Refresh did NOT work for us

[Mamapapa]

Just back from a week at WDW and wanted to let people know that I tried the refresh technique multiple times and was not successful once. I tried for anywhere from 1-7 people in multiple parks and never got any additional FP's to pop up. For example, one day at HS we were at 50's Prime Time (our waitress was insanely hilarious!) and I spent the entire hour and a half we were there refreshing looking for FP in groups of 2, 4 or 5 and the only options were Muppets, Frozen Sing Along and occasionally Fantasmic. This was from 5-6:30pm. Nonstop refreshing with zero results. Repeat at different times, at different parks, all week long. I am aware this works for some people, but I just want people to know it's not a guarantee. It was very frustrating to have such a complete lack of FP options....

 

[Madame]

Just back from a week at WDW and wanted to let people know that I tried the refresh technique multiple times and was not successful once. I tried for anywhere from 1-7 people in multiple parks and never got any additional FP's to pop up. For example, one day at HS we were at 50's Prime Time (our waitress was insanely hilarious!) and I spent the entire hour and a half we were there refreshing looking for FP in groups of 2, 4 or 5 and the only options were Muppets, Frozen Sing Along and occasionally Fantasmic. This was from 5-6:30pm. Nonstop refreshing with zero results. Repeat at different times, at different parks, all week long. I am aware this works for some people, but I just want people to know it's not a guarantee. It was very frustrating to have such a complete lack of FP options....

The week before Labour Day I found it only really worked if you already had an FP and were trying to move it around. Other than that it was way too tedious to scroll through to the bottom only to find that there was still no availability for the headliners. We were a party of 4.

 

[DWillowBay]

Refresh works when others are cancelling or moving 'their' FPs. I guess they just weren't. It's not a foolproof way to get what you want, it's a "first come, first served" survival of the fittest kind of thing.

 

[Ladyandthepuppies]

I tried refresh for over an hour the week AFTER Labor Day (very low crowds) and got nothing. It was at Epcot.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I haven’t been successful this week, either.

 

[Alison S]

Interesting that this didn't work at a "low crowd" time. "Low Crowds"= Less FPs? "High Crowds" = more FPs?

 

[Robo]

Interesting that this didn't work at a "low crowd" time. "Low Crowds"= Less FPs? "High Crowds" = more FPs?

Unlikely.

 

[SaintsManiac]

More people are doing it.

 

[EdnaMarieMode]

Interesting that this didn't work at a "low crowd" time. "Low Crowds"= Less FPs? "High Crowds" = more FPs?

Correct, because they run the rides at less capacity (so fewer trains run on the roller coasters or 2/3 of the tracks for TSMM, for example, meaning the ride doesn't load to it's full capacity). FP availability is thus reduced in anticipation of this. When low crowds are expected, Disney cuts staff and ride capacity (which means it may be less crowded walking around/ seeing shows but the rides are only going to see a slightly reduced wait time). We went to MK on a "low crowd" day and the waits were not much less.

 

[Elle :)]

I had zero luck refreshing on Saturday or Sunday (Labor Day weekend) but it’s been pretty good the rest of the week. Our best day was Wednesday at MK. I was able to grab plenty of extra rides (w/ the exception of 7DMT) with no layover between time slots. Best day ever! I even got a FP for FOP at AK same day.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

We were there Aug. 23 - 28 and refresh worked very well for us. We were in AK one morning and, before we left around 1 pm, I was able to snag a 4 pm for TT. After I scanned for TT, I was able to get Soarin' and, after scanning for that, got FEA. I certainly wasn't expecting this to happen, so it was a major surprise bonus to our day. I will consider myself very lucky! We were a party of 2.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Just back from a week at WDW and wanted to let people know that I tried the refresh technique multiple times and was not successful once. I tried for anywhere from 1-7 people in multiple parks and never got any additional FP's to pop up. For example, one day at HS we were at 50's Prime Time (our waitress was insanely hilarious!) and I spent the entire hour and a half we were there refreshing looking for FP in groups of 2, 4 or 5 and the only options were Muppets, Frozen Sing Along and occasionally Fantasmic. This was from 5-6:30pm. Nonstop refreshing with zero results. Repeat at different times, at different parks, all week long. I am aware this works for some people, but I just want people to know it's not a guarantee. It was very frustrating to have such a complete lack of FP options....

That's pretty late in the day. The headliners are "usually" gone around that time. Especially in HS.

There is no guarantee to extra FP+. This is why I mix up my FP strategies. So some days I do AM FP, some days I do them midday and some days I do them in the evening.

 

[dlavender]

It's 98% luck, I'm pretty convinced.

Your experience aligns with ours. We never have much luck with getting anything worthwhile.

 

[Robo]

Correct, because they run the rides at less capacity (so fewer trains run on the roller coasters or 2/3 of the tracks for TSMM, for example, meaning the ride doesn't load to it's full capacity).

FP availability is thus reduced in anticipation of this.

Unlikely.

 

[sunsetbeachgal]

Here now and I tried to do it Here and there with no luck for the ride we wanted (fop, probably a long shot anyway).

Question though, it sounds from reading some posts that people are getting umpteen fast passes. I thought you got your initial three FPS, then when they were used you could get one more? Am I missing something??

 

[MinnieMSue]

We don’t do it because it is too much nose in phone time and not enough enjoying yourself. Yes we often look for a 4th etc FP but we don’t spend much time of any refreshing. It just isn’t that important to us. It is the same reason I don’t take
Many photos or record anything. I want to live in the moment - even if that moment is waiting in a line lol

 

[AngiTN]

I'm sorry to hear it wasn't working for everyone. It was working for 2 but we weren't looking for more
DH and I had great luck on our trip (we got back Wednesday night)
I even got Slinky Dog on Tuesday as a 4th FP and found FoP on Wednesday night, but didn't take it as it was after we were due at the airport.
Alien and Toy Story was always available.
We saw every ride pop up at Epcot over our days there (which were every day as we were staying at the Epcot area)
We didn't try at MK since we rode everything there during either DAH or MNSSHP, so no FP

 

[FairWahine]

Here now and I tried to do it Here and there with no luck for the ride we wanted (fop, probably a long shot anyway).

Question though, it sounds from reading some posts that people are getting umpteen fast passes. I thought you got your initial three FPS, then when they were used you could get one more? Am I missing something??

And then after that one you can get one more, and after that another, until they run out or the park closes. I've had really good luck getting one right after the other.

 

[sunsetbeachgal]

And then after that one you can get one more, and after that another, until they run out or the park closes. I've had really good luck getting one right after the other.

Thank you for the clarification! But do you have to use the extra one before getting another?

 

[TinkSassy]

I found using the times vs. the general time of day was more productive. HS is usually hard to get headliners as there are not enough rides that need FP to keep people moving them around. Always have more luck at MK due to the options