Refresh=game changer, crowd calendars=unreliable

[epcotobsessed]

I am just back from a fantastic week - hadn't been since just before Pandora opened. The two things that were the most useful to me from this board were the refresh strategy and the (un)reliability of the crowd calendar. Perhaps it was because it was a holiday week, and/or because TSL opened while we were there, but the crowd calendars I used in my planning turned out to be almost entirely inaccurate. The lesson for me there is make your plans how *you* want them and adjust as needed. We were in MK on a 10/10 day (July 4) and the crowds were insane by about noon, but the first two hours (8am park open day, no EMH) were walk-on on pretty much every ride except Mine Train, so that was great.

This was my first time knowing about and using the refresh strategy for more FPs and it was a game changer. We FPd every ride we went on and it was amazing. I often felt guilty walking by everyone in the standby lines, but not enough to not refresh for FPs! Here's what we were able to get, same-day, by refreshing:
MK: Everything - Peter Pan and Mine Train took about 15 minutes of refreshing, everything else came up within two minutes or less
Epcot: Everything, and everything came up within about 2 minutes or less of refreshing. Soarin was very easy to get, over and over. Mission Space was the hardest to get, probably because it's most people's first choice for a Tier 2.
HS: Everything except SDD. We had a FP for SDD and were underwhelmed - I know that is a minority opinion, but the 2-3 hour wait times those first few days (we were there day 2 of TSL being open) were insane to me. I think wait times have been steadily dropping, but we still could not get additional SDD FPs. AS2 came up a lot, TSMM less often but we still could get it.
AK: Everything, including one FOP that broke my heart because I got it after over an hour of refreshing (I started as soon as we got off the ride), just as we got back to the hotel after being at AK all morning and no one wanted to go back with me - we would have had to get right back on the bus to make it in time. FOP was a spiritual experience for me (we had a FP going in that day) and I wish I had ditched my family and gone back by myself, but sadly, I cancelled the additional FP. Navi was quite easy to get via refresh.

The last thing I'll add is how FRIENDLY all of our fellow guests were. I had not a single negative interaction with anyone, and had lots of lovely conversations with people from all over, in all of the parks and at our hotel (YC).

 

[Cinderumbrella]

How many people in your party? We’re a party of 2 going next week and are so excited to test refresh strategy!

 

[epcotobsessed]

How many people in your party? We’re a party of 2 going next week and are so excited to test refresh strategy!

Sorry, should have mentioned that. 4 of us, and when I had a hard time getting something I broke us into 2 and 2 and that worked, usually within a minute or two more of refreshing. The FOP FP was a party of 4 - I am still heartbroken that I canceled that one, and that took probably 90 minutes of refreshing.

 

[BMAEC]

That’s amazing!! So glad to hear you were able to get so many FPs even on crowded days!! May I ask which FP you had for your initial 3 at MK and the times? It seems like you want to get them done early so you’re able to start using 4th, 5th etc, but I worry that if you use them before crowds build then it’s not technically maximizing the effectiveness of the FP (although it is if you’re able to get “unlimited” by going through the first 3...).

 

[epcotobsessed]

Exactly right, we RDd at MK so our FPs were early. We never RDd at Epcot and still were able to get all FPs - TT was the hardest to get but still doable, FEA was pretty easy, Soarin was very easy. TSL started at 8am on a 7am day and we didn't arrive until about 8:15am and the wait for SDD was so long that the line started outside TSL. I do think having morning FPs is an advantage for maximizing additional FPs.

 

[Maleficent53]

None of the people I travel with have smart phones, myself included, so I am very jealous of all of you that can use this technique to get extra fp

 

[epcotobsessed]

None of the people I travel with have smart phones, myself included, so I am very jealous of all of you that can use this technique to get extra fp

Sorry, it really is a huge advantage to people who have a smart phone and know about the technique.

 

[PatMcDuck]

Another tip that we learned last week, from personal experience? Do not trust the posted ride wait times in the evening, I mean the last hour park is open (and probably other times as well). Slinky said 210 minutes when we got on it at 8:54 pm. Park closing was 10:30 pm. Actual wait time?? 65 minutes. Left that and saw TS Mania listed at 25. Walked onto the ride. (this was about 10:15-10:20). Navi? I think it said 55 minutes, we waited 6 minutes. Again, park closing 10:30 pm, and this was about 10 pm.

Slinky after dark is better than in the day time.

We also got lucky on opening day of Toy Story, we arrived at 5:30 am, and they opened at 6 am vs. 8 am.

 

[epcotobsessed]

That’s amazing!! So glad to hear you were able to get so many FPs even on crowded days!! May I ask which FP you had for your initial 3 at MK and the times? It seems like you want to get them done early so you’re able to start using 4th, 5th etc, but I worry that if you use them before crowds build then it’s not technically maximizing the effectiveness of the FP (although it is if you’re able to get “unlimited” by going through the first 3...).

We only went to MK one day and our initial FPs were BTMRR (we walked on once before using the 8:45am FP, could have walked on a couple more times but wanted to keep moving), Haunted Mansion (DD and me)/Toy Story (DH and DS), Mine Train. After that, we got Mine Train again, Space Mountain, Pooh, Peter Pan, Pirates, Jungle Cruise - we had walked on Splash Mountain three times in a row - we love that ride - so didn't FP it but that was easy to get. We also got a multiple experience that worked for everything except Mine Train when we got a FP for Small World and in the two minute walk to the ride, it went down, so we used that for Peter Pan again.

 

[dancin Disney style]

I've been MIA from the boards for the last 6 months. What's the refresh strategy? I'm taking my DD for a last minute trip in a month from now and at this point don't even have accommodation locked up.....so no FP+ booked yet either

 

[ladybugsister]

I agree with everything you said. My family of 4 was there from 6/27 to 7/5 and we pretty much did every ride we wanted with a fast pass or we didn't even need one because it was a walk on. The longest we waited for any ride was for the Alien Saucer ride and that was only like 30 minutes during morning EMH. Other than that we never waited more than 15 minutes for a ride. The crowds were not bad at all but we also knew not to try DHS on 6/30. Early Tier 1 fast passes and the refresh strategy was key. Of course, I hope people don't find out about that which could change its success rate. I find it crazy that most people still don't know what fast pass is all about. We were in the fast pass line for Jungle Cruise and a father was berating the CM for letting the fast pass people through while he had waited a hour. I also saw CM trying to explain the concept of fast pass to another family. Its amazing to me how little people plan for vacation. The planning process is like a game for me. Now with the refresh strategy, the "game" continues while I am at the park. My kids called me the fast pass hunter. I love it.

I also thought it wasn't as hot as I thought it would be. Yes it was hot but since we were always using fast passes it seemed like we were always getting into A/C areas quickly. Plus the afternoon showers really cooled things off. The nights were fairly pleasant. Overall, I wouldn't shy away from July 4th week like people have in the past.

 

[epcotobsessed]

I agree with everything you said. My family of 4 was there from 6/27 to 7/5 and we pretty much did every ride we wanted with a fast pass or we didn't even need one because it was a walk on. The longest we waited for any ride was for the Alien Saucer ride and that was only like 30 minutes during morning EMH. Other than that we never waited more than 15 minutes for a ride. The crowds were not bad at all but we also knew not to try DHS on 6/30. Early Tier 1 fast passes and the refresh strategy was key. Of course, I hope people don't find out about that which could change its success rate. I find it crazy that most people still don't know what fast pass is all about. We were in the fast pass line for Jungle Cruise and a father was berating the CM for letting the fast pass people through while he had waited a hour. I also saw CM trying to explain the concept of fast pass to another family. Its amazing to me how little people plan for vacation. The planning process is like a game for me. Now with the refresh strategy, the "game" continues while I am at the park. My kids called me the fast pass hunter. I love it.

I also thought it wasn't as hot as I thought it would be. Yes it was hot but since we were always using fast passes it seemed like we were always getting into A/C areas quickly. Plus the afternoon showers really cooled things off. The nights were fairly pleasant. Overall, I wouldn't shy away from July 4th week like people have in the past.

Agree with all of this, and I saw some other crazy stuff with FPs, like people trying to come hours early for their FPs and the CMs having to explain that they had to return during their window. July 4 itself was the hottest day - everyone in line had sweat pouring down them at RD at MK, which is why we went on Splash Mountain 3x in a row - that really helped!
I agree, I do feel conflicted about using the FP system so much when others don't know about it, though I will say that even on my first trip with the digital FPs which was, what, 2012? I was told by many that I could get an additional FP, one at a time, after I used my initial three. I just thought I had to wait in line for a kiosk to add them, which I never wanted to do.

 

[epcotobsessed]

I've been MIA from the boards for the last 6 months. What's the refresh strategy? I'm taking my DD for a last minute trip in a month from now and at this point don't even have accommodation locked up.....so no FP+ booked yet either

You need a smart phone and after you are done with your initial 3 FPs, you go on the My Disney Experience App and start the "Get Fastpass" process all over again. If a ride says it has no availability, don't believe it, keep refreshing. Also, if you get a time you don't like, keep refreshing until you get the time you do like.

 

[glocon]

OP- Glad to hear you had a great trip!
And also glad to hear "refresh" is still working... 3 weeks from tomorrow and we'll be at WDW!!!

 

[lilpiglet97]

@glocon looks like we'll be there at the same time. My DD and I will be there in exactly 3 weeks!!!

 

[brehede1]

We are back since June 24th, and also found that "refreshing" worked reasonably well, but very dependent on phone and network. Using Wifi on an old iPhone, each "refresh" took a quite a few seconds. Worked better with an android and 4G. I spent an hour one evening at MK trying to get Buzz but they never came up!

 

[brianphill77]

Agree with all of this, and I saw some other crazy stuff with FPs, like people trying to come hours early for their FPs and the CMs having to explain that they had to return during their window.

On our trip 2 weeks ago, I was shocked at how much of this I saw. Families at the FP return trying to scan without valid FPs. CMs at FOP at 11:30am calmly explaining, “no, your fast pass is for Primeval Whirl at 1:15.” I wasn’t sure if people had no idea how FP works, or if they were just hoping there would be a glitch in the system and they would get the green light. It clogged up a lot of the FP return lanes as folks with failed scans stood there looking confused.

 

[brianphill77]

We are back since June 24th, and also found that "refreshing" worked reasonably well, but very dependent on phone and network. Using Wifi on an old iPhone, each "refresh" took a quite a few seconds. Worked better with an android and 4G. I spent an hour one evening at MK trying to get Buzz but they never came up!

I found using a browser to be much faster than the app, I could get many more refreshes in the same amount of time. This was on an iPhone 7.

 

[glocon]

@glocon looks like we'll be there at the same time. My DD and I will be there in exactly 3 weeks!!!

Hope you have fun!
I'm just excited my 21 yo son still wants to vacation with me

 

[epcotobsessed]

On our trip 2 weeks ago, I was shocked at how much of this I saw. Families at the FP return trying to scan without valid FPs. CMs at FOP at 11:30am calmly explaining, “no, your fast pass is for Primeval Whirl at 1:15.” I wasn’t sure if people had no idea how FP works, or if they were just hoping there would be a glitch in the system and they would get the green light. It clogged up a lot of the FP return lanes as folks with failed scans stood there looking confused.

Ok, so let me amend my "everyone was so friendly" comment to say that yes, everyone I personally had an interaction with was friendly, but the clogging up of the FP lanes with people who did not have FPs at that time (and wanted to argue about it) was insane. It happened 1 out of every 2 or 3 times we went through the FP lane.