Ins and Outs of Disney's FastPass+

Ahem . .  . Sorry, guys, there are no real tricks to this. . . yet.



Gotta smile with Minnie and Pluto!

There are a few facts that I can list, and I will, but for the most part there are no tricks to securing the FastPass+ for certain coveted rides except to catch the ride during the off season, or staying at a WDW hotel, or waiting in lines (horribly long wait times during peak season!)



The show right before the 'soft' park opening.

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Tips:

• If you can afford to stay in a WDW hotel, then do so. This gives you up to 60 days in advance to schedule your FP+ times. WHICH MEANS: you have to know which park you are going on any given day. There is no freedom to change your mind at the last minute. Oh, the WDW gurus say that you can, but not during peak season as all the 'good' FP+ passes are gone before you even get to the park. If you buy your tickets, but stay off-site at another Orlando hotel, then you have only 30 days prior to your visit to get your FP+ tickets.
• Go to the online map, print it out, and have some family meetings prior to picking your FP+ options. Your vacation will be much happier if you let everyone choose something they really, really want to do. And this way, you can familiarize yourself with the park, the rides, and the set up.
• Last year I groused about the new maps. Well, there was a reason for the way they set up those maps--they have an online phone app that gives you the wait times of various attractions. Yes, there are tons of people starring at their phones as they figure out where their FP+ is and how long the wait times are for the attractions around the FP+ time. And yes, there was one day, a Saturday, that the app was down for virtually all day. If we hadn't jotted the information down prior to walking out the door we wouldn't have had a clue when or which FP+ we had, along with the time of our dinner reservations. Just realize that there are probably 100,000+ people at these four parks on a crowded day, all trying to log on to their app.
• My hubby's Samsung 5 had enough battery juice to last all day (8 am- 9 pm), but not all phones last that long. There were many people sitting next to a plug all around the park. On an aside: the Universal Florida app wasn't as good and we roamed a lot, which sucked up the battery juice.
• Only three (3) FP+ passes are issued each day. You can try to get more FP+ AFTER the final time frame of your last issued FP+. Each FP+ takes an hour time frame, which means that you can have FP+ tickets back-to-back. For example: 9-10 am--7 Dwarves Mine Train, 10-11 Big Thunder Mountain, and 11-12 Pirates of the Caribbean. After the 12 PM time passes you can go to a kiosk and try to get another FP+. Many times the wait times were up to an hour just to see if there were any FP+ tickets left for a particular ride. . .  In other words: don't waste your time if it's peak season, just wait in line or get up at the butt-crack of dawn to be one of the first to ride the ride.
• The way we would plan the previous three FP+ times would be to ride the Mine train toward the end of the FastPass period and then hit Thunder Mountain at the beginning of the Fast Pass time. Don't forget to allow for lunch and the ensuing crowds at the lunch places.
• If you are an early morning park person, I would suggest not getting your first FP+ until an hour after the park opens. You won't need one in the first hour of operations because the park isn't that crowded.
• And no, you can't have two FP+ at one park, and then park hop to your third FP+. We wanted to do that since we tend to eat at EPCOT in the evenings. As it currently is set up, you are not able to do this.
• Rides that normally don't crowd up had waits of 45 min. or longer. The Haunted Mansion was one of those rides.
• Peak season is hideously crowded. They even offer FP+ locations for parades, fireworks, along with character greetings. Yeah, it's that crowded. Plan to have ZERO personal space as people will squish and squeeze their way into any small opening. It's not so bad first thing in the morning, but by late afternoon you are dealing with hot, tired, sweaty, and stinky people with a very short fuse. .. .just saying. And that's not all the screaming kids throwing temper tantrums because they are hot and tired.
• If you are an early morning park type person, get thee to a park at least 30 minutes prior to opening. Many times they will have a soft opening and open the main gate 10-15 minutes before the official opening. Don't kill yourself or others as you gallop to Space Mountain because the rides themselves will NOT open until the official opening time. The early opening allows you to place yourself in a good spot to get on the ride in a timely manner.
• Do not waste your time going to a show during this first hour of any park opening, focus on riding the big rides before the lines get too long. Shows might look crowded from the outside, but most of them offer a system of various pre-show rooms.
• IF you stay in a WDW hotel, you must take advantage of the early park entry times offered. It isn't every park on every day. Some are late night hours after the park is closed, but remember that everyone else who is staying at a WDW hotel will be going to that park after the other parks close, thus jam packed with stinky, sweaty humanity.
• It's the early morning hours you want as most of the late nighters are still sleeping. You have to figure out your schedule to work the early park openings into your schedule (yes, it's on their website and in their brochures). On a side note: the early/late park hours don't necessarily stay the same every year, AND the times change according to the park hours during that particular time of year. Summer offers longer hours than spring or fall, staying open as late as 12 AM or even 1 AM.  
• When you choose your FP+ options don't expect to get the primo roller coaster ones each day. They allow two big rides and one minor type attraction. This is really a pain in Epcot where you can have either Soarin' or Test Track, but not both on the same day. Remember the early days of Disney where they had A, B, C tickets? You would only have one or two A tickets, but you couldn't give the C tickets away. Yeah, some of the FP+ options are like the C tickets. Do you really need a FP+ to see Captain Eo? I think not.

