Completely frustrated with FP+

[floralmouse]

Confused. You go to Epcot for three days and can't see why people who used to go for only one day might change and enlarge their stay?

Two words define why Disney implemented this system. Universal. Studios. (And some would argue those words should be: Harry. Potter.) What Disney was parrying was the family that flew down on Saturday and did:

Su: MK
M: Epcot
Tu: DHS
W: AK
Th: IoA
F: US
Sa: Sea World, or one of the above parks if there was a non-park day during the week.

This scenario was becoming more and more prevalent. So while you are seeing Epcot over three days, the vast majority of guests were not. So Disney devised a system that would put a governor on people's touring strategies forcing them to spend 6 or 7 days in its parks instead of 4. Pure genius. With the side-effect being that you do a little less each day. When your FPs run out and there aren't any decent attractions left offering additional ones, you leave a little earlier than you used to. And you go to Epcot on multiple days so that you can get a FP for Soarin' one day and TT for the other. (Note: Rope Drop is the antidote to all of this, but one of the things that people say they like most about FP+ is the ability to sleep in and avoid RD. And that works. But that is the scenario that cries out for extra days at WDW thus cutting out a day or two at US/IoA.)

First, I am acknowledging that the lost revenue may be a non-issue for Disney. That said, I'm hearing of more and more people (not everyone just more and more) deciding to forego Disney altogether and strictly do Harry Potter.

 

[Airship Ariadne]

Was the trip where you couldn't get Soarin' an hour after RD last year, when Disney was running with both paper and FP+?

Otherwise, something super-weird had to have been going on. The only two rides in WDW and DL that I've ever seen run out of FPs in the first hour are TSMM and RSR. Even during spring break and summer, we've had no issues getting TT and Soarin. I've never done Christmas/NYE, but really surprises me that this would happen in early December.

Nope, it was way back in 2010...I think, if I recall correctly, there was a MVMCP at MK and EPCOT having late EMH, so EPCOT was CROWDED...was that a larger than normal crowd for that time? I don't know, was much larger than in 2007 when were were there at the same time...and did get a FP- for Soarin...but we hit RD then.

But again, my point is people keep saying that under the old system, getting there within two hours of RD, you were guarenteed a FP- and while we have only spent a total of 12 days in the parks so far in our lives I knew that was not always true.

Now, had Disney promoted the FP- to the same extent they do FP+, I bet missing RD would have meant missing the FP-for these. I really think the fact that more people know about it, and not just those of us that obsess over our trips, means that we are now competing with the more casual visitors for them.

So aside from the tiering, THAT is really the biggest issue we have with FP+...it is being used by more people.


Oh, and adding: Who the bloody H E double hockey sticks can do EPCOT in one day? Seriously? We've spent four days total there over two trips and STILL haven't seen it all.

 

[itchin2go]

Confused. You go to Epcot for three days and can't see why people who used to go for only one day might change and enlarge their stay?

Two words define why Disney implemented this system. Universal. Studios. (And some would argue those words should be: Harry. Potter.) What Disney was parrying was the family that flew down on Saturday and did:

Su: MK
M: Epcot
Tu: DHS
W: AK
Th: IoA
F: US
Sa: Sea World, or one of the above parks if there was a non-park day during the week.

This scenario was becoming more and more prevalent. So while you are seeing Epcot over three days, the vast majority of guests were not. So Disney devised a system that would put a governor on people's touring strategies forcing them to spend 6 or 7 days in its parks instead of 4. Pure genius. With the side-effect being that you do a little less each day. When your FPs run out and there aren't any decent attractions left offering additional ones, you leave a little earlier than you used to. And you go to Epcot on multiple days so that you can get a FP for Soarin' one day and TT for the other. (Note: Rope Drop is the antidote to all of this, but one of the things that people say they like most about FP+ is the ability to sleep in and avoid RD. And that works. But that is the scenario that cries out for extra days at WDW thus cutting out a day or two at US/IoA.)

