Opionions on my FP please! (and seriously, the website it terrible!)

[DisneyDreamer08]

Ok first of all, whoever designed the My Disney Experience website has some serious problems. I chose my FP+ last night and seriously, worst design ever. First, pick your park. Ok, good. Second, pick your day. Ok, but why not have a drop down bar with your travel dates? Why a calendar that starts on today, and then I have to click ahead 3 months? Next, choose 3 rides and we will assign you 3 random times. WHAT?!?! Then, waste precious time to rearrange the crap times you gave me. Why not- choose ride one, choose a time. Choose ride two, choose a time. Then ride 3. Then after I waste precious time rearranging my 3 times, the only option is to go back to the home screen and start over?!?! How about an option on the bottom of the page to choose another day? Seriously, worst website ever.
Ok, rant over
Now I would like a few opinions.
First, Animal Kingodm.
Our plan is to arrive at opening, and go to KS first, then do the Pangani Trail. Our 1st FP is next for the 10am show of Lion King.
After that, heading to Triceratop Spin, then we're going to let my daughter play in the boneyard while we take turns on Everest. I did get FP#2 for EE. Keep it? Or would single rider be quicker?
After that I'm torn for FP3. We are hoping to do the 12pm Nemo show but I've heard FP here is unnecessary. My daughter will be tall enough for Dinosaur but is only 3 years old (almost 4 for our trip) so we are going to skip it due to the fright factor. Right now, I have our 3rd FP for Character Outpost because I know she will want to do that. Is that a waste though? Do the lines ever exceed 15 or 20 minutes? We will also probably skip Tough to be a bug due to the fright factor. Should I get a FP for the safari in case she wants to ride again?
Ok, also some confusion on my Epcot day. We have 1pm ADR at Biergarten/Candlelight package for the 5pm show. Since we need to be in the park until then, we are planning a slow start/sleep in day. So our first FP is Soarin for 10:05-11:05. Good. Then we'll do LWTL. After that, we plan on heading to the Seas pavilion. I have our next two FPs for Nemo & Crush even though I don't really anticipate needing them. Both should be short waits, at least they used to be. I am not really sure what else my daughter will be interested in in Future World so after the seas, I think we'll probably just head to World Showcase to scout out some characters. I don't think she will be interested in Space ship earth. Should I just keep the 2 I have? I'm hoping after we use them, we can book Test Track. Although by the time we do the Land & the Seas, it will be time for our Biergarten ADR which means we would have to back track to Test Track later on in the day. Any thoughts here?
I think thats it for now. Thanks for any help!!

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

Yes, we arrive the Sat after Thanksgiving, staying til Sunday the 7th.
Thanks for AK tips, will definitely rearrange a little.
That stinks about Test Track But good idea checking on the way out. We did leave 2 days empty, using it to rest or go back and do stuff we missed. So we can save it for one of those days if need be.

 

[Shadowgate]

Hi! Sorry for your pain with the site and I can relate so far. Thanks for bringing this up.

I am arriving the day after you on Sunday Nov. 30th so my Fasspass window opens tonight at 11:01 cst. At the moment if I look at the Fastpass+ screen it shows only me as part of my party, eventhough I have my reservation and my 7day park hoppers linked to the My Disney Experience with my wife and daughter listed. Is this just due to not being within the 60 day window or do I need to call someone to make sure things are linked properly?

 

[ratherbeinwdw]

Hi! Sorry for your pain with the site and I can relate so far. Thanks for bringing this up.

I am arriving the day after you on Sunday Nov. 30th so my Fasspass window opens tonight at 11:01 cst. At the moment if I look at the Fastpass+ screen it shows only me as part of my party, eventhough I have my reservation and my 7day park hoppers linked to the My Disney Experience with my wife and daughter listed. Is this just due to not being within the 60 day window or do I need to call someone to make sure things are linked properly?

Are they in your friends and family list?

 

[Shadowgate]

Yes, they are listed in my friends and family list. Just not currently showing if I try to go into Fasspass+.

 

[ratherbeinwdw]

Yes, we arrive the Sat after Thanksgiving, staying til Sunday the 7th.
Thanks for AK tips, will definitely rearrange a little.
That stinks about Test Track But good idea checking on the way out. We did leave 2 days empty, using it to rest or go back and do stuff we missed. So we can save it for one of those days if need be.

You should be able to do single rider for TT.

 

[ratherbeinwdw]

Yes, they are listed in my friends and family list. Just not currently showing if I try to go into Fasspass+.

Do they already have park tickets?

 

[Shadowgate]

Yes, we have 7 day parkhopper tickets and it shows all three of my party (me, my wife and daughter) attached to those tickets.

