Just back. Quick tip, for those going soon.

[lugnut33]

This is all in anticipation of the MyMagic+ system. You better be staying on-site and planning your rides 60 days out if you plan on avoiding those standby lines.

 

[Tormania]

I can see this being the new normal once FP+ is completely rolled out. I don't see that as a bad thing. It would just mean that people are being 'pushed out' of the standby lines and into the FP lines. Thereby giving them more time to not wait in lines.

To me, this entire concept is only hampered by our thinking that the standby line is the 'normal' line while the FP line is some kind of rare benefit. If, with FP+, we are all pretty likely to be able to get a single FP for every ride we want to ride and have the ability to wait standby if we wish to ride a ride multiple times, I think that FP+ will be a huge winner.

You do realize that if everyone is pushed from the stand-by line to the FP line then you haven't solved anything, all you've accomplished is rearranging the deck chairs. If they are handing out so many FP that almost everyone can use one for that window then everyone will be in the fast pass line and they might as well close the stand-by line then.

The whole point of FP was to provide a LIMITED number of passes that could be spread out across the entire day, allowing a certain number of guests the opportunity to do some other activity then return later for a shorter wait. Well if they triple the number of passes made available for a particular window then that triples the number of people in the FP line. And then if the CMs are trying to keep the FP line at a reasonable number (based on what they have been told to do) they are letting significantly more FP guests into rides then stand-by guests.

This isn't about whether the stated wait time is accurate or not because a large group of people got in line, people have said that it was taking 30+ minutes for only 4 parties to go through the stand-by line while tons and tons of FP guests were being let go. Where under normal conditions 4 parties in a standby line would almost all be on the next cycle for a ride in most circumstances. The reports from folks seem to bear this out.

I don't know if any of the Disney bloggers have historically tracked how many fastpasses are available for a given attraction but it would be nice to see how many passes are being generated now and how many in a given window. (For example say in Mar 2012 Soarin' gave out 2000 FP on a given day, 200 for each 1 hour window, then compare it to Mar 2013 and if it is giving out 6000 FP then that would help explain some of these reported issues).

Also, if Disney is not already doing this what they need to do it incorporate the known number of issued FP for a ride and include that into the Wait Time, cause they should know how many returning riders are coming back via the FP and that should always be included in the Wait Time posted for any ride.

I'm just hoping all these issues are sorted out before December and I imagine that they wil be, little comfort for folks travelling in the next few weeks and months though.

 

[growinupdisney]

This is all in anticipation of the MyMagic+ system. You better be staying on-site and planning your rides 60 days out if you plan on avoiding those standby lines.[/QUOTE




Won't be able to avoid the stand by's if your only allowed 3 fp a day

 

[DCTooTall]

Ya know... I Remember WAY back in the dark ages before FP's, the estimated wait times were pretty accurate. Most never even went super crazy.


Makes you wonder what happened that Disney has lost the ability to properly estimate the wait times. I know back in the day they could even use the ole' "add 15min wait for each switchback opened" logic to determine the wait.... which thanks to Fastpasses got blown out of the water.... But I don't see how it could be so hard to determine that if in the days before FP, "A switchback contained X number of people, which took XX number of minutes to get thru the ride".... and if they know the number of FP's they are giving out and it's percentage of the number of guests they expect to get thru the ride.... Then they can adjust the old measures and figure it out.

If in 1995 it took 20 minutes to get a line that was out to the building entrance thru the ride, and that amount of line space held approx XXXX people.... and in 2013 we give away XXX number of fastpasses each hour.... then in 2013 it should take XX minutes to get a line that is out to the Building Entrance thru the ride.

Has the reliance on technology to give a 100% accurate snapshot gotten to the point that people no longer know how to judge the line waits without the technology telling them what to do?

