[ADVISORY] WDW - MagicBand-Only Testing Begins at Disney's Pop Century Resort

[doconeill]

I know the KTTW cards won't be able to pull the fastpasses, but wouldn't a regular ticket card still be able to pull the fp-? Or do they not have mag strips on them anymore either. But they would have to, if day guests are getting fp- currently. Anyway, it seems like there would be a way to go to guest relations at one of the parks and ask for your park ticket to be separated from your KTTW. Unless that then messes up your dining credits or something like that, but it doesn't seem like it would.

The only "stripeless" cards so far (and we haven't seen one yet) would be the KTTW at the POP starting tomorrow. All others, including KTTW cards at other resorts and ticket media, will still have stripes for now.

It remains to be seen if Guest Relations will separate tickets now given the changes coming up.

Or you could just hit UT and buy extra tickets to use in the FP- machine. I wonder how well they're going to be policing the FP- machines?

An extra ticket likely won't work, unless you use it to enter the park, and that's a pretty expensive Fastpass ticket. Note that the kiosks seem to take some old KTTW cards, NOT random tickets.

Not sure how "policing" the Fastpass machines matters.

 

[notnothin]

The only "stripeless" cards so far (and we haven't seen one yet) would be the KTTW at the POP starting tomorrow. All others, including KTTW cards at other resorts and ticket media, will still have stripes for now.

I don't think it is going to be alternate media (i.e., stripeless) but rather media which the stripe isn't encoded with the typical information during the check-in process.

 

[doconeill]

I don't think it is going to be alternate media (i.e., stripeless) but rather media which the stripe isn't encoded with the typical information during the check-in process.

Either way, they could be considered "stripeless", although one wouldn't be able to tell the difference by looking at it.

Someone said they wouldn't have the stripe, which is why I took them to be "stripeless", but the original description says the stripe won't be active...

 

[Pooksie]

Just let me know when they start testing the ability to schedule 3 FP+ in advance AND then schedule additional day-of FP+ reservations on the app/in park kiosk.

I think that you'll be waiting quite a while for that to happen.

What I believe you will see is the opportunity to purchase additional FP+ reservations above the three you are given. Priced by tier of course. Eliminating FP- and using tiers is exactly what they would do in order to roll out a purchase system for additional FP+ reservations.

If they didn't do that, most people wouldn't purchase extras. But by doing that, they almost guarantee that people would purchase extras. Looking at it that way, it seems obvious to me now that the next step will be to start selling additional FP+ reservations.

 

[curemyreed]

Just cancelled my Pop Century reservation for Dec. 2-8 and switched to a different resort. We chose this vacation time so as to have the best chance at using the legacy FP system one last time before it is discontinued....and with the understanding that it may be discontinued before we get there. But as long as it is still available at an on-site resort, we will switch. We were FP+ testers and did not like it. We were able to do a lot more riding of rides grabbing FP-s each time the window to do so opened. Even with a smaller pool of FP- I foresee riding more using that system than just stand-by with 3 FP+. Here's hoping my new resort doesn't go the way of Pop before I get there!

 

[ArwenMarie]

I think that you'll be waiting quite a while for that to happen.

What I believe you will see is the opportunity to purchase additional FP+ reservations above the three you are given. Priced by tier of course. Eliminating FP- and using tiers is exactly what they would do in order to roll out a purchase system for additional FP+ reservations.

If they didn't do that, most people wouldn't purchase extras. But by doing that, they almost guarantee that people would purchase extras. Looking at it that way, it seems obvious to me now that the next step will be to start selling additional FP+ reservations.

I used to think this, but I'm not so sure anymore. I feel like they don't have enough (of the ones people want anyway) to have extras left to sell. I think the tiers at Epcot were put in just to spread Soarin and TT around to more people. Time will tell I guess. I can't even imagine what's going to happen when they let everyone start prebooking.

 

[robpa]

I used to think this, but I'm not so sure anymore. I feel like they don't have enough (of the ones people want anyway) to have extras left to sell. I think the tiers at Epcot were put in just to spread Soarin and TT around to more people. Time will tell I guess. I can't even imagine what's going to happen when they let everyone start prebooking.

That will come about when Avatar, Star Wars land, cars land, and Pixar place are up and runnning. So not for about 20 more years

 

[MakiraMarlena]

I think that is the truth about Epcot - they only have two major headliners that people clamor to get into, Soarin and Test Track. Far fewer than the other parks have.

 

[mom2aandj]

I used to think this, but I'm not so sure anymore. I feel like they don't have enough (of the ones people want anyway) to have extras left to sell. I think the tiers at Epcot were put in just to spread Soarin and TT around to more people. Time will tell I guess. I can't even imagine what's going to happen when they let everyone start prebooking.

I agree! there is not enough to go around. That is the root of the whole problem! I would actually love to be wrong and have them roll out paid extra FP in time for our trip in march. I've already sunk thousand of dollars into airfare, hotel and park tickets. What's a bit more for some FPs! But I don't think that's the plan. The plan is to ration rides since they haven't increased capacity.

