FP+ Details Are Out!

[tink20]

Nevermind, I am rambling on..... LOL

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

I will hit my 60 day mark tomorrow, arriving the end of August. So am I relatively safe that this won't affect us at all? My guess is they won't go live unless they have that 60-day window for people to schedule their FPs. Or is that too much of an assumption? I really, really don't want to have to deal with a whole new system. I know the old one, know how to use it, and am comfortable with it. Please don't make me change!!!!

 

[Dizneefamily+4]

All I can say is that I STILL hate the whole concept of FP+. For those of us who don't even make ADRs because we don't like to have to plan our days based on where and when we're eating, the idea of planning IN ADVANCE what time we want to ride in a particular park just horrifies me. It may mean less Disney trips for us.

 

[tjmj9801]

No, not the same as current FP system. On a horrible, rainy day all the FP's for all the headliners would be available for a long time (except maybe on crowd level 9 - 10 days). So you could go grab a FP for Space Mtn instead. But with FP+ - Who's to say that all the Space Mtn FP's have been gone for the last 60 days??

IDK then except to say that it's a chance you'd have to take. Worst case scenario? You'll have to wait in the standby line.

 

[wishing4PA]

I still don't understand how FP+ will work better than the current FP program

Another me too!

I do find myself wondering if somehow the Disney bigwigs were thinking the fastpass system was in danger of surpassing a reasonable planned capacity. Or it was unfair. (DISsers using multiple FP- daily, with average Joe and his family just standing in line on their trip of a lifetime... and not maxxing out their cards on souvenirs or going back home to report how great a time they had.)
Or ... the bigwigs looking slyly off to the dark side and saying, why are we giving this away for free? We could be making more money if we sold FOTL passes like everyone else! But we can't sell them because our customers would ALL want one. Maybe if we just limit the number ... Hmm... and have them pay for the privilege of colors, customization, etc... this is sounding great!

Or maybe they just have our best interests at heart!

 

[tink20]

Another me too!

I do find myself wondering if somehow the Disney bigwigs were thinking the fastpass system was in danger of surpassing a reasonable planned capacity. Or it was unfair. (DISsers using multiple FP- daily, with average Joe and his family just standing in line on their trip of a lifetime... and not maxxing out their cards on souvenirs or going back home to report how great a time they had.)
Or ... the bigwigs looking slyly off to the dark side and saying, why are we giving this away for free? We could be making more money if we sold FOTL passes like everyone else! But we can't sell them because our customers would ALL want one. Maybe if we just limit the number ... Hmm... and have them pay for the privilege of colors, customization, etc... this is sounding great!

Or maybe they just have our best interests at heart!

HaHa, you quoted me before I edited.

 

[katdralion]

All I can say is that I STILL hate the whole concept of FP+. For those of us who don't even make ADRs because we don't like to have to plan our days based on where and when we're eating, the idea of planning IN ADVANCE what time we want to ride in a particular park just horrifies me. It may mean less Disney trips for us.

Couldn't agree more! We are already booked for Dec this year and use our AP for 2 x 3 week trips so I think 2014 is going to be our last trip. I'm sad about it but being tied to a daily schedule is just not my idea of a vacation.

 

[rwdavis2]

Couldn't agree more! We are already booked for Dec this year and use our AP for 2 x 3 week trips so I think 2014 is going to be our last trip. I'm sad about it but being tied to a daily schedule is just not my idea of a vacation.

I'm glad we have no plans to go back until about 2015 or later. That should get the kinks ironed out or the whole system gets scrapped when the riots start in MK.

 

[Quincy Simone]

Hmm, Fastpass+ actually sounds pretty good. We have only used a couple FPs a day anyways, so this shouldn't be a problem. I especially like the advance booking, because having a little structure is fine for us. I know I'm in the minority here, but FP+ doesn't sound too bad after all...

 

[rwdavis2]

Hmm, Fastpass+ actually sounds pretty good We have only used a couple FPs a day anyways, so this shouldn't be a problem. I especially like the advance booking, because having a little structure is fine for us. I know I'm in the minority here, but FP+ doesn't sound too bad after all...

I like the idea of booking them for later in the day. Or using them at the park you plan to hop to.