 

[lugnut33]

This is all in anticipation of the MyMagic+ system. You better be staying on-site and planning your rides 60 days out if you plan on avoiding those standby lines.[/QUOTE




Won't be able to avoid the stand by's if your only allowed 3 fp a day

It's 3 for now, but will be based on which resort category you stay in or how much money you're willing to part with to upgrade your tickets. Wouldn't be surprised if one level is "unlimited fastpasses". Imagine the money they'll fetch for that.

 

[DCTooTall]

It's 3 for now, but will be based on which resort category you stay in or how much money you're willing to part with to upgrade your tickets. Wouldn't be surprised if one level is "unlimited fastpasses". Imagine the money they'll fetch for that.

Which as an AP holder.... And someone who always stays offsite since I can't justify the Disney prices to stay onsite [and at current trends, won't be able to even afford it pretty soon]... pretty much means "Forcing to standby".


(also being someone who likes to go with the flow and has been on trips where I don't even know what park I'm going to go to the next day... the planning 60 days out just isn't a viable option.)

 

[ManyMinnie]

This is all in anticipation of the MyMagic+ system. You better be staying on-site and planning your rides 60 days out if you plan on avoiding those standby lines.

That's great, but my 60 day window has already passed.

I imagine Disney will be springing this Fastpass+ nonsense on people with a week or less of notice.

 

[wdwgirl100]

We were there Feb. 1 to Feb. 8th. We had the same thing happen multiple times. We were in the standby lines for way longer than the posted wait time.

I am very concerned about fastpass+ and how it will affect people on a tiered system. I am someone who stays offsite and will not be very happy if I am treated like a second class guest because I won't pay their resort prices. I guess we will just have to wait and see.

 

[Interrobang]

We were there the same dates and didn't notice this at all. In fact, we almost always waited less than the posted time. The only time it was longer was the backlot tour at HS and that was just a bad break for us (they cut the line right in front of us giving us another 10 minute wait).

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Did I miss the memo that said the FP+ would be a tiered system or is that still speculation?

These line reports are stressing me out!

 

[dadddio]

You do realize that if everyone is pushed from the stand-by line to the FP line then you haven't solved anything, all you've accomplished is rearranging the deck chairs. If they are handing out so many FP that almost everyone can use one for that window then everyone will be in the fast pass line and they might as well close the stand-by line then.

The whole point of FP was to provide a LIMITED number of passes that could be spread out across the entire day, allowing a certain number of guests the opportunity to do some other activity then return later for a shorter wait. Well if they triple the number of passes made available for a particular window then that triples the number of people in the FP line. And then if the CMs are trying to keep the FP line at a reasonable number (based on what they have been told to do) they are letting significantly more FP guests into rides then stand-by guests.

I'm not seeing how that's a problem. That just means that a greater number of people get on without a long wait.

I guess that my frame of reference is different than yours. You see, years ago, I worked for an airline. We would fly as much as we could, but it would be 'standby', which basically meant that we got to have a nice trip if there was room left over on the airplane. Many times, this means that we waited around all day (or more) as flight after flight would leave without room for us.

I believe that they are going to this methodology with the new FP+ system. Standby need not be where most guests go to ride the ride. FP doesn't need to be a perq for a limited number of people. The system can possibly be expanded to allow guests to get a FP for most rides that they want to ride. If they want to ride a ride more than once, they can hop into the SB and take their chances.

 

[dadddio]

This is all in anticipation of the MyMagic+ system. You better be staying on-site and planning your rides 60 days out if you plan on avoiding those standby lines.

Why would you need to stay on-site? MM+ is for all guests, not just those who stay on-site.

 

[dadddio]

Did I miss the memo that said the FP+ would be a tiered system or is that still speculation?

These line reports are stressing me out!

It's total speculation.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

I was there 3 weeks ago (MLK weekend) and visited all parks except AK. All posted wait times were very close to the actual wait time, and the only FP line I waited more than 5 minutes in was TT.

I'm not disputing the OP's report, but they wait times aren't ALWAYS off.

That's what I noticed Jan. 5-10.