That's all I can think of to offer as suggestions for right now. If you have any questions, please ask away. I'm getting tired of talking to myself on this blog.

Here are a few pictures taken at Walt Disney World.

All these pictures are taken with hubby's cell phone.

Here are a few pics from the Magic Kingdom:


Cinderella's Castle in the Magic Kingdom. Disney drained the ponds on either side and are doing some major construction. No, we don't know what they are doing.

Space Mountain. I think we rode this about six or seven times. This is the best picture! We texted our friend Steve with a daily picture since I didn't want to post on FB that we were gone, and this was one of the first ones we sent.

Buzz Lightyear ride. I suck at the laser shooting, personally I blame the hubby for moving the car when I line up my shot. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

on Big Thunder Mountain Roller Coaster

This was very early in the morning and the crowds were light.

Sad gargoyle needed some sugar--on entrance way into the Beast's castle.

On walkway to the Beast's castle, the 7 Dwarves Mine train is coming out of the mountain. The picture doesn't capture the gorgeous color of the plants on the mountain.

From Animal Kingdom:



Expedition Everest is in the background--totally awesome roller coaster.  The small peak to the left of the mountain is the temple in the next picture on the way up the mountain.



Going up on the steep incline of Expedition Everest. We usually hit this ride in the single rider line. We had a FP+ for this shot.

 

Kilimanjaro Safaris. . . blurry young giraffe.

Kilimanjaro Safaris. Elephant and baby.

 

From Hollywood Studios: 

 Olaf and FROZEN characters are huge at this park. They even had a fireworks show that we could see out our hotel window. It was nice to watch right before going to sleep!

Numerous big screens had Olaf interacting with the visitors throughout the day and especially during the park opening and the fireworks.





Yep, they even had Olaf cupcakes--carrot cake with cream cheese icing.

Toy Story Mania

Star Tours. The new show combines different scenarios in each ride to give a multi-faceted thrill ride that isn't the same every time you ride.

Tower of Terror. Yes, we are the goofballs on the back row. :-) We wouldn't have raised our arms if we were in front of people. This is taken at the top of the drop, right as the elevator falls. Again, this ride is set up with an infinite number of scenarios that have different drops, mixing long drops with short drops.

 

Tower of Terror behind us. The last time we took a picture here--the kidlet was up to my chin. Oh, my, how she has grown!



 

 

And finally a few pictures from EPCOT:  

 AT the Rose and Crown Pub in the UK. Post dinner. I had an incredible Scottish salmon dinner, and I don't even like salmon!

 Outside of Paris. The Eiffel Tower is in the background.

 

 The Japan pavilion. We buy the funkiest Japanese candy at the department store there. It's so good!

 

 Picture taken from Italy facing toward the front of EPCOT. The round ball is Spaceship Earth. It's a sleepy kind of ride that had Dame Judi Dench ('M' of the most recent James Bond flicks) narrating.

 

 At the China Pavilion.

 

 We ate Italian on our last WDW night.

 Outside Canada and 'Bow Falls'.

 And those are a few of the pictures we have of Walt Disney World 2014. Todd managed to keep most of the crowds out of the pictures. The most crowded location was Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom.

The new expanded Fantasyland was a big draw along with the newly opened Seven Dwarves Mine train. It was a fun ride. Not an exciting coaster, but a very Disney one.

More from Universal Florida in a day or two!

Later, peeps!

