Fastpass+ is cramping my style

[jenrose66]

I'm planning a trip in late September and this is my first experience with Fastpass+ after many WDW trips with the old Fastpass system.

Here's what I've experienced:

1. Even though I I logged into the MyDisney at 12:01, Mine Train was already unavailable for all the days we will be in the park. I often pick less busy vacations, so I can avoid the crowds, lines and enjoy the parks at my pace.
2. "Grouping" of attractions in some of the parks means that I can't, for example, get a fastpass for ToT and RnR for the same day.
3. I now have fastpasses for attractions I never would have used in the past and probably won't use now. This means that someone else might not get one that they wanted.
4. I usually like to arrange my days in the parks in certain ways. The order of attractions, meals, etc. is important to my family's experience. Getting fastpasses the old way made planning the day easier. Part of my strategy was always to minimize wait time, even if it meant more walking. As I look at my current day plans, I've got some attractions with 30 minute or more waits. I could not get a fastpass for the time slot I was hoping for. That would be acceptable if something was a spur of the moment decision because it would be my choice, not because I lost in a lottery. It does seem a little unfair that fastpasses are gone as the result dates for other peoples vacations overlapped with mine.
5. I've had to change restaurant ressies, made earlier, because of availability issues with fastpasses. That translates into extra work for me and I've found that Restaurant ressie availability is now a sometimes a problem.

I understand that Disney is trying to make this all more equitable for everyone. Not everyone gets to the parks early and wants to do the extra walking that was a part of getting fastpasses under the old system. However, it doesn't fit my way of planning and enjoying the parks. And it has made my park planning way more complicated.


As always, constructive comments are welcome.

I agree with everything you said. I will speak to point 3. Fast pass plus has driven up waits everywhere. Rides like Pirates and Small World that never saw waits now have long waits necessitating FP to make waits shorter, so you may find yourself using the fast passes you didn't want.

I haven't been to Disney since Feb of 2014. I was surprised at how long the waits were at ALL attractions. I will also say the FP lines moved more slowly too. A 20+ minute FP line was not uncommon.

 

[JoshuaShaw]

What would people rather have? No fast passes and the only way to get on SDMT is to wait 60-90 minutes all day because it is so popular? OR the ability to possibly go on it at a certain time with almost no wait with just a bit of pre-planning?

Hidden option number three: Disney builds more than five attractions in Hollywood Studios, relieving TSMM of the burden of being the only attraction guests of all ages (and tolerance levels) can ride and shortening its wait.

For the record: I don't find FP+ to be completely repellant, just inferior to its previous incarnation and in need of some heavy tweaks.

 

[itchin2go]

You can go on more rides .. you just may have to wait in lines or be picky about which rides you go on (aka . .the ones with shorter lines).
It's like people think the only way to get on rides is to use Fast Passes!

Sure, you don't need a FP to ride a ride. However, there were those people who waited in minimal lines by judicious use of FP-.

If there had been no FP-, there would be far less negativity. The problem is, WDW didn't go from no FPs to FP+, and the change has had a net negative effect for some.

Personally, I have always done rope drop (meaning being there at park opening) to minimize lines, and I suggest it as a strategy to mitigate against the effects that FP+ has had on some standby lines. Except on an unusual day/night, 3 attractions is not enough for us, but waiting more than 20 minutes for most things IS too much. I think rope drop or late nights are the best strategies. I've seen mixed reviews for 4th FP, some saying they used it to great advantage, and some saying there was nothing worthwhile to be had. It's a crapshoot at best ... so if I want more than 3 rides (or just Test Track AND Soarin) and I'm not willing to wait in long lines, it's rope drop for us.

 

[Robo]

I've seen mixed reviews for 4th FP, some saying they used it to great advantage, and some saying there was nothing worthwhile to be had.

In general, it can depend on the overall crowd levels, how early in the day were the original FPs booked and used and, more importantly, at which park.

 

[famy27]

I agree that FP+ is a big improvement for those who did not previously choose to do what it took to get a FP for TSMM.

What it took to get a TSMM? You mean, get to HS by 10:30 or 11:00? Boy, that sure was physically and emotionally taxing

Now, if I want FPs for TSMM, RNRC, and ToT (which I do), I have to do the FP+ shuffle as described above and cancel my unwanted tier 2 FP and hope RNRC is still available by the time I've done TSMM and ToT.

 

[jenrose66]

Also, I was never a heavy user of legacy FP. I would grab one for the big headliners to minimize waits but there were plenty of other rides with short waits to fill in my day. Now everything is a long wait and it makes the day less enjoyable. I prefer long waits at a few rides and shorter lines everywhere else.

