Is it recommended I book my first FPP for 10am onwards?
Depends on which park and if you intend to RD. EP is the only park I book a 9am for a Tier 2 FPP I don’t mind missing if I’m running late. That way I have a better chance of snagging a day of for a Tier 1 attraction after the inital 3, the rest of the parks 10am is a good start time.
2 Likes
10am is good - we usually aim for 9:30 (on 9am RD) so we have just under 90 mins before our first FPP window expires, but that 30 mins doesn’t really make that much difference
1 Like
It really depends what you want to do and how it fits with your touring plan. Sometimes, especially at MK, I get my first at 9, use it at 9.55, use my 10am straight after, modify my 11 to a nearer time and then I’m booking my 4th by 11.30 or even earlier depending. Other times I might not get to the park till 11.
5 Likes
This ^^^
The earlier you use all 3 FPP at MK, the sooner you can start grabbing & modifying FPP for the rest of the day. See @OBNurseNH’s thread on how to ride all day with no standby lines with FPP. I’ve referenced it so many times, but once you try it, you’ll be questioning why you ever waited in a standby line at MK.
3 Likes
It really depends on what your objective is. If you want to get the most value for each of your initial three FPPs, then you should go with times that are determined using the Optimizer on your TP. If you objective is to get through your first three FPPs quickly to then get more extra FPPs, then you want to go with the approach that @missoverexcited outlines. In general I’d say that the second approach is more for WDW veterans who have more experience switching up things on the fly, whereas the first is for people who want to tour with a more stable plan.
1 Like
Maybe I’m remembering wrong, but isn’t it a problem if a tier 2 expires before you enter the park? I thought that prevented you from booking another tier 1.
I don’t know about being outside the park when it expires but we had Nemo for 9am in 17 and was in the park at 9:45am (thanks monorail), didn’t make the FPP window but technically still in the park. Was still able to get Soarin later.
It can, it doesn’t always.
@terp05- thanks for OB’s link re this. I’ve always done 9/10/11 as much as possible, to get 4th & more. OB has taken it to another level, which is great.
Next trip we’ll try that moving it to earlier technique. I’ve know about it, but chose to just rely on efficiency of PTP, which has been great also.
Hopefully I can get Ds onboard with upping our game on this. He’s the navigator of the iphone(s) once we’re in the park. My eyesight kind of dissuades me from doing a lot on the run, rather would go from my printed out TP copies.
1 Like
@brklinck has a very good point that the technique is more suited towards veterans and is not for the casual tourist or first timer.
But we’re Liners, right? I’ve done it every day I’ve been to MK in the last 1.5 yrs (probably like 6-7 cumulative days) and just let the FPP availability take you through the park. After doing it, you’ll never be the same 
1 Like
I don’t bother with it too much except at MK. I’ll get a 4th, then maybe a 5th for the evening as we’re leaving for an afternoon break, at the other parks. Even at MK I might not bother, it depends what we’re planning. But we have several days at each park.
1 Like
Yes, it is a good tool for all, including veterans. I’m headed to my 40& trip to Disney this year or next. Been using Unofficial Guide since the 80s. Only on Chat since 2014 though.
But since I’ m in my 70s now, with tricky eyesight, I like relying on Ds to do the navigating on the iphone while in the parks. He’s often busy just corraling the littles, so I try to keep what I ask him to do pretty light haha.
Ddil is similar to me re iphone uses & changes in parks. She likes saying: what’s on the list next? Keeping it simple, baby.
2 Likes
Thanks all, I’ve taken the advice and booked my FPP’s around the 9:15 - 9:45 mark for MK and am going to try the strategy mentioned in the other thread. For the other parks I’ve did from 9:45 onwards.
What’s the diff between Tier 1 and Tier 2? Is it a formal designation or just a way of saying “Tier 1 is very hot right now…”
What’s PTP? Thanks
It’s a formal designation. The Pandora rides in AK and the TSL rides in HS are tier 1. In EP it’s Soarin, Test Track, Character Spot, Frozen Ever After and Illuminations. It’s how Disney stops everyone using all 3 FPs on the most popular rides - you can only get one of these in your first 3 FPs. MK doesn’t have tiers.
PTP is personalised touring plan.
1 Like
Oh sorry @twm- I’ve been over at the Chat side more recently.
PTP: Personal Touring Plan. To distinguish it from TP: Touring Plan which could be a personalized developed one, or 1 of the standard ones on the Touring Plans site.
1 Like
This, every day of the week and twice on Sundays. Especially at Magic Kingdom.
Anyone who says "but you don’t need a FPP 9-10am has never looked at the waiting times for SDMT at 9:45am… or for Small World at 1:45pm. If you save you FPP for the worst part of the day, sure you kill it for that brief window, but heaven help you if you just start looking for your 4th FPP at 2-3pm in afternoon. Enjoy that 8:40pm Jungle Cruise.
1 Like