 

[Cafeen]

I will hit my 60 day mark tomorrow, arriving the end of August. So am I relatively safe that this won't affect us at all? My guess is they won't go live unless they have that 60-day window for people to schedule their FPs. Or is that too much of an assumption? I really, really don't want to have to deal with a whole new system. I know the old one, know how to use it, and am comfortable with it. Please don't make me change!!!!

It's a (relatively) safe assumption that it won't be up and running by the end of August. The announcing less than 60 days out may not be the reason though. When they went back to 180 days with ADRs (from 90, I wasn't there the first time they went to 180 ) it all happened on one day. October 27th, 2009 to be exact. It was rather messy to say the least. They've also opened up ADRs at new/refurbed restaurants with far less than 180 (or even 90, or even less!) ahead of time. So, there is certainly the possibility of them opening up FP+ with less than 60 days before someone's trip. (Again, I'm doubtful that it'll up and running in full official capacity before the end of August!)

Another me too!

I do find myself wondering if somehow the Disney bigwigs were thinking the fastpass system was in danger of surpassing a reasonable planned capacity. Or it was unfair. (DISsers using multiple FP- daily, with average Joe and his family just standing in line on their trip of a lifetime... and not maxxing out their cards on souvenirs or going back home to report how great a time they had.)
Or ... the bigwigs looking slyly off to the dark side and saying, why are we giving this away for free? We could be making more money if we sold FOTL passes like everyone else! But we can't sell them because our customers would ALL want one. Maybe if we just limit the number ... Hmm... and have them pay for the privilege of colors, customization, etc... this is sounding great!

Or maybe they just have our best interests at heart!

They're a giant corporation, so you know that's certainly a dream that won't come true .

I'm a bit confused at some of the issues this system proposes to solve. Many of the "once-in-a-lifetime" people don't do the research and such that us repeat visitors do (simply because they may not know what's involved until they take said trip), as such, I believe that this system may hurt the non-researching people more than the current one. With the current one, you can adjust for the next day and have the same chance as one of us sitting here 12 months ahead of time, with the FP+ reservations, not so much.

It seems like they're adding a huge layer of complexity and requiring much more planning to a system that worked decently (not ideally, but decently) before. The (suspected) addition of FP slots to attractions in order to compensate for FP+ slots also forces S/B lines to slow down even more (as seen in several other threads)

The Magic Bands are a different issue, and I see that as entirely attempting to monetize the RFID technology (not necessarily FP+, but the entire RFID network). There is no difference between an RFID enabled key card and the Magic Bands, with the possible exception of the "Active RFID" enabled on the bands. So, other than possible future interaction (which, they can also monetize), the bands are simply capitalizing on the accessories and customization, which tend to have huge profit margins.

Whether or not they monetize FP+ directly, is yet to be seen. However, with the current limitations, I can foresee them offering "Add a second park with 2 FP+" or "Add 3 more FP+" for a price or as alternatives to other, higher cost, discounts. (E.g. adding another FP+ would cost them nothing in materials or lost revenue, whereas other discounts do cost materials (free dining) or revenue (room discounts)).

 

[Quincy Simone]

I like the idea of booking them for later in the day. Or using them at the park you plan to hop to.

Either one of those options or just having the FPs spread out during the day. Wheels are churning...

 

[mistysue]

I am very curious how they will handle trying to make reservations for a group when the group splits up for part of the day. Even worse, what happens when I do no research, get all excited and book fastpass+ for my whole family on Space mountain... which 2 of my kids are not even allowed on?

So now If I want us all to coordinate and get onto winnie the pooh together, but not space mountain, how is the system going to allow to to book partial sets together and partial sets apart? Or do we book a set and then have to go switch the little ones to something else... but I suspect that disney isn't going to be cool with me sending my 4 year old ALONE on a ride because he was the only one with a fastpass. How well is that one going to go over for people who don't know there's a minimum age? So does my son get to be the only one with reserved parade seating? Or he gets to go meet a character but the rest of us have to wait outside? I suspect a strange little kink in the system and I hope they see it soon.

At this point we would get fastpasses for all of us and one of us could use the little one's passes. I don't think taking their bands to get ourselves on will be quite the same.

 

[DebbieB]

It seems to me there is mass panic and hysteria over this. Disney isn't stupid, we all know that.

