FP+ (No More Paper Fastpasses)

[winegirl]

I was helping a friend at lunch today work on her WDW plans for this fall. She wants to ride the new Soarin, meet A/E and ride the Frozen ride. She asked what I recommended. I'm guessing all 3 will be tier 1 so she will be able to select only 1 of the 3, and the rest will be gone well in advance of her day in the park. I told her she needs to be ready to wait in some crazy long lines.

That is the one bummer about EPCOT; they are the only park with a tiered FP+. I'm guessing that the Frozen ride with be a Tier 1 too once it opens. I always choose the earliest FP's I can, then grab the 4th FP for the other immediately after ... we have had pretty good luck doing that and even at high season times like spring break. Another good way to ensure you get multiple tier 1 FP's in EPCOT is to choose tier 1 FP's on two different days. Day 1: early FP+ times in EPCOT, then try for the 4th. Day 2: late FP+ times in EPCOT and go to rope drop in another park so you don't have the lines.

 

[mom2rtk]

That is the one bummer about EPCOT; they are the only park with a tiered FP+. I'm guessing that the Frozen ride with be a Tier 1 too once it opens. I always choose the earliest FP's I can, then grab the 4th FP for the other immediately after ... we have had pretty good luck doing that and even at high season times like spring break. Another good way to ensure you get multiple tier 1 FP's in EPCOT is to choose tier 1 FP's on two different days. Day 1: early FP+ times in EPCOT, then try for the 4th. Day 2: late FP+ times in EPCOT and go to rope drop in another park so you don't have the lines.

Epcot is not the only tiered park. My friend is having in terrible time choosing between RNR and TSMM for their tier one ride at DHS. In the past they would have just gotten TSMM when they got there, then pulled FPs for RNR when they were done.

I never plan more than one day in Epcot, and if the FP system requires that I do, then I consider it a fail.

Plus, we don't park hop at WDW. If I have to pay for park hoppers now to make FP work for me, once again I consider it a fail.

Additionally, I think it sort of feels like FP roulette to schedule your FPs early in the day (when lines aren't as long anyway) on the hope you might catch a headliner still open when you are done.

 

[brymolmom]

Here's another one EXCITED NOT to have FP+ in DLR (hopefully won't be implemented when we go in August). I SO MISS the old FP in WDW. And my best guess is that most of those who love it rarely pulled 7-9 FP's a day with most/all of them being 'tier 1' rides. We literally never waited in a line more than 20 minutes...And it forced attractions that never had lines before to all of the sudden have huge ones (because they added FP's and because those who waited in the 2 hour lines before now are happy with one ride and will go to other things) - Like Great Movie Ride - before FP+ that ride NEVER had a line over 20 minutes...Now you rarely find it under 40 minutes. They need to 'give' something for a lower tier FP - so people who would never have gone on that ride all move in front of those in line.

 

[HydroGuy]

As others have said, WDW lends itself to in advance planning much more than DLR. WDW takes dining ressies 6 months in advance and popular choices fill up on that day. DLR takes dining ressies 2 months in advance and nothing books up at the two month point and in most cases nothing ever books up.

Using FP+ like WDW requires installing FP kiosks and FP entrance lines at all the rides. DL especially but also DCA just does not have the space for that.

Managing FPs for some rides using a smartphone app at DLR? That would offer some advantages and could work.

MagicBands? That would be cool at DLR. I loved MBs.

 

[DLRExpert]

FP+ is coming, but looks to be done exactly the way it is done today.
Day of Only
Via Phone App, Website, and Kiosk
One FP at a time (or 2 hour window)

I would guess eventually Disney hotel guests will be able to get it a bit sooner.

 

[crewsn]

Oh how I would love if this was the way at WDW. I really do not care for FP+. Our first trip with it a few years back I did. That was because no one really knew about it except for the planners, but now years into it and tons of marketing from Disney I really do not enjoy it. 9am park opening you jump in a line which should have no wait, but you are held up by people with FP+. Attractions that had very little wait before now see increasing wait times.

The pre planning down to the minute basically takes so much of the fun out of the day too. However this difference could be ok. It probably will be a wait and see what effect takes place much as the same as what happened at WDW.

 

[cheshiregoofy22]

Here's another one EXCITED NOT to have FP+ in DLR (hopefully won't be implemented when we go in August). I SO MISS the old FP in WDW. And my best guess is that most of those who love it rarely pulled 7-9 FP's a day with most/all of them being 'tier 1' rides. We literally never waited in a line more than 20 minutes...And it forced attractions that never had lines before to all of the sudden have huge ones (because they added FP's and because those who waited in the 2 hour lines before now are happy with one ride and will go to other things) - Like Great Movie Ride - before FP+ that ride NEVER had a line over 20 minutes...Now you rarely find it under 40 minutes. They need to 'give' something for a lower tier FP - so people who would never have gone on that ride all move in front of those in line.

This was exactly our experience last spring at WDW. I miss the good old days and I can't wait to pull those happy little slips of paper at DLR next week!!

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Here's an article about Fastpass Plus at Disneyland http://wdwnt.com/blog/2016/05/breaking-first-details-on-how-disneylands-fastpass-will-work/

 

[realrellim]

Hmmm. I could see a benefit if I could reserve FP on my phone for say, RSR while standing in line for TSMM rather than having to wait in the RSR FP line for a FP.

