FP+ Details Are Out!

[WDWBlaze]

The effort it takes to plan a WDW vaction IMHO seems to not be worth it anymore. And I was always a planner, with ADR's and Touring Plans. Even color coded speadsheets of hours, ADR's etc. WDW has become to much pressure.

Rather Spend my money at Uni and relax.

 

[bcrook]

The effort it takes to plan a WDW vaction IMHO seems to not be worth it anymore. And I was always a planner, with ADR's and Touring Plans. Even color coded speadsheets of hours, ADR's etc. WDW has become to much pressure.

Rather Spend my money at Uni and relax.

And nobody has mentioned the difficulties of linking family and friends together to keep that straight. And things don't work well on the iPad, and my daughters windows phone doesn't have an app. It is complicated stuff.

Not only will we have to book FP months in advance we have to coordinate among friends and family. I always go with at least one other group maybe too. It is mind boggling to keep it all straight.

 

[PrincessV]

And nobody has mentioned the difficulties of linking family and friends together to keep that straight. And things don't work well on the iPad, and my daughters windows phone doesn't have an app. It is complicated stuff.

Not only will we have to book FP months in advance we have to coordinate among friends and family. I always go with at least one other group maybe too. It is mind boggling to keep it all straight.

This concerns me greatly, too. Since we're local, we often meet friends and family when they visit WDW, but we don't know much in advance when or in which park we'll be meeting them. Standing around while they ride their pre-FP'd rides because we can't all get them at the same time sure doesn't sound fun.

 

[jade1]

The answer to this could certainly change the common belief here that late day FP+ slots will be the most popular.

A great point. We will still be happy with afternoon FP+ as we don't do mornings.

But for early risers and super users-this could work well for them if the case.

Reserve 3 MK AM, do rope drop and work around the FP+times, when those (or as they are used) are gone-start grabbing more where available.

Also the next question would be can you use up your 3 at MK-then hop to DHS and pick up any available there if you want.

 

[Shaden]

We normally use 3-5 FP in the morning. Afternoon break, then several more at a different park at night. "No bueno," says Disney, "You use too much." Okie dok, Disney. We have experienced a net loss of rides (and net increase of walking) when FP times started getting enforced. Then another net loss when EMH lost an hour, and dropped in frequency. We will experience another net loss when we are limited to 3FP a day. That is a massive devaluation of my trips.

Tell me why I work a second job to afford this, again?

A massive devaluation, and yet, they increased the prices on you, isn't that awesome !?

 

[xipetotec]

So I know FP+ is not live, but we're not going until March 2014, so surely it will be by then.

We're going with a HUGE group. ( 4 different reservations, 19 people ). If I, myself, go on MDE, should I be retrieving all 4 reservations to simplify bookings for everyone? Or is that going to interfere with other people's rooms if they create an MDE account?

Has anyone testing FP+ had experience with multiple room bookings?

 

[g-dad66]

So if I were doing the test next month (which I'm not boo hoo, I'm a have-not), I would assume that I could pull regular FP as well.

From the looks of delmar's reports today, starting on page 12 of this thread
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3142535&page=12
it looks like you're right for the present test at least.

 

[bcrook]

So I know FP+ is not live, but we're not going until March 2014, so surely it will be by then.

We're going with a HUGE group. ( 4 different reservations, 19 people ). If I, myself, go on MDE, should I be retrieving all 4 reservations to simplify bookings for everyone? Or is that going to interfere with other people's rooms if they create an MDE account?

Has anyone testing FP+ had experience with multiple room bookings?

Room reservations won't matter, but having MDE accounts for everybody and linked eligible tickets will be the key.

 

[Shaden]

pure speculation but i would think they know that and that the testing with FP+ and FP is more about a test run throught the system for purposes of seeing how everything physically works, not necessarily for seeing how crowd levels and availability are affected. At least i would hope they aren't actually thinking the double dip testing is representative of what will happen.

I also would hope that as they start testing with "FP+ only" guests, that the system is limited with overall availability at the same ratios tha the entire system would be subject to upon full roll out. they should be allotting the same ratio of FP+ per total # of FP+ testers and deducting that total number of FP's from the FP- system so that everybody is working under real life ratios

Digit I know what you mean, but I don't have the same faith in Disney.

Look at their responses already, "people are enjoying the system SO much !" ... "People are saving HOURS of time" etc etc ... they are already reporting "experience data" even though the system is still running with FP- at the same time.

