FYI RE: "Double Dipping"

[LSUfan4444]

It puts everyone- both testers and non testers on a more even playing field IMO.

How is it a level playing field when both groups have access to paper fastpasses, but only 1 group has access to FP+?

This (double dipping) is one of the main reasons Magic Bands and FP+ are getting rave reviews right now. Which isn't a problem as long as everyone remembers what you are testing is not reality.

 

[JRawkSteady]

When I called up, the CM assured me that I would be able to use FP+ and FP- as well during the testing phase. She said it is a perk for being a tester. I dunno why the CMs are so catty when you are absolutely allowed to get both.

 

[Masiri]

How are you even supposed to opt out, so you don't have any dreaded "cheating the system" issues?

While I specifically linked my purchased-from-UT tickets, if you booked a package, your tickets are automatically linked (aren't they?), and you were sent magic bands automatically (assuming you were checking in at the right times to the right resort). If I hadn't been reading here, I might not have gotten to MDE in time to customize our bands.

 

[Tink_Or_Belle]

At TSM, a female CM said "Oh cool... You're double-dipping. That's against the rules you know."

At ToT, a male CM said "I'm going to allow you to hang on to those FastPasses, but since you're using MB's, you're not allowed to use both systems."

Normally I would stand there and argue with them, but September crowds aren't what they used to be...

were you at Tower of Terror Sunday? We had a guy tell us the same thing. Our issue was for some reason the times we signed up for and the times it showed when we scanned the bands were not the same (our app on the phone said we had Tower of terror at 1:00 Toy Story at 2:00 and rockin Roller Coaster at 3:00 that was what we signed up for and panned around. we even showed them our app but the bands showed up as not valid and they used some scanner that showed they had us at 9Am 10 am and 11 am... the Toy Story lady let us in because she said our ap was proof.. Tower of Terror told us no then the fastpass guy told us we were not supposed to use the cards... we just decided we could wait in line )

 

[Raenstoirm]

We were magic band testers last week (loved them!) and I pulled paper fastpasses for Toy Story Mania and we also used fastpass+ for it. The CM standing by the fastpass machine didn't say a word about our magic bands.

I think the complaints or snarky CM comments were isolated incidents. We were there for 10 days using MB and no one said anything to us about regular FP.

Yup, 9 days in the parks (come home saturday). Not a single snark or glance from a CM and we pulled paper fastapasses every day. In truly spoiled brat world, I have to say that having to find the paper fastpasses became really annoying though after you get used to swiping your band without having to hunt in your pockets for the paper.

If you have used your MB that day, how can you pull paper FP too? Wouldn't you need to scan your KTTW card when you entered the park in order to use it?

Not a clue, but it worked. We only used out KTTW to get paper fastpasses and a few days to get Sorcerers cards when that system was being wonky. We never used them once to enter a park, but we could get paper FP every day.

 

[asmit4]

So it's more fair to testers to only have 3 FPs period ALL day long?

I'd skip the MBs if I couldn't use FP-. 3 FPs is RIDICULOUS- especially in MK. MK should have at LEAST 5 FPs.

 

[DAZY3BYZ]

How is it a level playing field when both groups have access to paper fastpasses, but only 1 group has access to FP+?

This (double dipping) is one of the main reasons Magic Bands and FP+ are getting rave reviews right now. Which isn't a problem as long as everyone remembers what you are testing is not reality.

I agree! Honestly, I have no problem with people "double-dipping" during this testing because that's the way Disney has set it up. I'd do the same thing! However, it is absolutely not an accurate test of FP+!! I don't get it. How can you decide if FP+ is a good thing or not if its not testing how it will really work? If we indeed wont be able to have access to FP- when we have FP+ when its rolled out for good, then thats a completely different scenario that has not been tested!

 

[ZehnJahren]

I agree! Honestly, I have no problem with people "double-dipping" during this testing because that's the way Disney has set it up. I'd do the same thing! However, it is absolutely not an accurate test of FP+!! I don't get it. How can you decide if FP+ is a good thing or not if its not testing how it will really work? If we indeed wont be able to have access to FP- when we have FP+ when its rolled out for good, then thats a completely different scenario that has not been tested!

