUmiss]

I really hope they don’t start charging for extra fast passes, gives some of us who only have a 30 day window a chance to try for better fast passes or make up for the fact we didn’t get the better fast passes like those with the 60 day window. Charging for more would only cater to the elite

It’s not necessarily the elite. We all make choices on vacation. It’s offering an option to those who see value in that.

 

[zillayen]

I really hope they don’t start charging for extra fast passes, gives some of us who only have a 30 day window a chance to try for better fast passes or make up for the fact we didn’t get the better fast passes like those with the 60 day window. Charging for more would only cater to the elite

This already kind of happening with the CL FPs, isn't it? More $$, more FP and an extra 30 days to book?

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

This already kind of happening with the CL FPs, isn't it? More $$, more FP and an extra 30 days to book?

How much are the extra fastpasses for CL? I didn’t see a price.

We were at every park this week and didn’t really need any extra fastpasses. We were able to get everything we wanted with at least six fastpasses every day (we used 8 today at AK in a six hour time frame).

With the current system, purchasing extra fastpasses does not seem necessary. That’s why I’m afraid they will change the system so purchasing becomes a necessity.

 

[lisa cameron]

How much are the extra fastpasses for CL? I didn’t see a price.

We were at every park this week and didn’t really need any extra fastpasses. We were able to get everything we wanted with at least six fastpasses every day (we used 8 today at AK in a six hour time frame).

With the current system, purchasing extra fastpasses does not seem necessary. That’s why I’m afraid they will change the system so purchasing becomes a necessity.

Agreed.

 

[Greenfield1984]

Not so sure. Again a lot of folks have now mastered Mobile Ordering. According to a recent review by Josh at EasyWDW, he couldn't just go up and get his dole whip. He had to wait in a line about 10 deep. Sigh.

Hmm ill have to find that post.
10 deep may not be too bad if its fast moving.

But i wonder what the non mobile ordering line is like.

Is this going to be the stand by vs fast pass lines of food service now?

 

[Greenfield1984]

So that

Hmm ill have to find that post.
10 deep may not be too bad if its fast moving.

But i wonder what the non mobile ordering line is like.

Is this going to be last the stand by vs fast pass lines of food service now?

So that was a post during presidents day. Probably not a good indicator but something to keep an eye on.

I did however notice that he scoffed at the idea that magic kingdom is busier on a monday.

This has been common wisdom for so long but is it no longer true?

 

[Bob Dolewhip]

You must have a special alert system on your computer. I mention Dolewhip and bam! Here ya are.

I just smelled the idea of pineapple and swung by!

 

[Gentry2004]

So that


So that was a post during presidents day. Probably not a good indicator but something to keep an eye on.

I did however notice that he scoffed at the idea that magic kingdom is busier on a monday.

This has been common wisdom for so long but is it no longer true?

I think he was just trying to say up is down and down is up these days. Predications are nearly impossible anymore which is why he stopped the crowd calendars.

If for one am super bummed about mobile ordering. It was awesome in December, pre dining plan. I kind of despise the dining plan. We don’t do it because it wouldn’t be a good value for us, and I also feel like it’s the main reason ADR’s are so hard to get.

 

[Katie Dawn]

In addition to the FP+ strategies mentioned above, park hop!!! A typical day for us puts us arriving at Park A approx 30 minutes before rope drop. We'll ride everything we can standby (no shows, rides only) for about 2 hours. Then we hop to Park B where we have our FP+ reservations starting late morning. While in Park B I'll keep trying to more the FP+ earlier and earlier and then get 4th, 5th, 6th, etc. Once we decide we're done getting FP+ in that park we'll talk about what park we want to finish out the day at (usually based on crowd levels or the best FP+ still available). I'll book FP+ and then we'll hop to Park C for the remainder of the day. We usually hop to Park C late afternoon/early evening.

The reason we hop so much is that we LOVE the rides and keep riding them over and over.

Can I ask: What is the advantage of park hopping in this scenario? Are you able to ride more total rides by doing this than if you had stayed in the same park the whole day? I know lots of people love park hopping, and obviously feel it is a better choice than staying at the same park, but I don't understand what advantage it gives you? If it's to start at an EMH park, get an extra hour of rides, then get the heck out of dodge I totally get that. But if it's not for EMH... Can you help me understand why it's great?

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

Can I ask: What is the advantage of park hopping in this scenario? Are you able to ride more total rides by doing this than if you had stayed in the same park the whole day? I know lots of people love park hopping, and obviously feel it is a better choice than staying at the same park, but I don't understand what advantage it gives you? If it's to start at an EMH park, get an extra hour of rides, then get the heck out of dodge I totally get that. But if it's not for EMH... Can you help me understand why it's great?

