My fears came true... Fp availibility at 60 days has definitely changed

[Bebacksoon]

We have been staying on property at WDW on the same dates at the beginning of June for 12 years. I have never had any problem getting the fp I want at the time I want them at 7am at the 60 day mark until a couple of days ago. I was worried that since they opened the 60 day advance fp booking to the off property hotels that it would be more difficult to get fastpasses. Well, my fears came true! I couldn't believe the difference in this year and last year! I had a hard time with finding fp on the days and times I need them for the whole week!

I haven't seen many posts about others noticing the difference between previous year's fp availability and this year's lack of. Has anyone else noticed the difference? It's so frustrating!

 

[Paul Rodgers]

WHAT?!?!?!?! They opened 60 day advance for off property hotels? Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
RIP my chances of getting FoP FP's for August

 

[pitpat]

I haven't seen many posts about others noticing the difference between previous year's fp availability and this year's lack of. Has anyone else noticed the difference? It's so frustrating!

What did you have trouble getting besides FOP, 7DMT and FEA?

 

[ArielSparrow]

How does that work? Off property hotels? Like the quasi-Disney hotels?

 

[hiroMYhero]

We have been staying on property at WDW on the same dates at the beginning of June for 12 years. I have never had any problem getting the fp I want at the time I want them at 7am at the 60 day mark until a couple of days ago. I was worried that since they opened the 60 day advance fp booking to the off property hotels that it would be more difficult to get fastpasses. Well, my fears came true! I couldn't believe the difference in this year and last year! I had a hard time with finding fp on the days and times I need them for the whole week!

I haven't seen many posts about others noticing the difference between previous year's fp availability and this year's lack of. Has anyone else noticed the difference? It's so frustrating!

There’s been a lot of discussion about crowd levels being higher based on the economy and how Disney is staffing the parks. People are experiencing a little more expendable income and June is the first month of summer vacation for most.

Even with DSprings Hotels having 60-day booking and CL guests booking their Extras and Regular FPs at 90 days out, I didn’t have a problem booking FoP FPs 60 days out for 4 consecutive days for next month using the rolling booking window...and it was for a party of 5 after the window had been open for an hour.

Disney also may have the FP ratio set at a lower number and may adjust as it gets closer to June. At its max, the FP system is set to have 10 Standby guests load onto an Attraction after 50 FP guests have been loaded.

 

[HopperFan]

WHAT?!?!?!?! They opened 60 day advance for off property hotels? Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
RIP my chances of getting FoP FP's for August

How does that work? Off property hotels? Like the quasi-Disney hotels?

Only Disney Springs hotels (on property) and for now just for 2018. I don’t think it would make a huge impact ... yet - as most booking there probably don’t realize it.

BUT on way home now after four very busy park days, busier than I’ve experienced even this same week. We came with ZERO FP+ and booked each morning and rolled them. Only one not an option was FoP. We could have repeated many E-Ticket rides no problem.

 

[PHefner]

My 60 days opened on Tues. I had to book FPs for 9 people and I got everything we wanted and all for early in the day. FOP 3 different days, 7DMT 3 times, FEA (just once but only wanted it once). Maybe I was lucky, who knows. The only one I couldn't get was TSM but those aren't available to anyone right now. However, we have 8 day hoppers and I didn't try booking FOP til the last 3 days of our trip.

 

[SG131]

I also expect club level extra fast passes to play into this as well. If they can pay extra to make 3 extra fast passes and make their regular fast passes at 90 days from their check out day, that will definitely reduce the supply a bit.....

 

[KenHutch]

I did mine yesterday on Wednesday and because of family issues all of my fast passes have to be sometime after 11:00 hours. That being said I got everyone's requests Seven Dwarves, FoP, NaVi, and Frozen Ever After some not at the greatest time but I was requesting during the afternoon when late sleepers saunter into the parks.

 

[rentayenta]

Ugh......I have never booked FP+....I'm scared.

 

[Bebacksoon]

What did you have trouble getting besides FOP, 7DMT and FEA?

I had trouble getting those 3 and I know they are "hard to get" fastpasses but I have never had trouble getting them on any of my dates and times in years past. Last year I was able to get FOP on my first day with no problem. This year there was no availibility till day 3.

 

[CAS239]

I had trouble getting those 3 and I know they are "hard to get" fastpasses but I have never had trouble getting them on any of my dates and times in years past. Last year I was able to get FOP on my first day with no problem. This year there was no availibility till day 3.

This is very common. Usually it's day 3 or 4.

Last year the ride was brand new and was gaining popularity. By now nearly everyone knows how the ride is and FP's for it go quick. Some people can easily get it exactly 60 days out, some can only get it 63 or 64 days out. All depends on when your going and how busy it will be.

