Could FP+ Ruin my experience?

[mom2rtk]

But, that not having to walk all over the park is where inlie the problems I see. The current FP system has a certain amount of crowd control built in. You can't easily obtain all the headliner FPs in a park because you physically have to walk over and get them. It makes the playing field much more leveled. While you are obtaining your BTMRR FP, someone is on the other side of the park obtaining their Space Mountain FP. FP+ takes that away. People in the current test are able to easily book all 3 headliners such as BTMRR, Splash Mountain, and Space Mountain.All at once. What about if you are the unlucky one who didn't score those FP+s because you weren't on your puter at the right time to book it?

Yep. That has been one of my biggest concerns. Any time you remove a barrier to something, you get more of it. And putting FPs at people's fingertips definitely removes a HUGE barrier.

Couple that with the fact that you can't seem to reserve any less than 3, and you are really speeding up how fast those FPs will all run out.

Well, except maybe Stitch.

 

[MonorailCentral]

There are still so many unanswered questions. While I'm not terribly excited about what we know about the FP+ system, I really doubt it's going to be so terrible that it will ruin my vacation. We'll find a way to adapt, and maek the best of our visit no matter what happens.

 

[Dizneefamily+4]

On this recent trip, my dd8 and ds12 were able to ride EE - their favorite ride- 12 times in one day. It was an EMH morning. They rode it 4 times in a row during that 1st hour when the sb line was only a 5-10 min wait. We pulled fp immediately upon getting to the ride. DH and I chose not to ride so they could ride more times using our fp - we send them through the fp line and wait for them at the ride exit. Later in the morning, we pulled another set of fp and did the same thing (and we were still able to ride KRR, the safari, and Dinosaur - as well as ITTBAB and Primeval Whirl). With fp+, this won't be even remotely possible.

 

[mom2rtk]

On this recent trip, my dd8 and ds12 were able to ride EE - their favorite ride- 12 times in one day. It was an EMH morning. They rode it 4 times in a row during that 1st hour when the sb line was only a 5-10 min wait. We pulled fp immediately upon getting to the ride. DH and I chose not to ride so they could ride more times using our fp - we send them through the fp line and wait for them at the ride exit. Later in the morning, we pulled another set of fp and did the same thing (and we were still able to ride KRR, the safari, and Dinosaur - as well as ITTBAB and Primeval Whirl). With fp+, this won't be even remotely possible.

Well, the occasional multiple ride morning will still be there. But once the crowds show up, you'll be done with FP+. And that saddens me. Some of our favorite park days were as "super-users" of a particular ride.

If we had needed to commit on FPs before our last trip we never would have scheduled ToT at all. Turns out my daughter got brave that day and with the help of FP rode it 5 times. It's her favorite memory of that trip. Would never have happened with FP+. I'm not sure if we ever would have "wasted" one of our limited 3 FP+ opportunities on something we weren't sure she would like. I'm not sure if we ever would have found out how much she liked it.

 

[UNCFanatik]

That's at least the third time you've stated this and it's a bit misleading. First, there is a very high probability that some of the least popular attractions will have some FP+ times available for some timeslots on the same day, but that is most definitely not guaranteed as you seem to imply. And I said in a previous thread that someone argued with me about, Disney is not going to "hold back" any FP+ "slots" for same day users.

Now, I have no idea how many people will know enough to pre-book everything, but this entire system is definitely going to be a net negative for those of us that do not like to micromanage our vacation.

How is it misleading? There will be same day FP+s available. I never implied that there would be same day FP+s available for every attraction nor did I guarantee it. That is why I said it depends on what attractions were pre-booked ahead of time. It will be interesting to see how many people do prebook right at 60 days

And I have said in the past that I agree, this will be a negative for some people. Just as it will be a positive for others.

 

[RedHeadedFairy]

Well, the occasional multiple ride morning will still be there. But once the crowds show up, you'll be done with FP+. And that saddens me. Some of our favorite park days were as "super-users" of a particular ride.

If we had needed to commit on FPs before our last trip we never would have scheduled ToT at all. Turns out my daughter got brave that day and with the help of FP rode it 5 times. It's her favorite memory of that trip. Would never have happened with FP+. I'm not sure if we ever would have "wasted" one of our limited 3 FP+ opportunities on something we weren't sure she would like. I'm not sure if we ever would have found out how much she liked it.

You know that's a good point too, the same thing happened with my daughter and Expedition Everest on our last trip.

