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Epcot to test further restrictions on Fastpass+ usage

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In what is sure to prove to be a very unpopular move, the Fastpass+ team is moving forward with a test that will restrict Fastpass+ usage in EPCOT for specific dates (listed below) for Fastpass+ bookings between November 4 and December 29.  This test is in line with what Disney originally announced for the FP+ system, but will make touring EPCOT even more difficult.  They are testing within the range of the most expensive hotel dates that Walt Disney World offers, so I’m not sure I’d be terribly happy with this sudden change during my stay that is costing me $602 to $748 for regular accommodations at the Grand Floridian.

Guests using the FP+ system will be allowed to book only ONE headliner attraction and TWO not so necessary attractions per day.

Level one: Headliners as listed in the test (Choose ONE):

  • Illuminations:  Reflections of Earth (Only select dates available)
  • Maelstrom
  • Meet the Disney Pals at the Epcot Character Spot
  • Soarin’
  • Test Track presented by Chevrolet

Level two:  Other attractions listed in the test (Choose TWO):

  • Captain EO
  • Journey into Imagination with Figment
  • Living with the Land
  • Mission Space
  • Spaceship Earth
  • The Seas with Nemo and Friends
  • Turtle Talk with Crush

Click on an image for larger view

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The current dates (as of 8:00 am on November 1) that I found for this test from researching this site are:

November 4, 8, 11, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29

December 1, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 16, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29

UPDATE:  9:25 am and now the same rules are applying to EVERY November and December date beginning November 1!  

Attraction availability and dates for the testing are subject to change.

NOTE:  I’ve already been asked numerous times, “What happens if I already booked FP+ for those dates at Epcot? ” My recommendations are:

1.   Don’t change them!

2.  Screenshot them in case anything wonky happens and you can prove you had those reservations before this test began.  

It shouldn’t cancel your current ones, but there’s no guarantees!

What do YOU think about this type of usage for Fastpass+?

65 COMMENTS

    • I would walk to test track at rope drop and ride it once or twice, head to sum of all thrills, then mission space. Use a Fp+ for Soarin about noon. And do everything else on that side of the park around that fp+ time.

  1. Hi Kenny, I’m new to your site, but have a question. My family has owned 6 Magic Your Way non expire tickets since 2005. Normally we stay on Disney’s properties, but we are planning a trip late next year for our family, and plan to stay off property. How will non expire tickets work with fp+ off property? I know our last trip to Epcot the wait lines everywhere were about 90 minutes. It kind of sounds like unless you can book fp+ months ahead your out of luck. Do you have any advice?

  2. Hey, Kenny – any idea how and when all of this will get solidified? Working out a few crazy plans for a twentieth anniversary trip in LATE spring – and trying to arrange my insanity. Also – do you have a page devoted only to the FastPass/Plus and updates?

    • I haven’t built one specific page, but I recently added a fastpass area to the lower left bar. Still doing extensive testing before writing a how to. Disney is trying to shoot for early spring for full roll out, but they aren’t guaranteeing anything. They are way behind schedule

  3. Thanks for the reply Kenny, I hope they do change it after the November test! When I booked on the first possible day, I already wasn’t able to get a lot of the times I wanted. If it wasn’t me planning the trip, we wouldn’t be going. I have spent at least 2 hours over the course of planning on the phone with Disney IT trying to get various glitches resolved.

    We are AP holders and go multiple times a year. We always do rope drop and plan, and this has always worked beautifully. If this changes the ability to ride the headliners like we did before, I know I’m going to have a lot of trouble convincing DH not to go elsewhere this May. He keeps saying the “U” word (Universal)!

    Looking forward to your updates, I going to need them!

  4. Kenny,
    Any plans on writing up what the FastPass+ system is? I’m visiting this coming October, and I don’t have a handle on what FastPass+ is. More concerning your comment that the existing fastpass system will be phased out before I get there. You have to know the rules in order to plan for them.

