FastPass Question - 60 vs 30 day window

[Jack Skellington]

Hello fellow planners and experts!

Need to get some advice on the 60/30 day window FastPass booking. We are staying off property for our upcoming trip and so we are only able to get FPs at the 30 day window.

My question, are there some attractions that we will be completely unable to get FPs for, because all of them are grabbed up at the 60 day window, or does WDW set aside some portion of all the available FPs for 30 day window bookers and/or day of walk up guests?

I worry in particular about the "new" (to us) attractions in AK, and of course the new attractions in the Studios (Star Wars, and Toy Story Land).

Thanks in advance!

JS:mickey:

[RunDMV]

Best of luck with FOP and 7DMT. Since FOP opened, I've managed just 1 FP. Same for 7DMT. Some people tell you it can be done, but that's only if you live on your Ap.

[bleen3162]

Friends of mine were there Easter week and we're able to get several E ticket fast passes for same day ride. Rides are cancelled all the time so I wouldn't be too worried if you can't get passes when your window first opens.

[ThanxForNoticin]

You never say never, but the chances for getting FP for the popular attractions like FOP and those in Toy Story Land will not be good 30 days out. It never hurts to keep checking for the occasional cancellation, but you really have to be right place/right time for those. And keep in mind, if you're staying on-site with a reservation, it's FPs at the 60-day mark, and also for then entire length of the reservation (up to either 7 or 10 days). So folks are grabbing them 65/66/67 days out. And then there are the special packages for Club Level folks who can get them at 90 days out. By the time your 30-day window comes around, there have been plenty of folks picking away at the prime attractions. But good luck - hope something good pops for you when you can book.

[1DisneyNut]

You are lucky to get them for the new rides or most popular rides at the 60 day window. At the 30 day you can pretty much forget it. The problem is even on the day your 60 day window opens up, people that have reservations arriving prior to yours have already entered their 60 day window and went through to their departure day reserving all of the most popular rides. As has been mentioned already, sometimes you will get lucky and find one or two of them if you keep checking all the way up to the day of but it is time consuming and irritating.

Don't get me started on how much I hate the FP+ system. I could go on a 4 page rant. lol

[Jack Skellington]

You are lucky to get them for the new rides or most popular rides at the 60 day window. At the 30 day you can pretty much forget it. The problem is even on the day your 60 day window opens up, people that have reservations arriving prior to yours have already entered their 60 day window and went through to their departure day reserving all of the most popular rides. As has been mentioned already, sometimes you will get lucky and find one or two of them if you keep checking all the way up to the day of but it is time consuming and irritating.

Don't get me started on how much I hate the FP+ system. I could go on a 4 page rant. lol

That's interesting. I remember back in June 2014 when we were last in WDW, after FP+ was first rolled out, we booked at the 30 day window (off property then too) and we were able to get many FPs for the key attractions of the day at each park (Soarin', EE, 7DMT, TT, RnR, etc.). I wonder what has changed to make it so difficult?

[1DisneyNut]

That's interesting. I remember back in June 2014 when we were last in WDW, after FP+ was first rolled out, we booked at the 30 day window (off property then too) and we were able to get many FPs for the key attractions of the day at each park (Soarin', EE, 7DMT, TT, RnR, etc.). I wonder what has changed to make it so difficult?

People were unaware and unfamiliar with the system. Disney wasn't doing a good job of getting the information out on how to set it all up in MDE either. Word has spread and forums like these have tons of information that people find in google searches so they figure out how to do the scheduling. Plus those of us that go regularly have plenty of experience with the system and know exactly when our window opens and how to go about getting the best picks as quickly as possible. So the answer to your question is masses of people are now educated on how to work the system to their advantage as much as possible and the most desired FP's are snapped up within minutes first thing in the morning when the system goes live every day.

[Jack Skellington]

People were unaware and unfamiliar with the system. Disney wasn't doing a good job of getting the information out on how to set it all up in MDE either. Word has spread and forums like these have tons of information that people find in google searches so they figure out how to do the scheduling. Plus those of us that go regularly have plenty of experience with the system and know exactly when our window opens and how to go about getting the best picks as quickly as possible. So the answer to your question is masses of people are now educated on how to work the system to their advantage as much as possible and the most desired FP's are snapped up within minutes first thing in the morning when the system goes live every day.