There's no way that after four visits and 18 days in the park I could have possibly known that THAT was the day she would wake up willing to take on Everest.

 

[mattsdragon]

AP holders will react by doing what they can. They will start booking ride slots "in case" they want to go. Even if that means booking them for every single weekend and canceling at the last minute.

On the up side, if a bunch of AP holders start doing that, maybe their last minute cancellations will provide a steady stream of same day openings on headline rides.

Why cancel? I wouldn't cancel, I would just book book book book book, if we go that day, we got FP's, if not, oh well.

They aren't charging for booking and not showing up.

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

Well, the occasional multiple ride morning will still be there. But once the crowds show up, you'll be done with FP+. And that saddens me. Some of our favorite park days were as "super-users" of a particular ride.

If we had needed to commit on FPs before our last trip we never would have scheduled ToT at all. Turns out my daughter got brave that day and with the help of FP rode it 5 times. It's her favorite memory of that trip. Would never have happened with FP+. I'm not sure if we ever would have "wasted" one of our limited 3 FP+ opportunities on something we weren't sure she would like. I'm not sure if we ever would have found out how much she liked it.

Or like our son that was going to ride RnR for the first time this summer....until the day before! LOL But he did fall in love with Star Tours this year after riding for the first time and we were able to ride it 3 times. Vacations are a time when we let our DS call a bit more of the shots. Most of my enjoyment comes from my child's enjoyment and it really makes me sad that letting him ride a favorite ride 3 or 4 times without a long wait may be going away.

 

[mom2rtk]

Why cancel? I wouldn't cancel, I would just book book book book book, if we go that day, we got FP's, if not, oh well.

They aren't charging for booking and not showing up.

Well, I'd like to think that at some point Disney will handle people who make a bunch of FP+ reservations and never show. Not that it will matter, because then all they have to do is make them and be sure to cancel if there is a penalty.

Or like our son that was going to ride RnR for the first time this summer....until the day before! LOL But he did fall in love with Star Tours this year after riding for the first time and we were able to ride it 3 times. Vacations are a time when we let our DS call a bit more of the shots. Most of my enjoyment comes from my child's enjoyment and it really makes me sad that letting him ride a favorite ride 3 or 4 times without a long wait may be going away.

This is one of my biggest beefs about the new system....... the loss of spontaneity. That manifests itself in many ways.

 

[mattsdragon]

Well, I'd like to think that at some point Disney will handle people who make a bunch of FP+ reservations and never show. Not that it will matter, because then all they have to do is make them and be sure to cancel if there is a penalty.

See, this opens up another philosophical debate.

If I book 3 FP+'s everyday for me, my wife and my daughter for TSMM. . .and don't show up, wouldn't that make the SB line move quicker?

Just hypothetical, we aren't AP holders. . .just curious.

And UNCFan mentioned that for some people the new system is a positive, I'm wondering how it will become a positive, when all our PLANNERS have stated that they are currently able to get much more than 3 FP's per day because of all their . . .planning. . .tempted to use another term there, but I'll leave it at "planning".

 

[jade1]

May I ask the ones that really love the idea of FP+ what were the things you saw wrong with the old/current FP system? The main one I hear about most is not having to walk across the park to pick up the FP and not having to be at RD to get a FP which is only a problem with 2 main rides. I'm not looking for the things you like about FP+ but the things that was wrong with the current FP system.

Well for us anyway-the old system wasn't a bad thing, we didn't ask to change it, we lived with it-we just rarely used it.

Why? Because we are not headed to the parks until at least early to mid afternoon, and sometimes just the evening. Totally our choice, and still awesome vacations.

We all stay out/up late. Some of our group sleeps in, some enjoy coffee, some enjoy brunch, some enjoy golf, some enjoy fishing.

We all enjoy the beach/pool areas, lunch, maybe an umbrella drink-just a relaxed escape from winter and work.

We do enjoy headliners-but not even as much as the night shows.

When we finally meander to a park, there "might" be a FP left for certain headliners (none of us know for sure-we just throw a dart, pick a park, walk toward a headliner and cross our fingers), but it will be for late night which may conflict with dinner or a night show, and if we do take it, its an hour or 2 later to qualify for a 2nd-which usually runs out the clock on any more anyway.

When we visit, Soarin/TT/TSM/RNR/PP/Space are all gone and 100 minutes plus. Again-our choice, and we really don't care, but would prefer a scenario/system that would allow access for our style of touring.

