Tips, tricks, lessons learned.

[Victor Kelly]

Ok, with the dining plan, FP+ and the hundreds of other variables out there bouncing off one another, I wanted to get a few things out there.

1. FP+ You can change it when you get there, yes. Guest services, hotel conceirge and FP+ kiosks are available. Please note that once you use or expire your remaining FP, there can be a lag before you can get another one. FP+ kiosks are far and few between in some parks.

2. Make index cards that have your daily ADRs and Reservation number on them as well as all your FP+ times. It saves time and battery power looking on your mobile at Disney's website which can be very slow at times.

3. Check in for your ADR a few minutes early if you can. We were usually seated early due to us doing this. Sometimes we were 20 minutes early, and were still seated early.

4. When at a character meal ask the server or person seating you when the characters will be to your table and subtract 10 minutes. If they are in the area when you walk in and are being seated, DO NOT get up and go anywhere or to the buffet. They will be back, but it takes them time to make a circuit.

5. Leave plenty of time to get to your ADR if using Disney transportation. Our jaunt to Trails End from Magic Kingdom took almost and hour by boat. That includes waiting for it to get to the dock, load, and reach the next dock. We made it 5 minutes late, but our reservations were held for us.

6. To maximize your time with FP+, go do other attractions right when your FP window starts. By doing this, we did not rush around, we usually got to our FP within that hour block but were able to do other things. So getting on POTC right at the start of your block time, then hitting your FP at SDMT will actually save you time and let you do more.

FP+ requires strategy like point 6 above. But We also hit and ADR while a FP+ was scheduled to begin at the end of the ADR, then hi a minor attraction, do photopass pics, people watch or walk to the FP+ UNTIL the FP block was within 15 minutes of expiration or less. By doing this, you increase the time you have to do other things.


Everyone add into this for the newer people.

 

[Weather_Lady]

Tip if you are attending the Hoop-de-Doo Revue: WDW will tell you to arrive and check in at least 30 minutes prior to show-time. You do not need to do this. The purpose of this "rule" is to have you line up and get a family photo outside of the venue. The photo is not included in your dinner price, but will be brought to you later at your table, where a CM will attempt to sell it to you for a combined price in the neighborhood of $500, a newly-freshened cow and your eternal soul. Once the photo is taken, you will be forced to stand outside the doors (in the sun/rain/wind, with nowhere to sit down) until they open. The doors open 5 minutes before the dinner/show. As a result, unless you want to be first in line to get a photo or have special seating requests to make at check in (beyond your pre-assigned table in your category), there is no reason to arrive more than a few minutes before the show.

 

[ZachS]

Tip 6 is a good one. We try to fit a few things in once the window opens before we use the fastpass. We also set them all up for the morning, about an hour and a half after the park opens so we can get things in during that slower period of the day.

 

[Weather_Lady]

Another tip that first-timers might appreciate: you can get free ice water, on request, at any WDW counter service dining location (including poolside bars) at all of the parks and resorts. If you'd rather not lug around bottled water (or even worse, pay several dollars per bottle by buying bottled water on Disney property), it's a great way to stay hydrated without breaking the bank.

 

[Halloweenhead]

Anyone care to expand on point 6 please? So you get a hour time slot for fastpass? What happens if you arrive at the que with 1min to go? Or is it one hour for when you get on the ride?

Just worried that it wouldn't be worth the risk to try get on another ride in the fastpass time-slot (I'm going to WDW for the first time in April)?

 

[ZachS]

You have an hour window to get in the fastpass lane. It doesn't matter if its as soon as the window opens or if its right at the end.

 

[Weather_Lady]

Anyone care to expand on point 6 please? So you get a hour time slot for fastpass? What happens if you arrive at the que with 1min to go? Or is it one hour for when you get on the ride?

Just worried that it wouldn't be worth the risk to try get on another ride in the fastpass time-slot (I'm going to WDW for the first time in April)?

Although WDW doesn't publicize this, you can be up to 5 minutes early or 15 minutes late, and your FP+ will still "work." You simply need to arrive at the entrance to the attraction (the first Mickey reader) within your FP+ time slot (or within the 5/15-minute grace periods).

There's no need to be nervous about getting in line for another attraction, however. Every headliner for which you'd want a FP+ has 1 or 2 nearby attractions with a lower wait, so there's always something to do while you wait for your FP+ window to open up, which won't endanger your ability to get to your FP+ attraction in time.