The test isn't for us to see if we like it. The test is for Disney to see if THEY like it. And to make changes as necessary.

I agree it's not an accurate test of FP+, but since they're allowing the "double dipping" I would imagine that Disney's not really testing FP+ yet. They're just gearing up for it by allowing minimal use of the system.

 

[LSUfan4444]

I agree! Honestly, I have no problem with people "double-dipping" during this testing because that's the way Disney has set it up. I'd do the same thing! However, it is absolutely not an accurate test of FP+!! I don't get it. How can you decide if FP+ is a good thing or not if its not testing how it will really work? If we indeed wont be able to have access to FP- when we have FP+ when its rolled out for good, then thats a completely different scenario that has not been tested!

I think part of the idea is to make people fall in love with it, before you let them know what it really is (by letting them experience it). Put a good taste in their mouth, then feed them what it really is.

I mean, that's kind of how marketing works for alot of new businesses. I knew someone who opened a Papa Murphy's franchise and (off the record) said they had a formula in place for how much toppings they put on a pizza to start, then how they reduced the amount of toppings they put on a pizza over the next few months/year.

Same kinda of idea.

 

[DAZY3BYZ]

The test isn't for us to see if we like it. The test is for Disney to see if THEY like it. And to make changes as necessary.

I agree it's not an accurate test of FP+, but since they're allowing the "double dipping" I would imagine that Disney's not really testing FP+ yet. They're just gearing up for it by allowing minimal use of the system.

I agree with what you're saying but I think it gives people a false sense of what FP+ will look like when it rolls out in full. People saying its great and they can schedule and change things as needed easily may not be the case when its available to all. People just need to realize that what they were testing may be a test for Disney but for the guest its not reality.

 

[RedHeadedFairy]

I think part of the idea is to make people fall in love with it, before you let them know what it really is (by letting them experience it). Put a good taste in their mouth, then feed them what it really is.

I mean, that's kind of how marketing works for alot of new businesses. I knew someone who opened a Papa Murphy's franchise and (off the record) said they had a formula in place for how much toppings they put on a pizza to start, then how they reduced the amount of toppings they put on a pizza over the next few months/year.

Same kinda of idea.

Completely agree.

 

[LSUfan4444]

So it's more fair to testers to only have 3 FPs period ALL day long?

If you choose to participating in testing, yes. You have the option to, or not to participate.

I'd skip the MBs if I couldn't use FP-. 3 FPs is RIDICULOUS- especially in MK. MK should have at LEAST 5 FPs.

As would I. Which is why alot of people are dreading the day paper FPs are removed from the equation and "testing" concludes.

 

[DAZY3BYZ]

I think part of the idea is to make people fall in love with it, before you let them know what it really is (by letting them experience it). Put a good taste in their mouth, then feed them what it really is.

I mean, that's kind of how marketing works for alot of new businesses. I knew someone who opened a Papa Murphy's franchise and (off the record) said they had a formula in place for how much toppings they put on a pizza to start, then how they reduced the amount of toppings they put on a pizza over the next few months/year.

Same kinda of idea.

I agree. I do think Disney is trying to show everyone how wonderful it will be. I hope it really is but I just hope people are discerning enough to realize that what they are currently testing is not real.What FP+ will really be like has yet to be seen...

 

[LSUfan4444]

My "prediction" is that the ABC, New Years Eve Disney Announcement will be when we can expect MB to go live, and I expect that to be some time around Mardi Gras/Spring Break in 2014.

I think they wanted to test it all summer, tweak it this fall, then go through the holidays, then tweak it this winter, then roll it out some time before next summer (giving them an entire year of testing in every season).

What will be interesting is if, at any point, people have to make the decision that if you participate in MB testing, you will no longer have access to double dip how many people will continue to test. It is undoubtedly the reason ALOT of people are testing and lets face it, Disney needs people to test.

