All FP machines to be removed from Animal Kingdom by next week and....

[mom2rtk]

Well now I am going to have to design a cookie cover....back to the drawing board. Perhaps a chocolotterbox?

You have an answer to everything, don't you?

 

[jimmysmom74]

I will go on the record with a GUARANTEE that the expectation of WDW is not to have every offsite guest use a kiosk to schedule FP+ day of. That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. It is a small test group. The MDE app is designed to be used by all guests at some point. And there is no reason offsite guest won't be making prescheduled FP+ also, just like AP holders can. It is only logical.

 

[Mkrop]

I am sooooo glad our trip was last week.

Good luck to all those traveling during this whole rollout debacle!

I have friends going in Jan, they stay offsite bc they are a family of 6. They are seasoned WDW goers. My friend has no clue expect for what I tell her is going on, she is not on any sites, doesnt feel like she needs to be bc she knows the place. In fact she called me to ask if there were any new restaurants to try since she has been there. I called her and told her to book her ADRs before the CC hold. She was grateful for my call.

I could totally see someone like her walking into AK totally blind, having a plan, and having that plan blown to bits by having to book FPs at a kiosk and waste time doing that, instead of riding rides at rope drop

 

[kittyab]

re: Data roaming fees.

I live in Canada. I turned off my data plan before I entered the US. I used the wifi at Disney for my phone, tablet & laptop.

 

[clsteve]

Well now I am going to have to design a cookie cover....back to the drawing board. Perhaps a chocolotterbox?

It provides a service, and is the epitome of green technology - my kids can dispose of it in the standby line once the battery dies. Two

 

[wisblue]

I will go on the record with a GUARANTEE that the expectation of WDW is not to have every offsite guest use a kiosk to schedule FP+ day of. That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. It is a small test group. The MDE app is designed to be used by all guests at some point. And there is no reason offsite guest won't be making prescheduled FP+ also, just like AP holders can. It is only logical.

I wouldn't guarantee it, but I agree. At some point I would expect offsite guests to be able to set up accounts on MDE, link their tickets and make FP+ reservations. Maybe they won't be able to make those reservations as early as 60 days out, or maybe they won't get as many as on site guests, but they won't have to wait until they get to the park.

One difference is that if they aren't booking a room through Disney, they probably won't be getting the same prods from Disney to make their reservations. They'll have to rely on their travel agents or their own research to know that they can make those reservations.

 

[jimmysmom74]

I wouldn't guarantee it, but I agree. At some point I would expect offsite guests to be able to set up accounts on MDE, link their tickets and make FP+ reservations. Maybe they won't be able to make those reservations as early as 60 days out, or maybe they won't get as many as on site guests, but they won't have to wait until they get to the park.

One difference is that if they aren't booking a room through Disney, they probably won't be getting the same prods from Disney to make their reservations. They'll have to rely on their travel agents or their own research to know that they can make those reservations.

Agreed, they will definitely have to be some amount of decrease in benefit from the onsite and AP level. But they do not want to loss the offsite guests either. And by locking them into plans, they can insure that they know when they will be visiting. I was trying to use an element of drama. Lol. Since the boards have been very over the top lately...maybe too much.

 

[kittyab]

Anyone can set up an account, but how do you access that at the gate?

FP picks are not easy to do on my laptop, I wouldn't dream to try to do that on my phone.

 

[michelle06]

I thought the original My Disaster Experience plans were:
On site guests 2 or 3 months out.
Annual Passholders - limited to a certain number of uses per quarter
Off site - walk up and use kiosk. There's no way an offsite guest can join MDE.

This is not true. I am an offsite guest and used MDE to book my ADRs. It also gave me the option to link my tickets to see if I am eligible for FP+. Knowing that I am not, I did not link them as I didn't want to just see what happens given the glitches and issues. However, I do have access to MDE and do not have any resort or package booked.

 

[OKW Lover]

I am sooooo glad our trip was last week.

Good luck to all those traveling during this whole rollout debacle!

Umm, did you realize that the whole rollout debacle was already going on when you visited last week?

 

[magicbob]

So, once an attraction and time (up to 3 choices) has been determined at the FP+ kiosk, there will need to be some kind of "hard copy" of the choices and times given to the guest(s.)

