FP+ From My perspective

[BeerMe]

First let me say that I've never used FP+. We were there three times in 2013 for a total of 10 weeks and had APs so we never did use FP+.

I used to hate getting to parks and running to get FP for different rides. FP+ seems a lot more efficient to me. I know tons of people threatened never to go back to Disney when FP+ was first introduced. Did anyone actually go through with that?

Well, we're going back for a month in February and I'd like to know how FP+ really works. We're staying at POFQ for the first few days so we can get MB and make reservations 60 days out. Then moving to offsite condos. We will not have APs this time. Thank goodness for military salute tickets.

So how do you like FP+? Does it work for your family? I will turn 70 on this trip and I still haven't slowed down. My wife may have to be in a wheel chair though. her back is in bad shape. I will push her. That may slow me down a little. I have a beer cup holder for the WC. I've done that before.

 

[msteddom]

FP+ worked very well for me on my last two trips. I am not a morning person, so being able to secure my favorite rides without having to be at rope drop is a real plus! I was also able to move my FPs around without much problem. I have been happy with the system so far, but I have not run into the glitches that others have. As long as the system works like it is supposed to, I will be happy with it!!!

 

[dobtia]

I will say first that I was one of those who wondered how good the system would work. I never did the "never to return" threat. I went on our June trip with lets see what happens mindset.

It was myself and DS (11) on our first trip post divorce. We have never had trouble getting up. For this trip we did Early EMH at AK and MK (once). We did rope drop at DHS and EPCOT.

I have to say my results of the trip put me on the FP+ is not so bad side of life. I had no real troubles using the website to make the reservations in the first place. I did tweak our plans several times and never had any major issues with changing times and attractions. Now I do have to add did not want/need the A&E pass.

In the parks we had no troubles with our bands at the rides and did not once encounter a line at the FP+ turnstile of more than 3 to 5 minutes. At DHS and MK we made extra FP+ reservations in the park. MK there was a bit of a line to make extras but not the end of the world.

There are some issues. EPCOT and DSH really really really need some love in the ride category. FP+ made that more obvious than ever before to me. They need to make the phone app where you can book extras. Things like that.

I think if you have a decent idea of how to plan you will be ok. At that plan does not have to be commando. But hey, just my thoughts......

 

[ms tom morrow]

I'm a big fan of FP+. We have never been rope droppers and hated running from attraction to attraction with legacy FP. I've never had an issue with my magicband, or with making selections to begin with. I have seen the MDE app "lose" some of my info (sometimes resort, sometimes FP+, sometimes my traveling party) but every time I refresh or log in from my computer the issue is resolved.

I do think there are some other growing pains... we like to park hop and would like to be able to select multiple parks in the same day from the app. It's also silly that you can't book the 4th, 5th, etc FP+ from the app, but I'm sure these things will be addressed in the near future. The other issue is the tiering, but that is really just the symptom of not having enough attractions in the first place. To me that's not a FP+ issue, but an overall park management issue.

Overall, the benefits of FP+ have outweighed the negatives for my group. Hope that helps!

 

[lilbuddy88]

I'm a big fan of FP+. We have never been rope droppers and hated running from attraction to attraction with legacy FP. I've never had an issue with my magicband, or with making selections to begin with. I have seen the MDE app "lose" some of my info (sometimes resort, sometimes FP+, sometimes my traveling party) but every time I refresh or log in from my computer the issue is resolved.

I do think there are some other growing pains... we like to park hop and would like to be able to select multiple parks in the same day from the app. It's also silly that you can't book the 4th, 5th, etc FP+ from the app, but I'm sure these things will be addressed in the near future. The other issue is the tiering, but that is really just the symptom of not having enough attractions in the first place. To me that's not a FP+ issue, but an overall park management issue.

Overall, the benefits of FP+ have outweighed the negatives for my group. Hope that helps!

I too am delving into the FP+ for the first time. So please excuse me if my questions have been answered before.