 

[Mamato2cutekiddos]

I'm with ya! I've all but given up on FP+. I figure we will see what happens when we arrive. I can't spend any more time stressing about this. I've already changed reservations, dropped reservations etc. all in the name of FP+ and it's silly. We are doing the MNSSHP and I am banking on that for our must sees (primarily Anna and Elsa and the Mine Train). Anything else we will either have to wait or skip. I'm honestly not sure what else to do. I'll keep checking as we get closer but I've already wasted too much time already.

 

[threeboysmom]

Why do you suggest to wait till you get to the park that day to cancel the ones you don't want? Is there a reason not to do it as soon as you finish booking them? Other than if you change your mind you can't get them back without cancelling the one you keep?

The only thing I know is that I have read that is the correct procedure to follow.

I've not read success with doing the cancellation any time before the day-of.

(And, since the 4th FP+ must be collected at an in-park kiosk the day-of anyway,
there's no real advantage in doing the cancellation earlier.)

I've released my unwanted FPs weeks prior to getting to the parks. I've gone to EP with only Soarin' booked. We ride Soarin' and then go to the kiosk and book Test Track immediately. Worked like a charm. We've done the same thing at HS as well

Interesting. I didn't think of cancelling the unwanted FP. What I was thinking of doing was scheduling the throwaway FP for early morning before we even arrive at the park and just letting it expire. Will that work? Although I'm leaning towards cancelling since it doesn't tie up FP for anyone else trying to book.

Or Captain EO! or Figment or Spaceship Earth or Living with the Land or................but yes, I definitely agree with you.

The reason being is because you're FORCED to book 3 fastpasses - it's not because people are "stupid" lol. So... on my Epcot day, I am booking Test Track, Mission Space, and yes Spaceship Earth (even though it is late afternoon and I KNOW it'll be a walk on!).

For Hollywood Studios, I am booking Toy Story, Tower of Terror, and Mermaid (with no intention of using this one either... but I HAVE to book something!)

Really wish we had the option of booking UP TO 3 fastpasses for any day of our vacation. I would think that would work much better for all involved.

 

[Robo]

Interesting. I didn't think of cancelling the unwanted FP. What I was thinking of doing was scheduling the throwaway FP for early morning before we even arrive at the park and just letting it expire. Will that work? Although I'm leaning towards cancelling since it doesn't tie up FP for anyone else trying to book.

The reason being is because you're FORCED to book 3 fastpasses - it's not because people are "stupid" lol. So... on my Epcot day, I am booking Test Track, Mission Space, and yes Spaceship Earth (even though it is late afternoon and I KNOW it'll be a walk on!).

For Hollywood Studios, I am booking Toy Story, Tower of Terror, and Mermaid (with no intention of using this one either... but I HAVE to book something!)

Really wish we had the option of booking UP TO 3 fastpasses for any day of our vacation. I would think that would work much better for all involved.

You certainly CAN just book one (or two) FP+ if you like.

First: Book the required three.
Then: CANCEL the one or two you don't want.

Remember that if you DO the above, you won't be able to get any of the cancelled FP+ positions back for that day unless and until you cancel ALL of the FP+ you made for that day… and start over for that day.

 

[DoingDisney]

Interesting. I didn't think of cancelling the unwanted FP. What I was thinking of doing was scheduling the throwaway FP for early morning before we even arrive at the park and just letting it expire. Will that work? Although I'm leaning towards cancelling since it doesn't tie up FP for anyone else trying to book.



The reason being is because you're FORCED to book 3 fastpasses - it's not because people are "stupid" lol. So... on my Epcot day, I am booking Test Track, Mission Space, and yes Spaceship Earth (even though it is late afternoon and I KNOW it'll be a walk on!).

For Hollywood Studios, I am booking Toy Story, Tower of Terror, and Mermaid (with no intention of using this one either... but I HAVE to book something!)

Really wish we had the option of booking UP TO 3 fastpasses for any day of our vacation. I would think that would work much better for all involved.

Due to FP+ Spaceship Earth quite often has a significant line now ...

 

[itchin2go]

Due to FP+ Spaceship Earth quite often has a significant line now ...

Yeah. We actually used our Figment FP last trip....

 

[sersee05]

We never used to be planners. We would just go and either wait in line or skip it. This is why we have never been on tsmm. I would make a adr once in awhile. But there were times where we just had to eat at a QS because we couldn't get in anywhere.

This trip I planned knowing what happened before. I got sucked in making all these fps and planning rd to get on certain rides. I was excited to get 7dmt at 30 days out (offsite). It's not the time I wanted..but who cares...I tried the strategy of booking the opposite time of what you want. It didn't work for 7dmt. ..because the fps were gone quickly.

So again..I got it so who cares. Then I tried to make an adr. I'm having to work around this fp and it has been problematic. .so now I care. .lol.

Dh then mentioned to me..about our first day and how he may not want to do rd. He will be driving from nj the day before and may not want to be expected to be at the park that early. I didn't think of that. So now I'm having to rearrange the times.

