Thoughts on Fastpass+

[disneynarula]

I have an excel sheet where I keep everything straight for our trip. The first thing I note are the Extra Magic Hours. I make our park choices based on whether or not we plan to use EMH and indicate it in the spreadsheet. I do this before the 180 day mark. Then I make my dining reservations based on the parks were we will be. I add the reservation numbers to the sheet. Then I can sit back and relax until it is time to make Fastpass reservations. I already know what my first choices are and am able to try for those. I note these in the spreadsheet. I always print and take the sheet with me on our trips just in case something happens to our phones. I also take a screen shot of all the reservation numbers and print that out. I know that it is all stored in the My Disney Experience but I like looking at everything on one spreadsheet for planning purposes. I don't like having to click back and forth while I am dealing with something that is time sensitive, like making ADRs or Fastpass +. I store all the documents in google chrome and make it so everyone in our party can edit and I leave a "notes" section where people can comment if they want to make a change. It keeps everyone in the loop without endless emailing back and forth. We travel with family members from all around the world and we are all in different time zones. It's more complicated than most trip planning. I am almost always making dining and fastpass reservations for a party of 8. That means a lot more planning ahead because it is harder to get big groups together. I can almost always get us all Fastpass+ reservations together but they are often in different but overlapping windows.

[faline]

I have an excel sheet where I keep everything straight for our trip. The first thing I note are the Extra Magic Hours...

I do something similar though I use a Word document instead of a spreadsheet. I, too, like to be able to look at my document and not rely strictly on my phone to keep track of our plans. What you do is a bit more extensive than my system though.

[PopPhan]

I have an excel sheet where I keep everything straight for our trip.

I do this as well. My current xlsx file has 4 sheets --

"Costs" - Where I detail all the trip cost -- Room, Tickets, Flights (including all flight information --Departure and arrival times, Flight number, etc.), etc.

"Day Planner" - Where I list all the parks/water parks/Disney Springs hours, fireworks/closing shows, special events, etc. Hours include EMH and are color coded for either Morning (yellow) or Evening (peach? dusky color) This page also has my reservation information - room, flights, ADRs (if/when applicable,) FP+ options (under park selected)

"EMH Attractions" -- Where I list all the current EMH attractions by Morning or Evening, sorted and color coded as to where in the park they are located. [And just because I am silly, and directionally challenged, I have listed the lands in a clockwise path from each park entrance.)

"Pandora" - Where I list all the current information on the new Pandora section of Animal Kingdom. (This gets changed as new 'lands' open up in the different parks -- Next will [probably] be "Star Wars")

I print out the Day Planner and EMH Attractions sheets to take with me, as well as give to family members (at home) so they will know where I am at any time....just in case.

I don't know if the is Disney OCD or just being *bleep* retentive. LOL

[disneynarula]

[QUOTE=

I print out the Day Planner and EMH Attractions sheets to take with me, as well as give to family members (at home) so they will know where I am at any time....just in case.

I don't know if the is Disney OCD or just being *bleep* retentive. LOL[/QUOTE]

Disney has forced this on us with the new system. I am not complaining or attempting to start a debate about Fastpass +. However, it has come to the point that you need to plan ahead and make sure those plans are backed up. I can't imagine what a hassle if somehow the App failed or I couldn't connect to the WiFi. We have a party of 7 and there is less of a chance of being able to squeeze something in last minute if there is a snag. I don't totally hate the new system and it is nice to know that we can sleep in some mornings and then go to the parks and still use a Fastpass. However, I have scheduled the mornings that we are allowed to sleep in based on park calendars and schedules.

[emerzmom]

Very helpful information! Thanks everyone!!!!

Julie