Otherwise, how will they remember their attractions and return times?

Maybe they could develop a machine that would spit out a little ticket with their time printed on it. Oh, wait. Nevermind.

After reading all these posts and contemplating what will happen once all the paper kiosk are gone a question came to mind. In the past you have had to physically walk up to the kiosk to get your FP, this has it's own built-in "curb" and only rides like TSM are out almost immediately. Now people will be able to book FPs way in advance without having to step foot in the parks. Question: Won't this create many situations where there won't be ANY FPs available on many of the headliners on the day you enter the park? I realize this won't be a huge issue for those who plan their trips way in advance but folks like me who live fairly close often don't plan a trip much more than a week or two away it seems like it will be a major issue.

That's what many of us have been saying since day one.

I would compare this to participating in a message board that is supposedly designed to discuss NFL football, but that ends up getting taken over by Bears fans. As much as someone might want to make a point about the Packers or Lions or another team, he's going to give up on that when the only response he gets is "Your team**** and you ****".

So, while you all count your numbers and congratulate yourselves on winning the debate, maybe you should think about whether you have stated a better case or simply shouted down the opposing viewpoint.

Interesting take. Many of us "doom & gloomers" feel that we're merely being realistic and have been "shouted down" for daring to be "negative Nellies."

Three days is not nearly enough to change plans.

Precisely. Now you're getting it!

Several factors will reduce demand for FP+.

Several factors will likely increase demand for FP+ exponentially (e.g., massive marketing of this great new perk, availability to ALL guests and not just select "test" resorts, etc.).

I don't know and neither do you.

You're perfectly free to make your guesses and predictions. Just recognize that that is what they are.

I just don't understand the "we just don't know" approach (and despite quoting wisblue twice, I'm not singling out an individual... I've seen a number of similar sentiments. Those quotes were just handy illustrations).

None of us KNOWS that the sun is going to rise tomorrow morning. But based on knowledge and experience, such a "guess" or "prediction" is more than wild speculation. It's true that we won't know with 100% certainty until after the fact (hindsight being 20/20 and all). But to say that anything less than 100% certainty is an invalid conclusion ignores the mountains of evidence pointing to a likely outcome.

 

[rebbyparker]

Maybe they could develop a machine that would spit out a little ticket with their time printed on it. Oh, wait. Nevermind.

That's what many of us have been saying since day one.

Interesting take. Many of us "doom & gloomers" feel that we're merely being realistic and have been "shouted down" for daring to be "negative Nellies."

Precisely. Now you're getting it!

Several factors will likely increase demand for FP+ exponentially (e.g., massive marketing of this great new perk, availability to ALL guests and not just select "test" resorts, etc.).

I just don't understand the "we just don't know" approach (and despite quoting wisblue twice, I'm not singling out an individual... I've seen a number of similar sentiments. Those quotes were just handy illustrations).

None of us KNOWS that the sun is going to rise tomorrow morning. But based on knowledge and experience, such a "guess" or "prediction" is more than wild speculation. It's true that we won't know with 100% certainty until after the fact (hindsight being 20/20 and all). But to say that anything less than 100% certainty is an invalid conclusion ignores the mountains of evidence pointing to a likely outcome.

Wow, you're spot on tonight! Happy Friday!

 

[Mkrop]

Umm, did you realize that the whole rollout debacle was already going on when you visited last week?

Yes but it was limited to the Pop and AStar guests...we were spared at AKL and BW and for that I am grateful, I felt bad for those guests last week.

But this is a different level of rollout in a whole park, I think that AK is going to be a complete diaster.

 

[sammatt]

But this is a different level of rollout in a whole park, I think that AK is going to be a complete diaster.

I'm hoping it's such a disaster that they don't do anything else quite yet. (We arrive 12/27.) Of course, how things actually work doesn't seem to be determining their decision making.

 

[Mkrop]

I'm hoping it's such a disaster that they don't do anything else quite yet. (We arrive 12/27.) Of course, how things actually work doesn't seem to be determining their decision making.

And the reason I see this as having the potential to be diaster is bc they are trying this as a super busy time with many guests who are not in the know and then you are going to hold them up getting into the park so they can pick FPs. Most resort guests got emails and picked stuff before leaving home and if they didnt most checked into their resort before going to a park (I know not all) where you have more time to explain the process to folks than you do at the gates of AK in the morning.

