My husband didn't believe me about FP+

[Dis703]

We are booking FPs for October. The last time we went was 5 years ago, before FP+. It's very aggravating to have to plan our days 2 months in advance! We thought it was bad enough having to arrange ADRs so far ahead.

How can this possibly be a relaxing vacation?! What are our chances of getting same-day FPs? We generally hate stand-by lines. Are those as bad as they always were?

We've found the few minutes spent in advance to be extremely beneficial. While I wouldn't call a trip to Disney with 3 young children relaxing necessarily, our trip in May was by far the smoothest running trip we've had yet. FP+ allowed us to guarantee we'd be able to ride top attractions without having to make rope drop or stand in long lines. We had no difficulty adding a 4th, 5th, or 6th FP+ as needed once our first 3 were used. And we were able to cut the amount of time we spent walking, by planning our FP+ in a way that kept us in a particular area of the park.

I haven't read the entire thread yet, but as others have surely pointed out by now, you can wait and book FP+ the day of your trip and still get them for most attractions. There will be headliners that won't have availability by this point, but you still have the option of riding them at rope drop or at the end of the evening with shorter wait times. And depending on the crowd levels, even that may not be necessary. We found rides like Splash Mountain, BTMRR, and Rockin' Roller Coaster sporadically throughout the day with 20-25 minute waits during our last trip.

 

[itchin2go]

Sure seems that way at times, doesn't it? I think they care, I just don't think they have a good solution at this point.

I was just about to say this same thing. It's just not solvable now, so what's the sense in talking about it?

 

[BeachClub2014]

I was just about to say this same thing. It's just not solvable now, so what's the sense in talking about it?

Well I am not sure it does make sense to talk about it. But it's fun, informative, entertaining and gives me something to do at 3:00 am when I can't sleep because I am thinking and fretting about real problems in life.

 

[itchin2go]

Well I am not sure it does make sense to talk about it. But it's fun, informative, entertaining and gives me something to do at 3:00 am when I can't sleep because I am thinking and fretting about real problems in life.

Sorry! I meant *Disney* talking about it - not us. I meant that I bet they've had countless meetings about FP complaints/problems, and no matter how many hours they've spent hashing it out, there's not going to be anything done about things, so why should they keep taking up CM's time reporting, questioning, etc.

I didn't mean *us* talking about it. Hope that makes sense.

 

[Flight]

Wrong post

 

[larryz]

You just don't get to skip the line.

Nobody gets to "skip the line." Even the FP+ returns have lines.

If that ruins your vacation, you've got bigger problems than FP+.

There are those who assert that standing in hour-long stand-by lines can be very relaxing. But I didn't see anyone complaining their vacation was being ruined...

 

[larryz]

And maybe we should in the future consider not going and sell our DVC...but we are trying to work within the new system, we are trying to develop new strategies and there is a frustration to our plans that was NEVER there before, we enjoyed MANY things WDW had to offer in a way that was enjoyable to US. We enjoyed the things without standing in long lines, and now you are saying basically to all of us too bad so sad, and that is frustrating. Now all of sudden that enjoyment is not the same based on a system that THEY,WALT DISNEY WORLD created to supposedly to ease our waits, to make our trips more flexible, more spontaneous and when we use it and it is not, we as long time WDW lovers who invested our vacation dollars in this place, we are not suppose to be frustrated and disappointed when we log on at 60 days and cant get what we want . And we should just say ok so your marketing was less than truthful let me just go stand in this hour long line for Haunted Mansion with a pixie dust smile on my face. And ultimately we may change courses but in the mean time I would like to talk about the good and the bad of FP+ and try to figure out a way to go back to enjoying the place we love so much...

They have your money already... for the time share, anyway, and the yearly maintenance costs. I just wonder if that money isn't destined to "maintain" the top executive bonuses, though.

 

[BeachClub2014]

Sorry! I meant *Disney* talking about it - not us. I meant that I bet they've had countless meetings about FP complaints/problems, and no matter how many hours they've spent hashing it out, there's not going to be anything done about things, so why should they keep taking up CM's time reporting, questioning, etc.

I didn't mean *us* talking about it. Hope that makes sense.

You made perfect sense, thanks for the update. I was also just trying to keep perspective as well. I mean there are "problems" and then there are real problems.

I think eventually Disney will figure out a way to fix this dumb system so more of us loyal fans can live with it.

 

[larryz]

I think eventually Disney will figure out a way to fix this dumb system so more of us loyal fans can live with it.

Haven't we had enough "fixes" already?

 

[BeachClub2014]

Haven't we had enough "fixes" already?

Ummm, no. FP+ is still not a good program for a large number of Disney-luvin' vacationers and needs an overhaul.

 

[Lucius Best]

Haven't we had enough "fixes" already?

Agree, what can they do to "fix" the system that will make it better (besides the obvious fixing glitches and improving reliability/usability)? If FPs are getting gobbled up 60 days in advance, what's the fix? If they distribute more, that slows down the FP return lines. More tiers? No one likes tiers. Book 90 days in advance? More FPs, or early ability to book FPs for preferred rides/times if staying at deluxe/moderate resort? I don't think they would ever charge money for extra FPs because of how much they emphasize that FP+ is included at no extra charge, but who knows. Instead of releasing all FPs 60 days in advance (if that's what they are really doing), release them gradually over the 60 days, or hold some back for same day use at kiosks?