7dmt and FEA would be the next hardest in line but usually aren't too bad

 

[Tink0106]

We have been staying on property at WDW on the same dates at the beginning of June for 12 years. I have never had any problem getting the fp I want at the time I want them at 7am at the 60 day mark until a couple of days ago. I was worried that since they opened the 60 day advance fp booking to the off property hotels that it would be more difficult to get fastpasses. Well, my fears came true! I couldn't believe the difference in this year and last year! I had a hard time with finding fp on the days and times I need them for the whole week!

I haven't seen many posts about others noticing the difference between previous year's fp availability and this year's lack of. Has anyone else noticed the difference? It's so frustrating!

We go the first week of June every year. I booked all my FP's yesterday and had no problem getting everything I wanted for a party of 5. FEA on day 1, 7dmt day 2, and FOP day 3 and 5.

 

[E&As Mom]

I just made our FPs this morning... I did have to push FOP out later in our trip (day 6 of 8) for the time we wanted; I could have gotten it for day 3, but it was later in the day and we have other things going on that afternoon/evening. Aside from that, I didn't have any issues with getting what we wanted and when we wanted them. I always pre-plan with as much flexibility I can muster (having a longer trip does afford more flexibility for us).

 

[vicb]

What did you have trouble getting besides FOP, 7DMT and FEA?

I'm going early than you in May but I was able to add FP for FEA at the 32 day mark of my 60 day window. I had opted for Soarin on arrival day so thought we wouldn't even try to ride FEA but we changed plans and added a second epcot day so I tried and got 4 FP later in the day. I kept working it for a couple of days and got it moved to 1:30 which works for us. So keep trying. People cancel and times open.

Ugh......I have never booked FP+....I'm scared.

I had only done FP+ once and that was four years ago when it was super new. My advice is to read the FP FAQ thread on this board, so helpful. Watch or listen to a couple of FP+ podcast and then practice. Step through it so you know what you are doing that morning. And if you can have another family member take over a day or two of grabbing the FP for you do that!! We grabbed the tough ones first: FoP and 7 Dwarfs, then everything else. We didn't spend a ton of time trying for the best times. Once you get everything booked then go in and work on modifying the times around the priority FPs like FoP, FEA etc...

 

[pd1138]

I’m concerned about the expansion of the sixty day window and following too since I have 6 to book and our window opens in June for August. Planning for FOP later in our ten day trip. Also wondering since TSL will be open which to go for first,,,,,FOP or slinky dog coaster,,,,, when my window opens. I wonder how many are actually booking sixty days out at Disney springs hotels....? I have a neighbor who went down last week and stayed off site at a condo. It was going to be their first trip to DW. I mentioned to her about booking fast passes thirty days out and she said she didn’t know anything about that and wasn’t planning to book any fast passes! She said with three pre teen kids they just weren’t sure what they would want to do that far out so they were going to wait until they get there. I simply told her to have a great spring break and a good time!
So maybe others feel that way too? All I know is I’m still four months away and I’m already setting a pre pre schedule of each day and a back up plan in case we don’t get certain fast passes. It’s crazy! but I don’t mind!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I had trouble getting those 3 and I know they are "hard to get" fastpasses but I have never had trouble getting them on any of my dates and times in years past. Last year I was able to get FOP on my first day with no problem. This year there was no availibility till day 3.

Maybe it's when you're going this time around?

Last year FOP was hard to get for a lot of people until a few days into their trip and that was before 60days was expanded to DS hotels. My 60 days was in July last year for September dates and I was able to easily get it on the 64th or 65th day out but after doing FPs and going back to check for fun the availability for earlier on in my trip wasn't available. Same I believe for 7DMT and FEA.

But I do agree with others. What availability is there now can shift and change as people alter their plans.

 

[wdwplanner13]

I don't understand how you can practice with the FP. When I go online it tells me I am not at 60 days.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

The addition of the DS hotels getting 60 days and the CL getting 90 days and able to pay for extras has little impact.
Time of year and the fact that more people are going has the bigger impact.
You just got lucky before.
None of those attractions have been open very long and all opened between late May and mid June 2014, 2016, and 2017.
This means you were among the first eligible to book FP+ for those attractions in their opening years.
What you need to do is play the game and keep checking. People change their minds about what FP+ at what times and on what days all the time.
Heck you could look in an hour and find more availability for one thing and less for another.
Also if they extend hours they will release more FP+ availability.

 

[bigbabyblues]

I don't understand how you can practice with the FP. When I go online it tells me I am not at 60 days.

If your tickets are part of a package, you cannot practice. If your tickets were bought separately or if you have AP, you can look at what is available.