My Disney Experience Questions..!

as far as I understand it this is what I have taken it as:

the tiered service - honestly I wouldn't have thought so because MK has so many attractions I think it would cause huge problems and at AK they don't have enough priority so I cant see it happening, then again anything can happen!

with regards to the shows I haven't personally used the FP+ for any of these but the way I understand is illuminations and wishes have designated viewing areas which is what you book with FP+, fantasmic and the other shows are just that you are guaranteed a seat somewhere but you could be in the top corner if you don't turn up early enough

hope this helps answer your question!

Cheers...In that case I won't use my Tier 1 for Fantasmic..I'll keep that for Toy Story Mania..I'll just get there in plenty of time..As far as "Wishes" and " Illuminations " goes,we got priority viewing last visit in 2012.. I had to phone to book my ADRS on the 180 day as the system was down,and the nice lady gave us ADR reference numbers for both firework displays..Wishes was a seating area to the left of " Dessert Party " and at Epcot it was a roped off seating area just to the right of Rose & Crown..

I wouldn't for fantasmic I've heard some really bad experiences from people who have used it and been disappointed

I have heard but don't take this as the gospel that MK viewing area is near the rose garden off to the right? (don't know if this is the same area where you mean?) and for illuminations as far as I'm aware there are 2 different areas I think there is one in between the 2 gift shops right at the front of world showcase and another around Germany way, I know rose and crown and a couple of other restaurants have special viewing areas for people who have dined there that night however we got a spot last year in between America and Japan, hardly nobody was there and its the best view I've ever had!

personally I'd save FP+ for the popular rides that have the biggest waits but I'm a bit of a ride junkie!!!

I believe the spot we were in at MK was indeed called the Rose Garden..As far as Illuminations...This area was roped off and you could see the diners in Rose & Crown..It was almost attached to the restaurant but apart from us and another family,we were the only ones seated there..I know the spot you mean between USA and Japan...

EPCOT and DHS are the only parks currently tiered, so correct.

Our experience using FP+ for shows varies. IllumiNations had a nice reserved area, but I would absolutely not give up a Soarin' or Test Track FP to get this. I only booked it because we were in that small window of opportunity before the tiered system started. My strategy for EPCOT will be to get Soarin' FP+ and ride single rider at Test Track. (except this time because someone will have to hold dad's hand for the area where you build your car at Test Track, so we got an FP for Soarin one day and Test Track the other day.) For IllumiNations, I'll just stake out a spot like usual or try to take advantage of some other package deal that comes with reserved viewing. We did the Undiscovered Future World tour and that had reserved IllumiNations viewing at that time. After the inclusion of IllumiNations with Candlelight Processional, I could see a Fantasmic! style dining package becoming a regular guest at EPCOT.

At Indiana Jones, we didn't understand how to use the FP, so we showed up at the end of the "arrival window" and we had normal, kind of crappy seats. By Festival of the Lion King, we had learned to arrive at the beginning of the window printed on the ticket and we had seats in the first full row. We're going to try a FP for Indiana Jones again and try arriving earlier. I don't need my other FP in that tier, so we're going to experiment and see if the experience is better if we arrive early.

Has anyone actually booked a FP for Wishes yet? I booked my FP+ for April on Tuesday and I didn't see that or Be Our Guest on the list of options for MK. I saw people using both in December. Does anyone know how to get them? Are they still in testing phase and by invite only?

the be our guest fastpass is totally separate to MDE and the only way you can use it is if you are staying in a disney resort, you log in with you MDE e-mail and password and I think you can book it about a month in advance but only one booking at a time, but from my experience once you have used one you just log back in and book another (this is what we did!)

the link is
beourguestlunch.disney.go.com

Oh geez so we need an FP to even eat lunch at BOG?! I didn't know that

Thanks for the tip about BOG fast pass for lunch. I was hoping to do this, unless we decide to just have dinner instead. Does anyone know what the standby line is like for BOG lunch lately? Just in case we want to do it on a day when not onsite?

Glad King Fergus is asking all these questions, we go a few weeks later and it's helping my planning a lot

You don't need one but it certainly helps!!!

We got in line around 10:10 on December...I forget the exact date...5th or 6th maybe? The restaurant opens for lunch at 10:30. We waited from the very end of the bridge by Gaston's fountain and only 2 other groups were even allowed to queue up behind us because the CM's work to insure that no one is standing and waiting for more than an hour. We got into the restaurant shortly after 11:00. I wish I could tell you that I took notice of where the line was when we came out. It wasn't a terrible wait, but I wouldn't want to do it with hungry children in tow!

Thanks, Amy!!

I like to know as much as possible..I find it makes your vacation easier..Years ago when I joined the old site, I was pulled up by certain members ( who eventually turned on me ) for asking too many questions as it was taking up too much room on the site...So I'am glad you appreciate my humdrum questions..LOL..

I'm so glad I found this forum, you guys! I would be a nervous wreck if it wasn't for all the info you've shared. And KF, I know I appreciate your questions

Sorry for hijacking but I have more MDE questions.....

Firstly, the best price I can get WDW 21 Day Ultimate tickets (sold to UK guests only) are through Expedia (with 12% cashback), but they are vouchers and not real tickets. Does anyone know if there will be a barcode on the voucher that I can link into MDE to prebook my FP+ etc? We have a first night onsite so if the voucher links into MDE and is on our Magic Bands we won't need to go and collect the actual tickets.

Secondly, my plan was for 1 adult and the children to have 21 day Ultimate tickets, but for me to have an Annual Pass for the parking, discounts and get TIW as even though we are offsite for our first few weeks, we eat a lot in the parks. However, due to the cashback available if I buy us all a ticket, it is cheaper to buy myself a ticket and then upgrade it to an AP when we arrive. BUT, if I link the ticket into MDE and use it to prebook FP+, when I upgrade it to an AP will my FP+ bookings carry across?

I think I am going to buy my DC Non Swim and Universal tickets from Expedia with the cashback as I'm really not worried about having vouchers for those. For the number of tickets we are buying the cashback will pay for more than a few Lapu Lapus

When planning our FP+, we usually plan them for later in the morning or later in the day. We're early risers, so we're at the parks at opening and can usually ride our favorites without a wait or much of a wait. We use the FP+ to get another chance to ride our favorites.

I don't see MK and AK getting the tiered system. I wouldn't waste a fp+ for Illumations or Fantasmic. I would rather do the dining package for fantasmic because you get the best seats in the house. With Fantasmic fp+, you are only guaranteed seats for the show. My boyfriends parents and I had fastpasses for Fantasmic and we were put in the "standing room" only section because we arrived at towards the end of the fastpass time. If you want good seats at Fantasmic, you have to get there as early as possible. For Wishes, you are in the Rose Garden for the fastpass+.

Agree..Spot on..That's my plan as we are up so early,the sun is just rising..

Have you checked out " Attractions Direct " for UK prices.?

When we were there in October, during even low crowd time, we walked by BOG at 10:30 and the line was already huge. I was curious, so I got DH to go ask and they told him if we got in line right then, that it would be about a 45-50 minute wait after they started seating at 11:00.

So definitely do a FP if you can since it doesn't go against your others.

Yep, best UK prices are Travel Republic, undercut ATD by a good few PSs on everything. Expedia is a few PSs more than ATD but with 12% cash back on all my tickets is almost PS300 saving!