Strategically booking park pass reservations

[MattH20]

Hi, I’ve searched the threads and couldn’t find anything on this (apologies if discussed already).

We arrive from the UK next week for 2 weeks with tow young kids. Planning exactly where we start our day everyday for 2 weeks just feels unrealistic, we don’t know whether the kids will want to spend more time in HWS, Epcot, MK etc.

also quite stressful to see that MK and HWS seem to be blocked out for most dates. So should we strategically book more MK and HWS reservations and swap on the day/day before depending on how we are feeling? We know that changing our mind from Epcot to MK the day before just wont be available as an option.

Also - are we able to change our reservation on the day if we decide to have a pool day and go to a different park in the evening?

Thanks (and hope this makes sense)

 

[nickys]

Hi, I’ve searched the threads and couldn’t find anything on this (apologies if discussed already).

We arrive from the UK next week for 2 weeks with tow young kids. Planning exactly where we start our day everyday for 2 weeks just feels unrealistic, we don’t know whether the kids will want to spend more time in HWS, Epcot, MK etc.

also quite stressful to see that MK and HWS seem to be blocked out for most dates. So should we strategically book more MK and HWS reservations and swap on the day/day before depending on how we are feeling? We know that changing our mind from Epcot to MK the day before just wont be available as an option.

Also - are we able to change our reservation on the day if we decide to have a pool day and go to a different park in the evening?

Thanks (and hope this makes sense)

You need to get one park booked per day asap. Snap up Mk and DHS when they are available. But please get a park booked for every day.

I assume you have the U.K. tickets so you can always hop to another park if you want to after 2pm. Just because a park is booked out for park reservations doesn’t mean they are full for park hopping - in fact that has only happened once. But you do have to tap in at your reserved park before you can hop.

You don’t even need to use a park reservation every day, but if you have nothing booked you can’t enter a park until you go on the app / website and book a park.

You can change your park reservation on the day if there is availability. It’s possible you might not be able to modify the park, in which case you’d have to cancel and rebook which carries a slight risk.

 

[MattH20]

Thanks - don’t worry we’ve booked parks for every day, its just the fact that its going to be difficult to change plans at short notice has really hit home this week as we can see a lack of availability for MK and HWS.

So am i right that considering MK seems to be booked up every day, if we’ve decided to stay at the pool on a day we have Epcot booked but want to go MK in the evening, ill have to run to the innternational gateway with everyone’s magic band tap in and out then go to MK and get it. Yet cancelling our Epcot and booking MK wouldn’t be an option? Just seems bonkers.

I’m tempted to swap all our bookings to MK now while we can.

 

[JIMINYCR]

nicky’s spot on. It’s crazy and ridiculous but that’s how you must do it if you want any guarantee for accomplishing what you want. Running your days depending on how you feel when you wake up is a thing of the past. Swap if you can and if it’s going to make it easier for you. With the crowding and that causing lack of availability do it immediately.

 

[nickys]

Thanks - don’t worry we’ve booked parks for every day, its just the fact that its going to be difficult to change plans at short notice has really hit home this week as we can see a lack of availability for MK and HWS.

So am i right that considering MK seems to be booked up every day, if we’ve decided to stay at the pool on a day we have Epcot booked but want to go MK in the evening, ill have to run to the innternational gateway with everyone’s magic band tap in and out then go to MK and get it. Yet cancelling our Epcot and booking MK wouldn’t be an option? Just seems bonkers.

I’m tempted to swap all our bookings to MK now while we can.

I’m very glad to hear you have at least got parks booked each day! My heart skipped a beat or two when I read your post.

Yes, sadly that is how things work now. As far as day-of availability goes, I doubt Epcot will sell out. And since it sounds like you’re staying near the IG you could always pop in and get a bite to eat at lunchtime and then hop. Halles Boulangerie is always a nice option, whatever time of day!

That said I would perhaps add 2-3 extra days at MK if you can. Also DHS because you can always take a boat ride or the Skyliner to DHS as a diversion in the morning if you decide on a more laid back swimming morning and then go over to Mk or AK around lunchtime. And like I say, getting Epcot for an “easy” tap in will almost always be possible.

 

[MattH20]

Thanks - yes we are staying at YC. Weve tried to spread our reservations and have 4 MK reservations and 4 DHS reservations out of the total 14. Does that sound sensible?

 

[nickys]

Thanks - yes we are staying at YC. Weve tried to spread our reservations and have 4 MK reservations and 4 DHS reservations out of the total 14. Does that sound sensible?

With little ones I’d do maybe 5 for Mk and 3 for DHS. But you’re in the right zone.

 

[Raxel7851]

As a little note from a novice when these park reservations first started, I canceled on the day we had rezzies at Epcot, BEFORE checking to see if MK was available. Then when I couldn’t reserve MK, I tried Epcot again, but it was full. Fortunately about an hour later I got MK availability. So as others have posted, always check availability first!

 

[MattH20]

As a little note from a novice when these park reservations first started, I canceled on the day we had rezzies at Epcot, BEFORE checking to see if MK was available. Then when I couldn’t reserve MK, I tried Epcot again, but it was full. Fortunately about an hour later I got MK availability. So as others have posted, always check availability first!

Ahhh can imagine the panic!

ok, so i think I’m going to bin either an AK or Epcot in favour of an extra MK day (that would make 5 MK days and reduce Epcot or AK to 2 days)

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

First. I hope the OP and his family have a great time at DW. The following is not meant toward the OP:

But. The fact we have a thread (no fault of the OP) that actually is asking for strategies about how to get into a park. Says a lot about Bob Chapek's Disney.

 

[Gillyanne]

ill have to run to the innternational gateway with everyone’s magic band tap in and out then go to MK and get it.

I just want to mention something about this lil bit, I don't think only you can run with everyone's bands; especially with the fingerprint scanner etc. Not sure they'd let you "enter" as multiple people but only 1 present; but perhaps someone else has a better idea if they do allow it. We've never had to make sure we "tapped in" before hopping, so everyone had entered the first park anyway.

 

[correcaminos]

I just want to mention something about this lil bit, I don't think only you can run with everyone's bands; especially with the fingerprint scanner etc. Not sure they'd let you "enter" as multiple people but only 1 present; but perhaps someone else has a better idea if they do allow it. We've never had to make sure we "tapped in" before hopping, so everyone had entered the first park anyway.

You are right. Even if the finger print scanner isn't running (happens sometimes), you cannot just tap in. You all will have to enter.

 

[MattH20]

I just want to mention something about this lil bit, I don't think only you can run with everyone's bands; especially with the fingerprint scanner etc. Not sure they'd let you "enter" as multiple people but only 1 present; but perhaps someone else has a better idea if they do allow it. We've never had to make sure we "tapped in" before hopping, so everyone had entered the first park anyway.

Of course, forgot about finger print!

we’ve now substituted an Epcot day for a MK day on the basis that we will be able to swap back easier if need be.

I guess we will have to travel the long way and use monorail after a walk through Epcot if we want to go mk on other days.

 

[Vacationeer]

Ticketed onsite guests should be able to hit the parks as they please.

How much more info does WDW need to plan for these folks? They have reams of data from the last decade that I cannot imagine not giving them accurate probabilities of guest movement here. How exact do they need it to be? Why is whatever small margin of error still landing on the guest’s shoulder and not a cost of doing business. Just because guests tolerated it during a pandemic doesn’t mean they’ll graciously accept this type of burden through infinity. It encroaches on guests’ ability to enjoy planning and experiencing their trips. I do not think the impact is worth the tiny sliver of extra profit they‘re trying to squeeze out.

Yes I have some strong feelings about park reservations and hopper restrictions And every time I read about the problems they continue to cause it gets more irritating.

