Can somebody please advise on the best way to ensure I can get fast passes for more than one tier 1 attraction per day?
I am visiting at the end of October, crowd calendar says the crowd level is 3, spending full day in the park, using Early Magic hours.
My top priority attractions are Soaring, Test Track and Frozen. They are all tier 1 FP. Looks like I really need to book advanced FP for Frozen, I should be able to get it. But that gets the only 1 allowed tier 1 FP out of my list. I checked the expected wait times for tier 2 attractions and none of them require FP, so it doesn’t make any sense to book any from tier 2.
If I only book one tier 1 attraction and not tier 2 in advance. Will I be able to book another tier 1 attraction on the day of visit as soon as I use the first one? Will the reservation system allow it or will it force me to book and use two tier 2 attractions before I can make a second tier 1 FP reservation? if the later is the case, I am thinking:
- book two tier 2 attraction as early as possible in the morning without any intentions to use them: let’s say for 8 am and 9 am. And Frozen at 10 am.
- Instead of using 2 booked FP on tier 2, just use this time to ride : Soaring, then Test Track (it’s early in the day, so the wait is supposed to by < 25 min) , then any other low wait attractions from my list (since they don’t really need FP) until 10. At 10, as soon as I used the Frozen FP, I can book either Soaring or Test Track again for later in the day and continue with tier 2 attractions that don’t require FP?
Any advice?
thanks!
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There are some difficulties to this strategy. You will not be able to book another tier 1 FP until the time of your 3 original FPs is out or they are used. It is also rather unlikely you will be able to book a FP for FEA for 10 AM. We are going in early October on a CL4 day, and the earliest possible FP available was at 1.30 PM when I logged on to MDE at exactly 7 AM Eastern time on my FP day. My Epcot day was then 60+5 days out.
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thanks for the info. I don’t think, it matters what time the FP to FEA I get. Even later times will be fine, but I was just wondering if I can skip booking 2 tier 2 passes all together, as it will only mess up my TP. Will I be able to reserve a second tier 1 after I used the first one. After my research I believe it’s possible to get FP to both Soaring and TT for later in the day.
After your initial 3 FPs are used or elapsed you may book a 4th FP, of any tier. You can not book a 2nd tier 1 after just using your initial tier 1 FP. You must use or let elapse both one tier 1 and two tier 2 FPs to be allowed a 4th day-of FP.
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Thank you for your response. But it’s still not what I am asking 
.
Here is the situation:
I want to see only 3 attractions at Epcot: FEA, Soaring and Test Track. I don’t want to see anything else.
The rest of the day I will be just exploring food and wine festival booths, while my preteen is playing Agent P’s adventures.
I want to do all 3 attractions using FPs
Can I show up on the day of my visit with just one FP pre-booked - to Frozen ever after, use it on what ever time is on it, and then get FP to Soaring? and after I ride Soaring, get FP to Test track?
thanks!
For your scenario to work, you will still need to book 2 Tier 2 FPs early in the day and the 1 Frozen FP. After the Tier 2 ones expire and you use the Frozen FP, then you will be able to book Soarin. Then after you use Soarin you can book Test Track. I don’t understand why the “throw away” Tier 2 FPs will mess up your TP. You will just not use them.
However, the difficulty lies in that booking an early Frozen FP is difficult, so you will have to wait until later in the day to use it. Which means you will be looking for your 4th and 5th FP later in the day when availability is low.
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That’s what I was trying to say too, but you explained it better!
@melcort10 is correct. You may not want two tier 2a but you need to book them and let them expire and use your tier 1 before you can book another. That is why people go to Soarin at park opening (short waits) then do single rider at TT.
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Short answer: No. You have to run through 3 FP times (uses or expired windows) before you can get another tier 1.
In addition, because you’ll probably get a Frozen FP in the afternoon (if at all!), you can’t book that 4th FP until after you scan your MagicBand for the Frozen FP in the afternoon, and by then, FP availability for tier 1’s will be low or none.
You could always luck into a FP if somebody cancels, particularly if you have a small party, but I wouldn’t count on it. Much better to assume you won’t get those FP’s and make a plan to minimize time in the standby line, if you only want to see those 3 attractions.
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Ok, thanks, so it’s not possible to book a next tier 1 unless you have two FP passed (either used or not). Thanks. That what I wanted to verify.
The reason I said it’s messing up with my TP is that I am arranging a couple of alternative TP for each day after my research and will use them when booking advanced FP (at 7 AM ET 60 days prior :-)) and if I have to keep in mind that I need to book “throw away” FP, then my actual TP will be different from the what I am booking… Does it make sense?
Actually I guess I can add a 5 min break with Note regarding these “throw away” FPs.
