4th FP+ is still a mirage Updated 2nd attempt

[MaryKatesMom]

Thursday we used our 3 FP+ in MK by 11:20. I go to the kiosks wait in line about 5 minutes and all the mountains are gone. The only other attraction I wanted was Peter Pan so I took the earliest available at 4:35. We went to GFC for lunch. The DD's decided to go to the room to work on their summer reading list while my DH and I decided to go to WS.

Here is where it gets interesting.

We go through the IG and I stop at the kiosk and explain that we are not going to PP rather we are here now. It is 1:30. The CM says I have to wait until 5:30 and I say No there will be nothing left. Can we cancel and she says no. I step away and try to cancel/replace on DME. I can get all the way to new placing the 3 MK FP+ with 3 Epcot ones not Soarn' or TT but I get Maelstrom as a choice and that is really what I want then I get an error message. Fine I go back to the kiosk and she asks what I looking for , the CM scans her card and there are no Maelstrom left. I said they are coming up on MDE. She says there are none in my system. I repeat they are on MDE a little confused. She says again they are not on "MY" system.

My jaw drops as I realize there is a different pool for the 4th FP+ than the 1st 3! That would explain why as soon as some posted there was nothing available for the 4th, That woul explain why there is an immediate reply you don't know what you're talking about I see everything available. Because they're sitting at home picking out the first three, not the fourth

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Updated with day two of trying to get a 4th FP+ Sunday we did morning at and were done by somewhere around 11:15 and started moving toward our only scheduled lunch TS Via Napoli at 12:45.

We get to Epcot, go to the kiosk by IG, which is now unmanned. What I didn't mention earlier was that the CM's with iPad's are now replaced with freestanding kiosks. Also, what I did not mention was that they had an update earlier in the week and there was a glitch in the system (CM's word not mine). When you touch your band to the kiosk the first screen asks you to pick the people in the party but it won't let you select anyone, it just auto selects yourself. The CM in MK said to ignore it, everyone will be there at the end. So I did not panic when it happened in Epcot, just moved to the next screen but was happy to have that information so I didn't have to leave the park and go to Guest Services thinking we were no longer linked.

There were two times available for Maelstrom this time. 12:50 and 6:30. Right exactly when we have Lunch and Dinner ADR's. I took the 12:50 but instead of a nice slow walk enjoying WS we raced to Via Napoli where they thankfully were able to take us early and we were done by around 1:30 and then went straight to Maelstrom.

1) It validated my earlier decision to cut back on lunch TS's. I am now reconsidering the Tea at the GF for next week.
2) I ddin't like the rushed feeling and missing the slow walk through WS and we couldn't wait in France for the photographer
3) I had already done the SB line for Maelstrom and the FP+ line is a constant stream. Instead of the SB line moving at a steady clip, it crawls. Before I would not have minded waiting but now it takes forever and moves at a snails pace.

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

Just reading this post gives me hives. This is so ridiculously confusing and not an improvement in the slightest. I am just hoping we won't ever feel the need for a fourth FP. The first three are confusing enough as it is. Terrible system.

What a joke.

 

[mla1977]

First off, you currently can't book the 4th ('plus 1') FP on the app or the website. You have to go to the kiosk or a concierge. That is why you got an error on the app.

Second, remember that people are booking and cancelling FP throughout the day. The fact that you "found" one when you were trying to do it on your phone means that at that instant there was one. By the time you got to the kiosk, it could have been taken by someone else.

Third, the CMs at the kiosk cannot cancel FP, even the Plus 1 FP. To cancel it, you need to go to a Guest Relations CM. They have access to cancel it.

 

[chapie1968]

Just reading this post gives me hives. This is so ridiculously confusing and not an improvement in the slightest. I am just hoping we won't ever feel the need for a fourth FP. The first three are confusing enough as it is. Terrible system.

What a joke.

I agree. I hate this system, simply because I do not like having to plan what I'm going to do on my vacation,day by day, hour by hour, 30/60 days in advance. As for how it actually works, that's another story. The system is buggy, and I'll see how well it actually works next month with our first visit since it was implemented.

 

[chapie1968]

First off, you currently can't book the 4th ('plus 1') FP on the app or the website. You have to go to the kiosk or a concierge. That is why you got an error on the app.

actually there have been some reports of people being able to book the 4th on the APP.

 

[Disneylover99]

First off, you currently can't book the 4th ('plus 1') FP on the app or the website. You have to go to the kiosk or a concierge. That is why you got an error on the app.

But she had already booked the fourth FP at a kiosk. I thought I had read somewhere that once you book your fourth at a kiosk, you can actually make changes with your own device.

 

[AmyB2006]

actually there have been some reports of people being able to book the 4th on the APP.

This would be awesome. Last article I read did say they wanted this eventually to be possible. So maybe it's random with "testing". Our favorite word.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

First off, you currently can't book the 4th ('plus 1') FP on the app or the website. You have to go to the kiosk or a concierge. That is why you got an error on the app.

Second, remember that people are booking and cancelling FP throughout the day. The fact that you "found" one when you were trying to do it on your phone means that at that instant there was one. By the time you got to the kiosk, it could have been taken by someone else.

Third, the CMs at the kiosk cannot cancel FP, even the Plus 1 FP. To cancel it, you need to go to a Guest Relations CM. They have access to cancel it.

I was standing in front of the kiosk. I should be able to cancel on the app.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

The whole system is ridiculous.