Our going to Epcot for 3 days is a bit of an anomaly (for us), but it's not because of FP+. We added one extra day (Friday after Thanksgiving) to do Holidays Around the World. We may not even do anything in FW that day, but I would still rather have the FP for Soarin rather than Test Track. We would have done 2 days anyway, mostly for World Showcase.

Honestly, if someone does 2 days at Epcot STRICTLY because they cannot book a FP for Soarin and Test Track on the same day, I think that's just poor problem solving. I truly don't want to offend anyone who thinks this is necessary, but I just think there are much easier, cheaper and more efficient ways to handle the Soarin/Test Track conundrum.

 

[JimmyV]

Honestly, if someone does 2 days at Epcot STRICTLY because they cannot book a FP for Soarin and Test Track on the same day, I think that's just poor problem solving. I truly don't want to offend anyone who thinks this is necessary, but I just think there are much easier, cheaper and more efficient ways to handle the Soarin/Test Track conundrum.

No doubt. Write it down, folks. Rope Drop is the antidote to FP+
But not everyone likes to do RD. For many, the extra day is the solution. There is no right or wrong.

 

[Laketravis]

Exactly right. They've previously stated there are "too many distractions" for visitors to Orlando and they have to do what they can to keep them on WDW property.

Confused. You go to Epcot for three days and can't see why people who used to go for only one day might change and enlarge their stay?

Two words define why Disney implemented this system. Universal. Studios. (And some would argue those words should be: Harry. Potter.) What Disney was parrying was the family that flew down on Saturday and did:

Su: MK
M: Epcot
Tu: DHS
W: AK
Th: IoA
F: US
Sa: Sea World, or one of the above parks if there was a non-park day during the week.

This scenario was becoming more and more prevalent. So while you are seeing Epcot over three days, the vast majority of guests were not. So Disney devised a system that would put a governor on people's touring strategies forcing them to spend 6 or 7 days in its parks instead of 4. Pure genius. With the side-effect being that you do a little less each day. When your FPs run out and there aren't any decent attractions left offering additional ones, you leave a little earlier than you used to. And you go to Epcot on multiple days so that you can get a FP for Soarin' one day and TT for the other. (Note: Rope Drop is the antidote to all of this, but one of the things that people say they like most about FP+ is the ability to sleep in and avoid RD. And that works. But that is the scenario that cries out for extra days at WDW thus cutting out a day or two at US/IoA.)

 

[cakebaker]

Oh, and adding: Who the bloody H E double hockey sticks can do EPCOT in one day? Seriously? We've spent four days total there over two trips and STILL haven't seen it all.

From what I read on these boards, there are those who go to Epcot for nothing but the rides- If that's all your after, it can easily be done in a couple of hours- save for tiering and having to do standby. I can't imagine only wanting rides in Epcot but others feel differently I guess.

Personally, Epcot is not a ride park for me....well at least until the Frozen ride is completed.... There is so much to do and see that doesn't require a fp or getting on a ride that we could spend a week there. I do wish they'd update it some, but rides are secondary in that park for us.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

Sounds like you've done the right thing for your vacation. I think that a lot of the problems with WDW vacations is, we get caught up in the planning frenzy because we know if we don't plan ahead we won't be able to eat at certain restaurants or go on certain attractions. I also think Disney is causing a lot of the frenzy by constantly sending out e-mails reminding you to make reservations. But really when it comes right down to it, skipping certain experiences at WDW won't ruin the trip,but running around the parks and being controlled by a timetable will.

I have adopted your approach to my next vacation. If by then, I still feel the value of the WDW experience has diminished, DLR will become the only place for me to get my Disney fix.

I truly feel now that this trip is going to be more of a success. Today I cancelled frozen dessert party and 2 more days of fast passes. I now have 2 days that are full on from park open to close, 3 hop/half days and 2 days wide open. I'm glad I don't like to plan and am blissfully unaware of what I'm missing, lol. I plan to spend my free time chillin and chasing princesses with little 'uns.