WDW Rides -- Hollywood Studios

Trying to figure out this particular park is a mess. . . and the map certainly doesn't help as the entrance is in the upper right hand corner. Hollywood Studios highlights movies and television, and though there are rides, there are more shows to see. Many of the shows we haven't seen, but I'll put them on the list.

Again, be sure to check the times guide when you enter the park as it will have the most current show times.

Did I mention that I HATE these new maps??

Here's the 2013 version of the map:

Here's the 2012 version of the map:

Since there is no rhyme or reason to the layout of this map, I'll just follow the color coded system on the old map to help you figure out where everything is situated.

HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD

The Great Movie Ride -- This ride takes the guest through various movie scenes. Though the line might seem long, each car is HUGE. It's a very mellow ride with the exception of the Alien movie . . .

ECHO LAKE

The American Idol Experience -- Never saw it. It runs through auditions picking the best of the best until the end of the day when they choose a winner who makes it through directly to the judges at the American Idol tryouts.

ABC Sound Studio -- Saw it once a long time ago. How sounds are made in the movies.

Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular -- Must see show -- Basically, this is a stunt show that showcases the first Indiana Jones movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Star Tours -- fast pass -- A couple of years ago this ride was updated. This motion simulator is now 3-D, and every time you ride the ride you get a different experience. There are three sections to the experience and they rotate through the different movie options providing a new experience every time.

STREETS OF AMERICA

Muppet Vision 3D -- A wonderful 3-D show for the whole family. 25-minutes long

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure -- This is a great place for the little tykes to burn off some energy. It's fun for the parents, too, but some of the areas are hard to get to unless you are a little kid or a very nimble adult.

Lights, Motor, Action! Extreme Stunt Show -- Must see show -- A vehicle stunt show--cars, trucks and motorcycles. Very loud. Very hot since it's outside. But it's nice to see how they do some of those car stunts in the various movies.

Studio Backlot Tour -- Tram ride through the backlot sets.

PIXAR PLACE / MICKEY AVENUE

Toy Story Midway Mania! -- fast pass -- Must ride -- The fast passes go quickly on this ride. Many times we'll be getting fast passes only 15 minutes after the park opens with a return time after noon. Before getting a fast pass verify the return time, remembering you can't get another fast pass for another ride until the fast pass window starts. Sometimes we will just wait in line for up to an hour first thing in the morning because the times will only get longer as the day goes on, especially during the high season. Each car holds four people, two on each side. Word of warning: your shooting arm will get really, really sore and tired!

Walt Disney: One Man's Dream -- never saw it.

ANIMATION COURTYARD
 
Voyage of The Little Mermaid -- fast pass -- Must see show --  Can be scary for the little ones due to being in the dark, and Ursula gets HUGE!

The Magic of Disney Animation -- Walk-thru. You get to watch various artists working on the next Disney movie.

Disney Junior--Live Onstage -- show. It's been awhile since we saw this show. I would guess that it keeps getting updated and relevant.

SUNSET BOULEVARD

Beauty and the Beast--Live Onstage -- Must see show -- Outside on benches. Can be steamy hot.

Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, starring Aerosmith -- fast pass -- Indoor, in the dark rollercoaster. Zero to fifty takeoff. This ride has a singles line also. Sometimes it's quicker to hit the singles line, but when you get to loading the cars, many times you have to wait until there's an odd number.

--while waiting in the singles line, we had the chance to overhear the cast member training another cast member. They manage the crowds by altering the ratio of standby to fast pass guests. It had escalated to level two and she was letting 30 fast pass holders in for every 6 standby guests. This ration meant the standby line was over 2 hours long. Every time they filled another group for the pre-show, they let 10 singles through.

--another point is that they do NOT tolerate line jumpers. One group thought to jump the large group in the pre-show area to the singles line, but when it came time to load the cars they wanted to be seated together. Disney cast members wouldn't bow to their complaints.
*Go Disney Cast Members!*

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror -- fast pass -- Must ride -- This is a dropping ride. Every time you ride it, the computer does a different sequence of drops. It's dark and can be scary with the 'electricity people'--which scared my daughter far more than the drops. Great view.

Fantasmic! -- Must see show -- Night time show -- laser lights, dancing water, special effects, and fireworks. This show fills up quickly. During peak season, they will have the show twice a night. They open the gates 90 minutes before the show. During the summer months, it is HOT waiting for the show. . . and crowded when everyone wants to leave!

And that's it for WDW Hollywood Studios!

Later, Peeps!