 

[momimouse27]

Well, I'm going to stick with POP, I guess. I may regret it, but my kids were set on it. They don't want anywhere else. Crossing my fingers and hoping that in following the crowd calendars and seeing the low numbers for the crowds maybe we won't need any FP.

 

[Shaden]

Was this really ever a question or a doubt? Disney has always said FP- will be going the way of the dodo bird.

Oh yes, I have been in some heated debates about the fact that FP- would still be around ... while I attempted to point out the obviousness that was the reality they would disappear.

Just wish I could get some apologies

 

[Shaden]

Well, I'm going to stick with POP, I guess. I may regret it, but my kids were set on it. They don't want anywhere else. Crossing my fingers and hoping that in following the crowd calendars and seeing the low numbers for the crowds maybe we won't need any FP.

Keep in mind crowd calendars have already been skewed by FP+ bookings ... but I HOPE for the best for you and yours !!!

 

[Aunt Michelle]

Keep in mind crowd calendars have already been skewed by FP+ bookings ... but I HOPE for the best for you and yours !!!

So people are going to DHS on a particular day instead of MK that day because they pre-booked their FP+? I think I'm missing a piece.

 

[Shaden]

So people are going to DHS on a particular day instead of MK that day because they pre-booked their FP+? I think I'm missing a piece.

Thats the theory anyway ... I am not sure how BIG of an effect its having right now, but you can imagine that as FP+ rolls out to more people this will have a much increased impact. There have just been a few reports during some of the testing that the crowd calendars haven't been as accurate, and we have seen stuff like Soarin and TT booking almost completely by 10am on "non busy" days.

If you go to book your MK FP+ for your first day, and can't get any of the headliners you want (or attractions in general) but you CAN book the ones you want at a different park, you will change up your park rotation.

 

[pigletto]

Oh yes, I have been in some heated debates about the fact that FP- would still be around ... while I attempted to point out the obviousness that was the reality they would disappear.

Just wish I could get some apologies

Well at very least, we aren't the ones sitting here with our mouths hanging open. I don't think anyone wins here, but there are some of us who accepted this reality some time ago. I'd hate to be 2 or 3 weeks out from my trip and to find this news completely shocking.

 

[Aunt Michelle]

Thats the theory anyway ... I am not sure how BIG of an effect its having right now, but you can imagine that as FP+ rolls out to more people this will have a much increased impact. There have just been a few reports during some of the testing that the crowd calendars haven't been as accurate, and we have seen stuff like Soarin and TT booking almost completely by 10am on "non busy" days. If you go to book your MK FP+ for your first day, and can't get any of the headliners you want (or attractions in general) but you CAN book the ones you want at a different park, you will change up your park rotation.

I absolutely can see folks changing their minds on parks in that situation, I agree. However, we aren't close to "full-capacity" from a pre-booking standpoint, certainly weren't in October. I just linked my ticket a scant 30 days out from my week before Christmas and even at half the pre-book limit I could pick whatever FP+ I wanted with multiple desirable time slots. IMO... the "wackiness" of the crowd calendars has very little to do with FP+ at this stage. The number of people needing to switch their preferred park due to FP+ would have to be sizable to negate historical crowd formulas.

 

[xie]

Unless you got a discount deal of some kind that required you to buy room/tickets to get free dining or whatever... there's no need to cancel a Pop reservation and move it elsewhere. Just take the park tickets off your reservation completely, pay for your room and DDP if you have that, then go pay cash for a paper ticket at the gate. They don't know where you're sleeping, and you don't have to tell them. Then you can FP- all you want with your paper "offsite guest" tickets.

 

[glk2009]

Unless you got a discount deal of some kind that required you to buy room/tickets to get free dining or whatever... there's no need to cancel a Pop reservation and move it elsewhere. Just take the park tickets off your reservation completely, pay for your room and DDP if you have that, then go pay cash for a paper ticket at the gate. They don't know where you're sleeping, and you don't have to tell them. Then you can FP- all you want with your paper "offsite guest" tickets.

Can you cancel your tickets so close to your check-in date and if your package is already paid off?

 

[su_A_ve]

So for example, I'd be out of getting any type of FP for both soarin and test track. Since nov 1st you can only pick one and not the other.

Or would have to use FP+ on two days on Epcot. It blows. The next expansion should have been linking hoppers and allow to switch parks if you have them.

 

[momimouse27]

I absolutely can see folks changing their minds on parks in that situation, I agree. However, we aren't close to "full-capacity" from a pre-booking standpoint, certainly weren't in October. I just linked my ticket a scant 30 days out from my week before Christmas and even at half the pre-book limit I could pick whatever FP+ I wanted with multiple desirable time slots. IMO... the "wackiness" of the crowd calendars has very little to do with FP+ at this stage. The number of people needing to switch their preferred park due to FP+ would have to be sizable to negate historical crowd formulas.

I agree. If it were a peak time, I'd be concerned. But even if the park choice for the day were skewed based on FP+, it wouldn't effect the crowd level. I think the highest for my stay is 5 and the other days are 2 and 3's. I'll just roll with it and take my chances. Whenever we have to wait in massive lines, our de facto strategy is wait til near park closing. That seems to work often.