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

[jimmysmom74]

Hi HUB! Thanks for the great info. Question...Is there any insider info that this no KTTW with FP- access will spread to the other resorts this week? We are staying at CSR and check in Thursday, and my parents check in Sat. Do you think we dodged the bullet?
TIA, Tina

 

[myhouseofmouse]

Post #1 updated.

Thank you!!!!!

 

[basketlacey]

Clearly the goal is to keep onsite guests happy by pacifying people who complain enough with these daily cards. They didn't care when onsite guests were (and I guess still are) double dipping at the expense of offsite guests who didn't have access to FP+.

I dunno. What a mess.

This is an interesting comment. I was an ONSITE guess at two deluxe resorts in October and I didn't have access to FP+. Disney chose to phase the rollout and I was basically out of luck. Because we spent most of our time in the parks in the evenings, most FPs were gone for the day. I wasn't compensated for not having the same opportunities as everyone else. Nor would any amount of screaming have gotten me FP+ (at least I don't think so - I didn't/wouldn't have done that). We would have ridden all the headliners had we been able to make reservations before we left for home.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

Yeah, I can see this being an epic PR disaster for Christmas. Anyone staying offsite, and AP locals, will only be able to get ONE headliner FP, and only if they are at RD. Beyond that, folks are getting a ticket book with the E's already torn out.

But, don't worry, FP+ is going to reduce SB waits, so it'll all be good.

Meanwhile, savvy visitors at resorts besides POP will be pulling unlimited FP-s. OF course, everyone always TESTS to see if this works, but they all say they don't use them, so I'm sure that won't be a problem.

I've got to guess Universal big wigs are reading boards like this and others (except for the website that shall not be named that still removes any anti Disney posts), and are laughing their butts off.

Jason

This is the absolute BEST description of FP+ that I've read on Disboards so far!

 

[wn01aa]

Thanks Hub for your updates and information.

Do you know if they have finally closed the loophole of people using old room-only KTTW to gain FP- passes. I would imagine this is eating some of the capacity (probably only a few would be doing it though).

Thanks!

 

[derrickmom]

Sooo if I have old KTTM cards from when we have stayed at the POP can I use the for FP-???

 

[magicaldisney]

We use AAA to book our trip and I went to pick up my documents yesterday. We are staying at Boardwalk in 2 weeks. Anyway, this guy knows Disney very well (I have met some AAA agents that know nothing) so I started grilling him on this whole Pop thing.
He claims that this really is for just THE WEEK they said it was for. That they will go back to giving guests the KTTW cards as soon as the week test is over.
He also said it doesn't make much sense since POP guests are getting cards if they ask for them.
He also claimed that he did not expect anything major to happen until after Christmas and that we should be ok to get both FP+ and -.

So I do not know if he is 100% right or 50% right or not at all right, but I do know he usually knows what is going on.

This is how rumors get started and spread, from unknowing agents like this one.

 

[Planogirl]

I also want to add my thanks to The Hub for sharing so much information. Frankly I feel better being a bit informed rather than just wondering what in the world is going on.

 

[mikek]

...

One other point, this decision by the leaders at this attraction may backfire. Any "policy" that is basically "say the secret word and get something others can't" can anger just as many guests that don't know this unpublished policy and find out afterwards.

I'd agree long term (or even medium term)- but IF (that's a big IF) they are in a sprint here to get all resorts off FP- and onto FP+ then it might not be so damaging.

I guess we'll see but I'm assuming no FP- from our KTTW cards when we visit at the end of December. If they can get all the resorts to FP+ by then they MIGHT (fingers crossed) be able to tweak the current FP+ rules to allow additional FP+ once your use your first 3 pre-booked ones. (and if all resorts are FP+ and not FP- they can move some slots from - to + that they can dole out the day of.)

I guess I'll be an optimist here until proven otherwise (which could be tomorrow- lol)

 

[ArwenMarie]

This is an interesting comment. I was an ONSITE guess at two deluxe resorts in October and I didn't have access to FP+. Disney chose to phase the rollout and I was basically out of luck. Because we spent most of our time in the parks in the evenings, most FPs were gone for the day. I wasn't compensated for not having the same opportunities as everyone else. Nor would any amount of screaming have gotten me FP+ (at least I don't think so - I didn't/wouldn't have done that). We would have ridden all the headliners had we been able to make reservations before we left for home.

