Why "We" Love FP- at Disneyland...

[Liberator]

Thank you for this thread! I am so glad that we can use FP- for our first DL visit in May. I like FP+, but I prefer FP-

and this thread is very motivating

 

[SeilerBird]

The quality of the rides, logistics, FP-, and the weather are far superior in California than Florida.

This quote is wrong on every single level. rothflmao

 

[momof2n2]

Great trip report. Glad I saw it before it was moved.
Wish we could go to DLR. Darn all those pesky, in-between states.

 

[tarheelalum]

Great trip report with excellent narration and pics. I wish more people did pics with their trip reports. It makes you feel like you are there with them. Good job.

 

[cakebaker]

Sometimes you walk by, not sure what you'll find...we crushed a kids's dreams...life's not always kind.

Not your fault that it was lost, but how sad for whatever child it was that might not have gotten to see A&E. Maybe the CM's took pity on them. I think I would've felt too guilty to use that one. Wouldn't have helped whoever lost it, but would've made me feel better. Probably silly, but I would've taken it to the CM at the m&g, just in case whoever lost it pleaded their case when they discovered it was gone.

 

[mom2rtk]

This was a true work of art, on so many levels!

Thank you for such a remarkable start to my Monday morning!

 

[VandVsmama]

I took this post to be meant as an example of how one could take best advantage of FP-, not as a dig against WDW.

 

[sets14]

I totally get why people love the old FP system. I really do. I can't wait to have some flexibility when we hit DL this fall. But here are my issues with your post:

1. I would be curious to know the stand-by times for those rides. Looks like you were pulling pretty instantaneous FP or close to it which makes me think the stand-by times would have been low. It's great to pull 11 FP, but if you don't really need them, kind of pointless. Like buying 20 bottles of ketchup because you have 20 coupons

2. For adults racing around the parks, great. For those with small kids who can't handle criss-crossing 72 miles in a week, not so great a plan and totally unrealistic.

Just adding some perspective in the mix. I think both systems have their pros/cons. For me, planning a one day MK trip this summer, FP+ is a great comfort in that I KNOW I can get my kids the 3 rides they most want without worrying we will miss one because of crazy summer crowds. For our fall trip, with 5 days at Disneyland, it's great to know we can relax a bit and go with the flow more. Each good in their own way.

 

[Astridia]

Loved the poem and the pictures. But I am really disappointed that you didn't take pictures of the queues with your smart phone. The date and time stamp would've been incredibly helpful.

 

[limace]

This was a fabulous post and reminded me of why, though I am crazy for both parks, DL remains my very favorite.

So thank you, and ignore some of the crabby posts above

 

[Mad Hattered]

I totally get why people love the old FP system. I really do. I can't wait to have some flexibility when we hit DL this fall. But here are my issues with your post:

1. I would be curious to know the stand-by times for those rides. Looks like you were pulling pretty instantaneous FP or close to it which makes me think the stand-by times would have been low. It's great to pull 11 FP, but if you don't really need them, kind of pointless. Like buying 20 bottles of ketchup because you have 20 coupons

2. For adults racing around the parks, great. For those with small kids who can't handle criss-crossing 72 miles in a week, not so great a plan and totally unrealistic.

Just adding some perspective in the mix. I think both systems have their pros/cons. For me, planning a one day MK trip this summer, FP+ is a great comfort in that I KNOW I can get my kids the 3 rides they most want without worrying we will miss one because of crazy summer crowds. For our fall trip, with 5 days at Disneyland, it's great to know we can relax a bit and go with the flow more. Each good in their own way.

We don't wait in 30 - 60 minute lines....ever. FP- worked wonders for us and therefore got to avoid those. We went and did other things until our FP- time was up and then "walked on".

 

[Mad Hattered]

Nah, Cakebaker. We don't roll like that. Finders, keepers...losers....weepers. Or whatever that little kid saying is.

 

[Planogirl]

I'm going to reference this thread when (if) we go to DL next year. We really enjoyed California the one time we went so I don't get our obsession with Florida.

 

[Planogirl]

Double post.

 

[agamble]

I totally get why people love the old FP system. I really do. I can't wait to have some flexibility when we hit DL this fall. But here are my issues with your post:

1. I would be curious to know the stand-by times for those rides. Looks like you were pulling pretty instantaneous FP or close to it which makes me think the stand-by times would have been low. It's great to pull 11 FP, but if you don't really need them, kind of pointless. Like buying 20 bottles of ketchup because you have 20 coupons

2. For adults racing around the parks, great. For those with small kids who can't handle criss-crossing 72 miles in a week, not so great a plan and totally unrealistic.

1. I don't think it's pointless to pull the FP. Some rides will always have longer lines than others, and those are the ones you need FP on. Notice he rode BTMR without a FP. We also don't like long lines.

2. Agree with this! We have gone to the parks without our kids a few times and we do tend to run around the park doing the coasters, etc. and using FP as much as possible. We do this because when we have the kids we have to swap on anything with a requirement (youngest is 2), and it's nice to finally ride together. With our kids we take a much more relaxed attitude toward park touring. We go heavy on the rides first thing in the morning (family rides), and we do use some FP later in the day. We also tend to see more shows, etc. We do use rider swap, but I don't find this convenient. It is nice that we don't have to wait through standby twice, but with FP it's almost unnecessary if you're going alone. And it still takes a lot more time than just riding once as a whole family. I can't wait until all of the kids are big enough to ride. At almost 5, DD is big enough to ride everything but Screamin' now, but DS is only 2 and may be able to ride Gadgett's this next trip. But we're also expecting another this fall. Everything takes longer with little kids in tow, but it also makes it more magical, so it's worth it.

 

[jhoannam]

Great TR!! If only this could be accomplished during the busy season.

 

[sets14]

This was a fabulous post and reminded me of why, though I am crazy for both parks, DL remains my very favorite.

So thank you, and ignore some of the crabby posts above

Not sure if you were referencing me with the crabby bit. Not trying to be crabby at all. Just saying that it would be much more powerful to say one got 11 FP and avoided 30-60 minute lines than to think one grabbed 11 FP and skipped 5-10 minute lines. Context is everything. I once grabbed 9 FP in MK on a crowd level 2 day. Spectacular? Not really. It would have been spectacular on a crowd level 8 day. See what I mean?

If OP's FP's got them by lines that were all 30-60 minutes, bravo! But we don't know without the whole context and stand-by times. That was the point I was making, not that FP is bad.

 

[YukonMommy]

LOVED your post, started my Monday with a smile and a laugh!

 

[grnflash]

Awesome TR Mad! So fun to read!

 

[minnie mum]

Really enjoyed your TR Mad. Whether or not you had to criss cross the park, and whether or not there were long standby queues, it looks like the 2 of you had a ball. Without the necessity of the hassle that is the FP+ system. Will everyone else experience the parks the same way you did? Probably not. But its nice to see that it can be done by some. Apparently some posters missed the "WE" in the thread title.

Heading to DLR for the first time in 5 years with DD this summer and am SO looking forward to using FP- again!.