Likewise, just as Staggs' comments were subject to suspicion because we don't know how they created their test group, if they had a control group, if they spent $100 more or $0.01 more .... because he is only going to say this is a GOOD thing, and we know that.

So too will be the data they tell us about FP+. They are NOT going to tell us anything bad, they just aren't. Even if the responses are generally, or even absolutely, negative, they are still going to spin this as if its awesome. I think they would also try and tweak it behind the scenes to improve it (I do know Disney cares somewhat about guest experience) but they will tell you its amazing, even if everyone tells them its crap.

 

[Shaden]

And nobody has mentioned the difficulties of linking family and friends together to keep that straight. And things don't work well on the iPad, and my daughters windows phone doesn't have an app. It is complicated stuff.

Not only will we have to book FP months in advance we have to coordinate among friends and family. I always go with at least one other group maybe too. It is mind boggling to keep it all straight.

Actually B, I mentioned it a long time ago, but I will repost my example below, it really is a nightmare in the making ...

The big solution to the problems of multi-party bookings that Disney has thrown out there is that you can "link" groups together, and can essentially book FP+s for your whole group.

I don't know about others, but Its not likely I would be willing, or I think others are willing, to let someone else book all their FPs, for themselves and their children, especially if there are differences in children, height, tolerance for rides, etc. If not, then basically we have to send out emails, like ok so May 2, John and Cindy Space mountain, 7DMT, Splash @ MK, Mid day, 5 yr/o Grace can't ride Mine train or Space, so they will FP Dumbo and Peter Pan and splash, 10yr/o Robbie will ride with Frank on SM, 7DMT, but doesn't like to get wet, so they will do Haunted mansion, Grand parents Lynda and John will Do Splash, and 7DMT but don't like SM, so they will get Dumbo, and Melissa and Paul will split their 6yr/o and 9 yr/o ... blah blah blah ....

Ok, now add into that the kids change what they want to do, who they want to do it with, etc etc. Now that's just for planning ONE day, and that was not even the whole day, trying to coordinate with a smallish group, through a single person.

What happens when people want to do it themselves, then you are going to get all those groups getting different times, etc etc. And nothing is going to mesh up.

This just sounds like an absolute nightmare for planning.

Let ALONE that you are supposed to KNOW all this, who (which kids, adults, etc) are going to do which rides, what days, at what TIME, 60 Days out !?!?!?

 

[Angel Ariel]

Also the next question would be can you use up your 3 at MK-then hop to DHS and pick up any available there if you want.

currently, disney has always said fp+ would only be available for one park/day

 

[MikeandReneePlus5]

Actually B, I mentioned it a long time ago, but I will repost my example below, it really is a nightmare in the making ...

The big solution to the problems of multi-party bookings that Disney has thrown out there is that you can "link" groups together, and can essentially book FP+s for your whole group.

I don't know about others, but Its not likely I would be willing, or I think others are willing, to let someone else book all their FPs, for themselves and their children, especially if there are differences in children, height, tolerance for rides, etc. If not, then basically we have to send out emails, like ok so May 2, John and Cindy Space mountain, 7DMT, Splash @ MK, Mid day, 5 yr/o Grace can't ride Mine train or Space, so they will FP Dumbo and Peter Pan and splash, 10yr/o Robbie will ride with Frank on SM, 7DMT, but doesn't like to get wet, so they will do Haunted mansion, Grand parents Lynda and John will Do Splash, and 7DMT but don't like SM, so they will get Dumbo, and Melissa and Paul will split their 6yr/o and 9 yr/o ... blah blah blah ....

Ok, now add into that the kids change what they want to do, who they want to do it with, etc etc. Now that's just for planning ONE day, and that was not even the whole day, trying to coordinate with a smallish group, through a single person.

What happens when people want to do it themselves, then you are going to get all those groups getting different times, etc etc. And nothing is going to mesh up.

This just sounds like an absolute nightmare for planning.

Let ALONE that you are supposed to KNOW all this, who (which kids, adults, etc) are going to do which rides, what days, at what TIME, 60 Days out !?!?!?

Nightmare indeed.

I think the obvious answer is you won't use FP+ or you will just wing it and book 3 for semi-convenient times and sort it out in park.

Or us them for fireworks and parades and what not.

I don't like it either but it is what it is.