 

[Laketravis]

I'm hoping it's such a disaster that they don't do anything else quite yet. (We arrive 12/27.) Of course, how things actually work doesn't seem to be determining their decision making.

Honestly, they may have wanted this to happen during a busy period - the best time to load test something is with an actual load.

 

[momof2n2]

If I had to choose right now between having a root canal next week or going to WDW...

Except that the people watching might get a whole lot more interesting.

You know what is crazy, to boot? I have friends who *think* I'm a Disney expert because we "go all the time." Folks that always ask if we're planning a trip, etc. So as if late the conversation begins and I just get tongue-tied trying to explain the mess that is unfolding. People who have never gone, or have gone once and see WDW as this HUGE, magical business ASSUME WDW has to be at the top of the game technology wise. They imagine Steve Jobs types in IT, etc. They picture top notch management teams, etc.

What we get is Homer Simpson and Barney Fife.

Wait. Homer's somewhere else and he's better organized.

 

[bcrook]

This is all interesting. Disney Animal Kingdom has the least amount of FP capacity of all four parks. A liberal estimate has a Grand Total of 77,000 total FP to distribute in a day.

Over 11,000 of those are for Kali - Do people ride that in December? I sure wouldn't do it.

It only takes about 25,000 guests to book every single slot for everything.

Average Attendance at DAK is about 28,000. So during the busy times 35,000-45,000?

Interesting that with NO tiers at this park, the limited numbers of FP will go much more quickly. With estimated total FP distribution for Expedition Everest at 11,500 and Kilimanjaro Safaris at 8800 - it only takes 11,500 to eat up all of those rides - approximately 1/4 of the population.

Off site guests waiting until the day of, would be deciding between using those FP+ on the Nemo show and Dinosaur I guess. I used mine in October on Tough to Be a Bug, Dinosaur and of course Kilimanjaro Safaris. Only the Safari was helpful.

I think in the future, Kilimanjaro Safaris will be one of the FP+ that books up way in advance. It is good for the entire family and always popular.

 

[Mad Hattered]

This is all interesting. Disney Animal Kingdom has the least amount of FP capacity of all four parks. A liberal estimate has a Grand Total of 77,000 total FP to distribute in a day.

Over 11,000 of those are for Kali - Do people ride that in December? I sure wouldn't do it.

It only takes about 25,000 guests to book every single slot for everything.

Average Attendance at DAK is about 28,000. So during the busy times 35,000-45,000?

Interesting that with NO tiers at this park, the limited numbers of FP will go much more quickly. With estimated total FP distribution for Expedition Everest at 11,500 and Kilimanjaro Safaris at 8800 - it only takes 11,500 to eat up all of those rides - approximately 1/4 of the population.

Off site guests waiting until the day of, would be deciding between using those FP+ on the Nemo show and Dinosaur I guess. I used mine in October on Tough to Be a Bug, Dinosaur and of course Kilimanjaro Safaris. Only the Safari was helpful.

I think in the future, Kilimanjaro Safaris will be one of the FP+ that books up way in advance. It is good for the entire family and always popular.

Now, see....I love that bcrook lays it out like that (as he has multiple times). Some can figure it out for themselves using common sense, whereas others seem to forget there is this thing called basic math. I swear, I just want to sit some of these people down, give them a giant pencil (like some of us had way back when) and remind them what we learned so long ago.

Of course we'd probably have to roll them off their very thin and somewhat uncomfortable mats used during nap time in order to prove it...but wake up already.

(The above is a pirated screen grab of the yet to be released Disney trip planning DVD)

 

[disnut1149]

Are you saying you were told they are getting rid of them? If so,why do we have to make sure we get our FP and finalize them? We are coming Saturday and will be there one week. Wish they would do away with all the FP machines and do like they used too years ago. Get in line and wait your turn.

What? That's the craziest thing I've ever heard! Why would you want to waste your park time standing in long lines.? Legacy FP was the best invention used at a theme park. I always wondered about the people waiting in line when I would pass by them with my FP in hand going on the ride within a very short time.