 

[ZachS]

I've never seen anyone get turned away for being a few mins late but I've seen quite a few people have to wait until their window opens. I'm sure it probably depends on the cast member though.

 

[BigHero4]

1. Book FastPass+ as soon as you can (60 day for Disney resort guests and 30 day for non_Disney resort guests). You can book 3 FP's in advance and then once that block is used that day, you can schedule more from the MDE app on your phone or at the FP+ kiosks.

2. Buy your own neon necklaces at Wal-Mart before going to Fantasmic! The Glow-with-show items are at premium Disney prices. This is a cheap alternative... plus your child can share with other kids around them. Spread the magic.

3. If you can fit it in your park bag, bring Crocs/sandals, change of socks and a large freezer bag to store items. This way, if (and when) it rains you can change out your shoes and socks so you can keep going in the rain and have a nice dry pair of socks and shoes to continue the day.

4. Speaking of rain... buy an extra $1 poncho at the dollar store to use if you have a stroller. Cheap alternative to keeping your stuff dry as it sits in the rain.

5. If you do plan to buy items in the parks and you are a Disney resort guest, take advantage of the park-to-resort merchandise delivery. The park will have your stuff delivered to your resort, and is available the next day by 3 PM. That way you don't have to carry it around the park and risk it being lost or stolen.

6. If traveling with children and wearing a MagicBand, write their first name and your cell number inside with a Sharpie. Let them know that it is there in case of emergency and then give them a designated meeting place to go if they are lost.

 

[stevehousse]

So just to clarify because last time I was in the parks this wasn't available yet, but we now do not have to go to a kiosk to get the 4th FP anymore? We can do it from our phones now?

 

[BigHero4]

Sorry about that... I meant to say that you can change your pre-booked FP+ options using MDE on your phone, but you have to schedule extra FP+'s from the kiosks in the parks. Not sure if this is a planned upgrade to the MDE app, but it sure would be nice to schedule additional FP+ from your phone! My apologies for the mis-guided info.

 

[Victor Kelly]

1. Book FastPass+ as soon as you can (60 day for Disney resort guests and 30 day for non_Disney resort guests). You can book 3 FP's in advance and then once that block is used that day, you can schedule more from the MDE app on your phone or at the FP+ kiosks.

2. Buy your own neon necklaces at Wal-Mart before going to Fantasmic! The Glow-with-show items are at premium Disney prices. This is a cheap alternative... plus your child can share with other kids around them. Spread the magic.

3. If you can fit it in your park bag, bring Crocs/sandals, change of socks and a large freezer bag to store items. This way, if (and when) it rains you can change out your shoes and socks so you can keep going in the rain and have a nice dry pair of socks and shoes to continue the day.

4. Speaking of rain... buy an extra $1 poncho at the dollar store to use if you have a stroller. Cheap alternative to keeping your stuff dry as it sits in the rain.

5. If you do plan to buy items in the parks and you are a Disney resort guest, take advantage of the park-to-resort merchandise delivery. The park will have your stuff delivered to your resort, and is available the next day by 3 PM. That way you don't have to carry it around the park and risk it being lost or stolen.

6. If traveling with children and wearing a MagicBand, write their first name and your cell number inside with a Sharpie. Let them know that it is there in case of emergency and then give them a designated meeting place to go if they are lost.

All excellent tips. Thank you. I completely missed some of these. For all concerned, there is a Super Target on Rt 192 (southern most cross road on property). Get off World Drive and head WEST. A few miles down on the LEFT. Populated by locals and tourists alike. We avoid Walmarts like the plague, and honestly I won't go near one unless I am packing heat. There is a Walmart on Rt 27, north of Rt 192. That is an extremely nice Walmart, but the Target is closer.

For lost kids, let them know that they can go up to any cast member and tell them they are lost. The CMs are the best in the world for this. I believe they are taken to the first aid station in every park to be picked up by family. Disney security is tight with lost kids, they don't mess around. If you lose a child let a CM know and security will be to you before you can say Mickey Mouse. If the child has not already been found, they go to a silent Code Adam, and cover the exits.