We don’t typically park hop because we need at least a full day at every park and it also takes time and energy to hop, but one reason it can be helpful other than EMH is this: On Thursday at MK, four of the big rides were down for a good percentage of the day and crowds were huge. Lines for everything else became that much longer. People with hoppers could choose to leave MK and go to a park where most everything was actually working.

Also, park hoppers can be nice when people are true commandos and want to be in the parks as long as possible. AK has been closing at 8:30, but MK was open until 11 last night. True commandos could arrive at park opening at 8 at AK then hop to MK for maximum park time.

 

[OneinThree]

The best way to enjoy "New Disney World" (from a FL resident, and someone who has visited since the early 80's):

1- Accept that there are two seasons -very, very busy, and ridiculous.
2- Accept that you will no longer be able to see as much of a given park in a day, regardless of fast pass.
3- Accept that you will regularly trip over, and be tripped over by a herd of people resembling a hoard of locusts like something out of The Revelation.
4- Accept that "strategies" amount to little more than diversions we use to pass the time waiting for vacations to finally come.
5- Accept that you will be paying more for these privileges.

In sum? There is no way to "beat the system" anymore. Hope for the best, expect the worst, and just relax while you're there.

 

[Greenfield1984]

Can I ask: What is the advantage of park hopping in this scenario? Are you able to ride more total rides by doing this than if you had stayed in the same park the whole day? I know lots of people love park hopping, and obviously feel it is a better choice than staying at the same park, but I don't understand what advantage it gives you? If it's to start at an EMH park, get an extra hour of rides, then get the heck out of dodge I totally get that. But if it's not for EMH... Can you help me understand why it's great?

With you on that one. I find you lose too much time changing parks and you need at least a full day at the parks anyway.

That being said.

With events like the halloween and christmas parties occurring longer and longer its becoming increasingly harder to plan full days.

I am going in aug/sept and can see the appeal of hitting magic kingdom during day of a halloween party when crowds may be lower and then visit another park for the evening.

 

[Davey Jones II]

So that


So that was a post during presidents day. Probably not a good indicator but something to keep an eye on.

I did however notice that he scoffed at the idea that magic kingdom is busier on a monday.

This has been common wisdom for so long but is it no longer true?

That begs the question: if this strategy no longer works, why does he not now recommend going to the MK on Mondays??

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

That begs the question: if this strategy no longer works, why does he not now recommend going to the MK on Mondays??

Because he no longer does crowd calendars.

If you look back at TP crowd level ratings for the past few months, it’s a mixed bag. Sometimes MK is the worst park on Mon. Sometimes it’s the best park. Often AK is the worst. It’s not the guarantee of bad crowds that people indicate it is (and maybe once was).

 

[Harambe]

Well, I for one am hoping that the opening of new parks will kind of spread out the crowds. Of course, at the beginning it brings more people in (which is why we decided to go this coming Dec, because once Star Wars opens I don't even want to think about going to WDW for awhile!), but it eventually helps. Right now, HS seems so small, and surely only a half day park for us, so we go to another park. But once Toy land and Star Wars opens, more people will go and stay for the day.

Same with any of the new rides. As long as they keep spreading them out amongst the parks it will help with the crowds at each park. I can't wait for the newness to wear off at Pandora, since I love my AK nice and laid back. I even plan on doing an ADR here so I don't have to wait in long CS lines. Something we never do at AK.

 

[Davey Jones II]

Because he no longer does crowd calendars.

If you look back at TP crowd level ratings for the past few months, it’s a mixed bag. Sometimes MK is the worst park on Mon. Sometimes it’s the best park. Often AK is the worst. It’s not the guarantee of bad crowds that people indicate it is (and maybe once was).

That certainly is a change from the old rule of thumb.

On our late October/early November trip, we experienced the heaviest crowds at AK on a Monday. It seems that people want to experience the new stuff first, and AK was the only park with a new land.

 

[kagmypts]

Which park was this?

Magic Kingdom! It reminded me how much more we love Disney when we can actually enjoy the rides. It will definitely be one of our favorite Disney memories.

 

[mom-2greatkids]

I'm just curious, do you drive to the parks or take Disney transportation? Planning my park hopping strategies for our next trip!

As a general rule we drive. We were really disappointed when they cancelled the Express Transportation option. If that had still been in operation during our Nivember trip we would have taken advantage of it.