It started to get frustrating planning where and what time we have to do things. But what is the alternative? Waiting in huge lines or just skipping a ride. Tickets are expensive...do I really want to skip a ride? But then waiting eats up time for other rides ...so now I may not get on others because I am spending so much time in line.

We are vacationers who like to enjoy our vacation and not having everything so rigid. We have never been rd people. So all this scheduling has become overwhelming .

So fp is cramping my style too...although I get the value of it. But I've become a slave to fp. We decided to fp some and if we can't get to rd to do rnr...well so be it. We are trying to do a casual fp trip...lolol

İ have learned I have to make fp work for my family and the way we are. If we miss out on a ride...it's just going to have to be ok. It won't be the first time .

My last decision is do I want a dinner or 7dmt.

 

[rucifee]

FP+ is a big joke, it is very difficult to just wing going to the parks now. Want an SDMT FP+? Good luck. If you try to just use the standby lines, you can maybe ride three possibly four rides the entire day. Are four < 5 minute rides worth $104 for the day? No, not by a long shot. If you're waiting in line for 90-130 minutes per ride at MK, which are reasonable expected waits for PP, SM, and SDMT then add another 100+ minute wait for a 2 minute character greeting, you're not going to get a lot done. You sure do pay a premium to do so little. Do you want lunch? The wait for Plaza restaurant was 2 hours Sunday if you didn't have a reservation, and you couldn't leave the immediate area while you waited. A 2 hour wait just to eat over priced underwhelming theme park food, no thanks.

 

[Robo]

TSMM is not at MK (but you knew that.)

 

[rucifee]

TSMM is not at MK (but you knew that.)

Holy acronym fail. Fixed!

 

[kellya222]

Newbie here. I don't understand why the OP can't get both ToT and RnR. Aren't they on different tiers?

 

[rucifee]

Newbie here. I don't understand why the OP can't get both ToT and RnR. Aren't they on different tiers?

Yes.

Tier 1:

BNBL
Fantasmic
RnR
TGMR
TSMM

Tier 2:

DJL
FtiF
IJ
LMA
MV3D
ST
VoTLM

Source: MDE just now.

 

[bbjunkie]

I agree that FP+ is a big improvement for those who did not previously choose to do what it took to get a FP for TSMM.

And wasn't what you used to have to do was get to the park at rope drop and literally run around the park to get to TSMM and grab a paper fast pass in order to get a ride on it at all?

I think FP+ actually works as intended for most of the Disney visitors that use it. It really seems like there are only a handful of DIS boarders that think it is the work of the devil.

Having travelled to WDW only when it's crowded because that is when our family is available to go, our experience has been absolutely fine with FP+. We've had no issues scheduling them, reworking times on MDE if we wanted, adding more after using three (if we wanted to do that), or waiting in any line for anything for more than 15-20 minutes. The reality is that the parks are getting more and more crowded since the Frozen phenomenon. And I've had a lot of experience at other amusement/theme parks, and for the most part (with the possible exception of the Elsa and Anna M&G) the lines at Disney are never as long as they are for the headliners at others. I would be shocked if the line for Top Thrill Dragster was less than 90 minutes on any given day, and the ride lasts 18 seconds. So, go to rope drop of you want to ride a lot, OR sleep in and stay until close. But please, I already walk 8-10 miles a day at the World, and the absolute LAST thing I want to do is walk in at rope drop and run from one headliner to another picking up paper fast passes for who knows when later in the day.

 

[mom2rtk]

And wasn't what you used to have to do was get to the park at rope drop and literally run around the park to get to TSMM and grab a paper fast pass in order to get a ride on it at all?

Nope. Most days they lasted until 11 or 12? On peak days I wouldn't dally as they went sooner. But it was never required that you run with the bulls to get one.

What I have come to realize lately is that when most people say they couldn't get one, what they really meant was that they couldn't get one for the time they wanted (i.e. early enough in the day to leave at noon and park hop). Specific time availability (and availability at all) continues to be an issue for anyone not booking very early in the process.

 

[bbjunkie]

I honestly cannot understand for the life of me why so many of you have trouble with lines on "lesser" rides. In my experience, there was no wait at all on IASW, Philharmagic, Magic Carpets, Monsters Inc, TTA Monorial, C of P, the Train, Stitch (but yuck) and less than 15 minutes on Buzz, Barnstormer, 20 minutes on Speedway, Astro Orbiter. The only things at MK that had any real lines were 7DMT, A & E, and for some strange reason I just don't understand, PP. you guys must all be hanging out at MK from 1:00-5:00. We go on the headliners in the morning or at night and haven't experienced long wait on anything.


And for the person that says, "now I have to choose between eating or riding 7DMT." Really? You can't ride and then walk over to Ray's and eat? Or Pinocchio's? Why not?