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

I think as long as everyone's tickets are linked you are good. Just refresh the page at midnight (or 11 I guess in your case) Every time you make a FP selection you have the option of who in your party you are choosing for.
Not sure of your plans but the Frozen singalong is a FP option at DHS, just FYI. That one through me for a curve ball at midnight! Are you planning A&E meet also? We have 3 MK days planned and I could not get it for the 1st 2 but I got it for Friday the 5th.

And thank you for the TT single rider suggestion however, our daughter will most likely go on that one with us.

 

[Shadowgate]

Thanks! That was what I hoped but didn't want to be caught in the middle of the night with things not set up correctly. We also have 3 days planned for MK, at least to get Fasspasses for, and I am hoping the M&G might be an option for the third date which will be Saturday the 6th. We will see.

 

[Clamman73]

There was someone going around the crowd asking about the app at MK yesterday.

 

[Rob562]

Folks have chimed in on the OP's questions about actual usage of the FP+, but I thought I'd mention a few things about why i think the system works the way it does...

I think what some people need to remember is that a vast percentage of the guests in Disney parks do not know the parks as well as most people the visit these message boards do. They don't know the park layout, they don't know how far apart attractions are, they don't know how long a given attraction is...

Knowing that lack of knowledge in most Guests exists, the system takes all of the above issues into account when assigning those "random" times. It knows how long an attraction is, it knows that it can take someone who doesn't know the parks 25 minutes (or more) to get from one side of the park to the other. It also blocks out times shortly before and after your ADRs, so that your FP+ times don't overlap. They system does a lot of thinking of the details so that clueless Guests don't have to and then gives you FP+ times (from the times still available) that naturally work.

But as you've found, those times don't necessarily always work for all touring styles, especially for users who really know what they're doing in the parks. That's why you can go in and shuffle around your FP+ times to suit your specific needs. But purely from a logistical standpoint, they need to cater the system to the majority, which is people who *don't* know the parks well.

-Rob

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

Rob, I do agree that they probably think they are being helpful with the random times. My frustration was that I couldn't even pick my order. I had things planned 1,2 & 3 based on park location and they would rank them in a different order. And on my Epcot day, I wanted morning times and they randomly gave me like 7-9pm. It was just weird. And a time waster. I was very overwhelmed with the midnight scramble and I do consider myself Disney savvy. I can't imagine how a newbie feels.

 

[JohnD]

Rob, I do agree that they probably think they are being helpful with the random times. My frustration was that I couldn't even pick my order. I had things planned 1,2 & 3 based on park location and they would rank them in a different order. And on my Epcot day, I wanted morning times and they randomly gave me like 7-9pm. It was just weird. And a time waster. I was very overwhelmed with the midnight scramble and I do consider myself Disney savvy. I can't imagine how a newbie feels.

Regardless of which rides and times it randomly gives you, you can "choose new time" and "choose new experience" for all three. So, go ahead and choose, say, Option D, with evening times if you wish. Then choose the experiences and times of what you really want.

Regarding Everest, since both you and your wife are switching out watching the daughter, I'd go with single rider for both of you. That way, you're not wasting a FP+. You could use it on Safari instead.

 

[Shadowgate]

Have to say thanks all! I didn't have any major problems and what DisneyDreamer08 said about his experience help alot. I was able to navigate the process successfuly with only a few snags which I figured out on the fly. I was able to get Snow White Mine Train for two of my three days and MK. I was even able to get A&E M&G for my last day... if not at the best time, 4:50 to 5:50, which overlaps with the new Fantasy parade but we will just have to run after the parade from the hub.

 

[Catyat]

Hi! Sorry for your pain with the site and I can relate so far. Thanks for bringing this up.

I am arriving the day after you on Sunday Nov. 30th so my Fasspass window opens tonight at 11:01 cst. At the moment if I look at the Fastpass+ screen it shows only me as part of my party, eventhough I have my reservation and my 7day park hoppers linked to the My Disney Experience with my wife and daughter listed. Is this just due to not being within the 60 day window or do I need to call someone to make sure things are linked properly?

I am noticing the same thing for my reservation too - my 60 day window will open October 18, but when I look at the Fastpass+ screen right now, it only shows me in my party and my husband is not listed. It sounds like you had success though. So, it's safe to say this will change once the 60-day window has opened? (I'm like you, and want to make sure everything is set and ready to go once I'm able to make my selections!). Thanks!!

 

[Shadowgate]

Yes, as long as your family is listed under family and friends it seems to be fine once you hit the 60 day mark.