How I just got three Tier 1 Fastpass+ for Epcot and Hollywood Studios

2/12/2014

UPDATE:  This glitch appears to have been patched overnight.   They are getting faster with their patch times 🙂

2/11/2014

With the ever-changing world that is Fastpass+ testing, there’s a couple of things that I’ve learned or heard.  I did the following on the web version.  My Droid won’t even let me login today, uggghhh!

First thing I learned today:

You can make 3 FP+ Tier ONE choices for Epcot and Hollywood Studios with just a minor amount of effort today.  Here’s how I did that:

1.  Book your regular 1 Tier ONE FP and 2 Tier TWO FP of your choice.

2.  Change one of your Tier TWO FP and it allows you to change it to a Tier ONE FP.  Repeat process with other Tier TWO changed to Tier ONE FP, based on availability.

I was able to book Maelstrom, Test Track and Soarin’ for today with a minor amount of effort on the web version of My Disney Experience.

Moments later I repeated the process for tomorrow at Hollywood Studios and changed two Tier TWO FP for two Tier ONE FP.There’s no guarantee how long this will last.  Disney could change that within seconds of me posting or keep it forever.

Second thing I heard today:

Disney is going to test the ability to do more than 3 FP+.  This is just a strong rumor, but I heard that once you’ve used up the 3 FP+ that your allowed, you’ll be able to book another one based on availability and continue to do so throughout the day.  It would still limit you to the one hour blocks of time that currently exist.  This part hasn’t been confirmed.

In other Fastpass+ news, Disney just released a new iPhone version of My Disney Experience today.  It’s said to be much faster and smoother in operation.  My brother has this version and he likes it much better.  You can download that version in the iTunes store.  If you want full character and entertainment schedules, you should get my app though 🙂

Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom to eliminate paper Fastpasses in move to become Fastpass+ only

The zombiepocalypse has begun!  The sky is falling!  The British are coming!  Paper Fastpass is gone!  Well, going soon anyway.  Beginning January 14, the Magic Kingdom will join the Animal Kingdom in becoming a Fastpass+ ONLY park.  From January 14, 2014 onward the Magic Kingdom will no longer offer Legacy or paper Fastpass machines within the park.  Guests staying at a Walt Disney World hotel will continue to be allowed to book their Fastpass+ options up to 60 days in advance using My Disney Experience and offsite guests will be required to book and or change their Fastpass+ options within the park at kiosks only.

At this time the Magic Kingdom will allow guests to choose any 3 Fastpass+ options that are available that day in the park.

What attractions are available?

• it’s a small world
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant
• Enchanted Tales with Belle
• Haunted Mansion
• Jungle Cruise
• Mad Tea Party
• Main Street Electrical Parade
• Meet Ariel
• Meet Cinderella
• Meet Mickey Mouse
• Mickey’s Philharmagic
• Monsters Inc Laugh Floor
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Space Mountain
• Splash Mountain
• The Barnstormer
• The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• Tomorrowland Speedway
• Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid
• Wishes
• Meet Rapunzel

Where are the kiosks located?

• Fantasyland – Mickey’s PhilharMagic
• Frontierland – Splash Mountain Fastpass machine area
• Liberty Square – Diamond Horseshoe in the breezeway by the restrooms
• Liberty Square – Heritage House (New)
• Storybook Circus – Fastpass tent next to Pete’s Silly Sideshow
• Tomorrowland – Stitch’s Great Escape
• Town Square – Town Square Theater
• Town Square – City Hall

Can I park hop with Fastpass+?

Guests must choose ONLY one park in which to use Fastpass+.  There is no park hopping with this technology, which seems like a huge mistake to me.  Why would one invest the extra couple hundred bucks for their family to park hop and not be able to use Fastpass+?   I suppose one could rope drop one park and hop to the park they plan to use the Fastpass+.

For the time being Hollywood Studios and Epcot continue to offer paper Fastpasses, but I expect to be eliminated by the end of January as well.

Walt Disney World to fully eliminate the Key to the World card this month as part of Fastpass+ rollout

This may not be breaking news to everyone, but I thought I should post the information in case you haven’t seen it elsewhere on the old interweb.

In November 2013 Walt Disney World began moving away from using the Key to the World plastic swipe card at its resorts.  The first resorts to move to Magic Band ONLY were the Pop Century and All Star Resorts.  WDW is now moving toward fully eliminating the Key to the World, which will mean that resort guests will not be able to gather paper or “Legacy” Fastpasses unless they purchased their park tickets from an outside company.  If your tickets are part of your Walt Disney World resort stay, you won’t be able to use paper Fastpass beginning with the dates below.

If a guest requests the Key to the World card in lieu of the Magic Band, they will be given an RFID capable card that will NOT function in any Fastpass machine.   Old ROOM ONLY Key to the World cards and current Annual Passes will continue to work in the paper Fastpass machines until the machines are eliminated.   I’ve heard that the goal is to fully eliminate the paper machines by Spring Break 2014.  Executive are hoping for a complete rollout by March 2014.

Here’s the  rollout dates for ‘MagicBand-only’ at Walt Disney World resorts: