So my girlfriend and I are visiting each park exclusively for one whole day during our trip. I’ve scheduled (against some popular suggestions) for our visit to align with each parks EMH. Now the touring advice says to attend the popular attractions FIRST THING in the morning. We will likely do this, so my options are 1) Should I make all of my FP+ reservations for first thing in the morning, wait in a short lines, then immediately afterwards, use the FP+ reservations and count on reapply the additional FP+ reservation throughout the day on my phone? Or will the FP+ reservations for later in the day already be mostly filled by the time we finish our initial three? (approx. 12PM each day). 2) Should I instead, reschedule the FP+ reservations for the afternoon when I know the rides will be busy and count on short wait times for the morning attractions? Any feedback is helpful!
It depends on a few things. First of all if you’re using morning EMH you can count on some pretty short lines first thing in the morning and if they are open use that time to ride your favorites that will be busy later in the day. The time of year will affect the lines in the morning as well.
As for using your FP in the morning or evening that also depends on the park. Parks like HS or EP that don’t have a ton of FP options tend to sell out of headliner FP’s pretty early in the morning, and even if you get another one it’s likely going to be for very late. Parks like MK where there are lots of FP attractions you are much likely to still have a good selection if you use your FP+ reservations in the morning and then get more. I’d say for all but MK use them when you know the rides will be busy and then see what’s available after.
Also you noted counting on the additional FP from your phone. Remember that other than your first three all other FP must be obtained through the kiosks and not your phone once you are in the park.
It also depends on the time of year. If you are going at a slower time, there will be more available later in the day, peak season? Not so much. If you’re going in the peak season, I’d skew them late morning early afternoon, but if you’re going say in September, use 'em early and use 'em often!
Highly dependent on when u are going and whrther u will b able to select extras via app. Right now I say no - we had almost nil success last week (1/5 days) getting any extras. Parks too busy and not nearly enough FPP kiosks to handle volume, plus nothing good or needed left. Stacking in early a.m. was my one regret of this trip WRT TP
Really glad you shared the bit about phones not being an option. That surely saved me from lots of frustration @ the park. As for the rest, our first day is at HS. Currently we have FP+ on Rock N’ Roller Coaster 9:30-10:30, given the park opens at 9 this day could we expect a short wait at Toy Story Midway Mania first thing in the morning or is that unlikely? (I keep reading TS is the longest wait in the park). Also keep in mind that we are going in a somewhat slow season according to the crowd calendar (Aug. 17th-Aug. 23rd)
Thanks for you feedback OBNurse, would you still recommend against having three early FP+ reservations if we were going during a slower time of year?
Adding by phone is an often requested and rumored feature that get’s talked about a lot. I’m sure at some point it will be an option.
I don’t think TSMM is ever really considered a short wait, however, if you walk with purpose right at RD you should be able to ride with a minimal wait time. That’s assuming of course that you aren’t doing something else that requires you to be there at RD like Jedi Training.
Not sure about your party makeup but you might consider swapping RNR to TSMM if you can take advantage of the single rider line. Lots of reports of people riding two or three times in a row early by using that line.
It sounds like others who are going at less crowded times of the year have had much better success with stacking early for extras later. I have no personal experience, though.
For RnR, we went straight there in the a.m. (ride wasn’t even open yet) and got rider swap ticket. DH rode, eventually hopping into single rider line once the ride opened, and then I had a “FP” for later. We used the FPP for TSMM. Worked perfectly. TSMM line was nuts all day long.