 

[btk2333]

Just a positive outlook- I for one think it's a positive that you were able to book PP as your fourth FPP, that wasn't even that much further out than legacy FP probably would have been for that time grabbing a legacy FP.

Also, maye if you had cancelled your 4th FPP at MK before leaving MK, you might have been able to avoid this problem.

Two lessons I'll be applying from your post:
1) @ MK the 4th FPP actually is useful
2) If I book a 4th FPP at one park and decide to leave that park, try to cancel the 4th FPP from that park before leaving.

 

[Suvadoo]

Just a positive outlook- I for one think it's a positive that you were able to book PP as your fourth FPP, that wasn't even that much further out than legacy FP probably would have been for that time grabbing a legacy FP.

Also, maye if you had cancelled your 4th FPP at MK before leaving MK, you might have been able to avoid this problem.

Two lessons I'll be applying from your post:
1) @ MK the 4th FPP actually is useful
2) If I book a 4th FPP at one park and decide to leave that park, try to cancel the 4th FPP from that park before leaving.

Great, more tribal knowledge added to my list of do's and don'ts for my next WDW vacation. Where's my secret decoder ring and secret handshake instructions?

 

[btk2333]

Great, more tribal knowledge added to my list of do's and don'ts for my next WDW vacation. Where's my secret decoder ring and secret handshake instructions?

www.disboards.com

 

[momof2n2]

Just reading this post gives me hives. This is so ridiculously confusing and not an improvement in the slightest. I am just hoping we won't ever feel the need for a fourth FP. The first three are confusing enough as it is. Terrible system. What a joke.

I agree. I hate this system, simply because I do not like having to plan what I'm going to do on my vacation,day by day, hour by hour, 30/60 days in advance. As for how it actually works, that's another story. The system is buggy, and I'll see how well it actually works next month with our first visit since it was implemented.

The whole system is ridiculous.

Nuh-uh-uh. We're not allowed to hate this.

Great, more tribal knowledge added to my list of do's and don'ts for my next WDW vacation. Where's my secret decoder ring and secret handshake instructions?

Amen.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Very interesting.

I don't think they are ever going to move the 4th FP to the app. For this very reason. The kiosks are a natual deterrent to even booking it, and they want to control which ones go out, which is easier to do via kiosks.

 

[btk2333]

Nuh-uh-uh. We're not allowed to hate this.

Of course you're allowed to hate it. The question is what are you going to do about your hatred for the new system. I prefer most parts of the old system too. However, the new system is here and it's not bad enough for me to not go to the parks. As a result, I try to learn enough about the system to enjoy my vacations, I've done two FP+ vacations that since legacy went away and they've been just as enjoyable as any vacation prior to the new system- but that's just my outlook on the situation

 

[JanaDee]

Third, the CMs at the kiosk cannot cancel FP, even the Plus 1 FP. To cancel it, you need to go to a Guest Relations CM. They have access to cancel it.

OMG, if that is true, that is absolutely ridiculous. *I* should be able to cancel my FP+ at any point *I* want to, either on the app or at a kiosk, not have to waste more time at GR.

Guest Relations should not have control over my vacation plans. SHOULD NOT!!

 

[Suvadoo]

Of course you're allowed to hate it. The question is what are you going to do about your hatred for the new system. I prefer most parts of the old system too. However, the new system is here and it's not bad enough for me to not go to the parks. As a result, I try to learn enough about the system to enjoy my vacations, I've done two FP+ vacations that since legacy went away and they've been just as enjoyable as any vacation prior to the new system- but that's just my outlook on the situation

I'm sure you're right, but here's the question. How much more time was required for planning your trip?

 

[btk2333]

I'm sure you're right, but here's the question. How much more time was required for planning your trip?

I can't answer this precisely; however, we plan basically by looking through touringplans and easywdw crowd calendars (prefer Josh but still use each) and deciding what park we want to be at each day, sitting down one night together and checking ADR/FP+ availability (both of my last two trips were booked last minute so we were within the windows) and making reservations and organizing them in an Excel spreadsheet. I would say the only difference that we noticed was the ten minutes to reserve FP+ and maybe three extra minutes at our dinner planning session to decide what we wanted to ride each day. We are almost always able to get the dining reservations we want, and if not we just keep checking as we go- we've always had luck this way. Now 7DMT and A&E weren't in their current demand when we went last so this time I'm glad we've book 7 months in advance so we can be ready at 60 days to book those.

 

[DebbieB]

But she had already booked the fourth FP at a kiosk. I thought I had read somewhere that once you book your fourth at a kiosk, you can actually make changes with your own device.

Yes, I did this in May. I booked PoC at a kiosk and as I was having lunch at CHH changed it to Jungle Cruise.

 

[Suvadoo]

I can't answer this precisely; however, we plan basically by looking through touringplans and easywdw crowd calendars (prefer Josh but still use each) and deciding what park we want to be at each day, sitting down one night together and checking ADR/FP+ availability (both of my last two trips were booked last minute so we were within the windows) and making reservations and organizing them in an Excel spreadsheet. I would say the only difference that we noticed was the ten minutes to reserve FP+ and maybe three extra minutes at our dinner planning session to decide what we wanted to ride each day. We are almost always able to get the dining reservations we want, and if not we just keep checking as we go- we've always had luck this way. Now 7DMT and A&E weren't in their current demand when we went last so this time I'm glad we've book 7 months in advance so we can be ready at 60 days to book those.

From reading your post, you were an Uber trip planner prior to FP+.

I'm not a big planner, so the new FP+ system does require more of my time, if I want to use it.