I am pretty sure I will be able to ride Soaring, Test Track and a 2-3 tier 2 rides without FP before the FEA FP time. But I love Soaring and never tried Test Track (was closed last time we were at WDW), so I just want the opportunity to ride it again later with FP.
hmm, interesting. I am going at the end of October, during the week, crowd level 3, and I and you are saying that I may not be able to get a FP to Frozen. That’s not what the Touring plans estimations/predictions are telling me. They are telling me I should be able to ride Frozen even without FP good portion of the day. Are these estimates not reliable?
You don’t have to put your throwaway-FPs into your TP at all. They are booked in your MDE, and have no connection to your touring plans unless you want them to be there.
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Oh, I was trying to have TP plans as my primary sourse - “plan” - that’s what I will use when booking FP, adjust depending on availability and use it in the park.
According to Touring Plan’s FP Availability tool ( EPCOT | Disney World | Touring Plans | Crowd Calendar | Wait Times | Park Hours | Attractions | Dining ), the first FP for 1 person for Frozen Ever After on October 31st was at 11:15 AM (as of 1:15 AM today, before the daily rush). That’s at 60+8 days (or so), on a CL2 day. And it’s probably not even that good now, since every day more people’s windows open.
Any day sooner than that will have less availability. The 30th is a CL3 day, and the earliest FEA FP for 1 person was 11:25 (as of 2:15 AM, again before today’s morning rush). Larger groups may have to book later.
thanks for all the responses, this is very helpful!
The booking strategy I’d use is to book FEA first thing, right at 7am on your booking day. Then book 2 other things (whether you actually want to do them or not) for before Frozen, or immediately after. No matter what you do you’re looking at 11:15 as the earliest time you can book a second tier 1 (as you’d need to have a 9-10, 10-11 and 11-12, which you’d use at 11, spend 15 minutes riding, then get outside).
That said, with a low CL and EMH I see no reason to even use FP for anything other than FEA (maybe not even that… keep reading). A quick check for a CL 3 EMH day shows <25 minutes standby wait for any of those 3, if you are there for RD and do them Soarin (23min)>Test Track.(18min)>FEA (24 min). You’d be done with all 3 before 10, and WS doesn’t even open until 11 so I’d say head up to Fountain View and get a snack, then watch the Disney Pixar Short Film Fest (phenomenal 3D effects) because WS doesn’t even open until 11.
Thusly, here are the two best options for you:
Option 1: Make doing the BIG 3 your RD priorities as suggested above, and use your Tier 1 for Iluminations.
Option 2: Book FEA for sometime between 12-3. Then book 2 throwaways for 9-10 and 10-11. Do Soarin and then TT at RD, then do whatever (my suggestion would be the Film Festival, then have a grazing lunch as you meander purposefully around WS) until your FEA time. As soon as you get off of FEA check the app to see if there are FPs for Illuminations (or Soarin or TT). Then spend the rest of the day wining, dining, and Agent Ping (not Agent Peeing… they frown on that at Epcot, or so I’ve heard) until Illuminations.
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thanks Nikkipoooo, that’s very close to how I want to spend my day. I am debating regarding Illuminations. Is it worth getting the FP for it? Do you have first hand experience? I have read all the pros and contras, but still on the fence
Those estimates do not have anything to do with FP availability. Short standby wait times don’t seem to affect the availability of the most sought after FPs as much as it seems like they would. For instance, on a CL 1 day at MK all 7DMT fastpasses were gone by 45 days out because that ride is estimated to have a 45-60 minute wait all day, even though nothing else even goes over 13 minutes!
It seems like you’re going to have plenty of time to spend exploring WS, so you would be able to grab a dessert or two and stake out a good spot early enough, but if you wanted to, say, go have a power nap at the resort or go swim for an hour then I’d do the FP for sure if it’s available.
My personal strategy (based on my personality… it’s a long day, and I’m a napper for sure so I’d likely be taking the nap option!) I personally would get a throwaway 9-10, then Soarin 10-11, then Living With the Land 11-12. I’d do Soarin>TT>FEA standby, and plan to be back to Soarin around 10:45. You ride Soarin, and even if you don’t care about Living, you’re already there to scan the FP right at 11 so you don’t have to wait until the window elapses (or even until the ride is done… you can do it in the boat) to look for the second Tier 1 (If you book Soarin 11-12 then you ride at 11 and you’re not looking your phone until 11:15). Then you continue the day as planned, possibly with a detour up to Soarin or a midday break.
You will be able to check for availability as your visit approaches, so you’ll have a better idea then if there will be anything available as a second tier 1.
Thanks again, I like to have a midday nap too and always did it in the past. Now my child is older, but I still keep it as an option.
I like your idea of sandwiching one tier FP between 2 throw away! Will definitely use it! Very clever.
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