While it's not been stated, I'm sure, they won't give out all fp timeslots online ahead of time, they will reserve slots for day of walk ups and/or fp+ day of changes. They want this to be easy for their guests, not homework and want to keep their in park guests happy.

Only allowing 3 a day total makes no sense either, I'm willing to be bet it's pre-book 3, then operation normal once in park. You get 1 per normal time period as is now.

They have spent $$$$ on this and don't want it to fail. Will there be kinks? Sure, but again Disney isn't stupid. I'm sure they have thought of every one of your questions on these last 4 pages and could answer each and everyone with a reasonable answer, they just aren't ready to do so yet.

They aren't trying to alienate visitors or stress them out, they are trying to make it easier. For dh and I we travel off season and can often go a day with no fp, but did spring break in march and know their value. I'd still not pre-book my fp. We don't like being scheduled and prefer to wander and stop and smell the roses. If we ride we ride, if we don't we don't. To me, we aren't the one's they are trying to help. They are trying to help those who are serious fp users. I think in the end, all of this worrying will be for nothing and we'll all adjust just swimmingly.

I don't agree. When it comes to IT issues, we know Disney has a history of serious problems.

 

[Lucia_27]

I'm wondering also about the logistics of the Magic Bands. We are DVC members and AP holders. Will we get a single MB to cover both? Since we go multiple times, I'm assuming that the same MB will be re-used, right? I can't see getting new MBs for every trip we take...

I can't wait to see how this all works. I love the idea of scheduling FPs for TSM and Soaring in the morning, but hate the idea that there will be no day of fast passes for when you just decide to be spontaneous.

 

[WillAustin]

So now If I want us all to coordinate and get onto winnie the pooh together, but not space mountain, how is the system going to allow to to book partial sets together and partial sets apart?

If it's set up like ADRs, it just asks which members of your group will be getting that FP+ experience. For our trip in August, we have some of our group at one ADR while others are at another. Shouldn't be a problem.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I was sort of looking forward to using the new system this December, but now I'm not so sure. We park hop nearly every day-I was going to use FP+ for the second park and just get regular FP for the first park, but now it seems I won't be able to do that? Why would Disney penalize park hoppers this way? It can't be this-I must just not be understanding something.

 

[Quincy Simone]

I was sort of looking forward to using the new system this December, but now I'm not so sure. We park hop nearly every day-I was going to use FP+ for the second park and just get regular FP for the first park, but now it seems I won't be able to do that? Why would Disney penalize park hoppers this way? It can't be this-I must just not be understanding something.

Yeah, it seems as if that won't be an option:

You will be able to modify your selected park until you use your first FASTPASS+. Once you use the first FASTPASS+ you can then only modify your remaining FASTPASS+ reservations at that park, and cannot switch park.

 

[TinkGirl28]

I think this whole Fastpass+ thing is the stupidist idea Disney has ever come up with. I have been going to Disney World yearly since I was about 3 years old and now I am 30. Over the years Disney has changed things and has taken the spontinaity out of vacations there. You used to be able to wake up, decide what park to attend, and get dining reservations that day. Now, you have to decide 180 days in advance what you will feel like eating. That alone made planning time consuming and difficult. Now we are going to be expected to pick rides and times 60 days in advance.....that is just crazy. Someone posted that Disney isn't stupid and has probably thought of all the what ifs, but I unfortunately don't agree. I think at times that Disney is stupid and doesn't understand the needs and desires of their guests. I venture to say if you are only allowed 3 FP per day with no ability to get them the day of, people will be highly upset and this program will be a flop. I also think they may loose people over systems like this. Just my opinion. If it were not for my absolute love of Disney, I might consider not going agan, but that will never happen. I will continue to visit and just learn to deal with another major change.

 

[bwang123]

Most of it is what we already know, just in a simple concise list. A few new pieces of info do exist in the article:
1) AP Band Replacement
2) Parking RFID Thingamajigs

But, the overall stuff on the FP+ and MM+ is what we already know (or, at least, have suspected) and WDWMagic's source is likely pulling from the same sources people here are (or heck, probably some of the same people ).

also, the 60days+10(for resort guests) similar to ADRs. There is the get people to stay onsite component.