 

[GaryDis]

Ummm, no. FP+ is still not a good program for a large number of Disney-luvin' vacationers and needs an overhaul.

I'm seeing lots of people making assertions or drawing conclusions about the number of people who like/dislike/benefit/suffer around various aspects of FP+, FP legacy, and pre-FP. I haven't seen any data that can really back that up. Often these conclusions are based on what other people say here - which is hardly a statistically valid sample.

I don't know whether there are more people who dislike FP+ than like it, or vice versa. I don't know whether the complaints have reached the level of "let's keep an eye on it" or "we need to fix it" or "we need to fix it now." I don't know how the complaints balance against the surveys - if the complaints against FP+ are up by 5% over FP legacy, but the general satisfaction surveys are up by 10% over pre-FP+, then the large number of complaints won't be enough to sway things.

I appreciate the various opinions, as well as what people have learned about strategy under the current system. But I'll need more data before I can give any weight to assertions about what Disney must do or what aspects must be fixed.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I really think this is the system that they are going to stick with for a long, long time. 3 a day, kiosks, done. Which is probably why they are done analyzing customer complaints about it, other than trying to patch things for individual customers when things go awry.

 

[BeachClub2014]

I'm seeing lots of people making assertions or drawing conclusions about the number of people who like/dislike/benefit/suffer around various aspects of FP+, FP legacy, and pre-FP. I haven't seen any data that can really back that up. Often these conclusions are based on what other people say here - which is hardly a statistically valid sample.

I don't know whether there are more people who dislike FP+ than like it, or vice versa. I don't know whether the complaints have reached the level of "let's keep an eye on it" or "we need to fix it" or "we need to fix it now." I don't know how the complaints balance against the surveys - if the complaints against FP+ are up by 5% over FP legacy, but the general satisfaction surveys are up by 10% over pre-FP+, then the large number of complaints won't be enough to sway things.

I appreciate the various opinions, as well as what people have learned about strategy under the current system. But I'll need more data before I can give any weight to assertions about what Disney must do or what aspects must be fixed.

Well none of us have hard data. If we had to wait for hard data on anything Disney before discussing, we would never be able to discuss. Lol

 

[scrappinginontario]

We've visited many times with the new system and have had nothing but great experiences with it. Yes, it's a little planning 60 days out but nothing is forcing me to do that or keep the reservations I make. I love not having to rush to the parks for rope drop and run around gathering FP slips with a predetermined wait time on them. I'm in control rather than the machines and I like it!

 

[larryz]

We've visited many times with the new system and have had nothing but great experiences with it. Yes, it's a little planning 60 days out but nothing is forcing me to do that or keep the reservations I make. I love not having to rush to the parks for rope drop and run around gathering FP slips with a predetermined wait time on them. I'm in control rather than the machines and I like it!

 

[Robo]

We've visited many times with the new system and have had nothing but great experiences with it. Yes, it's a little planning 60 days out but nothing is forcing me to do that or keep the reservations I make. I love not having to rush to the parks for rope drop and run around gathering FP slips with a predetermined wait time on them. I'm in control rather than the machines and I like it!

Reason #1 and Reason #2, presented in order.

 

[crostorfer]

We've visited many times with the new system and have had nothing but great experiences with it. Yes, it's a little planning 60 days out but nothing is forcing me to do that or keep the reservations I make. I love not having to rush to the parks for rope drop and run around gathering FP slips with a predetermined wait time on them. I'm in control rather than the machines and I like it!

You aren't in control though, you are at the mercy of what is available in the system. In fact, you have very little control.

 

[scrappinginontario]

You aren't in control though, you are at the mercy of what is available in the system. In fact, you have very little control.

Oh but I am! I know that at 60 days out I can go online (if I wish) and choose the FP options that I want. I can say that for our upcoming trip where I selected 24 different FP+ options for our group of 6, I got every single one of the ones we wanted.

I also help family and friends book trips and can say with confidence that I was able to secure FP+ reservations for 3 other families this summer and fall too and with the exception of not getting a FP+ for Anna and Elsa for one family, everyone else got what they wanted. Multiplying 3 FP+ reservations/day x number of people I've helped book I've booked/help them book well over 100FP+ reservations and the success rate was almost 100%. How can you question if I feel I have control over what I do? I choose to feel that I have control because I'm easily able to book what I want. Please don't question what I choose to feel. You feel what you want and I'll choose what I want.

In the past I've been at the parks and by 10am there were zero FPs left for Toy Story...and I only knew that by getting us up and out of the room, going to the park, heading directly to TSMM only to find out the the FP options for the day were gone and I was faced with a 60+ minute wait. How is that better than a quick hop onto the Internet and within a couple of minutes I can see what's available and what's not? It's no surprise to me what I'll want to secure FP+ reservations for....it's the same ones I would have raced around the park for!

I know some don't care for FP+ and that's their honest opinion. All I said @crostorfer is that I like it and really, I'm not looking for you to tell me differently.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

You aren't in control though, you are at the mercy of what is available in the system. In fact, you have very little control.

Maybe this is the real David Copperfield attraction as it provides the illusion of control.