 

[disneyholic family]

The effort it takes to plan a WDW vaction IMHO seems to not be worth it anymore. And I was always a planner, with ADR's and Touring Plans. Even color coded speadsheets of hours, ADR's etc. WDW has become to much pressure.

Rather Spend my money at Uni and relax.

we've been 'selected' for the test next month, but i've decided not to do it....

i actually sat down to see if i could plan our time within an inch of our lives, and i couldn't..
i'm not even sure what park we're going to be in on any particular day (other than NOT the EMH park)...

according to the FAQ at the MDE site, it says that once i opt for FP+, i will be blocked from the regular system..

now i see reports that this isn't true - but i don't know who's correct...

i'm not willing to take a chance at this point.

and in any case, i wouldn't know what to ask for anyways....

 

[wilkeliza]

To the person who asked about your CM friend. Currently we have no clue how FP+ and magicband will affect us. We have been told we will be included and most likely treated like APs. Trust me though when I say CMs won't be left out. If that was the case people would be up in arms. This is because its not jus WDW cast members who are local to Orlando but also DL, Disney Store, ESPN, ABC, Marvel, Pixar and all the other affiliates because many people who work for affiliate companies also have IDs and maingates.

 

[niccikatie]

I have two reservations linked and am customizing bands and making fp+ for both reservations. My parents and I booked two reservations through a TA. I connected both reservations in MDX and added my parents as "family members" to my account.

When the options for MM+ showed up, I was able to customize both sets of bands (our three and their two) and have them shipped to two different addresses (which I had to change from our TA address). For FP+, all of our tickets (we booked a package) show up under my reservations/tickets.

Mom and Dad have 2 day passes and we have 5 day passes. When I go to book FP+ for our third park day, it tells me that Mom and Dad have reached their FP+ limit, but that I can still book them and overwrite the previous FP+ selections. I could also just book myself for all the FP+ and copy my selections to my other family members (obviously, assuming there are still FP+ available for my selections - though that doesn't seem to be a problem during this test).

 

[jade1]

currently, disney has always said fp+ would only be available for one park/day

"currently"

Many folks are already getting bonus FP+ 4, so just saying there's a chance-and certainly trying to sell "hopping" could come into play.

May depend on time of year etc as well.

 

[xipetotec]

So I know FP+ is not live, but we're not going until March 2014, so surely it will be by then.

We're going with a HUGE group. ( 4 different reservations, 19 people ). If I, myself, go on MDE, should I be retrieving all 4 reservations to simplify bookings for everyone? Or is that going to interfere with other people's rooms if they create an MDE account?

Has anyone testing FP+ had experience with multiple room bookings?

everyone ? Or every "room" ? I don't see everyone in our 19 people party having a smart phone/computer or even really knowing how to use them. ( My mom has difficulty with a mouse, for example, and my nieces are 5 and 6 ). I would have thought my MDE could have my whole group so I can book fastpasses for everyone ( for a few attractions ) and dining reservations. Although, I'm probably just going to phone in the latter considering the group size.

I guess I'll see how it all works once it goes live... Sorry for chomping at the bit here. It's not even that I'm in the "for it" court for FP+, but since it's a given, I want to get on that and know everything about how it works.

 

[niccikatie]

I would have thought my MDE could have my whole group so I can book fastpasses for everyone ( for a few attractions ) and dining reservations. Although, I'm probably just going to phone in the latter considering the group size.

Based on my experiences with this test, you will be able to do the above. How it will work in the end, I don't know, but I'm able to manage MagicBands and FP+ for both my reservation and my parents. They've never even logged on. All I needed was my parents reservation number. Other than site slowness/tedious web design, I've had zero issues managing this.

 

[xipetotec]

Based on my experiences with this test, you will be able to do the above. How it will work in the end, I don't know, but I'm able to manage MagicBands and FP+ for both my reservation and my parents. They've never even logged on. All I needed was my parents reservation number. Other than site slowness/tedious web design, I've had zero issues managing this.

Great! The only thing that will remain to be seen is whether I can add them to mine, but that THEY can still add it to THEIRS. For example, my cousin coming with us will want to manage a lot of her own bookings, BUT when we are traveling in a group, ( which is certainly not always with such a big gang! ), it'll be easier for me to just book and keep track for everyone. i'll be curious to see this when it rolls out. Since it's coming, might as well make the best of it and get to know it as best I can before I arrive.

thanks

 

[Aljo]

I wonder what time the first bookable slot will be?

I was able to book both the Safari and Test Track with a return time from 9am - 10am