That makes sense. We will be up to make our reservations when our window opens. What time does it refresh/go-live each day? Midnight?

Thanks!

JS:mickey:

[faline]

It can be very difficult to get the new / most popular rides at even the 60 day window. I was able to ride Slinky Dog for the first time a few weeks ago because I happened to find a fastpass for a few days out which is the first time I had ever seen any availability. Because I had a free day that day, I was able to grab it and we went to the park. On the other hand, my brother was visiting in the last couple of weeks and he was able to get a fastpass to Slinky Dog for 5 people within a day of our riding it. He did have a Navi River fastpass which he gave up as it interfered with dinner plans and was not able to replace it at all during the time of his visit.

I'd suggest you keep trying for your "must do" rides. While I am often not able to get fastpasses for Seven Dwarfs, I have gotten them on the same day at least once. At some parks, you will need to decide which ride is your most important "must do" as you might have to give up one ride your really want for another one based on the tiers in that given park.

[1DisneyNut]

Faline just brought something else to light that I didn't mention previously. Locals with annual passes are constantly checking for fastpass availability on the new and popular rides and grabbing them. They can take a day off and pop over to the parks most anytime.

[Jack Skellington]

Thanks everyone! This helps.

Still wondering, when does the "window" open on a particular day? Midnight Eastern time?

[NewDVCowner]

I have written down that fastpass booking opens at 7:00 am eastern name.

[1DisneyNut]

Yes it is 7:00 AM eastern time. By 7:15 eastern time, the popular rides that had any availability left will pretty much all be completely booked so be ready at exactly 7:00 AM.

[DisneyFan1979]

What you can get at the 30-day window will partially depend on if it's a busy time at the parks. I was just at WDW last week and the crowds were very moderate. I had only planned my trip 2 weeks beforehand--at that time, Epcot options were wide-open, MK was wide-open except no Mine Train, and surprisingly I was able to get Flight of Passage at AK. I could not get Slinky Dog at the Studios, though the Studios was busier than the other parks last week due to the 30th Anniversary and debut of the new evening show.

As others have recommended, I agree that you should keep checking as you approach your trip. Options do open up.

[Goofy4TheWorld]

Now this may not work for future Star Wars Land stuff, but if you are unable to get your top picks prior to arrival, you will likely be able to snag one the day-of. Make no mistake, in order to accomplish this feat you have to stay nose-down at your phone hitting refresh every 5 seconds, but its the bargain you have to make.

My strategy is to book 3 FastPasses at what I can get, and as SOON as I scan my band to redeem my 3rd FastPass I grab my phone and start looking for what's available. Sometimes I can grab a Soarin' or RnRc within minutes, sometimes I spend 15+ minutes getting a FOP or 7DMT, but if I was dedicated to the task I would succeed probably 85-90% of the time.

One trip I got FPs for Frozen 3 times and Soarin' twice (and that was after my first 3 were used in the early AM), and this was with 60-90 minute standby times at both. It ***** to be nose down on your phone, but if you want the hot ticket and can't get it at 30 days, try again (and again and again again) on the day of. Oh, and be sure to bring a phone charger pack with you!

[Giggy]

We have always stayed offsite, only visited once since FP+ went live (in 2017), my experience was generally positive. This was before the Toy Story Land opening so can't comment on those but the only two rides I couldn't easily get us Fastpasses for were Seven Dwarves Mine Train and Flight of Passage. Seven Dwarves I checked back on the off chance a couple of weeks later and it was available - snapped it up before the phone could change its mind! Flight of Passage I never saw available, I'm told those are like gold dust even at 60 days! In short you will be disadvantaged with the very big rides but generally you won't miss out on much if you don't mind too much what time your bookings are for.

I quite enjoyed the system, gave me something to look forward to each day from the 30 day mark as I booked Fastpasses a day at a time for our 14 days. I'd worked out my plan for the parks and would ask the family for any specific requests at a park. The window would open 12 midday UK time, I would log in during my lunch break (which working in a hospital could vary a little bit!) and would book all our passes, then screenshot it to the others for their approval. I found it pretty user friendly and I think we got every pass we were after except as mentioned above. For us it helped build up the excitement of a long awaited Disney vacation! :mickey: