Refreshing for FPs??

[JJ2017]

what is this refreshing all about to get FPs? Is it just luck that you refresh as someone else drops? Or is this a weird way around the system?

Do you just constantly refresh? Or do you pick a ride and then go back and modify?

Thanks!

 

[Haley R]

what is this refreshing all about to get FPs? Is it just luck that you refresh as someone else drops? Or is this a weird way around the system?

Do you just constantly refresh? Or do you pick a ride and then go back and modify?

Thanks!

I don't think it's a way around the system. It's either just luck from someone happening to drop one at the same time you are looking or it's persistence for constantly looking. I'm not on my phone enough to constantly refresh looking for ADRs and FPs. I've heard of people taking 15 minutes each day and constantly refreshing.

 

[Klayfish]

Is it just luck that you refresh as someone else drops? Yes

Or is this a weird way around the system? No

Do you just constantly refresh? Yes

Or do you pick a ride and then go back and modify? Yes

People change and modify plans all the time. Just think about the number of guests in all 4 parks combined on any one given day. So the odds of some of those people modifying their plans at any given time are very high. I've noticed that this becomes more true the closer you get to the actual date. In other words, to constantly refresh at 30 days out is pretty pointless. However, when you get to 24-48 hours out or less, it's very useful as people are doing last minute changes. The system becomes very "fluid". People add and drop stuff constantly. I'm not a techy person at all...I don't text (seriously) or do any common form of social media. I hate using my smartphone in general. However, I've discovered that using MDE can be incredibly helpful, so I'm now one of those people who will refresh for 15, 20, 30 minutes non-stop to get what I want. It's kind of a "brainless" activity, so I'm not taking away from family time. I'll do it while we're just standing in a queue talking, or if we're at our rental house for the night just relaxing and watching TV. Even on 4th of July week, I was able to get things like 7DMT just 10 minutes in advance, FEA (multiple times), FoP (that took a TON of work), NRJ, RnR, TT, you name it, I got it. We're very much "wing it" type people, so this really helps us. We could be standing in the queue for a particular ride and our kids will say "We want to ride Space Mountain". So I'll jump on and get us Space Mountain for 20 minutes from now.

 

[quandrea]

Everything Klayfish said. We were there last week for a twelve night trip. This method allowed me to secure fastpasses for our party of six to top tier attractions (Soarin, Frozen, Flight Passage) for the same day.

You can also search for one fast pass at a time and get overlapping times.

I'm also big on scanning through and then moving my next fast pass closer in the future. Gets me to the fourth, fifth, six passes quicker.

We literally never wait in line.

 

[Happy_2_B]

People change and modify plans all the time.

Agree. We just had to change our dates for a late January/February trip and moved it into mid January. Had to drop all kinds of good stuff- BoG dinner, 2 dessert packages, etc- some people were very happy this morning Now I can't get anything decent to pop for our new trip- oh well- back to refreshing

 

[cmorris303]

I agree with the above two posts. I was able to get FEA, Soarin', Test Track, Toy Story Mania, Everest, Kali, Mine Train, Space Mountain, Big Thunder Railroad, Splash Mountain, and various other easier to get rides all day of, often times just minutes before we wanted to ride using the refresh system. I refresh in line, on our transportation to the park, or while I'm waiting for everyone else to get ready. It seems crazy, but it has gotten us on so many rides that we wouldn't have waited in line for. I will caution that once you have some success with it, you will not want to wait in any line again...haha.

 

[hertamaniac]

Do you just constantly refresh?

No, but can you imagine if there was an app that did this for you 24/7? I'm confident someone has already done this.

 

[JJ2017]

Is it just luck that you refresh as someone else drops? Yes

Or is this a weird way around the system? No

Do you just constantly refresh? Yes

Or do you pick a ride and then go back and modify? Yes

People change and modify plans all the time. Just think about the number of guests in all 4 parks combined on any one given day. So the odds of some of those people modifying their plans at any given time are very high. I've noticed that this becomes more true the closer you get to the actual date. In other words, to constantly refresh at 30 days out is pretty pointless. However, when you get to 24-48 hours out or less, it's very useful as people are doing last minute changes. The system becomes very "fluid". People add and drop stuff constantly. I'm not a techy person at all...I don't text (seriously) or do any common form of social media. I hate using my smartphone in general. However, I've discovered that using MDE can be incredibly helpful, so I'm now one of those people who will refresh for 15, 20, 30 minutes non-stop to get what I want. It's kind of a "brainless" activity, so I'm not taking away from family time. I'll do it while we're just standing in a queue talking, or if we're at our rental house for the night just relaxing and watching TV. Even on 4th of July week, I was able to get things like 7DMT just 10 minutes in advance, FEA (multiple times), FoP (that took a TON of work), NRJ, RnR, TT, you name it, I got it. We're very much "wing it" type people, so this really helps us. We could be standing in the queue for a particular ride and our kids will say "We want to ride Space Mountain". So I'll jump on and get us Space Mountain for 20 minutes from now.

Wow! Awesome!

 

[Klayfish]

I'm also big on scanning through and then moving my next fast pass closer in the future. Gets me to the fourth, fifth, six passes quicker.

We literally never wait in line.

Yes, great point. We do this too. We don't wait in lines either, unless it's something that simply doesn't need a FP+ and the standby line is 10 minutes.

 

[Disnsyncey]

Last month, we had no days with Epcot FP+.....we would always hop from AK, or HS.....as soon as I scanned in my last FP+, I would start checking for one in Epcot....we go TT, Soarin, FEA, and Mickey and Pals within a few hours of when I was checking....just pick one, and then you can go back and modify flipping between screens....super easy....

 

[Disnsyncey]

Yes, great point. We do this too. We don't wait in lines either, unless it's something that simply doesn't need a FP+ and the standby line is 10 minutes.

we definitely utilized FP+ like that as well, just popping on and finding what was available.....though my "line snobbery" stops at 25 min.....

 

[DIShawn]

Using the strategies similar to the above last week, just “switching times” constantly, I managed to get any FP I wanted last week, including 6 FP for FOP and pretty much infinite opportunities for NRJ. This was for 2 people though, probably a little harder for a larger party. You really need to be persistent though and not give up. Any downtime while in lines, even the slow walking FP lines, anything, open up do a modify and just keep switching times. The valuable rides seem to always appear on the top if there’s times available which makes it easy to do this rapidly.

 

[aviva5675]

Ive been trying that off and on for a FOP for 12/12. No luck. One time saw one at 610 pm pop up but we need earlier. Going to keep trying but its so frustrating. Actually, I dont refresh- I keep hitting morning, afternoon. morning, afternoon.

 

[Haley R]

Ive been trying that off and on for a FOP for 12/12. No luck. One time saw one at 610 pm pop up but we need earlier. Going to keep trying but its so frustrating. Actually, I dont refresh- I keep hitting morning, afternoon. morning, afternoon.

I think it'll be easier once you get closer to your trip

 

[wareagle57]

One thing I've always wondered is:

When you refresh and a coveted FP shows up, how long do you have to book it? Can other people see it or only you? The fact that so many different options pop up at every refresh, I don't think the answer is that "not that many people are looking for it to matter." At any given time you've probably got at least a couple dozen people refreshing looking for ANY FoP or 7DMT or Frozen FP that comes up. I would think multiple people would see it and try to book it, yet I've never been denied at FP I've found.

 

[huskies90]

One thing I've always wondered is:

When you refresh and a coveted FP shows up, how long do you have to book it? Can other people see it or only you? The fact that so many different options pop up at every refresh, I don't think the answer is that "not that many people are looking for it to matter." At any given time you've probably got at least a couple dozen people refreshing looking for ANY FoP or 7DMT or Frozen FP that comes up. I would think multiple people would see it and try to book it, yet I've never been denied at FP I've found.

Once it shows up on your app, it is not seen by others. So you have some time to book it. But if you refresh again, it is usually gone (picked up by someone else).

 

[cmorris303]

Ive been trying that off and on for a FOP for 12/12. No luck. One time saw one at 610 pm pop up but we need earlier. Going to keep trying but its so frustrating. Actually, I dont refresh- I keep hitting morning, afternoon. morning, afternoon.

I don't know why, but I have a lot of luck modifying a FOP. I take whatever I can get even if I know the time won't work, and then I just keep checking back and trying to modify it. I've gotten a lot of good times this way, including FP. Next time you see one for your date grab it even if it's too late and then try modifying it.

 

[Wubar]

Once it shows up on your app, it is not seen by others. So you have some time to book it. But if you refresh again, it is usually gone (picked up by someone else).

Wow, I didn't know that, that is good to know. Would be interesting to know how long it stays "live" on your app before being released to the rest of the FP+ hungry hounds!

 

[Haley R]

I don't know why, but I have a lot of luck modifying a FP. I take whatever I can get even if I know the time won't work, and then I just keep checking back and trying to modify it. I've gotten a lot of good times this way, including FP. Next time you see one for your date grab it even if it's too late and then try modifying it.

I've read this from a lot of people. It's apparently easier to take any time you can get and keep modifying it to a more desirable time.

 

[Fangorn]

I've read this from a lot of people. It's apparently easier to take any time you can get and keep modifying it to a more desirable time.

The system appears to have a bias in the initial selection function that does not exist in the modify function. When initially selecting FPs, Disney shows you only what they want you to see, which lets them control movement, balance the load across the attractions, and keep one part of the park from becoming a bottleneck. The modify process however, seems to show everything that's available and allows you greater freedom of choice.

I figured out some time ago that it was easiest to book anything that shows up and then modify it to something I like better.

Steve