Oh my god ponchos. They are crazy expensive in Disney (we had to buy some), $3 at Target. But they can and will rip at the most inopportune time. First day it rained we bought them. Then carried them everyday because of the chance of rain. On my birthday we carried them in, by 3 it was drizzling, by 3:30 it was full summer monsoon in winter and it would not let up. At 4 we left to go back to POP to change, then back to the Poly for Ohana. One other day it drizzled most of the day, but no monsoon.

 

[Victor Kelly]

Anyone care to expand on point 6 please? So you get a hour time slot for fastpass? What happens if you arrive at the que with 1min to go? Or is it one hour for when you get on the ride?

Just worried that it wouldn't be worth the risk to try get on another ride in the fastpass time-slot (I'm going to WDW for the first time in April)?

Yes, your fastpass is good for a 1 hour time slot. Lets say your fastpass is for Thunder Mountain between 3 and 4 pm. You are at POTC with a 20 min wait, attraction pass through time is about 10 minutes. So that is 30 minutes. You are also eating a Dole Whip which can take 10 minutes. And a little one needs a bathroom break. And the little one wants to ride Alladins Carpets.

At 2:40 you get in the 10 minute line for Dole Whips. 2:50 you eat the Dole whips.

At 3, the little one needs the bathroom.

3:10 You get in line for the Carpets. And at 3:15 you are on them. The line moved fast, let's all cheer

3:20 in the line for Pirates and exiting around 3:50 (it took longer to unload each boat as always).

By 3:58 you go rolling up to Thunder Mountain (you took your time and took some pictures along the way). You scan in at the primary FP+ at entry. Yes, as another poster stated there is a grace period built in that goes un-talked about.

Granted it may be cutting it close, which a lot of people do. While we did not have kids with us, we got pretty close sometimes due to things not working out as planned. Other times we simply did not try to fill every minute before the fastpass was up, and yet other times we were there before the fastpass was good.

The dynamics of park touring are changing with FP+. Some for the good, some for the not so good.

 

[Halloweenhead]

@Victor Kelly Thanks! Makes sense now.

 

[draybook]

Learn Portuguese.

 

[minniemickeyfan]

All excellent tips. Thank you. I completely missed some of these. For all concerned, there is a Super Target on Rt 192 (southern most cross road on property). Get off World Drive and head WEST. A few miles down on the LEFT. Populated by locals and tourists alike. We avoid Walmarts like the plague, and honestly I won't go near one unless I am packing heat. There is a Walmart on Rt 27, north of Rt 192. That is an extremely nice Walmart, but the Target is closer.

For lost kids, let them know that they can go up to any cast member and tell them they are lost. The CMs are the best in the world for this. I believe they are taken to the first aid station in every park to be picked up by family. Disney security is tight with lost kids, they don't mess around. If you lose a child let a CM know and security will be to you before you can say Mickey Mouse. If the child has not already been found, they go to a silent Code Adam, and cover the exits.

Oh my god ponchos. They are crazy expensive in Disney (we had to buy some), $3 at Target. But they can and will rip at the most inopportune time. First day it rained we bought them. Then carried them everyday because of the chance of rain. On my birthday we carried them in, by 3 it was drizzling, by 3:30 it was full summer monsoon in winter and it would not let up. At 4 we left to go back to POP to change, then back to the Poly for Ohana. One other day it drizzled most of the day, but no monsoon.

If I'm thinking of the same Target on 192, last trip I took the Western Way Road by Coronado Springs and then went South on 429 for about 2 miles and was there. It was incredible fast this way. Love the new 429

 

[Victor Kelly]

I think we went on 429 once when we were leaving MK and headed to Walmart on Rt 27. Fast road, we liked it a lot. But being a new road we did not take it often since we were usually driving around at night. While I drive professionally, I like to drive roads during the day so I am familiar with them in the dark.

 

[iluvMainStMagic]

If you have Disney rain ponchos (or end up buying them in the parks), if they ripped, you used to be able to take them to any spot that sells them (which, when it rains is almost everywhere) and they would replace them with new ones for you. I haven't heard it mentioned recently, so I'm not sure if they still do it. Anyone know?

 

[LAKid53]

Anyone care to expand on point 6 please? So you get a hour time slot for fastpass? What happens if you arrive at the que with 1min to go? Or is it one hour for when you get on the ride?

Just worried that it wouldn't be worth the risk to try get on another ride in the fastpass time-slot (I'm going to WDW for the first time in April)?