Ditto for me in August. Stayed at BC, FP+-less. Wasn't a big deal back in August, although I can see that October would have been a totally different story.

Clearly fairness, or perceived fairness, is not a goal of WDW right now with regards to any guests really. I do think that they would never give special cards out to non-resort guests like they are going with this POP test though.

 

[wn01aa]

Sooo if I have old KTTM cards from when we have stayed at the POP can I use the for FP-???

I think the loophole for this working meant you would of had a room-only with no ticket media attached to them (would come in handy for those staying at POP right now).

I originally had a day trip planned back in August but couldn't make it down. Never cancelled my POP reservation but I can see in MDE I was assigned KTTW cards (too bad I wasn't able to pick them up or have them shipped to me, lol).

 

[mikek]

...
Clearly fairness, or perceived fairness, is not a goal of WDW right now with regards to any guests really. I do think that they would never give special cards out to non-resort guests like they are going with this POP test though.

I dont think you can jump to that conclusion at all. My humble opinion is they are totally paranoid about NOT looking fair with Fastpass. They could have easily upgraded the old system years ago to monetize that but probably didn't just becuase it "wouldn't look fair".

WE ARE NOT NORMAL here on the dis. We're lovable but not at all your typical consumer. We know way more than the vast vast vast majority of Disney Guests. The typical guest doesn't know enough to see things are unfair.

The "FP for a day cards" are clearly their attempt to make up for any perception of unfair. If people mention to the CM's at the attraction that they think it's unfair they toss them a card to make it up to them.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I dont think you can jump to that conclusion at all. My humble opinion is they are totally paranoid about NOT looking fair with Fastpass. They could have easily upgraded the old system years ago to monetize that but probably didn't just becuase it "wouldn't look fair".

WE ARE NOT NORMAL here on the dis. We're lovable but not at all your typical consumer. We know way more than the vast vast vast majority of Disney Guests. The typical guest doesn't know enough to see things are unfair.

The "FP for a day cards" are clearly their attempt to make up for any perception of unfair. If people mention to the CM's at the attraction that they think it's unfair they toss them a card to make it up to them.

I dunno, I don't think they care about fairness right now. So many examples...as the previous poster mentioned, bringing on the resorts at different times. Then taking away the KTTW cards for Pop but not the other resorts. And of course all of the offsite customers who are find a really restricted pool of FP- on busy days because so many are going into FP+ now. On and on.

My point with the special day cards was that I don't think they would do something like that for offsite customers. I think that is just a temporary bandaid that has been approved for onsiters who seem really really ticked off. It's not an attempt to be more fair IMO.

 

[mikek]

I dunno, I don't think they care about fairness right now. So many examples...as the previous poster mentioned, bringing on the resorts at different times. Then taking away the KTTW cards for Pop but not the other resorts. And of course all of the offsite customers who are find a really restricted pool of FP- on busy days because so many are going into FP+ now. On and on.

My point with the special day cards was that I don't think they would do something like that for offsite customers. I think that is just a temporary bandaid that has been approved for onsiters who seem really really ticked off. It's not an attempt to be more fair IMO.

actually, you made me think about it more. And I totally agree with you there are LOTS of things that are NOT fair.

BUT I dont think they aren't worried about the perception of fairness.
Since most people dont know they have no perception.
For those that know and are ticked enough to take the time to complain they give the card- those people then think (Disney Hopes) it's fair enough for them.

 

[ArwenMarie]

actually, you made me think about it more. And I totally agree with you there are LOTS of things that are NOT fair.

BUT I dont think they aren't worried about the perception of fairness.
Since most people dont know they have no perception.
For those that know and are ticked enough to take the time to complain they give the card- those people then think (Disney Hopes) it's fair enough for them.

I agree good point.

 

[myhouseofmouse]

This is how rumors get started and spread, from unknowing agents like this one.

I agree, I too went to AAA after "The Hub" posted the test at POP. No one there knew anything about it and were actually giving out wrong info. Big problem though is Disney communication. The day I went there, Disney just had a Travel agent webinar on MB and FB+ and failed to give them any of the info on POP and As I said in a previous post, Disney themselves did not have the right info as 3 different CM's gave three different answers to this topic. Including a CM at POP guest service that told my TA that we would get a KTTW card to be used for three additional FP-.