    • Yes, but I’m doing extensive black ops testing on the system before writing my full guide :) All I heard was that the paper system would cease to exist in the Spring of 2014 when FP+ is fully rolled out

  5. We will be going for our first time sometime in February. I am seeing alot of negative feedback about all the changes that is happening at WDW. Do you think everything will be iron out by the time we go? Because of my health & disability we know we will not be able to stay ALL day in the parks and was hoping to be able to get a few rides in by using fast pass. But from what all I am hearing, I am beginning to re-think this trip. I read where several people went and everything was so bad & wait times were so long that they were only able to ride 2 or 3 rides in a day. I am not sure what to do but we have waited years to take this trip as this will be our 7 yr old childs very first time to WDW, but I don’t want to have to pay all this money to only be disappointed and not get our moneys worth. It is expensive to go to WDW. Any suggestions?

  6. My ‘issue’ with this change is that with small kids, I probably won’t even use headliner fp+. Therefore I’ve lost a pass for a day. Very irritating. On a lighter note….Maelstrom–a headliner?

  7. Illuminations is supposed to be Friday, Saturday and Sunday. 3 Fastpasses in a day is actually a lot. We only seemed to generally get 2 when visiting. I like being able to plan it out ahead of time.

  8. Kenny, have you tried FP+ for Fantasmic yet, heard no longer reserved seating, always interested in your thoughts and insights. I figure I’ll keep mine for 11/10 until I know for sure reserved seating hasn’t returned. Of course, by then I could stuck with a tier II Backlot Tour or something if I want to switch:)

  9. Is there a listing of the days that Illuminations: Reflections of Earth will be available for FP+? It is not an option for the days we’ll be there 12/12-12/19, but I don’t know if it is just not opened up yet, or if it won’t ever be available. This is an ongoing problem I have with Disney reservations- did I miss the boat or was there no boat to begin with? LOL.

  10. I am glad I made my selections already. I know this is just a glitch but I changed my times for Soarin & TT the other week and now both times have been showing up every time I check. So for all 5 of us we all have 5 FP+. I am scared to touch anything now or try to change it. Do you think the last times I picked will be the ones we end up with? How will I know what we have when we get there? I am assumming the glitch will fix itself.
    I can’t wait to hear what you have to say about MVMCP. We went last year & apparently I didn’t plan very well. We went to the 2nd parade and was still 4 deep with not a great view. Where is the best place to view the parade? Thanks!!

  11. Seriously? Are they actively trying to make people dislike FP+??? Like there aren’t already enough people complaining about it?

  12. I know this is just in testing phase (thank God), but I’m assuming once this becomes the norm and not just a testing phase that regular Fast Passes would be phased out. So if people can’t get FP+ for Soarin’ and Test Track (and I’m assuming if they branch out to the other parks it would be the other popular attractions like the mountains) then people will have no other options than to wait in long lines. When it was just regular Fastpasses we could get them for any rides we wanted. This really sucks!

  13. For those who haven’t made their fp+ reservations yet, I would do it now. Who knows when similar restrictions will be put in place for the other parks.

  14. I just fixed my times on Test Track(before I saw this info) and it allowed me. I changed the time on Mission space too. I didn’t touch Soarin. So maybe it’s on new FP+ requests.

  15. UGH! I was going to get together with my in-laws last night to select our FP+s for our trip over NYE. But the weather was BAD here, so we decided to wait until tonight.We thought “one day won’t make that much of a difference.” I should have known better…

    • All my inlaws are coming over on Sunday to book ours for 12/20-25 trip. I booked mine last week to be safe and wanted us to do it sooner, but the inlaws don’t seem to get the need to make these FP+ resies…with it being the weekend leading to Christmas, it is even more necessary. And we won’t be there long enough to book a second day of FP+ at Epcot.

  16. I just finished my FP+ selections yesterday for Dec. 7 at Epcot and selected Soaring and Test Track. Sure am glad I didn’t procrastinate!

  17. I already booked our selections for Epcot during this time frame. Are my selections going to change? Am I going to be forced to change them or, or, or…what??
    I have to say that this really stinks. It’s bad enough you can only have 3 fast passes, and that they all have to be in the same park on a given day, and now they are going to restrict the rides I can choose too. I am one very unhappy person right now. As it is there are only 2 rides we really wanted to do in Epcot and of course they are both on the “headliners” list. Grrrrrrrrrrr

  18. What if you are going in this time frame and have already scheduled test trek, sprain and the nemo ride? I have scheduled for a day Thanksgiving week.

What do you think?

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