 

[Tarheel girl 1975]

I think *some* people who never visited Epcot for 2 days before *may* be changing their plans now, but for the life of me, I can't see why.

I booked Soarin as our Tier 1 on all 3 of our Epcot days, and the family is going to ride Test Track at rope drop. I have seen Toy Story jump to an hour wait at rope drop (or near to rope drop), but I have never (personally) seen Test Track jump THAT far THAT quickly. It's just always been a breeze to ride it at (or near) rope drop.

Granted, maybe people would rather book some extra days than get up early every now and then, but that's their choice. It's certainly not a necessity in parks like Epcot and DHS where there's so little to ride in the first place.

My kids love to ride Soarin and TT muliple times. We used to be able to ride them each twice in one day. On our past trip, we had to go Epcot 3 times to ride them each twice. (We only did rope drop at Epcot once.) My children miss legacy fastpass.

 

[Ellwood970]

I noticed something last week I didn't mention in my last post. It seemed to me there were many people not bothering with the app or fastpass and riding standby. The standby lines didn't seem to go any slower than normal. Some went faster. This is just an observation.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

Our going to Epcot for 3 days is a bit of an anomaly (for us), but it's not because of FP+. We added one extra day (Friday after Thanksgiving) to do Holidays Around the World. We may not even do anything in FW that day, but I would still rather have the FP for Soarin rather than Test Track. We would have done 2 days anyway, mostly for World Showcase.

Honestly, if someone does 2 days at Epcot STRICTLY because they cannot book a FP for Soarin and Test Track on the same day, I think that's just poor problem solving. I truly don't want to offend anyone who thinks this is necessary, but I just think there are much easier, cheaper and more efficient ways to handle the Soarin/Test Track conundrum.

I plan to ride Expedition Everest, TT. And RnR but without fps because they're single rider.

 

[Luckybee]

The number of days that I have been in WDW parks is measured in the hundreds. Under FP- never, ever, not once was I unable to bet a FPs for Soarin' and Test Track in the same day. Never, ever, not once was I unable to get FPs for TSMM, RnR and ToT all in the same day. The "gone within the first hour" claim is simply a myth for every ride except TSMM. (OK. I admit that I have never been in a park between 12/23 and 1/2). So when you say that you were able to get everything you wanted, that's terrific. But under the new system, people who want the rides that I outlined above cannot. (Unless, of course, they go at a low crowd day and can get headliners for their 4th or 5th FP at a kiosk. But if they are in the park on such a low crowd level day, then they probably don't need FPs in the first place.) Until the tiers are abolished (if ever), then it is simply not true that one can get everything that they want. The only way that can happen is for the "wants" to change. Once you adjust your "wants", then you can pigeonhole your FPs in such a way as to guarantee that you get everything that you "want".

We would , under the old system get to the parks at about 10 or 11. We were almost always able to get fp-'s for something we wanted. Usually only about 3-5 for the day but that was because we would never stay longer than 5 hours. But on those days where fp's were scarce we were always able to walk on rides that we wanted that were non fp rides(my favourite examples are Pirates, and Small World). Good luck trying that now. and don't think you'll be trying it during "slow periods" it just isn't happening now at least it wasn't at the end of Sept. I don't think there will be such a thing of not "needing " fp's anytime of the yr now

 

[Luckybee]

Our going to Epcot for 3 days is a bit of an anomaly (for us), but it's not because of FP+. We added one extra day (Friday after Thanksgiving) to do Holidays Around the World. We may not even do anything in FW that day, but I would still rather have the FP for Soarin rather than Test Track. We would have done 2 days anyway, mostly for World Showcase.

Honestly, if someone does 2 days at Epcot STRICTLY because they cannot book a FP for Soarin and Test Track on the same day, I think that's just poor problem solving. I truly don't want to offend anyone who thinks this is necessary, but I just think there are much easier, cheaper and more efficient ways to handle the Soarin/Test Track conundrum.

