Anyone else done with the 60+ FP rule?

[kwdw]

Okay - I know the FP rules and strategies - but I'm done with how they are set up. I just booked FP's for a trip 60 days out. It's only a 4 day trip.

But I couldn't get SDD or FOP for our trip (it's a party of 5) at all. Maybe if I continue to play around I could get things - but given EMH, arrival and departure times, a planned dessert party - I only had +1 and +2 days to try to get those. NADA - nothing. Not available the ENTIRE day - either ride, either day.

It just doesn't feel fair. I know asking folks to book one day at a time would frustrate many people - but so does not being able to get FP's for your trips when you book the first day available.

Between this and all the stupid PAY FOR ME experiences early morning and late at night - I just feel like Disney is moving more and more away from treating everyone equally - to giving privileges to those who can pay. I get that they are a business and folks are willing to pay - but well - just phooey.

It's starting to price me out of Disney trips. Sigh.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

The site has been weird lately, allowing people to make FPs early, maybe that had an impact. Keep trying, something will pop up eventually.

 

[Sara_H]

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy using my fastpasses and walking by the crowds and going to the front of the line, however, I'm starting to think that Disney should do away with fastpasses all together and go back to the way it was in the 90s. If you want to ride a ride, you get in line and wait like everybody else.

 

[Disneylover99]

Okay - I know the FP rules and strategies - but I'm done with how they are set up. I just booked FP's for a trip 60 days out. It's only a 4 day trip.

But I couldn't get SDD or FOP for our trip (it's a party of 5) at all. Maybe if I continue to play around I could get things - but given EMH, arrival and departure times, a planned dessert party - I only had +1 and +2 days to try to get those. NADA - nothing. Not available the ENTIRE day - either ride, either day.

It just doesn't feel fair. I know asking folks to book one day at a time would frustrate many people - but so does not being able to get FP's for your trips when you book the first day available.

Between this and all the stupid PAY FOR ME experiences early morning and late at night - I just feel like Disney is moving more and more away from treating everyone equally - to giving privileges to those who can pay. I get that they are a business and folks are willing to pay - but well - just phooey.

It's starting to price me out of Disney trips. Sigh.

When paper fp’s were still a thing, Disney used to reward the people who arrived at the park first each day. It didn’t matter how long your stay or where your stay was. It was fair for everyone.

But times have changed. Disney rewards those who stay onsite for longer stays. The longer the stay, the more opportunity there is to ride the most desirable rides at the most desirable times.

 

[SaintsManiac]

Slinky is the toughest FP to get right now. Keep an eye on park hours and if they extend for AK you can scoop up FoP. I've gotten FoP at 40 days, 30 days even day of.

You have to be persistent and flexible. Yes I know it sucks. I prefer shorter trips and it annoys me to have to put AK at the end.

I do pay for EMM, because I hate rope drop and I don't want to stress about booking some of those FPs. I guess I'm their target audience!

 

[sam1998]

Keep checking. I didn't even book our trip until under 60 days out (the trip was last week, so busy spring break season). I was never able to grab SDD, but I got on a checked a few times a day and was able to get a FOP at maybe 30 ish days out.

 

[Klayfish]

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy using my fastpasses and walking by the crowds and going to the front of the line, however, I'm starting to think that Disney should do away with fastpasses all together and go back to the way it was in the 90s. If you want to ride a ride, you get in line and wait like everybody else.

That would be an epic disaster, to say the least.

There's no one solution that's going to make everyone happy. We are offsite people, so we never get the benefit of 60+ days...we get 30 days or sometimes less due to also being AP. Sometimes it's a bit of an annoyance, but overall I'm pretty pleased with how they have it.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

First week of June - that’s when the entire southeast is out of school and heads to WDW.

But looking at the park calendar, first week of June park hours right now are pretty paltry compared to prior years (mainly thinking about MK & DAK when I say this). I’d keep an eye on updates about a month out and use that as an opportunity to snag FPs you might have missed today when/if hours are extended.

 

[AngiTN]

That would be an epic disaster, to say the least.

There's no one solution that's going to make everyone happy. We are offsite people, so we never get the benefit of 60+ days...we get 30 days or sometimes less due to also being AP. Sometimes it's a bit of an annoyance, but overall I'm pretty pleased with how they have it.

