“Refresh” is my new favorite strategy

[Babe the Blue Ox]

I had read about it here quite a bit recently, but had no idea how effective it was until I tried it for myself.

For a family of 5, it was very easy to get additional FP+ for virtually any attraction, often within minutes of trying. There were a few times where I had to initially book something for later in the day then refresh a few more times to move it up earlier.

The only thing I completely struck out on was Navi, so we ended up waiting in standby for that one. I think this was the only standby line longer than 5-10 minutes that we encountered during our entire 7 day visit.

Thanks to all who posted details for this strategy, especially @Klayfish

It saved us a ton of time, we got to ride everything multiple times and never once had to arrive anywhere near rope drop.

 

[Jrits]

Can you post the details on how to do?

 

[TDSAXX]

The first rule of refresh is you don’t talk about refresh.

 

[DizneyMommy]

The first rule of refresh is you don’t talk about refresh.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

It worked great for us in September. Also playing around with the times.

 

[DizneyMommy]

Ok seriously, can you share what you did?

 

[Arianabtd]

Refreshing is the only way to go! When I was in AK last year I got to ride FOP three times before 1pm with the FPs I got

 

[mamamelody2]

The first rule of refresh is you don’t talk about refresh.

HAHAHAHAHA!!!

 

[mamamelody2]

I had read about it here quite a bit recently, but had no idea how effective it was until I tried it for myself.

For a family of 5, it was very easy to get additional FP+ for virtually any attraction, often within minutes of trying. There were a few times where I had to initially book something for later in the day then refresh a few more times to move it up earlier.

The only thing I completely struck out on was Navi, so we ended up waiting in standby for that one. I think this was the only standby line longer than 5-10 minutes that we encountered during our entire 7 day visit.

Thanks to all who posted details for this strategy, especially @Klayfish

It saved us a ton of time, we got to ride everything multiple times and never once had to arrive anywhere near rope drop.

Great to hear! I used it to good effect last November with just DH and I, but we are taking our 2 boys this September and I wondered if it would be much more difficult with 4 instead of 2. I also know that we are not morning people, so probably we can do a couple rope drops, but that's it. I would love to break our 1 day FP record of 15!

 

[Louie7080]

Ok seriously, can you share what you did?

I don't know to refresh on my phone either but I think it something similar to refreshing a website page on a computer and I think the exact method with the most efficiency is different among different types of phones at least that is what I gathered when I heard a podcast from the Backside of Magic guys when they talked about how to do it on their iphones. I tried to pin down what podcast that was (between 3 and 9 months ago I think) but couldn't find it, though I did find this https://forum.touringplans.com/t/fp-mde-refreshing/42164 From the title it looks promising.

 

[JETSDAD]

It's the only way to go! It means you don't have to get there early or stay late (though both of those, along with refreshing, can be very effective). We stopped bothering with EMH because we were only getting 1-2 rides per EMH and stood in long lines while refreshing for FP's means very little waiting in lines.

 

[KelNChrisKYDis]

Refresh worked well for us on our May trip. Of course, the app was 100% frozen every single time I reopened it, and had to force close and reopen it every. single. time. Not once did it work without having to restart the app. That was annoying, but at least it did work eventually.

 

[Klayfish]

The first rule of refresh is you don’t talk about refresh.

Yes, this. Ssshhhhhhhhhh....

DizneyMommy,
It's as easy as it sounds. It's nothing more than refreshing the MDE screen when trying to get a 4th, 5th, etc...FP+. There are variations in how you can do it, but essentially let's say you want a 4th FP+ for Test Track. Pretend you finish your third FP+ at 1pm. As soon as you tap into it, pull up MDE and look for Test Track. If nothing shows up at all, click on a new time at the top of the screen, say 1:30pm. It will "refresh" the screen and look again. Rinse and repeat (you can hit the same time, in this case 1:30pm, or a new time). An alternative method is to pull up Test Track and grab whatever is there...say 8pm. Then go back in and modify it, constantly hitting 1:30pm to alter the time.

We NEVER wait in standby lines more than 20-30 minutes, and even that's a rarity.

 

[itstrue56]

Worked great for me all of last week.

 

[itstrue56]

Great to hear! I used it to good effect last November with just DH and I, but we are taking our 2 boys this September and I wondered if it would be much more difficult with 4 instead of 2. I also know that we are not morning people, so probably we can do a couple rope drops, but that's it. I would love to break our 1 day FP record of 15!

It works just fine with four people. Did it frequently last week to grab FastPasses all day long.

 

[djc9699]

We only had two people, but we were very successful at Christmas time last year. Had such a great time that we are going again this Christmas. We got extra FOP, 7DMT, TT, RNR, Space, Thunder, TSMM, Everest plus lots of smaller rides all week long. Grabbed a lot within 20 minutes of ride time.

We did well over spring break too, but had a different dynamic with 6 people. We were not able to get FOP, 7DMT, or Navi, but still managed a lot.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

Yes, this. Ssshhhhhhhhhh....

DizneyMommy,
It's as easy as it sounds. It's nothing more than refreshing the MDE screen when trying to get a 4th, 5th, etc...FP+. There are variations in how you can do it, but essentially let's say you want a 4th FP+ for Test Track. Pretend you finish your third FP+ at 1pm. As soon as you tap into it, pull up MDE and look for Test Track. If nothing shows up at all, click on a new time at the top of the screen, say 1:30pm. It will "refresh" the screen and look again. Rinse and repeat (you can hit the same time, in this case 1:30pm, or a new time). An alternative method is to pull up Test Track and grab whatever is there...say 8pm. Then go back in and modify it, constantly hitting 1:30pm to alter the time.

We NEVER wait in standby lines more than 20-30 minutes, and even that's a rarity.

I found the most efficient method was to choose my attraction, pick the best available time then continue to refresh until I could move the time up closer to the current time. My phone wouldn’t let me continue to select the same time, so I just switched back and forth between the first two half hour time slots until something came up. It never took more than 5 or so minutes to find something within the next hour or less.

I tried splitting the group up once to see how that worked but I didn’t like that method at all. I was much easier to search for all 5 of us at once.

The only thing I could never get to come up was Navi, so we ended up waiting 70 minutes for that one.

 

[0FF TO NEVERLAND]

Yes it works well but it also takes way to much time. There were times I would be staring at my phone the whole time, while walking, while waiting. It took away from my experience staring at that screen hoping to get something.. I did that 60 days before fast pass. I am not going to do it again when I get to the park.

In the end I need it to be a vacation also and not a equation I need to solve and stare at for long periods of time

 

[JETSDAD]

Yes it works well but it also takes way to much time. There were times I would be staring at my phone the whole time, while walking, while waiting. It took away from my experience staring at that screen hoping to get something.. I did that 60 days before fast pass. I am not going to do it again when I get to the park.

In the end I need it to be a vacation also and not a equation I need to solve and stare at for long periods of time

This definitely has not been our experience. Usually we have our next FP booked in less than the time in takes us to get through the FP line.

 

[mamamelody2]

If you are looking for a certain attraction, say TT, and it has a time available that's way later than you want, grab it anyway. Then, click modify and refresh until you can move it up. Most of the rides I was looking for such as Space, Splash, TT, Soarin, are way down on the list alphabetically. So, you have to scroll a ways to see if anything's available. Once you have one (even if it's a time you don't want) it comes up at the top of the list so you can easily keep refreshing to modify your time without having to scroll.