 

[Patcheslee]

Ticketed onsite guests should be able to hit the parks as they please.

How much more info does WDW need to plan for these folks? They have reams of data from the last decade that I cannot imagine not giving them accurate probabilities of guest movement here. How exact do they need it to be? Why is whatever small margin of error still landing on the guest’s shoulder and not a cost of doing business. Just because guests tolerated it during a pandemic doesn’t mean they’ll graciously accept this type of burden through infinity. It encroaches on guests’ ability to enjoy planning and experiencing their trips. I do not think the impact is worth the tiny sliver of extra profit they‘re trying to squeeze out.

Yes I have some strong feelings about park reservations and hopper restrictions And every time I read about the problems they continue to cause it gets more irritating.

Strategically planning park days by TS availability probability seems familiar somehow.

 

[nickys]

Ticketed onsite guests should be able to hit the parks as they please.

How much more info does WDW need to plan for these folks? They have reams of data from the last decade that I cannot imagine not giving them accurate probabilities of guest movement here. How exact do they need it to be? Why is whatever small margin of error still landing on the guest’s shoulder and not a cost of doing business. Just because guests tolerated it during a pandemic doesn’t mean they’ll graciously accept this type of burden through infinity. It encroaches on guests’ ability to enjoy planning and experiencing their trips. I do not think the impact is worth the tiny sliver of extra profit they‘re trying to squeeze out.

Yes I have some strong feelings about park reservations and hopper restrictions And every time I read about the problems they continue to cause it gets more irritating.

You’re not wrong.

But don’t forget that when they announced that the parks were re-opening, they didn’t even tell people who already had onsite stays booked for that time (mostly DVC members at that point) when they would be able to book tickets. And they weren’t given any priority at all. People who were booking package stays could buy tickets, but not those who were already committed to staying at the resorts. They had to wait until tickets went on sale to offsite guests before knowing if they would be able to visit the parks at all.

All of which shows that Disney really doesn’t care that much.

 

[WorldExplorer]

Of course, forgot about finger print!

we’ve now substituted an Epcot day for a MK day on the basis that we will be able to swap back easier if need be.

I guess we will have to travel the long way and use monorail after a walk through Epcot if we want to go mk on other days.

It...MIGHT be quicker to just turn right around and walk back to Yacht Club's bus stop after tapping into International Gateway (and walking five feet inside). Definitely less crowds, if nothing else, plus then you get dropped off pretty close to the gate and don't need to transfer to another monorail.

I'm not really familiar with exactly where Yacht and Beach's buses are, though. But if it's near the entrance to the resort, I would wager it's a shorter distance.

 

[nickys]

It...MIGHT be quicker to just turn right around and walk back to Yacht Club's bus stop after tapping into International Gateway (and walking five feet inside). Definitely less crowds, if nothing else, plus then you get dropped off pretty close to the gate and don't need to transfer to another monorail.

I'm not really familiar with exactly where Yacht and Beach's buses are, though. But if it's near the entrance to the resort, I would wager it's a shorter distance.

Beach Club or Boardwalk would be nearer.

But the upside of walking through Epcot is being able to do a couple of rides on the way. Since they’re technically park hopping anyway, they might as well take advantage of it.

 

[Icenhourfamily]

Planning a trip to DW Sunday, December 4th thru Friday, December 9th. Plan on purchasing resort and tickets this week. With new park reservation system and park hours not being released until around 75 days out, is there a strategy that y’all would recommend when making park reservations? I’d hate to miss out on extra magic hours by not booking the park that has extra hours on a certain day. The Sunday we get there we are just planning on doing Mickey’s Christmas Party. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[nickys]

The only extra magic hours you need to consider are those at MK and Epcot for deluxe resort guests. Mondays for Epcot, Wednesdays for MK. They have only changed occasionally when another event is planned.

The mornings are for all onsite guests.