We'd be guilty of this

I'd rather spend the extra few bucks to extend my ticket than do rope drop.
I rope drop enough at home with a crazy work schedule. I am sleeping in on vaca.

This past trip we rope dropped to Universal. Both of us decided that we are not doing that again. We ended up doing Gringott's, then going back to the room to sleep, then back to the park.....lol.

 

[Suvadoo]

Confused. You go to Epcot for three days and can't see why people who used to go for only one day might change and enlarge their stay?

Two words define why Disney implemented this system. Universal. Studios. (And some would argue those words should be: Harry. Potter.) What Disney was parrying was the family that flew down on Saturday and did:

Su: MK
M: Epcot
Tu: DHS
W: AK
Th: IoA
F: US
Sa: Sea World, or one of the above parks if there was a non-park day during the week.

This scenario was becoming more and more prevalent. So while you are seeing Epcot over three days, the vast majority of guests were not. So Disney devised a system that would put a governor on people's touring strategies forcing them to spend 6 or 7 days in its parks instead of 4. Pure genius. With the side-effect being that you do a little less each day. When your FPs run out and there aren't any decent attractions left offering additional ones, you leave a little earlier than you used to. And you go to Epcot on multiple days so that you can get a FP for Soarin' one day and TT for the other. (Note: Rope Drop is the antidote to all of this, but one of the things that people say they like most about FP+ is the ability to sleep in and avoid RD. And that works. But that is the scenario that cries out for extra days at WDW thus cutting out a day or two at US/IoA.)

There may be some guests who are increasing the days spent at each park, but we're the opposite. We're cutting back on days at WDW. We don't think there is any attraction at WDW that is worth an additional park day. We used to spend 6 days at WDW, but now it's 3. It's just not worth the hassle, for us.

 

[dzneelvr]

I've been absorbing all the comments on these boards for almost a year prior to our December trip; I have to admit, I was prepared for the worst, but in reality had no problem with any FP+ I used the mydisneyexperience and it gave me 3 different plans for every day at the park. We got the first choice every time and I even changed an original choice last Saturday quickly. I love the fact you can call and get a tech to assist you with any issue you may have regarding the FPs, and the tech got into my account and did some troubleshooting to get me what I wanted when I seemed to be locked out. Granted, I didn't wait till the last minute, but I couldn't be more pleased We'll use our 3 and then add more or just do single rider.

 

[itchin2go]

We'd be guilty of this

I'd rather spend the extra few bucks to extend my ticket than do rope drop.
I rope drop enough at home with a crazy work schedule. I am sleeping in on vaca.

This past trip we rope dropped to Universal. Both of us decided that we are not doing that again. We ended up doing Gringott's, then going back to the room to sleep, then back to the park.....lol.

Sorry. I really didn't want to offend anyone. Part of the problem is we are early risers whether we want to be or not, so NOT doing rope drop (for us) just seems silly because we're up anyway! So, I don't have the experience of trying to wrangle family who doesn't want to get up. Conversely, we are NOT late night people, so whenever people give the advice of riding late at night ... well, that's just not an option for us. So, I get it - everyone's different.

Regardless, in your case, I would say you KNOW the other ways to solve the problem, but you'd rather throw money (or time, although at Disney, time IS money) at it (no offense intended). That's a little different than legitimately thinking there is no other way to solve the problem. And it's your time and your money! I think there *may* be some people who look at the tiering and think they have to do 2 days at Epcot, just to ride TT and Soarin, without considering the alternatives.

I guess with so few rides in Epcot, it just seems unnecessary for me. In MK, waiting very long for any ride seems so wasteful, since there are so many to ride. Waiting a bit for one of the top 2 draws at Epcot doesn't seem to be the end of the world for me. Now, we would be doing 2 days (or more) in Epcot anyway, so if that were the case, and we wanted to FP Soarin on one day and TT on the other (like I'm sure lots of people do), that makes total sense. I just figured the TT queue is more interesting and if we're there at rope drop anyway, might as well ride TT standby and FP Soarin.

I will also say that our trips have been at low crowd times in January and October. I may feel differently after our upcoming Thanksgiving week trip.

 

[Luckybee]

Sorry. I really didn't want to offend anyone. Part of the problem is we are early risers whether we want to be or not, so NOT doing rope drop (for us) just seems silly because we're up anyway! So, I don't have the experience of trying to wrangle family who doesn't want to get up. Conversely, we are NOT late night people, so whenever people give the advice of riding late at night ... well, that's just not an option for us. So, I get it - everyone's different.

Regardless, in your case, I would say you KNOW the other ways to solve the problem, but you'd rather throw money (or time, although at Disney, time IS money) at it (no offense intended). That's a little different than legitimately thinking there is no other way to solve the problem. And it's your time and your money! I think there *may* be some people who look at the tiering and think they have to do 2 days at Epcot, just to ride TT and Soarin, without considering the alternatives.

I guess with so few rides in Epcot, it just seems unnecessary for me. In MK, waiting very long for any ride seems so wasteful, since there are so many to ride. Waiting a bit for one of the top 2 draws at Epcot doesn't seem to be the end of the world for me. Now, we would be doing 2 days (or more) in Epcot anyway, so if that were the case, and we wanted to FP Soarin on one day and TT on the other (like I'm sure lots of people do), that makes total sense. I just figured the TT queue is more interesting and if we're there at rope drop anyway, might as well ride TT standby and FP Soarin.

I will also say that our trips have been at low crowd times in January and October. I may feel differently after our upcoming Thanksgiving week trip.

No offense taken at all. No worries It's just dh and I so the only wrangling would be him trying to get me up...lol !

 

[Planogirl]

I can't imagine going to Epcot for three full days. I wouldn't know what to do with all of that time.

If I were going to Epcot I might ride the headliners early and then head elsewhere the rest of the day. I could see going to World Showcase one evening after attending another park either onsite or off.

 

[disnut1149]

DH and I spent one day in Epcot in Sept. It wasn't crowded, so my DH did TT standby single rider and we FPd Soarin. The we walked onto Soarin for a second ride. After a while, for the first time ever, I felt bored with Epcot. I could never spend two days there. Can't believe I felt like that. There's just nothing new. It really needs an update.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

We often do 2 days at Epcot. We like to spend 1 day in the countries,seeing all the characters, plus there is some great dining there. We spend 1 day in the front part. Last time I was there, we went to the front and into Innoventions and made paper. I get a blast out of doing things like that. We did a game show, we love the lighted walkway, I enjoy the dancing water, plus the hopping water in front of Imagination. We stayed at the Beach Club, so we went to France just about every morning to get the pastries for breakfast since they're considered a snack. (Or we would go in the evening and pick some up for the next morning) We like watching the performers, love to go to ImageWorks in Imagination and create, play music, enjoy the fun things there are to do there. It's not all about rides.

 

[itchin2go]

No offense taken at all. No worries It's just dh and I so the only wrangling would be him trying to get me up...lol !

You sound exactly like my mom (except not complain-y ).

When I was pregnant with my daughter (her first grandchild), the dr. scheduled a c-section, so I told my parents about it and asked if they wanted to be there (at the hospital, not in the room!). It was scheduled for 8:00 a.m. She said, "Well, I'll see. That's really early ...." Of course, she ended up being there, but really, that early time threw her for a loop. My dad jokes that she does NOTHING before 1:30 in the afternoon. It's a total exaggeration, but seriously, getting up early for her is a MAJOR inconvenience!

IF she ever did Disney World, they would not be in the parks until noon, and even that would be a push. There's no way that rope drop would be important enough for her to get up early.

Of course, she's up late at night and I like to be in bed by 10:00 (9:00 is better!). We have to pick my daughter (now 13!) up from a late party this Saturday and my husband and I are each hoping the other will handle it.

To each their own!