 

[Planogirl]

I dont think you can jump to that conclusion at all. My humble opinion is they are totally paranoid about NOT looking fair with Fastpass. They could have easily upgraded the old system years ago to monetize that but probably didn't just becuase it "wouldn't look fair".

WE ARE NOT NORMAL here on the dis. We're lovable but not at all your typical consumer. We know way more than the vast vast vast majority of Disney Guests. The typical guest doesn't know enough to see things are unfair.

The "FP for a day cards" are clearly their attempt to make up for any perception of unfair. If people mention to the CM's at the attraction that they think it's unfair they toss them a card to make it up to them.

A lot of people who don't know much about the system would have to notice the FP- machines. They are so obvious!

So what happens if people staying at Pop notice them and try to use them? I would think that that kind of confusion would be worse than letting them know that they can't ahead of time.

Of course there is no real way to know how much people know about the parks or try to find out while they're there. My family members who have gone and haven't heard of the DIS or have asked me a thing all used fastpasses. I can only go by them.

 

[wn01aa]

I just wish I knew if they were rolling this out to all resorts very soon (1-2 weeks), if they are going to stop the POP test (not likely), or if they are going to wait till after Christmas to expand to more resorts (thus alienating POP guests for a month and a half).

Of course, I am not sure Disney even knows what they might do next, weighing how ticked people will be if they do "A" vs. if they do "B". I assume they want all resorts off FP- using only MagicBands, but they also don't want onsite guests to see offsite guests still using FP- and thinking they are being at a disadvantage being onsite getting only 3 per day, with offsite possibly getting more than that.

They probably shouldn't have started the new phase of taking KTTW cards away from POP guests until all guests (onsite and offsite) were ready to use FP+.

 

[The Hub]

I just wish I knew if they were rolling this out to all resorts very soon (1-2 weeks), if they are going to stop the POP test (not likely), or if they are going to wait till after Christmas to expand to more resorts (thus alienating POP guests for a month and a half).

Of course, I am not sure Disney even knows what they might do next, weighing how ticked people will be if they do "A" vs. if they do "B". I assume they want all resorts off FP- using only MagicBands, but they also don't want onsite guests to see offsite guests still using FP- and thinking they are being at a disadvantage being onsite getting only 3 per day, with offsite possibly getting more than that.

They probably shouldn't have started the new phase of taking KTTW cards away from POP guests until all guests (onsite and offsite) were ready to use FP+.

I know you aren't going to be to thrilled with this response, but most Cast Members, myself included, are glad that the double dipping is finally going away. Our guests obviously will not realize this, and we don't want or expect them to, but it has been causing us a lot of problems with being efficient. Between guests not knowing FP Return vs Standby, FastPass+ guest problems, double dipping, and DAS Cards, our wait times have gone up and our FastPass lines have been extremely long prior to scanning your band/FP Return. It was better, for us, when it was only paper FastPasses.

 

[lightningbuzz]

Also interested to hear back if the guest will actually get a kttw card that does pull FP- tomorrow, as assured by a phone CM, assuring the guest that it would definitely pull FP-. It will be quite interesting if it does actually work to pull those FP-! Hopefully the guest will report back!

Ok, so here's what happened upon check in at Pop tonight... They do not have KTTW cards just like you all expected and we spoke to a supervisor and their hands are completely tied. They are doing this test to see how the MB system works "on its own" without any legacy support. We spoke at length with the CMs and the only way to gain use of the paper FP- is to stay at a participating resort. There was a couple next to us with the same frustration. It was suggested to ask for assistance at the parks but the resort cannot anymore give out KTTW cards. Because we had no prior notice (other than Disboards) and because I had called gust services last night and was told I could "absolutely" get a KTTW card to obtain legacy FP- (and I had it noted on my reservation), they were very helpful in transferring my family to another resort. Pop is our favorite yet we feel like this is an acceptable compromise. Its too bad the front line Pop CMs can only offer to transfer folks -- we were fortunate there was availability. And really all we wanted was to use the same paper fast passes everyone else could obtain. Best of luck to everyone, wish I could have reported something more promising in regards to the testing at Pop being reverted or something.