1. Please explain what you mean by tier system. I recall something before this system came online but honestly can't remember

2. If I'm purchasing fl resident tickets but we are staying at a DVC with a member who is not a fl resident will that effect the linking of the tickets so we can take advantage of 60 day window?

3. If I purchase tickets online how do they become part of the magic band?

4. Is the DVC member going to be the one to book the FP since the reservation is in her name. In other words how will they know that I am staying at a disney resort and can book FP at 60 days out.

Thanks for any help

 

[ms tom morrow]

I too am delving into the FP+ for the first time. So please excuse me if my questions have been answered before.

1. Please explain what you mean by tier system. I recall something before this system came online but honestly can't remember

2. If I'm purchasing fl resident tickets but we are staying at a DVC with a member who is not a fl resident will that effect the linking of the tickets so we can take advantage of 60 day window?

3. If I purchase tickets online how do they become part of the magic band?

4. Is the DVC member going to be the one to book the FP since the reservation is in her name. In other words how will they know that I am staying at a disney resort and can book FP at 60 days out.

Thanks for any help

1. I'm sure there are better explanations out there, but I'll give it a shot. Epcot and Hollywood Studios both use "tiering," which basically means that rides are sorted into "tiers" so you can't reserve FP+ for all of the headliners (tier 1) rides. At Epcot, for example, you can't choose Test Track AND Soarin', because they are in the same tier. You'll have to choose one and do standby for the other. If there were more headliners in these parks it wouldn't be an issue.

2. I wouldn't think that would have an impact to the 60 day window, but I haven't experienced that situation myself, so you may want to call Disney and ask. That said, see number 3.

3. On My Disney Experience (app or website) there is a place that shows all of your reservations and tickets. If they are not automatically linked, there is a button to "link tickets." You'll simply enter the ticket/confirmation/package number (whichever is applicable) to this section, and it will link them for you. For example, I purchased a package, so my park tickets automatically linked. However, I also bought tickets to the Halloween party and had to manually link those by typing in the number. Once you have tickets linked, you should be all set to make your FP+ selections (when the appropriate day comes).

4. Similar to #3, when you sign up for My Disney Experience, it will have a place to enter your resort information. If it's not already linked, there should be a "link resort reservation." MDE also allows you to link family and friends. Once you do that, you would be able to make FP+ selections for them as well, and vise versa. Note that you can also link your friends/family even if they don't create their own account. For example, my boyfriend is not interested in planning in the least, but Disney automatically assigns him an account because he is on the package reservation (resort and tickets). When I make ADRs or FP+ selections, I have the option to choose for just myself or him as well. You may want to check with the DVC member to see if you already have a dummy account like my boyfriend does. If so, you'll want to use that one and not make a new one... I've seen threads about the site getting confused if you are entered as multiple people in the system.

Hope all of that makes sense.....

 

[lroger01]

I have a trip planned for late October. I'll be going to MK 3 times on that trip. Due to the party, park hopping and other factors none of those times will be at rope drop. FP+ means I'll be sure to get on 9 attractions - hopefully including 7DMT - with short waits anyway!

I can also do AK on an EMH morning without using FP and then hop to DHS and ride TSMM, TOT, and Star Tours.

Sure the planning is a little more intense, but in the long run that is better (for me) than the uncertainty (will there be FP's for XXX after X o'clock?) of the old system.

I'm liking FP+, and will like it more when I can score a 4th pass via the MDE app - providing they find a way to ensure the person reserving it is actually in the park. Otherwise I think there will be too many unused reservations.

 

[scoutie]

I'm at Disney now, and I have had an awesome experience with Fast Pass Plus. I've waited under five minutes for The Mine Train, Anna and Elsa, Soarin, Toy Story Mania. We did nearly every ride at Magic Kingdom, and I attribute that 100% to FPP. It was very easy to get another FP after we used our first three. Our MagicBands worked, however, and I commented to my DH that if somebody had a glitch with their bands, I can see how FPP would quickly become less magical.

 

[rluey29]

I think they work ok. My issues are that now walk on rides like Haunted mansion and Pirates now have 20-30 minute waits.