And I could see the benefit of not having to fight through a crowd just to get to the FP machine. That happened to us on the last day of our trip. It was wall-to-wall people pretty much from the time the park opened, rides were breaking down left and right and the DL app wasn't showing accurate wait times. We decided to go try Haunted Mansion (which the DL app said was only a 15 minute wait) but it was a 50 minute wait so we decided we'd get a FP...but that meant fighting the crowds back to the FP machine. Sure, it's not that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things, but I remember thinking then that if the FP machine was in the same location, it would have saved us 10 minutes. In the end, I parked the kids in the shade and reapplied sunscreen while DH got the FPs, and I think it took him a little longer because a group had assembled in front of the FP machine, not realizing it was there and he had to get some of them to move just to get the FPs.

That said, I won't want to have to make FP reservations in advance. Maybe allowing DLR hotel guests to reserve a WOC FP ahead of time would be reasonable (especially since they already let hotel guests get the WOC FP during EMH, and this would save the time of having to walk over there when nothing else is open), but otherwise I much prefer a system that allows everyone to keep the system basically as-is, but mostly paperless.

 

[Kender]

I would happily accept magic bands being implemented. I found them cute and convenient. It would be nice not to have to dig my paper FPs out.

But I will be furious to deal with FP+ or anything remotely resembling the horrible, limiting system at WDW. I've used it. I understand it. I can function with it. It makes me miserable even with a friend who works for WDW planning things out and taking the pressure off of me. I don't even want them to make them able to be made by app or kiosk no where near the rides they're for. I want someone to still have to physically go to a given ride to obtain a FP. I want there still to be some effort in obtaining one.

It's not about not liking change. It's about not fixing what isn't broken.

DLR's FP system is much more generous than FP+ because the latter relies too heavily on "being lucky" for times obtained rather than the two hour window or FP window (whichever happens first) that DLR's operates under.

 

[Phdmama06]

The system I'm reading about in the initial blog posts - same day FP+ - doesn't sound so bad. But if we're going to be using our phones to book and manage FP+ I do hope they get reliable wireless in Disneyland parks. My data coverage in Anaheim is pretty bad and I can't rely on my connection for anything. (Sure, I'm sure they'll have kiosks, but I really would rather not have to wait in a line at a kiosk with other guests with suboptimal data coverage.)

 

[MNtwinsplus1mom]

Here's an article about Fastpass Plus at Disneyland http://wdwnt.com/blog/2016/05/breaking-first-details-on-how-disneylands-fastpass-will-work/

Thanks for sharing this info! I think it sounds pretty good, & I feel relieved that it - as described here - is a far cry from WDW's system. I do hope they leave the number of FP attractions the same or close to it (so there aren't unintended consequences like at WDW, where rides that never needed FP have longer waits now). Then it looks similar to the way it works today at DL except - as fastpass runner - my feet would get a break.

Only real negative I see is increased dependence on cell phones/wifi. This could be a problem for some people as noted above if coverage is poor or they don't have smart phones (most do, I know, but not all).

All that said, personally I would be fine with leaving it as is. Loved "old school FP" on our first trip to Disneyland!

 

[sheetz]

I think it's a bit misleading to call it FP+ when it's really just paperless FP.

 

[agamble]

FP+ is coming, but looks to be done exactly the way it is done today.
Day of Only
Via Phone App, Website, and Kiosk
One FP at a time (or 2 hour window)

I would guess eventually Disney hotel guests will be able to get it a bit sooner.

This is how I've been envisioning FP+ coming to DL since it was stated there would be no Magic Bands. I think this is a fair compromise and will eliminate some complaints, especially with nighttime show times.

 

[ClaraOswald]

I hope that link above is correct and it's not much like WDW's system. I will be really annoyed if we have to plan our trip to the minute so far in advance. Or if there is a limit to how many fastpasses you can get in a day.

I am okay with paperless. And I am okay with not having to physically walk to the ride to get the fastpass.

But my cell service wasn't that great in the park last time.

 

[monorailrabbit]

http://www.wdwinfo.com/news-stories...disney-updates+(Disney+Updates+-+wdwinfo.com)

How do you DLR vets think this will work? I know MagicBands won't be part of this... really hoping this won't require me to use my phone, I like to try and unplug when I'm there. Any clue on when this will start? I have to admit I was looking forward to good ol' fashioned paper FP again... Interested to hear your thoughts! (Apologize if a thread on this was already started, I didn't see one.)

 

[Angel Ariel]

I don't necessarily have an issue with the idea of going paperless, as long as they keep the rules of the system the same. Same day only, you need to be in a park to pull a FP, 1 FP at a time, and can't get another FP until your window opens or 2 hours later, whichever comes first. I like to unplug at DLR too, but unfortunately I think the plugged in way is where Disney's heading. If they're going to do it, I just hope they keep the same rules of the system in place.

 

[PoohsFan1]

We are WDW vets and are used to the whole FP+ system, we actually don't mind it. However, I agree with the PP that as long as it is a same day FP like the paper FPs are now, then that's fine, going paperless is never a bad thing...hey, if Disney wants to start saving some trees then so be it . To be honest, even though we do like/are used to the new system at WDW, we really miss the old paper FPs, we really knew how to work the system, especially during busier times. We will be heading to DLR in June and knowing that we were going back to the "old way of doing FPs", was one of the many things we were looking forward to on our trip.

 

[Laz]

I do not mind the concept, but I do have a few concerns that I hope are addressed. When the park opens and people walk through the gates, they will be instantly glued to their devices trying to nab a fastpass. Will the wifi and/or the system be able to handle it? Will one person be able to select fast passes for the entire party and can it be set up before hand? Will people be bumping into each other and running into things because their noses are in their devices (sounds silly, but everyone knows that will happen)?

 

[FryingPansWhoKnew]

I'd prefer it if you had to physically walk to the ride and scan something rather than go on your smartphone. As the PP suggested, this can cause some minor chaos at park opening.

Also, I wonder if you'd have to have your ticket fully scanned in before reserving a FP or can you reserve same day before you actually enter the park.