Very angry about Fast Pass + choices or lack there of for June 17-20!

[bethymouse]

I can not believe that at midnight for the 60 day period to choose fast passes that the Anna and Elsa Meet n Greet is already completely booked! I am also not happy that you have to choose between Soarin/Test Track and TSMM/Rockin Roller Coaster! Any of your thoughts, comments, suggestions would be appreciated. Moderators, I am sorry if I posted this in the wrong forum. I am just frustrated!

 

[stevehousse]

Anna and Elsa are extremely rare and popular FPs, probably the most difficult to get. Sorry you couldn't get them, but trying to get them toward your end of the trip first is the best option when trying to get a FP for them. How long is your trip for anyway? Also what ages are your kids if you are traveling/ have kids going with? If you are using the baby swap there is a FP hack you can use, but the only place is won't really work is DHS, but works for all the other parks.

 

[bethymouse]

@stevehousse Wow! I can't believe there is a FP hack! Really? Yikes! We're going June 16-22. No park hoppers and already have ADR, for Be Our Guest no less ( tried for that nearly 2 years). We only have 4 day passes ( one park each day with a resort/rest day since we're staying at GF). We drive also, so 2 days have to be "travel days". Our 1st day and last day there we don't visit parks. Oh well, I will still enjoy our vacation, but just voicing my dislike/opinion of FP+.

 

[40goingon7]

While I don't know your party make-up I will pass this on:

Just returned from MK where Frozen m&g was 10 mins about 15 min before the midnight park closure time so we took our 3 year old even though we have fast passes for tomorrow night. Perhaps your party could hang around till right before the park closes and get right in.

As for epcot, the tier system allows more people to get a fast pass to one of those popular attractions. I dont know if that is the real reason but we just split a few days at Epcot in order to get on both.

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

I can not believe that at midnight for the 60 day period to choose fast passes that the Anna and Elsa Meet n Greet is already completely booked!

A+E is THE most popular FP attraction in The World - that said, some people have obviously been fortunate enough to grab them for the days you wanted.

I am also not happy that you have to choose between Soarin/Test Track and TSMM/Rockin Roller Coaster!

We've known about the Tier system since it was introduced

Any of your thoughts, comments, suggestions would be appreciated.

Two suggestions -
1) keep trying, some people change their plans and have the decency to cancel
2) if you're unlucky not to get FP before you travel then there's still Stand By

 

[copcarguyp71]

Sorry for your problems Bethymouse...one of the reasons we are taking a break for some years in hopes they can work this all out a little better. Too much stress and insanity for our tastes to attain something that is supposed to be a vacation. No matter what have a great time and making the best of things in lieu of stressing is all you can do.

 

[BigRedDad]

FP+ Rule #1 is book backwards on your trip. You are only there for 4 days. People staying longer get to book their whole trip before you do. That means people booked for a week say June 13-16 all get to book FP+ before you do.

It is a broken system. The ticket kiosks were so much better. I hate having to plan out where I will be and when 60 days out. Unfortunately, we are stuck with that.

 

[bethymouse]

Thanks everyone. I have calmed down a bit since last night, but I still don't like it.

 

[epcotisbest]

I can not believe that at midnight for the 60 day period to choose fast passes that the Anna and Elsa Meet n Greet is already completely booked! I am also not happy that you have to choose between Soarin/Test Track and TSMM/Rockin Roller Coaster! Any of your thoughts, comments, suggestions would be appreciated. Moderators, I am sorry if I posted this in the wrong forum. I am just frustrated!

I understand how you feel, but I would not call how I feel anger, more like frustration. We don't have kids and don't go in the summer or during busier times. We are blessed enough to be able to go in the spring and fall, at least a couple of times per year, three for this year.
We have yet to make a fastpass in advance, and have no plans to do so. And we never bring a phone inside the parks. What we have started doing is spending much more time outside the parks. Resort and pool time is wonderful and requires no advance planning. We just refuse to plan out our days so far in advance. We have been known to not even decide what park to go to until the day of.
Yes, we have been out of luck for some things that have standby lines too long, but there has been plenty of other things to do instead. Now, I realize we don't have to worry about disappointed children who may not get to do something they had their hearts set on, and I am sure that makes a huge difference to trip planning. As for us, this whole plan your day so far in advance is just not going to happen. I don't even wear the stupid unmagic band.
It may come down to less visits for us, but that is OK too. If Disney uses technology to alienate people like me, I suppose they are making it up tenfold with people who love and embrace the new system and will never know any other way. I miss the old system, but I miss my old waistline too!

 

[HRHPrincessAriel]

A+E is THE most popular FP attraction in The World - that said, some people have obviously been fortunate enough to grab them for the days you wanted.

We've known about the Tier system since it was introduced

Two suggestions -
1) keep trying, some people change their plans and have the decency to cancel
2) if you're unlucky not to get FP before you travel then there's still Stand By

basically all this....

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

but I still don't like it.

I booked my ADRs at 180 days (as always) and was fortunate to get everything we wanted, at or around the time we wanted. I have revisited the site several days since then, trying to fine tune what we have. It works.

I have never used the FP+ system. I'm used to running to FP turnstiles and grabbing tickets on the day in question. It worked, it appeared fair. I don't know what advantage we get (other than resort guests have first choice) on planning a park day over 8 weeks in advance.

I'll reserve judgement until June 13th when I get to book my FP+

 

[bethymouse]

I guess I have to be strategic about it, but it makes things much nicer if you're able to "get what you want". Yes, I know " You can't always get what you want!".

 

[bethymouse]

@CAPTAIN HOOK I am hoping truly that the stand by lines aren't as long with this new FP+ booking system. I guess I should give it a try before "bashing" it. I just miss being able to get fast passes when you want to. Although, all of the fast passes for the popular rides were usually gone before noon. LOL.

 

[Weather_Lady]

Thanks everyone. I have calmed down a bit since last night, but I still don't like it.

Take heart in the fact that most of us don't like it either -- but I found with my family's first post-FP+ trip that we could still do everything we wanted (even if it meant riding BTMRR just twice in a day instead of four times. Behold my first world problems!) We just had to rely a little more on EMH and rope drop arrivals to squeeze in the things for which we couldn't get FP+, but could "coast" a little more in the afternoons, knowing that our FP+ for the "high crowd times of day" were already set.

 

[SAV]

If it was the old system, would you have been willing to get to the park at rope drop, make the run back to the FP machines to get your FP for A&E? If so, then just do the same now and instead of getting in the line to get your FP, get in the real line. Wait a short time and move on with your trip. The advantage would be that you now have 3 pre-selected FP+'s in your pocket and don't have to run around the park to other machines the rest of the day.

Basically if it is that important for you to do, then there is always the stand-by option.

 

[bethymouse]

@Weather_Lady Yes. We'll do the "rope drop", especially for Test Track, my boys' favorite.

 

[bethymouse]

@SAV Yes. Stand by it will have to be.

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

Although, all of the fast passes for the popular rides were usually gone before noon. LOL.

So.........the only real difference is that now, the FPs are gone 60 days before you get there

 

[bethymouse]

So.........the only real difference is that now, the FPs are gone 60 days before you get there

LOL

 

[stevehousse]

Are you traveling with young kids that would utilize the child swap passes or are they older and will ride everything?