No, probably not but honestly, booking 1 day at a time is likely the best possible one. As much as I'd hate having to deal with it every day for a long trip I'd be willing to do it, if it means that everyone is on the same playing field.
It's the most fair thing I can think of

 

[Remy is Up]

Just a suggestion that works for us. I havent madeFPs 60 days out in a long time. We either Rope Drop for AK, which works fine, or we just use refresh during the day. Ive grabbed FoP and SDD on the last 2 trips day of. Yes it requires a little bit of work, but, Its spontaneous and has worked just fine.

 

[dmaxphil]

Completely freaked out last night when I was able to start making fastpasses at 11:30 cst (my window was supposed to open this morning at 6am cst for our 6/2-6/9 trip). There were still several FOP times available. Slinky Dog had 3 times available for our entire stay.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

I agree to keep checking (especially once park hours are extended).

Also, SDD is a very doable line at park close. FoP is a bit longer at close but it doesn’t feel terrible because the line moves every few seconds.

 

[Klayfish]

No, probably not but honestly, booking 1 day at a time is likely the best possible one. As much as I'd hate having to deal with it every day for a long trip I'd be willing to do it, if it means that everyone is on the same playing field.
It's the most fair thing I can think of

I agree. If you wanted to pick one that was as "fair" across the board for absolutely everyone...ranging from offsite cheapskates like me to staying in suites at the GF...one day at a time would probably be the way to go. We have to do it one day at a time now. I look at it as a positive...every day I get to go in and see what exciting stuff I can find.

 

[SaintsManiac]

No, probably not but honestly, booking 1 day at a time is likely the best possible one. As much as I'd hate having to deal with it every day for a long trip I'd be willing to do it, if it means that everyone is on the same playing field.
It's the most fair thing I can think of

I'm going to have to agree with this. I'm on every day after day 60 anyway trying to modify... lol

 

[tinkerbelletreasure]

I did FOP at the end of the night and it wasn’t nearly as long as the wait time indicated. In fact, none of the end of day rides we rode took a 3rd of their posted wait times. I really think Disney inflates them at the end of the day to discourage people from getting in line.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

I agree. If you wanted to pick one that was as "fair" across the board for absolutely everyone...ranging from offsite cheapskates like me to staying in suites at the GF...one day at a time would probably be the way to go. We have to do it one day at a time now. I look at it as a positive...every day I get to go in and see what exciting stuff I can find.

While day by day is most fair, I don’t think Disney resorts should lose the 60 over off site.
That being said, I don’t want to deal with 6am FP (I’m in central zone) for a week. It’s rare for us to go less than 5 days.

There’s just no way to please everyone

 

[ID_Dismom]

While day by day is most fair, I don’t think Disney resorts should lose the 60 over off site.
That being said, I don’t want to deal with 6am FP (I’m in central zone) for a week. It’s rare for us to go less than 5 days.

There’s just no way to please everyone

I agree! While I agree it seems the most fair, I can't imagine getting up at 4:45 am for 10 days straight and still functioning at work lol (MST here). One day was enough

 

[FreesiaE]

Due to my brother being in the military (and oversees at the time), he was only able to buy tix at SOG the day before we went to the parks. We got a very few FPs for what one might term less desirable choices. However, there is soooo much to do that we had a wonderful time anyhow! Don't let the lack of a FPs stop you from having a great time!

 

[monkyby87]

As an AP holder that lives locally, it can be frustrating that my only hope of getting the popular rides is to refresh on the day of. But I suppose the trade-off is that I can go whenever I want easily and don't have to plan an entire trip.

As Disney keeps getting more and more crowded and popular, it will be harder and harder to implement a system that is fair to everyone. While I get annoyed with the current system, I also can't think of another system that wouldn't bring its own annoyances. Unless Disney can suddenly reduce itself to the popularity of Universal Studios, there will never be a fast pass system that benefits everyone. And with how crowded Disney is nowadays, there needs to be some sort of system in place.

 

[Klayfish]

While day by day is most fair, I don’t think Disney resorts should lose the 60 over off site.
That being said, I don’t want to deal with 6am FP (I’m in central zone) for a week. It’s rare for us to go less than 5 days.

There’s just no way to please everyone

I can't see it ever happening anyway, so it's all just "wishful" or "non-wishful" (depending on your point of view...LOL) thinking. For the record, I'm sort of on both sides of that fence anyway. As a dedicated offsite person, I wish it would be the same for everyone across the board. However, I can definitely understand why they do what they do.