BUT-if someone were to walk up to us at SAB at 2PM and say-"would you like FP's for 4PM at any of the one of those attractions above", and maybe even 2 or 3? Well let me think.....heck yea, and consider that pretty amazing. Now we have our "park portion" (FP+'s, dinner, night show) of the day(s) set to go, with no interruption to our "resort portion" of our vacation.

With our style of touring-that can happen with FP+, that cannot happen with FP.

 

[delmar411]

Well, I'd like to think that at some point Disney will handle people who make a bunch of FP+ reservations and never show. Not that it will matter, because then all they have to do is make them and be sure to cancel if there is a penalty.

This is one of my biggest beefs about the new system....... the loss of spontaneity. That manifests itself in many ways.

Well there can't be a penalty when it forces you to book 3. If I know I'm only going to ride TSM, I still have to book 3 and be a no show to the other 2.

 

[WalleyWorld]

Any idea how many testers are out there in any given week? We're going for a week in Sept and the fact that the people chosen to test FP+ are able to currently make FP+ reservations for the time I'll be there - and I myself cannot - irks me to no end.

 

[bcrook]

Well there can't be a penalty when it forces you to book 3. If I know I'm only going to ride TSM, I still have to book 3 and be a no show to the other 2.

Did you write somewhere that the system only allows you to book up to 7 days of Fastpasses at a time? When one day is used, it opens up another day? Or did I read that somewhere else?

 

[ArwenMarie]

you know, if I just step back, it's hard to see the benefits beyond one major one: not having to walk all over the park to pull FPs anymore.

One more I see is not having to make RD anymore, if your FPs are later on in the day.

 

[delmar411]

Any idea how many testers are out there in any given week? We're going for a week in Sept and the fact that the people chosen to test FP+ are able to currently make FP+ reservations for the time I'll be there - and I myself cannot - irks me to no end.

A lot. They gave up on the limited testing and push the bands at every guest of the testing resorts. There are what 6? resorts testing so I'd guess (really just a total guess) that there are more than 5k ppl actually using FP+ on any given day spread around the 4 parks.

 

[delmar411]

Did you write somewhere that the system only allows you to book up to 7 days of Fastpasses at a time? When one day is used, it opens up another day? Or did I read that somewhere else?

Yes I did write that. This applies to AP holders.

 

[Nixie]

One more I see is not having to make RD anymore, if your FPs are later on in the day.

But if all the FPs for BTMRR are booked out at 60 days in advance.... Your only chance to ride it without 60+ min waits will be at RD.....

 

[mom2rtk]

See, this opens up another philosophical debate.

If I book 3 FP+'s everyday for me, my wife and my daughter for TSMM. . .and don't show up, wouldn't that make the SB line move quicker?

Just hypothetical, we aren't AP holders. . .just curious.

And UNCFan mentioned that for some people the new system is a positive, I'm wondering how it will become a positive, when all our PLANNERS have stated that they are currently able to get much more than 3 FP's per day because of all their . . .planning. . .tempted to use another term there, but I'll leave it at "planning".

I'm just taking FP-palooza out of the equation for now. We all know that's temporary.

Well there can't be a penalty when it forces you to book 3. If I know I'm only going to ride TSM, I still have to book 3 and be a no show to the other 2.

Great point!

Yes I did write that. This applies to AP holders.

Ahhh....... maybe that's how they're doing it. Which stinks in some ways for AP holders who might be taking a 14 day trip. But I suppose they could just frontload all their headliner rides in the first 7 days.

 

[bcrook]

One more I see is not having to make RD anymore, if your FPs are later on in the day.

Another interesting twist to all of this is making all the parks 1/2 day parks. Like you are saying, book evening fastpass + and you don't show up until 4:00. Book morning fastpasses, be done by 2:00.

For example currently, If I show up to MK at 1:00 and grab a FP for Splash Mountain for a return time of 7:00 pm. I spend the next five hours happily wandering the park waiting until 3:00 pm, so I can pull that 10:00 Space Mountain. At 5:00 pm, I grab a Peter Pan for whatever is left. On the way to Splash at 7:00, I will pick up a BTMRR.

This is how we spend our evening.

If I can book 6:00, 7:00. 8:00 ahead of time. I will probably show up at 5:00. Catch my rides with no time to loiter, and then wait for the Parades and Wishes, so I can sneak on the rides via Standby.

Of course this scenario lends itself well to planning additional excursions to Universal. I don't know. I keep trying to find an angle that works for me.

Jade1's plan is most sensible. But I still think it is going to involve logging on a month in advance to get those big e-ticket rides.