Wally World Tips and Tricks -- Disney's Hollywood Studios

Here's a link to the 2013 Disney Hollywood Studios map. This map can be found in all it's glory after you pass through the turnstiles. They are in various moveable holders, so you can miss them, but you can find maps in the locker rental place, which is the circular building in the center of the road as you enter the park. Again, familiarize yourself with the layout prior to going to the park.

For some reason, I always find this park excessively hot. It might be all the cement and open design. Throughout the day, street actors will be going through their routines at various locations on the streets. Never watched the parade here. It just didn't seem interesting to me.

To be totally truthful, we ride the rides at the Hollywood Studios and vamoose out of there right after lunch. But if you like watching the shows, then you need to plan a long day ahead of you. Many of the shows are 45 minutes to an hour long, and that doesn't include the queuing time. Shoot, some of the rides are very time-consuming, especially the Back Lot Tour and The Great Movie ride.

If you take a right at the first intersection, it will take you past the entrance to the nighttime spectacular -- Fantasmic ( make time to see this show--yes, you have to get in line early unless you do a meal deal to get 'priority' seats), past the Beauty and the Beast stage, to Rock n' Roller Coaster with Aerosmith--it's a dark coaster with twists and loops, and Tower of Terror.

Fast Passes are offered at Rock n' Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror. If you get a fast pass, you will NOT miss anything in the pre-ride lines. Sometimes Rock n' Roller Coaster has the Singles line open. So keep that in mind if you don't mind not sitting with your family. I'd suggest riding once with the family and then hitting the singles line.

As you walk back toward the Sorcerer's Hat and then turn right again, you'll enter the Animation courtyard. In here, you can watch animators working on the next movie, Disney Junior show, and the Voyage of the Little Mermaid show--this is a MUST see, though it's dark and Ursula gets big and scary, so be prepared. A little farther to the left is Pixar Place with the Toy Story Midway Mania ride. GET A FAST PASS, but check the return time! This is one ride that you need to wait in the long queue line to see the full effects of the ride. It's totally worth it!

I'm a fan of Muppet Vision 3-D. Sorry, but it probably reflects my age, but I do enjoy the show. And the new Star Tours is a do not miss. For pre-teens, there is a Jedi Training show, to the left of the Star Tours entrance, that boys and girls might enjoy participating in. Every time you go on the ride, the show is random. So try to ride it multiple times. Indiana Jones is good and reflects the Raiders of the Lost Ark movie. Lights, Motors, Action Stunt show is okay, but I'm not a car fan, so I was 'meh' about the show.

And that's it in a nutshell, I will admit that we don't do very many of the shows and I don't know a whole lot about them. The Great Movie Ride and the Backlot Tour ride, we do occasionally . . . about once every 4-5 years. It's not one of the rides we really enjoy, since we are fans of the Tower of Terror elevator drop (multiple drops, and different every time!), and the rollercoaster.

Personally, I don't see this park as very 'kid-friendly'. It has a few things that might entertain the kiddos, but not for an extended period of time.

Here's my quick glance spreadsheet notes. Verify this information on site, the shows have changed since I typed this up:

Tower of Terror FP D SO 40"

Rockin' Roller Coaster D FP SO 48"

The Great Movie Ride D SC

Star Tours FP SO 40"

Sounds Dangerous

Indian Jones Epic Stunt FP

Beauty and the Beast

Voyage of the Little Mermaid FP

MuppetVision 3D FP

Extreme Stunt Show

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids-Playground

Playhouse Disney Onstage

Backlot Tour SC

Who wants to be a Millionaire FP

One Man's Dream

Magic of Disney Animation

D--Dark

MS--Motion Sickness

FP---Fast Pass

SO---Switching off option

SC---Scary

Must sees, in my opinion, are:

• Tower of Terror
• Rock n' Roller coaster (singles line)
• Beauty and the Beast show
• Voyage of the Little Mermaid show
• Toy Story Midway Mania (your arms will feel like they are falling off afterwards!)
• Star Tours
• Muppet Vision 3-D
• Fantasmic--night time spectacular--totally awesome!!

Food-wise, again, I hate to say it, but there's nothing spectacular here. Oh, the Sci- Fi Drive In movie experience is fun, but the food is okay. We tend to eat at Pizza Planet--with a personal pizza , you also get a small salad. What a great meal deal!

And that's Disney Hollywood Studios in a nutshell.

Later, Peeps!