FastPass+ and Magic Band tips

[egoldber]

The old system is no longer available at all. At least as of right now.

You can use FP+, but you may need to do it at a FP+ Kiosk in the park. If you already have your tickets, you can put the numbers into the MDE app and see what happens.

[BunnyBee]

I have purchased tickets, but we are not staying on site. Can I still use FP+?

I need to get on it, but was thinking I could still use the old system once I got there if I didn't do FP+. Sounds like that may not be possible. Ugh!

Not ahead of time. You can make selections from what is left once you enter the park. You'll have to queue up for a FP+ kiosk, and you'll only be able to make changes from a kiosk.

[KrisM]

Not ahead of time. You can make selections from what is left once you enter the park. You'll have to queue up for a FP+ kiosk, and you'll only be able to make changes from a kiosk.

I've read that some are held back for offsite guests, so it's not just what's left over. I've read people check the app and more become available at rope drop time.

Also, some people are saying they are seeing things on My Disney Experience that indicate they might be able to make them ahead of time, based on having an ADR. It sounds like the earliest are coming up in a couple days to the 60 point.

[KrisM]

Here are my tips from doing this online today for our April tips...

Let's say you're doing FP+ for MK and you want them for Big Thunder Mtn., Space Mtn., and Splash Mtn.
1. Go in and choose Meet Rapunzel, Pirate's of the Caribbean, and Ariel's Grotto. Or any other 3 rides.
2. Find one of the 4 options that has a time that works for one of your rides. If you want a non-hour time, like 1:30, find an option that has the minutes where you want it and the hour before the time you want. (if you want a slot for 1:30-2:30, and one of the options show 10:30-11:30, pick that one)
3. Go in ride by ride changing the times. For the example above, you can move one to 11:30-12:30, then another to 12:30-1:30, and the third to 1:30-2:30.
4. Once all the rides are in the time slots you want, go back and change the 'experience' to what you really want.

I found this is best. Otherwise, it gives me rides at times I want, but the wrong ride. Since I can't have 2 FP+ for the same ride, I can't just change it easily. So, starting with things I don't want works better and involves more straight-forward changes.

[123LuckyMom]

Here are my tips from doing this online today for our April tips...

Let's say you're doing FP+ for MK and you want them for Big Thunder Mtn., Space Mtn., and Splash Mtn.
1. Go in and choose Meet Rapunzel, Pirate's of the Caribbean, and Ariel's Grotto. Or any other 3 rides.
2. Find one of the 4 options that has a time that works for one of your rides. If you want a non-hour time, like 1:30, find an option that has the minutes where you want it and the hour before the time you want. (if you want a slot for 1:30-2:30, and one of the options show 10:30-11:30, pick that one)
3. Go in ride by ride changing the times. For the example above, you can move one to 11:30-12:30, then another to 12:30-1:30, and the third to 1:30-2:30.
4. Once all the rides are in the time slots you want, go back and change the 'experience' to what you really want.

I found this is best. Otherwise, it gives me rides at times I want, but the wrong ride. Since I can't have 2 FP+ for the same ride, I can't just change it easily. So, starting with things I don't want works better and involves more straight-forward changes.

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!! We decided not to go this year. I'm hoping that by next year the bugs will be worked out and there'll be more advice like this to help me. I really hate how Disney is making it so that it's no longer fun to just decide to go on a whim. You have to plan so far ahead of time! We would have gone this March and dropped thousands of dollars in their lap, but I knew we wouldn't be able to get ADRs, and I was worried about the new Fastpass system, so we decided not to go. It's just not fun for me when I have to plan every moment of the trip. Then I get stressed if we get off schedule! Sigh... Thanks for listening to my rant. Sorry for hijacking.

[egoldber]

I know that January is typically very uncrowded, but really I had no trouble getting either ADRs or FastPasses. I couldn't have gotten Cinderella's castle meal, but most things had at least some availability.

[KrisM]

We're going in April and there are a lot of ADRs open. FP+ are all open, but it's the start of the 60 days. I mostly am worried they'll change the rules for the worst again!

I have 7 day tickets and am limited to 7 days of FP+. Makes sense, but I'm not sure what to do. I was going to wait and add the 8th day once we are there, in case our flight is late arriving or we need a day off, etc. But I'll have a day with no FP+.

[TwinFoxes]

Thanks for the great review, but ugh! We probably won't go again until next year. Hopefully they will have made it more user friendly. We are like you, we had the old system down pat. We never waited. The worst part is not being able to get Fast Passes in multiple parks. Boo!

[egoldber]

You may want to bring a battery recharger if you plan to use the app in park. It really sucks up battery power. It also increases the number of people walking through the park, glued to a device. We nearly ran over so many people walking and staring at their phones.

Someone posted this above and I REALLY want to emphasize this. The app will suck your iPhone completely dry! I made sure I had everything else closed. But using the app for FP changes, to check wait times, texting other members of our party, and as a camera made it almost impossible to go a whole day. DH has an external iPhone battery that he uses for travel and we found that invaluable. We made sure to be fully charged in the morning and then we would each top off with the battery around dinner time.

But we were in the parks from 9/10 am to 10/11 pm every day. I ended up using older DD's phone part of the time LOL!!!

[KrisM]

Someone posted this above and I REALLY want to emphasize this. The app will suck your iPhone completely dry! I made sure I had everything else closed. But using the app for FP changes, to check wait times, texting other members of our party, and as a camera made it almost impossible to go a whole day. DH has an external iPhone battery that he uses for travel and we found that invaluable. We made sure to be fully charged in the morning and then we would each top off with the battery around dinner time.

But we were in the parks from 9/10 am to 10/11 pm every day. I ended up using older DD's phone part of the time LOL!!!

Thanks. I might have to do this.