 

[RedHeadedFairy]

I guess activating the MB activates the KTTW simultaneously. But then what about people using old KTTW cards from previous trips??

My basic understanding is that the FP machines have been set to accept all KTTW cards that do not have tickets attached, without regard to the dates of travel because the system isn't "sophisticated" enough to cross reference expired vs. active cards. I gather that it's not a loophole worth spending the time to figure out since it's so temporary & most visitors aren't thinking about bringing old, expired cards to the parks.

It only works if the expired KTTW cards were for RO resservations & have never had any park tickets tied to it. We have them since we book RO to use with our AP's.

So yes, last week I was able to use our RFID APs to pull FP at BTMRR & then go immediately to Splash & pull FP for each of us using our KTTW cards from Dec 2012. It gave us return windows that were close together & we would have been able to ride both back to back. However - we pulled the extra FPs simply for nostalgia purposes. We rode SB because the lines were only 10-15 mins and pocketed the FPs we pulled for our favorite rides to keep for our scrapbooks.

 

[Praying Colonel]

So it's more fair to testers to only have 3 FPs period ALL day long?

I'd skip the MBs if I couldn't use FP-. 3 FPs is RIDICULOUS- especially in MK. MK should have at LEAST 5 FPs.

Well, stand by. Unless they change things in the future, that's the way it will be once they bring FP+ online for everybody and sunset the Legacy FP. What we have now is "One Shining Moment" for those who get to use FP+ and also use Legacy FP. It won't continue.

 

[asmit4]

Most people tend to agree that we will likely be able to get more than 3FPs per day when FP+ fully rolls out. If they offered us 6 FP+ that could be used at any park (via prebooking) I'd be down with that for onsite guests.

At 5 I'd be OK with it, any less than 5 and IMHO- it's not as good as FP- for me. I also need to be able to pick 5 at ANY park provided I have hoppers. I might pick 3 at MK, then pick Safari and Test track, all for 1 day.

The reason they are allowing the double dipping is because it's not really double dipping when you only get 3 FP+ attractions.

 

[dayvewc]

My basic understanding is that the FP machines have been set to accept all KTTW cards that do not have tickets attached, without regard to the dates of travel because the system isn't "sophisticated" enough to cross reference expired vs. active cards. I gather that it's not a loophole worth spending the time to figure out since it's so temporary & most visitors aren't thinking about bringing old, expired cards to the parks.

It only works if the expired KTTW cards were for RO resservations & have never had any park tickets tied to it. We have them since we book RO to use with our AP's.

So yes, last week I was able to use our RFID APs to pull FP at BTMRR & then go immediately to Splash & pull FP for each of us using our KTTW cards from Dec 2012. It gave us return windows that were close together & we would have been able to ride both back to back. However - we pulled the extra FPs simply for nostalgia purposes. We rode SB because the lines were only 10-15 mins and pocketed the FPs we pulled for our favorite rides to keep for our scrapbooks.

Yeah, I'm probably someone that Disney (and other FP users) doesn't like. I have been pulling a few FP- every time I go to Disney to save for my scrapbooks. I try to get a different ride each trip. So, I'm taking a FP I have no intention of using, just to have it and save. Ooohhh, I feel evil.

 

[LSUfan4444]

Most people tend to agree that we will likely be able to get more than 3FPs per day when FP+ fully rolls out. If they offered us 6 FP+ that could be used at any park (via prebooking) I'd be down with that for onsite guests.

But most do not tend to think that all FPs will be able to be pre-booked. Most tend to think you will have the opportunity for same day FPs the same way you do now, just accessed through MyMagic+ with from your personal device or a kiosk.

 

[asmit4]

I think 3 to start and then an option to receive a few more same day would be fine. Most just want to know for sure that they will have the ability to get more than 3 per day and the option to park hop. If they won't allow FP for more than 1 park per day I'll be skipping hoppers in the future. We FP like CRAZY and I won't go to a park if I can't FP.