Thanks to waiting over 30 minutes for our table at Park Fare (that's 30 minutes AFTER the ADR time, we always arrive 5-10 minutes early), we showed up at Thunder Mountain nearly 10 minutes AFTER our hour window. Was expecting to have a polite discussion with the CM at the FP+ entry, but believe it or not, our FP was still active. So since most rides require you to tap Mickey twice for FP+, Disney must have built in some wiggle room since some rides (yeah, it's YOU, 7DMT) have FP lines with a wait longer that 10-15 minutes.

But I don't recommend showing up after your 1 hour window expires. I think we just got lucky.

 

[LAKid53]

Ok, with the dining plan, FP+ and the hundreds of other variables out there bouncing off one another, I wanted to get a few things out there.

1. FP+ You can change it when you get there, yes. Guest services, hotel conceirge and FP+ kiosks are available. Please note that once you use or expire your remaining FP, there can be a lag before you can get another one. FP+ kiosks are far and few between in some parks.

2. Make index cards that have your daily ADRs and Reservation number on them as well as all your FP+ times. It saves time and battery power looking on your mobile at Disney's website which can be very slow at times.

3. Check in for your ADR a few minutes early if you can. We were usually seated early due to us doing this. Sometimes we were 20 minutes early, and were still seated early.

4. When at a character meal ask the server or person seating you when the characters will be to your table and subtract 10 minutes. If they are in the area when you walk in and are being seated, DO NOT get up and go anywhere or to the buffet. They will be back, but it takes them time to make a circuit.

5. Leave plenty of time to get to your ADR if using Disney transportation. Our jaunt to Trails End from Magic Kingdom took almost and hour by boat. That includes waiting for it to get to the dock, load, and reach the next dock. We made it 5 minutes late, but our reservations were held for us.

6. To maximize your time with FP+, go do other attractions right when your FP window starts. By doing this, we did not rush around, we usually got to our FP within that hour block but were able to do other things. So getting on POTC right at the start of your block time, then hitting your FP at SDMT will actually save you time and let you do more.

FP+ requires strategy like point 6 above. But We also hit and ADR while a FP+ was scheduled to begin at the end of the ADR, then hi a minor attraction, do photopass pics, people watch or walk to the FP+ UNTIL the FP block was within 15 minutes of expiration or less. By doing this, you increase the time you have to do other things.


Everyone add into this for the newer people.

All excellent tips. However, we have allotted 90 minutes to get to our ADR, especially if we are eating at DTD, and still have to run through Market Place to get to our restaurant on time. We stayed at Saratoga Springs - which is a 5 minute ride to DTD (would have walked if the Concierge desk had given us proper directions to the walkway along the River or if SS had the walkway on the maps around the resort) - the "Your on your way to Downtown Disney" spiel doesn't even finish before you are pulling into the bus depot at Market Place - allotted just 45 minutes and arrived at our restaurant 15 minutes late. And we when got to our stop in the resort, folks there said they'd been waiting 10-15 minutes for a DTD bus. Which is a 5 minute ride, once you leave the resort, to DTD. Two CMs showed up, we told them we've been waiting for a bus for nearly 30 minutes, to which we got the pat "traffic problems" response (come on, people, 5 minutes from the resort to DTD, really?).

I put all our ADRs & FP+ selections on my Google calendar, since the app is slow and glitch (just love the "data cannot load" error message while standing in the Magic Kingdom). Along with other notes. Especially if we need to pick up merchandise we've purchased in the parks at our resort. Almost forgot to collect something we bought once.

We make our FP+ selections for late morning - starting around 10:30 - so that we don't have to rush to a park from breakfast. And for those parks that have tiered selections, we make a FP+ selection for a ride we don't want (EPCOT is the prime example) for as early in the morning as possible so we can get that 4th selection as soon as possible. We also show up to ride close to the end of the hour, so we don't have to wait around for our next window, since we have a tendency to shop while waiting for the next FP+. Also arrange them strategically around the park. Going to eat lunch at BOG? Then our 3rd FP is usually in Fantasyland since we like a late lunch. And we make sure to ride RnR or ToT BEFORE we eat. If we are visiting two parks in one day - Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom for example, we make our FP+ selections for the park we will visit in the PM, usually starting around 3:00PM to coincide with dinner at that park.