FP returns were short too. There would be a 20 minute wait for a ride and a 40 minute FP return time. I've got plantars fascitis (makes it hard to stand in lines) so it was awesome to get a fp and then conveniently ride other things close by.

In the past, we would get a fp and have a return time 2 hours later. That meant that even if we did everything, we were still 1 or 2 lands away when the fp return time came back around. The new way was better.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

Disney has found that in order for a guest to feel like they have gotten their money's worth, they need to experience 10-12 attractions in a day. If they only allow 3 FP+ per guest, and the wait times are truly 45-90 minutes even for B level attractions, it is going to be very difficult for people to see enough attractions to be satisfied, and still have time to spend money on food and souvenirs. The guest had better be skilled at using regular Fastpass in addition to FP+, and lets be honest, a lot if guests aren't. Since the whole point is to improve guest satisfaction and get them to spend more money, Disney had better work hard to figure out that sweet spot.

 

[disEAR]

We were there jan 5-16. Did plenty of fastpass and standby. Never had this issue.

 

[tinawv]

The ride wait times are based on actual times through the lines with the red card. These should take into account the fast passes (unless it is right at 9:45 when they start). It seems a little off that the actual wait time is triple without some sort of ride issue.
I realize these are your experiences, but might these be the exception, rather than the norm?

Nope, they were letting 2-3 people in the standby line to 20-30 people with fast pass on the rides. I saw and experienced it with my own eyes.

 

[tinawv]

You do realize that if everyone is pushed from the stand-by line to the FP line then you haven't solved anything, all you've accomplished is rearranging the deck chairs. If they are handing out so many FP that almost everyone can use one for that window then everyone will be in the fast pass line and they might as well close the stand-by line then.

The whole point of FP was to provide a LIMITED number of passes that could be spread out across the entire day, allowing a certain number of guests the opportunity to do some other activity then return later for a shorter wait. Well if they triple the number of passes made available for a particular window then that triples the number of people in the FP line. And then if the CMs are trying to keep the FP line at a reasonable number (based on what they have been told to do) they are letting significantly more FP guests into rides then stand-by guests.

This isn't about whether the stated wait time is accurate or not because a large group of people got in line, people have said that it was taking 30+ minutes for only 4 parties to go through the stand-by line while tons and tons of FP guests were being let go. Where under normal conditions 4 parties in a standby line would almost all be on the next cycle for a ride in most circumstances. The reports from folks seem to bear this out.

I don't know if any of the Disney bloggers have historically tracked how many fastpasses are available for a given attraction but it would be nice to see how many passes are being generated now and how many in a given window. (For example say in Mar 2012 Soarin' gave out 2000 FP on a given day, 200 for each 1 hour window, then compare it to Mar 2013 and if it is giving out 6000 FP then that would help explain some of these reported issues).

Also, if Disney is not already doing this what they need to do it incorporate the known number of issued FP for a ride and include that into the Wait Time, cause they should know how many returning riders are coming back via the FP and that should always be included in the Wait Time posted for any ride.

I'm just hoping all these issues are sorted out before December and I imagine that they wil be, little comfort for folks travelling in the next few weeks and months though.

Well stated and my thoughts exactly.

 

[hollygolitely93]

It sounds horribly annoying!

I would imagine the are tinkering with thresholds to get ready for My .magic + or whatever it is called. I kind of get it...obviously they have to figure things out live and some of their calculations will be off...this is a typical lower time so makes since they are testing things now. Let's just hope they autocorrect whatever formula was used for a 90 minute JC wait! Yikes!

 

[lugnut33]

Did I miss the memo that said the FP+ would be a tiered system or is that still speculation?

These line reports are stressing me out!

Iger said so at a shareholder meeting a couple of years ago. That's the ultimate goal for it. It's going to be a huge driver of additional revenue. You really think they are going to spend a BILLION dollars (yes, I sad a BILLION) and not expect a huge return on investment? Well, you don't get that return if you just issue 3 fastpasses to everybody.

Clearly what they are doing now is changing people's expectations of what fastpass and standby mean.