Here now! AK

[JETSDAD]

Persistence - I will refresh over and over for 15-20 minutes. Usually standing in another line or eating lunch/snack, but I have had limited issue getting all but the holy grail of FPs - FoP, SDD and 7DMT (PP can be a stretch too). I have usually been able to snag FEA but it is a matter of being the one refreshing just as one is released by another person. Another trick is if they offer the ride you want but not at the time - take it and then modify that one. I've found it much easier to get a new time than a different ride. Not sure if there is something in the formulas that affects that.

While I do agree that it is easier to modify, and do so myself very often, I do not think you are offered anything different than you would by doing a regular search. The difference is that the ride is now at the top of the list and you can refresh faster with not having to scroll at all. This allows for more refreshing in a shorter time so more chances of catching a dropped FP. So for some rides it won't make any difference as they would be top of the list anyways (FOP) but for others, especially 7DMT, you can save a lot of scrolling.

 

[goofyintoronto]

When was your trip?

Last week in October (the new "summer"!). Lol. I know i know, silly of me to think i might snag a hard to get FP.

If those were the FPs you were trying for and expecting then I'm not completely surprised. They are among the hardest FPs to get. Yes, your chances go up if you're a party of 1 but those FPs can still be hard. It took me a solid half hour of constant refreshing to get FEA for 2 (normally I don't do that but DS really wanted to go). I've never gotten 7DMT for any party size. But I get a lot of other FPs for things like EE, JC, Soarin, etc. I have seen others say they couldn't even get those (although that seems less common).

Sometimes the expectation around here is the anyone can get any FP for any time with a reasonably small party size. Clearly that works for some people. But not for everyone. Sorry it didn't work out for you.

Honestly I wasnt expecting to get Slinky, but im not gonna lie, I was a tad hopeful because I kept reading on these boards from a lot of folks who say they were successful in getting a 2nd FP. How?!?!?!? And these are ppl with families! Its just little old me. I dont get it.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

Last week in October (the new "summer"!). Lol. I know i know, silly of me to think i might snag a hard to get FP.


Honestly I wasnt expecting to get Slinky, but im not gonna lie, I was a tad hopeful because I kept reading on these boards from a lot of folks who say they were successful in getting a 2nd FP. How?!?!?!? And these are ppl with families! Its just little old me. I dont get it.

There is an element of luck. I did get FOP for 5 on our AK day and like the OP, felt like I won the lottery because I got it after refreshing for only 20-25 mins (family was on EE and I was getting our lunch).

I was convinced for a while that people talking about how easy it was for them to get those headliners were either not paying attention to how long they were refreshing or were just exaggerating. Then Jetsdad started posting screenshots of his success that blew my mind because it's so different than my experience. Part of the reason I think it has something to do with people's accounts is that it's so stable to people. The people who have an easier time of it never post and say they just couldn't get anything or it took forever even when they are there at the busiest times and larger parties.

So I agree. It's odd. I really wish I knew what was going on.

All that said, make sure you are definitely doing it right. Follow all the tips people have. You should be refreshing as fast as you can, hundreds of times in 5 or 10 mins. Grabbing anything time comes up so you can more easily see if another time becomes available (as Jetsdad described above). If wifi is slow, switch to data, etc. If none of that dramatically changes your outcome ... enjoy the lesser tier (but still good) rides you can get and prebook those headliners if you can.

 

[goofyintoronto]

There is an element of luck. I did get FOP for 5 on our AK day and like the OP, felt like I won the lottery because I got it after refreshing for only 20-25 mins (family was on EE and I was getting our lunch).

I was convinced for a while that people talking about how easy it was for them to get those headliners were either not paying attention to how long they were refreshing or were just exaggerating. Then Jetsdad started posting screenshots of his success that blew my mind because it's so different than my experience. Part of the reason I think it has something to do with people's accounts is that it's so stable to people. The people who have an easier time of it never post and say they just couldn't get anything or it took forever even when they are there at the busiest times and larger parties.

So I agree. It's odd. I really wish I knew what was going on.

All that said, make sure you are definitely doing it right. Follow all the tips people have. You should be refreshing as fast as you can, hundreds of times in 5 or 10 mins. Grabbing anything time comes up so you can more easily see if another time becomes available (as Jetsdad described above). If wifi is slow, switch to data, etc. If none of that dramatically changes your outcome ... enjoy the lesser tier (but still good) rides you can get and prebook those headliners if you can.

I've refreshed until my fingers cramped. Lol. I was obsessing over it actually. Next trip i'll have a different approach. I will refresh a few times, then let it be.

 

[Randomsoulshine]

I've refreshed until my fingers cramped. Lol. I was obsessing over it actually. Next trip i'll have a different approach. I will refresh a few times, then let it be.

I think that’s a good strategy. Honestly there is in my opinion no single ride that makes or breaks a Disney trip. If people want to refresh like crazy then go for it. If other people want to try refresh for a few minutes and then move on, that makes sense as well. Our next trip we are doing evenings and gonna book fastpasses for 4,5,6pm. I’ll try to move them up once we hit the first one and will try for others once we use third but I know there won’t be a whole lot left if any late in the day and I’m not gonna waste too much time refreshing. So is the life with teens who want to do the parks at night and skip rope dropping. I’m used to at least 8-10 a day in MK so it’s gonna be a big adjustment. I really want to do slinky dog and will try for 60+4 evening time slot. Fingers crossed! But if it doesn’t happen I know from experience it won’t take away from our trip.

 

[goofyintoronto]

I think that’s a good strategy. Honestly there is in my opinion no single ride that makes or breaks a Disney trip. If people want to refresh like crazy then go for it. If other people want to try refresh for a few minutes and then move on, that makes sense as well. Our next trip we are doing evenings and gonna book fastpasses for 4,5,6pm. I’ll try to move them up once we hit the first one and will try for others once we use third but I know there won’t be a whole lot left if any late in the day and I’m not gonna waste too much time refreshing. So is the life with teens who want to do the parks at night and skip rope dropping. I’m used to at least 8-10 a day in MK so it’s gonna be a big adjustment. I really want to do slinky dog and will try for 60+4 evening time slot. Fingers crossed! But if it doesn’t happen I know from experience it won’t take away from our trip.

Totally agree. A ride doesn't make or break a trip. For SDD since I couldn't get a FP, you know what I did? I did it the old fashioned way and waited in the stand by queue. Gasp! Imagine that! And guess what? It wasn't that bad at all! I think the wait time was almost an hour. Totally fine and doable. Time flew by real quick. (and thats still a shorter wait time than FOP lol).

 

[bizeemom4]

Always able to get a FP for anything that I want except for Slinky so far. I’m usually a solo traveler. I’ll go back to the room to rest and if I wasn’t able to prearrange something good for after the break, I will sit in my room with my feet up and refresh for 15-30 minutes until I get it.