jade1
I spend half my money on WDW, and waste the rest.
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2001
But how can they stop standby lines from growing even longer by expanding the usage of FP and the places at which you can use FP? So you only get 3 FP in advance to limit impacts on standby lines. If these FP are all booked up, standby will still be the same, surely.
The rest of the time aren't using those 3 lovely afternoon FP's you will be in standby, but everyone using FP when you are stood in standby will increase the wait time, unless Disney can find a solution.
They are not limiting the impact of FP's with this if they are just distributing them more evenly across the population. Unless they reduce the overall amount of FP's available, the impact of them on stanby times will remain the same.
Instead of just late comers and the uninitiated getting screwed, it's still going to be an flawed system, just one whose flaws affect everybody.
And if wait times do get longer I think Disney will be in trouble.
This would all be fine if Disney existed in it's own little perfect world without competition. It doesn't and this policy actually doesn't strengthen disney in regards to it's competition all that much, it could even weaken it.
For those who don't want to use FP+ or plan rides in advance, and those people are out there, Universal and other parks will become a far more attractive proposal, because though their lines are still not short, at least they won't be as bad as Disney will get without using FP+. What is the point of having more attractions and parks available at WDW if you can't get on them without a fastpass booked 60 days in advance?
For those that do decide use FP, they will still wait in really long lines for the rest of the time. If you want to do more than three rides without "insane wait times" as people often say now, good luck. If you don't get the best FP's, good luck getting on a headliner still, that will not change all that much. If you don't get the right times, you'll have to adjust your schedule.
What if people like you who want to sleep in and not rush don't get that afternoon FP time because people have snapped it up, just 60 days in advance? If you can't get a same day FP (and as you say latecomers can't now, so it's unlikely to change) they will have to wait in standby, and I still think standby will be affected by (prebooked) fastpasses just the same if not worse than it is now. They will either have to adjust their touring strategy or accept increased standby times, especially at places like the HM that never had FP.
For those that WANT FP's, they will perhaps look at Universal and it's front of the line pass and see that as a more attractive option. A few might stop going to disney because of the limits they have placed on fastpasses. The rest will game the system to their advantage by formulating a plan to get the best FP's as soon as they become available 60 days out, leaving the naive newcomers logging in an hour after the fastpasses come online just as screwed as they are now in regards to popular rides.
If I were at Universal now I'd be preparing ads that emphasise that unlike Disney, Universal gives you UNLIMITED front of the line access with a pass, which you can get free with an onsite stay.
Yes Disney can't compete on this front because universal only has 3 onsite hotels and an unlimited fastpass system wouldn't be feasible for Disney, but that is why they should fight Universal on traditional ground like theming, attractions and try and change pricing etc. Not try and make rides available for everyone equally, I don't think it's possible.
Someone is always going to get screwed. Will less people get screwed under the new system? I don't know. I don't think so.
Many of your points seem to threaten the folks that get no FP's now, and sadly for them they will now get 3 but have longer lines otherwise. But they get zero now so its just not a threat at all.
Secondly there is still no proof the lines will be longer. Until this rolls out we will not know. Many prescheduled FP+ users will not show at all, or miss times, or only hit the park during those 3.
The thing is-when a FP currently is distributed for a headliner-its probably 90% chance it will indeed be used. 100% early in the day IMO. Those guests are there in the park waiting for that FP time. At 60 days-that % has to go down- because they may not even make the trip, may sleep in, may be sick, may not like the weather etc.
As for other rides-I'm sure you have gotten a "surprise bonus FP" at EPCOT with a TT FP for Shrunk The Audience. We have many times-but either never needed it anyway, or didn't even go.
I guess my point is we will find out if it is indeed rolled out what folks really end up doing.
You also seem to forget the day of FP's, the time of year they may offer more, as well as times they are not even needed anyway.
As for not getting an afternoon FP-I think that's a stretch argument, but again its no different than now, and if I want something at 60 days out I will log on and get it. The options that day will be huge-if TSM is gone or early AM-take TOT or RNR or switch to AK and take EE, then the next day take TSM, or the next.
US/IOA-we go there already so ur preachin to the choir.